At least 19 homes in Chin State’s Thangtlang town caught fire after the Tatmadaw shelled them with artillery following clashes with Chin National Army (CNA), the armed wing of the Chin National Front, and Chinland Defence Force (CDF).
A pastor was shot by the military when he attempted to extinguish the fires. Khonumthung News interviewed a local youth leader who requested anonymity to learn more about the situation in the town located about 40 km from Hakha, the capital of Chin State.
Can you explain why many houses caught fire in Thangtlang town on the evening of 18 September?
Combined forces of CNF and CDF clashed with the Burma Army (BA) in Thangtlang between 10:00am and 4 pm yesterday. I heard that at least 30 Tatmadaw soldiers were killed in the clashes. After CAN and CDF successfully retreated from the scene without any casualties, BA was very angry about it and attacked the area indiscriminately with artillery. The shells landed on the houses in Ward-1 (Kyaung District) and caused fires.
How many civilian houses were burnt down and were there any casualties?
At least 19 houses caught fire and one woman was slightly injured in the shelling. Nobody dared to check on the burning houses because BA was shooting everywhere.
Did firefighters come to extinguish fires?
We called fire department to put out the fires but many firefighters have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement. Only one firefighter who’d not joined the CDM stayed with the fire department in Thangtlang. No fire truck came to extinguish the fires so they kept burning.
I heard that a Christian pastor was shot dead while trying to put out fires.
Most people stayed inside their homes when the other houses were burning except a Christian pastor from Thangtlang Centenary Baptist Church. When he tried to extinguish the fires the BA killed him. Pastor Cung Biak Hum gathered some people in the town to help him but the soldiers deliberately shot at them from a crossroads in Thangtlang. He was killed on the spot. They even cut off his finger and stole his wedding ring. Everyone is very upset about what happened to him.
What’s the situation in Thangtlang now?
Practically the entire town has fled and taken refuge in the villages.
Can you say how people have been displaced by the clashes in Thangtlang?
There are between 5000 to 6000 people who sought refuge in the villages in Thangtlang Township while others are sheltering on a mountain near the town. Yesterday was a very difficult time in Thangtlang town. Some people fled the fighting holding a white flag and some were on foot. It is tough for them because they could not bring much food with them and they don’t have materials to make shelters. Despite all their hardships, they are still sharing what little they have with each other.