November 16, 2021, Comment off

Thlanrawn: Falam township village Myanmar junta troops burned and destroyed

Introduction

Thlanrawn village is located in Falam Township, situated next to the main road of Falam-Hakha Road. The new village of Thlanrawn has approximately 29 houses, the old village has roughly 71 houses. The village’s total population is around 500 people. Since July, the military junta troops have invaded the village three times, causing every villager to flee to nearby villages or to Falam town for their safety.

Under the name of “Operation Anawrahta (အနော်ရထာစစ်ဆင်ရေး)”, the military junta moved its troops, doing clearance operations in Chin State. As part of its operations, the troops entered Chin villages along the way, burglarizing homes, burning and destroying houses and property systematically.

Incursion by the military council troops

On 21 July, the military council troops arrived at the new village of Thlanrawn and camped for one night. During their encampment, the military council stole villagers’ clothes and belongings from their homes such as warm clothes, rice, pigs, and chickens. Furthermore, they threatened villagers with their weapons which eventually forced the villagers to flee their homes to the forest. The villagers were able to return to the village only after the Burmese military council troops left the village.

From 1st to 15th August, another offensive by the military council took place in Falam Township on the Falam-Hakha road as the fighting resumed. As a result of the fight, almost the entire village of Thlanrawn had to flee once more.

In October, heavy fighting erupted in Chin State under the “Anawrahta Operation” by the military council. The junta had set up camps in villages along the route of their march. Camping in the village, burglary and arson were carried out to intimidate the civilians.

On 14th October, the military council troops marching towards Hakha from Falam township invaded the new village of Thlanrawn and set houses ablaze. Around 14 houses, including the pastor’s house, were burnt down. Not only did they break into homes, but they also stole and killed domestic animals.

On 25th October, another military convoy returning from Hakha to Falam, re-entered the new village of Thlanrawn and set fire to three more houses. Thlanrawn Baptist Church’s pews and Hymns were also destroyed. The value of damages was estimated at over 158.9 million Myanmar Kyats.

Pictures of houses burning in Thlanrawn village
Picture of Church ransacked by Myanmar junta troops

List of military council thefts between July and August, 2021

Sr. No Particular Quantity Value Total loss value
1 TV 4 1,150,000
2 Outset (TV-skynet) 3 85,000
3 A bag of Rice 17 50,000 850,000
4 Blanket 47 20,000 940,000
5 Bedding/Blanket 22 10,000 220,000
6 Chicken 165 10,000 1,650,000
7 Computer 1 350,000 350,000
8 Camera 1 250,000 250,000
9 Oil 21 5,000 105,000
10 Clothes 31 346,000
11 Retail Shop 5,400,400
12 Small soungbox 3 87,000
13 Pig 1 200,000 200,000
14 Motorcycle Repair Fee 1 200,000 200,000
15 Shoes/Other 11 170,000
16 carpentry tools 19 15,000 285,000
17 Diesel 6 30,000 180,000
18 Phone 1 150,000 150,000
19 Cabinet 3 450,000
20 Pots and pans: dozens of porcelain plates 3 66,000
21 Cow 3 950,000
22 Rice cooker 10 30,000 300,000
23 Suitcase 1 50,000 50,000
24 Ensure 1 50,000 50,000
25 Large cooking pot 7 15,000 105,000
26 Blood pressure monitor 1 50,000 50,000
27 Waving Fabric 3 120,00 360,000
28 Waving-Material 6 20,000 120,000
29 Money 1,321,000
30 Pillow 6 6,000 36,000
31 Mat 10 10,000 100,000
32 Glasses 1 100,000 100,000
33 Clothes/Pants 15 235,000
Grand total 16,911,000

Estimate value of damages from fires in October, 2021

No Head of Household MMK Remark
1 Pa Van Thawm Lian 10,771,000 14-Oct-21
2 Nu Sui Nei Iang 8,455,000 14-Oct-21
3 Pa Than Sum 5,478,000 14-Oct-21
4 Pa Hram Ngerh 14,470,000 14-Oct-21
5 Pastor Biak Thluai (quarter) 13,066,000 14-Oct-21
6 Pastor Biak Thluai 2,036,500 14-Oct-21
7 Pa Nawl Kip Thang 7,018,000 14-Oct-21
8 Pa Mawng Uk Thang 8,205,000 14-Oct-21
9 Pa Mang Or 7,825,000 14-Oct-21
10 Nu Phun Thim 5,615,000 14-Oct-21
11 Pa Van Thawng Uk 5,345,000 14-Oct-21
12 Nu Hrang Kip Hliang 11,115,000 14-Oct-21
13 Pa San Mang 21,990,000 14-Oct-21
14 Pa Bawi Lian Nawl 9,716,000 14-Oct-21
15 Pa Dawt Hlei Cung 9,176,000 25-Oct-21
16 Pa Biak San Ceu 4,715,000 25-Oct-21
17 Pa Tawk Nei Zul 5,025,000 25-Oct-21
 TOTAL 150,021,500

Current situation and needs

Due to the arson of the military council, almost all the villages were destroyed.

Now there is no one living in the new village of Thlanrawn . Currently, they’re living in schools and the school staffs’ quarters of the old Thlanrawn village. Some families who have fled to Falam town have returned to the old Thlanrawn village. A few IDPs were infected with Covid-19.

In conclusion, the villagers of Thlanrawn had to flee the village three times due to the military invasions. Burglary, house burning, shooting in the village with heavy weapons is a deliberate act committed by the military council against civilians.

The actions of the military council not only violate the provisions of the domestic criminal law, but also force civilians to leave their homes and are crimes against humanity.