Case Number

20240206SK

Case Date of Filing

20240206SK Myanmar

Suspected/Known Time of Incident

Local Time and Date: Evening. 26/07/2021
GMT/Zulu Time and Date: Morning/early afternoon. 26/07/2021

Case Researcher(s)

Sana Khursheed

Summary

In July, 2021, the Myanmar military carried out a series of killings in Kani Township of the Sagaing Region that resulted in at least 40 deaths across Yin village, Zee Bin Din village, Shikoetat forest, and Htoo village. In Zee Bin Dwin, 12 mutilated bodies were found, some buried in shallow mass graves, including bodies of (possibly) a child and a disabled person. Eyes were gouged out and hands had been tied. 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.
The BBC reports these killings as collective punishment for attacks by militia groups (local branches of the People's Defence Force) on the military. Myanmar's Deputy Minister for Information and military spokesperson General Zaw Min Tun did not deny the allegations.

This report will focus on Zee Bin Dwin village.

Case Location

Sources mention a field behind the village and the Western forest as the case location. There seem to be multiple burial sites.

Latitude/Longitude (WGS84):
22.273110, 94.837967 (the Village Hall)

Town/Region/Country:
Zee Bin Dwin (also, Zee Pin Twin), Kani Township, Yinmabin District, Sagaing Region, Myanmar.

Individual Incident Locations:

Potential location 1:
22.273588, 94.832218

The tree canopy is similar to the area shown in the BBC video, with many sugar palms nearby. There is also a brown/dirt area in the middle. This matches most of our available descriptors: being towards the west, near the Village center (taken here as the Village hall). Further there is a dirt road nearby, adding to accessibility.

Case Location Evidence Below:

Potential location 2:
22.163336, 94.503967

Trees have a similar shape and density to what we see in the BBC video. The video features a thatched hut near the graves and its probable that one could be around this site. The area is near a dirt road with tire marks.

Case Location Evidence Below:

Potential location 3:

22.27517, 94.83122

Matches descriptors: West of the Village centre, very close to a dirt road, with a hut nearby. Can’t tell if the trees are sugar palms though.

Case Location Evidence Below:

Potential location 3:

22.280403, 94.837773

Similar vegetation, and towards the West of the village, accessible by a dirt road. There are notable discoloured spots near this site.

Case Location Evidence Below:

Potential location 3:

22.162960, 94.504029

The trees density looks promising. This site is towards the East of the village.

Case Location Evidence Below:

Casualties

Total Suspected/Known Number of Casualties:

Injured:

unknown

Fatalities in Incident:

Fatalities in Grave:

more than 4

Further Casualty Information:

Age Range: 17-60

Genders: Males and Females

Ethnicity/ies: Bamar

Suspected or Known Aggressors

Casualty Evidence Below:

Textual mentions other than aforementioned links:
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/

Images:
https://aappb.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/English-Final-Edition.pdf (pages 7, 8)

BBC video, stills attached: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59699556
We can see villagers pulling out the bodies out of the shallow graves in the video.

Suspected or Known Aggressors

Group/Tribe/Militia/Organisation:

The Myanmar Military. A 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.

Suspected/Known Quantity of Participants:

unknown

Aggressor Evidence Below:

No sosurce disutes the military being the perpetrator

Location References https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/eight-men-found-dead-in-kani-township-with-clear-signs-of-torture/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59699556 https://x.com/Daisuki19613139/status/1420434251963580419 https://x.com/miN13700/status/1420354956977221635 Casualties https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmars-shadow-govt-reports-juntas-massacres-of-civilians-to-un-security- council.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59699556 https://www.daily-sun.com/post/594737 https://assets-mofa.nugmyanmar.org/images/2022/01/MOFA-Newsletter-Vol2-No2.pdf https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/myanmar-army-mass-murders-civilians-b1979187.html https://x.com/LeeDam_3/status/1420346319386726402 https://aappb.org/?p=17120 Ethnicity of causalities https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/3/14/myanmar-major-ethnic-groups-and-where-they-live https://www.hart-uk.org/a-brief-overview-of-the-ethnic-minorities-of-burma/ https://www.irrawaddy.com/in-person/interview/bamar-armed-group-aims-to-break-junta-rule-in-central-myanmar.html