A Saelone Villager Steps on Landmine and is Seriously Injured on His Leg, Facing Difficulties to Pay for Medical Expenses

A local man stepped a landmine at 4:00 pm on June 26 in Saelone Village, Loiyai Village Tract, Namkham Towmship, Northern Shan State, and is seriously injured at his leg. He is facing difficulties getting treatment and needs help.

The landmine victim said, “My friend and I were going into the forest to find the buffaloes. He took the upper road, and I took the lower road. When we found the buffaloes, one of the buffaloes had stepped on a landmine. When I saw it, I decided to go forward and turn back. As soon as I turned back, I also stepped on another landmine. After I stepped on the landmine and when reached the paddy field, another landmine exploded. In total, three landmines exploded. The first one hit the buffalo, the second one hit me, and the third one also hit another buffalo. Both buffaloes were injured.”

U San Aye, who was stepped on the landmine, is 47 years old and a native of Upper Panyoke Village. Both of his legs were seriously injured after stepping on the landmine while he was looking for buffaloes in the forest to plow the field. His left leg had to be amputated at Namkham Hospital.

“My left leg was amputated at upper part of the thigh. My right leg and right hand below the elbow were also injured by shrapnel of the mine. As I will need to stay at the hospital for a long time, not just one or two days, I am facing difficulties for medical expenses,” he said.

The place where U San Aye stepped on landmine is where he used to find the buffaloes, and was  a place where the Terror Military Council had stationed. It is impossible to know for sure which organization had laid the land mines, a family member said.

Photo- TWO

#Ta’ang Women’s Organization

#Landmine #LegAmputated #Local #Namkham