Unknown Karen Armed Group Repeatedly Arrest and Extort Mon Farmers

August 13, 2014

Thanbyuzayat

August 11, 2014

On August 1, 2014, an unknown Karen armed group arrested three Mon plantation owners from Wae Rat Village in Ye Ta Gon Region, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State. The unknown group accused the Mon plantation owners of farming on Karen land, and proceeded to intimidate and extort the farmers by demanding 50,000 kyat per acre of land each farmer possesses.

“We expected they [the unknown Karen armed group] [would demand] just a little amount of money, [but] they detained us on their base and said we will be released if we can pay them 50,000 kyat per acre,” said Nai Shwe, a 60-year-old Wae Rat resident.

The group arrested Nai Shwe, Nai Bai, and Nai San Teak of Wae Rat Village.

“We said we had no money right now [and that] we [must go] home and discuss with our wives, so they released us [after hearing our suggestion]. At the time we [were] released, the village administrator of Wae Ka Lane advised us to pay the money [the group demanded], saying that if we didn’t pay the money, our plantations would be sold,” continued Nai Shwe.

The Ye Ta Gon region is located in Thanbyuzayat Township, on the border of Mon territories controlled by the New Mon State Party (NMSP), and Karen territories controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU).

Incidents of arrest and extortion of local civilians is a frequent occurrence in the region. On June 17th, ten Mon plantation owners and farmers were arrested by the same unknown Karen armed group. According to Naw Shwe, at least 20 plantation owners were arrested, and some victims had to pay from two to ten million kyat, depending on the size of their plantations.

Due to repeated abuses, a local group of plantation owners sought help by reporting the events to the Thanbyuzayat NMSP. The NMSP and Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) based in Kyar Inn Seik Kyi, Mudon and Thanbyuzayat Township sent eighty troops to Ye Ta Gon region, to protect Mon plantation owners and farmers. The Thanbyuzayat NMSP also reported the events to the Moulmein NMSP, but failed to receive a reply.

One victim told HUROM reporters that during his consultation trip to Thanbyuzayat, Nai Hong Sar, the vice-chairman of the NMSP, suggested that the local plantation owners collect members to form a group; Nai Hong Sar assured the victim that the NMSP would equip the group with weapons for self-protection.

The unknown Karen armed group is led by Major Soe Moe and Lieutenant La Wae, and is represented by the KNU and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), according to notice boards posted throughout Thanbyuzayat Township. Upon the notice boards reads a warning calling all Ye Ta Gon plantation owners to report for discussions pertaining to their lands, no later than July 22, 2014, and those who failed to do so will face destruction of their land.

However, according to the commander of Thanbyuzayat NMLA, Nai Cheam Ka Kao, the armed group does not represent the KNU or the KNLA.

Nai Cheam Ka Kao explained that, “An officer from the KNU said [the group] will take action on both Major Soe Moe and Lieutenant Lat Wae. Soe Moe used to be a KNU member, but he was [previously] expelled from the group. The KNU can’t tolerate that they misuse the group name.”

Ye Ta Gon region is under the control of the NMSP, and both the Thanbyuzayat NMSP Headquarters and the Thanbyuzayat MNLA military base are just a mile away from Ye Ta Gon Village.

“Our NMSP will fight everything to protect our Mon people and their property; however, on the other hand, we must be cautious about peace-building [efforts] amongst the ethnic groups. If the Karen group exploits the peace-building process, or abuse our Mon people, we can’t tolerate [that],” said Nai Cheam Ka Kao.

To date, the three victims have not supplied the group with the demanded 50,000 kyat per acre, and there has been no reaction or reply from the unknown Karen armed group.

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