Case Number
20210700SK
Case Date of Filing
01/10/2024
Suspected/Known Time of Incident
Local Time and Date: Evening, 26/07/2021
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GMT Time and Date: Morning/early afternoon, 26/07/2021
Case Researcher(s)
Sana Khursheed
Summary
The Myanmar military carried out a series of mass killings in July that resulted in the deaths of at least 40 men. The killings took place in in four separate incidents in Kani Township in Sagaing Region: in Yin village, Zee Bin Din village, Shikoetat forest, and Taungbauk near Htoo village. It's thought the killings were a collective punishment for attacks by militia groups (local branches of the People's Defence Force) on the military. A spokesman for the military government (Myanmar's Deputy Minister for Information and military spokesperson, General Zaw Min Tun) did not deny the allegations.
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In Zee Bin Dwin village, in late July, 12 mutilated bodies were found, some buried in shallow mass graves, including bodies of (possibly) a child and a disabled person. The body of a man in his sixties was found tied to a plum tree nearby. Footage of his corpse, reviewed by the BBC, showed signs of torture.
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BBC reports that men were specifically targeted, fitting a pattern observed across Myanmar in recent months of male villagers facing collective punishment for clashes between the People's Defence Forces and the military.
This report will focus on Zee Bin Din.
Case Location
A paddle field behind Zee Pin Dwin Village. One source mentions the Western forest of the village, another mentions it being near the village centre. There seem to be 2 or more mass graves in different locations.
Town/Region/Country:
Zee Bin Dwin village, Kani Township, Yinmabin District, Sagaing Region, Myanmar (Burma)
Individual Incident Locations:
Potential location 1
22°27'35.88"N, 94°83'22.18"E
The tree canopy looks similar with many sugar palms nearby (which is what we’re looking for). Also a brown spot in the middle. This location matches most of our available descriptors: West of the Village, near the Village center (taken here as the Village hall), dirt road nearby.
Potential location 2
22°16’29.60”N, 94°50’40.29"E
Trees have a similar shape and density to what we see in the BBC video. There should be a thatched hut nearby but its not visible, although it could be there. The site is also near a dirt road with tire marks.
Potential location 3
22.27517° N, 94.83122° E
Matches descriptors: West of the Village center, very close to a dirt road, hut nearby. Can’t tell if the trees are sugar palms though.
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Potential location 5
22.280403, 94.837773
Similar vegetation, and its towards the West side of the village. Accessible by a dirt road. There is a spot with major discoloration.
Potential location 6
22.285081, 94.844506
The trees density looks promising but the location is way towards the North and on the East side. So unlikely. Also the trees don’t look like sugar palm trees.
Case Location Evidence Below:
https://aappb.org/?p=17120, https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/killed-08122021182107.html
https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/eight-men-found-dead-in-kani-township-with-clear-signs-of-torture/
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BBC video, stills attached under casualties:
Casualties
Total Suspected/Known Number of Casualties:
12
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Injured:
unknown
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Fatalities in Incident:
12
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Fatalities in Grave:
over 4
Further Casualty Information:
Age Range: 18-60
Genders: Males
Ethnicity/ies: Most probably Bamar
Casualty Evidence Below:
https://assets-mofa.nugmyanmar.org/images/2022/01/MOFA-Newsletter-Vol2-No2.pdf
https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/eight-men-found-dead-in-kani-township-with-clear-signs-of-torture/


Suspected or Known Aggressors
Group/Tribe/Militia/Organisation:
The military junta.
This report https://aappb.org/?p=17120 mentions the 44th and 99th Light Infantry Division, including battalion 228th based in Kale Township, as having attacked almost every village in Kani Township.
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Suspected/Known Quantity of Participants:
Unclear.
The aforementioned report claims “using some thousand troops in three different strategic divisions” wrt the Kani massacres.
Aggressor Evidence Below:
All sources associate the military as being responsible.
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According to the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59699556
The BBC put the allegations to Myanmar’s Deputy Minister for Information and military spokesperson, General Zaw Min Tun, who did not deny the allegations and said “It can happen. When they treat us as enemies, we have the right to defend ourselves.”
Others reports also note the military as the perpetrators:
https://assets-mofa.nugmyanmar.org/images/2022/01/MOFA-Newsletter-Vol2-No2.pdf
