FBR REPORT: The Burma Army kills and rapes villagers as they attempt to completely dominate the Dooplaya District of South Central Karen State, Eastern Burma
Dooplaya District, Karen State, Burma
23 February, 2007

FBR relief team mission report. Dooplaya District. Nov. – Dec. 2006

1. Introduction

We, the Dooplaya FBR team, began our mission to Dooplaya district on 11 Nov. 2006. Our mission was to the villages located in Maulaw Ei and Kyaut K’rit Townsihps. We then returned to Kyainn Township to La Ta Ku village, which we had not yet visited. We also visited Kyat Aye Township and Kru Htu Township where we gave medical care. In total we visited 15 villages and treated a total of 1,160 people. The most common disease we encountered was acute respiratory infections (ARI). During our mission we distributed medical care, GLC t-shirts, children’s packages, FBR t-shirts, and CDs and Cassette tapes. We were also able to celebrate Karen New Year with the villagers from Mae Ta Krae during our mission.

Our mission was conducted along with a team from the Backpack Health Workers and our medics partnered with theirs to provide medical care to people in need . In the area of our mission the SPDC is rebuilding a car road, meaning that we were unable to visit some villages near the road where Burma Army presence has increased.

The villagers we visited during our mission are not currently IDPs, however were most recently displaced when Divisions 22 and 44 increased patrols and activity. At that time, some villagers were forced to leave their villages for three to four months while others had to leave for almost one year. Some villagers in Kau K’rit township were destroyed by floods in August 2006. When villagers from Kyaiin Seit Gyi become sick they must pay large amounts of money (to the SPDC) to send a patient to the Seit Gyi hospital. The hospital is supported by the ICRC and UNICEF, however villagers from the area have reported that if they do not bring enough money they are refused treatment because of the SPDC control.

2. Human Rights Violations: Burma Army kills and rapes villagers.

On 28 December 2006, one Burma Army column from IB 36 entered Htee Hto Kaut village and captured and killed three villagers and stole 15 million kyat. The three buffalo traders; A Lupoe, 41, from Lo Shan, Neing Htaw Ko, 43, from Htee Hto Kaut, and Pah Pae, 34, from Mae K’wa were captured, dressed in soldiers’ uniforms and then shot and killed. The column was led by Hto Min.

On 7 December 2006, A sergeant from LIB 586 tried to rape Naw Xx, 41. After coming to her home with 2 other soldiers, he told Naw Xx he was a medic and would help her leg which was hurting. He then tried to raper her. She was able to kick him off of her and when her mother returned the soldiers left. LIB 586 is under the command of Thet Htoe and is operating in the Ta Ku Ki area

On 29 November 2006, in Waw Raw Township, Burma Army IB 96 second in command Myo Min raped Xx Xxx Xx, 25, and mother of four. Myo Min threatened Ma Xxx Xx with a gun, then took her outside of the KPF camp and raped her. The attack happened between 20:30 and 22:30 hrs. Xx Xxx Xx is married to Ma Thein Haw. In this area SPDC officials have come to measure plots of land which belong to Karen villagers and sell them to Mon and Burman businessmen who live in the bigger towns.

3. SPDC Activities: Burma Army extorts villagers.

The Burma Army has plans to pave the road from Kyai Done to Peung Klung this year and from Wei Gyi to Kyai Done next year. The Burma Army has demanded compensation of 100,000 to 150,000 kyat from villagers who have helped to clear trees. It has also been reported that Burma Army troops who are providing security for the road construction have engaged in rape and extrajudicial killings.


4. Health and Education Situation: Villagers unable to receive medical care.

It is very difficult for most villagers in the areas we visited to find adequate medical care. Most villagers are too far from the hospital to walk there when sick and then do not have enough money to pay for treatment even if they are able to get there. Other villagers are unable to receive treatment from FBR medics or Backpack Health Workers because of Burma Army presence in their villages.

Education in most of the villages we visited was extremely limited. Some villages have built their own schools without any outside support and some have been supported by the Karen Education Department. Some villagers can not send their children to school at all. It is extremely difficult for any villagers to send their children on to continued education after they have completed education at their own villages.

5. Analysis

We were sorry we could not give help to all of the villages in the area of our mission due to Burma Army activities. Every village we visited asked for medicine and we were able to provide treatment, however we need more medicine, including Para-Check for malaria diagnosis, and we need to continue our education in medicine. We also need more teams to be able to cover more of the areas in need, particularly since the SPDC is expected to increase its operations in Dooplaya district.

6. Conclusion

We are very thankful to our FBR leaders as well as to our KNU leaders for helping to arrange everything for us. “May the New year bring you many blessings”.

God Bless You,

FBR relief team leader

Dooplaya District

ENDS