Two cousins missing for just over a week after leaving the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp where they were living in the east Demawso Township to get food were found dead on Tuesday (28 September).
“Their bodies were found at the Dor Kalailin football grounds,” their aunt told Kantarawaddy Times. Relatives found the body of Kyaw Lin Paing, 21, outside, while Sue Reh was discovered in a toilet on the grounds. Both bodies were badly decomposed.
“I felt so terrible when I saw their bodies. Both their mothers were crying a lot. I think they were brutally tortured by soldiers. I think the soldiers arrested and killed them,” she said.
At a certain point, soldiers were staying at the football field where the boys’ bodies were discovered. The aunt explained that people were reluctant to look for them after they disappeared because troops were based in the nearby villages of San Pya Chauk Maing and Dor Poe Si.
Sue Reh, a married man from Hpe Lyar, risked leaving the camp to get things for his three children in the camp. “He went to buy food, powdered milk and diapers for his children,” his aunt explained. Kyaw Lin Paing from Demawso town wanted to bring some things from home, she said.
According to civil society organisations in Karenni State, the armed forces have killed 103 people since the coup on 1 February. Of these, 74 were regular civilians and the rest were civilians who took up arms against the dictatorship.
The BA is fighting with the Karenni Army and Karenni civilian resistance groups, which has led many villagers to flee the fighting in Demawso Township. To make matters worse, the BA has blocked and even attacked aid groups and individuals trying to bring much-needed relief supplies to the IDPs. There’s almost no food left in the jungle camps.
Soldiers are also arresting travellers at military checkpoints and indiscriminately attacking civilians. On Monday, BA opened fire on a couple on a motorbike travelling from Demawso to Loikaw town. The soldiers shot at the couple 11 times, injuring the woman, although the couple held up a white scarf to show they’d come in peace.
