A column of Myanmar Army asked several villagers to leave the Sa Nyin internally displaced people (IDP) camp under Meabon township putting them in troubles, informed local village leaders.

Nearly 200 soldiers entered into the said IDP camp on the night of 25 January firing many gunshots into the air. The security force also

destroyed some shelter-huts in the camp and few tarpaulins were also set on fire near the road.

The security personnel initially asked the elders including many women asylum seekers  to assemble in one place and then ordered them to leave the camp next morning, said a villager. Later the troop destroyed some utensils including tarpaulins of the camp.

“Our family members tried to hide as the army personnel entered into the camp by 11 pm. They asked all of the people to gather in one place and then ordered us to leave the camp next day. All people were sitting with folded knees on the ground. Later they left the camp within few minutes,” a woman, who wanted anonymity revealed.

 

Sa Nyin village administrator informed that over 200 gunshots were

fired by the security forces before they left the camp by 11.30 pm.

“There are around  500 people in the camp and most of them came from villages like Hin Kharaw, Lee Thwan and Kyan Dike. They left their villages a month back as incidents of fierce fighting between Myanmar security personnel and Arakan Army members broke out near their villages,” said the village administrator.

IDP camps are normally erected with the pieces of  bamboo, tarpaulin and other available materials.  The Sa Nyin camp is constructed at the village sport ground.

Ashin Thabawa Nadi, a monk working those in IDP camp, asserted that the security personnel  threatened the asylum seekers to vacate the camp. We are now discussing with other village leaders to resolve the problem. Till now no decision is taken whether the people in the camp would be asked to vacate the place,” added the monk.

U Pe Than, a representative in lower house of Parliament from the

locality confirmed the incident and he expressed displeasures over the rude behavior of Myanmar army personnel over the camp people.

The army spokesperson major general  Zaw Min Htun stated that the army column went to the camp during the night hours for security reasons.

“We have no plan to vacate the camp and our soldiers went there to check the security cover. Moreover, they did not misbehave any person in the camp,” concluded Zaw Min Htun.