Interview: Under regime, 'We lived in prison-like conditions in our village'

By Admin 20 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
20 June 2024, Sittwe

In recent months, Myanmar's military regime has forcibly conscripted Muslims and also coerced them into staging protests against the Arakkha Army (AA) amid intense fighting between the two armies in Arakan State.

Muslims from a village known as Kyaukphyu Taung near Light Infantry Battalion No. 378 in Buthidaung Township were among those conscripted and forced into staging anti-AA protests. More than 70 houses were damaged or destroyed by junta air raids on Kyaukphyu Taung Village, forcing residents to flee.

Sarde Kular, a 50-year-old resident of Kyaukphyu Taung, recently spoke to DMG about his experience.

DMG: How were the villagers conscripted?

Sarde Kular: Junta soldiers told us to enlist in early April. They threatened to beat and kill us if we didn't come for military training. They raided houses at night, and abducted some 30 young men.

DMG: Were any of your family members abducted?

Sarde Kular: My son was abducted. I asked [the junta soldiers] why they abducted him. But they didn't explain. I heard them say, 'You must protect and take care of your land.' My son ran away after four days.

DMG: Did your family resist the abduction?

Sarde Kular: Both my wife and I were at home. My wife pulled one arm of my son, and a junta soldier pulled the other arm. The soldier pressed a lit cigarette to the left arm of my wife. She still has a scar.

DMG: How many junta soldiers were involved in the raid?

Sarde Kular: Only three soldiers came into my house. It was dark and I don't know how many were outside.

DMG: Were there any men who voluntarily enlisted?

Sarde Kular: No one enlisted voluntarily in our village. They were only abducted by junta soldiers in midnight raids.

DMG: Did any villagers join anti-AA protests in Buthidaung Town?

Sarde Kular: Junta soldiers surrounded our village, and arrested anyone on sight, and forced them into a vehicle. They torched the houses of residents who had fled. Five houses were burnt. Sixty people were taken to Buthidaung Town for the protest. They got in the vehicle after junta soldiers threatened that they would torch their houses if they didn't go to Buthidaung. The regime forced us to join the protest.

DMG: How did you manage to survive the fighting?

Sarde Kular: Some eight months before the fighting, the regime had imposed travel restrictions. A junta battalion is located east of our village and there are mountains in the west. There is a field that separates our village and the mountains. They had planted landmines in the field. So, we could not flee. Then, there was fighting at the battalion east of our village.

Then, we decided to take the risk and take shelter in areas liberated by the AA. We fled to the Mayu Mountains. We met AA soldiers on the mountains. They took care of us and supplied food for three days. Then, they took us to a battalion at 10th mile in Buthidaung Town. Then, they drove us to the village where we are staying now.

DMG: How are things going there for the displaced people like you?

Sarde Kular: The AA has supplied us with food and accommodation. So, we can live comfortably. However, we need medicines.

DMG: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Sarde Kular: We lived in prison-like conditions back in our village. We could do nothing for our livelihoods during the eight months when our village was isolated by junta soldiers. We could live in our homes, but were starving. The AA has provided us with food and accommodation. We have trust in the AA, that it will allow us to earn our livelihoods freely in the future.