Hundreds of members from the Tatmadaw military and the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) have occupied the New Mon State Party (NMSP) military base in Paline Japan village for the last week. , On December 3, they decamped from the base and set up a presence just 900 feet away, at the Hinthar Dine checkpoint.
According to the New Mon State Party, now the NMSP, the Tatmadaw and BGF forces will establish their military bases nearby Hinthar Dine checkpoint and a stone production center called Maung Phyu located near Paline Japan and Guu Bar villages in the Three Pagoda Pass area.
New Mon State Party Joint Secretary Maj.Gen. Joi Yaet said that “we have talked with local Tactical Operation Command at Three Pagoda Pass (NMSP) Liaison office yesterday and he has told us that the BGF will withdraw its troops first to avoid burglary, then the Tatmadaw will [follow] later.”
The NMSP will not be able to resettle in their original camp because refugees are afraid to return home as the Tatmadaw military base is now very close to the Mon base, according to an interview with local people.
“Those who returned to the village told me that the army is living in the village. It is devastating. They do not show up during the day time but they come out at night. They searched our house. They killed two of our pigs and cooked them for food on the day they arrived in our village. Some houses have been broken down. They took away a motorcycle from a shop and all saving cases were stolen in some houses,” according to a Paline Japan villager who was forced to flee.
25 years ago, members of the military and their family members established the Paline Japan village with 300 households, and another 100 households in Guu-Barr village. Now more than 500 people, largely the elderly, women and children were displaced by recent clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Mon Ethnic Armed Organization. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) are still taking refuge in Thailand. Most of the men from the area are taking refuge near the village to monitor their homes.
A senior Mon lawyer said “the victims have filed a complaint at the police station. Robbery and crime cases should be filed. The lawyer also raised the question, “Who is in control of the BGF?”
The conflict began when members of the Tatmadaw army and the Karen BGF attempted to enter a Mon military base in the Paline Japan village on December 1. In the fighting that followed one soldier was killed, as was one citizen, another serious injury was also reported. Then at midnight on December 2nd, gunfire broke out for approximately 30 minutes and a BGF folder was killed.
According to the provisions of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) Chapter 3, Article 8 subsection (b) detailing the protocols for the free movement of troops, the “Movement of armed troops in the areas controlled by the other is allowed only after obtaining prior agreement.”
Because the Tatmadaw and BGF incursion onto the NMSP military base did not respect this condition, the NMSP holds the Tatmadaw has violated the NCA.
The NMSP has made ceasefire agreements, pertaining to the free movement of troops with the government and the Tatmadaw in at least 18 other areas, according to 2012 state-federal data.
