The military junta has informed local residents through village administrators that its warships will conduct artillery test firing exercises on June 10 in the Salween River near Kaw Hlaik Island, Hpa-An Township, Karen State, where local communities rely on fishing for their livelihoods.
The exercise will reportedly be carried out by riverine combat vessels under Fleet No. 46 of the Mawrawaddy Naval Command Headquarters on June 10.
A resident of Hpa-An said: “This is the first time they have conducted warship and artillery test firing in this area. It has never been done here before. In previous years, such exercises were mostly carried out near Kalagoke Island and Kyaikkhami. This time, they have sent warning notices to villages that may hear the explosions, telling residents not to be alarmed during the exercise.”
Authorities have also warned that people, fishing boats, and small vessels should avoid entering the area in order to prevent accidents or other unwanted incidents. Residents have been advised to travel only outside a three-mile radius of Kaw Hlaik Island.
Local residents expressed concern that military firing exercises should not be conducted near villages or in areas where people depend on fishing for their livelihoods, warning that the exercises could damage aquatic resources and the surrounding environment.
“In reality, there are many places far away from populated areas where such tests could be conducted. Villagers do not want this activity to take place here. Most communities along the Salween River depend on fishing for their livelihoods. Conducting these exercises in areas where local people catch fish and shrimp raises concerns that aquatic resources may disappear,” the resident said.
According to reports, the Hpa-An Township General Administration Department has already issued warning notices to the administrators of Htone Inn, Kaw Gun, Kaw Hlaik, and Hnit Hkwar villages located near Kaw Hlaik Island.
A resident of the Gyaing River area said that even before the military coup, artillery testing conducted by the Mawrawaddy Navy in the Gyaing River basin had significantly reduced fishery resources.
“Before the coup, they frequently conducted these kinds of tests in the Gyaing River. Each exercise involved firing more than ten large-caliber rounds that produced extremely loud explosions. The testing stopped after the coup, but now they have moved to a different location and started again.”
Although authorities stated that the upcoming exercise will target only objectives on the water surface, they have not disclosed how many artillery rounds will be fired. As a result, local residents are concerned that excessive firing may take place.
