Fear from above: Demoso residents voice concern over junta drone attacks

The junta has increasingly used drones to carry out bombing strikes in Demoso Township, Karenni State, resulting in civilian casualties in the farms where locals are working during the current rice harvesting season.

In a notable incident on October 25, a junta drone bombed farmers harvesting rice at an undisclosed location in Demoso Township, killing one man.

Residents of several villages in Demoso Township displaced by fighting have taken the risk of returning temporarily to their homes to harvest rice this season.

However, they said they live in constant fear of attacks from the junta’s drones.

The worry is always pounding in our hearts, but we have to take risks for our livelihood. Sometimes we rush to harvest for just half a day before quickly leaving the farms. We know it’s dangerous, but we keep going back and forth between harvesting and hiding because we have no choice, we need to survive. This situation is really stressful.