The Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) area, where Mon and Karen people have been living for many years, was unstable before the 2010 general election was held in Burma. Once again, however, local people in TPP can smell civil war in the air.
The smell of civil war:
The Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) area, where Mon and Karen people have been living for many years, was unstable before the 2010 general election was held in Burma. Once again, however, local people in TPP can smell civil war in the air.
The smell (of civil war) returned when the Burmese military generals pressed the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which signed a ceasefire agreement with the military regime in 1994, to transform into its Border Guard Force (BGF). Some DKBA forces were dissatisfied with the Burmese regime because of this pressure and seized the border towns of Myawaddy and TPP on Election Day, November 7th, 2010. The news of the capture of Myawaddy and the town of TPP was more interesting to many news organizations than news about the election itself.
When an unknown armed group attacked TPP, which has about 30,000 residents, on June 5 and June 14, 2011, fear gripped the residents, according to a shop owner woman who fled to nearby Sangkhlaburi, Thailand.
Recently, the Burmese Army has setup sand bag bunkers near the Myoma Zay Dahmma building, used by locals for Buddhist ceremonies, and installed road blocks and barbed wire barriers at junctions of major streets in town. Burmese troops are also preparing to install barbed wire around Myoma Zay (Myoma market). Many soldiers with full military equipment are on full alert and standing by in the central area of town. So, only a few people can be seen on the streets.
Armed conflict, including two attacks in June, has often occurred in TPP. So, parents don’t want their children to leave their houses, even to go to school. Grocery shops and markets are often closed.
Many rumors about more attacks by an unknown armed group have spread through the town.
Therefore, fear has captured the hearts and minds of the people in TPP.
Violence on June 5, 2011:
Three armed men in civilian clothes arrived by motorcycle and mounted a surprise attack on the Military Affairs Security office (MAS), near the Myoma Market, around 3 pm on Jun 5. The attackers used a bomb to destroy the MAS office. A MAS corporal died in the attack and another officer escaped with serious injuries.
The three armed men put masks on their face and arrived at the Myoma Market a few minutes after the attack on the MAS office. They also destroyed the door of the Myoma Dahmma building with explosives and they sprayed bullets in many directions. A middle school girl was killed and other two students wounded in the attack.
Then they forcibly took a vehicle, stopped near Myoma Market, and left town. According to the residents, the attacks happened within half an hour.
After the three armed men left, plain clothes Burmese soldiers appeared. Local residents were angry that Burmese soldiers did not arrive when the three armed men were shooting. As well, Burmese authorities could not release details about the attacks, such as which armed group the men were from, or who they were. They (authorities) have accused various ethnic armed groups.
More violence on Jun 14, 2011:
About 7 armed men, wearing masks, shot at a grocery shop next to U Aung Tin Win’s gold shop in the center of town around noon on June 14, 2011. The gunmen threw two containers of petrol fuel and five gas containers into the grocery shop while they were firing, which caused an explosion and fire. The grocery shop and the gold shop both burned down. Everything in both shops was destroyed. The owner of the building lost everything, including his home. According to news reports, the incident caused about 50 million baht in damage and two civilians were wounded in the attack.
Burmese soldiers, police and militia did not arrive on the scene until after the attack. So, the gunmen shot at the shop at will for 30 minutes and left town without any resisitance. Then, they burned the truck they used to leave the area. Burmese soldiers and security guards did not appear until after the gunmen left the area.
Insecure Town:
No armed group took responsibility for the attacks. So, nobody knows who these gunmen were, except the gunmen themselves. However, there were many rumors circulating, so local residents are very afraid.
Residents in TPP do not trust the Burmese Army and security guards to protect them or their property. Local residents have been very careful when traveling in town. Only very few students still attend their classes. Many people are scared, even while they are working.
Some local residents have moved to other places, including Sangkhlaburi, in Thailand, and the New Mon State Party Area. Some shops have already closed.
Residents of TPP don’t want to see this kind of incident happen again.
Military analysts in the border suggest the gunmen must have experience living in TPP because they know the entrance and exit road from the town. They also know the area and security situation in the town. They said some of the attackers must exchange information with local authorities.
Analysts said there are fewer than three hundred Burmese soldiers stationed in TPP. About 100 troops from LIB (Light Infantry Battalion) 284 have taken strategic positions in the town. About 100 soldiers from LIB 566 patrol in the area. Also, about 50 troops from LIB 563 patrol in Mae Katha and Chaung Sone, 10 miles away from TPP.
Ethnic people in the middle of conflicts:
The town had a good economy before the election. So, local residents had permanent jobs and regular income, enjoying a good standard of living. That attracted many people from different regions to TPP. Residents could use electricity for 24 hours daily, had domestic telephone, Thai phone, and internet.
There is no fence or natural barrier, such as a river, between Thailand and Burma around the TPP area. Therefore, many Burmese laborers have been able to work freely in Thai factories near town.
The eastern part of TPP Township is the border with Thailand. The KNU (Karen National Union) and DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) patrol in the north, northeastern and western part of TPP Township. The NMSP (the New Mon State Party and its military wing) controls the southern part.
The Burmese Army patrols in the controlled area of the KNU and DKBA. There will be fighting if the KNU or DKBA opens fire first. However, there has been no reports of Burmese forces attacking any Karen armed groups in the TPP area since early 2010.
TPP is like an island during rainy season, when it is cut off from road access to inside Burma by flooding. People can go to Kya Inn Seik Gyi in a day by boat on the Zami River .
The KNU has controlled the Zami River. However, the NMSP, DKBA and Burmese Army have military posts along the river. By using this water way, it takes one day from TPP to Kyar Inn Seik Gyi. However, it takes two days from Kyar Inn Seik Gyi to TPP because of the current.
In the 3rd week of June, troops and military vehicles gathered at Shwe Nat Taung Sport Stadium, near the Southeast Military Command headquarters. News leaked out that Burmese forces have been preparing to launch a military offensive.
However, nobody knows exactly where they are going to launch that offensive. It could be in the Myein Gyi Ngu area (recently, four BGF battalions changed back to the DKBA again), or in the KNU Bridge 6 area (Kawkareik or Kyar Inn Seik Gyi townships), the NMSP’s controlled area, or in the TPP area itself because the area is instable. Ethnic armed groups and the Burmese Army have been fighting for over 60 years.
Long History:
Before Burma gained independence, the Japanese Army ruled it during World War II. Under the Japanese, the TPP area was part of the infamous “death railway”, built by the Japanese Army between Than Byu Zayup , Burma, and Three Pagoda Pass, on the Thai border. Many people were forced to work on this railway construction, resulting in many deaths. According to historical records about 12,339 POWs and 70,000 to 90,000 (20%) of the forced laborers died.
Almost 7,000 dead POWs are buried in a military cemetery in the center of Kanchanaburi city, in Thailand. These POWs died while constructing the railway between Burma and Thailand.
There are English military cemeteries in Thanbyuzayat, Mon State, and Htuk Kyant, in Yangon.
Ethnic armed groups built military camps in the TPP area after Burma gained independence.
TPP became a big village after 1980 because it was a center of illegal trading. Unfortunately, the village was burned down during fighting between the NMSP and KNU in 1988.
After the 8 8 88 protests in Burma, the ABSDF (All Burma Students’ Democratic Front) was based in TPP.
In 1990, the Burmese Army seized the NMSP headquarters in TPP village and controlled the village. SLORC (the State Law and Order Restoration Council) upgraded TPP village to a town.
TPP town was stable and peaceful after the NMSP and Burmese military regime signed a ceasefire agreement in 1995. Other ethnic armed groups such as the DKBA, KPF (Karen Peace Force), KNU-KNLA/PC (Karen National Union-Karen National Liberation Army/Peace Council) also opened liaison offices in TPP.
The NMSP refused to transform into the BGF, as proposed by the military regime. So, the regime sent a letter to the NMSP on September 1, 2010, stating that the ceasefire agreement between the Burmese government and NMSP was at an end.
The NMSP closed all its liaison offices in TPP at the time and moved its battalions around TPP to the Japan Yay Twin (Japanese water well) area, which was under control of the NMSP. Currently, there is no fighting between the Burmese Army and NMSP battalions but both armies are on high alert and watch each other closely.
The Burmese people, including the Mon and Karen, have suffered greatly during more than 60 years of civil war. Many people still hope peace will come following the election of a new government.
