FBR REPORT: Villagers
forced by Burma Army soldiers to build up camps in support of their
ongoing attack against the Karen people
Muthey, Nyaunglebin
District, Western Karen State, Burma
13 October, 2006
These photos show people forced to work for the Burma Army
at Muthey camp and were taken by a FBR relief team providing humanitarian assistance
in this area.
Muthey Army camp is one of many camps in this area and
is a launch point for attacks that are part of the ongoing offensive.
In the Muthey area, the Burma Army is also forcing people
to leave their villages and relocate to the Muthey camp complex. This is in
order to exert compete control over them as they attack the hiding places of
displaced Karen people. In support of this operation, the Burma Army is building
a new town in the Muthey area and has plans for logging and to build a dam.
Starting on 9 September, the Burma Army under IB 242 (one of 10 battalions in
MOC 16), forced villagers at Muthey to build their camp, make a fence around
the camp and village and carry logs and bamboo for the soldiers. The troops
are now forcing villagers in the plains areas to make fences around their villages
and do not allow villagers to travel. The Burma Army has blocked trade and travel
routes between the plains and mountains areas as they try to put a strangle
hold on the Karen population in the mountains.
Burma Army attacks have displaced over 20,000 Karen
people since February 2006 in northern and western Karen State. During this
offensive, the Burma Army displaced over 12,000 people in Nyaunglebin District
alone. There are 1,775 displaced people in Keh Der Village tract, where Muthey
village and Burma Army camp is located. These pictures are from this area. Thank
you and God bless you, the FBR Nyaunglebin District Team
Burma Army forces villagers to carry loads. Sept 06.
Soldiers in center of photo control villages as they carry loads.
Two Karen women forced to labor for the Burma Army. Here
they bring logs to the front gate of Muthey Army camp.Sept 06.
At the same site, three Burma
Army soldiers inspect the forced labor. Sept 06.
Burma Army soldiers then carry
the logs inside Muthey camp. Sept 06.
ENDS
The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) mission is to provide hope, help and
love to internally displaced people inside Burma, regardless of ethnicity
or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams, FBR reports on human
rights abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under
the oppression of the Burma Army. FBR provides medical, spiritual and educational
resources for IDP communities as they struggle to survive Burmese military
attacks.