On the morning of March 11, two villagers from Ye Phyu Township, Tanintharyi region, were seriously injured after stepping on landmines.
At 8am on the 11th, Myauk Chaw villager, Nai Bai suffered injuries to his right leg by a landmine while fixing plumbing near Ka-Lay (a local term). Approximately an hour later, another landmine exploded on the main road near Aine-Shay village, striking Nai Win Hlaing, leaving him with severe injuries to both legs.
“The patients have been admitted to the hospital. The government has been informed of these incidents. [We] have been making direct contact with the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade No 4 and contacting the leaders of Karen villages,” reported an New Mon State Party (NMSP) official.
The NMSP official noted that both explosions occurred within the KNU Brigade No 4 controlled area.
On February 29, a villager on a motorcycle suffered injuries from a landmine explosion while going to put out a forest fire near Myauk Chaw village. The next day, another unexploded landmine was discovered on the road and the New Mon State Party, has reportedly removed it from the area.
“Since 2017, landmines have exploded continuously. We have asked for help from the respective authorities many times. We were very upset because no one came to our aid. The Mon people are the most affected by landmines. There are about four hundred plantations in the area. After several people got injured from landmines, everyone was in shock. We are afraid to go to the plantation, said the Ye Phyu Township, Ah-lay-Sa-Khan village Administrator, Nai Thin San.
Ye Phyu Township falls under the jurisdiction of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement that groups such as the NMSP and KNU, have signed, noted Nai Thin San.
According to media reports, more than ten landmine blasts have occurred in Ye Phyu Township causing five people to lose legs in 2018-2019.
