Junta army accuses civilians of killing its members

_{By Chaiya/ Lieng Lern}
 
A group of SSA members from Battalion 361 led by Major Zarm Khur on 13 January, 2008 encountered and clashed with members of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 132 of Burma Army at Wan Hsaytan and Wan Kung Lom villages in Kan Do village tract. Two members of the LIB and a policeman were killed during the clash. No casualty from SSA side has been reported.
 
On the same day after the clash, members of the LIB went to a nearby village called Kung Lom and arrested the village headman named Long Lum and villagers. The headman was suspected of collecting cash to support the SSA. Sixteen villagers including women and children were taken to the LIB base. All men were beaten and then some of them were released.
 
However, Sai Min, 40, was detained on the same day of the incident and Sai Hkit, 36, was arrested four days later, said Hsaw Na, Sai Hkit's father, a former village headman.
 
Both Sai Min and Sai Hkit have disappeared since their arrests.
 
"They [Burmese soldiers] ordered the villagers to report to the Commander of Area Operations Command that the clash lasted for 2 hours and two soldiers from SSA were shot by them [LIB 132], while three of their members were killed,” said Hsaw Na, Sai Hkit's father who is currently seeking asylum at the refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border.
 
Sai Khit's wife Nang Hwe said. “Four days after Burmese soldiers arrested Sai Min, they came to arrest my husband and took all of my family in custody at their base. I saw them beat my husband but I don’t know if they had killed him.”
 
Nang Hwe said, before release, she and her children were told by Burmese soldiers to inform them whenever they would travel or go any place.
 
“They [Burmese soldiers] said Kung Lom villagers were the spies of the SSA. They then came to arrest Sai Hkit and took him to the valley of Nam-na-hwe and killed him,” Hsaw Na said.
 
"Sai Hkit did nothing wrong. He just worked in the farm for his livelihood,” he said.
 
Being suspected as spies of the SSA, Hsaw Na said, “We were not happy staying there anymore after my son disappeared and we decided to come here [refugee camp on the border].”
 
Long Lam, another villager who was tortured by the Burmese soldiers said, "I was once taken to their base [LIB 132] for 12 days and tortured after being accused of helping the SSA. During those days I was beaten everyday. Even my ears were slapped.”
 
Hsaw Na used to have 5 children: two daughters and three sons, including Sai Hkit. The youngest is 5-year-old Sao Hsang Hsam, a novice.
 
His family, together with other families left the village on 26 February and arrived at Wan Mung Mong, a village on the Thai-Burma border on 28 and 29 February.
 
Burmese military battalion 132, Captain Pa Lay, 25 year old led his fellow Nyan Tun and a police camp commander Aye Chan and Kyaw Zay Ya , a secretary of the police. People who came to arrest Sai Khit and Sai Mim were Kyaw Zay Ya and Nyan Tun Win with their 15 soldier. Burmese battalion 132 was based between Wan Hsaytan and Wan Kung Lom village.