Situation Report in Karen State

7th Brigade - Pa-an District

Although DKBA troops were supported by SPDC in order to have taken various parts of KNLA 7th Brigade areas in Pa-an district, many KNLA soldiers and officers from 7th Brigade are still fighting and a casualty and death toll of DKBA troops are mounting every day in KNLA 7th Brigade area. A number of DKBA troops are also running away from DKBA military leadership and giving themselves in to KNLA. On 9th August 2009, a DKBA soldier got wounded by our GWMC operations in Paw Paw Lay area. The next day, a 42 years old DKBA soldier Saw Thaw Gay from Battalion 6th of DKBA Brigade 999 gave in himself to us. On 13th August, a member of DKBA 999 Brigade got wounded by our GWMC operations in Tee Pa Doh Ta.

On 14th August one DKBA member got wounded and one got killed by our GWMC operations in Baw Baw Mee Ta, and on the same day another DKBA soldier got wounded in Thay Bay Ta area. On 15th August, a DKBA solider got wounded by our GWMC operations in Ta Kwikla area, and on the same day a DKBA officer, who is the second Battalion Commander, also got wounded in lower Thay Bay Ta area. On the same day two members from Battalion 6th of DKBA 999 Brigade, private Saw Lai May, 28 years of age, and SPDC solider Saw A Bu, 22 years of age, gave in themselves to KNLA.

6th Brigade - Dooplaya District
Disagreements and conflicts amongst DKBA troops have escalated during these days as DKBA military leaders are forcing their soldiers to fight, while many of their solders are reluctant to do. On 9th August, DKBA soldier Pa Taw and his friend from DKBA IB 907 got arguments with other DKBA soldiers. They shot dead 4 DKBA soldiers, 1 SPDC police, and 2 soldiers from No. 12 SPDC Military Operation Control Command, before driving away to Kawka Reit. Just before getting to Kawka Reit, arm skirmishes took place at Tada Oo and one soldier from SPDC LIB 355 got killed and two wounded. After that the two ran out from their car and hid in the Chinese cemetery. DKBA and SPDC troops chased them up and they again shot dead a Captain from DKBA IB 907, and they got one more M-16, one M-79, one 9-MM, and one Willkie-talkie Radio. And then they ran down to Pa Taw’ village called Ka Mya. On 12th August, Pa Taw and his friend went down to Na Bu crossroads, and they confronted and exchanged fire with DKBA soldiers at Ta Grae bridge, leaving one DKBA soldier dead, one DKBA Battalion Commander wounded, and one civilian wounded and one dead. Pa Taw fought until he died, but his friend was arrested by DKBA. The DKBA got back three M-16, one RPG-7, and one 9-MM, but one M-79 and one Willkie-talkie Radio were drowned in the water.
On 11th August, our KNLA Battalion 16th operated guerilla combating against 2nd column of SPDC LIB 256 and IB 283 between Noh Sot Nai and Gawkla area and their two soldiers got wounded and one got killed. On the same day, a villager named Saw Kyaw Po Lo Wah, 24 years of age from Yaw Ku Ni village, was arrested near Mae Ka Thaw Kee hill by troops of DKBA IB 904 and SPDC LIB 546 led by Kyaw Kyaw. As they saw 10,000 Thai Baht (US$ 300) and a knife in his bag, he was wrongly accused as a member of KNLA and beaten seriously. They also burned down firm huts of villagers Saw Ta Ku, Saw Blay, Saw Kapae and Saw Own Kyine. They lost their materials in the huts such as rice bowls, plates, blankets, rice in the fire. On 12th August, KNLA 2nd Column of Battalion 16th operated guerilla skirmishing against 1st Column of SPDC LIB 356 between Lay Not and Tar Thoo areas and 3 SPDC soldiers got killed and 2 got wounded seriously. No casualties with KNLA soldiers.

3rd Brigade Kler Lwito District
Villagers in Kler Lwito district are facing random shootings of SPDC troops patrolling in their areas. At 09:00AM on 9th August in Mone township of KNLA 8th Battalion area, a Karen villager Saw Ko Kyaw, 42 years of age, was shot injured by a combined SPDC troops comprising 42 soldiers from SPDC’s LIB 351 and IB 60, patrolling Ler Wet Kee area. Villagers in Kan Gyi Tan, Long Kon and Cha Lae villages are facing troubles as a heavy rain is flooding their farmlands in the areas, and Commanding officer Kan Maung of SPDC No. 2 Military Tactical Operation Command has ordered villagers to send a list of boats from the areas to him. What worse more is that, those villagers are not allowed to go out to their farms.

2nd Brigade Taung Oo District
On 11th August, two SPDC soldiers got wounded by KNLA’s two GWMC operations in Ku Ler Der tract. On 12th August, one SPDC soldier got wounded by KNLA’s GWMC operation in deserted See Ker Deh village. On 14th August, the 5th SPDC Military Operation Control Command stationing at Play Sa Law camp in Taw Ta Tu township ordered villagers to bring two rattans of 15 yards long from each village.

1st Brigade - Doo Tha To District
On 12th August, Kyaw Min from DKBA 333 Brigade forcibly charged 18 villagers from Tee Pa Doh Ta village 180,000 Kyat (approx. US$ 180) for their engines. On 12th August, Ta Paw Camp Commander captain Ko Tin Win from SPDC LIB 213 forced villagers to bring 1000 Bamboos for his military camp. Human rights violations and forced labor against villagers from Taung Oo district and Doo Tha To district are frequently done by SPDC frontline troops.
Acronyms
GWMC - Guerilla Warfare Maneuvering Combating
LIB – Light Infantry Battalion; IB – Infantry Battalion
KNLA – Karen National Liberation Army
DKBA – Democratic Karen Buddhist Army; SPDC – State Peace and Development Council;