Mergui-Tavoy Short Update: Ler Muh Lah Township, 1998 to 2013

Description: 

"This Short Update describes events occurring in Ler Muh Lah Township, Mergui-Tavoy District between 1998 and 2013, including forced relocation, torture, arbitrary arrest, and forced labour... In 1998, villagers now living in A--- village were forced to relocate by the Tatmadaw... In June 2011, the village head of A--- village was severely beaten by Tatmadaw soldiers as he was interrogated for information on suspected village connections to the Karen National Union (KNU). Based on information he eventually gave the Tatmadaw soldiers under torture, at least 15 villagers were arrested and held in jail... During the conflict, Tatmadaw soldiers led by Officer Nay Lin Soe arrested all the male villagers in A--- village and killed the village head. They forced all the male villagers to be sentries throughout the night, beating them if they fell asleep. This caused the rest of the villagers to flee to the forest for several weeks... After being forced to relocate by the Tatmadaw, the villagers have struggled with housing on their new land; since 2009, the owner of the new land has not permitted the villagers to build any new houses. The villagers have asked the Tatmadaw for support with this, as it was them who relocated the villagers to this land, but they have not received any help..."

Source/publisher: 

Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)

Date of Publication: 

2015-11-23

Date of entry: 

2015-12-19

Grouping: 

  • Individual Documents

Category: 

Language: 

English

Format: 

Size: 

Alternate URLs: