Friday, August 5, 2011

KIA Ambush on Tarpein(1) Staff Vehicle?


Ambushed SUV and Bodies on Road.
In the bright daylight on August 2 a group of six civilian employees and their two police men escort travelling together in a lone Chinese SUV on the road between Tarpein and Momauk in the Kachin State was brutally ambushed by a group of armed-men from KIA (Kachin Independence Army).

Six men were killed at the spot and one man died later of his fatal wounds and only one man has survived the well-planned ambush on the innocent civilian employees working for Chinese built/operated Tarpein(1) Hydro-Electric Power Plant in Burma.

Brutal ambush was a definite success but the KIA HQ didn't like what one of its blood-thirsty field units had  thoughtlessly and brutally executed. So the witty KIA Propaganda Unit immediately released a cover-up version of the killings to the world via BBC in London.

The following was a direct translation of what BBC (British Broadcasting Services) broadcasted as part of Burmese News Program on August 3 and also posted on its website.

Ceasefire Negotiations.
“During the negotiation period for ceasefire between Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the Government 8 people including members of Police Force were killed due to a landmine attack in Kachin region.

At about 20 past 5 in Tuesday evening a vehicle coming out of Tarpein Hydro-electric Power Plant drove over and exploded a landmine planted by the KIO on the road near the Sangan Village in Momauk Township and the car was destroyed and all 8 people inside were killed.

The death toll included a police sub-inspector.

According to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) the incident happened because the car was driving through the prohibited area before the ceasefire agreement was reached.

The negotiations for the ceasefire agreement between KIA and Government representatives were being discussed in Monday and Tuesday.”

And Burmese Government knew very well the actual incident was totally different from the version BBC had broadcasted almost immediately on 15:38 GMT in 3rd August. Obviously KIA was lying and BBC Burmese was propagating that lie, knowingly or unknowingly, all over Burma and the world.

Tarpein(1) and Tarpein(2) Locations.

Not a Landmine Incident but a Brutal Ambush!

And this was what actually happened with photo evidence published in Burmese Government mouthpiece Myanmah Ahlin Newspaper on 5th August.

Six killed at the ambush site.
“Nay Pyi Daw, 4 Aug- A vehicle returning to Momauk from Tarpein(1) Hydro-Electric Power Plant was ambushed by KIA on the Tarpein-Momauk Rad between milepost 19 and 21 and seven were killed and one was wounded.

In the late afternoon of August 2 the SUV carrying three air-conditioner technicians on their return trip back to Momauk, after having completed a repair job on the air-conditioning system in the Communication Room of Tarpein(1) Hydro-electric Power Plant, was ambushed by a KIA group with small-arms.

Also with the air-conditioner technicians in the vehicle were one Chinese interpreter, Two policemen, and two drivers, altogether eight civilians. The exact ambush location was just before Gwe-ka-htaung Village between milepost 19 and 21 on the Tarpein-Momauk Road.

In the ambush Police Sub-inspector Aung Kyi Htun, drivers Nan Shaung and Than Htay Aung, air-conditioner technicians Nay Myo Thein and Zaw Htwe, and interpreter Khant Maung Htet (altogether 6 civilians) were instantly killed. The remaining air-conditioner technician Thaw Lin Htun was seriously wounded in the belly and police constable Myo Thant Naing San was wounded on left arm and right leg.

Two wounded reached the nearby army post and reported their ambush. An army column immediately cleared the ambush area and found five deaths inside with small-arms wounds and one death beside the vehicle.

Bullet-riddled Chinese SUV at Ambush Site.
Seriously wounded air-conditioner technician Thaw Lin Htun died of his wounds next morning.

But KIA has falsely claimed the ambush as a landmine incident destroying the car and killing the civilians inside. KIA also put the blame on the killed civilians for travelling in its prohibited area before the ceasefire agreement was reached.

The false claim from KIA was deceitfully broadcasted by the BBC.

In reality the attack was not a landmine incident but KIA intentionally firing with small arms at the traveling vehicle and killed seven and wounded one. All the deaths and the wounded had bullet wounds on them and the vehicle was riddled with bullet holes.”  

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Tarpein(1) Hydro-electric Power Plant is one of the 18 controversial hydro-electric power projects financed and built and operated by China at the massive cost of almost 20 billion dollars in the Kachin State.

The Tarpein(1) Plant was jointly implemented by the Burma Ministry of Electric Power (1) and Datang (Yunan) United Hydropower Developing Co Ltd of China. The Project commenced on 19 December 2007 and was completed three years and a moth later. 240 Megawatts plant was commissioned on 23 January 2011.  

KIA has bitterly opposed all the hydro-electric power projects in the Kachin State but at the same time they apparently feared the backlash from China as any violent attack against the Chinese and Burmese staff would bring Chinese wrath upon them. One of the main reasons KIA has still survived after 50 years long civil war in Kachin State has been the continuous material and moral support from Communist China.

Opening by President Thein Sein.
Even the much stronger CPB (Communist Party of Burma) slowly deflated and then completely disappeared once China pulled the plug and KIA could go the same way if they are not very careful in dealing with China.

Hence the cover-up of this violent and bloody ambush and the killing of Tarpein(1) staff on the Tarpein-Momauk Road. But why was the reputable BBC swallowing their false story including hook and sinker? It baffles me though.

Unlike other reputable news organizations BBC Burmese seems to be pulling their Burmese news out of their backside or broadcasting whatever sensational news from inside Burma they get hold of without checking the facts first.

What a shame for such big name like BBC?

(Dedicated to the seven souls lost. May they rest in peace!)