|
JULY 2005 Human Rights Violation Update: Northern and Western Karen State
This information in this report is from JULY2005 and covers three districts in Northern and Western Karen State,Burma. This is only a partial report of events occuring in July andsent back by relief teams as they conducted thier missions in thisarea. On 25 July 2005 there was a woman killed by a Burma Army landmine and there are accounts of villagers arrested, stolen property,forced labor, travel restrictions and free fire zones, all abusesperpetrated by the Burma Army.
Thaton District: Northern Karen State, Burma
Stolen Property
JULY 17
2:40 p.m.
Burma Army Battalion commander, Myay Maung Oo,Infantry Battalion (IB) 8, stole money, chickens, a fishing net,knives, flashlights, a blanket and jewelry from villagers in T KVillage after a fight with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)nearby.
Toungoo District: Northern Karen State, Burma
Taw Ta Tu Township: Villager killedby land mine, Villagers arrested, Stolen Property, Forced Labor, TravelRestrictions and Free Fire Zones.
JULY 21
Burma Army troops (IB 26) and their battalioncommander went to build a new camp in Maw La Daw Village. Theystarted building on July 23, 2005. Some KNLA soldiers helped all thevillagers except for a few of the elderly leave Maw La Daw Village andreturn to their old village site. When everyone moved, the Burma Armyleft also but plan to return and build the camp.
JULY 25
Naw GG was killed by a Burma Army land mine on25 July 2005 in old WS Village. She was from Tk Village and thedaughter of Saw H. The land mine was laid by Burma Army IB 73
Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (599)arrested villagers who were working in their bettle nut gardens andheld them hostage in the village church.
JULY 26
The Burma Army division commander held ameeting in Taw Ta Tu town about building a new bridge which will crossSittaung River in the area between Taw Ta Tu and Myay Su. This bridgewill be used for the transportation of Burma Army troops to ethnicareas.
JULY 27
Burma Army (LIB 599) stole propoerty fromBurman villagers in the BH area on one of their patrols. The Burma Armystopped all freedom of travel in the BH area.
Burma Army troops from IB 30 staying at KawThey Der Village arrested 4 villagers and forced them to carry theirloads to their Naw Kyo camp.
NOTE:
The Burma Army tactical commander Kin Maung Oowho stays at Kler La Village has stopped all of the public trucks thattravel in Taw Oo, Kler La and Kaw Thay Der. After that, Kin Maung Ootold the villagers that the halt of travel was implemented by the KarenNational Union (KNU) not the Burma Army. The Burma Army told people notto ask for help from them with traveling. Initially, the Burma Army KinMaung Oo ordered truck owners to stop traveling. Later, the Burma Armysaid that the KNU stopped the truck owners from traveling. It seemsclear that the Burma Army wants to cause problems for the villagers.The Burma Army has increased their activities in the plains andmountainous areas. We received news that they will retrain their troopsand will attack again soon. The reports are that the Burma Army willkill anyone in their way.
Nyaunglebin District: Western Karen State, Burma
Ler Doh Township (NorthernNyaunglebin District)
JULY 6
The Burma Army troops staying at Saw Yu Kee(B355135) destroyed their camp and built a new camp at Ko Kee (B310109).
Burma Army Tactical No. 2 Commander Kin Soerelocated Burma Army LIB 439 to Pa Ta La Village, closer to the carroad. The village leader negotiated with the State Peace andDevelopment Council (SPDC) Township leader so that the village paid150,000 Kyat to stay in their old village and not relocate.
Each farmer in Zone 2 of Lerdoh Township needspermission to stay in their own fields overnight. These farmers have topay 1,000 Kyat per month for this permission paper to Burma Army LIB439.
JULY 17
XX Village tract was ordered to move theirvillages closer to the Shweygyn-Ler Doh Car road by Burma Army TacticalNo. 2 commander Kin Soe.
Mone Township
JULY 14
The Burma Army IB 60 battalion commander, SawLien, held a meeting at Hsaw Mi Lu camp. The leaders of the villagetracts in the area were required to attend the meeting. The five mainpoints Saw Lien made during the meeting were;
1. Every child must attend school.
2. The villagers must work for peace inthe country and for development.
3. The villagers should have highervillage cleanliness and health care standards.
4. The villagers who return to thevillage after staying in their orchards are ordered to give the BurmaArmy timely information.
5. The Burma Army gives a guarantee thatthe villagers will be able to live and do their work peacefully.
At this same meeting, Saw Lien asked for 20people from the village to clean and repair the old buildings in theircamp.
JULY 10
One Burma Army unit in Mone Township haschanged their name to ‘Pyaung Shien’, meaning ‘Clear and Open’. Thesetroops did an operation in the lowland areas of this township andpositioned canons to fire into places that their troops are afraid togo.
JULY 14
Burma Army LIB 590 Column (2) entered Maw LaDaw Village and asked each family to collect 10 pieces of bamboo tobuild their camp.
JULY 16
The Burma Army Strategic Commander in this areaordered his solders to place up to 3,000 land mines in the area betweenHsaw Mi Lu and Done Chaung in MoneTownship, Nyaunglebin District, KarenState.
ENDS