Destruction

On September 21st 2005, a column of over 300 Burma Army soldiers from Tactical Operations Command (TOC) #332 of Light Infantry Division (LID) #33 attacked and occupied the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) 9th Battalion base in Nyaunglebin District of Karen State. KNLA soldiers warned local villagers of the imminent Burma Army attack allowing them to flee into the surrounding forest ahead of the approaching Burma Army soldiers who would otherwise shoot them on sight. The nearby civilian villages of Kwih Lah, Ler Wah and Tee Thu Kee were shelled with mortars and many of the homes were razed by the soldiers during their six week-long occupation of the base. This home, like so many others like it in Kwih Lah village was destroyed by the soldiers to prevent the villagers from being able to resettle in it again later.