Free Burma Rangers (FBR) accused government soldiers of shooting and stealing food from internally displaced persons (IDP). A statement posted on FBR's website reported that troops re-entered the Nam Lim IDP camp, prompting 59 of the camp’s inhabitants to flee to Man Gau village on Nov. 21.
Government troops first entered the camp in Bhamo (or Manmaw) district on Nov. 18, shortly after a Karuna Myanmar Social Services (KMSS) relief convoy arrived. Local Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) commanders accused the army of purposely taking advantage of the aid mission to capture territory knowing they wouldn’t fight back with so many civilians in the area.
During the more recent incident, FBR claimed the troops from five different battalions under Military Operations Command 21 (MOC 21) started the fire fight with KIO forces, FBR said. The following day soldiers were seen stealing five sacks of rice from the camp. The same day they allegedly shot at 23 villagers from Man Gau making their way towards the camp.
Most of the civilians in Nam Lim Pa and surrounding area have been displaced. According to a statement last month by a Kachin civil society groups at least 2,300 people have been affected. Many of the IDPs from Nam Lim Pa fled to Bom Tsit Pa IDP camp, where an estimated 1,760 people are now sheltering, FBR said. Others sought refuge at a camp between Pa Kam and Sin Kam.
