Freedom of Movement, violations of in Burma/Myanmar

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Title: Myanmar security forces surround striking rail workers; U.N. fails to condemn coup
Description: "Myanmar security forces surrounded the staff compound of striking railway workers opposed to the military junta on Wednesday as ousted lawmakers appointed an acting vice president to take over the duties of detained politicians. In New York, the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called for restraint by the military and threatened to consider “further measures.” Talks on the statement would likely continue, diplomats said, after China, Russia, India and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday to a British draft, including removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action. The railway staff in Yangon are part of a civil disobedience movement that has crippled government business and included strikes at banks, factories and shops since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a coup on Feb. 1. Security forces have cracked down with increasing force on daily, nationwide protests, leaving the Southeast Asian nation in turmoil. More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested since the coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group, has said. Footage posted on social media showed security forces near the railway staff compound. One person involved in the strike said by telephone they feared an imminent crackdown. “I think they are going to arrest us. Please help us,” said the person, who asked to be identified only as Ma Su rather than their full name. In a Facebook live broadcast from the area people chanted: “Are we staff united? Yes, we are united” and a commentator claimed police were trying to remove barricades and threatening to shoot. Details could not be independently verified. Police and army officials did not respond to requests for comment..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-10
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Title: Second death of official from Aung San Suu Kyi's party raises fears of Myanmar military detention
Description: "An official from ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party has died in custody following alleged torture, the second such death while in detention of junta forces this week, according to a watchdog group. The deaths have raised concerns about the condition and treatment detainees are receiving in detention. Since the military seized power in a coup on February 1, security forces quickly moved to stifle dissent and arrested government officials, protesters, journalists, civil servants and NGO workers, and repressed independent media. Many people have been taken arbitrarily in nighttime raids and their families do not know where their loved ones are, or what condition they are in, the United Nations said. Human Rights Watch said that people who are forcibly disappeared are more likely to be subjected to torture or ill-treatment than others arrested. The National League for Democracy's (NLD) Zaw Myat Lynn died in custody on Tuesday after he was arrested in the biggest city Yangon, Reuters reported, citing ousted parliamentarian Ba Myo Thein. Watchdog group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) released a statement saying "Zaw Myat Lynn, who was head of an educational institute, was announced dead today from injuries consistent with torture following an arbitrary nighttime raid." The exact cause of death is still unknown but AAPP added Zaw Myat Lynn was subjected to beatings. Shortly before his arrest, Zaw Myat Lynn posted a livestream on Facebook in which he said, "I want to encourage all citizens across the country that we will be protesting day and night for 24 hours against the dictatorship." He urged people to continue fighting the army, saying "we will risk our lives to defeat them." "We are showing to the international communities including UN and other agencies that we, citizens of Myanmar want democracy and we value democracy as the most precious thing in our lives," he said. It follows the death of a Yangon NLD party chairman Khin Maung Latt, who died while in custody on Saturday. "On the night of his arrest, Khin Maung Latt was tortured to death in his cell," AAPP said in a news release. Reports of bruising to Khin Maung Latt's head and body raised suspicions he had been abused, NLD lawmaker Ba Myo Thein told Reuters. CNN cannot independently verify this reporting and the details surrounding the deaths of Zaw Myat Lynn and Khin Maung Latt's are not immediately clear..."
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Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-10
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Title: At least three killed as anti-coup protesters wave women’s clothing in defiance of military misogyny
Sub-title: After over a month of daily protests, anti-coup demonstrators continued to adapt with creative tactics in response to military’s campaign of terror
Description: "The Myanmar military continued to terrorize peaceful anti-coup demonstrators with lethal force across the country on Monday, killing at least three protesters and severely injuring many others. The attacks came after soldiers and police came out in force in Yangon on Sunday night in anticipation of another day of mass protests. Security forces stationed themselves inside hospitals, pagoda compounds and universities in Yangon and other major cities. Gunfire and stun grenade explosions were heard at night in numerous Yangon townships in what appeared to be a bid to terrorize the city’s population. But anti-military demonstrators still took to the streets on Monday morning, rallying around yet another call for a general strike, this time to coincide with International Women’s Day. At a women-led anti-coup demonstration in Sanchaung township, protesters used htameins as flags. Many superstitious soldiers believe that walking beneath the sarong-like garment - or anything else worn by a woman below the waist - diminishes a man’s power. Protesters have been hanging htameins above roads to delay the advance of security forces, a strategy that uses the military’s own misogyny against them. At many protest sites in Yangon, security forces broke up demonstrations using teargas and stun grenades. Protesters once again avoided confrontations with a cat and mouse strategy, retreating when security forces approached but gathering again whenever they had the chance. Elsewhere in Myanmar, things were more violent. Two were shot dead by security forces in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina, residents and a protest organizer said. The two victims have been identified as 63-year-old Ko Ko Lay, also known as Cho Tha, and 23-year-old Zin Min Htet. They were both shot in the head. Security forces also used stun grenades and tear gas while attacking protesters in front of the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic church. “They died on the scene in front of the church. Both of their heads were crushed by bullets,” the protest organizer told Myanmar Now. The funeral for Ko Ko Lay will be held on Sunday afternoon in accordance with Islamic tradition, while Zin Min Htet’s body was brought to his house, said Lamai Gum Ja from the Peace-talk Creation Group, a local volunteer organization. At least ten people were arrested and five severely injured in the attack, he added..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-09
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Title: Myanmar: military revokes licences of five media outlets in blow to press freedom
Sub-title: The outlets have reported extensively on protests over the coup over recent weeks, as well as the brutal response by the security forces
Description: "Myanmar’s military junta has revoked the licences of five media outlets as it seeks to clampdown on independent coverage of anti-coup protests, a major blow to press freedom in the country. Mizzima, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), Khit Thit Media, Myanmar Now and 7Day News have each been ordered to close, according to an announcement on state broadcaster MRTV. It said the companies were “no longer allowed to broadcast or write or give information by using any kind of media platform or using any media technology.” The outlets have reported extensively on protests over the coup over recent weeks, as well as the brutal response by the security forces. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets to call for the military to hand power back to the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Police and troops have responded with lethal force, killing more than 50 people. Rights experts warn the military has adopted a “shoot to kill” approach. On Monday evening, before the junta announced it was to ban several media companies, soldiers and police raided the headquarters of Myanmar Now, a news outlet that scrutinises the Tatmadaw, or military, seizing computers, part of the newsroom’s data server and other equipment. The offices were evacuated as a precautionary measure on 28 January as talk of a possible coup intensified and were empty at the time, a representative said. Nearly 1,800 people have been detained during army crackdowns, including dozens of journalists. In one disturbing video shared last week, Kaung Myat Hlaing, a journalist working for DVB in the southern city of Myeik, filmed from his balcony as security forces surrounded his apartment, shouting for him to come down. What sounds like gunfire can be heard in the background. He calls out, urging his neighbours to help him. DVB later confirmed he had been detained. Six journalists, including the Associated Press photojournalist Thein Zaw, have been charged with violating a public order law for covering the coup. They could be imprisoned for up to three years. DVB said it was not surprised by the cancellation of its licence, adding that it would continue broadcasting on satellite TV and online. “We worry for the safety of our reporters and our staff, but in the current uprising, the whole country has become the citizens’ journalists and there is no way for military authorities to shut the information flow,” executive director Aye Chan Naing told Associated Press. Since the coup, protesters have flooded social media with footage from protests, and used Facebook Live to document military crackdowns on peaceful demonstrators. The junta attempted to block social media early in February, but many have evaded the restrictions by using virtual private networks (VPNs). At night, however, when the military conducts raids of homes, the junta routinely imposes a nationwide internet shutdown. On Monday night, security forces blocked around 200 people from leaving a four-street area in Sanchaung township in the country’s largest city, Yangon, according to the UN rights office. The Associated Press reported that door-to-door searches were carried out, with police searching for protesters who had sought shelter in the buildings. Protesters have since been allowed to leave the area. A rights group told Reuters about 50 people had been arrested in Sanchaung after police searched houses, though checks were still being made. While the protesters were trapped, the UN secretary general, António Guterres had called for their release “without violence or arrests”. Guterres’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said the secretary general had been following the developments “very closely”, particularly in the township “where hundreds of peaceful protesters have been barricaded inside residential apartment complexes for hours”. Sharp loud bangs had been heard coming from the area, according to an AFP reporter, although it was not immediately clear if the sounds were caused by gunfire or stun grenades. Repeated screaming was audible in a live Facebook stream. Guterres also called the occupation of a number of public hospitals in Myanmar by security forces “completely unacceptable,” the UN spokesperson said..."
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Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-09
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Title: Myanmar: Urgently Investigate NLD Official’s Death in Custody
Sub-title: Immediately Produce Another NLD Official’s Forcibly Disappeared Father
Description: "Myanmar’s junta should promptly and impartially investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the torture and death in custody of a National League for Democracy (NLD) official, Human Rights Watch said today. The junta should also urgently produce U Peter, the forcibly disappeared father of an NLD elected official and all others “disappeared” since the February 1, 2021, coup. On the evening of March 6, 2021, witnesses saw soldiers and police arrive at the home of Khin Maung Latt, 58, a ward chairman in Pabedan township in downtown Yangon. After forcibly entering his home, the security forces beat and kicked Khin Maung Latt in front of his family, then took him away at gunpoint. The next morning, Khin Maung Latt’s family recovered his body from a hospital after notification by the authorities. The body had severe wounds to the hands and back and was covered in a bloody shroud, a witness said. “Myanmar’s junta runs the security forces and can quickly find out who killed Khin Maung Latt if they want to,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “If they want to show they believe in the rule of law, all those responsible should be held to account. Sadly, Myanmar’s security forces seem intent on using nighttime raids and brutal mistreatment to create fear and break popular resistance to military rule.” A witness told Human Rights Watch that at 9:15 p.m., four military trucks arrived and stationed themselves on Anawrahta Road between 29th and 30th streets. Soldiers identified as being from the 77th Light Infantry Division lined up on 30th Street, where Khin Maung Latt lived, while others stood on 29th Street. Between 9:15 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., 15 gunshots were heard, the witness said. All the military trucks left at 11 p.m. The authorities informed Khin Maung Latt’s family around 7:30 a.m. on March 7 that they should retrieve his body from the Mingladon military hospital. A member of the Muslim community who helped prepare Khin Maung Latt’s body for a Muslim burial said there were deep wounds on his back and hands consistent with torture..."
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-09
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Title: What could make Myanmar's military junta back off?
Description: "With live fire being deployed on a widespread basis in Myanmar since a military coup on February 1, the generals who seized power have lived up to fears that they would resort to lethal force against their own citizens. Early restraint in the face of peaceful protesters has been replaced with bullets, and security forces have killed more than 50 people to date. Several victims were killed by shots to the head -- a sign that the troops were shooting to kill as part of their intensifying crackdown that also has included curfews and nightly internet shutdowns, armored vehicles and armed troops on the streets and draconian laws limiting freedom of speech and assembly. Predictably, the coup and the violence against unarmed civilians triggered international condemnation, new sanctions by the US, the UK and Canada and threats of sanctions from the European Union. But statements like these have done little more than highlight just how limited the world's diplomatic arsenal is against crises of this nature -- especially when most governments are battling the Covid-19 pandemic or trying to revive their sagging economies and Myanmar's military leaders seem not to care about returning their country to pariahdom. "The army in Myanmar has a long track record of not listening to the outside world, not caring what people think, simply living off, in a vicarious way, the isolation that is then imposed," Southeast Asia expert Michael Vatikiotis told me. Indeed, it is hard to see how international opprobrium or even sanctions -- a blunt and controversial tool with a limited record of success -- are likely to convince the generals to release the government leaders they're detaining and accept that the military lost last November's election. Nor are measures against the military likely to get backing from China and Russia, which have taken a softer line to responding to the coup. So is there anything that could persuade the generals to back down? Myanmar is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the political bloc that probably has the most influence over the generals. So far the bloc has failed to unite behind a strong call of action, but it's high time it did. If member countries such as Thailand begin to see a flood of refugees, transforming the unrest into a regional crisis, that could force ASEAN to relax its policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states and take a strong stance against the junta -- something it should do nonetheless for the sake of ASEAN's own credibility..."
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: 7 March 2021 Daily Briefing, Detention and Fatality Lists in Relation to Military Coup
Description: "The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) pays respect to the heroes who sacrificed their lives and liberty to fight for democracy, human rights and dictatorship to an end. Up until now, more than (54) people have been killed due to the violent and arbitrary crackdowns. As of March 7, a total of (1790) people have been arrested, charged or sentenced in relation to the attempted military coup on February 1. Of them, (3) were convicted; (2) to two years imprisonment, (1) to three months. (70) have been charged with a warrant and are evading arrest, (318) were released. A total of (1472) are still under detention or have outstanding charges/evading arrest, including the (3) sentenced. In today’s detainee list, we received and documented the names of (17) people. However, more than 100 protestors including students and youths were arrested during the crackdown across the country today. We will continue to investigate these and make appropriate announcements when. After brutal crackdowns on peaceful protests yesterday by the police and military, brutal acts continued into the night, raids into residential areas and homes, gunfire, and unlawful search and detentions. Some NLD members were targeted last night, these detentions are to deprive communities and protests of coordination and leadership. Last night, police and military raided the homes of NLD members in Pabedan Township, Rangoon, breaking down doors, opening fire at people looking out their apartments. The raids targeted the home of Khin Maung Latt, chair of the NLD party in Ward (7) in Pabedan Township who was found and detained. On the night of his arrest, Khin Maung Latt was tortured to death in his cell. They searched the home of Maung Maung, information officer of Pabedan Township NLD, but could not find him so they attacked his younger brother and put in a prone position. They searched the home of lawyer Maung Maung, vice chair of NLD Pabedan Township and took his phone and other material. Also detained were two sons of Thein Oo, vice chair of NLD Dagon Township, because they could not find Thein Oo. In Monywa, Sagaing, today they also arrested the wife of activist Nay Myo who they could not find. In Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, Ko Ko Lwin, treasurer of NLD Monywa Township was arrested last night. Such violently beatings of arrests and torture are beyond brutal and inhumane, they are also intentional. Tortures is prohibited across the world, however, torture to achieve confession is allowed in Burma right now. The Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment was encated to protect detainees and convicts, yet the military junta does not follow and respect any domestic and international laws and allows its troops to commit human rights violations. We strongly condemn the death of Khin Maung Latt, chair of the NLD party in Ward (7) in Pabedan Township, as well as the hostage taking of family members, this is terrorism. Today protests in Taikkyi, Tharkayta, South Okkalapa, Tamwe, Dagon Myothit (North), Mayangone, Sanchaung, Shwe Pyi Thar, Insein Townships in Yangon Region, Yay in Mon State, Magway, Pakokku Townships in Magway Region, Loikaw Township in Kayah State, Mandalay City, Myingyan, and Bagan Township in Mandalay Region, Lashio, Shan State, and Pathein Township, Ayeyarwady Region were brutally suppressed. Especially in Bagan, which is an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Burma. Near the Bagan New Town market, one protester was shot and injured and 6 protesters were arrested during the crackdown by the junta’s forces. Around 10 protestors in Sanchaung township and at least 20 peaceful protestors were arrested, and another one was hit with four rubber bullets in South Okkalapa Township. 50 peaceful protestors, including two women were arrested and some injured in Taikkyi Township. two peaceful protestors were injured and another one was arrested in Pathein township. Six peaceful protestors were arrested in Mawlamyaing Gyunn Township. Some peaceful protestors were arrested in Loikaw and Mandalay. One peaceful protestor was injured in Myingyan. Two were injured in Loikaw..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-03-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: China says willing to engage with all parties to ease Myanmar situation
Description: "China is willing to engage with “all parties” to ease the crisis in neighbouring Myanmar and is not taking sides, the Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said on Sunday. Beijing has said the situation in Myanmar, where the military seized power last month, was “absolutely not what China wants to see” and has dismissed social media rumours of Chinese involvement in the coup as nonsense. “China is ... willing to contact and communicate with all parties on the basis of respecting Myanmar’s sovereignty and the will of the people, so as to play a constructive role in easing tensions,” Wang told a news conference on the sidelines of China’s annual gathering of parliament. While Western countries have strongly condemned the Feb. 1 coup, China has been more cautious, emphasising the importance of stability. China nonetheless agreed to a United Nations Security Council statement that called for the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other detainees and voiced concern over the state of emergency. “China has long-term friendly exchanges with all parties and factions in Myanmar, including the National League for Democracy (NLD), and friendship with China has always been the consensus of all sectors in Myanmar,” Wang said. The NLD is Suu Kyi’s party. Its landslide November victory in national elections has been ignored by the junta. “No matter how the situation in Myanmar changes, China’s determination to promote China-Myanmar relations will not waver, and China’s direction of promoting China-Myanmar friendly cooperation will not change,” Wang said. On Saturday, an Israeli-Canadian lobbyist hired by Myanmar’s junta told Reuters that the generals are keen to leave politics after their coup and seek to improve relations with the United States and distance themselves from China. Some of the protests against the coup, which have drawn hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets, have taken place outside the Chinese embassy in Yangon, with protesters accusing Beijing of supporting the junta..."
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Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-08
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Title: Myanmar military occupies hospitals and universities ahead of mass strike
Description: "Troops in Myanmar have occupied hospitals and university campuses, and ramped up nighttime raids ahead of a nationwide strike to protest against the military coup, according to local media reports. It's the latest move by the military junta, which seized power on February 1, to consolidate its control of the country in the face of mass protests and resistance to its increasingly violent rule. More than 54 people have died in crackdowns on protests, including many teenagers and young people, according to the United Nations. In many districts of the biggest city, Yangon, on Saturday and Sunday, witnesses reported sounds of gunfire and stun grenades. Terrified residents watched and filmed as security forces raided residential areas in the city and made several nighttime arrests. Residents told Reuters police fired shots and did not give reasons for the arrests, which continued into the early hours of Sunday. One of those detained in the raids Saturday was a party official from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD). Khin Maung Latt died while in custody, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and Reuters. "On the night of his arrest, Khin Maung Latt was tortured to death in his cell," AAPP said in a news release Sunday. Reports of bruising to Khin Maung Latt's head and body raised suspicions he had been abused, NLD lawmaker Ba Myo Thein told Reuters. CNN cannot independently verify this reporting and the details surrounding Khin Maung Latt's death are not immediately clear. Khin Maung Latt had worked as a campaign manager for one of two Muslim lawmakers elected in 2020. Mourners gathered for his funeral on Sunday in Yangon..."
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Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-08
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Title: Myanmar: End Lethal Force Against Protesters
Sub-title: UN Security Council Should Impose Targeted Sanctions, Arms Embargo
Description: "Myanmar’s military junta should order its security forces to end the use of excessive and lethal force against largely peaceful protesters, Human Rights Watch said today. On March 3, 2021, security forces fired live rounds at protesters, killing at least 38 and wounding more than 100 at demonstrations across the country, the United Nations reported. One of the deadliest incidents took place in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, where security forces opened fire on largely peaceful protesters. Security forces fired on some protesters as they attempted to rescue an injured man. Earlier in the day, police detained and brutally beat medical workers. Human Rights Watch reviewed an incident in which a man in custody appears to be shot in the back. “Myanmar’s security forces now seem intent on breaking the back of the anti-coup movement through wanton violence and sheer brutality,” said Richard Weir, crisis and conflict researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The use of lethal force against protesters rescuing others demonstrates how little the security forces fear being held to account for their actions.” At a March 3 briefing, the United Nations special envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, reported that 38 people had been killed during the day’s violence, bringing the tally of those killed since the protests began a month ago to more than 50. At least four of those killed were children, according to Save the Children. Through the analysis of 12 videos and 15 photographs, Human Rights Watch documented three incidents in which security forces apparently used live fire against protesters along the Thudhamma Road in Yangon on March 3. In a Facebook live video posted on March 3, Human Rights Watch identified a line of at least five military vehicles positioned on the overpass road that merges into the Airport Road near Okkala Thiri Park on Thudhamma Road. The video shows hundreds of protesters shielding and taking shelter from ongoing gunfire coming from the direction of the overpass..."
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-04
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Title: ၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခွဲးယာ်အတၢ်ဟူးတၢ်ဂဲၤတဖၣ်သးစၢ်တဖၣ်ကပၣ်ဃုာ်အါထီၣ်အဂီၢ် KHRG ဟ့ၣ်သဆၣ်ထီၣ်၀ဲ
Description: "ၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခွဲးယာ်အတၢ်ဟူးတၢ်ဂဲၤတဖၣ်အပူၤသူၣ်ဘီၣ်သးစၢ်တဖၣ် ကဟူးဂဲၤပၣ်ဃုာ်အါထီၣ်၀ဲအဂီၢ် လိၣ်၀ဲအဂ့ၢ်န့ၣ် ကညီၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခွဲးယာ်ကရူၢ် KHRG ဟ့ၣ်သဆၣ်ထီၣ်၀ဲ ဖဲလါဒံၣ်စ့ဘၢၣ် ၁၀ သီလၢအလီၤဘၣ်၀ဲ ဟီၣ်ခိၣ်ဒီဘ့ၣ်ၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီ ခွဲးယာ်အမုၢ်နံၤအံၤန့ၣ်လီၤႉ ကီၢ်ပယီၤပူၤန့ၣ်တုၤလၢအခဲအံၤ တၢ်မၤကမၣ်၀ဲၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခွဲးယာ်တဖၣ် ဆဲးအိၣ်ဒံး၀ဲဒီးႇ လၢၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခွဲးယာ်တၢ်တုၤသိး ထဲသိးအဂီၢ် တတုၤထီၣ်ထီၣ်ဘးဒံးဘၣ်အဃိႇသူၣ်ဘီၣ်သးစၢ်တဖၣ်ကဘၣ်ဟူးဂဲၤပၣ်ဃုာ်အါထီၣ်အဂီၢ်လိၣ်၀ဲအဂ့ၢ်န့ၣ် ကညီၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခဲွးယာ်ကရူၢ် ဟ့ၣ်သဆၣ်ထီၣ်၀ဲဖဲ တၢ်မၤလၤကပီၤ၀ဲ ၦၤဂ့ၢ်၀ီခွဲးယာ်အမုၢ်နံၤဖဲဒူသထူၣ်ကီၢ်ရ့ၣ်ႇ ဘံလ့ကီၢ်ဆၣ်ကွံလ့သ၀ီအပူၤန့ၣ်လီၤႉ..."
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Source/publisher: KIC (Karen Information Center)
Date of publication: 2020-01-02
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Promote press freedom, and end reprisals against Development Media Group
Description: "The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the harassment of the Development Media Group (DMG) and its Chief Editor, Aung Marm Oo. We call on the authorities of Myanmar to put an end to the reprisals against DMG, and take all steps necessary to promote press freedom in the country. DMG is an outspoken, independent media outlet that covers sensitive issues in Rakhine State, including human rights violations and alleged abuses by the state perpetrators. On 1 May 2019, Aung Marm Oo, Chief Editor of the DMG, was charged under Section 17 (2) of the Unlawful Association Act, which prohibits the ‘the management or promotion or assistance of an unlawful association.’ If found guilty, Aung Marm Oo may be sentenced for up to five years in prison, as well as a fine. Five months since charges were filed, authorities have yet to formally clarify for the prosecution of DMG and relevant persons.[1] The law itself is vaguely formulated and contains ambiguous provisions to enable it to be used to stifle media organisations and human rights defenders, who report on armed conflict. The authorities have also delayed the issuing of licenses for the production of News Journal, DMG’s bi-monthly publication, despite the DMG’s compliance with licensing requisites,[2] compromising its ability to provide much needed information to communities. Press and media freedom remain elusive in Myanmar. In past decades, journalists have been charged with a variety of repressive laws, covering issues such as defamation and trespassing, including by the use of Section 66 (D) of the Telecommunication Law. In early 2019, for example, the Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia faced defamation charges filed by the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military, following their reporting on military operations in Rakhine State. This has created a chilling effect among independent media, particularly those reporting on armed conflicts and human rights violations..."
Source/publisher: Forum-Asia (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2019-10-03
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: I Want to See a Burma Where We Accept Diversity: Student Leader and Former Political Prisoner Sithu Maung
Description: "The student movement has historically played a central role in the pro-democracy struggle in Burma. Sithu Maung, a 27-year-old university student is one of the many who have paid a heavy price for their involvement in the movement. Sithu Maung was arrested in 2007 for re-founding the outlawed All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), and for his role in leading the 2007 Saffron Revolution. In September 2007, Sithu Maung participated in the peaceful demonstrations with monks and other protestors, demanding to be allowed to form student unions and calling for democracy. Sithu Maung witnessed his fellow students being shot by the military, and although he escaped the crackdown, authorities soon found him. Sithu Maung was sentenced to 11 years in prison. After his release in the 2012 amnesty for political prisoners, Sithu Maung continued his political activities and founded the Confederation of University Students? Unions (CUSU), which has played an active role in the recent negotiations for democratic education and in promoting the students? rights in Burma. Sithu Maung applied to the NLD (National League for Democracy) to be a candidate in the upcoming 2015 general election, but his application, along with all Muslim candidates, was rejected. Sithu Maung now dreams of preparing himself to become a member of parliament one day and advocating for minority rights and dignity."
Source/publisher: Burma Link
Date of publication: 2015-10-02
Date of entry/update: 2016-03-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Papun Situation Update: Bu Tho Township, November 2011 to July 2012
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)
Date of publication: 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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Title: Nyaunglebin Situation Update: Moo Township, June to November 2012
Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in November 2012 by a community member describing events occurring in Nyaunglebin District, during the period between June and November 2012. The community member suggests that human rights abuses have decreased in the Moo Township area by 60 percent after the signing of the preliminary ceasefire agreement by the Karen National Union and the Burma government. The community member raises difficulties faced by villagers, including the consequences on agriculture production of unseasonable rain, and goes on to describe human rights abuses that have continued to take place, including the restriction of movement and forced labour. In Moo Township, landmines planted by the Tatmadaw and the Karen National Liberation Army remain underground, causing villagers to feel unsafe to travel. The report describes how, on October 13th 2012, Officer Aung Ko Ko from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #590, Column #4, released an order to take action on villagers without written permission to travel to hill fields, farm huts and betel nut plantations: thus restricting freedom of movement and trade. On September 16th 2012, D--- villagers were ordered by LIB #599 soliders to cut bamboos and wood used for making fences. The existence of Tatmadaw camps has also been an obstacle to villagers doing their livelihoods safely."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-12-11
Date of entry/update: 2012-12-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 116.87 KB
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Naw P---, October 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during October 2011 in Nyaunglebin District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Naw P---, a 42-year-old flat field farmer, who described her experiences being forcibly relocated by Tatmadaw troops, most recently in 2004 from D--- to T--- relocation village. Villagers continue to face movement restrictions, specifically a curfew which prevents villagers from leaving T--- after 6:00 pm, as well as demands from people?s militia and Tatmadaw troops for food on a bi-monthly basis following troop rotations, and monthly demands for a big tin (16 kg. / 35.2 lb.) of rice. Payments are also reported in lieu of sentry duties for the Tatmadaw. An incident involving the disappearance and suspected killing of a previous village head in the past was also mentioned. Relocation is reported to have severely undermined villagers? food security; food scarcity in the relocation village has been exacerbated by the area being more highly populated, with less agricultural land available for villagers to cultivate or on which to graze cattle, and as a consequence they are forced to purchase the bulk of their food in order to survive."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2012-06-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Toungoo Situation Update: Received in November 2011
Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in November 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District prior to October 2011. It frames present village conditions within the context and consequences of the 2005 ? 2008 Northern Offensive by Tatmadaw forces and details the following human rights abuses: forced relocation of villages; movement restrictions; forced labour by adult and child villagers; arbitrary taxation and demands; beating and torture of villagers, especially of village leaders; and attacks on and killing of villagers. This situation update also documents a number of villagers? concerns related to village leadership systems, livelihood challenges, the provision of education for children and food shortages. Moreover, this report describes ways by which villagers have sought to mitigate aspects of the abuses and concerns noted above, namely villagers bribing soldiers in order to allow them to transport more supplies than permitted to their village and establishing a rotating village governance system."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-04-19
Date of entry/update: 2012-04-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Ongoing forced labour and movement restrictions in Toungoo District
Description: "In Toungoo District between November 2011 and February 2012 villagers in both Than Daung and Tantabin Townships have faced regular and ongoing demands for forced labour, as well movement and trade restrictions, which consistently undermine their ability to support themselves. During the last few months, the Tatmadaw has demanded villagers to support road-building activities by providing trucks and motorcycles to send food and materials, to drive in front of bulldozers in potentially-landmined areas, to clean brush, dig and flatten land during road-building, and to transport rations during MOC #9 resupply operations as recently as February 7th 2012."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-03-12
Date of entry/update: 2012-03-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Papun Interview: Maung R---, August 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview submitted to KHRG in August 2011 by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions in Bu Tho Township, Papun District. The villager interviewed Maung R---, a 31-year-old village head, who described extensive demands for forced labour, specifically for villagers to porter military rations, produce thatch shingles and bamboo poles, and tend to plantations owned by Border Guard soldiers. He also detailed demands for money including mandatory payments in lieu of recruitment for portering duties and arbitrary taxation. Threats against villagers were used to ensure compliance with these demands. Past instances of forced recruitment into the Border Guard were mentioned, as well as cases of direct violence, including an attack against villagers with three reported deaths. Other concerns expressed include the absence of basic medical care, and the poor quality of farmland which contributes to food insecurity and can force villagers to seek daily wage work in order to meet their basic food requirements. To mitigate this insecurity villagers employ a range of tactics including the sharing of food, as described by Maung R--- below."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-02-29
Date of entry/update: 2012-03-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Toungoo Situation Update: November 2011 to January 2012
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)
Date of publication: 2012-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2012-03-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Thaton Situation Updates: May 2010 to January 2011
Description: "This report includes two situation updates written by villagers describing events in Thaton District during the period between May 13th 2010 and January 31st 2011. The villagers writing the updates chose to focus on issues including: updates on recent military activity, specifically the rebuilding of Tatmadaw camps, and the following human rights abuses: demands for forced labour, including the provision of building materials; and movement restrictions, including road closure and requirements for travel permission documents. In these situation updates, villagers also express serious concerns regarding food security due to abnormal weather in 2010; rising food prices; the unavailability of health care; and the cost and quality of children?s education."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Toungoo Interview: Saw T---, September 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during September 2011 in Than Daung Township by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw T---, a 46 year old betelnut and cardamom plantation farmer who described movement and trade restrictions during 2011, specifically the closure of a vehicle road, that disrupted the transport of staple food supplies, as previously reported by KHRG in "Toungoo Situation Update: May to July 2011". Saw T--- described past instances of the theft and looting of food supplies and the burning of cardamom plantations and noted that the sale price of villagers? agricultural outputs has fallen, while the cost of basic commodities has risen. He also described previous incidents in which a villager portering for Tatmadaw soldiers was shot whilst attempting to escape, and one villager was killed and another seriously injured by landmines, providing insight into the way past experience with violence continues to circumscribe villagers? options for responding to abuse. Saw T---nonetheless described how villagers hide food to prevent theft, and covertly trade in food staples and other commodities to evade movement and trade restrictions. Saw T--- also noted that villagers have introduced a monthly rota system in order to share village head duties."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Dooplaya Interview: U Sa---, July 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in July 2011 with a villager from Kawkareik Township, Dooplaya District. The researcher interviewed U Sa---, who described how his family and other residents of Pa--- village faced threats and abuses from Tatmadaw soldiers after local DKBA forces captured a Tatmadaw soldier at his home on June 15th 2011. U Sa--- described the following abuses: threats to burn or shell civilian areas; shelling of civilian areas; indiscriminate use of small arms in civilian areas; the taking of civilians as hostages; threats to kill civilians; and the imposition of movement restrictions, including threats to shoot villagers violating restrictions on sight. U Sa--- explained that he and his family fled Pa--- on June 16th to avoid these threats; as of July 3rd, they did not yet feel safe to return to their home. This interview was conducted by a KHRG researcher in July 2011; other details on the situation in Pa--- village after June 15th, including a general situation update, one incident report, and three photographs were submitted by a different KHRG researcher in June and July 2011."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-07-22
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 464.96 KB
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Naw P---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Naw P---, a 40-year-old farmer who described her experiences living in a Tatmadaw-controlled relocation site, and in her original village in a mixed-administration area under effective Tatmadaw control. Naw P--- described the following human rights abuses: rape and sexual violence; indiscriminate firing on villagers by Tatmadaw soldiers; forced relocation; arrest and detention; movement restrictions; theft and looting; and forced labour, including use of villagers as military sentries and porters. Naw P--- also raised concerns regarding the cost of health care and about children?s education, specifically Tatmadaw restrictions on children?s movement during perceived military instability and the prohibition of Karen-language education. In order to address these concerns, Naw P--- told KHRG that some villagers pay bribes to avoid forced labour and to secure the release of detained family members; lie to Tatmadaw commanders about the whereabouts of villagers working on farms in violation of movement restrictions; and organise covert Karen-language education for their children."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 157.42 KB
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Naw Ka---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Naw Ka---, a 50-year-old villager who described the situation prior to and after her community was forcibly relocated by the Tatmadaw in 2007. Naw Ka--- cited the following human rights abuses in her testimony: forced labour, including sentry duty and portering; arrest and detention, including physical violence against detained villagers; forced relocation; and movement restrictions. The interviewee also described the humanitarian challenges people in her community have faced, including serious constraints on access to adequate education for children, healthcare, and food. In order improve their humanitarian situation, Naw Ka--- explained how residents of her village decided to return to their homes in 2010 without formal permission from the Tatmadaw, despite villagers? fears that this action entailed serious risks to their physical security."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-08-03
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Saw My---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Saw My---, a 45 year-old farmer who described his experiences when he was forced to leave his village in a mixed-administration area and live for two years in a neighbouring village, including specific incidents in which Tatmadaw soldiers fired small arms at children in school uniforms, forced women to serve as human shields for Tatmadaw columns during patrols, and ordered villagers at gunpoint to leave their homes and possessions during the rainy season. He further cited the following abuses: movement restrictions; forced labour; and arbitrary taxation and demands. Saw My--- also highlighted the difficulties his village currently faces accessing health care and education, but explained that villagers counter these difficulties by using traditional medicine and by hiring and supporting local teachers."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-08-04
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Saw S---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Saw S---, a 17 year-old student who compared his experiences living in a Tatmadaw-controlled relocation site, and in his own village in a mixed-administration area under effective Tatmadaw control. Saw S--- described the following abuses: killing of villagers; forced relocation; movement restrictions; taxation and demands; theft and looting; and forced labour including portering, sentry duty, camp maintenance and road construction. Saw S--- also discussed the impact of forced labour and movement restrictions on livelihoods; access to, and cost of, health care; and constraints on children?s access to education, including the prohibition on Karen-language education. In order to address these issues, Saw S--- explained that villagers attempt to bribe military officers with money to avoid relocation, and with food and alcohol to lessen forced labour demands; conceal from Tatmadaw commanders that villagers sometimes leave the village to work without valid permission documents; and go into hiding to protect their physical security when conflict occurs near the village."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-07-30
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 743.19 KB
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Saw Th---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher during May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Saw Th---, a 37-year-old farmer and village elder, who described his experiences living in Tatmadaw-controlled relocation sites for over two years and in a village in a mixed-administration area, in which various Tatmadaw battalions and non-state armed groups operated. Saw Th--- described the following abuses: forced relocation; movement restrictions; taxation and demands; and forced labour including forced portering and camp maintenance. He said he believed that forced labour demands have decreased due to media attention on the issue. Saw Th--- also explained that villagers pursued agricultural livelihoods activities secretly while living in forced relocation sites, to lessen the impact of movement restrictions; and used herbal medicines because medical infrastructure and access to medical care were inadequate."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-08-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Naw Sa---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Naw Sa---, a 26-year-old villager who described human rights and humanitarian conditions in her village, in a mixed administration area under effective Tatmadaw control. Naw Sa--- cited the following human rights concerns: forced relocation and displacement; demands for provision of food; shelling of civilian areas, resulting in civilian injuries; arrest and detention of villagers; physical violence against detained villagers; forced labour, including sentry duty; and movement restrictions. She also explained the challenges to accessing medical care and adequate education for children faced by members of her community; and described how villagers returned to work covertly on their agricultural projects in order to protect their livelihoods, after they were ordered by the Tatmadaw to abandon their village."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-08-05
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Tenasserim Interview: Saw C---, Received in May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted prior to Burma?s November 2010 elections in Te Naw Th?Ri Township, Tenasserim Division by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw C---, a 30-year-old married hill field farmer who told KHRG that he was appointed to the position of village head by his local VPDC in an area of Te Naw Th?Ri Township that is frequently accessed by Tatmadaw troops, and in which there is no KNLA presence. Saw C--- described human rights abuses faced by residents of his village, including: demands for forced labour; theft and looting of villagers? property; and movement restrictions that prevent villagers from accessing agricultural workplaces. He also cited an incident in which a villager was shot and killed by Tatmadaw soldiers while fishing in a nearby river, and his death subsequently concealed; and recounted abuses he witnessed when forced to porter military rations and accompany Tatmadaw soldiers during foot patrols, including the theft and looting of villagers? property and the rape of a 50-year-old woman. Saw C--- told KHRG that villagers protect themselves in the following ways: collecting flowers from the jungle to sell in local markets in order to supplement incomes, failing to comply with orders to report to a Tatmadaw camp, and using traditional herbal remedies due to difficulties accessing healthcare. He noted, however, that these strategies can be limited, for example by threats of violence against civilians by Tatmadaw soldiers or scarcity of plants commonly used in herbal remedies."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-09-09
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 243.33 KB
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Title: Civilian and Military order documents: March 2008 to July 2011
Description: "This report includes translated copies of 207 order documents issued by military and civilian officials of Burma?s central government, as well as non-state armed groups now formally subordinate to the state army as ?Border Guard? battalions, to village heads in eastern Burma between March 2008 and July 2011. Of these documents, at least 176 were issued from January 2010 onwards. These documents serve as primary evidence of ongoing exploitative local governance in rural Burma. This report thus supports the continuing testimonies of villagers regarding the regular demands for labour, money, food and other supplies to which their communities are subject by local civilian and military authorities. The order documents collected here include demands for attendance at meetings; the provision of money and food; the production and delivery of thatch, bamboo and other materials; forced recruitment into armed ceasefire groups; forced labour as messengers and porters for the military; forced labour on bridge construction and repair; the provision of information on individuals, households and non-state armed groups; and the imposition of movement restrictions. In almost all cases, demands were uncompensated and backed by implicit or explicit threats of violence or other punishments for non-compliance. Almost all demands articulated in the orders presented in this report involved some element of forced labour in their implementation."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-10-05
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Tenasserim Interview: Saw P---, Received in May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during May 2011 in Te Naw Th?Ri Township, Tenasserim Division by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw P---, the 36-year-old head of a village in which Tatmadaw soldiers maintain a continuous presence. Saw P--- described the disappearance of a male villager who has not been seen since February 2010 when he was arrested by Tatmadaw soldiers as he was returning from his hill plantation, on suspicion of supplying food assistance to Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) troops. Saw P--- also described human rights abuses and livelihoods difficulties faced regularly by villagers, including: forced labour, specifically road construction and maintenance; taxation and demands for food and money; theft of livestock; and movement restrictions, specifically the imposition of road tolls for motorbikes and the prohibition against travel to villagers? agricultural workplaces, resulting in the destruction of crops by animals. Saw P--- also expressed concerns about disruption of children?s education caused by the periodic commandeering of the village school and its use as a barracks by Tatmadaw soldiers. He explained how villagers respond to abuses and livelihoods challenges by avoiding Tatmadaw soldiers, harvesting communally, sharing food supplies and inquiring at the local jail to investigate the disappearance of a fellow villager."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-10-01
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 243.33 KB
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Title: Toungoo Situation Update: April to July 2011
Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in August 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District between April and July 2011. It describes a May 2011 attack on villages and the destruction of paddy and rice stores in the Maw Thay Der area of Tantabin Township, previously reported by KHRG, and relates the following human rights abuses by Tatmadaw forces: restrictions on movement and trade; including regular closure of vehicle roads and levying of road tolls; forced production and delivery of thatch shingles and bamboo poles; forced portering of military rations; and the theft and looting of villagers? livestock. This report also explains how community members share food when confronting food insecurity, and attempt to ensure that children receive education despite financial barriers and teacher shortages."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-10-13
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 168.57 KB
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Title: Toungoo Situation Update: May to July 2011
Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in August 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District between May and July 2011. It describes a series of trade and movement restrictions imposed on villagers in June and July 2011, due to frequent clashes between Tatmadaw and non-state armed groups, and road closures between Toungoo Town and Buh Sah Kee. The report also examines in detail the serious impacts the road closures have had on the livelihoods of villagers who have been unable to support themselves by transporting and selling agricultural produce and purchasing rice supplies as usual. The report further describes incidents of human rights abuse by Tatmadaw forces, including the summary execution of two civilians in July 2011 by soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #379; forced labour including the portering of military supplies, the production and supply of building materials, guide duty and sweeping for landmines; and an attack on a village previously reported by KHRG and the subsequent destruction of villagers? homes and food stores."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-10-31
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 356.62 KB
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Title: Bullets and Bulldozers: The SPDC offensive continues in Toungoo District
Description: "The first two months of 2007 have done nothing to lessen the intensity of attacks against the villagers of Toungoo District. SPDC forces continue to send in more troops and supplies, build new camps and upgrade older ones using forced village labour, convict porters and heavy machinery brought in for this purpose. Local villagers have been the ones to suffer from the increased military build-up and infrastructure ?development? as such programmes have put the SPDC in a stronger position to enforce their authority over civilians in rural areas and undermine the efforts of local peoples to evade military forces and maintain their livelihoods. Employing the new roadways and camps to shuttle troops and supplies deeper into areas beyond military control, SPDC forces continue to expand their reach in terms of extortion of funds, food and supplies; extraction of forced labour; and restriction of all civilian movement, travel and trade. These abuses have combined to exacerbate poverty, worsen the humanitarian situation and restrict the options of villagers living in these areas..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Report (KHRG #2007-F1)
Date of publication: 2007-02-19
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Oppressed twice over: SPDC and DKBA exploitation and violence against villagers in Thaton District
Description: "Throughout Thaton District the SPDC has persistently worked to expand and entrench military control not only by increasing its own troops, but also by heavily relying on the DKBA as a local proxy force. Both groups exploit the civilian population to support their respective military hierarchies and local villagers thus face a double burden on their lives. This report looks at various forms and specific incidents of forced labour, extortion, violence and other abuse against villagers in Thaton District which SPDC and DKBA personnel have perpetrated up to February 2008..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Report (KHRG #2008-F4)
Date of publication: 2008-03-20
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Attacks, forced labour and restrictions in Toungoo District
Description: "While the rainy season is now underway in Karen state, Burma Army soldiers are continuing with military operations against civilian communities in Toungoo District. Local villagers in this area have had to leave their homes and agricultural land in order to escape into the jungle and avoid Burma Army attacks. These displaced villagers have, in turn, encountered health problems and food shortages, as medical supplies and services are restricted and regular relocation means any food supplies are limited to what can be carried on the villagers? backs alone. Yet these displaced communities have persisted in their effort to maintain their lives and dignity while on the run; building new shelters in hiding and seeking to address their livelihood and social needs despite constraints. Those remaining under military control, by contrast, face regular demands for forced labour, as well as other forms of extortion and arbitrary ?taxation?. This report examines military attacks, forced labour and movement restrictions and their implications in Toungoo District between March and June 2008..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Reports (KHRG #2008-F7)
Date of publication: 2008-07-01
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Exploitative governance under SPDC and DKBA authorities in Dooplaya District
Description: "With largely consolidated control over Dooplaya District in southern Karen State the SPDC and DKBA, as the two dominant (and allied) military forces, operate under a system of coexistence. The local civilian population, in turn, faces exploitative governance on two fronts as both SPDC and DKBA soldiers seek to extract money, labour, food and other supplies from them. Enforcing heavy movement restrictions on top of persistent exploitative demands, local communities are facing deteriorating livelihood opportunities, increasing poverty, and a constriction of educational and health care opportunities. Persistent human rights abuses thus foster the economic pressures fuelling the continuing migration of rural communities in Dooplaya District to refugee camps in Thailand and towards livelihood opportunities at urban centres in Burma and Thailand. This report examines the situation of abuse in Dooplaya District from January to June 2008..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Field Reports (KHRG #2008-F8)
Date of publication: 2008-07-11
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2002-03: Freedom of Movement, Assembly and Association
Description: "Throughout 2002 the SPDC continued to interfere with and monitor the movement of people in Burma. Similarily, the rights of assembly and association continued to be effectively denied especially in border areas, despite the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in May. There was however, a temporary and partial easing of restrictions on the NLD which briefly gave rise to climate of hope for improved conditions in the future. However, by the end of the year Aung San Suu Kyi was clearly encountering increasing and serious harassment on her political trips outside the capital. There has been overall a notable absence of the freedoms of assembly and association throughout the period of military rule in Burma, especially since the 1988 coup and formation of the SLORC. Under the SPDC these freedoms have been further restricted, and labor unions, student unions and private civic associations are all banned. Through its extensive intelligence network and administrative procedures, the SPDC systematically monitors the travel of all citizens, especially the movements of politically active people in the country. All residents in Burma are required to carry national identity cards, showing their citizenship status, normal place of residence, date of birth, name of father, and so on. Since 1990 these cards are also required to contain information on the holders? ethnicity and religion. All residents and citizens of Burma are required to apply for these cards, with the exception of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not considered citizens by the government (see chapter on minority rights for further information). As possession of these national identity cards is mandatory in order to buy train or bus tickets, to register with a local council outside one?s normal place of residence, to vote in any future election, or to enroll in institutions of higher learning, those without such cards face severe restrictions on their freedom of movement..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit, NCGUB
Date of publication: 2003-10-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-11-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm
Size: 50.35 KB
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Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 1994: 08 - Freedom of Movement
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit of the NCGUB
Date of publication: 1995-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm
Size: 12.63 KB
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Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2000: The Freedom of Movement
Description: "Throughout the year 2000 the SPDC continued to interfere in and monitor the movement of people in Burma. Through its extensive intelligence network and administrative procedure, the SPDC systematically monitors the travel of all citizens, especially the movements of politically active people in the country. All residents in Burma are required to carry national identity cards, showing the citizenship status, normal place of residence, date of birth, name of father, and so on. In 1990 these cards were also required to describe the holders? ethnicity and religion. All residents and citizens of Burma are required to apply for these cards, with the exception of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not considered as citizens by the government. (see chapter on minority rights for further information) As possession of these national identity cards is mandatory in order to buy train or bus tickets, to register with a local council outside one?s normal place of residence, to vote in any future election, or to enroll in institutions of higher learning, those without such cards face severe restrictions on their freedom of movement and liberty as human beings..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit, NCGUB
Date of publication: 2001-10-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm htm
Size: 38 KB 6.04 KB
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Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2001-2002: The Freedom of Movement
Description: "Throughout the year 2001 the SPDC continued to interfere with and monitor the movement of people in Burma. Through its extensive intelligence network and administrative procedures, the SPDC systematically monitors the travel of all citizens, especially the movements of politically active people in the country. All residents in Burma are required to carry national identity cards, showing the citizenship status, normal place of residence, date of birth, name of father, and so on. In 1990 these cards were also required to describe the holders? ethnicity and religion. All residents and citizens of Burma are required to apply for these cards, with the exception of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are not considered citizens by the government (see chapter on minority rights for further information). As possession of these national identity cards is mandatory in order to buy train or bus tickets, to register with a local council outside one?s normal place of residence, to vote in any future election, or to enroll in institutions of higher learning, those without such cards face severe restrictions on their freedom of movement and liberty as human beings..."
Source/publisher: Humann Rights Documentation Unit, NCGUB
Date of publication: 2002-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm
Size: 50.35 KB
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