I. War Crimes 44 A 37-year-old teacher at the school who survived the airstrike spoke with Fortify Rights in Daw Si Ei village about the day, saying: We had to change classes at 10 a.m. On that day, I was in the Grade 9 classroom. So, I took my books and prepared for another class. I was in the new building and had to go to the old building [for another class]. When I heard a loud noise, I tried to look outside, but [there was an explosion] and pieces of glass were flying overhead. I was in shock and had no idea what to do. I didn’t have time to inform the students. I told the Grade 9 pupils to crawl on the ground since we didn’t have time to sprint out of the building. I said, “Students, get on the ground,” and I crawled under a desk with a student. There was another plane flying overhead. I was terrified.51 The woman managed to stumble out of the building she was sheltering in. She recounted the scene to Fortify Rights: When I stood up and looked at the old building, it was totally destroyed. I couldn’t stand. I felt like all my students [at the old school building] were dead. … I was devastated [when I saw the school building was completely destroyed], it was like my heart was broken. I was worried that my lovely students would die under the rubble. It was a hopeless moment.52 The teacher visited the families of the children who were killed and spoke of the aftermath, including seeing the body of El Doh Htoo, the 14-year-old boy who was among the children killed in the strike: “First, I went to one student’s [El Doh Htoo] house. His hands, as well as his legs, had been cut and separated from his body. His brothers were cleaning his body. I wanted to hug him, but I couldn’t since his body was in pieces.”53 Fortify Rights also spoke with the mother of El Le Tha, one of the four students killed. She described the day of the airstrike: [It was] around 10:15 a.m. when I heard the airstrike. … I wasn’t around when the incident occurred near the school compound. My three young kids [aged 12, eight, and four] returned a little while later. When I asked where their elder brother was, they said they didn’t know either. They were crying, tremblingly with fear. … My parents then passed by my house … I repeatedly asked them, “Did you see my son?” … I asked my older brother, who came to me … He said, “Doh Doh [El Le Tha’s nickname] passed away.” … The first time I saw my son after the airstrike … his body was deformed; his intestines were visible through his back, and half of his face had been crushed. … I couldn’t bring myself to look at his face [again].54 The 46-year-old father of Khun San Hlaing—another victim—told Fortify Rights how he learned that his eighth-grade son was killed in the airstrike on the school in Daw Si Ei village, Demoso Township: We had no idea the airstrike was coming. … We were visiting the farms to check out the paddy fields. … Four of our children attended the school [that was attacked]. … He’s our eldest child, the one who passed away. The younger three were able to get home. My wife requested her brother to go and check [the area] … He returned and told my wife that our child’s dead body had been left alone on the ground. … The entire body was covered in dust. 55 Khun San Hlaing’s father told Fortify Rights that he and his wife recovered their son’s body themselves: When my wife arrived [to the scene of the airstrike], no one was present with our son. The people who were around hid in the distance in the bamboo forest, afraid of another airstrike. … 51 Fortify Rights interview with E.B., Demoso Township, Karenni State, Myanmar, February 22, 2024. 52 Ibid. 53 Ibid. 54 Fortify Rights interview with A.A., Demoso Township, Karenni State, Myanmar, February 22, 2024. 55 Fortify Rights interview with B.G., Demoso Township, Karenni State, Myanmar, February 22, 2024.