Jury Chai – This past weekend, close to 30 villagers from Three Pagodas Pass Township, Karen State, were forced to work as porters for a Burmese battalion, carrying wounded soldiers and supplies.
The Burmese army’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 283 fought against Karen National Liberation Army’s (KNLA, armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU)) Battalion No. 6 of Brigade No. 6 in Thet Kee village, about 18 miles from Three Pagodas Pass on March 5th.
“The Burmese troops went from Tadein [near Thet Kee] to Mezali and [we] don’t know how many KNU killed them [Burmese troops]. They fought directly at Thet Kee village. More Burmese soldiers were wounded [than KNLA troops]. That’s why they [LIB No. 283] made villagers work as porters to carry their men,” explained a woman from Tadein village.
This woman reported two Burmese troops dying and only wounded soldiers on the KNU’s side.
Thet Kee village is located about half a mile from Tadein village and there are only 10 households in the small village. Villagers work as plantation cultivators.
According to a Three Pagodas Pass resident, about six vehicles from TPP were also forced to transport for the Burmese battalion. Though, a few vehicles and villagers returned home around 5 p.m. on March 6th, some still haven’t returned to the village.
On January 28th, Light Infantry Battalion No. 566 engaged in guerilla fighting with KNLA Battalion No. 16 of Brigade No. 6 near Apalone village, about 20 miles northwest of Three Pagodas Pass. Three Burmese soldiers died in battle and four were wounded. In addition, a driver transporting Burmese army ammunition and supplies died in the battle, while the vehicle following was hit as well.
