Burma government soldiers purportedly robbed the entire alms collection of the Kachin Baptist Church in Nhka Ga village, where fighting between government forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has been ongoing since Aug. 28.
Aid workers stationed in the village reported that an estimated 1,000,000 Kyat (US$1,041) was confiscated by Burma soldiers from IB 138, during the early September incident that also involved the detention and violent interrogation of both clergy and civilians.
At least two people were allegedly killed during the interrogation. The head pastor is still recovering from his injuries. Burma army officials admitted that the interrogation took place and that Rev. Ram Mai is now free, but there has been no formal admission of torture or killing.
After visiting Rev. Ram Mai on Thursday, an aid worker told Kachin News Group that his legs had been repeatedly "rolled over" with metal rods and bamboo shafts leaving him bedridden. Dingra Min Seng, the assistant pastor, is still missing several weeks after the episode.
Maj-Gen Tun Tun Naung of Burma army Northern Regional Military Command conceded some details of the incident in a conference call with Dr. Hkalam Samsun, KBC general secretary, last Wednesday. According to KBC representatives, Tun Tun Naung reported that the detainees are now free and the situation in Nhka Ga has returned to normal. But the villagers told another story. Sources within the Putao church told Kachin News Group that those returning from weeks of hiding in nearby forests resulting from the August 28 conflict still live in fear of interrogation and torture from government soldiers that remain stationed in the village.
Aid workers claim that since fighting began late last month Burma army soldiers have destroyed homes and confiscated personal property leaving the village in a state of disrepair. One aid worker also reported the seizure of a laptop computer and work-related documents.
Intermittent conflict has been ongoing in the area since Burma army soldiers have paired with the local militia led by the Kachin businessman Ahdang (also known as Danggu Tang). Together they attacked the KIA Battalion 7 post near Nhka Ga village on August 28. The conflict caused more than 100 villagers to seek refuge in the nearby forests located between the Chyai Hka and Mali Hka rivers.
Local sources say that fighting has de-escalated in recent days, but the strong military presence is still a source of discomfort among the villagers.
The KIO and the government met early this week to prepare for yet another round of peace talks scheduled for early October. Both sides would like to find a solution for the conflict that began after the breakdown of a 17-year ceasefire in June of 2011.
