“More crimes against humanity according to international law”
Two regime military columns with a total strength of about 180 burned 12 villages in Tabayin (Depayin) township Sagaing division until the second week of this month, Depayin Township Brothers, a local neighbourhood announced.
A person helping refugees in Tabayin said, “Their houses have been reduced to ashes and there is no place for them to live anymore. Some of them had to live in temporary tents on burned lands. Others went to schools and monasteries to take refuge.”
The military column that incinerated villages in Tabayin is a joint force of Mawlaik- based 364th Light Infantry Battalion, and the 701st Infantry Battalion. Locals estimate that the military unit in total comprises 180 soldiers.
From December 2022 to the second week of January 2023, a total of 3511 houses were burnt down,, 24 shops, 3 mills, and 5 monasteries in 37 villages were also suffered from the troops engaged in arson attacks.in the Saing Pyin outskirt area of the township, Depayin Township, the Brothers stated on January 17th.
According to the figures released by Data on Myanmar on January 15th, as of December 31 last year, 48,463 houses across the country have been destroyed by fire at the hands of the Military Council, and its subordinate organizations. Among them, 36,667 houses in Sagaing Division, 8,575 in Magway Division, 1,475 in Chin State, and a total of 1746 in other states and divisions, were burned down by a rolling campaign or orchestrated arson attacks.
The military column is moving back and forth between Ye-U and Tabayin townships, targeting and destroying villages committing crimes against humanity as clearly defined in international law.
In “ Nowhere is Safe” Myanmar Human Rights 2021 report by Fortify Rights ngo, “Deportation and Forcible Transfer of People” has been cited as one of the many crimes against humanity committed by the junta.
Ko Phyo Gyi, a member of Depayin Township Brothers related more incidents of arson.
“ In Inn Tan and Inn Tine Lay villages, 34 and 36 houses were burned respectively.
Earlier they had torched Yin Twe village. Later, Saing Pyin, Magyi Taut, Sat Pyar Kyin,
Bote villages. Next they set ablaze our Inn Taine Lay and Inn Tan villages. Villages like Kone Yoe, Wun Yan and Chaung Nar also suffered from arson attacks. There were
as many as 12 villages that were burned at the beginning of this month.”
Ko Phyo Gyi added,“Initially 50 houses were burned in Yin Twe, bringing the total number to 52 after two more houses were also torched..In Phaya Htwet 243 and Kyi village 254 houses were destroyed by fire, and 93 in Magyi Taut villages which were also reduced to charred remnants.”
In Sat Pyar Kyin,85 houses were burnt down and about 180 houses were burned in Bote village, and 6 houses each in Kone Yoe and Wun Yan. 11 houses in Chaung Nar village were destroyed by fire. The arson attacks by the Military Council caused not only the destruction of homes but also the deaths of civilians.
“There have been a series of cases of elderly people over 80 years old being burned to death during such attacks.”, Ko Phyo Gyi said.
85-year-old U Wun Mya died in Inn Tine Lay village arson. In addition, the elderly U Tin Maung (80) and Daw San Nu (70), who disappeared when the military column entered Inn Tan village, were later released. Furthermore, a civilian was shot and injured in the abdomen by the Military Council’s firing in Tabayin.
Currently, victims from various villages whose homes were burned down need a lot of help to live temporarily and to build new houses, said those who are helping the displaced people.
