An instructor has been sentenced to hard labor and one year in prison following the deaths of two trainees at a basic/special combat training program run by the Ye Guerrilla Force (YGF) under the Dawna Column, according to a June 20 statement from the Battalion 33 Operations Command.
The two deceased trainees were attending the second cycle of a basic/special operations training course led by Dawna Column Unit 2. The investigation committee, chaired by the operations commander of Battalion 33, concluded that the deaths were caused by illness and the failure of one instructor to provide timely medical treatment.
According to the findings, one trainee died from dengue virus complications that had reached the brain, while the other suffered from a severe lung infection and hemorrhagic cough.
The instructor was found guilty of negligence for not reporting the trainees’ illnesses in time and for violating medical response protocols. He was sentenced on June 8 under the internal disciplinary procedures of the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), according to officials.
“This training is part of our special forces program. It’s intense and physically demanding. Our instructors follow the standards of special force instruction. But the weather also played a role. We’ve seen seasonal flu and dengue spreading among our trainees. Many have fallen ill,” said Battalion 33 Operations Commander Saw Darko, speaking to the Independent Mon News Agency.
Currently, a large number of trainees are reported to be suffering from seasonal flu, dengue fever, and hepatitis. The program includes more than 90 trainees, with instruction conducted by five trainers.
Although the YGF maintains that the deaths were due to illness and instructor negligence, some media outlets have reported that physical punishment and beatings by the instructor, identified as Corporal Josh, may have contributed to the deaths of the two trainees, Batit and Dinosaur.
Battalion 33’s investigative committee is continuing its inquiry into the incident. The final findings and any further disciplinary actions will be shared with other battalions and the public, according to the statement.
