Below is an article published on the Independent Mon News Agency’s website presenting reports on tortures of villagers by Military forces.

Four villagers on guard duty and a 14-year old were tortured and locked up for two days by soldiers on the accusation that the villager’s robbed their gun on November 9 in Khaw-Zar sub town, southern Ye Township.

According to villagers who wanted to remain anonymous, the soldiers were drunk at the time and fired from their guns. They ended up arresting village guards and a 14-year old.

Since the Infantry Battalion (IB) No.31 is based in Southern Ye Township in Mon State, they often create trouble for local residents. If they suspect some one is connected with local insurgency groups, the person is killed, tortured or raped.

Recently two villagers from Yin-ye village sub Kaw-Zar Township, southern Mon State were brutally tortured by IB No-31 because they did not see Mon rebel groups entering the village to collect rice from villagers during guard duty.

The Southern Ye Township area often witnesses fighting between the regime’s troops and armed groups. It has many insurgent groups who have been active in the jungle since the New Mon State Party had a ceasefire agreement with the military regime in 1995.

That is why the LB No. 31 uses local villagers to guard villages on a rotational basis of 21 people per night in Khaw-Zar sub town and also other villages where insurgents enter in southern Ye Township.

"If the village is small, the rate of rotation for guarding the village differs. In some small villages the rate of rotation is two days and in some it is four days," said a local villager.

Apart from guarding the village they also have to pay Kyat 500 (0.39 USD) per household in these areas.