An interview with a local man from Budalin about the current situation about the military column’s raids in Budalin.
In October, about 17 local residents, including a family, were killed when a military column of around 100 soldiers entered villages in Budalin Township, resulting in burning of houses and arrests and killings of the residents.
On the full moon day of Thadingyut, 17 October, military council troops entered Si Par village in Budalin Township, burning the village and killing some residents. Among the deceased were six family members from a grocery store in Bandula ward, according to the PDFs.
Currently, the advancing military column continues to conduct raids in the area. Shanni Voice interviewed a local man close to the defense forces, who wished to remain unnamed for security reasons, about the situation regarding military council troops advancing Budalin.
Q: When did the military council start its raid in Budalin? What is the current regional situation after the raids?
A: Since 4 October, the military column entered the villages. The military column from the Northwest Command in Monywa launched the raid. The column consists of around 80 to 100 soldiers. They are stationed in Tet Hlaing village. They arrested locals. From there, they proceeded to Ywar Shey village and Si Par village. They torched the villages and killed people there.
Q: Could you share what you know about the arrests and killings of locals, as well as the burning of houses?
A: Around 40 to 70 people have been arrested since the military column entered the area. Those arrested are local residents and have not yet been released. On 16 October, Tet Hlaing village was burned, and on the full moon day of Thadingyut (17 October), Si Par village was burned. Si Par village experienced two incidents of arson—one around 9 a.m. and another in the afternoon.
They set fire to three separate locations in Si Par village. Reports says that among those killed are six family members, including a seven-year-old and a child under five, from a grocery store in Bandula ward. Junta soldiers killed them by asking them to open the door while they were in the house. The villagers said that one of the children was beaten to death with the ground. Eight locals from Myauk Kyi village. We have not received the exact number of those killed. The total of number of those killed has reached 17-18.
Q: How many houses were destroyed in the burned villages?
A: I don’t know the exact number yet. The military column remains in the village. They entered Tet Hlaing village after the burning, killings, and arrests. No one dares to approach the village. We have to watch the burning of the village from a distance. Among those killed, some women were raped, but the people still don’t dare to enter the village because the military column remains in the village.
Q: Is there ongoing fighting between the local defense forces and the military council?
A: Now there is no battle. At the end of September, the PDFs ambushed the junta column which returned after reinforcement in Kutaw village, near Si Par village. In the fighting, they (military council) suffered heavy losses. More than 30 junta soldiers were killed in the fighting. Nearly 40 injured junta soldiers and prisoners of war. Since nearly the entire column was killed or injured, they began targeting civilians. They killed the civilians who are not involved in the fighting. The military council toops are stationed only in Budalin and Kutaw village. The remaining areas are dominated by the PDFs. The military council wants to regain control of these areas.
Q: At present, the military council’s military column is still there. How many local residents have been displaced?
A: There are many internally displaced persons (IDPs). The number of IDPs is between 8,000 and 10,000 as the people from about 10 villages including Myauk Kyi, Shan Te, Hta Tan, Tet Hlaing, Si Par and Saing Pyin Lay, have fled. In the past, they used to flee to other villages when the military column entered the villages, but now they don’t flee to other villages because they could face aerial bombardment. They flee to safer places. As the IDPs have to flee for many days, they are in need of rations and medicines.
Sent by Shanni Voice