Headmen of Karenni villages have to sleep in the Town Immigration Office every night to ward off attacks by the Karenni Army and possible bomb explosions by saboteurs, local sources said.

The local authorities have issued the order to village chiefs on November 1 to safeguard themselves against attacks.
Similarly, the Burmese Army’s LIB 427 based in Deemawso, Hteepoekaloe village, has ordered village headmen and secretaries to come and sleep in the military camp.

The villages surrounding the Burmese military camp are Hteepoekalo, Dawklawdu, Myoma and Ngwedaw cliques. A total of 28 village chiefs have been ordered to sleep at the military base as security for the soldiers from attacks by the rebels.

A Deemawso resident said, “The battalion is based in Hteepoekaloe clique village. The army authorities have asked the village headmen and secretary to come and sleep at the army camp fearing attacks by rebels.”

Burmese troops are forcing Karenni people to sleep at the military camps to avoid attacks by the rebels, said a Karenni Social and Development Centre (KSWDC).

Khu Phe Bu, Director of KSWDC said “The junta’s troops feel if these people are around, the Karenni Army will not attack. If Karenni Army shoots at them, they prefer to stay with villagers, so that the rebels will not dare to attack. This is their game plan.”

Meanwhile, after the Karenni Army seized a Burmese Army camp on September 26 between Loikaw and Shataw townships, villagers fear Burmese troops will retaliate and restrict their movement to the farms.