Junta plants landmines along public road in Kyaukphyu

By Admin 21 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
21 December 2023, Kyaukphyu

Junta troops have planted mines on a widely used public road linking Taung Yin Ward and Aung Zedi Village in Kyaukphyu Township, creating fear among local residents.

Junta troops affixed a notice on a roadside tree on Monday morning. “Warning: Danger of Mines. Passage Prohibited” reads the sign.

“I have never seen or heard of mines being planted in our area. I was shocked when I saw that notice. We don’t know where they are planted and I feel like every step I take is dangerous,” said a farmer who owns a farm near the road.

There are paddy and other crop fields owned by residents of Aung Zedi, Ohn Taw, Gone Chein villages and Taung Yin and Zedi Ya villages along the road, and residents are concerned that locals and cattle may be harmed.

Another resident said: “Either they have really planted landmines or it is just a threat, this is a public road, and there are many farms owned by local people along the road, so they should not do this.”

With it currently being the paddy harvest, local farmers say they dare not reap their paddy fields due to the landmine threat. Town residents say the planting of landmines is a direct threat to the food security of local people.

“It is quite evil to plant mines on a widely used road. It is inconsiderate of them to have planted mines on a road linking to crop fields. They are violating the human rights of local residents,” said a Kyaukphyu town resident.

Customary international humanitarian law’s rule 53 states that the use of starvation of a civilian population as a method of warfare is prohibited. Rule 54 says attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of a civilian population is prohibited.