Burma's Vice-President Implicated in Kachin Massacres
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Burma's Vice-President Implicated in Kachin Massacres


By BA KAUNG Friday, July 15, 2011


In Jan. 2006, a mass funeral took place in Kutkai in southern Muse Township in Shan State for KIA soldiers and civilians allegedly murdered by the Burmese army. (Photo:KIA)
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They concluded the captives had been tied to the trees, tortured, stabbed and burned, before being killed.  

“The soldiers were so severely beaten up that their bodies were just a pile of broken bones,” the report describes. “Their dead bodies were stamped on and crushed into the mud near a creek.”  

The victims were named as: Second Lt. Naw Seng, Warrant Officer Gam Seng, Lance Corporal Aik Nyi, private soldiers Nhkum Ban Aung Mai and Ma Aik Nai. One civilian was a Kachin man, Zum Zang Hawng Lum, who was the nephew of Brig-Gen James Lum Dung, the then head commander of KIA Brigade 4 operating in northern Shan State. The other civilian was identified only as a Chinese man. 

In his interview with The Irrawaddy in Laiza last week, Brig-Gen James Lum Dung—who took up arms against the Burmese troops in 1961 and retired as the KIA regional military commander in 2007—said the killings were a deliberate provocation by the Burmese troops under the supervision of Tin Aung Myint Oo.  

“Their motive was to drive our troops out of Shan State,” said James Lum Dung. “Tin Aung Myint Oo was mainly responsible for these killings.” 

In seeking an explanation for the killings, James Lum Dung said he went to Lashio in Shan State in 2001 to confront Tin Aung Myint Oo.  

“He made no response whatsoever when I told him about the unprovoked massacres, “ James Lum Dung said. “Instead, he offered me 1,000,000 kyat [US $1,000]. I did not accept it. 

“We were furious about what had happened, but our leaders decided to wait for the completion of the constitution-drafting process,” he said, referring to the military-sponsored constitution that was not completed until 2008, and which was later rejected by the Kachin leadership for its exclusion of rights for ethnic minorities.  

Documentation for a third incident alleged to have taken place in August 2005 in Hwak Kai village in the Kutkai district of Muse Township was presented by the KIA to The Irrawaddy. By this time, Tin Aung Myint Oo was no longer regional commander; Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing, the current minister for Agriculture and Irrigation, was overseeing operations.  

Falsely accused of illegally collecting taxes from local traders, the KIA's administrative officer U Sang Lu, 50, was arrested and taken away by Col. San Shwe Thar of the Burmese army's Northeast Regional Command.  

U Sang Lu was found dead the following day with three bullet wounds. His skull and two of his ribs were fractured, and the skin on his wrist had been torn away.  

“It was a groundless murder,” the document said. “The KIO [the political wing of the KIA] has long collected tax from local businesses. U Sang Lu was performing a routine duty, but was ruthlessly killed.”  

It is alleged that the following year, five KIA soldiers and one civilian were killed in cold blood by Burmese government troops, this time in the Bum Pri Bum area of Kutkai in southern Muse Township.  

On Jan. 2, 2006, a Burmese army patrol of 12 soldiers led by Maj. Hla Moe from Infantry Battalion 68 allegedly arrived at a KIA administrative office in Bum Pri Bum.  

“While our soldiers prepared to serve the Burmese troops with drinks, they were all shot dead in the office and in the kitchen,” the record states. The KIA document goes on to say that the Burmese unit immediately called in reinforcements, and prevented the KIA from entering the area and collecting the remains.  

Led by Brig-Gen Gun Maw, who is the current KIA deputy military chief, a Kachin military delegation met with Burmese army officers and asked to recover the bodies of the murdered KIA soldiers. They were permitted to collect the bodies on Jan. 6 only to find the bodies had already been cremated. Gun Maw said they were presented with “bags of ashes.”  

The victims were recorded in the KIA records as: administrative officer Laban Gam Hpang, Sergeant Brang Mai, office staffers Zahkwng Kawang Hkam, Maran Tu Shan and Brang Shawng, and a civilian from the village named as Aik Nyunt.  

Col. Zau Raw, the current commander of KIA Brigade 4 operating in Shan State, told The Irrawaddy he clearly recalls the incident in 2006. He said the Burmese military officials later offered up an excuse that the KIA soldiers were mistaken for members of an armed militia which had not signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. 

“We suppressed our emotions in those days, because we were waiting for some sort of political result from the constitution,” said Zau Raw, adding that he remembers crying as he led the funeral for the slaughtered men. 

Zau Raw was one of the KIA's highest ranking officials who participated in the constitution-drafting process.



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COMMENTS (22)
 
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Ta Tut Wrote:
29/07/2011
Ray do gov have the evidence to support that KIO/A commit the same thing? I would like to see the evidence of your proposal and after KIO/A would really happy to apologize to Barman Gov.

To Justin Bomber. You are in the wrong room dawg. Here is hints for you to realize the reality. Go to the bath room, wash your face, stand in front of the mirror, think about you have you medicine for today. That will help you. Do not thank for the help, I am busy. :P

Bur Wrote:
20/07/2011
To JustinBomber & Ray

I mean do you guys know that happened when Gov signed a ceasefire with KIA for already 7 years past? and also 10 years before the agreement broke by Burmese Army. I think you two don't know much about Burma.

ChinFreedom Wrote:
19/07/2011
After many decades of digging for political solutions in Burma, the only plausible one is to paralyze Burman's army militarization in ethnic regions and dissolve the union. The very ideology "we will get prosperity only if we are in union form" is totally wrong. Only if we all live independently, we will be able to pave a better way for ourselves. There is no single reason why ethnic peoples should join union with Burmans. Think carefully and come back to your sense. Our ethnic countries will be far more prosperous if we live independently.

Thiri Wrote:
19/07/2011
Myeik Island, Muse and Depeyin Massacres must be thoroughly investigated and all those responsible must be punished according to law.

Ray Wrote:
19/07/2011
While the war crimes committed by the government troops are undeniable, ethnic groups are committing the same crimes as well. Therefore, this article is just a very one sided article.

Taungpaw Kachin Wrote:
19/07/2011
It is wrong to hate a Burman as we also are seeing Burmans around us suffering as well as we do. Burmans themselves are not free yet. Now it the time to send unanimous dislike towards Burmese Military lead by Than Shwe, Maung Aye, Shit Lone, Min Ag Hlaing, etc...All majority Burmans should realize by now that only if Burmese Military stop colonizing ethnic regions and free ethnic nationalities, they Burmans themselves will be free and head towards a prosperous and peaceful future. Before Kachins are calling for a federal union, now, given all the circumstances, "Kachin Independent Land" is the best solution. The calls for freedom is getting louder from Khakaborazi to Kaw Taung!!!!!!!!!

Mualcin Wrote:
18/07/2011
All members from Thein Sein's government are criminals. Tin Aung Myint Oo is one of them. Thein Sein's rule smells like rotten fish.

malihkrang Wrote:
18/07/2011
Full video of Kachin Massacres under command of Burma's Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo:

Part One:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww9IqSoMunc

Part Two:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSUtkS_DP4g

Part Three:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK-hfY8EQFs

JustinBomber Wrote:
18/07/2011
Bigger question lies behind all the surfaced news. The impression given by this article that the Kachin ARMED group is being bullied by the Burmese ARMED group which make a absolute nonsense of unfair treatment between two ARMED groups.
I can't find much reason to complain from both side.
Tangible solutions disregarded by one side to be honest.
If we can always find good reason to complain for all our unhappy fortunes I'd really wish that i was born an ethnic minority in that country.
Because they are always given handicap for just being a minority regardless of what they stand for.
Media always turn around the justification…… Sadly... here we go again

George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote:
18/07/2011
Best bet for the KIA is keep the records STRAIGHT and SECURE.
They will come in handy when the JUDGMENT DAY - UN Commission of Inquiry - comes for Tin Aung Myint Oo, Myint Hlaing and the rest at Naypyidaw sooner than you think.
However, I take my hat off for Kachin's PERSEVERANCE shown all these years while their brethren were SLAUGHTERED by the BUTCHER and his ilk in their own land as well.
Don't worry Than Shwe will head the others in the ROGUES GALLERY at the ICC in The Hague when the UN gets to work and grill the MASS/MONK MURDERERS.

P FRANK Wrote:
17/07/2011
ETHENIC CLEANSING!!
Since the Military Junta in power there are so many Military operations against ethnics in Burma.
WHEN THE MASS KILLING IN KOSOVO, NATO use the UN and produce the new law/acts called ETHNIC CLEANSING then took the unilateral action against SERVIANS to protct the Armanians. So the question is where is the UK/US and Nato now? There are same Ethnic cleansing scenario against KARENS in BURMA.
US's Human right issues are not enough to stop these things and only Unilateral Action is needed. NLD please call UN to produce the next UNILATERAL ACTION in Burm to avoid the Nasty Chinese and Russians can't VETO in UN's coffe meetings.

deiwar Wrote:
17/07/2011
There have been plenty more of such atrocities perpetrated by Burmese armies.
It is time evidence were revealed and COI formed so that those responsible for such inhumane cruelty be punished.

brangtut Wrote:
16/07/2011
??????????????????? ????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????. ????? ???????????? ?????????????? ????????????? ??????? ?????????????. ??????????????? ?????????????.

John Wrote:
16/07/2011
Burmans can wait and have patience, when freedom finally comes, they will still be Burmans and have their culture, language and their lifestyle. For the Non-Burman it's a different matter. Their society, their families, their villages are being destroyed. Their languages and cultures are in danger of disappearing and the regime is trying to 'burmanize' them forcefully. Another 20 years, another lost generation and they might not be able anymore to rebuild their societies and their nations.

NL Wrote:
16/07/2011
Thanks you Ko Ba Kaung and irrawaddy for speak out the truths. The human rights violation by the Burmese Army on the Civilian are a lot too in the past and now. The Burmese are commit the Crime against Humanity and violate the Geneva Convention. We can not tolerant anymore the Burmese Government are lying all the time.

Oo Maung Gyim Wrote:
16/07/2011
Bama army cruelty and atrocity is incomparable. Bowdaw Oo Wine killed Arakanese peoples not less than 300,000 in those days of Arakan king was attacked by Maung Wine and occupied by Bama. This was a historical fact. I do not want to write more about it, I have many document written by an Arakanese monk who is a hostorian. This kind of bad tradition is still practicing in Bama army is too bad. How Bama leadership will make national unity? It is a question in morden days.

Taungpaw Kachin Wrote:
16/07/2011
These are just documented crimes against Kachins in Northern Shan State. There are numerous stories being told elsewhere in Kachinland whenever I went there. The heartaches of the fathers, the tears of the widows, the pains of the mothers will not be neglected anymore. People' power and morale will soon transform our lands to bring about justice and peace!!

Zaw Zaw Wrote:
16/07/2011
Kachin people have run out of patience and tolerance of Burmese Military Cruelness and act of crime against humanity. What can we hope or expect from Burmese Government? That is too much enough for sacrificed by the KIA soldiers who were arbitrarily torture and killed inhumanly. That’s too much enough; if it’s happen again mean KIO/KIA and Kachin people are dump and idiots.

Myint Myat Twe Wrote:
16/07/2011
KIO is clever like a dove and poisonate like a snake, it is really good time for KIO and others ethnic groups, but becarefull the regime have black magicians.

Saw Dennis Wrote:
16/07/2011
It is amazing that the KIO/KIA had tolerated such injustices for so long, with the hope of gaining the rights of the Kachin, as a people, through the so-called National Convention, which was just a farce set up by the dictatorship to hoodwink the international community. I don't blame entirely the KIO/KIA for hoping to get justice from their Nazi-like oppressors, the criminal regime. The foreign NGOs, braining washing them into collaboration with one of the worst criminal regimes in the world, must be held responsible. These NGOs are culpable for the atrocities committed by the Burmese army. Surprisingly, these NGOs are still behaving as if they know the best for the KIO/KIA and the Kachin people. They are persisting in the effort to persuade the KIO/KIA to cooperate with the current puppet regime, which is following the same policy and program of the dictatorship to restore the feudal system of the Burman kings/warlords. It is time all the Non-Burman indigenous ethnic nationalities stand up firmly together.

Mualcin Wrote:
16/07/2011
Well! My brothers and sisters got cheated by the Burmans again and again and again and again. Sa Boi Jun betrayed his own people and Burmans take chances. Kachins have lost too much.

Jinghpaw Wrote:
16/07/2011
One day, Burmese soldiers and Burmese people will suffer as Kachin. Burmese people could disappear because of their unacceptable behaviors. God will punish them.

Kachin will raise again as an independent Nation which will practice as a human being.

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