Reports and maps covering anti-personnel landmines and Burma/Myanmar

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Description: Regarding: Use of anti-personnel landmines; Use of child soldiers; Protection of Children from the Effects of Armed Conflict...made between 2003 and 2012...full texts in English.
Source/publisher: Geneva Call
2012-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-09
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "The Myanmar Information Management Unit [UN MIMU] has released two maps which show townships with a known hazard due to the presence of antipersonnel mines, and the number of victims per township in 2010-2011. This is the third map produced in a collaboration between MIMU in Yangon and Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor, since 2009. These maps document how many townships in the countries are known to have some level of mine pollution, and the number of known landmine victims from the townships in the 2010-2011 period. The maps do not provide precise details on the location of mined areas..."
Source/publisher: MIMU via http://burmamineban.demilitarization.net
2011-11-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-11-03
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: Nine out of Myanmar’s 14 States are contaminated with landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) including by newly laid landmines as the conflict expanded in Kachin and Shan States since 2015. KAP survey and rapid assessment alerted on the urgent need to scale up mine risk education programming as 3 out 4 children interviewed never received any information on mines and even fewer adults have received any form of MRE. ''While the ceasefire signed in October 2015 did include a dedicated article on demining which might open new windows of opportunities for the expansion of the mine action activities in Myanmar, the ceasefire has not been signed by all parties to the conflict, and no agreement has been reached yet to start survey or operations however, few organizations have got an approval to conduct Non-Technical Survey in Kayah state. Protection and Mine Action actors in country continue to advocate with the different parties for the use of “marking and fencing” in affected areas and also to start pilot land release activities in state where possible. In addition, access to mine affected-areas, especially in non-governmental controlled areas remains challenging. Since 2012, the Ministry of Social Welfare Relief and Rehabilitation, has co-chaired with UNICEF a national Mine Risks Working Group (MRWG) comprising 10 different ministries and 41 national and international NGOS and UN agencies to enhance inter-ministerial and inter-agency coordination. In 2014, dedicated technical groups on Victim Assistance and Information Management were established, and as a result of a decentralization process four State level MRWGs were established in Kachin, Kaya, Kayin and Shan States...''
Source/publisher: Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU)
1970-01-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-02-07
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: Use the drop-down menu of the Database Search. Click on Landmines.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of entry/update: 2008-11-25
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Individual Documents

Description: "This Situation Update describes events that occurred in Bilin Township, Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton) District during the period between July 2021 and September 2022. The State Administration Council (SAC) increased operations, including regular troop rotations and transportation of rations between Meh Pray Hkee and Na Kyi army camps. SAC soldiers also entered villages and committed looting and deliberate shelling, causing displacement, and arrested at least 45 villagers to use them as human shields, forced labour and navigators. At least two elder villagers died due to shock. Several incidents of landmine explosions were also reported.[1] Background information: After the State Administration Council (SAC)[2] seized power in Burma in February 2021, military activities have been increasing both in rural and urban areas throughout Burma. The SAC, in cooperation with the Border Guard Force (BGF)[3], is mainly reinforcing its troops and army camps, and conducting regular military patrol and movements between camps in ethnic states. Meanwhile, ethnic armed groups (EAGs) are also defending their territory and administration, so the increase in SAC’s activities and intrusion into the EAGs-controlled territories results in armed conflict, dramatically impacting local civilians. This Situation Update is based on a document written by a local villager, and further KHRG documentation conducted in Bilin Township, Doo Tha Htoo District, recording human rights violations committed by SAC troops operating between the Meh Pray Hkee army camp, Meh Pray Hkee village tract, and Na Kyi army camp, Na Kyi village tract, in Bilin Township from July 2021 to September 2022. Military activities between Meh Pray Hkee and Na Kyi army camps Na Kyi army camp base is located in Na Kyi village, Na Kyi village tract, Bilin Township. Since the coup, the SAC military with some BGF soldiers patrolled between the Na Kyi and Meh Pray Hkee army camps, and used the paved road for military purposes. Whenever SAC troops patrolled, between one to seven BGF soldiers would accompany them, as the SAC did not feel safe to travel between the army camps. [The BGF soldiers] helped with [communication in] the local language and [shared knowledge on] the situation in the area. In the first four or five months [after the coup], the local Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[4] did not ambush them [SAC soldiers], only warned them [to not enter the areas under Karen National Union (KNU)[5] control]. But around July 2021, during the rainy and flooding period, the tension between the SAC and the local KNLA combined with People’s Defence Force (PDF)[6] forces came to a head. The SAC also set up a new temporary army camp to carry out their military operations close to H--- village, Aee Soo Hkee village tract, Bilin Township, and armed clashes constantly happened afterwards. The consequences of the skirmishes and the new temporary army camp being set up are that villagers had to displace themselves. Indiscriminate shelling caused damages [on civilian property], injuries, and the deaths of villagers and their livestock. Soldiers conducted looting [of villagers’ property], and arrested local villagers to use them as human shields and navigators. This occurred alongside landmine incidents and livelihood challenges [faced by villagers]. Villagers used as human shields, forced labour, navigators and porters [While the SAC conducted military activities between Na Kyi and Meh Pray Hkee army camps,] whenever SAC troops were patrolling, or attacked by local KNLA soldiers, they arrested any villagers they encountered on the way and in the villages to use them as human shields, while claiming to use them as navigators. As explained by a villager, the arrest of local villagers was not [to use them] as navigators, because the [BGF and SAC] soldiers knew the area well. Instead, whenever SAC troops travelled, they would usually arrest any villagers they would find to follow them as human shields. For instance, during the rainy season of 2021, the SAC from Na Kyi army camp arrested two villagers from H--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, at their houses, [and ordered the villagers] to follow them as human shields to Meh Pray Hkee army camp.[7] These villagers were Saw[8] E--- and Saw F---. On the way to Meh Pray Hkee army camp, one of the SAC soldiers who was walking in front of Saw F--- stepped on a landmine. A piece of shrapnel from the landmine explosion hit Saw F---’s eye and burst his eye. That SAC soldier lost one foot. After the incident, an SAC soldier injected Saw F--- with an unknown medicine, and Saw F--- then had to follow the SAC soldiers until they arrived at the Meh Pray Hkee army camp, at night. When they arrived at the Meh Pray Hkee army camp, the SAC troops released the two arrested villagers and gave Saw F--- only 100,000 kyat [48 USD][9] to treat his injured eye. Saw F--- went to several clinics in Bilin Township and SAC-controlled territory in Na Kyi Town. As the medical treatment fee in Town was too expensive, the villager went to the G--- clinic, under the KNU, and was able to access free medical treatment. He took a very long time to recover and suffered pain throughout the recovery process. Saw F--- became blind in one eye. On May 2nd or 3rd 2022 [exact date unknown], at 3pm, SAC Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[10] #403 troops, under Military Operation Commander (MOC)[11] #8, combined with Light Infantry Division (LID)[12] #44 and BGF Battalion #1011, from Meh Pray Hkee village (Meh Pray Hkee army camp), returned to Na Kyi army camp. On the way, before they arrived at J--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township, two of their soldiers stepped on a landmine. When they were about to arrive at J--- village, they arrested two villagers [from an unknown village] they encountered on the way and tied the two villagers to follow them. Then the SAC troops entered J--- village and looted the stock and belongings from one of the shops owned by a villager. They also entered villagers’ houses and looted their belongings, including chickens and phones. The SAC soldiers were looking for male villagers to arrest as human shields, but they only saw one villager, Saw I---, from J--- village, because most of the men had fled before the SAC entered the village, fearing arrest. Saw I--- could not flee before the SAC arrived in the village, so the SAC shouted at him, violently slapped his face and ordered him to follow the troops as a human shield, from J--- village to T’Ray Loo Hkoh hill. They then released him. On May 5th 2022, the local KNLA attacked BGF troops combined with SAC troops under LID #44 that were travelling from Meh Pray Hkee army camp to Na Kyi army camp, while the soldiers were on the road beside H--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township. After the fighting, at about 3:20pm, the SAC/BGF soldiers entered H--- village and ordered all villagers to gather at a particular place, and they then arrested seven male villagers to follow them as human shields. The seven H--- villagers were Saw K---, Saw L---, Saw M---, Saw N---, Saw O---, Saw P--- and Saw Q---. One of the BGF soldiers, who patrolled with the SAC, slapped Saw L---’s face two times because he could not reply to the questions immediately as he was scared. This BGF soldier is from La Nay village [in Hpa-an District]. The seven male villagers who could not flee before the SAC arrived at the village were arrested as human shields by the SAC/BGF. They were released after arriving at Na Kyi army camp. On June 17th 2022, another SAC troop from the Meh Pray Hkee army camp returned to Na Kyi army camp. When they arrived at J--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township, they entered the village and arrested nine male J--- villagers they saw in the village. All the other male villagers had already fled to another place before the SAC arrived. The nine villagers were Saw R--- (age 55), Saw S--- (age 48), Saw T--- (age 45), Saw U--- (age 19), Saw V--- (age 20), Saw W--- (age 27), Saw X--- (age 24), Saw Y--- (age 36) and Saw Z--- (age 66). They ordered the nine villagers to follow them to Na Kyi army camp as human shields. As villagers were used as shields, the local KNLA did not attack the SAC going back to their base in Na Kyi Army camp. On June 18th 2022, the SAC released the nine villagers when they arrived at the Na Kyi army camp. Due to the practice of the SAC of arresting villagers in the community, whenever villagers received information about SAC troops patrolling and passing [through nearby] villages, men who live in the villages close to the vehicle road between Na Kyi and Meh Pray Hkee army camps would flee from their villages to avoid being arrested by the SAC and used as human shields. [This time], the male villagers returned home only a couple of days after the SAC passed their villages. However, on June 20th 2022, the SAC encountered four of the J--- villagers in a farm tent, as they were fleeing from the SAC, and arrested them. The four villagers were Saw A--- (age 62), Saw B--- (age 53), Saw C--- (age 22) and Saw D--- (age 25). The SAC also confiscated one machete, valued at around 10,000 kyat [4.76 USD], and one watch, valued at around 12,000 kyat [5.71 USD]. On July 14th 2022, the SAC troops LIB #402 from Noh Hpa Htaw army camp and LIB #403 entered H--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township and ordered all men and women in the village to stay in the area surrounding them in the village, as human shields. As explained by a local villager named Saw Zz---: “Then they released all the women during night time and ordered the male villagers to sleep [in this place] one night. I also was in this incident [used as a human shield]. The next day, they came to my house and set up their base as an army camp for several months [until September 2022].” Setting of a new temporary camp in Aee Sooh Hkee village tract [As explained previously], in July 2022, the SAC LIB #403 and LIB #402 troops entered H--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township and slept [there] one night. The troops included about 40 soldiers. The next morning, some of them went to Meh Pray Hkee army camp, but the LIB #402 troops remained in the village. The SAC LIB #402 troops, set up their temporary army base at a place outside of the H--- village, where there are six villagers’ houses, situated close to the main paved road between Na Kyi army camp and J--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township. According to a local villager, the SAC soldiers used two of the six villagers’ houses, including their farm tents and gardens, for their army base. There, they had a good water supply from the stream, and safety provided by the mountains surrounding the area, which hindered any attack. The SAC settled there for their security and for troop reinforcement, ration and ammunition transportation between Na Kyi and Meh Pay Hkee army camps, so that KNLA soldiers could not easily ambush them. During night-time, SAC soldiers took security [rounds] separately, in different places surrounding their camp. The SAC also set up a checkpoint on the road and conducted troop rotation based on their schedule, and sometimes as a monthly troop exchange. The SAC Artillery Unit #402 had been based in this temporary camp for five days before SAC LIB #405 exchanged places with them. The SAC LIB #405 was then based in the temporary base for about one month and five days. Then the SAC LIB #404 exchanged places with the SAC LIB #405 [again], and they stayed in this army base for over a month before exchanging with SAC LIB #403. The SAC also dug communication channels in the villagers’ gardens. Due to the SAC setting up the camp in the villager’s houses, all villagers from the six houses moved to other places for safety. After the villagers left, the local KNLA ambushed the SAC many times, to force the SAC to withdraw from the villagers’ houses. As a result of several skirmishes between the SAC and the local KNLA, both armed groups planted landmines, so villagers felt even less safe to return to their houses. Moreover, the SAC looked for the houses of KNLA soldiers’ families, and asked villagers to tell them where they were, but villagers could not provide such information. Saw Zz---, a villager living in one of the houses outside of H--- village, said: “I continued to live in my house with them [SAC soldiers] for about one month [for a couple of weeks]. I was fearful, and they [SAC] were always asking me for information on [KNLA] soldiers’ houses and relatives in the village. The [KNLA] soldiers also [advised] me to move because it was inconvenient [for KNLA to attack SAC] when I stayed with them [SAC soldiers]. Therefore, I did not feel safe living in my house anymore, so I left my house when I could find a way to get out with my family, and go live in H--- village, at my mother’s place. Since then, I have not returned to my house.” As of September 28th 2022, the SAC troops were still based in this [temporary] camp, as reported by a local villager to KHRG. The KNLA also ambushed them [SAC soldiers] several times, and so he [the local villager] does not feel safe to check his house anymore. He was unsure about whether the fighting had hit [destroyed] his house. SAC soldiers using human shields to move between army camps [Between June 18th and June 30th 2022, the SAC conducted military operations between Na Kyi and Lay Kay army camps and the surrounding villages. During these operations,] they arrested 24 villagers in total [from different villages] to follow them as human shields, and forced them to work by clearing vegetation on the way for the SAC, and by carrying ammunition, food and materials they looted from villages on the way. The SAC soldiers were accompanied around the forest from J--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, to the Lay Kay army camp by villagers, to avoid being attacked by the local KNLA. A. SAC use of villagers as human shields from Na Kyi army camp to Lay Kay army camp* On June 18th 2022, more SAC troops such as LIB #207 from Thein Za Ya Base, Kyeh Htoh Township, LIB #102 from Thaton army base, Tha Htoo Township and Infantry Battalion (IB)[13] #2 from Kyaikto base, Kyeh Htoh Township which are under control of SAC LID #44, left Na Kyi army camp. They entered and patrolled in KNU-controlled territory in Bilin Township, [with the intent] to go [all the way] to Lay Kay army camp for troop reinforcement. Villagers did not feel safe staying in the village. Villagers were also worried that major fighting was to happen in their village. Therefore, all 1,189 J--- villagers fled to the forest and to different villages nearby for their safety. On June 19th 2022, these three SAC troops from Na Kyi army camp arrived at Aee Sooh Hkee village tract and entered J--- village. On June 20th 2022, they looted villagers’ belongings and food, and they also arrested four villagers [who had returned to the village to check their houses and livestock, where the SAC found them] to serve as porters, navigators and human shields. These four villagers were Saw A---, Saw B---, Saw C--- and Saw D---, [previously mentioned]. On June 22nd 2022, the SAC [arrested] three PDF members and a villager from Ab--- village, named Saw Ai---, who was a driver for them, on Ac--- road, Ta Au Hkee village tract.[14] They tortured the three detained PDF members. According to one of the villagers who witnessed the incident, Naw[15] Ad---, from Ae--- village, Khaw Hpoe Pleh village tract, Bilin Township: “Because they were tortured, they had bruises all over their body. They were tied with nylon rope around the neck, the armpits and the hands. We did not dare to look at that because it was so terrible. They were full of bruises. The SAC killed them when they left the [Ae---] village [on June 29th].” On June 22nd 2022, these three SAC troops [LIB #207, LIB #102 and IB #2] arrived at Af--- village, Ta Au Hkee village tract. They arrested two civilians from Af--- village, Ta Au Hkee village tract: Saw Ag--- and another villager [unknown name]. On the evening of June 24th 2022, the SAC troops [together with the arrested villagers and PDF members] reached Ah--- village, Kyon Wine village tract. The Ab--- villager named Saw Ai---, who got arrested [on June 22nd on Ae--- Road, while driving the car], escaped when they were in Ah--- village. The SAC arrested two more villagers in Ah--- village, Saw Aj--- and Saw Ak---, and two other civilians, Saw Al--- and his friend, from Am--- village, Hpa-an Township, who were visiting Ah--- village. On June 25th 2022, the SAC troops [and the detained villagers and PDF members] arrived at An--- village, P’Ya Raw (Myit Kyo) village tract, Bilin Township, and arrested another three An--- villagers. The three villagers were Saw Ao---, Saw Ap--- and Saw Aq---. One of the villagers was under 18 years old. The SAC released them and the four J--- villagers on the same day when they arrived at Lay Kay camp. They did not release the three PDF members and the Ah---, Af--, and Am--- villagers. B. From Lay Kay army camp to K’Ma Moe \[Kamamaung\] Town* After the SAC military troops arrived at Lay Kay army camp, they stayed in the camp for two nights and kept the Ah---, Af--- and Am--- villagers detained in the Lay Kay army camp. Then, on June 27th 2022, the SAC went back to [their destination in] K’Ma Moe Town, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District, and they ordered the still detained villagers [and PDF members] to follow them. They passed through Ar--- village, and released the Ah--- and Am--- villagers. On the same day of June 27th 2022, the SAC troops arrived Ae--- village, stayed in Ae--- village for two nights and looted villagers’ properties. They also arrested three Ae--- villagers, Saw Au---, Saw Av---, and Saw Aw---, and two [other] villagers, Saw Ax---and Saw Ay---, who were guests from Az--- village, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District, to follow them to Ar--- village and then to Hkaw Taw Town, Dwe Lo Township. One of the victims from Ae--- village, named Saw Aw---, said: *“I was arrested when I was going to my paddy farm to stop cows [from] eating my paddy plants. […] We did not do anything, but they told us: ‘Don’t run! As we are soldiers, if you run, we will shoot you’.” * Saw Aw---, from Ae--- village, also testified about walking [amongst] the SAC as a human shield and carrying heavy loads for the SAC on foot for the whole day: “They asked us to carry loads for them. […] The weight was above 20 visses [30 kilograms]. […] It was heavy and we had to carry it with all the energy [villagers’ had]. […] We saw mortars [inside the loads villagers carried]. [...] They did not allow us [villagers] to walk in a group, so we had to walk separately from each other, and walk between them [SAC soldiers]. […] We did not have to ask for rice because the [soldiers] looted food from villagers [everywhere they went] and did not pay for food, so they had plenty of food for all of us. […] We slept in villagers’ houses so we received blankets. […] We mainly worried that fighting could happen. […] They arrested us to walk among them so it means they did it to protect themselves [from KNLA/KNDO[16] attacks] because if the fighting happened, we [villagers] would be shot as well.” Saw Aw--- continued: “It [the trip] took one day [just between two villages] because they did not travel straight on the road toward [another village]. They travelled in the bushes [so it took more time]. We walked the whole day, we did not stop walking to take a rest on the way.” One of the victims’ family members, Naw Ad--- from Ae--- village said: “When I saw that the SAC [LID #44] commander arrested my son, I climbed down to the ground [from my house]. My son also called me and I ran to him right away. Some rumour had spread that my son was being tortured by the SAC soldiers. However, it was good that I could get to him earlier. Since I talked to the SAC soldiers, they did not torture my son. Otherwise, my son would have been tortured to death. […] The SAC habit is like that [committing arrest, torture and killing of villagers]. They arrested anyone that they saw, not only my son. They arrested and questioned my son: they asked him to show them the place. So I told the SAC soldiers: ‘don’t ask my son about that. He doesn’t know anything. If you want to know something, just ask me’.” After the SAC troops left Ae--- village, they killed the three PDF members. On June 29th 2022, the SAC troops crossed Baw Naw river, between Ae--- and Moo Day villages, with a bamboo raft during the monsoon flooding, and some of their guns sank into the river. However, they continued their trip until they arrived at Ar--- village, P’Yah Raw village tract. The next morning, on June 30th 2022, the SAC returned to Baw Naw river and forced villagers, including two teenagers from Ae--- village, to search for the guns in the river for them, during major flooding. The villagers were able to find the weapons for the SAC. Then, they [SAC] headed toward Aad--- village, Kaw Heh village tract. As per usual, they looted villagers’ chicken and food, and they also arrested five Aad--- villagers on July 1st 2022 to follow them. Two of the arrested villagers were under 18 and one of the two was a student. The arrested Ae---, Aad---, Az--- and Af--- villagers were released when [on an unknown date] they reached near Hkaw Taw Poo Town, Meh Kyee hill, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. One of the victims said: “Other porters received about 5,000 kyat [2,38 USD] each. As I did not follow them until the end of the trip, I did not receive any kyat [compensation], but I even wanted to pay them to be released.” This villager was released in Aad--- village, Kaw Heh village tract, Bilin Township as he is older [an elder; facing difficulties to travel long distances]. The SAC soldiers let him stay there. Due to past [history of] violence [committed by the Burma Army in Southeast Burma], human rights violations are the main root cause of villagers’ trauma. Since the coup, villagers face major security concerns of being tortured and killed by the SAC, especially when they or any of their family members are arrested by the SAC. Many of the victims’ parents worried due to their personal past experiences, and some of them even died from trauma [became sick or died due to shock]. The family member of one of the arrested villagers in Ae--- village, Naw Ad---, reported to KHRG: “One of the arrested [Az----] villagers’ father was sick at that time. When he heard that his son was arrested by the SAC, he was afraid his son would be killed or tortured. Since he was already sick, he got higher blood pressure and died. He was in my village. Those arrested [Az---] villagers from Hpapun Town were also coming here [Ae--- village] to send the sick mother to the hospital [but they were arrested in Ae--- village]. The mother also died on the same day as the other victim’s father [after her children were arrested by the LID #44].” Since January 2023, the SAC and BGF troops have not patrolled by foot in the area, and they have been using aircraft for transporting rations and for troop rotation, so there have not been such incidents for about three months [as reported by local villagers to KHRG on March 15th 2023]. Shelling committed by SAC soldiers Whenever the SAC troops travelled between Na Kyi and Meh Pray Hkee army camps, they shelled mortars to clear the way [of KNLA soldiers] before they arrived to another place, as well as when they received information about potential KNLA activities from their intelligence agents. From July 2021 until September 2022, SAC troops, especially from the Na Kyi army camp, conducted regular indiscriminate shelling in the area in the direction of Meh Pray Hkee army camp. These incidents happened about every day, so villagers could not count how many times [they happened, or give] the date of the incident. Every time the SAC shelled mortars near or in the community, villagers were deeply concerned for the security of their lives, livestock and properties. Many of the mortars shelled by the SAC exploded, but some remained unexploded. Both exploded and unexploded mortars can cause life risks and danger to the local community, so civilians are now living in an unsafe community [area]. Due to the large number of shelling incidents committed by the SAC, a local villager recounted [to a KHRG field staff] some higher-risk shelling incidents, as follows: Around November 2021, SAC soldiers shelled mortars that landed in H--- village, because they received information that KNLA soldiers had entered the village. No villagers were killed or injured, but one house was damaged by shrapnel and all villagers were in fear. On February 24th 2022, from 9:17am and 10:55am, SAC soldiers under LIB #404, from Meh Pray Hkee army camp, were bringing their soldiers in need of medical care to Na Kyi army camp. Before they arrived at J--- village, they shelled about five mortars in J--- village. As a consequence, shrapnel damaged one villagers’ house and all villagers fled in fear and hid in the bunkers under their houses. On April 4th 2022, at 9:10am, SAC soldiers from Na Kyi army camp shelled 120mm mortars that landed in Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township. One mortar round landed in Aaj--- place name, one round landed in Aak--- village and one round in Aal--- village. The SAC usually conducts indiscriminate shelling near and in communities. Local villagers were not given prior warning, and did not know why they [SAC] conducted the shelling. On April 12th 2022, SAC soldiers shelled two mortar rounds that landed in the jungle outside of Aal--- village. One of these rounds landed on Aam--- hill and the other landed in the valley. On April 18th 2022, LID #22 [mainly based in Hpa-an District] came to Thaton District and combined with [Infantry] Battalion #24 left Na Kyi army camp and entered Na Kyi village. On April 19th 2022, these SAC troops and Infantry Battalion (IB) #96, under LID #44, and LIB #404, under MOC #8, came back [from an unknown place] to Aan--- Pagoda place, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract. On April 19th 2022, the local KNLA ambushed them once as they [SAC] passed through Thaw Kheh Hta valley. Then, on April 20th 2022, at about 9:20am, the local KNLA ambushed them [SAC] again at Aan--- pagoda [place]. The SAC then shelled nine rounds of mortar; three of them exploded, but six of them did not explode [and remained as unexploded ordnances (UXOs)]. Two of the mortars landed on Aam--- [place] and exploded. Three other shells landed at Aaj--- [place]: one exploded and two remained unexploded. On May 2nd 2022 at about 10am, the SAC from Na Kyi army camp shelled mortars on the See Hpoe Poo farm, injuring a villager’s buffalo [bull] and a bull. On May 5th 2022, SAC troops under LID #44 were travelling from Meh Pray Hkee army camp when the local KNLA attacked them beside H--- village, as the SAC troops were about to arrive at H--- village. As a consequence, three buffalo and one goat died. During the fighting, SAC LID #44 shelled about five mortar rounds in H--- village which damaged one house owned by a local villager called Saw Za---. His house and household materials were damaged, including five dishes, one big plastic cup, the wooden floor, the roof and a ladder. After the shelling, the SAC entered H--- village and confiscated a villager’s hen, which [had an estimated cost of] about 15,000 kyat [7.14 USD] and was about 2.30 viss [3.7 kg]. [The SAC also conducted shelling during the operations and movements previously mentioned in this document.] On June 19th 2022, SAC troops LIB #207 from Thein Za Ya Base, Kyeh Htoh Township and LIB #102, from Thaton army base, Tha Htoo Township and IB #2, from Kyaikto base, Kyeh Htoh Township under LID #44 [commandment], entered [the KNU-controlled area] and planned to go to Lay Kay army camp. The SAC soldiers took Thaton Road, that passes through J--- village. On June 20th 2022, when the SAC troops arrived at Toe Thay Ba bridge, near J--- village, at about 2pm, they were attacked by the local KNLA. The SAC shelled mortars that landed in J--- village, so the village’s wood bridge was destroyed. On June 22nd 2022, at about 4:10pm, the SAC LIB #404 combined with LID #44, temporarily based on Si Kon Taung hill, located close to Aaz--- village, Meh Pray Hkee village tract, Bilin Township, fired one round of 60mm mortar at Aaz--- village. The shelling severely injured two Aaz--- villagers: Naw Aay--- (a 17-year-old) and Saw Aax--- (a 20-year-old). Both injured villagers received medical treatment at the local clinic in Aaw--- village, Ma Lay Ler village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Mu Traw District. On July 2nd 2022, at 6:30pm, the SAC LIB #404 combined with LID #44 in Na Kyi army camp shelled mortars at different places outside of Meh Pray Hkee village as well as other places near the army camp. This incident did not cause any destruction or injury, but it made civilians feel unsafe. On August 8th 2022, at about 7pm, the SAC from Na Kyi army camp shelled mortars close to a former KNLA checkpoint in Aal--- [place], close to the village. On August 9th 2022, at about 8:80pm, SAC soldiers in Na Kyi army camp shelled mortars again in Aee Sooh Hkee village tract area. On August 11th 2022, at about 11:15am, SAC LIB #403 combined with LID #44 [commandment] from Meh Pray Hkee army camp returned to the Na Kyi army camp. Before they arrived in J--- village, fighting broke out with the local KNLA on the [main] road in Aee Sooh Hkee village tract area and the fighting took place until 1:30pm. On August 12th 2022, from 3pm to 3:15pm, the local [KNLA troops] attacked them [SAC soldiers] again when they arrived at Na Kyi bridge. During the fighting, the SAC indiscriminately shelled mortars towards the Aal--- village area, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, Bilin Township. On September 26th 2022, the SAC from Na Kyi army camp shelled four mortars to Aee Sooh Hkee village tract. One mortar landed at the former KNLA checkpoint, in Aal--- [place], close to villages and three rounds landed near J--- village. Two rounds exploded, but one round remained unexploded. Looting incidents committed by the SAC Looting committed by Burma Army soldiers against villagers in rural Southeast Burma has been one of the [most] common practices documented by KHRG since the 2021 coup. After the SAC seized power, SAC troops under the LID #44 have regularly conducted property destruction of villagers and looting from villagers in Bilin Township, Doo Tha Htoo District. On June 17th 2022, the SAC troops from IB #96, under the Southeast Command Headquarters, and [LID] #44, coming from Hpapun Road, entered H--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract, in Bilin Township. They broke into villagers’ houses and looted villagers’ properties, including two hot water storage bottles and seven pots. They also destroyed villagers’ properties, including six betel nut trees, 35 Hpway trees, and four Bambutan [baby] trees, and destroyed five sarongs [skirts], three shirts, five blankets, two dining tables and two plastic food covers [to protect food from flies]. All these looted and destroyed properties [had an estimated] cost [of around] 646,500 kyat [308 USD]. [As part of the SAC movements described above,] on June 18th 2022, soldiers from the SAC LIB #207, LIB #102, and IB #2, under the control of SAC LID #44, left Na Kyi army camp and patrolled in KNU-controlled territory in Bilin Township to go to Lay Kay army camp. The three troops combined comprised around 300 soldiers joining the patrolling trip. On June 20th 2022, the local KNLA attacked these three combined SAC troops on the main road before they arrived at J--- village, Aee Sooh Hkee village tract. After the fighting, the SAC troops stayed in J--- village and looted villagers’ belongings and food. The properties looted from the villagers include three machetes, one torchlight, 19 chickens, one rooster, five pots, two pans, one Vivo smartphone, one longyi, one pack of coffee mix, 1.5 kilograms of onions, one pack of monosodium glutamate [a flavour enhancer], three spoons, four Karen shirts, two t-shirts, 16 eggs, one power bank, and some other clothing. All of this [had an estimated] cost [of about] 290,000 kyat [138.16 USD] in total. On June 22nd, 23rd and 24th 2022, when these three SAC troops arrived at Af--- village, Ta Au Hkee village tract, they ransacked Af--- villagers’ houses and looted villagers’ food and belongings, including money and gold. On the evening of June 24th, 2022, when the SAC troops reached Ah--- village, Kyon Wine village tract, and on the 24th and 25th [of June], they repeated the same pattern, as they ransacked houses and looted villagers’ food and belongings, including money and gold. After the SAC military troops arrived at the Lay Kay army camp, they stayed in the camp for two nights and then they returned to Na Kyi army camp. Then on June 27th 2022, the SAC returned to K’Ma Moe Town and arrived to Ae--- village on June 29th 2022. They established a base in Ae--- village for two nights. When they were in the village, as per their habit, they ransacked houses and shops and looted villagers’ belongings, including food and anything they wanted from villagers. These SAC troops were based in Ae--- village for two nights, so the soldiers committed looting and confiscated villagers’ food, livestock and properties as much as they wanted all day and night. One of the victims, Naw Ad---, who did not flee as the SAC entered the village said: “They [SAC] stole and looted [all] the villages they crossed. […] ** It was the SAC LID #44. […] They ate a lot of my chicken. […] I also heard the sound of looting in the shop and I pointed [at] it with my big flashlight. Then I saw them running away, falling and slipping down. Then I shouted, ‘Hey, don’t loot other people’s property! Put it back [to its place] put it back!’ But they did not put it back. […] They entered people’s houses and looted property inside the houses and shops. [What] they looted included my tobacco box and betel nut box. I didn’t think they would eat it. I just placed it at the top of my bed. They slept in my bed and took it away. They also took two visses of garlic [3 kg] and around 1 viss of chili [1.5 kg]. I asked it back [saying] ‘Give my garlic and chilli back’ the whole night; they heard it full in their ears [asked relentlessly]. Then they returned me a few of the remaining garlic and chilli in the morning. I took back as much as was left over. When they killed my chicken, I cursed them [saying] that their children will also be calling for them [when they are killed]. However, I didn’t really mean it.” On June 30th 2022, the SAC reached Aad--- village, Kaw Heh village tract. They also committed the same violations of ransacking houses and looting villagers’ belongings and food, and arresting villagers. They then went to K’Ma Moe Town. Further background reading on the situation on human rights issues in Doo Tha Htoo District, Southeast Burma can be found in the following KHRG reports: “Doo Tha Htoo District Incident Report: SAC air strikes killed a villager and damaged civilian property in Hpa-an Township (March 2023)**”, December 2023 “Doo Tha Htoo District Incident Report: A DKBA operation commander tortured three villagers in Hpa-an Township (August 2023)**”, December 2023 “Striking Fear: Impacts of State Administration Council (SAC) shelling on villagers’ lives in Southeast Burma (January to October 2023)**”, December 2023 Footnotes: [1] The present document is based on information received between July 2021 and September 2022. It was provided by a community member in Doo Tha Htoo District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions on the ground. The names of the victims, their photos and the exact locations are censored for security reasons. The parts in square brackets are explanations added by KHRG. [2] The State Administration Council (SAC) is the executive governing body created in the aftermath of the February 1st 2021 military coup. It was established by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on February 2nd 2021, and is composed of eight military officers and eight civilians. The chairperson serves as the de facto head of government of Burma/Myanmar and leads the Military Cabinet of Myanmar, the executive branch of the government. Min Aung Hlaing assumed the role of SAC chairperson following the coup. [3] Border Guard Force (BGF) battalions of the Tatmadaw were established in 2010, and they are composed mostly of soldiers from former non-state armed groups, such as older constellations of the DKBA, which have formalised ceasefire agreements with the Burma/Myanmar government and agreed to transform into battalions within the Tatmadaw. [4] The Karen National Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Karen National Union. [5] The Karen National Union (KNU) is the main Karen political organisation. It was established in 1947 and has been in conflict with the Burma government since 1949. The KNU wields power across large areas of Southeast Burma and has been calling for the creation of a democratic federal system since 1976. Although it signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in 2015, relations with the government remain tense. [6] The People’s Defence Force (PDF) is an armed resistance established independently as local civilian militias operating across the country. Following the February 1st 2021 military coup and the ongoing brutal violence enacted by the junta, the majority of these groups began working with the National Unity Government (NUG), a body claiming to be the legitimate government of Burma/Myanmar, which then formalized the PDF on May 5th 2021 as a precursor to a federal army. [7] KHRG: “Doo Tha Htoo District Short Update: Killing, torture and use of human shields and navigators by the SAC and BGF in Bilin Township, May to June 2022”, August 2022 [8] Saw is a S’gaw Karen male honorific title used before a person’s name. [9] All conversion estimates for Kyat in this report are based on the official market rate as of July 26th 2023 at 1 USD = 2,098.95 MMK, conversion rate available at https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/ . [10] A Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) comprises 500 soldiers. However, most Light Infantry Battalions in the Burma military are under-strength with less than 200 soldiers. Yet up-to-date information regarding the size of battalions is hard to come by, particularly following the signing of the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). LIBs are primarily used for offensive operations, but they are sometimes used for garrison duties. [11] Military Operations Command (MOC) is comprised of ten battalions for offensive operations. Most MOCs have three Tactical Operations Commands (TOCs) made up of three battalions each. [12] A Light Infantry Division (LID) of the Tatmadaw is commanded by a brigadier general, and consists of ten light infantry battalions specially trained in counter-insurgency, jungle warfare, search and destroy operations against ethnic insurgents . They were first incorporated into the Tatmadaw in 1966. LIDs are organised under three Tactical Operations Commands, commanded by a colonel, three battalions each and one reserve, one field artillery battalion, one armoured squadron and other support units. Each division is directly under the command of the Chief of Staff (Army). [13] An Infantry Battalion (IB) comprises 500 soldiers. However, most Infantry Battalions in the Tatmadaw are under-strength with less than 200 soldiers. Yet up to date information regarding the size of battalions is hard to come by, particularly following the signing of the NCA. They are primarily used for garrison duty but are sometimes used in offensive operations. [14] KHRG, “Doo Tha Htoo District Situation Update: Killings, landmine injuries, and insecurity in Bilin Township, January to June 2022”, July 2023 [15] Naw is a S’gaw Karen female honorific title used before a person’s name. [16] The Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) was formed in 1947 by the Karen National Union and is the precursor to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Today the KNDO refers to a militia force of local volunteers trained and equipped by the KNLA and incorporated into its battalion and command structure; its members wear uniforms and typically commit to two-year terms of service..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group
2024-01-12
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-18
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Description: "Introduction: The villagers in Southeast Burma (Myanmar) have been facing conflict for as long as they can remember. Generations have grown up amidst the fighting, and have lived their whole lives under a fear of attacks. The 2021 coup reinvigorated the open and direct violence of the Burma Army, under the command of the State Administration Council (SAC), in locally-defined Karen State. These attacks are deliberately directed towards civilian areas and communities, including by indiscriminately shelling villages and plantations. From January to October 2023 alone, KHRG recorded more than 192 incidents of indiscriminate shelling committed by the SAC, which killed and wounded villagers, destroyed civilian houses, buildings, and plantations, affected livelihoods, and caused displacement. This briefing paper investigates the consequences of SAC shelling in civilian areas and its impacts on the lives of rural villagers in Southeast Burma. The first section gives an overview of the history of violence and oppression in the region by the Burma Army. The second section presents the immediate consequences of shelling on villagers, including deaths and injuries, the destruction of property, and livelihoods harmed. The third section analyses longer-term impacts, including displacement, persistent fear among villagers, restricted access to education, and the heightened risk of unexploded ordnance (UXOs). Finally, a security and legal analysis of the current situation is conducted, and recommendations addressed to relevant stakeholders are presented..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group
2023-12-25
Date of entry/update: 2024-01-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "This Incident Report describes events that occurred in Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw (Hpapun) District in February 2023. On February 16th 2023 at 9 am, Saw Y--- (55 years old) and Naw W--- (32 years old) from H--- village, Ma Kah Heh village tract, stepped on landmines when they went to cut bamboo. From the landmine explosion, Saw Y--- was injured on his right leg and Naw W--- was injured on both of her legs, resulting in amputations. They were treated at two different hospitals. No organisation has provided support to the victims, but H--- villagers provided some support for food and medical costs. Saw Y--- and Naw W--- have been facing problems to secure their families’ livelihoods after they were injured. The landmine contamination in the surrounding areas creates fear for villagers living in H--- village.[1] (Excerpt) Part 3 – Complete Description of the Incident Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened. Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please use the space prepared below, and create an attachment if needed. On February 16th 2023 at 9 am, two villagers, father and daughter, from H--- village, Ma Kah Heh village tract, Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw District, went to cut bamboo to fence their farmlands. When approaching the place to cut bamboo, Saw Y--- (55 years old) stepped on a landmine, injuring his right leg [that had to be amputated]. His daughter, Naw W--- (32 years old), stepped on another landmine when she went to help her father. Her legs were seriously injured by the landmine’s explosion, resulting in amputations of both legs. Hearing the sound of an explosion, H--- villagers learned about the incident, and contacted other villagers nearby, as well as local Karen National Union (KNU)[6] leaders working in the area. After hearing about the incident, the local KNU leaders and some villagers from H--- village went to get the two injured villagers from the incident location [close to the village] and brought them back to the village. The two victims were later sent by car to a hospital managed by the State Administration Council (SAC)[7] located in Hpapun Town. One of the victims explained that the SAC healthcare workers did not want to provide proper care to them because it was not an SAC landmine that the injured villagers stepped on. To be able to receive proper healthcare, [H---] villagers discussed among themselves and agreed to provide food, such as chicken and other, to [SAC] healthcare workers [to ensure the victims received treatment]. Residents of H--- believe that the landmines that injured Saw Y--- and Naw W--- were planted by KNLA soldiers from Battalion #15 because the KNLA had informed some villagers about the planting of landmines in the area beforehand. KNLA soldiers had informed some villagers one week earlier when they planted the landmines in the surrounding area, where Saw Y--- and Naw W--- had stepped on the landmines. The KNLA also asked A--- villagers, from Ma Htaw village tract, Dwe Lo Township, to inform villages nearby about the contaminated area. The place of this landmine incident is located close to SAC Infantry Battalion (IB)[8] #19 and #642 camp. The villagers from H--- village, including the victims, have never attended Mine Risk Education (MRE) training [The Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP) is running an MRE program in the region]. Neither Saw Y--- nor Naw W--- received support from any organisation since they were injured from the landmines’ explosion. In the fourth week of February 2023, after one week at the SAC-managed hospital in Hpapun Town, they were sent to another hospital in town [unknown name]. It has not been possible to contact the victims since they were visited and interviewed in the [first] hospital [in Hpapun]. Saw Y--- and Naw W--- did not receive any support even after they had been discharged from the hospital [as explained by a local villager]. Saw Y--- used to secure his family’s livelihood by working as a daily labourer and Naw W--- used to wash clothes at hospitals and houses for her income before the 2021 military coup. The victims are facing difficulty securing their livelihoods because their [injured] legs were amputated and so they cannot work. Villagers living in H--- village are afraid to work on their farmlands because of landmine contamination in the surrounding areas, and it has created more fear now that two villagers have been seriously injured from landmine explosions..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group
2023-12-19
Date of entry/update: 2023-12-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Highlights: According to recent monitoring of landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents during the first seven months of 2023, a total of 650 casualties have been reported nationwide. This figure represents a stark increase, amounting to 167% of the total casualties reported in 2022 (390 recorded). Delving into the regional breakdown, Sagaing Region emerged with the highest number of casualties, accounting for 39% of the overall total. Bago and Shan followed with 13% and 8% of the total, respectively. The remaining regions, encompassing Ayeyarwady, Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Mon, Rakhine, Tanintharyi and Yangon, collectively accounted for the remaining 40% of the total casualties. Children constitute 22% of the total casualties arising from landmine and ERW explosions across the country. It is important to note that these figures only reflect civilian casualties.....အဓိကဖော်ပြချက်များ မြေမြှုပ်မိုင်းနှင့် ပေါက်ကွဲစေတတ်သော စစ်ကျန်လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ၏ ဖြစ်ရပ်များကိုလတ်တလောစောင့်ကြည့်လေ့လာချက်များအရ ၂၀၂၃ ခုနှစ် ပထမ ခုနစ်လတာကာလအတွင်း တစ်နိုင်ငံလုံး အတိုင်းအတာဖြင့် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက် (၆၅၀ ဦး) ရှိခဲ့ပါသည်။ ဤကိန်းဂဏန်းသည် ၂၀၂၂ ခုနှစ်တွင် အစီရင်ခံတင်ပြခဲ့သော အရေအတွက်ထက် သိသိသာသာတိုးမြင့်လာပြီး ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူစုစုပေါင်း၏ (၁၆၇) ရာခိုင်နှုန်း ရှိနေခဲ့ပြီးဖြစ်ပါသည် (၃၉၀ ဦး အစီအရင်ခံခဲ့)။ ဒေသအလိုက်အနေဖြင့် စစ်ကိုင်းတိုင်း ဒေသကြီးတွင် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက် အများဆုံးဖြစ်ပြီး အရေအတွက်စုစုပေါင်း၏ (၃၉) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းရှိခဲ့ပြီး ပဲခူးတွင် (၁၃) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းနှင့် ရှမ်းတွင် (၈) ရာခိုင်နှုန်း အသီးသီးရှိကြပါသည်။ ဧရာဝတီ၊ ချင်း၊ ကချင်၊ ကယား၊ ကရင်၊ မကွေး၊ မန္တလေး၊ မွန်၊ တနင်္သာရီနှင့် ရန်ကုန် အပါအဝင် ကျန်ဒေသများတွင် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက် စုစုပေါင်း၏ (၄၀) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းရှိပါသည်။ နိုင်ငံတစ်ဝှမ်း မြေမြုပ်မိုင်းနှင့် စစ်ကျန်လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ၏ပေါက်ကွဲမှုများကြောင့် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက်စုစုပေါင်း၏ (၂၂) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းသည် ကလေးများဖြစ်ကြပါသည်။ ဤကိန်းဂဏာန်းများသည် အရပ်သားထိခိုက်ခံစားရမှုများကိုသာ ထင်ဟပ်ကြောင်း သတိပြုရန် အရေးကြီးပါသည်။..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-10-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "(Geneva, August 31 2023) – The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) condemns new use of cluster munitions by the Myanmar government’s armed forces and calls for an immediate end to use of this prohibited weapon. A new report by the CMC’s monitoring wing shows how Myanmar’s armed forces have used an apparently domestically produced cluster bomb in attacks in several parts of the country since 2021, including as recently as early June 2023. “Myanmar’s production and use of cluster bombs is gravely concerning as these indiscriminate weapons primarily kill and injure civilians. There can be no justification for using them,” said Dr. Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, Cluster Munition Monitor researcher. “All governments should condemn this use of an internationally-banned weapon.” Cluster munitions are delivered by artillery, rockets, missiles, and aircraft. They open in mid-air and disperse dozens or hundreds of submunitions, also called bomblets, over a wide area. Many submunitions fail to explode on initial impact, leaving duds that can indiscriminately wound and kill, like landmines, for years until they are cleared and destroyed. A total of 123 countries have prohibited the weapon under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, but not Myanmar. Cluster Munition Monitor has reviewed photographs showing the remnants of cluster bombs used in attacks by the Myanmar Air Force in Chin, Kayah, Kayin, and Shan states over the past 13 months. The most recent known cluster bomb attack by the Myanmar Air Force damaged a school in Kedong village tract in Kawkareik township, Kayin/Karen state on 6 June 2023. Another attack in Mindat township, Chin state in April 2023 also involved cluster bomb use. Remnants of this same type of cluster bomb were previously found in the same township after a July 2022 air attack that wounded 13 civilians, according to Amnesty International. These attacks are part of an internal conflict that has intensified in recent months in both northwest and southeast Myanmar, resulting in civilian casualties, widespread destruction of homes and other civilian objects, and displacing people. The conflict has also been characterized by extensive new use of antipersonnel landmines by all parties. The cluster bombs used by the Air Force look similar to other products made by Myanmar’s state-owned weapons production facility “KaPaSa” or Defence Products Industries of Myanmar, but there are no markings on the bomb remnants that show where they were manufactured or assembled. The weapon consists of a 120mm mortar projectile with a plastic arming vane that is attached to an impact fuze that detonates each submunition on contact. Each cluster bomb has space for 12 mortar projectiles or submunitions on an internal frame. This weapon appears to meet the definition of a cluster munition under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits a “conventional munition that is designed to disperse or release explosive submunitions each weighing less than 20 kilograms each.” Myanmar is not known to have produced or used cluster munitions previously, although a rudimentary cluster munition adaptor was documented a decade ago. (See Cluster Munition Monitor 2013). The Cluster Munition Monitor hs asked Myanmar's Ministry of Defence to confirm or deny its production and use of cluster bombs. No response was received as of time of publication. At the United Nations General Assembly in November 2019, Myanmar said that it could not join the convention until a nationwide peace agreement is in place. In 2009, a Myanmar government official told a regional meeting that its forces “do not use cluster munitions.” For further information see Cluster Munition Monitor briefing note [link]. Ends. Note: The military regime changed the name of the country from Burma to Myanmar in 1989, but many ethnic groups in Myanmar’s border areas and a number of countries still prefer to use the name Burma. About ICBL-CMC The International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC) works for a world free of landmines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war, where all lives are protected. A world where contaminated land is cleared and returned to local populations for productive use and where the needs of affected communities and survivors are met and their human rights guaranteed. About the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor (The Monitor) The Monitor is the civil society initiative providing research and monitoring for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC). Cluster Munition Monitor 14th annual edition to be released on 5 September 2023 will provide a global overview of recent efforts to implement and join the ban on cluster munitions, ensure clearance of cluster munition remnants, provide risk education, and assist victims of these indiscriminate weapons. About the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions The convention comprehensively prohibits cluster munitions, requires destruction of stockpiles, clearance of contaminated areas, and the provision of risk reduction education and assistance for victims of the weapons. As of July 2023, 123 countries have joined the convention..."
Source/publisher: Cluster Munition Coalition, International Campaign to Ban Landmines
2023-08-31
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "According to recent monitoring of landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents during the first six months of 2023, a total of 556 casualties have been reported nationwide. This figure represents 143% of the total casualties reported in 2022 (390 reported). Breaking down the figures by region, Sagaing Region had the highest number of casualties, accounting for 40% of the total. Bago and Shan followed with 12% and 6% of the total, respectively. The remaining regions, including Ayeyarwady, Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Mon, Rakhine, Tanintharyi and Yangon, contributed to 41% of the total casualties. Children make up 20% of the total casualties from landmine and ERW explosions across the country. It is important to note that these figures only reflect civilian casualties..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund
2023-08-10
Date of entry/update: 2023-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.29 MB 1.82 MB
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Description: "Highlights: According to recent monitoring of landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents during the first four months of 2023, a total of 388 casualties have been reported nationwide. This figure already represents 99% of the total casualties reported in 2022 (390 reported). Breaking down the figures by region, Sagaing Region had the highest number of casualties, accounting for 38% of the total. Bago and Shan followed with 15% and 7% of the total, respectively. The remaining regions, including Ayeyarwady, Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Mon, Rakhine, Tanintharyi and Yangon, contributed to 41% of the total casualties. Children make up 22% of the total casualties from landmine and ERW explosions across the country. It is important to note that these figures only reflect civilian casualties..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
2023-06-08
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Sub-title: Banned Weapons Kill, Maim Civilians for Decades
Description: "“I lost my leg and my cow.” Aoung Gya Thowai Tanchangya, 22, was grazing his cattle along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on September 16. “Sometimes our cattle cross into Myanmar so we have to go bring them back,” he said. “I didn’t realize there could be mines planted. When I stepped onto the mine, it exploded. I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I saw that my left leg was gone. I still feel pain.” In 2022, 25 years since the international Mine Ban Treaty was adopted, only two countries actively use antipersonnel landmines: Russia and Myanmar. Myanmar’s forces have used landmines since 1999, but new use by the junta has surged since the February 2021 coup, according to the Landmine Monitor Report 2022, released last week. The report analyzed photographs of hundreds of landmines manufactured by the junta and planted across the country. From February 2021 to September 2022, 157 civilians were killed and 395 injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in Myanmar. About one-third of the casualties were children. The military has placed landmines in homes, village pathways, church compounds, and farms. Military units have continued to force civilians to act as “human shields,” walking ahead of troops to detonate any mines. In August, as fighting spread across Rakhine State, the ethnic armed group Arakan Army located dozens of military-manufactured mines. Casualties are rising from landmines laid along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, where civilians like Tanchangya collect firewood, farm, and graze cattle. Witnesses reported activity by Myanmar soldiers near border posts in the days before recent mine blasts. Myanmar’s military has long been implicated in numerous serious violations of the laws of war, many amounting to war crimes, in armed conflicts in ethnic minority areas. Since the coup, junta authorities have blocked lifesaving aid and ordered healthcare workers to refuse treatment for mine injuries. For the 1.4 million people displaced across Myanmar, the risk of landmines can hinder their ability to return home. The Monitor report also cited use of mines by non-state armed groups. The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty prohibits antipersonnel mines and requires their clearance, destruction of stocks, and victim assistance. Although Myanmar is not a party to the treaty, the junta’s use remains unlawful: Landmines do not discriminate between civilians and combatants. They kill and maim long after they are placed. At the 20th meeting of states parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, opening this week in Geneva, governments should condemn Myanmar’s use of antipersonnel landmines, while strengthening efforts to cut off the junta from the revenue underwriting its use of these devastating weapons..."
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Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (USA)
2022-11-20
Date of entry/update: 2022-11-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Monitoring of landmine and ERW incidents during the first five months of 2022 show that the number of casualties reported countrywide (162 reported) account for 57% of the total incidents reported in 2021 (284 reported). In terms of regional breakdown, Shan State accounted for 53% of the total casualties followed by Kachin with 10%, Sagaing with 9%, Rakhine with 7% respectively and Mandalay and Kayin with 5% each. Other areas (Bago, Chin, Kayah, Mon and Tanintharyi) have reported 11% of the total casualties. Children represent 35% of casualties from landmine/ERW explosions countrywide. Please note that this report doesn’t include explosions and casualties targeting local administrations and security forces across the country..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Children's Fund
2022-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2022-07-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "အဓိကဖော်ပြချက်များ မြေမြှုပ်မိုင်းနှင့် ပေါက်ကွဲစေတတ်သောပစ္စည်းများ၏ ဖြစ်ရပ်များကို စောင့်ကြည့်လေ့လာချက်များအရ ၂၀၂၂ ခုနှစ် ပထမငါးလတာကာလအတွင်း တစ်နိုင်ငံလုံးတွင် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက် (၁၆၂ ဦး) ရှိခဲ့ပြီး ၂၀၂၁ ခုနှစ်တွင် အစီရင်ခံတင်ပြခဲ့သည့် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက်စုစုပေါင်း၏ (၅၇) ရာခိုင်နှုန်း ရှိခဲ့ပါသည် (၂၈၄ ဦး အစီအရင်ခံခဲ့)။ ဒေသအလိုက်အနေဖြင့် ရှမ်းပြည်နယ်တွင် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက် စုစုပေါင်း၏ (၅၃) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းရှိခဲ့ပြီး၊ ကချင်တွင် (၁၀) ရာခိုင်နှုန်း၊ စစ်ကိုင်းတွင် (၉) ရာခိုင်နှုန်း၊ ရခိုင်တွင် (၇) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းနှင့် ၊ မန္တလေးနှင့် ကရင်တို့တွင် (၅) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းစီတို့ အသီးသီးရှိကြပါသည်။ အခြားဒေသများ (ပဲခူး၊ ချင်း၊ ကယား၊ မွန်နှင့် တနင်္သာရီ) တွင် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက် စုစုပေါင်း၏ (၁၁) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းရှိပါသည်။ တစ်နိုင်ငံလုံးအနေဖြင့် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူအရေအတွက်၏ (၃၅) ရာခိုင်နှုန်းမှာ ကလေးများဖြစ်ကြပါသည်။ ဤအစီရင်ခံစာတွင် နိုင်ငံတစ်ဝှမ်းရှိ ဒေသဆိုင်ရာ အုပ်ချုပ်ရေးနှင့် လုံခြုံရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့ဝင်များကို ပစ်မှတ်ထားသောပေါက်ကွဲမှုများနှင့် ထိခိုက်ခံစားရသူများ ပါဝင်ခြင်းမရှိကြောင်း သတိပြုစေလိုပါသည်။..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Children's Fund
2022-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2022-07-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "For decades, some communities in Myanmar have had to live alongside the impact of conflict. The list of challenges caused by conflict is long: separation from loved ones, displacement, food insecurity, no access to clean water and health care, and other basic necessities. Added to these, landmines and other explosive hazards continue to pose life-threatening danger to the people. In Rakhine State, women, children and men of all ages are exposed to these challenges, especially the hazard of landmines, that continue to disrupt their lives and livelihoods. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works with the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) to promote awareness of the risks that landmines pose for all communities. By sharing life-saving information in our training sessions, which the participants then pass on to their communities, we can help thousands of people every year. "Dangerous explosive hazards can be found in the forests and gardens close to where communities live. Since surveys and demining of land contaminated by such hazards remains uncertain, it is vital to continue our risk awareness sessions," said Ko Than Htun, who runs these training sessions for the ICRC. Besides these trainings, we also provide medical and financial assistance to survivors and families of landmine incidents. As a preventive measure, we also identify and label hazardous areas near villages to ensure that people are aware of the risks. Across Myanmar, we help people affected by armed conflict understand the risks posed by landmines so that lives and livelihoods can continue in safety..."
Source/publisher: International Committee of the Red Cross (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2022-06-28
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-28
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Description: "The boy screamed in agony as the landmine exploded, ripping his foot off. Behind him, the church burned. What was once a peaceful Karenni village has now been torn apart by the marauding Burma Army. Troops from Division 66 have been attacking this village all week. The villagers are hiding in the mountains behind the village and we have come to know them well over the last several days. Each day they pray their village is not burned. Each day they hear the sounds of shooting and shelling and watch helplessly as their homes are burned in the valley below. The local Karenni forces are made up of volunteers who have banded together to try to push the Burma Army out before they burn all the homes. One of the volunteers was a Karenni boy, 16 years old, who wanted his home back. The Burma Army has been burning villages and killing villagers at a speed and a force we have not seen before. Here in the village of Daw Nye Ku, all the villagers have fled but the Burma Army is burning homes and on June 15, they burned the new church. We watched from a distance, unable to get close as the Burma Army fired all around. Local volunteers, the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), and the Karenni Army tried to push the Burma Army out and save the town. We had set up a forward casualty collection point and went closer to the front line to find a route so we could help if people were wounded. On the way we came under intense machine gun, rifle, RPG, and M-79 grenade fire. None of us were hit and the Karenni forces were able to push the Burma Army back out of the village temporarily. We entered and saw the church on fire. It gave me a sick feeling to watch the beautiful church that had just been built, now burning. The roof collapsed and flames licked around what remained of the doors. We knew the Burma Army placed land mines in villages they occupied so we were watching our feet as we went in to film the burning church. As we got close to the church I saw that they had also shot up a cross just outside the church. I stopped looking for landmines in the ground and took a step forward to take a photo. One of our Ranger teammates, nicknamed Cobra, stepped up behind me and passed me on the side. When he turned to come back to me, a villager who was with us shouted, ”Stop! Landmine!” He pointed down and there I could see the mine clearly, about a foot away from where I had just stepped, and less than an inch away from the heel print of Cobra’s boot as he stepped over it. The villager had also stepped over it without seeing it but when he turned around he saw it. His alertness saved our legs and maybe our lives. We reinforced to everyone: “Watch out, there are landmines here.” We took photos of the M-14 Burma Army anti-personnel mine, marked it with a branch, and warned away the Karenni volunteers. We then carefully retraced our steps out of the church compound and told everybody where the landmine was and said there were probably more. We reassembled our team in the road and told the commander that we had found a mine and we thought there were more. We then started to walk back to our CCP. Just as we started to walk away we heard an explosion, then a scream of pain and anguish. We went back to the church and there are on the ground was a young Karenni volunteer, 16 years old. His foot was completely gone and his lower leg was a mangled mess. He moaned and I could hear in his voice not just pain but the anguished realization that he had lost his foot forever. He had stepped an a different mine than the one we had seen and we again realized that the Burma Army had seeded this yard with destruction. Our medic Peter, and team member Klo Law La Say, and one of the friends of the boy moved carefully forward as Cobra and I followed. Medic Peter and Klo Law La Say put on a tourniquet and begin to work on his leg. I moved carefully, checking for more mines and worked on his other leg which was intact but also injured. I held his hand before I bandaged him and prayed with him. I asked him his name he said his name was David. I told him that wasmy name too. I prayed for him and then went to work on his leg and helped Peter and Klo Law Law Say bandage the stump. We asked the commander to send a vehicle and then carried the boy out. We carefully retraced our steps by the burning church and out of the compound. We loaded the boy onto the commander’s vehicle and he sent them to our casualty collection point. Burma Army mortars came in but they were not close. We walked back to our casualty collection point but by the time we got there, the boy had been treated and sent on to a field hospital in the jungle. The fighting intensified again as the Burma Army counterattacked to drive the Karenni out of their village. The fighting is going on as I make this report. I’m grateful for the villager who saved Cobra and me. I’m grateful for the bravery of our team as they went through the minefield to save this boy. I am grateful for our team back at the casualty collection point who took care of this boy and sent him on to the hospital. I’m grateful for all of your prayers and help. I’m grateful that we have a chance to help this boy and we will do our best to get him a good prosthesis and support any decision he wants to make for his future. I’m grateful for you all who care about people being killed, maimed, chased, their churches burned and homes destroyed. We thank God that they and we are not alone in this..."
Source/publisher: Free Burma Rangers
2022-06-19
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "In Myanmar, landmines and other explosive remnants of war shatter lives. Hundreds of people are killed or injured every year. Last year, we supported 160 people affected by incidents involving landmines and other explosive ordinances. With Myanmar in ongoing crisis, the risks continue to rise. Even after the fighting, explosive remnants of war remain -- continuing to endanger lives. U Maung Thein Htay from Rakhine State's Ann Township is one of the many civilians whose life was disrupted by a landmine injury. Early in 2021, he was on his way to gather raw material to make traditional handmade hats and fans. He wasn't far from the highway when he stepped on something and heard a deafening blast. "The place was covered with leaves, so I didn't spot anything out of ordinary on the ground. Also, I had never seen explosive devices in my life to be able to identify them," he said. U Maung Thein Htay was rushed to Kan Htaung Gyi Hospital in Myaebon Township and was later transferred to Sittwe General Hospital for further treatment. That's where the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team first met him while assessing the best form of support that could be given to victims of landmine accidents. "I was devastated at losing my leg and I worried that I wouldn't be able to make enough money to feed my family," U Maung Thein Htay said. As a father of three children and the breadwinner of the family, he felt depressed sitting at home all day, relying entirely on his wife and children to even get about the house for his own needs. In October 2021, U Maung Thein Htay arrived at the ICRC's Sittwe physical rehabilitation workshop to get new prosthesis fitted and undergo physiotherapy. ''Now that I've got my prosthetic leg, I feel like my old self again. It feels like I lost my leg, then got it back. I'll be able to work again and provide for my family," he said with a smile. Thinking of the future, U Maung Thein Htay said he would like to open a small grocery store at his home in Ann Township. "I hope it will cover some of the daily expenses of my family," he added. To strengthen rehabilitation services in Rakhine State, the ICRC partners with The Leprosy Mission Myanmar (TLMM) and provides mobile prosthetic-orthotic services particularly to those living with physical disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women and children in communities displaced by armed conflict. These services include counselling, medical referrals and support for those in need of prosthesis, mobility aids and wheelchairs..."
Source/publisher: International Committee of the Red Cross (Geneva) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2022-03-11
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The junta is increasingly relying on troops and mines to secure its infrastructure, including the pipelines sending fossil fuel from the Rakhine coast to China
Description: "The junta recently placed landmines around oil and gas pipelines running through Hsipaw Township in northern Shan State to China, according to the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF). An unconfirmed number of military mines have been set up near a pumping station in forested areas along both sides of the Mandalay-Lashio highway, the rights group said in a Tuesday statement. The site is just outside Nawng Arng village in Hawng Haeng village tract, some 15km west of Hsipaw town. SHRF reported that in November, a Myanmar army sergeant informed Hawng Haeng’s headman of their use of the landmines in the area for “security reasons,” despite objections by locals. The military has reportedly prohibited villagers from entering the mined area, which they have long used to gather edible plants and hunt for wild game. “The mines are for [the military’s] own security, not for the locals’ security,” SHRF’s Sai Hor Hseng told Myanmar Now. The pipelines, constructed in 2011 and 2013, carry gas and oil nearly 800km from the Rakhine State coast to China. One-third of the structure is located in northern Shan State, where locals have long opposed the pipelines due to the risks associated with possible leaks or explosions, SHRF’s statement said. “It’s very dangerous for the people there, and it has become even worse during this crisis,” the group’s spokesperson told Myanmar Now, referring to the nearly one-year period since the February 1 coup. Following the coup and subsequent attacks on military infrastructure by armed resistance forces, around 20 junta soldiers began guarding the pumping station in Nawng Arng, from Infantry Battalion 23 and Light Infantry Battalions 503 and 504, according to SHRF. “There is conflict everywhere in the country so the army is afraid for the security of the gas pipeline. They have brought more troops to this area to protect themselves,” Sai Hor Hseng explained, adding, “The military is putting foreign investment ahead of the local people, the civilians.” The recently mined area along the pipeline is also located in a conflict zone where multiple armed groups are active, Sai Hor Hseng explained. Among them are forces belonging to the Northern Alliance of ethnic armed organisations—a coalition which includes the Arakan Army, Kachin Independence Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army—as well as the Restoration Council of Shan State, and the Myanmar army. During a recent episode of fighting near Nawng Arng, an artillery shell landed some 20m from the pipeline, Sai Hor Hseng said, adding that it is not confirmed which groups had clashed at that time, or who fired the shell in question. Myanmar Now previously reported that the military had also laid so-called “security landmines” at telecommunications towers leased to multiple providers. The move followed attacks by anti-junta People’s Defence Forces using makeshift explosive devices to topple towers used by military-owned provider Mytel. A spokesperson for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines has condemned the ongoing use of landmines in Myanmar, saying there was “no justifiable use of this weapon.”..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
2022-01-19
Date of entry/update: 2022-01-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The humanitarian situation in Myanmar remains serious due to ongoing armed clashes and insecurity, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. Three million people need assistance and protection services. This includes 1 million people previously identified in the existing Humanitarian Response Plan and a further 2 million identified since 1 February. More than 218,900 people have been internally displaced due to clashes and insecurity since 1 February 2021 in Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon and Shan states, and in Magway, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions. In addition, about 370,000 people remain displaced due to earlier conflicts before 2021. This includes 106,102 people in camps for protracted displacement established since 2011 in Kachin and northern Shan, 144,000 Rohingya people in camps in Rakhine established since 2012 and 86,700 people due to Arakan Army(AA)-Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) conflict in 2019..."
Source/publisher: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2021-10-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Illegal rare earth mining has surged in northern Kachin State on the Chinese border following Myanmar’s Feb. 1 coup in areas controlled by a junta-sponsored militia. Environmental groups say mining has increased at least five times in Pangwa and Chipwi townships amid Myanmar’s political turmoil, with a rapid influx of Chinese workers. “Before the coup, we only saw one or two trucks per day. Now there is no proper inspection we are seeing 10 to 15,” an activist in Chipwi told The Irrawaddy. He said the trucks are loaded with ammonium sulphate fertilizer bags filled at illegal mines. “The Chinese authorities have tightened border security for imports from Myanmar due to COVID-19. But materials for the mining move across the border easily,” he added. Myanmar is China’s largest rare earth source, accounting for over half of its supplies. In 2016, Chinese mining companies entered Pangwa looking for rare earth as Beijing cracked down on illegal mining within China. According to Chinese customs data, China is heavily dependent on medium and heavy rare earth from Myanmar. Myanmar became China’s largest importer in 2018. In 2020, rare earth imports from Myanmar rose by 23 percent year on year to around 35,500 tons, accounting for 74 percent of imports, according to the Global Times government mouthpiece. Ja Hkaw Lu of the Transparency and Accountability Network Kachin (TANK) told The Irrawaddy: “Under the civilian government, if we complained about illegal rare earth mining, officials immediately visited and investigated. [Illegal miners] stayed away but now it is totally out of control.” She added: “Currently, vehicles carrying heavy rare earth leave day and night. The situation is getting worse. There has been an influx of Chinese miners.” Heavy rare earth from Kachin State is exported to China for refining and processing and then sold around the globe, according to environmental protection groups. According to TANK, around 10 rare earth mines have opened near the border in Zam Nau, which is controlled by the military-affiliated New Democratic Army Kachin (NDAK). Kachin environmental groups estimate that there are over 100 rare earth mines in Pangwa and Chipwe townships controlled by the militia and Chinese investors. The Chinese media has reported that some Chinese companies are facing rising logistical costs exporting rare earth from Myanmar since the military takeover. But Chinese buyers have not seen any significant decline in imports since the coup, the Chinese media reported. According to the Kachin State Mining Department, only the union administration can give permission for rare earth mining in Pangwa and Chipwi. The department said it found several illegal mines and Chinese workers in 2019 and 2020 after a series of inspections. The department has said the involvement of armed groups makes regulating the industry challenging. Brang Awng of the Kachin State Working Conservation Group told The Irrawaddy that the mines cause environmental destruction, polluting waterways and groundwater. “Illegal digging is on the rampage since there are no checks by government officials since the military coup. More digging will further damage the environment,” he said. The group said more than 20 villages were suffering from polluted soil and water from rare earth mining. In 2020 and 2019, the Chipwe river twice turned red due to mining waste, according to environmental groups..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2021-04-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: COVID-19 and longstanding restrictions on humanitarian aid hamper landmine-survivor support
Description: "The Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups should end the use of landmines and the Government of Myanmar should lift restrictions on humanitarian aid groups providing life-saving support to landmine survivors in ethnic areas affected by ongoing war, said Fortify Rights today. Since January 1, 2020, landmine explosions in Myanmar have reportedly killed or injured at least 68 civilians, while longstanding government-imposed restrictions on aid groups coupled with new COVID-19-related restrictions hinder access to essential aid and services. Fortify Rights spoke with ten organizations, including six local-led humanitarian groups, working to address landmine casualties in conflict zones in Kachin and northern Shan states, all of whom report a near total halt to their regular activities. Landmines killed or injured at least 26 civilians in Kachin and northern Shan states this year. “There was a mine explosion in Moemeik [in Mongmit Township, Shan State], and we could not help the person for two reasons,” Lwar Hlar Reang the General-Secretary of Ta’ang Student and Youth Union (TSYU) based in Lashio, northern Shan State, told Fortify Rights. “The first is the military prevents people from coming and seeing that person . . . The second reason is that it is difficult for us to travel right now because of the coronavirus.” TSYU is a civil society organization that provides essential assistance to survivors of landmine explosions. Describing their work, Lwar Hlar Reang said: “Some [landmine survivors] need transportation in order to get to the hospital, some people need medical help and are in need of an operation. We provide transportation and clothes for the operation.”..."
Source/publisher: "Fortify Rights" (Myanmar)
2020-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The government began national-level discussions on the much-delayed landmine-clearing programme, a senior disaster management official said.
Description: "U Tun Zaw, deputy director general of the Department of Disaster Management, said the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Tatmadaw (military) are attending the talks. Thousands of people have been killed and maimed by landmines that litter the conflict-torn countryside. Both the military and ethnic armed groups remain reluctant to give up the use of landmines despite appeals by international organizations. “We can’t do rescue work only. If landmines remain, victims will remain,” U Tun Zaw said. “It is better if there are no more landmines. We plan to form a national body for landmine clearing.” U Tun Zaw said the meeting was held last week in Nay Pyi Taw and the discussions are still at the preliminary stage. He said the discussions focused on the establishment of a National Mine Action Authority, and a mine action centre will be established under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. There was also talk about the Ministry of Defence establishing state and regional level mine-clearing groups. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement vowed to provide K200,000 (US$137) and prosthetic limbs for each victim of landmine explosions. U Tun Zaw said the government knows it would be difficult for internally displaced people to return to their homes as they face dangers from landmines..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-03
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Karen National Liberation Army, Karen National Union, KNU, Military, mine explosion, peace negotiations, Peace Process, Peace talks, road reconstruction, Tatmadaw
Topic: Karen National Liberation Army, Karen National Union, KNU, Military, mine explosion, peace negotiations, Peace Process, Peace talks, road reconstruction, Tatmadaw
Description: "The Myanmar military has accused the Karen National Union of using an anti-vehicle mine to kill a battalion commander in a targeted attack in Karen State’s Papun Township on Monday, an allegation the KNU denied. The commander was serving as part of a unit providing security for a road-building project that the KNU opposes. Lieutenant Colonel Aung Kyaw Soe, commander of Light Infantry Battalion No. 708, died when the anti-vehicle mine exploded at 3 p.m. on Jan. 27 near Nat Taung Village in Papun, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw). The following day, military vehicles transporting goods to security forces and engineers constructing roads in the area were hit by anti-vehicle mine blasts near Muthae Village in Kyauk Kyi Township, Bago Region. The military said the attack damaged a vehicle and its shipment of rice. Brig-Gen. Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, “The mine that killed the commander on Monday was planted in the middle of the road and was detonated in a targeted attack.” “[The KNU] should refrain from such actions. If not, we will have to act for security reasons,” he said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2020-01-30
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor provides research for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Cluster Munition Coalition. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) formed in 1992 to rid the world of the scourge of the anti-personnel landmine. The ICBL is a network of over 1,300 non-governmental organizations in 70 countries, and received the Nobel Peace Award in 1997. The Cluster Munition Coalition is an international civil society campaign working to eradicate cluster munitions, prevent further casualties from these weapons and put an end for all time to the suffering they cause. Landmine Monitor documents the implementation of the 1997 Ottawa Convention, or the Mine Ban Treaty. Cluster Munition Monitor documents the implementation of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. Both Landmine Monitor and Cluster Munition Monitor assess the efforts of the international community to resolve the crisis caused by these weapons. As of 1 November 2019, 164 countries, over 80% of the world’s governments, have ratified, or acceded to, the Mine Ban Treaty. 120 countries have signed, ratified, or acceded to, the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Myanmar/Burma has not yet joined either convention. Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor is not a technical treaty verification system or a formal inspection regime. It is an effort by ordinary people to hold governments accountable to non-use of antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions. It is meant to compliment the reporting requirements of countries which have ratified the treaties. Our reports seek to make transparent the state of the landmine and cluster munition crisis, and government policies or practices, in non-signatory states. Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor aims to promote and facilitate discussion within human society in order to reach the goal of a landmine and cluster munition free world. Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor works in good faith to provide factual information about the issue it is monitoring in order to benefit the world as a whole. It is critical, but constructive in its documentation and analysis..."
Source/publisher: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor
2019-11-00
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "ပိတ်ပင်တားမြစ်ခြင်း ဆိုင်ရာ နိုင်ငံတကာ စည်းရုံးလှုံ့ဆော်ရေးအဖွဲ့နှင့် ထပ်ဆင့်ပေါက်ကွဲစေသော စစ်လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ အသုံးပြုတားမြစ်ပိတ်ပင် ခြင်း ညွှန့်ပေါင်းအဖွဲ့အတွက် သုတေသနလုပ်ငန်းများ ဆောင်ရွက်ပေးသည်။ မြေမြုပ်မိုင်း အသုံးပြုမှု ပိတ်ပင်တားမြစ်ခြင်း နိုင်ငံတကာ စည်းရုံး လှုံ့ဆော်ရေးအဖွဲ့ (ICBL)အား ကမ္ဘာ့အဝှမ်းလူသတ်မိုင်းများ ရှင်းလင်းပပျောက်ရေးအတွက် ၁၉၉၂ခုနှစ်တွင် ဖွဲ့စည်းခဲ့သည်။ ICBL သည် နိုင်ငံ ပေါင်း(၇၀) နိုင်ငံတွင် ရှိသော အစိုးရမဟုတ်သောအဖွဲ့အစည်းပေါင်း ၁၃၀၀ ကျော် ပါဝင်သော ကွန်ယက်တခုဖြစ်သည်။ ၁၉၉၇ခုနှစ်တွင် ငြိမ်းချမ်း ရေး နိုဘယ်လ်ဆုရခဲ့သည်။ ထပ်ဆင့်ပေါက်ကွဲစေသော စစ်လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ အသုံးပြုမှုတားမြစ်ပိတ်ပင်ခြင်းညွှန့်ပေါင်းအဖွဲ့သည် ထပ်ဆင့် ပေါက်ကွဲလက်နက်များ ဖျက်သိမ်းပေးရန်၊ ယင်းလက်နက်ကြောင့် နောက်ဆက်တွဲထိခိုက်သေကြေဆုံးရှုံးမှုများ မဖြစ်ပေါ်စေရေး အတွက် ကာကွယ်ဟန့်တားရန်နှင့် ထိုလက်နက် များကြောင့် အတိ ဒုက္ခရောက်မှုများကို ထာဝရ အဆုံးသတ်စေရန် စသည်တို့အတွက် ရည်ရွယ်ကြိုးပမ်း ဆောင်ရွက်နေသော နိုင်ငံတကာ စည်းရုံးလှုံ့ဆော်ရေးအဖွဲ့ကြီး ဖြစ်သည်။ မြေမြုပ်မိုင်းအသုံးပြုမှုစောင့်ကြည့်လေ့လာရေးအဖွဲ့သည် ၁၉၉၇ခုနှစ် အိုတာဝါ သဘောတူစာချုပ်မိုင်း အသုံးပြုမှုပိတ်ပင်တားမြစ်ခြင်း သဘောတူစာချုပ်အား အကောင် အထည်ဖေါ်ခြင်းနှင့်ပတ်သက်၍ မှတ်တမ်းတင်သည်။ထို့အပြင် ထပ်ဆင့်ပေါက်ကွဲစေသော လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ စောင့်ကြည့်လေ့လာရေး အဖွဲ့ သည် ၂၀၀၈ခုနှစ်ထပ်ဆင့်ပေါက်ကွဲစေသော လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများဆိုင်ရာ သဘောတူချုပ် အကောင် အထည်ဖေါ်မှုကို မှတ်တမ်းတင်သည်။ ၎င်းနှစ်ဖွဲ့စလုံးသည် ယင်းလက်နက်များကြောင့် ဖြစ်ပေါ်လာသည့် အကြပ်အတည်းများအပေါ် နိုင်ငံတကာအသိုင်းအဝန်းက တုန့်ပြန် ဆောင်ရွက်ချက်များနှင့် ပတ်သက်၍လည်း စောင့်ကြည့်လေ့လာသည်။ ၂၀၁၉ခုနှစ် နိုဝင်ဘာလ (၁)ရက်နေ့အထိ ကမ္ဘာ့အစိုးရစုစုပေါင်း၏ ၈၀ ရာခိုင်နှုန်းဖြစ်သော နိုင်ငံပေါင်း ၁၆၄ နိုင်ငံက မြေမြုပ်မိုင်း အသုံးပြုမှုတားမြစ်ပိတ်ပင်ခြင်း သဘောတူစာချုပ်အား သဘောတူလက်ခံခြင်း (သို့မဟုတ်) လက်ခံကျင့်သုံးခြင်းများပြုလုပ်ခဲ့သည်။ နိုင်ငံပေါင်း ၁၂၀ က ထပ်ဆင့် ပေါက်ကွဲစေသောလက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ အသုံးပြုမှုတာမြစ်ပိတ်ပင်ခြင်းသဘောတူစာချုပ်အား လက်မှတ်ရေးထိုးခြင်း (သို့မဟုတ်) လက်ခံကျင့်သုံးခြင်းများများပြုလုပ်ခဲ့သည်။ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံသည် စာချုပ်နှစ်ခုစလုံးအား လက်မှတ်ရေး ထိုးခြင်း မပြုသေးပေ။ မြေမြုပ်မိုင်းနှင့် ထပ်ဆင့်ပေါက်ကွဲစေသောလက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများစောင့်ကြည့်လေ့လာရေးအဖွဲ့သည် စာချုပ်ပါ အချက်များ မှန်ကန်ခြင်း ရှိမရှိ စစ်ဆေးသောအဖွဲ့မဟုတ်သကဲ့သို့ တရားဝင်စုံစမ်း စစ်ဆေးရေး အဖွဲ့လည်းမဟုတ်ပေ။ သက်ဆိုင်ရာအစိုးရများသည် လူသတ်မိုင်း ဆန့်ကျင် တိုက်ဖျက်ရေးတာဝန်ရှိမှုအပေါ် လိုက်နာဆောင်ရွက်ခြင်းရှိမရှိလေ့လာသော သာမန်ပြည်သူများ၏ အားထုတ်ချက်တခုသာ ဖြစ်သည်။ စာချုပ်အားလက်မှတ်ရေးထိုးထားသော တိုင်းပြည်များအနေဖြင့် အစီရင်ခံ တင်ပြခြင်းစည်းကမ်းအား လိုက်နာလာစေရန် ရည်ရွယ်ခြင်း လည်း ဖြစ်သည်။ မိမိတို့ အစီရင်ခံစာသည် မြေမြုပ်မိုင်းနှင့် ထပ်ဆင့်ပေါက်ကွဲစေသော လက်နက်ပစ္စည်းများ ပြဿနာ၏ အခြေအနေကို ပိုမိုထင်သာမြင်သာဖြစ်လာစေရန်၊ လက်မှတ်ရေး ထိုးထားခြင်းမရှိသေးသော အစိုးရ၏မူဝါဒများ (သို့မဟုတ်)လုပ်ဟန်များကို ပိုမိုသိရှိ လာစေရန် အတွက်ရည်ရွယ် သည်။..."
Source/publisher: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor
2019-11-00
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Deadly landmine explosion happens in forest where Rohingya from nearby villages went to harvest firewood
Description: "Four Rohingya children were killed in a landmine explosion in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state early Tuesday, according to an official. A group of more than 10 local Rohingya -- including several teenagers -- were harvesting firewood in the forest near Hteiktoo Pauk village in Kyauktaw Township when the mine exploded around 10.30 a.m. local time (0600GMT). “Four children, two of them 8 years old and two of them 10, were killed on the spot,” said Aung Thaung Shwe, lower house lawmaker for the area. He told Anadolu Agency by phone on Tuesday that six other Rohingya -- one adult man and five teenage boys -- were also injured in the landmine explosion. It is still unclear whether Myanmar’s military or the Arakan Army -- a predominantly Buddhist ethnic group fighting for greater autonomy in the region -- planted the landmine in the forest. “It is an act of terror as it targets civilians,” said Aung Thaung Shwe. According to local media reports citing data from civil society groups, around 100 civilians have been killed in Rakhine state by armed clashes since the Arakan Army launched synchronized attacks on police outposts last January, killing 13 officers..."
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Source/publisher: "Anadolu Agency" (Ankara)
2020-01-07
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-08
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Sub-title: The death of a German tourist in Shan State raises important questions over the government’s approach to landmines.
Description: "On Tuesday, 26 November, a German tourist was killed when the motorbike he was riding struck a landmine in Myanmar’s Shan State. The man was travelling between Pan Nyaung Village and Kun Hauk Village, near Hsipaw Township, with an Argentine woman, who was also injured in the blast. The woman had gotten off the motorcycle when the road became too bumpy and was walking behind the vehicle when it struck the mine. The rider reportedly died at the scene after sustaining severe injuries to his legs, chest and midriff. Hsipaw has seen intense fighting in recent months: The region has been the site of intense fighting as ethnic armed groups fight for increased autonomy. In January, clashes broke out along the Hsipaw-Nam Lan road when troops from the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) exchanged fire..."
Source/publisher: "ASEAN Today" (Singapore)
2019-12-03
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-03
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Sub-title: Myanmar is the only government whose security forces deployed landmines in the last year, according to a new report that flags “exceptionally high” global casualty numbers from mines and other explosives despite a widely adopted ban on the weapons.
Description: "The Landmine Monitor report, released last week, tallied nearly 6,900 casualties from landmines and other explosives in 2018, largely driven by conflicts in Afghanistan, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Syria, and Ukraine. It comes as countries who have signed on to a treaty banning landmine use meet in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, today for a summit aimed at reviewing eradication goals. While global casualty figures are less than last year, they’re nearly double what was recorded in 2013 – continuing the reversal of a longer-term trend in falling casualties. The report – an accounting of casualties and global stockpiles, as well as on progress towards mine removal and victim assistance – is released annually by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. The coalition of NGOs spearheaded the anti-mine movement, leading to the 1997 treaty that banned the weapon’s use. The coalition says 164 countries have signed on to the treaty. But 33 others have not, including some of the world’s largest stockpilers of landmines: the United States, Russia, China, Pakistan, and India. From mid-2018 to October 2019, government security forces deployed mines in only one country, Myanmar, underscoring the ongoing conflicts raging on multiple fronts in the Southeast Asian nation. Accused of widespread rights abuses, Myanmar’s army largely operates without civilian oversight..."
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Source/publisher: "The New Humanitarian" (Geneva)
2019-11-25
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-26
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Description: "A landmine explosion on a tea farm killed a woman and injured her husband this week in Kyaukme Township. The couple—Nang Nguen and Sai Thein—accidentally set off the concealed landmine while picking tea in Mont Mart village of Khim Kawng village tract in Mong Ngor sub-township at around 3:00 p.m. on October 9. “They live in a hilltop village. They stepped on a landmine while they were picking tea leaves,” Mong Ngor local Lon Sai told SHAN. Lon Sai said that Nang Nguen endured serious injuries to her legs and died on the way to the hospital. Sai Thein’s hand was wounded in the blast. The mine explosions are becoming an increasingly common danger, he added. “Whenever people go to the tea leaf farms, they can step on landmines. I don’t know what we will do if we cannot work to pick tea in this area. There are many landmines,” Lon Sai explained. Multiple armed groups are active in Kyaukme Township, including the Burma Army, the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army. Clashes are frequent..."
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Source/publisher: "Shan Herald Agency for News" (Myanmar)
2019-10-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-23
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Description: "The number of documented human rights abuses in northern Shan State has increased dramatically over the past three months compared to the first quarter of the year, according to the Ta’ang Women’s Organization (TWO). The group, which based its data on reported cases of human rights abuses committed by armed groups active in predominantly ethnic Ta’ang areas, said there were 70 abuses reported from July to September, out of a total of 80 cases in the entire first half of the year. “The abuses include people who were killed by shelling of villages, death and injuries caused by landmines, and forcing civilians to act as porters. According to our records, at least 70 local people suffered human rights abuses during this three-month period,” TWO spokesperson Lway Chee Sangar told NMG..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
2019-10-03
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-22
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Description: "At least eight landmines have exploded around Ahlae Sakhan village in Tanintharyi Region’s Yephyu Township since October 2018. Most recently, a mine went off on an areca palm farm near the community on October 8. Local man Nai Chan Mon suffered injuries to his legs in the incident. Nai Tin Sakhan, the village headman of Ahlae Sakhan, said the mine was “hand-made” and exploded in the evening. The landmines that have gone off were planted on farms and near the road. While there have been no casualties, some people have lost limbs in the incidents. “There were no landmine explosions in our area in the past. We have faced landmines going off frequently in this area since 2018,” Aung, who lives in Yephyu, told NMG. “We are farmers. Our people frequently step on landmines when they go to their farms. We are so afraid of landmine explosions. But even though we are in fear, we have to go to work on our farms,” he explained. Control of the area has been disputed by the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Karen National Union (KNU), but both groups deny planting mines there. Nai Aung Mangae, the deputy in-charge of the NMSP’s central political department, said that his organization has already reported the landmine issue in Ahlae Sakhan to the government and asked that they resolve it. They have also negotiated with the KNU about it. NMSP’s Battalion 2 and the KNU’s Battalion 10 under Brigade 4 have been active in Yephyu Township. KNU forces have reportedly processed timber in the area. The NMSP and KNU forces have engaged in at least six clashes in the disputed area between 2016 and 2017..."
Source/publisher: "Network Media Group" (Thailand)
2019-10-17
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-19
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Sub-title: Three monks were injured when the motorcycle they are riding is believed to have hit a landmine in Namhsan Township in Palaung Self-Administrated Zone in northern Shan state, one of the victims said on Tuesday.
Description: "The monks were on their way to attend a worship ceremony in Lwe Kha Lay village when their motorcycle hit a landmine, triggering an explosion, said Sayadaw Khay Maida, a native of Namhsan. He said they are teachers at monastic schools in Mandalay. “Namhsan is my hometown. I came from Mandalay. It was past 7pm when we arrived in Kyaukme and went to Lwal Kalay village by motorcycle,” he told The Myanmar Times. “There was an explosion and all of us fell to the ground.” He added one of his colleagues suffered serious injuries in the explosion that occurred on Saturday. The sayadaw said since they were injured in a remote area and there was no way to get to a hospital, medics from the ethnic armed group Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) provided them with first aid treatment. One of the monks suffered injuries to his eyes and chest, while another suffered injuries to his ear, thigh and hand. Sayadaw Khay Maida said he suffered injuries in his thigh and leg..."
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Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-10-16
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-16
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Sub-title: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed during the meeting
Description: "Myanmar has denied all allegations of using landmines along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border areas. Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) made the claim during a regional commander-level meeting with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Regional Headquarters in Cox’s Bazar on Monday. After the meeting, BGB Cox’s Bazar Region Commander Brig Gen Sajedul Rahman briefed journalists at a press conference held at The Central Resort in Teknaf at 6:30pm. Brig Gen Sajedul led the BGB delegation while BGP 1 Brig Gen Ming Tu led a 14-member Myanmar delegation. “They (BGP) said they did not implant any landmines or improvised explosive device (IED) in the common border areas with Bangladesh. However, they told us that they would inform their government about the matter once they go back to Myanmar,” the BGB commander said. “The Myanmar delegation was asked to cooperate with Bangladesh to stop yaba pills from entering into Bangladesh and in reply the Myanmar delegation head assured full cooperation,” he added. During the meeting, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed to keep the good relations between the two countries intact..."
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Source/publisher: "Dhaka Tribune" (Bangladesh)
2019-10-14
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-15
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Description: "A landmine explosion has killed a Rohingya refugee on the Burma-Bangladesh border, according to Lieutenant Colonel Ali Haidar Azad Ahmed, Commanding Officer of 34 BGB Battalion, Cox’s Bazar. The explosion occurred near the Ambagan area, at Thoyangaziri Pillar number 38/3 under Naikhyangchari in Bandarban, at around 8 am on September 23, and is the second such incident this month, according to the officer. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Abdul Mazid, 35, son of Mohammad Abdul Malek, from Block-D/1 of Kutupalong mega camp, under Ukhiya police station of the district. On receiving information, police with the help of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) recovered the body from the zero-point area, said Anwar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Naikhongchhari Police Station. It was not known why the refugee went to the border region, said Anwar Hosen. But former Ghumdum UP Member Md Farid said Rohingyas usually use these border routes to smuggle illegal goods into Bangladesh. Rohingya refugee Abdul Mazid crossed the Bangladesh-Myanmar borderline on September 23 morning, but 50 yards inside Myanmar he stepped on a landmine and was seriously injured when it exploded. Later, local people rescued him from the Myanmar side and sent him to a BGB physician, according to witnesses and 34 Border Guard Bangladesh-BGB personnel. He died while under treatment due to heavy bleeding, BGB personnel said. Later, the BGB handed over the body to the Ghumdum police camp asking them to take necessary steps. Confirming the matter, Ghumdum Investigation Centre In-Charge Emon Chowdhury said the deceased’s body will be sent to the Bandarban Sadar Hospital morgue Dil Mohamed, a Rohingya community leader who lives in the makeshift camp on the tiny strip of “no man's land,” said the incident took place near their camp and was very frightening for them..."
Source/publisher: "Kaladan Press" (Bangladesh) via BNI Multimedia Group (Myanmar)
2019-09-26
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "A Rohingya refugee has been killed in a landmine explosion along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, Bangladesh officials said on September 3, 2019. The body of the deceased was recovered near the Ghumdhum border of Naikhongchhari Upazila on the Bangladesh side, an official said. BGB regional commander Ali Haider Azad Ahmed has said the dead man is believed to be a Rohingya refugee. Locals have identified him as Md Shahjahan, aged 32, resident of a Rohingya refugee camp, Bangladesh border guards said they heard a loud explosion on September 3 and saw several men leaving behind a badly wounded person at the border village of Ghumdum. The body was sent to the Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue. The state of the body suggested that he was killed in a landmine explosion, as his legs were blown clean off, according to Ghumdhum police outpost in-charge Emon Chowdhury. “We suspect he was killed in a landmine explosion inside Myanmar and then these people carried the body to Bangladesh territory,” a senior Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) official said on condition of anonymity. The incident took place along the border around 7 pm on September 3, 2019..."
Source/publisher: "BNI Multimedia Group" via Kaladan Press (Bangladesh)
2019-09-09
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Arakan Army, Landmines, Rakhine State, Tatmadaw
Topic: Arakan Army, Landmines, Rakhine State, Tatmadaw
Description: "Myanmar military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun has said the Arakan Army (AA) presents a major threat because the ethnic armed group now uses modern technologies in the violent conflict in Rakhine State. The military spokesperson said the military needs to take extra security precautions as the AA has been using remote-detonated explosive devices in their attacks. “Bombings can be carried out via mobile phones and walkie-talkies, so we need to pay greater attention to security,” said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun. He made the comments in response to a recent report by Indian intelligence agencies that the AA is using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies to trigger landmines targeting the Myanmar army. The Indian government is concerned about the threat the AA poses to the Kaladan Project, a multimodal transport project now under development that will link the Indian port of Kolkata with the port in Sittwe, Rakhine State’s capital and a key gateway for India to access Southeast Asia..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy"
2019-09-13
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The number of landmine casualties is increasing yearly in Myanmar, said U Win Naing Tun, director general of the Department of Rehabilitation.
Description: "“According to the records of the [ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center, or ARMAC] member countries, social media, and concerned organisations in rural areas, the number of mine casualties has increased yearly. Also, we’ve seen that the rate of disability is increasing,” he said in the opening speech at a meeting on mine-risk education held in Nay Pyi Taw on Tuesday. Landmine explosions killed 27 people and injured 85 in 2015, killed 48 and injured 228 in 2018, and killed 33 and injured 98 as of the end of July. That is why we need more mine-risk education, U Win Naing Tun said. “Mine awareness courses, rehabilitation of those who were injured by mines and their social and financial development are our main duty,” he said. For fiscal 2017-18, the ministry earmarked K200,000 for each mine-affected person, and 525 people have received the subsidy. The states and regions of Kachin, Shan, Kayin, Kayah, Mon, Tanintharyi, Bago, and Rakhine are listed as having mines. Only the first phase of mine clearing, called a non-technical survey, has been done in Kayin and Kayah. Myanmar started clearing mines in 2012. In 2016, the National Mine Risk Education Working Group was established to support mine-affected people and education. In 2017, a mine-education app was released..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times"
2019-08-14
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Description: This entry contains an html file in English and the English and Burmese 2018 reports..... ''Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor provides research for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Cluster Munition Coalition. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) formed in 1992 to rid the world of the scourge of the anti-personnel landmine. The ICBL is a network of over 1,300 non-governmental organizations in 70 countries, and received the Nobel Peace Award in 1997. The Cluster Munition Coalition is an international civil society campaign working to eradicate cluster munitions, prevent further casualties from these weapons and put an end for all time to the suffering they cause. Landmine Monitor documents the implementation of the 1997 Ottawa Convention, or the Mine Ban Treaty. Cluster Munition Monitor documents the implementation of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. Both Landmine Monitor and Cluster Munition Monitor assess the efforts of the international community to resolve the crisis caused by these weapons. As of 1 November 2018, 164 countries, over 80% of the world’s governments, have ratified, or acceded to, the Mine Ban Treaty. 120 countries have signed, ratified, or acceded to, the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Myanmar/Burma has not yet joined either convention...''
Source/publisher: ''Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor"
2018-12-12
Date of entry/update: 2018-12-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 1.25 MB 3.03 MB
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Description: "Since 2007, Myanmar has suffered the second highest number of antipersonnel landmine casualties when compared to other countries in the Asian region..."
Source/publisher: Landmine Monitor, Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU)
2018-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2018-06-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Description: "On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. On this occasion, KHRG calls on the Government of Myanmar to take action against the use of landmines in order to better protect villagers living in mine contaminated areas in Myanmar. Decades of ongoing conflict have left villagers living in fear due to the landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) that litter the land and continue to constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of villagers. Despite Myanmar?s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) which states that all signatories to the 2015 agreement will end the use of landmines, and cooperate towards clearing all landmines, KHRG reports indicate that this promise is not being upheld. KRHG continues to receive reports on the new use of landmines and that landmines remain persistent threat to villagers in the region. KHRG reports show that throughout the last 26 years, Tatmadaw, Border Guard Forces (BGF), and the DKBA (Buddhist, Benevolent and splinter) have planted landmines as a strategy to terrorise villagers. More recently, armed actors are now planting landmines not only to defend themselves but also to protect key income generating industries of which armed groups control..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) via "Progressive Voice"
2018-04-04
Date of entry/update: 2018-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 36.38 KB
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Description: "Yesterday, 21 September 2017, at the United Nations General Assembly, Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, stated, ?We are horrified to see that the Myanmar authorities are laying landmines along their stretch of the border to prevent the Rohingya from returning to Myanmar. These people must be able to return to their homeland in safety, security and dignity.” "
Creator/author: bmban
Source/publisher: Mine Free Myanmar
2017-09-23
Date of entry/update: 2017-10-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "...Some of the current wave of refugees have stepped on landmines during their attempts to leave Myanmar. International news agencies and human rights organizations have stated that they have witness testimony of new use of landmines by Myanmar?s Armed Forces along the NRS-Bangladesh border, and this has reportedly led to the issue being raised with Myanmar by Bangladesh authorities.,, UPDATE 19 SEPTEMBER 2017 "The ICBL/Landmine Monitor has verified that recent mine victims were from newly laid mines. On 28 of August, humanitarian workers providing relief to refugees camped on the Zero line of the border witnessed an Army truck arrive on the Myanmar side and unload three boxes from which soldiers took mines and placed in the ground. This continued on that day from 10am until 3pm. The mines were laid commencing in Taung Pyo Let Yar village tract of Maungdaw Township, which is adjacent to border pillar No. 31 in Bangladesh. This area demarcates the beginning of the land border between Bangladesh and Myanmar, as south of this area the border follows the Naf River.New mine use was witnessed along about a 20km stretch of the shared border between Burma and Banladesh. This stretch lies between the two main land crossing routes between Burma (Maungdaw township) and Bangladesh (Bandarban District). Subsequent to the daytime landmine operation, the Burmese Army brought trucks at night to continue laying mines, which could be seen under the lights by which they worked. Mine laying continued during the next few days, and was witnessed progressing along the border to the northeast in Mee Taik, Nga Yant Chaung, Hlaing Thi, Bauk Shu Hpweit and In Tu Lar townships. Mine laying was last seen continuing to the east of In Tu Lar township. All mines were laid on the eastern side of the border fence."
Source/publisher: Mine Free Myanmar
2017-09-12
Date of entry/update: 2017-10-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "...What assistance has the ICRC been providing to IDPs in Kachin and Shan states? I have had the opportunity to see two camps and a settlement where displaced people are living. One in Myitkyina, where people have been living for several years, and then two in Kutkai in northern Shan State, where displaced people had just arrived. I really feel that there is quite a difference in terms of living standards in one camp where there are people newly arrived. There, we provide emergency assistance. Whereas in Myitkyina we support livelihoods, for instance, in providing cash grants, so that people can open their own shop, earn their own money and stand on their own feet. What short- and long-term aid does the ICRC provide to IDPs? In the short term, it is basically humanitarian assistance, for instance the provisions of shelters. It was the first need that I saw in the camps that I visited in the north of Kutkai and we provided material to every family to build shelters. Then, it is about improving access to water, access to health care and to basic food. In order to provide access to food items, for instance, we distribute cash to every family every month so that they can buy their own food. We provide K7,000 per person per month. For a family of five, it?s K35,000 per month..... For the longer term, we develop other supports for families who show interest in developing economic projects, what we call conditional cash grants. With that money, I saw families in a camp in Myitkyina who opened their own shops, for instance, small grocery shops, or started to raise pigs. .....We have a program called Weapon Contamination [to raise awareness among the public]. We have specialists who are working with Myanmar Red Cross volunteers to sensitise the population on the risks of mines. Myanmar is not a signatory to the mine-ban convention known as the Ottawa Treaty. In our sensitisation work with the army and the armed groups, we very much base our arguments on the fact that we say that we understand why they use it for defence. But the problem is that if you use landmines, they will be there for a long time, and 30 years after, even if there is peace they might explode. So you are really creating a problem that will last for many decades and that will make the lives of people in these areas extremely difficult for a very long time. Landmines are a weapon that have lasting consequences. We see it in countries like Colombia, Afghanistan, even in Bosnia there are still landmines more than 20 years after the end of the conflict and people are at risk of getting hurt or their livestock affected. I think Myanmar is facing, not the whole country, but in certain areas, a serious problem with landmines. So our work consists not only of physical rehabilitation but also to encourage all parties to conflict to address this issue urgently, to start talks in order to clear the affected areas of mines so the population will be able to use the land for farming, to have access to water and grazing land. We are ready to help..."
Creator/author: SANN OO
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar"
2016-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2016-06-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This Situation Update describes events occurring in Kyainseikgyi Township, Dooplaya District between March and May 2015, including violent clashes between armed groups, injury caused by a landmine, and militarisation... On March 10th 2015, fighting broke out between Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #549 and LIB #231, and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) in A--- section, M--- village, lasting for around 30 minutes. KHRG is unable to confirm whether any villagers were injured during the fighting... On April 17th 2015, 31-year-old Saw B--- from D--- village was hit by a landmine which was purportedly planted by the DKBA. He sustained injuries to his feet but survived the explosion.... DKBA Battalion #901 established a new army camp in C--- village on April 25th 2015..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2015-11-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-12-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Since the Scotland-based HALO Trust started work in Afghanistan in 1988 and Norwegian People?s Aid (NPA) cleared its first mine in Cambodia in 1992, the two NGOs have cleared and destroyed several million landmines and explosive weapons from conflict zones around the world. Their total haul in Myanmar? Zero. ?It is very frustrating,” says Henry Leach, HALO Trust representative in Yangon. ?We are the biggest operator in the world but have not cleared a single mine in Myanmar in three years of being here.” Aksel Steen-Nilsen, NPA program manager, says he is packing his bags and heading to Cambodia where there is de-mining work still to do. However, NPA will remain in Myanmar, working on all sides in continuing efforts to unblock an impasse built on decades of enmity and distrust. In the meantime, mines keep maiming and killing. No one knows for sure how many because there is no compilation of data by the warring parties. The NPA estimates 300 to 500 people, many of them civilians and children, are blown up each year. The southeast is perhaps the most mine-dense region in the world..."
Creator/author: Guy Dinmore
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (English)
2014-07-14
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: This Incident Report describes the death of a home guard on January 24th 2014 after he stepped on a Tatmadaw landmine whilst hunting for birds in the forest. Home guards are villagers who provide security for communities of civilians in hiding. Widespread displacement occurred in Lu Thaw Township during Tatmadaw offensives in 1997 and between 2005 and 2008. Since then, many of those displaced have lived in make-shift, temporary housing in the jungle and mountainous areas with inadequate health and education facilities and without access to land on which to grow food for daily consumption. Villagers living in these areas have demanded that local Tatmadaw bases be closed so they can return to their homes, and have highlighted a range of risks associated with living in internal displacement sites, including exposure to landmines.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2014-06-23
Date of entry/update: 2014-12-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 908.47 KB
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Description: Includes Cluster Munition Monitor Report, 2013
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines
2013-12-26
Date of entry/update: 2014-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ
Format : pdf
Size: 646.27 KB
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Description: Includes Cluster Munition Monitor Report, 2013
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines
2013-12-26
Date of entry/update: 2014-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 540.17 KB
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Description: "This incident report was submitted to KHRG in January 2013 by a community member describing events occurring in Dwe Lo Township, Papun District in December 2012. The community member who wrote this report described an incident that occurred on December 28th 2012, when a female buffalo stepped on a landmine that was placed by Karen National Liberation Army soldiers. Coincidently, on the same day, Saw U---, also known as Saw P---, a 34 year old man from T--- village, went to take a bath in Buh Loh River and while he was on his way back home, he encountered two Tatmadaw soldiers, who called Saw U--- over to them. They were Tatmadaw LID #44, IB #9 Company Commander/ Camp Commander Ko Ko Lwin and Platoon Commander Kyaw Thu. As soon as Saw U--- reached them, Company Commander Ko Ko Lwin punched him in his chest and Platoon Commander Kyaw Thu punched him ten times across both sides of his face. While the soldiers did not ask Saw U--- any questions, they accused him of being in the KNLA; according to the community member who wrote this report and spoke directly with the villager, Saw U--- is not a soldier, but a villager who works on farms."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-06-27
Date of entry/update: 2013-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 272.4 KB
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Description: "This news bulletin describes two landmine incidents occurring in February and June 2013 in Mone Township, Nyaunglebin District. On February 2nd 2013, 22-year-old Saw H--- from S--- village was walking home after collecting firewood in Maw Lay Forest when he stepped on a landmine, sustaining temporary injuries to his leg. On June 1st, 45-year-old Maung W--- stepped on a landmine at Chauck Kway. The landmine shrapnel caused major damage to his left leg, and it was amputated as a result. In both incidents, landmines were detonated on frequently used paths, indicating that the mines were likely to have been planted recently. Based on the information submitted from the community member, the Tatmadaw and KNLA are active in these areas, but it is not clear which actor is responsible for originally planting the mines in either incident. This bulletin is based on information submitted to KHRG in February and June 2013 by a community member in Nyaunglebin District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-07-08
Date of entry/update: 2013-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 60.9 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in September 2012 by a community member describing events occurring in Nyaunglebin District between July and September 2012, including the imposition of taxes by Tatmadaw soldiers on villagers mining gold, use of a landmine by KNLA soldiers and the distribution of humanitarian aid by multiple international and local organizations. Specifically, the report describes Tatmadaw IB #57 imposing taxation over 40 villagers mining gold for their livelihoods. The report also describes the attempt of the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative to send food supplies by truck to Hsaw Mee Luh base camp in August 2012, as well as the placing and marking of an anti-vehicle mine by KNLA Battalion #9 soldiers between Kat Pe base camp and Mu Theh village. Flooding in Kyauk Kyi area that started in July is also reported, which caused villagers problems with travel and work and destroyed rice paddies. World Food Programme staff visited flood victims and provided some relief during this time as well and, in August, Back Pack Health Worker Team members distributed rice on behalf of Emergency Assistance Team-Burma and also delivered soap and medicine to flood victims in Ma Au Pin village tract. During the period of flooding, villagers were worried that if gold mining operations continued along the Tha Ye stream that polluted water would contaminate their paddies and cause destruction. Villagers thus requested that gold mining stop during the floods. This request was not heeded, and all paddies in 30 acres of flat field farms died during flooding. The report also details that road builders and village officials demanded 200 kyat (US $.21) from each traveler along the road through M--- village, including students from the M--- primary school. Additionally, it details financial offers made to villagers by the Burma government, as well as issues villagers have had with accessing deposits."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-06-20
Date of entry/update: 2013-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 286.41 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in March 2013 by a community member describing events occurring in Papun District between January and March 2013. The report describes the use of villagers from approximately 40 villages in Htee Th?Daw Hta village tract for forced labour. The perpetrators were led by the presiding monk of Myaing Gyi Ngu, U Thuzana. Villagers, including elderly people, women and children, have been forced to work on the construction of the Htee Lah Eh Hta Bridge. Villagers are required to perform labour for consecutive days and are not informed of what length of time they will be required to work before the project?s completion. The report also describes a landmine incident on February 11th 2013, which occurred between P--- village and S--- village in K?Ter Tee village tract, Bu Tho Township. A landmine exploded while five villagers were transporting sand by car for the Green Hill Company and all five villagers in the vehicle were killed. No armed group took responsibility for the incident, though the Green Hill Company compensated 300,000 kyat (US $318.13) to the family of each victim. Additionally, the manager of the company, Ko Myo, donated 200,000 (US $212.10) kyat to each of the victims? families."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-06-18
Date of entry/update: 2013-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 267.53 KB
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Description: "This report is based on information submitted by community members in March 2013 describing events occurring in Papun District in February 2013. On February 11th 2013, a landmine exploded in K?Ter Tee village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Papun district. A total of five villagers were killed in the explosion, three of whom were under the age of 18. The villagers were hit by the landmine while transporting sand in a car for the Green Hill Company, a company affiliated with BGF Battalions #1013 and #1014. The group who planted the landmine is unknown. While no groups have taken responsibility for the incident, Green Hill Company paid 300,000 kyat (US $341) to the family of each victim, alongside the manager of the Company, Ko Myo, personally contributing 200,000 kyat (US $227) to each family. This and other landmine incidents received by KHRG between August 2012 and March 2013 were published in a Briefer; see "Landmines shatter peace for villagers in eastern Burma," April 2013.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2013-06-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 282 KB
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Description: "To mark International Mine Awareness Day, Karen Human Rights Group published new data collected by community members in eastern Burma that describes the ongoing devastation caused by landmines. Each year the United Nations International Mine Awareness Day draws attention to the global impact of landmines and notes progress towards their eradication. Landmines continue to disrupt the potential for civilians to return to their way of life even after the conflict has subsided. Old landmines pose serious restrictions on villagers? ability to travel safely or resume farming and reconstruction of previously abandoned homes. Fatalities and injuries to people and livestock occur frequently, especially when there is no prior knowledge of the mined areas, making displaced communities particularly vulnerable."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in November 2012 by a community member, describing events occurring in Papun District from November 2011 to July 2012. The report describes restrictions placed upon villagers? movement by Major Thi Ha of Tatmadaw LIB #212; villagers were told not to travel to their farms and were threatened with being shot at if they were seen outside of their village. Villagers also faced restrictions on their movement as a result of unexploded landmines. The community member also describes the use of villagers for forced labour in May 2012 by BGF Battalions #1013 and #1014, including the collection of materials for the building of an army camp for Battalion #1013. The village heads of P---, as well as two villagers, were ordered to stay at BGF #1014?s camp in order to work in the camp and porter for the soldiers. Also described, is an incident prompting fear amongst villagers, in which KNLA Battalion #102 Major Saw Hsa Yu Moo shot a gun in front of a villager?s house. The community member raises concerns that, despite the ceasefire, cases of villagers being threatened, forced labour, and risks from landmines, continue to pose serious problems for villagers..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2013-04-12
Date of entry/update: 2013-04-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 267.12 KB
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Description: "This report is based on information submitted to KHRG in November 2012 by a community member describing events occurring in Pa?an District, between August 28th 2012 and November 1st 2012, where one landmine exploded in Htee Klay village tract, one landmine exploded in Noh Kay village tract and one landmine exploded in Htee Kyah Rah village tract. These explosions injured a 21-year-old man named Saw P---, who died, a man of around 40-years-old, named Saw B---, who lost one leg, and an unknown Tatmadaw soldier from Light Infantry Battalion #275, who lost both of his legs. One explosion also destroyed the leg of Saw P---?s cow, when it stepped on the mine that killed him. Based on information from a community trained by KHRG, landmines have been planted by both the Border Guard and the Karen Nation Liberation Army, in Noh Kay village tract, T?Nay Hsah Township, Pa?an District, and in Htee Kyah Rah village tract, the community member reported that landmines have been planted by the Tatmadaw and the Karen National Liberation Army."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-12-11
Date of entry/update: 2012-12-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 220.83 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in June 2012 by a community member who described events occurring in Dooplaya District during the period between April 2012 and June 2012, specifically in relation to landmines, education, health, taxation and demand, forced labour, land confiscation, displacement, and restrictions on freedom of movement and trade. After the 2012 ceasefire between the Burma government and the KNU, remaining landmines still present serious risks for local villagers in Kawkareik Township because they are unable to travel. Details are provided about 57-year-old B--- village head, Saw L---, 70-year-old Saw E--- and Saw T---, who each stepped on landmines. During May 2012, Tatmadaw soldiers ordered three villagers? to supply hand tractors to transport materials for them from Aung May K? La village to Ke---, plus Tatmadaw soldiers ordered five hand tractors to transports materials from Kyaik Doh village to Kya In Seik Gyi Town. Also described in the report are villagers? opinions on the ongoing ceasefire and whether or not they feel it is benefiting them, as well as village responses to land confiscation by Tatmadaw forces. After a village head was informed that any empty properties found would be confiscated, villagers in the area stayed temporarily in other peoples? houses on request of the owner..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-09-14
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 214.34 KB
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Description: Myanmar/Burma:- Mine Ban Treaty status: Not a State Party... Pro-mine ban UNGA voting record: Abstained on Resolution 66/29 in December 2011, as in previous years... Participation in Mine Ban Treaty meetings: Attended the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties in Phnom Penh in November–December 2011... Key developments: Foreign Minister stated Myanmar is considering accession to the Mine Ban Treaty. President Thein Sein requested assistance for clearance of mines. Parliamentarians raised the need for mine clearance.
Source/publisher: Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor
2012-11-03
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
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Description: An update was made to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor Country Profile for Myanmar/Burma. Updated Content: Mine Action... Mines are believed to be concentrated on Myanmar?s borders with Bangladesh and Thailand, but are a particular threat in eastern parts of the country as a result of decades of post-independence struggles for autonomy by ethnic minorities. Some 47 townships in Kachin, Karen (Kayin), Karenni (Kayah), Mon, Rakhine, and Shan states, as well as in Pegu (Bago) and Tenasserim (Tanintharyi) divisions[1] suffer from some degree of mine contamination, primarily from antipersonnel mines. Karen (Kayin) state and Pegu (Bago) division are suspected to contain the heaviest mine contamination and have the highest number of recorded victims. The Monitor has also received reports of previously unknown suspect hazardous areas (SHAs) in townships on the Indian border of Chin state.[2] No estimate exists of the extent of contamination, but the Monitor identified SHAs in the following divisions and townships: Karenni state: all seven townships; Karen state: all seven townships; Kachin state: Mansi, Mogaung, Momauk, Myitkyina, and Waingmaw; Mon state: Bilin, Kyaikto, Mawlamyine, Thanbyuzayat, Thaton, and Ye; Pegu division: Kyaukkyi, Shwekyin, Tantabin and Taungoo; Rakhine state: Maungdaw; Shan state: Hopong, Hsihseng, Langkho, Mawkmai, Mongpan, Mongton, Monghpyak, Namhsan Tachileik, Nanhkan, Yaksawk, and Ywangan; Tenasserim division: Bokpyin, Dawei, Tanintharyi, Thayetchaung and Yebyu; and Chin state...."
Source/publisher: Landmines and Cluster Munitions Monitor
2012-09-19
Date of entry/update: 2012-09-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during January 2012 in Bu Thoh Township, Papun District, by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Saw D---, the 44-year-old L--- village head, who described forced labour, Tatmadaw and Border Guard targeting of civilians, demands for food, and denial of humanitarian services, such as a school. He specifically described that both the Border Guard and the KNLA planted landmines around the village and, as a result, the villagers had to flee to another village because they were afraid and unable to continue with their farming. Saw D--- also mentioned that the Tatmadaw often made orders for forced portering without payment, or if they did pay, the payments were not fair for the villagers, including one villager who stepped on a landmine while portering. In addition, he described an incident in which one villager was shot at and arbitrarily tortured while returning from Myaing Gyi Ngu town to L--- village. Saw D--- also raised concerns regarding food shortages and the adequate provision of education for children."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-07-19
Date of entry/update: 2012-08-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 305.59 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during October 2010 in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Saw Kr---, a 23-year-old hill farmer from L--- village, Pla Koh village tract, who described an incident where he was injured after stepping on a landmine while on Home Guard duty in Kaw Mu Day, which resulted in him losing his left leg. Saw Kr--- describes how the Tatmadaw deliberately laid landmines on a public pathway, knowing that villagers were likely to tread on the devices. He also mentions that local villagers are active in defending themselves against Tatmadaw troops in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District. This incident is also described in the report Uncertain Ground: Landmines in eastern Burma, published by KHRG on May 21, 2012."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-07-18
Date of entry/update: 2012-08-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 282.43 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during December 2011 in Bu Tho Township, Papun District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed a 40-year-old Buddhist monk, Saw T---, who is a former member of the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO), Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Border Guard, who described activities pertaining to Border Guard Battalion #1013 based at K?Hsaw Wah, Papun District. Saw T--- described human rights abuses including the forced conscription of child soldiers, or the forcing to hire someone in their place, costing 1,500,000 Kyat (US $1833.74). This report also describes the use of landmines by the Border Guard, and how villagers are forced to carry them while acting as porters. Also mentioned, is the on-going theft of villagers money and livestock by the Border Guard, as well as the forced labour of villagers in order to build army camps and the transportation of materials to the camps; the stealing of villagers? livestock after failing to provide villagers to serve as forced labour, is also mentioned. Saw T--- provides information on the day-to-day life of a soldier in the Border Guard, describing how villagers are forcibly conscripted into the ranks of the Border Guard, do not receive treatment when they are sick, are not allowed to visit their families, nor allowed to resign voluntarily. Saw T--- described how, on one occasion a deserter?s elderly father was forced to fill his position until the soldier returned. Saw T--- also mentions the hierarchical payment structure, the use of drugs within the border guard and the training, which he underwent before joining the Border Guard. Concerns are also raised by Saw T--- to the community member who wrote this report, about his own safety and his fear of returning to his home in Papun, as he feels he will be killed, having become a deserter himself as of October 2nd 2011."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-07-16
Date of entry/update: 2012-08-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 330.43 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during September 2011 in Lu Pleh Township, Pa?an District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Saw Bw---, a 25-year-old logger from Eg--- village, who described events that occurred while he was carrying out logging work between the villages of A--- and S---. He provides information on military activity in the area, specifically about shifting relations between armed groups, with Border Guard and DKBA troops ceasing to cooperate, and a heightened Tatmadaw presence in the area. Saw Bw--- also explained the disruptive impact of fighting between Border Guard and armed groups in the area on A--- villagers, who are described as fleeing to avoid conflict, as well as providing information on one instance in which A--- villagers were ordered to relocate by the commander of Border Guard Battalion #1017, but instead chose strategic displacement into hiding. He mentions the difficulties that he had in logging following the Border Guard?s increased presence in the area. Saw Bw--- also described the presence of landmines in the area around A--- and how his employer paid approximately US $1222.49 to DKBA troops to have them removed. This incident concerning landmines is also described in a thematic report published by KHRG on May 21st, 2012, Uncertain Ground: Landmines in eastern Burma."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 163.9 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in May 2012, by a community member describing events occurring in Pa?an District during the period between September 2011 and April 2012. It describes the planting of landmines by Border Guard soldiers near Y--- and P--- villages, resulting in villagers from B---, N--- and T--- being injured, and some villagers committed suicide after sustaining injuries. It also includes demands for forced labour by Tatmadaw LIBs #358, #547 and #548, in which villagers were required to harvest paddy on government land; this information concerning forced labour is also described in a news bulletin published by KHRG on June 22nd 2012, "Forced labour and extortion in Pa?an District." This report also includes information about the removal of 30 landmines by the Border Guard, before a landmine injury to one soldier halted the removal operations. In order to deal with problems related to insufficient landmine removal, villagers have taken precautions to limit their activities to areas unlikely to be mined. Due to limited opportunities for villagers to earn their livelihoods, some have begun to commercially produce charcoal and alcohol, or breed their livestock for consumption. Parents in these areas are also reportedly sending their children to Bangkok to assist the family income; young girls have also begun to work using their vocational skills to weave traditional bags."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-07-06
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 447.43 KB
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Description: "The following incident report was written by a community member who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights abuses. It describes an incident involving four villagers at A---, including two home guard members and their relatives, as they were trying to covertly cross a Tatmadaw-controlled road near See Day army camp. Two home guard villagers, Saw M--- and Saw W---, were shot by Tatmadaw soldiers, resulting in the death of Saw M--- and injuring Saw W---. The community member also described a previous incident that took place while home guard villagers were monitoring Tatmadaw troop movements in their area, during which Tatmadaw soldiers reportedly stepped on landmines and were killed during the confrontation."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2012-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 253.75 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during May 2012 in T?Nay Hsah Township, Pa?an District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed 25-year-old Saw Hn---, from H--- village, who described an incident in which he was injured by a landmine when returning from a fishing excursion to his village in November 2011. Saw Hn--- describes how he was taken to hospital for medical treatment, where he had his leg repaired with a steel plate. Such abuses are also described in a thematic report published by KHRG on May 21st, 2012, Uncertain Ground: Landmines in eastern Burma."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2012-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 146.06 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during March 2012 in T?Nay Hsah Township, Pa?an District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Saw Ht---, from M--- village, who described being injured by a landmine planted by Border Guard forces near villagers? plantations. Saw Ht--- described receiving no assistance from the Border Guard, neither with transportation to hospital or money for medical costs, and explained how he was instead taken to hospital by friends, and his medical treatment fees paid by a local humanitarian organisation. This interview is also available in a thematic report published by KHRG on May 21st, 2012, Uncertain Ground: Landmines in eastern Burma."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2012-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 54.65 KB
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Description: "Analysis of KHRG?s field information gathered between January 2011 and May 2012 in seven geographic research areas indicates that, during that period, new landmines were deployed by government and non-state armed groups (NSAGs) in all seven research areas. Ongoing mine contamination in eastern Burma continues to put civilians? lives and livelihoods at risk and undermines their efforts to protect against other forms of abuse. There is an urgent need for humanitarian mine action that accords primacy to local protection priorities and builds on the strategies villagers themselves already employ in response to the threat of landmines. In the cases where civilians view landmines as a potential source of protection, there is an equally urgent need for viable alternatives that expand self-protection options beyond reliance on the use of mines. Key findings in this report were drawn based upon analysis of seven themes, including: New use of landmines; Movement restrictions resulting from landmines; Marking and removal of landmines; Forced labour entailing increased landmine risks; Human mine sweeping, forced mine clearance and human shields; Landmine-related death or injury; and Use of landmines for self-protection."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-21
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.93 MB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in October 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Pa?an District, in the period between September and October 2011. Villagers in T?Nay Hsah Township are reported to be subject to demands for forced labour by Border Guard Battalion #1017, specifically to work on Battalion Commander Saw Dih Dih?s own plantations. Information is also provided on an incident that occurred in T?Nay Hsah Township in which the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Battalion #101?s temporary camp in Kler Law Seh village was attacked with heavy weapons by Border Guard Battalions #1017 and #1019, and by Tatmadaw Light Infantry Division (LID) #22. Since the takeover of the KNLA Battalion #101 camp by Border Guard troops, villagers in T?Nay Hseh Township have experienced an increase in demands for forced labour such as portering, as well as demands for villagers to cook at the Border Guard base and to serve as soldiers in the Border Guard, with payment demanded in lieu of military service. Such abuses are also described in the report, "Pa?an Situation Update: September 2011", published by KHRG on October 24th 2011, and "Pa?an Situation Update: September 2011 to January 2012", published by KHRG on May 2nd 2012. Border Guard troops have also embarked on the extensive laying of landmines near Th--- village, including near villagers? fields, and one villager was reported to have been seriously injured by a landmine whilst serving as a soldier in the Border Guard. Villagers are said to be concerned about the potential impact of the landmines on the welfare of their livestock, with one villager reportedly confronting a Border Guard soldier over this issue."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: 15 images of landmine victims..."Myanmar, or Burma, is home to one of the world?s longest running civil wars. Conflict has occurred since the country gained independence in 1947. Mine warfare has been a feature of the conflict throughout that time. Mines are thought to be used by all parties to the conflict. No one knows how many people have been killed or maimed by mines. This photo exhibit provides a glimpse into the lives of a few of those who survived their mine injury and now live tenuous lives near the border with Thailand..." This exhibition has been co-sponsored by DanChurchAid (DCA) and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
Creator/author: Photo: Giovanni Diffidenti; Art installation: Laura Morelli; Text: Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan
Source/publisher: Giovanni Diffidenti, Photojournalist
2011-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "In the six months since DKBA Brigade #5 troops under the command of Brigadier-General Saw Lah Pwe (?Na Kha Mwe?) agreed to a ceasefire with government forces, and in the four months since a ceasefire was agreed between KNLA and government troops, villagers in Kawkareik Township have continued to raise concerns regarding ongoing human rights abuses, including the arbitrary detention and violent abuse of civilians, and forced labour demands occurring as recently as February 24th 2012. One of the villagers who provided information contained in this report also raised concerns about ongoing landmine contamination in two areas of Kawkareik Township, despite the placing of warning signs in one area in January 2012 and the incomplete removal of some landmines by bulldozer from another area in March 2012. The same villager noted that the remaining landmines, some of which are in a village school compound and in agricultural areas, continue to present serious physical security risks to local villagers, as well as disrupt livelihood activities and children?s education."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 295.18 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in January 2012 by a villager describing events occurring in Pa?an District between September 2011 and January 2012, and contains updated information concerning military activity in the area, specifically Border Guard Battalion #1017?s use of forced labour and their planting of landmines. In September 2011, over 200 villagers from Th---, Sh---, G--- and M--- were forced to harvest beans and corn, an incident which is also described in the report "Pa?an Situation Update: September 2011", published by KHRG on November 25th 2011. Villagers are also described as being forced to porter rations, ammunition and landmines, and carry out various tasks at Battalion #1017?s camp. The pervasive presence of landmines has resulted in the deaths of two villagers and injuries to eight others in Sh--- and K--- village tracts, as well as the deaths of villagers? livestock. Information is also provided on the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) ceasefire with the Tatmadaw and their subsequent transformation into the Border Guard, and how this has reduced the capacity of soldiers to engage in mining and logging enterprises. The subsequent increase in pressure on villagers by DKBA and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) troops to resist Border Guard military recruitment demands had meant that village heads often fled, rather than serve their one-year term. Villagers? perspectives on the January 2012 ceasefire agreement between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burma government are also outlined, as are villagers? responses to abuses, including the introduction of a village head system that rotates on a monthly basis..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-05-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in November 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District between August and October 2011. It contains information concerning military activity in the district, specifically demands for forced labour by Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #375. Villagers from D--- and A--- were reportedly forced to clear vegetation surrounding their camp and some A--- villagers were also used to sweep for landmines. Villagers in the A--- area faced demands for bamboo poles and some villagers from P--- were ordered to undertake messenger and portering duties for the Tatmadaw. The situation update provides information on two incidents that occurred on September 21st 2011, in which several villagers from Y--- were shot, and four other Y--- villagers were arrested by Tatmadaw Infantry Battalion (IB) #73 and detained until the Y--- village head paid 300,000 kyat (US $366.75) to secure their release. It also provides details of the arrest of five villagers from D--- village by LIB #375 in August 2011, who remained in detention as of November 2011. It documents the killing of two villagers from E--- village by Military Operations Command (MOC) #9, and the shooting of 54-year-old A--- villager, Saw O---, by LIB #375 for violating movement restrictions. Information was also given concerning a mortar attack on W--- village by LIB #603 and IB #92, which was previously reported in the KHRG News Bulletin "Tatmadaw soldiers shell village, attack church and civilian property in Toungoo District, November 2011", in which shells hit the village church and destroyed five villagers? houses. Tatmadaw soldiers also shot the statue of Mother Mary in W--- village and damaged pictures on the church walls; stole villagers? belongings, including money and staple foods; and destroyed villagers? household supplies, livestock, and food."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-04-17
Date of entry/update: 2012-04-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in February 2012, by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District during the period between November 2011 and January 2012. It discusses augmented troop rotations, resupply operations and the sending of bulldozers to construct a new vehicle road between the 20-mile point on the Toungoo ? Kler La road and Kler La. It also contains reports of forced labour, specifically the use of villagers to porter military equipment and supplies, to serve as set tha, and the clearing of vegetation by vehicle roads. Movement restrictions were also highlighted as a major concern for villagers living both within and outside state control, as the imposition of permission documents and taxes limits the transportation of cash crops, and impacts the availability of basic commodities. The villager who wrote this report raised villagers? concerns about rising food prices, the lack of medicine due to government restrictions on its transportation from towns to mountainous areas, and the difficulty in obtaining an education in rural villages beyond grades three and four. The villager who wrote this report flagged the ongoing use of landmines by armed groups and noted that this poses serious physical security risks, particularly where villagers are not notified of landmine-contaminated areas, but also noted that some villagers view the use of landmines by non-state armed groups in positive terms as a deterrent of Tatmadaw activity."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2012-03-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report contains the full transcripts of seven interviews conducted between June 1st and June 18th 2010 in Dta Greh Township, Pa?an District by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed seven villagers from two villages in Wah Mee Gklah village tract, after they had returned to Burma following initial displacement into Thailand during May and June 2009. The interviewees report that they did not wish to return to Burma, but felt they had to do so as the result of pressure and harassment by Thai authorities. The interviewees described the following abuses since their return, including: the firing of mortars and small arms at villagers; demands for villagers to porter military supplies, and for the payment of money in lieu of the provision of porters; theft and looting of villagers? houses and possessions; and threats from unexploded ordnance and the use of landmines, including consequences for livelihoods and injuries to civilians. All seven interviewees also raised specific concerns regarding the food security of villagers returned to Burma following their displacement into Thailand."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Amidst ongoing conflict between the Tatmadaw and armed groups in eastern Dooplaya and Pa?an districts, civilians, aid workers and soldiers from state and non-state armies continue to report a variety of human rights abuses and security concerns for civilians in areas adjacent to Thailand?s Tak Province, including: functionally indiscriminate mortar and small arms fire; landmines; arbitrary arrest and detention; sexual violence; and forced portering. Conflict and these conflict-related abuses have displaced thousands of civilians, more than 8,000 of whom are currently taking refuge in discreet hiding places in Thailand. This has interrupted education for thousands of children across eastern Dooplaya and Pa?an districts. The agricultural cycle for farmers has also been severely disrupted; many villagers have been prevented from completing their harvests of beans, corn and paddy crops, portending long-term threats to food security. Due to concerns about food security and disruption to children?s education, as well as villagers? continuing need to protect themselves and their families from conflict and conflict-related abuse, temporary but consistent access to refuge in Thailand remains vital until villagers feel safe to return home. Even after return, food support will likely be necessary until disrupted agricultural activities can be resumed and civilians can again support themselves."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-01-21
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: This report contains 12 incident reports written by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions, based on information provided by 12 different villagers living in hiding sites in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District between November 2010 and January 2011.[1] The twelve villagers described human rights concerns for civilians prior to and during displacement to their current hiding sites, including: deliberate firing of mortars and small arms into civilian areas; burning and destruction of houses, food and food preparation equipment; theft and looting of villagers? animals and possessions; and use of landmines by the Tatmadaw, non-state armed groups, and local gher der ?home guard? groups in civilian areas, resulting in at least one civilian death and two civilian injuries. The reports register villagers? serious concerns about food security in hiding areas beyond Tatmadaw control, caused by effective limits on access to arable land due to the risk of attack when villagers cultivating land proximate to Tatmadaw camps, depletion of soil fertility in cultivable areas, and a drought during the 2010 rainy season which triggered widespread paddy crop failure.[2] To address the threat of Tatmadaw attacks targeting villagers, their food stores and livelihoods activities, villagers reported that they form gher der groups to monitor and communicate Tatmadaw activity; utilise early-warning systems; and communicate amongst themselves and with non-state armed groups to share information about Tatmadaw troop movements. Two villagers stated that the deployment of landmines by gher der groups and KNLA soldiers prevents access to civilian areas by Tatmadaw troops and facilitates security for villagers to pursue their agricultural activities. Another villager described how his community maintained communal agricultural projects to support families at risk from food shortages. These reports were received by KHRG in May 2011, along with other information concerning the situation in Papun District, including 11 other incident reports, 25 interviews, 137 photographs and a general update on the situation in Lu Thaw Township.[3]
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-08-24
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 840.59 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during March 2011 in Bu Tho Township, Papun District, by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw H---, a 34-year-old hillfield farmer and the head of N--- village. Saw H--- described an incident in which a 23-year-old villager stepped on and was killed by a landmine at the beginning of 2011, at the time when he, Saw H--- and three other villagers were returning to N--- after serving as unpaid porters for Border Guard soldiers based at Meh Bpa. Saw H--- also detailed demands for the collection and provision of bamboo poles for construction of soldiers? houses at Gk?Ter Tee, as well as the payment of 400,000 kyat ((US $ 519.48) in lieu of the provision of porters to Maung Chit, Commander of Border Guard Battalion #1013, by villages in Meh Mweh village tract. These payments were described in the previous KHRG report "Papun Situation Update: Bu Tho Township, April 2011." Saw H--- also described demands for the provision of a pig to Border Guard soldiers three days before this interview took place and the beating of a villager by DKBA soldiers in 2010. He noted the ways in which movement restrictions that prevent villagers from travelling on rivers and sleeping in or bringing food to their farm huts negatively impact harvests and food security. Saw H--- explained that villagers respond to such concerns by sharing food amongst themselves, refusing to comply with forced labour demands, and cultivating relationships with non-state armed groups to learn the areas in which landmines have been planted."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-02-08
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted in February 2011 in Dweh Loh Township, Papun District, by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Maung Y---, a 32 year-old married hill field farmer, who described an incident that occurred on February 5th 2011, in which he and eight other villagers were arrested at gunpoint by Tatmadaw Border Guard Battalion #1013 soldiers and arbitrarily detained. During this time, Maung Y--- reported that they were forced to porter military rations and sweep for landmines using basic tools. He described how one villager was denied access to medical treatment and forced to porter despite serious illness, and reported that families of the detained villagers were forced to pay arbitrary amounts of money to the Battalion #1013 troops in order to secure their release. Maung Y--- also reported that, after this incident, his village was ordered by Battalion #1013 to produce and deliver 7,000 thatch shingles, as well as to provide four more villagers to serve as porters. In response to this, Maung Y--- reported that villagers had, at the time of interview, refused to comply with these forced labour demands."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-09-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 683.33 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in May 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Dweh Loh Township, Papun District between January and April 2011. It contains information concerning military activities in 2011, specifically resupply operations by Border Guard and Tatmadaw troops and the reinforcement of Border Guard troops at Manerplaw. It documents twelve incidents of forced portering of military rations in Wa Muh and K?Hter Htee village tracts, including one incident during which villagers used to porter rations were ordered to sweep for landmines, as well as the forced production and delivery of a total of 44,500 thatch shingles by civilians. In response to these abuses, male villagers remove themselves from areas in which troops are conducting resupply operations, in order to avoid arrest and forced portering. This report additionally registers villagers? serious concerns regarding the planting of landmines by non-state armed groups in agricultural workplaces and the proposed development of a new dam on the Bilin River at Hsar Htaw. It includes an overview of gold-mining operations by private companies and non-state armed groups along three rivers in Dweh Loh Township, and documents abuses related to extractive industry, specifically forced relocation and land confiscation."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-09-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 627.56 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in August 2011. The KHRG researcher interviewed Saw K---, a 30-year-old medic with the Backpack Health Worker Team (BPHWT), an organisation that provides health care and medical assistance to displaced civilians inside Burma. Saw K--- described witnessing a joint attack by Tatmadaw soldiers from three different battalions on a civilian settlement in Ma No Roh village tract, Te Naw Th?Ri Township, Tenasserim Division in January 2011. Saw K--- reported that mortars were fired into P--- village, causing residents and Saw K---, who was providing healthcare support in P--- village at that time, to flee. Saw K--- reported that Tatmadaw soldiers subsequently entered P--- village and burned down 17 houses, as well as rice barns and food stores belonging to villagers, before planting landmines in the village. According to Saw K---, the residents of P--- have not returned to their homes, and have been unable to coordinate to restart the school that was abandoned in P--- because most households now live at dispersed sites in the area."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-09-15
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 149.83 KB
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in August 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Papun District in January 2011 and human rights consequences for local communities. It contains updated information concerning Tatmadaw military activities and details the following human rights abuses: coordinated attacks on villages by Tatmadaw and Border Guard troops and the firing of mortars and small arms in civilian areas, resulting in displacement of the civilian population and the closure of two schools; the use of landmines by the Tatmadaw and non-state armed groups; and forced portering for the Tatmadaw and Tatmadaw Border Guards. The report also mentions government plans for a logging venture and the construction of a dam. Moreover, it documents villagers? responses to human rights concerns, including strategic displacement to avoid attacks and forced labour entailing physical security risks to civilians; advance preparation for strategic displacement in the event of Tatmadaw attacks; and seeking the protection of non-state armed groups against Tatmadaw attacks and other human rights threats."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-10-06
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 254.27 KB
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Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during August 2011 by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw T---, a 74 year-old Buddhist village head who described the planting of what he estimated to be about 100 landmines by government and non-state armed groups in the vicinity of his village. Saw T--- related ongoing instances of forced labour, specifically villagers forced to guide troops, porter military supplies and sweep for landmines, and described an incident in which two villagers stepped on landmines whilst being forced to serve as unpaid porters for Tatmadaw troops. He described a separate incident in which another villager stepped on and was killed by a landmine whilst fleeing from Border Guard soldiers who were attempting to force him to porter for one month. In both cases, victims? families received no compensation or opportunity for redress following their deaths. Saw T--- noted that landmines planted in agricultural areas have not been removed, rendering several hill fields unsafe to farm and resulting in the abandonment of crops. He illustrated the danger to villagers who travel to their agricultural workplaces by recounting an incident in which a villager?s buffalo was injured by a landmine. He further explained that villagers? livelihoods have been additionally undermined by frequent demands for food and by looting of villagers? food and animals. Saw T--- highlighted the fact that demands are backed by explicit threats of violence, recounting an instance when he was threatened for failing to comply quicky by a Tatmadaw officer who held a gun to his head. Saw T--- noted that villagers have responded to negative impacts on their food production capacity by performing job for daily wages and sharing food with others and, in response to the lack of health facilities in their community, travel over two hours by foot to the nearest clinic in another village."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2012-01-27
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in September 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in T?Nay Hsah Township, Pa?an District during September 2011. It details an incident in which a soldier from Tatmadaw Border Guard #1017 deliberately shot at villagers in a farm hut, resulting in the death of one civilian and injury to a six-year-old child. The report further details the subsequent concealment of this incident by Border Guard soldiers who placed an M16 rifle and ammunition next to the dead civilian and photographed his body, and ordered the local village head to corroborate their story that the dead man was a Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) soldier. The report also relates villagers? concerns regarding the use of landmines by both KNLA and Border Guard troops, which prevent villagers from freely accessing agricultural land and kill villagers? livestock and pets, and also relates an incident in September 2011 in which a villager was severely maimed when he stepped on a landmine that had been placed outside his farm."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
2011-11-03
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 218.05 KB
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Description: "For more than 60 years, Karen rebels have been fighting a civil war against the government of Myanmar...In February 1949, members of the Karen ethnic minority launched an armed insurrection against Myanmar?s central government. In pictures: Sixty years of war. Over 60 years later, the conflict continues, with more than a dozen ethnic rebel groups waging war against the army in their fight for self-rule. Now, the war is entering a new and bloody stage. Myanmar is the only regime still regularly planting anti-personnel mines. But it is not only the army that uses them. Rebel groups also regularly use homemade landmines or mines seized from the military. As the conflict escalates, civilians are trapped in the middle of some of the worst fighting in decades. 101 East travels to Myanmar, home to the world?s longest running civil war."
Source/publisher: Al Jazeera (101 East)
2011-08-11
Date of entry/update: 2011-12-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Karen (English sub-titles)
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Description: "The Myanmar Army (Tatmadaw) has used antipersonnel mines extensively throughout the long-running civil war. It appears that the army?s use of mines decreased significantly during 2009 and 2010, as the level of conflict with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) waned, and the army withdrew from many frontline bases where it previously laid mines. In one specific report of army use, in June 2009, Light Infantry Battalions 372 and 373 reportedly laid antipersonnel mines in the Saw Wa Der area, Taungoo district, in northern Karen (Kayin) state, which resulted in the death of a 20-year-old villager. Myanmar Defense Products Industries (Ka Pa Sa), a state enterprise at Ngyaung Chay Dauk in western Pegu (Bago) division, produces fragmentation and blast antipersonnel mines, including a non-detectable variety. Authorities in Myanmar have not provided any information on the types and quantities of stockpiled antipersonnel mines. Landmine Monitor has previously reported that, in addition to domestic production, Myanmar has obtained and used antipersonnel mines of Chinese, Indian, Italian, Soviet, United States, and unidentified manufacture. Myanmar is not known to have exported antipersonnel mines... Non-state armed groups: Many ethnic rebel organizations exist in Myanmar. At least 17 non-state armed groups (NSAGs) have used antipersonnel mines since 1999, however some of these groups have ceased to exist or no longer use mines..." ..... N.B. BURMESE TRANSLATION (MARCH 2011)
Source/publisher: Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor
2011-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2011-03-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
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Description: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "While the existing data available on landmine victims indicate that Burma/Myanmar1 faces one of the most severe landmine problems in the world today, little is known about the actual extent of the problem, the impact on affected populations, communities? mine action needs and how different actors can become more involved in mine action. The Government of Burma/Myanmar has prohibited almost all forms of mine action with the exception of a limited amount of prosthetic assistance to people with amputated limbs through general health programmes. Some Mine Risk Education (MRE) is also conducted in areas which are partly or fully under the control of armed non-State actors (NSAs) as is victim assistance and some survey work, however, without Government authorisation. Since starting operations in 2006, Geneva Call and DCA Mine Action, like other local and international actors wishing to undertake mine action, have been struggling to identify how best to do this in the limited humanitarian space available in Burma/Myanmar. Lack of Government permission to start mine action activities and difficult access to mine-affected areas are two of the main obstacles identified by these actors. In response to this apparent conflict between interest and opportunity, Geneva Call and DCA Mine Action decided to produce a report on the landmine problem in Burma/Myanmar, which would pay particular attention to what can be done to address the identified needs. The report is based on research carried out between June and September 2010. Thirty two different stakeholders in Burma/Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh and China were interviewed in order to better understand the current, medium- and long-term effects of the landmine problem on affected local communities and to identify possible mine action interventions. The problem with anti-personnel mines in Burma/ Myanmar originates from decades of armed conflict, which is still ongoing in some parts or the country. Anti-personnel mines are still being used today by the armed forces of the Government of Burma/ Myanmar (the Tatmadaw), by various non-State actors (NSAs), as well as by businessmen and villagers. Ten out of Burma/Myanmar?s 14 States and Divisions are mine contaminated. The eastern States and Divisions bordering Thailand are particularly contaminated with mines. Some areas bordering Bangladesh and China are also mined, and mine accidents have occurred there. An estimated five million people live in townships that contain mine-contaminated areas, and are in need of Mine Risk Education (MRE) to reduce risky behaviour, and victim assistance for those already injured. With estimates of mine victim numbers still unclear due to a lack of reliable data, the report finds that a significant proportion of the children affected in landmine accidents in NSA areas are child soldiers. In Karenni/Kaya State every second child is a child soldier; in Karen/Kayin State every fourth child is a child soldier. The Government?s refusal to grant permission for mine action activities and the ongoing conflict have left no real space for humanitarian demining in Burma/Myanmar. However, some demining activities are being undertaken by the Tatmadaw and by NSAs, although it is unclear whether these activities should be regarded as military or humanitarian demining. Similarly, the complicated domestic situation only leaves limited space for implementing comprehensive surveys. Those surveys that have been carried out by Community Based Organizations (CBO), show significant mine contamination. However such surveys can only be an indicator of the reality on the ground as they are limited in geographical scope. At present, local CBOs and national NGOs have better access to mined areas than the UN and international NGOs. However, CBOs and national NGO mine action activities are limited to MRE and victim assistance-related activities because of the Government restrictions placed on other forms of mine action. These activities are only conducted on a discreet level ? MRE is provided under general Risk Reduction or health programmes while victim assistance falls under general disability assistance programmes. A national ban on anti-personnel mines and a ban by the major NSA users of landmines do not seem to be realistic in the near future. Nevertheless, the success of local/regional bans on anti-personnel mines, especially in the western part of Burma/Myanmar could serve as an inspiration and a positive harbinger of progress for this country marred by decades of internal strife and war."
Source/publisher: Geneva Call, DCA Mine Action
2011-01-00
Date of entry/update: 2011-02-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.48 MB
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Description: Mine Ban Policy; Casualties and Victim Assistance; Cluster Munition Ban Policy; Support for Mine Action; Mine Action; Complete Profile.
Source/publisher: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor (2 October 2012 update)
2012-10-02
Date of entry/update: 2010-12-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "In a span of just four days at the end of March 2010, two civilians from Wo--- village were injured by landmines while engaging in regular livelihoods activities outside their village in southern Toungoo District. In both cases, fellow community members assisted the injured villagers, carrying them to the nearest medical facility, nearly two hours away on foot. These incidents illustrate the risks mines pose to communities and local livelihoods in southern Toungoo. Local villagers believe risks from the continued deployment of landmines around their villages, agricultural projects and other areas essential to civilian livelihoods are exacerbated by lack of access to information about mined areas."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG #2010-B10)
2010-10-22
Date of entry/update: 2010-10-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 368.67 KB
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Description: "Modern mine warfare began in 1969, and over the past thirty years mine pollution has increased greatly. Today mines are being laid on a near daily basis by both government forces and several armed ethnic groups. The military government of Burma, formerly known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), now calls itself the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)."
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines
1999-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2010-07-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Key developments March 1999-May 2000: Government forces and at least ten ethnic armed groups continue to lay antipersonnel landmines in significant numbers. Landmine Monitor estimates there were approximately 1,500 new mine victims in 1999. The Committee Representing the People?s Parliament endorsed the Mine Ban Treaty in January 2000." Includes chart of Ethnic Political Organizations with Armed Wings in Burma.
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
2000-08-00
Date of entry/update: 2010-07-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
Format : pdf
Size: 199.82 KB
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Description: Mine Ban Treaty status: Not a State Party... Use: Government and NSAG use continued in 2007 and 2008.... Stockpile: Unknown... Contamination: Antipersonnel and antivehicle mines, ERW... Estimated area of contamination: Extensive... Demining progress in 2007: None reported... Mine/ERW casualties in 2007: Total: 438 (2006: 243); Mines: 409 (2006: 232); Unknown: 29 (2006: 11)... Casualty analysis: Killed: 47 (2006: 20); Injured: 338 (2006: 223); Unknown: 53 (2006: 0)... Estimated mine/ERW survvors: Unknown, but substantial... RE capacity: Unchanged�inadequate... Availability of services in 2007: Inadequate... Funding in 2007: International: $185,000 (2006: none reported)... Key developments since May 2007: 2007 saw a very substantial increase in reported casualties, despite government claims of reduced conflict. ICRC support of government rehabilitation centers was suspended.
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
2008-11-21
Date of entry/update: 2010-07-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
Format : pdf
Size: 1.25 MB
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Description: "Key developments since May 2005: Both the military junta and non-state armed groups have continued to use antipersonnel mines extensively. The Myanmar Army has obtained, and is using an increasing number of antipersonnel mines of the United States M-14 design; manufacture and source of these non-detectable mines—whether foreign or domestic—is unknown. In November 2005, Military Heavy Industries reportedly began recruiting technicians for the production of the next generation of mines and other munitions. The non-state armed group, United Wa State Army, is allegedly producing PMN-type antipersonnel mines at an arms factory formerly belonging to the Burma Communist Party. In October 2005, the military junta made its first public statement on a landmine ban since 1999. There were at least 231 new mine casualties in 2005. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-France closed its medical assistance program and withdrew from Burma, due to restrictions imposed by the authorities."
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
2006-10-00
Date of entry/update: 2010-07-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
Format : pdf
Size: 891.8 KB
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Description: Landmines are a threat to life and limb in Karen State... "The victims face a future without an arm or a leg, or with just one eye if they have not been blinded for life. Some try to sleep, groaning when they roll over. Others sit up and talk with relatives, trying to come to terms with the disability that will afflict them for the rest of their lives. These are the victims of landmines who have been lucky enough to make it to Mae Sot General Hospital, near the Thai-Burmese border in Thailandâ�?„?s Tak Province. a 23-year-old KNla soldier, Saw Naing Naing, lost his right eye and both hands in a landmine explosion. (Photo: Alex Ellgee/The Irrawaddy) Formerly enemies on the battlefield, soldiers from both the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) who were injured during three weeks of clashes in the KNLA Brigade 7 area in June now find themselves lying in adjacent beds in this small district hospital..."
Creator/author: Saw Yan Naing
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" Vol. 17, No. 5
2009-08-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-12-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "...Throughout 2008, the HRDU documented a total of at least 28 deaths and a further 64 injuries occurring through explosions and explosive devices in Burma. Each of these incidents is described in detail over the following pages. However, it must be noted here, as elsewhere throughout the Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2008, that while these figures are high, the HRDU believes that they are still quite conservative and that the number of fatalities arising from exposure to landmines and other explosive devices in Burma is higher than that reported..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Docmentation Unit (HRDU)
2009-11-23
Date of entry/update: 2009-12-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.17 MB
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Description: "...SPDC control of Thaton District is fully consolidated, aided by the DKBA and a variety of other civilian and parastatal organisations. These forces are responsible for perpetrating a variety of exploitative abuses, which include a litany of demands for ?taxation? and provision of resources, as well as forced labour on development projects and forced recruitment into the DKBA. Villagers also report ongoing abuses related to SPDC and DKBA ?counter insurgency? efforts, including the placement of unmarked landmines in civilian areas, conscription of people as porters and ?human minesweepers? and harassment and violent abuse of alleged KNLA supporters. This report includes information on abuses during the period of April to October 2009..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Reports (KHRG #2009-F20)
2009-11-25
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "...The technical mine information below was obtained from KNLA sources and was current as of early 1994, though it is apparently still current. The notes regarding effect on civilians are mainly from KHRG observations. Abbreviations: SLORC = State Law & Order Restoration Council, the junta ruling Burma; KNLA = Karen National Liberation Army, the Karen resistance force; DKBA = Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army, a Karen faction allied with SLORC..." "...The most common landmine used is the American M-76, of which the Burmese now manufacture their own copies. Almost all of these found used to be American-made, but now more are the Burmese copies. They are the "classic" landmine design, made of heavy-duty metal, cylindrical, about 2" diameter and 4-5" high, with a screw-in top the diameter of a pencil which extends a couple of inches above the body of the mine - this screw-in top is surmounted by a plunger the size of a pencil eraser which is what sets off the mine. The safety pin goes through the plunger, and can be used to rig a tripwire. However, most common use is to bury the mine with only the plunger above ground, generally hidden by leaf litter. The body of the mine is Army green, stencilled with yellow lettering: for example "LTM-76 A.P. MINE / DI-LOT 48/84" (copied off a recovered SLORC mine). "A.P." means Anti-Personnel. This mine is designed to kill or maim people. The person who steps on it is almost certainly killed, and anyone in a 5-metre radius is wounded..." These informal notes were prepared in response for specific requests for information on landmine use. They are not intended to present a complete picture of landmine use.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG Articles & Papers)
1996-03-31
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Ten-Year Summary" "The Union of Myanmar has remained outside efforts to ban antipersonnel mines. Government forces and armed ethnic groups have used antipersonnel mines regularly and extensively throughout the last decade. Between 2003 and 2007, six insurgent groups agreed to ban antipersonnel mines. Myanmar remains one of the few countries still producing antipersonnel mines. Continuing hostilities between the Myanmar government and ethnic minority armed opposition groups have increased mine contamination, but political conditions have not permitted any humanitarian mine clearance program. The precise extent of mine or explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination, although significant, remains unknown. Landmine Monitor identified 2,325 casualties (175 killed, 2002 injured, and 148 unknown) from 1999 to 2008. Despite this high level of casualties, mine/ERW risk education was either non-existent or inadequate in areas with reported casualties. Assistance to mine/ERW survivors and persons with disabilities in Myanmar is marginal due to many years of neglect of healthcare services by the ruling authority. Myanmar governing authorities have not developed a victim assistance program or strategy..."
Source/publisher: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
2009-11-10
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
Format : pdf
Size: 428.21 KB
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Description: "SPDC abuses against civilians continue in northern Karen State, especially in Lu Thaw township of Papun District. Because these villagers live within non-SPDC-controlled "black areas", the SPDC believes it has justification to attack IDP hiding sites and destroy civilian crops, cattle and property. These attacks, combined with the SPDC and KNLA?s continued use of landmines, have caused dozens of injuries and deaths in Papun District alone. Such attacks target the fabric of Karen society, breaking up communities and compromising the educations of Karen youth. In spite of these hardships, the local villagers continue to be resourceful in providing security for their families and education for their children. This report covers events in Papun District from May to July 2008..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Reports (KHRG #2008-F12)
2008-08-22
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "The DKBA has intensified operations across much of eastern Pa?an and north-eastern Dooplaya districts since it renewed its forced recruitment drive in Pa?an District in August 2008. These operations have included forced relocations of civilians, a new round of forced conscription and attacks on villages. The DKBA has also pushed forward in its attacks on KNLA positions in both districts in an apparent effort to eradicate the remaining KNLA presence and wrest control of lucrative natural resources and taxation points in the lead up to the 2010 elections. Skirmishes between DKBA, SPDC and KNLA forces have thus continued throughout this period. Local villagers have faced heightened insecurity in connection with the ongoing conflict. DKBA, SPDC and KNLA forces all continue to deploy landmines in the area and DKBA forces have fined or otherwise punished local villagers for attacks by KNLA soldiers. This report documents incidents of abuse in Dooplaya and Pa?an districts from August 2008 to February 2009..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Reports (KHRG #2009-F3)
2009-02-06
Date of entry/update: 2009-10-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Data compiled by Landmine Monitor. This map does not indicate how extensive mine pollution is in any indicated Township. Explosive symbol denotes townships in which antipersonnel mines have claimed casualties between 1 January 2007 to 1 June 2009. All other data 1 January 2008 to 1 June 2009.
Source/publisher: MIMU, Landmine Monitor/ International Campaign to Ban Landmines (Map ID/မြေပုံ အမှတ်- MIMU195v01)
2009-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2009-07-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
Format : pdf
Size: 489.16 KB
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Description: BURMA LANDMINE ISSUE 2009: UN Security Council - act now!...Understand us...KNU LANDMINE POLICY...Mine incidents rise...Landmine deaths double...Pizza-oven helps mine victims walk...Worried about mines, but who will feed us?...How to help -- when there's no doctor...Ranger's deliver aid...No place to call home...Landmines show no mercy...Once were enemies...More attacks - more landmines...Uncle Maw Keh offers hope to landmine victims...Burma's Killing Fields...Lucky to be alive...
Source/publisher: Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP)
2008-12-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-03-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.99 MB
Local URL:
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Description: SPECIAL ISSUE ON LANDMINES:- Burma's Landmine Tragedy...EDITORIAL: Landmines have no friends...Human mine sweepers...Beaten, starved and forced through mine fields...Explosive Nightmares...Reducing the risk of landmine injury...Beware landmines!...Avoid the following places...KNU landmine policy...Landmine Monitor Report 2006...Where's there no doctor — treating a landmine victim...Soldiers destroy village life...Landmines — a chronic emergency...Mines are deadly!...Landmines are never safe...Villagers used to clear mines...Clear Path offers help...Landmines — everyone suffers
Source/publisher: Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP)
2007-03-00
Date of entry/update: 2009-03-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.91 MB
Local URL:
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Description: "Burma/Myanmar has suffered from two decades of mine warfare by both the State Peace and Development Council and ethnic-based insurgents. There are no humanitarian demining programmes within the country. It is no surprise that those states in Burma/Myanmar with the most mine pollution are the highest IDP- and refugee-producing states. Antipersonnel mines planted by both government forces and ethnic armed groups injure and kill not only enemy combatants but also their own troops, civilians and animals. There is no systematic marking of mined areas. Mines are laid close to areas of civilian activity; many injuries occur within half a kilometre of village centres. Although combatants have repeatedly said that they give ‘verbal warnings? to civilians living near areas which they mine, no civilian mine survivor interviewed by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines reported having had verbal warnings..."
Creator/author: Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan
Source/publisher: "Forced Migration Review" No. 30
2008-04-22
Date of entry/update: 2008-11-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Burmese
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