Myanmar Spring Chronicle – August 27 Scenes
MoeMaKa, August 28, 2023
More civilians were killed by the invading military council columns in the Sagaing Region
The military council column invaded a village in Wetlet Township, Sagaing Region, these days and interrogated 6 civilians among the 30 villagers taking shelter in the monastery. Of them, a total of 4 people—1 female and 3 males—were killed. It included a 20-year-old daughter and her 50-year-old father, as well as 2 men in their 50s and 30s. There were news reports that a 20-year-old daughter was raped before being killed along with her father.
Kyee Kan (North) Village, where the above murderous incident occurred, was located besides Sagaing-Shwebo Road. In Sagaing Region, civilians are arrested and killed for being alleged armed PDF members or on suspicion of being PDF supporters. The military council administration has no more control over villages in Sagaing Region, but on the other hand, it is not yet controlled by the anti-military dictator armed organizations. There are various different revolutionary armed groups; some are formed locally as local PDF without relating to the NUG or NLD party, and there are also armed groups such as PaKaFa and PaLaFa formed under the command and support of the NUG or NLD. As their enemies, there are the military council soldiers and militia groups formed by the military council according to villages. The revolutionary armed groups are outrageous in number and strength.
Though the armed forces are superior in number, there are challenges such as inadequate weapons and equipment, not being able to prevent the danger of the military council’s airstrikes, anti-military council armed groups not being under the same political and military leadership, insufficient funds, etc. In addition, there are needs such as a lack of combat experience and a weakness in communication.
These are the situations happening on the ground. From this situation, the question arises as to whether they are working to find a way to protect the people living in the villages of Sagaing Division and to meet their needs and weaknesses. It is true that the military council can no longer control Sagaing, but it is also necessary to keep in mind that the military council’s troops can still invade the villages and towns they want by ground and air. As they still can raid the villages with a force of about 100-200 soldiers, arrest and kill any villagers they want to, as in the previous incident, it is in a situation where the PDF forces cannot protect the local residents living in villages from the danger of lives, and their properties being destroyed or looted. The military council troops are ordered to torture and kill people just by assuming that they are supporting or participating in the people’s defense forces, even the village defense forces, and in this way, they are using it as a strategy to exclude the local residents from the resistance movement. Moreover, by destroying the homes and food stores of both PDF supporters and non-supporters in the villages, the armed resistance revolution is assumed to be slow down.
The military council has been using such strategies and tactics for almost 2 years. There are hardly any villages in Sagaing that have not been raided, and the number of houses being burned down, family members being arrested, and people being killed is increasing.
On the one hand, it is true that the military council has revealed the inner reality of the military dictatorship, but I think that we should also find a way to protect such brutal oppression, killing, and destruction in a way that befits the name of the People’s Defense Forces.
Otherwise, it will not be easy to survive in the long run in a situation where people lose their lives, if not their homes. It will be difficult to recuperate from the destruction of human resources, property, and livelihood capital.