On April 15 at about 4 p.m. three villagers were seriously injured when a Mon guerilla group fired five rounds and hurled a small grenade from a hand-held missile launcher into a passing vehicle. The vehicle had transported Burmese soldiers, and was returning with civilians from a pagoda in southern Ye township, Mon state.
The car driver, who suffered minor head injuries, told Kaowao, "The guerrilla group fired from close-range at the ferry, which was carrying 21 people at the time. One of the passengers was a village headman. Three people were injured and taken to Moulmein hospital."
"It was a very close shot. They (Mon guerillas) shot three villagers who were seated in the back of the car when I managed to steer away from the scene. All the injuries were shots on the back, with one woman victim being shot on her back through her abdomen. One of the injured men was unable to remove the bullet from his back; all were sent to Moulmein hospital," he said. He added that all victims were committee members of the pagoda festival, and living in Han Gan and Sin Gu villages. The shots were fired two miles from Han Gan village, which is a base for the pagoda festival.
The driver felt the reason for the guerilla attack may have been his previous passengers. Earlier in the day he had transported Burmese soldiers.
Because of the guerilla attack the famous pagoda festival, Kyait-Tae-Meh-Kaloaw that is usually held on the first and last days of the new year water (Songkran) festival was abandoned, in keeping with orders given by the well-known Mon Abbot Pohpha Rama (Htapow Dot). The Abbot had previously organised the festival but this year released a statement damning the perpetrators and condemning the shootings.
According to a group of motorcyclists who had been forced off the road and made to hide just prior to the incident, the Mon guerrilla group comprised of eight soldiers and was led by Eain Dha.
Nai Chan Dein, a Mon guerrilla group leader from the area told the Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA) that his men only shot at the ferry car that carried enemies.
In recent years New Years celebrations have often turned sour. During the New Year's Water Festival in 2005 a Mon guerrilla group led by Nai Chan Dein killed 11 people at the Pagoda festival, and stole jewelry.
