Kalemyo Township Villagers in Natchaung village need help : Myanmar

Sagaing Division On March 15 and 16, military council troops raided Nat Chaung village on the Kale-Gangaw highway in Kalemyo Township and set fire to 78 houses.

The troops parked the convoy on the road, and almost all the houses and grocery stores on the left and right sides of the road were filled with gold, silver and bronze. Clothing Telephone TV set; It is said that they stole valuables such as motorcycles.

Ko Aung San, a villager, told RFA that all the villagers had fled to nearby forests and mountains when they heard that a convoy of military council troops had left Kalemyo.

“On the 15th, the army entered. I slept in the village at night. On the 16th, their village was set on fire. Then he left. After they left, we dared to return to the village, and 78 houses were set on fire for two days. Simple, simple, with nothing to do with PDFs. Most of them are civilian houses. Now everything in the house is gone, starting with the broom. They moved to safety. Some had to remove their doors and shutters and move to safety. Now no one in the whole village dares to live. The village was devastated. All the shops are gone. ”

Nat Chaung village is about 15 miles from Kalemyo and has more than 2,000 houses and a population of over 8,000. For the first time last December, 42 houses were set on fire by military council forces. It is a stronghold of the NLD, and in some polling stations in the last election, the NLD received more than 3,000 votes, but the USDP received just over 100.

Ko Tha Pu, a villager, told RFA from the scene of his house fire.

"There are only vases and tables left in the pagoda. There are only five cupboards left. It took me almost 30 years to build this little house. The woman was diagnosed with diabetes and had to undergo eye surgery. It was not divided when the war broke out here. I too struggle to provide for my family. It's unfortunate that this happened at that time. I don't want to hear whose houses were set on fire and who was killed. Here is a large island crib where our three brothers slept since we were a small family. Big ”

Another villager, Ko Nge Lay, said his family would not be able to rebuild a good house.

"This means that the mother-in-law can not build a house at all. I am over 80 years old. Now there is a father-in-law. Now it is completely destroyed by fire. The houses over there can not be built at all. Not a single garment was left. For the lower classes, it is completely helpless. Let's not talk about this house. Let's build a small house. It is not possible to get a good house without spending 300,000 kyats. ပင်း ခင်း၊ Zinc roofing is not that good. Even if the times are good, "It's a rain shelter. Finally, we have to live in a rain tent."

There have been five skirmishes between the PDF and the military councils around Nat Chaung village, and the artillery shelling was carried out by the military council with artillery and air support. More than 20 villagers have been killed.

RFA asked Aung San if they were scared by the killings and arson.

"I feel sorry for the destruction of my property," he said. But compassion is not just fear. We hate this organization more and more. It became more and more disgusting. "One day they will know that burning down such houses is not their victory."

General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the military council, could not be reached for comment. In previous weeks, he said his army had not set fire to villages.

Currently, more than 500 fire victims from Nat Chaung village are living in nearby villages. They have taken refuge in monasteries and in the fields around the village, with the help of some local charities, but not enough. Villagers told RFA that they will be in more trouble next rainy season.