In Lashio Township, located in southern Shan State, the Military Council troops have intentionally demolished the village name and village guide signs that were inscribed in the Ta'ang script by local residents.
On June 9th, the Military Council purposefully vandalized the village entrance signs and guide signs that were inscribed in the Ta'ang language, locals told Shan Herald. The affected villages include Naungywam, Kongkha, Tonttalong, and Hopate Ywarthit, all situated in Lashio.
"This act is an evident case of one-sided bullying relying solely on weapons. It is a deliberate destruction of signs that are inscribed in our own language, symbolizing our connection to our ancestral lands. Regrettably, in Lashio Township alone, they targeted and demolished five recently constructed village name signs”, a local reported.
The Military Council arrived with two fully loaded trucks, carrying a significant number of personnel equipped with picks, hammers, and various other tools, indicating a deliberate intent to carry out these destructive actions.
In addition, the Military Council employed a bulldozer to forcefully demolish the village entrance sign that was currently under construction in Taungnaung village.
Locals said recently constructed signs have been subjected to selective demolition. The estimated value of each of these signs is approximately 2 million kyats.
"We are deeply saddened to see the village signs, painstakingly erected by us, the villagers, with our hard-earned savings, being demolished in such a manner. Our heartfelt plea is for the signs to be reconstructed. If the authorities prefer to use their language instead of ours, we are open to that as well. The crucial aspect is that we strongly desire the signs to be rebuilt”, a local said.
In addition to the destruction of the signs, the Military Council troops also detained several village elders, coercing them into signing a pledge to refrain from any future involvement in such activities.
"Soldiers dressed in full uniform approached our village elder, demanding his signature on a pledge. With stern voices, they reprimanded their disapproval of signs written in Ta'ang language, stating their preference for signs exclusively in Myanmar. All village elders were compelled to sign the pledge under these circumstances”, a local told Shan Herald.
According to the villagers, it has been confirmed that the soldiers issued explicit threats, expressing their adamant opposition to any village entrance signs or guide signs being written in the Ta'ang language in the future.
