FBR REPORT: Burma Army Conducts Sweeps ofVillages in it’s Hunt for the Arakan Pro-Democracy Ethnic Resistiance
Arakan State
15 June, 2010

Burma Army steals food and demands forced labor as it conducts sweeps ofvillages in it’s hunt for the Arakan pro-democracy ethnic resistanceand Burma Army defectors 1/2 kilometer from the Indian Border.

Map of area of report

Burma Army Battalions #232 (based at Patarli Village) and #289(based at Paletwa Mro Ma Village), composed of over 180 men includingthe Tactical Commander and all the Battalion officers, are conductingsweeps against villagers in Paletwa Township, Chin State. The villagesthreatened include:

  • Pumnyan Wa
  • Nygeliwa
  • Doe Chawn Wa
  • Parkarwa
  • Aumthiwa
  • Shwe Lie Pue
  • Phe Lie Wa
  • Satanwa
  • Mariwa

The Battalion HQ has been set up at Mariwa Village which islocated only half a kilometer from the Indian Border and only 30 minuteswalk from Tapu Shay Village, Raw The Village, and Latar Lunn Village,Lawntalet District, Mizoram, India (N22.124061, E92.752841). TheBattalion is hunting ALA (Arakan Liberation Army) members and searchingfor six Burma Army defectors who have been cooperating with the ALA.

Because of this operation, thousands of villagers are suffering.At Mariwa Village, 40 villagers are being forced to act as security forthe camp (20 during the day and 20 at night). They are not allowed toreturn home and their wives and family members have to send them theirfood. They not only have to provide security for the camp, but they arebeing forced to porter for the Burma Army on their patrols. They have tocarry the soldier’s uniforms, backpacks, ammunition, and anything elsethe soldiers require. They don’t have to carry food, as the soldiers areunder orders to take their food from the local villagers and not carryrations.

The villagers in the area have been forced to give theirchickens, pigs, goats and other domestic animals to the Burma Army forfood. Each village must also have 10 motorboats on standby for use bythe Burma Army whenever they want. The current price for Diesel Fuel inthe area is 22,000 kyats for one Kalam (1 kg or 6 bottles) but the BurmaArmy is only paying about half of that, the rest the motorboat ownermust pay for out of his own pocket.

God bless you,

Arakan Relief Team Coordinator

Free Burma Rangers