April 18th, 2022
The Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) has called on the refugees not to return to the conflict-affected villages and the villages where the military council troops are stationed, in Karenni State.
“The villagers are in danger of landmine if they return to their villages. The military has planted landmines in the villages where they arrived. The military burned down our rations. Nothing is as important as human lives. We can try to get our belongings. Our lives will be lost if the soldiers kill us,” said Ko Thike, a member of the leader committee of the KNDF.
Locals should not return to their homes. They should ask for the help from the IDP committee and the Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC), he suggested.
A refugee who is taking shelter in Demawsoe said: “We have to return to our villages to bring food as we have no food. We don’t receive any aid. Transportation is difficult. The soldiers are deployed on the road.
On April 11th, two locals who returned to the village near Hteethawkuu and Kadarlar villages in Phruso Township by motorbike to bring rations were injured due to the landmine planted by the military council.
On April 4th, two playing children were injured in DawUkhaw ward in Loikaw as they stepped on a landmine.
In addition, the IDPs who returned to their homes to bring rations were killed by the military council.
Since the coup, the total number of the locals killed by the military council has reached 246 in Karenni State, according to the statement issued by the Karenni Civil Society Network (KCSN) on April 10th.
Sent by Maw Oo Myar (Kantarawaddy Times)