11 July 2011: Fifty two fully loaded military trucks carried arms and ammunition from Moreh town, Manipur state of northeast India to central Burma along the Tamu highway in Sagaing division, Burma on 7 July.
“Burmese military trucks entered Moreh Town on 3 July and were driven back to Burma on 7 July loaded with arms and ammunition. All the trucks had boxes covered with tarpaulins, said a source in Tamu.
He added that a Chin national from Moreh told us that the arms and ammunition will be transported by the Burmese military authorities to Tamu town.
The military trucks left Tamu town the same night through Gangaw town of Magwe division through Natchaung village along Sagaing division highway.
“The trucks seemed to be heading for Mandalay, second capital of Burma. The trucks belonged to the Burmese Army,” said an eyewitness from Kalemyo.
A local of Kalemyo speculated that the arms and ammunitions would be sent to Kachin state and Shan state of Burma, where the Burmese Army is fighting the Kachin Independence Army.
The Kachin Independence Army and Burmese Army are fighting each other since 9 June following a breakdown of the 17 year ceasefire agreement drawn up in 1994.
AFP news agency reported on 1 July that the war had created ethnic Kachin refugees, almost all Christians, who were victims of brutal repression by the Burmese military. The troops were carrying out “ethnic cleansing” of the mainly Christian Kachin ethnic minority near the border with China.
The report said that 20,000 people have had to leave their homes so far and the number was increasing by the day. Burmese troops have allegedly killed old people and children, raped women, burnt homes and confiscated properties. They are using ruthless methods for ethnic cleansing. Khonumthung News