Sergeant Kyaw Kyi, who was arrested, said that the military council army provided air support during the battle in the town of Tonzang, Chin State, but the Military Council forces were attacked and the formation of the army was broken.
A commander of the People Defense Army (PDA) who took part in the battle to take over the town of Tonzang told the captured Military Council sergeant about the battle. Sergeant Kyaw Kyi said that he was injured during the battle, so he ran away and hid.
Sergeant Kyaw Kyi, who has 38 years of service in the Military Council Army, urged the remaining soldiers not to remain in the Army because the Military Council Army does not respect the lower ranks, and said that the Military Council will not be able to fully protect the lives of the soldiers.
He said that even if we continue to fight for the Military Council, we will not be able to defeat the revolutionary forces. “Why can’t we win? The army can’t give you anything to help you. You’re even in the army. The government can’t completely protect your lives. I want to tell you one thing,” said Sergeant Kyaw Kyi. When the PDA commander asked, “Isn’t the army provided support with planes? Fighters and MI35s?” Sergeant Kyaw Kyi said that the fighter jets bombed back to his own army.
He said that an aerial bombardment was carried out near Kovid sittha where Military Council troops were stationed, damaging the building and destroying about 20 windows. “That’s where the structure started to fail,” Sergeant Kyaw Kyi said. After that, he said that he was no longer protected and the members of the military council were injured.
“That plane didn’t fall down no matter what. They did their duty. They shot it down because they were afraid of death. They didn’t know the enemy, they didn’t know the rebels, they didn’t know who was on their side. I feel sorry for the planes of the army,” said Sergeant Kyaw Kyi.
“The pilots are also doing their duty. They don’t know their own people, they don’t know theirs,” Sergeant Kyaw Kyi continued. He said the request for air support was made by a military council officer who was elsewhere.
“A major is upstairs talking on the phone. We don’t know what he’s talking about. We’re taking up positions below us. Their officers will tell us how to direct them to which side. Our juniors don’t know that much,” said Sergeant Kyaw Kyi.
He also said that the Military Council Army has no mercy on lower-ranking comrades. “We were only treated as slaves,” said Sergeant Kyaw Kyi. The soldiers who died in battle were given compensation, but the families of the soldiers who fled and surrendered were not supported, and they were expelled from the army.
“Being arrested or surrendering, you don’t have any chance. Children, women, blankets, and pillows were immediately driven outside the army. This is my experience. I’ve been in about 5 armies. I see this often. I don’t look back. My husband told me that he was arrested because he was reckless, so he surrendered. It’s a shame,” said Sergeant Kyaw Kyi.
New soldiers are being recruited, and if these new soldiers die, they get little allowance. Comrade Kyaw Kyi also said that this allowance is only available to the remaining parents, and if the families do not understand, they are taken by the military council officers of the rear commanders without compensation.
Police Corporal Than Soe’s testimony regarding the situation of the battle in Tonzang was released by PDA the previous day. Police Corporal Than Soe said that the Military council officers threatened to shoot their subordinates if they ran away, but when the fighting broke out, they left the police and ran away first.
On May 17, the Chin National Army (CNA) and the Chin Defense Forces launched a battle to seize the town of Tonzang. The city was captured within a week, and about 4 members of the Military Council were captured alive and more than 100 weapons were captured.
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