Burma Army Attacks Displace 1,800 people
The Burma Army attacked the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) positions on Thursday 10 April. The 10-hour Burma Army offensive took place in the La Gat Yang and Man Win areas on the Kachin-Shan border.
A report released by a humanitarian organization, the Burma Free Rangers, documents that, “Burma Army soldiers from Military Operation Command (MOC) 16, Division 88, and Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) 622 and 588 conducted multiple attacks in the Lat Gat Yang area, including the following areas – Nawng Luk/Nawng Lum, Lahkum Pa, Nam Hka, Lagat Daw, Kyak Hpra.
The FBR said in its latest report from Kachin State that last weeks attacks by the Burma Army “extended to less than one kilometer from the Lagat Yang Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp, driving away over 800 IDPs. Over 1,000 Shan villagers have fled to the China border.”
The FBR confirm that it is not the first time that the Burma Army have attacked displaced people living at the Lagat Yang site.
“From November to December 2013, many of these families fled to Lagat Yang from Nam Lim Pa (see FBR reports from November and December 2013, and January and February 2014) following Burma Army attacks there. Kachin Light (WPN) and other relief organizations are doing their best to respond to this situation.”
The Free Burma Rangers’ states on its website that its mission is to deliver medical, spiritual and educational resources for displaced communities and document human rights abuses.
