Over 1,200 Displaced by Burma Army; Freezing Climates Draw Concerns
The Burmese army has displaced more than 1,200 people in attacks against villages and hiding places of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Southern Karenni State, according to recent reports.
The Burmese army has displaced more than 1,200 people in attacks against villages and hiding places of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Southern Karenni State, according to recent reports.
On Dec. 23, 2005, several Burmese battalions carried out attacks against villagers in the Southern Karenni State, where soldiers burned down 26 houses in Gee Gaw Ber village, forcing all 610 residents of the village to be in hiding, reported Christian Solidarity Worldwide on Thursday.
In addition, another 341 people from the nearby village of Toe Ka Htoo fled in fear of further Burma Army attacks. The 255 people from Pah Poe (Papo) village, which was attacked on Dec. 17, 2005 also went into hiding.
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CSW expressed concerns that the newly displaced people are in hiding without shelter as temperatures drop. The human rights group reported that displaced people are hiding at freezing level heights of 3,500-6,500 ft, where heights of 4,000-5,000 ft are regarded as freezing level.
The people in the area of Southern Karenni State have been under constant attack since December 2002 when over 2,000 Karenni and 3,000 Karen were attacked by ten battalions of the Burma Army.
According to CSW, the stated purpose of the Burma Army in their attacks is to clear all villagers out of the Karenni-Karen border areas and force them into relocation areas under the control of the Burmese Army.
There are an estimated one million IDPs in Burma as the military regime continues to wage a “slow genocide” against the ethnic groups, commented CSW.
The U.K.-based Christian human rights groups called on the U.N. Security Council to take action on behalf of the people of Burma.
Alexa Papadouris, CSW’s Advocacy Director, said: “The ongoing attacks against villagers and IDPs in Karenni state highlight the urgent necessity of U.N. Security Council intervention. While the world stands by, thousands of people every year are losing their lives in Burma and hundreds of thousands are being forcibly displaced as part of a deliberate strategy to destroy their ethnic group.
“CSW will continue to advocate for concerted international efforts to promote peace and universal respect for human rights in Burma.”
