HRDDP

Human Rights Documentation and Dissemination Project

Objectives:

To collect accurate information concerning human rights and fundamental democratic rights and disseminate information to Burma interested groups and international organizations
To raise awareness about the current human rights situation in Mon areas and southern part of Burma

Assessment for Project Implementation:

From 1988 to 1995, during the period of civil war between the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the military regime, SLORC, the Mon people in rural villagers were initially accused as “rebel-supporters”. Because of this accusation, the villagers suffered from abuses and violations committed by the tatmadaw members, such as, arbitrary arrests and killings, inhumane torturing, looting, forced relocation and dislocation and rape.

On June 29, 1995, NMSP agreed to a ceasefire with SLORC only as a “gentlemen’s agreement”. Because of NMSP pressure, SLORC promised to discontinue the conscription of forced labour and arrests of civilian porters, discontinuation of illegal taxation, allowing of Mon National Schools, and no political discrimination against the Mon people.

Since, we believe the Ceasefire Agreement is not a political settlement, Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) was founded in late 2005 (December 10 2005) and has monitored human rights violations by State authorities against the Mon and other ethnic people in southern part of Burma.

Since 1995, HURFOM has documented:

Conscription of forced labour in Mon areas has continued in different ways – porters for the military offensives; guards for the security of gas pipelines, bridges, road construction and other infrastructures; recruitment of militia force; etc.
Illegal taxation and looting from the State authorities and troops of Burmese Army has continued widely.
Land and properties confiscated by the military battalions of Burmese Army after 2000 following the militarization policy made great suffering to the Mon farmers
After 2001, a new armed conflict broke up in southern part of Ye Township after a Mon splinter group disagreed with ceasefire. As a result, the Mon villagers in some parts of Mon State and Tenasserim Division have been suffered from various types of human rights violations – forced dislocation and relocation, arbitrary killing and arrests, massive arrest of civilian porters and sexual violations against women and girls.

These human rights violations have been violated by troops of Burmese Army, and the local State authorities until the current day. Hence, HURFOM has taken responsibility to gather the information, document systematically in digital system, and disseminate some information to International Community – UN and its Human Rights Bodies; Government Agencies; International Donors Agencies; Religious Groups, Burma Interested Organizations, Diplomats, International and Local HR Groups and Others.
Activities:

This “Human Rights Documentation and Dissemination Project” has 3 main activities: