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Burma Army officer abuses and threatens villagers

Villagers accuse a Burma Army Battalion commander, based in Wah Kla (Wa Daw) in Southern Burma, of demanding villagers use their private vehicles to travel him around the area.

Naw Hser Tha U Htoo, from Wah Kla village, told Karen News.

“The battalion commander demands villagers use their cars on a regular basis. Sometimes it’s twice a day or once or twice a week. We don’t want to take him, but we fear him. Sometime he threatens villagers that if we don’t’ take him he will not give us the right to make our living in the area.

Naw Hser Tha U Htoo said it is costly to keep using their cars for free.

“We have to take him to Ah Ler Sa To and he doesn’t give us patrol or expenses. His travel is not important, he goes to Ah Ler Sa To just to talk on the phone and look at the internet.”

Ah Leh Sa To is the Thai Italian-Thai Development Company has locate its base and is about about 20 kilometer from Wah Kla village. The Battalion Commander, Lt.Col Aung Win Htun, is from the Light Infantry Battalion 588. Lt.Col Aung Win Htun was accused of beating three Wah Kla villagers in the first week of June.

Naw Ser Tha U Htoo said villagers have had enough of Lt.Col Aung Win Htun lack of respect for villagers.

“We don’t want him in our village.”

Saw Kaw Gyi, Ka Saw Wah village headmen told Karen News.

“Most of the villagers don’t like this battalion commander. We fear him but we have to listen to him. He beat up villagers and ordered his soldiers to threaten villagers at gunpoint. He takes away the villagers right to earn their living here.”

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