Hpa-an Incident Report: Explicit and violent threats in Myaing Gyi Ngu Town, Hlaingbwe Township, April 2015

Incident Report | Myaing Gyi Ngu Town, Hlaingbwe Township, Hpa-an District (April 2015)

The following Incident Report was written by a community member in Hpa-an District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor local human rights conditions. It is presented below translated exactly as originally written, save for minor edits for clarity and security.[1] This report was received in June 2015 along with other information from Hpa-an District, including one other incident report, seven interviews, one situation update, and 201 photographs.[2]

Part 1 – Incident Details

Type of Incident

Violent threats

Date of Incident(s)

April 25th 2015

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

B--- Section, Son Nan Tha Myaing Shwe Myo Taw Zone, Myaing Gyi Ngu Town, Hpa-an District

Victim Information
Name	Maung M---	Ma N---	U O---
Age	45	39	52
Sex	Male	Female	Male
Nationality	Karen	Karen	Karen
Family	Married	Married	Married
Occupation	Farmer	Vendor	Farmer
Religion	Buddhist	Buddhist	Buddhist
Position	Villager	Villager	Villager
Village	C---	C---	C---

Name(s)

Position

Area

Superior’s name

U Nyan Ni Ka

Sa Cha[3] [senior] monk

Myaing Gyi Ngu Town

U Thuzana [head monk][4]

Part 2 - Information Quality

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

While I was collecting information about the killing of Maung A---, which took place on April 23rd 2015,[5] I unexpectedly realised that it [the case] also included [an incident of] violent threats in the information that I was given. Therefore, I continued to collect more information about it.

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

The people who provided the information to me did not focus on the violent threat case. While providing information on the [Muang A---] killing case, they also included [information about the] violent threat case.

U G--- [C--- villager], reported that U Nyan Ni Ka said in front of Maung M--- and his siblings, “Don’t you know that [people] must not be drunk in this place [because of the many vehicles in and around the bus station and taxi stand]. Bring me a knife and I am going to cut all of you people [the three siblings].” You can listen to U G---’s interview about how he [U Nyan Ni Ka] threatened the victim’s siblings.[6]

Part 3 – Complete Description of the Incident

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened. Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please use the space prepared below, and create an attachment if needed.

The violent threat case that I am going to discuss is a consequence of the killing of Maung A---, which happened on April 23rd 2015. The violent threat case happened on April 25th 2015 in B--- section, Son Nan Tha Myaing Shwe Myo Taw Zone, Myaing Gyi Ngu Town. [The threat was made] by the second senior monk, who is also the Sa Cha senior monk, U Nyan Ni Ka, who is 50 years old and is the assistant of [head monk] U Thuzana. The incident took place at his monastery.

The type of case is violent threats causing the villagers to be afraid. The person who made the violent threat is the second senior monk and Sa Cha senior monk U Nyan Ni Ka.

I tried to find out more information about the reason why he threatened [Maung A---’s siblings] and I now know that he committed the violent threat because he did not want to pay full compensation for [the death of Maung A---], which is 3,000,000 kyat (US $2,637.24).[7]

On April 23rd 2015, [Maung] A---, at 37 years old, was killed by a soldier from Border Guard Force (BGF)[8] Battalion #1011. When Maung M---, 45 years old, Ma N---, 39 years old, and U O---, 52 years old [Maung A---’s siblings], went to Sa Cha monk U Nyan Ni Ka to request compensation [as ordered by the BGF] of 3,000,000 kyat (US $2,637.24), U Nyan Ni Ka did not want to pay [them] full compensation. Instead, he ordered [to another monk], “Give me a knife and I will cut to kill them all [Maung A---’s siblings]!” He threatened them. Since Maung M--- and his siblings dared not to continue to request the compensation, they prepared to go back to C--- village. Meanwhile, U Nyan Ni Ka paid them 500,000 kyat (US $439.70) as compensation for Maung A---’s death. They also went back to the village frightened. They also dared not do anything like open the case at the court or prosecute [U Nyan Ni Ka or the BGF soldiers who killed Maung A---].

Part 4 - Permission for Using the Details

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.

I knew [gathered information about] this threatening case from U D---, 45 years old and U G---, 45 years old, who are C--- villagers. They also gave me permission to use the information of threatening case [in addition to information regarding the killing of Maung A---].