Army covering-up loss of rations in raid by Karen rebels

Mon 02 Feb 2009, IMNA
Karen rebels have seized rations from supply trucks bound for Three Pagodas Pass, on the Thai-Burma border. Instead of risking punishment by admitting the mistake to higher authorities, responsible officers are covering up the loss and demanding compensation from civilians. On January 19th, soldiers from Brigade 6 of the Karen National Liberation (KNLA) stopped three vehicles between Tabyu and Asin villages in Three Pagodas Pass Township. The vehicles, sent by the Southeast Command (SEC) in Moulmein and driven by conscripted civilians, were bound to deliver rations to battalions in Three Pagodas Pass Town. The rations never made it, however. According to Major Joe Zaw from Brigade 6, KNLA soldiers stopped the trucks near the Tikabown gate, operated by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). The DKBA split from the KNLA and its political wing the Karen National Union (KNU) in 1994 and is now loosely allied with Burma’s central government. The vehicles were traveling without an armed guard, Major Jaw Zaw said, and the SEC hoped they could slip by the KNLA in secret. KNLA soldiers seized 362 baskets of rice, 43 baskets of beans, 20 baskets of sugar, and 50 containers of beef, milk, and oil. The lost rice is the responsibility of the Tactical Command in Kyaik Don village, Kyainnseikyi Township. The colonel of the Tactical Command, however, has yet to inform the SEC. According to KNLA sources that monitor radio communications between the SEC and the Tactical Command, no report of the ration seizure has been made. The secrecy is not surprising. In the beginning of 2006, the KNLA seized rice rations from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 538 as it approached Three Pagodas Pass. Then as now, superior officers avoided notifying the SEC. According to KNLA Lieutenant Pho Pale, KNLA communications monitoring overheard a superior officer order soldiers to “close their mouths” and keep the ration loss a secret. Instead of requesting a dispersal of new rations, soldiers were instructed to solve the problem locally by obtaining rations from area villagers. KNLA soldiers also seized 60 and 81 caliber ammunition from 10-wheel trucks departing Three Pagodas Pass in June 2006, said Lieutenant Pho Pale. The loss of ammunition proved a more serious problem for the battalion, as it could not procure replacements locally. After informing the SEC, Major Myo Kyaw of Light Infantry Brigade No. 538 was punished and transferred to the North Region Command. The Civilian drivers who were initially forced to provide free transport, meanwhile, are now being required to provide compensation for the lost supplies. “The Burmese military forced the vehicles to carry their rations by threatening with guns. The drivers weren’t paid anything to transport the goods,” said a source that spoke with one of the drivers. “And then the KNLA seized the supplies. [The drivers] have no way to survive now because they have to compensate for the loss while their business is not good anyway because of the increasing number of road checkpoints [that tax drivers],” said the source. At the end of December, drivers near Thanbyuzayat were also forced to pay compensation fees after KNLA soldiers seized 140 sacks of rice from their civilian transportation. In the same month, the KNLA also seized 391 baskets of paddy from the army in Tavoy District, Tenasserim Division. Each driver has been ordered to pay 50,000 kyat per basket, but most of the drivers have only been able to pay 10,000. According to a source close to the drivers, the drivers will not be allowed to transport goods until the pay the full compensation. About 150 vehicles regularly transport goods and people to Three Pagodas Pass. Local villagers have also been ordered to provide paddy to replace the lost rations. The villagers have not been able to provide the supplies, though the Htay logging company has provided 200 baskets of paddy said a source involved in the exchange. Htay Company is owned by Major General Hla Htay Win, a former Rangoon Commander who was recently named Chief of Military Training. Htay Company has been involved in heavy logging in the area and harvested over 2,000 tons of timber from the KNU-controlled Makate forest in November and December. The logging was halted, however, when villagers’ complaints prompted district-level KNU officials to rescind logging access granted by local officials. The KNLA and KNU have been fighting Burma’s central governments since the country achieved independence in 1948. Once one of the strongest armed opposition groups in Burma, the KNU/KNLA has seen its power and territory dwindle in recent decades. Since the latter portions of 2008, the Burmese army has been preparing a joint offensive against territory held by KNLA Brigade 6. According to Major Joe Zaw, the effort will be aided by DKBA battalions 901, 906, 907 and 999.