Rangers Help Lead Villagers to Safety as Burma Army Enters Nam Lim Pa IDP Camp, Takes Rice Rations and Fires at Villagers

11 December 2013
Mansi Township, Kachin State, Burma

In This Report:

  •         FBR rangers lead 59 villagers to safety

  •         Burma Army troops take rice rations from Nam Lim Pa villagers

  •         Latest military action in Kachin State

FBR Rangers Lead 59 Villagers to Safety

A woman weeps as villagers flee Nam Lim Pa IDP camp, which became unsafe to stay at when Burma Army troops entered the camp.

On 21 November 2013, Burma Army soldiers from Battalion 47, 56, 240, 276, and 319 – all under the command of Military Operations Command (MOC) 21 – were transporting and storing arms and ammunition at the Nam Lim Pa clinic.

In the early afternoon, Burma Army soldiers also entered the Nam Lim Pa Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp. An FBR ranger led 59 IDPs away from the IDP camp and fled to Man Gau village, arriving in the early evening. Afterwards, 40 IDPs were still hiding at Man Ding Hku village. At 3:10 pm, Burma Army troops and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) troops fought for nearly four hours.

The burned remains of a home in section 2 of Nam Lim Pa village.

 

An unfired mortar used by the Burma Army when it attacked Nam Lim Pa village.

 

The Burma Army have been occupying Nam Lim Pa Village since late November, and now Nam Lim Pa IDPs have fled due to Burma Army presence.

 

Villagers have had to change locations several time due to a lack of security, causing them to often flee to the jungle.

Now, the Burma Army occupies Nam Lim Pa village and Nam Lim Pa IDP camp, which cuts off villagers’ safe access to shelter, food, clinics, and places of worship.

Initially, over 2,000 IDPs took temporary refuge at an IDP camp located between Pa Kam and Sin Kam. There were 600 IDPs at the IDP site three weeks ago, but once IDPs from Nam Lim Pa arrived, the number dramatically increased.

However, due to security concerns, many IDPs moved to Bom Tsit Pa IDP camp on 4 December 2013 – which now hosts roughly 1,760 IDPs.

Bam Tsit Pa Internally Displaced Person Camp, where many villagers from Nam Lim Pa have fled to.

 

Nearly 1,800 villagers are now seeking shelter at Bam Tsit Pa IDP camp, with the camp more than doubling in capacity after 4 December 2013.

Burma Army Troops Take Rice Rations from Nam Lim Pa IDPs

On 22 November 2013, Burma Army soldiers from MOC 21 took 5 sacks of rice from the IDP rations at Nam Lim Pa IDP camp. While Burma Army troops were taking rice rations from IDPs, 23 villagers from Man Dau village were walking to Nam Lim Pa IDP camp. When they encountered the Burma Army troops in the area, Burma Army troops began shooting at the villagers, causing the villagers to turn and run back to Man Dau.

Burma Army troops stealing rice rations from Nam Lim Pa villagers.

The Latest Military Action in Kachin State

Burma Army troops are continuing to position and resupply troops in Kachin State. On 23 November 2013, beginning at 10:50 am, Burma Army troops from Infantry Battalion (IB) 56 and 276 ambushed KIA soldiers from 12th Brigade at Je Gau stream, which is close in proximity to Nam Lim Pa village. On 24 November 2013, Burma Army soldiers and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) soldiers fought for half an hour from 9:30 – 10:00 am at Pang Kam, KIA 34th Battalion territory in Muse Township.

On 28 November 2013, at approximately 6:20 pm, Burma Army soldiers from MOC 7, stationed at Masen Kawng, fired rifles 7 times at Udang Hkyet, where KIA soldiers have been positioned in Waimaw Township (in close proximity to Laiza)

 

May God bless you,

Kachin Free Burma Rangers