Chilling warning: commander threatens to kill all villagers if explosion recurs

IMNA
February 5, 2006

Incensed by the explosion on the Kanbauk-Myaing-Kalay gas pipeline a
Burmese Army commander has threatened to kill all the villagers in the area should another blast occur.

The commander of the Infantry Battalion No.62 based in Thanpyuzayart told villagers “the troops will kill all of you if there is another explosion in the gas pipeline near your village.” He issued the chilling warning at a meeting he held with three villages near the explosion site.

He said: “I will kill all of you and move the villages if the explosion recurs.” He addressed the villagers in excessively obscene language, a villager who attended the meeting said.

The commander held the meeting with villagers of Kwan-Hlar, Yaung-Daung and Hnee-Pa-Daw yesterday evening. According to the villagers the commander angrily shouted at the Yaung Daung village headman.

The army commander ordered 100 households from the three villages to patrol the gas pipeline every day as punishment. The commander had shouted at villagers when gas leaked from the pipeline last year. He also beat up soldiers then.

“Last night soldiers entered houses to check. They were checking for guests or strange people in the villages,” a villager said.

Troops entered each house in Kwan-Hlar and Yaung-Daung village and checked the list of people in their homes. The army has ordered villagers not to go out from their villages.

The army detained more than 10 people including the VPDC secretary and security men in the area after the fresh explosion on February 1 night.

The explosion was caused by some Burmese armed group holed up in Thailand , the army claimed. But local villagers believe that the explosion occurred because of the faulty construction of the gas pipeline. They feel that the engineers who laid the pipeline lacked sufficient technical knowledge.

Troops of the military's Southeast Regime have launched a massive operation to check villagers from traveling.

The military authorities have put a tight security cordon around the main road following the explosion for checking people suspected of involvement in the explosion. The authorities distributed papers and posters of the people they suspect were involved in the explosion. Authorities claimed that four Burmese, two Karen and two Indian-Burmese men from groups in exile in Thailand were involved.

Gas had leaked from the pipeline in the area twice in October and November last year. Local people said, gas leaked twice last year and explosions occurred twice in 2000, and 2003 because of faulty design of the pipeline.

Once the gas exploded in Lamine town, Southern Mon State and frightened people out of their wits with the sound and the smell.

This gas pipeline was laid in early 2000 and it passes through many villages, towns, farms and plantation areas. It is about 200 miles long.