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Villagers raise concerns about health impacts of coal mining pollution in Karen State

HURFOM: Villagers affected by coal mining in Karen State have been speaking out with concerns for their health. Sparked by new plans announced in October 2018 to convert the natural gas powered cement factories in Myine Kalay and Hlar Kar village tract into coal-fired ones, villagers say the trucks lack proper protection against scattering stones and powder. The factories are owned by Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) operated by the Burmese military. Read more

Human Security Fragile in South Eastern Burma/Myanmar According to New Research Findings

On 14 November 2018, The Border Consortium (TBC), which has been working with refugees from Burma/Myanmar since 1984, announced the launch of a research publication on human security in Southeastern Burma/Myanmar. This research shows at least 162,000 civilians remain internally displaced, while assessments found that 17 percent of children in communities affected by conflict are acutely malnourished. 

[Download PDF (4.15 MB)] Read more

Access to Justice in Mon Communities

 Human Rights Foundation of Monland

 Fighting reduced and tensions eased after bilateral ceasefire agreements were signed in 2012 by the Government of Myanmar with the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Karen National Union (KNU) respectively.  While both KNU and NMSP were involved in negotiating the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), KNU signed in 2015 and NMSP waited until 2018. Read more

Farmers afraid to attend plantations after man injured from Landmine Blast in Yebyu Township

HURFOM: On October 28, a plantation worker was seriously injured by a landmine blast in Kyaung Shar Kwin, Yebyu Township, Tanintharyi Division. Around 100 owners and daily workers are too afraid to attend their nearby farms in case of further blasts. The area is currently under territorial dispute between the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Karen National Union (KNU). Read more

Mon National affairs budget cut in controversial decision by Chief Minister

HURFOM: During a revision of the 2018-19 budget the State Government has significantly reduced its allocation to Mon National affairs. One third of the budget from the previous year has been scraped in favour of Karen National affairs. The lower budget  will not cover proposed projects, impacting the most on Mon education programs. Read more

YOU CANNOT IGNORE US: Victims of human rights violations in Burma from 1970 – 2017 outline their desires for justice

Yangon: Victims of human rights violations desire government reparations and deserve to see justice for what they have suffered, said the Reparations Working Group initiate by the Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma) in a new report released today. The report, which is the first ever needs assessment of victims of human rights violations in Burma of its kind, offers preliminary recommendations for action that must be taken for victims of human rights violations to restore and rebuild their lives, including justice and accountability for the abuses that they have suffered and guarantees of non-recurrence. [Download the Report] Read more

Myanmar Human Rights Commission under scrutiny in report launched by civil society groups

A report scrutinizing the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) was released by civil society groups on 9^th October in Yangon. The report shows the failings of the commission to address rights violations committed by the military and to comply with international standards. Read more

Local woman dies after being hit by vessel hired by MCL

HURFOM: On September 19^th 2018, Daw Myo Tha Dar Shwe, aka Ma Pae Pae, a local fisherwoman, died after having an accident with the “MV Kaung Hein” vessel of the High Mix Company that was hired by the Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) to transport coal to their coal-fired cement factory in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State.

“According to U Ohm Tun, a local fisherman, his boat was behind Ma Pae Pae’s. Upon seeing the vessel, Ma Pae Pae rowed her boat to the [Ataran] riverbank. But the vessel tried to avoid the fishing net and also came near to the riverbank. After that, the rear part of the vessel hit Ma Pae Pae and she fell into the river. U Ohm Tun tried to save Ma Pae Pae, but he had to row back to the riverbank as another vessel reached the scene of the accident. After the [second] vessel left, U Ohm Tun tried to search for Ma Pae Pae, but he found nothing.” said U Aung Tin Oo, the Chairperson of Kyaikmayaw Fisheries Department. Read more

Mawlamyine Municipal Department to bar local farmers from access to farm land

HURFOM: The Mawlamyine Municipal Department tried to fence a 235-acre paddy field farmed by the 23 local farmers in Thar Yar Aye Ward, Mawlamyine, Mon State on September 15^th 2018.

The farmland has been confiscated by the department since 1999, but the department has not done any with the land yet, so the original owners have been farming paddy rice on the land. However, the department, now, has tried to fence the farmland in order to bar the farmers from farming on the land. The farmers have decided to oppose the abusive act by the department. Read more

INTERVIEW with land confiscation victim: As there has been no improvement, everyone is living in silence

HURFOM: “We didn’t collect latex from our rubber trees for a long time. In 2016, the military [Burma Army Artillery Battalion No. 315] called us and said that we had to pay tax if we want to continue working in our plantation. We were already worried [about the situation] at that time. Our plantation was near to the military base and we had to worry about the possibility of [our land] being confiscated.

In the very first year [2016], we had to pay more than 200,000 kyat (US $125.50). In the next year, the tax increased up to about 500,000 kyat  (US $313.63). We had been worried as we didn’t know what would happen in the upcoming years. In 2018, the military said they confiscated our plantation. We were in trouble. Starting from that time, we’ve been struggling to get our land back. We filed reports to the Mon State [government] and also to the Naypyidaw [Union government]. But there was no change. Read more

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