Mudon Township authorities order local farmers to cultivate summer rice, again
November 15, 2008
HURFOM, Mudon Township: Burma’s military government is forcing farmers near the Win-Pha-Non Dam in Mudon Township, Mon State, to cultivate rice during the upcoming dry season. Most farmers, however, say they are reluctant to plant rice during the hot season because yields are typically too low to pay for the investment, leaving farmers mired in cycles of debt. Read more
Villagers in Mudon and Thanbyuzayat Townships forced to guard pipeline
November 13, 2008
HURFOM, Thanbyuzayat, Mudon Township: Burmese army battalions in Thanbyuzayat and Mudon Townships have resumed forcing villagers to guard the Kanbauk to Myaingkalay pipeline, say local sources. Infantry Battalion (IB) No. 62 and Artillery Battalion (AB) No. 318 are also forcing residents to pay a “pipeline security” fee and guard the Tavoy to Moulmein railway. Read more
Villagers bound, beaten and stabbed during interrogations in Tavoy
November 11, 2008
HURFOM, Thabyut-Chaung village, Tavoy Disttrict: The Burmese army continues to arrest, interrogate and assault ethnic Karens suspected of having contact with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in Tavoy District, Tenasserim Division. Four villagers were arrested on October 9th, bound to a tree, interrogated and beaten. One of the villagers was also stabbed repeatedly. Read more
Battalions in Yebyu Township force villagers to repair dikes around military bases
November 10, 2008
HURFOM, Northern Yebyu Township
Farmers in northern Yebyu Township, Tennessarim Division are being forced to construct embankments for Burmese battalions stationed in their area, say local sources.
According to Nai Soe, 40, Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 282 began conscripting unpaid laborers from Alae Sakhan village on October 30th. Laborers from Alae Sakhan and at least two other villages are being forced to re-construct embankments that serve as dikes around battalion headquarters, said Nai Soe. Read more
Four village headmen detained, beaten during interrogations in Tavoy
November 4, 2008
HURFOM: The Burmese Army has interrogated, beaten and detained at least four village headmen for failing to report movements of Karen rebels in Myit-Tar Sub-township, Tavoy district, Tenasserim Division.
On October 8th, an estimated 50 troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Khin Maung Than, commander of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 285 Column #1, entered Myay-Khan-Baw village tract in Myit-Tar. The commander immediately ordered troops to arrest four men from area Peace and Development Councils (PDC). According to an eyewitness from the area, Saw Dae, 35, the headmen were chosen arbitrarily. Read more
Army confiscates hundreds of acres from rubber plantation owners in Mudon Township
October 31, 2008
HURFOM:The Burmese army recently confiscated over two hundred and fifty acres of rubber plantations in Mudon Township. On October 7th, Artillery Battalion (AB) No. 318 sent letters to 35 plantation owners in Abit, Set Twe and Doe Mar villages informing them that their land had been confiscated.
A HURFOM field reporter read a copy of the letter, which informed the owners that they could regain control of their plantations by paying 100,000 kyat. Read more
DKBA increasing troop presence Makate, frightening area businesses and residents
October 27, 2008
HURFOM:Soldiers from Democratic Karen Buddhist Army Battalion (DKBA) No. 999 have been arriving in Makate, scaring residents and business in the area. About 20 soldiers arrived in Makate on October 19th, with another 280 slated to arrive soon, say local sources. Battalion No. 999 is lead by commander Kyaw Kyaw and second colonel Than Nyein.
The influx of troops, ahead of widely a expected offensive against territory controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU), is frightening residents, loggers and miners in the area. Read more
Seventeen-year-old migrant worker raped in Samut Sakhon, Thailand
October 27, 2008
WCRP: A seventeen-year-old girl from Zin Gyike village, Poung Township, Mon State was raped in Thailand’s Samut Sakhon Province on October 19th.
The victim is employed at a shop owned by a woman from Mudon town, Mon State. The incident occurred late at night in the shop. The perpetrator is the ex-husband of the shop owner, Ko Naing, 35, from Kyarinnseikekyi Township, Karen State. Read more
SPDC confiscating and reselling vehicles in Mon State
October 21, 2008
HURFOM:SPDC authorities in Mon State are seizing unlicensed trucks while also selling vehicles that have already been impounded. Purchasing the vehicles from government officials does not confer them any legitimacy, and residents are reluctant to buy the vehicles because they are likely to be seized again.
Authorities set up two new checkpoints in Moulmein in the second week of October. Drivers passing through the checkpoints must prove their vehicles to be registered, or have them impounded. An unknown number of vehicles have been seized, but a HURFOM field reporter witnessed the seizure of two trucks on the night of October 14th. Read more
Villagers along the Ye to Tenasserim Division road forced to make road repairs
October 16, 2008
HURFOM : Southern Ye Township:
Residents of villages along the Ye to Tennasserim Division road are being forced to work as unpaid laborers, say local sources. Beginning in the first week of October, Captain Yae Lin Oo from Infantry Battalion No. 31 began forcing households in Han-Gan, Chan-Gu, Dot-Pound, Toe-Tat-Ywa-Thit, Yin-Ye, Yin-Dein and Mi-Htaw-Hlar Lay villages, in Ye Township, Mon State, to make road repairs and clear brush.
Captain Ye Lwin Oo ordered the headmen of each village to organize villagers into work groups, and gave them responsibility for repairs to sections of the road. Laborers have to clear brush and small trees from the sides of the road. They also have to fill in pot holes and ruts with soil dug from the sides of the road. Read more








