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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | May Week Four

As yet another month ends, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) remains deeply concerned over the country’s fragmented state of affairs, particularly from a human rights perspective. While morale plunges, lawlessness and disregard for the protection of the people are causing a rapid decline in safety and security. The circumstances have made it increasingly difficult for HURFOM to conduct our fieldwork and activities as informers and junta-backed militias target anyone affiliated with the pro-democracy movement.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | May Week Three

Airstrikes and mortar shelling continue to threaten the stability of local people in Burma. The indiscriminate attacks by the military junta are relentless, even amidst emergency response efforts for those injured in Cyclone Mocha, which has devastated parts of the country. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) remains deeply concerned at the escalation of assaults, especially those which have targeted civilian homes and infrastructure.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | May Week Two

As the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) documents the military junta’s ongoing atrocities and war crimes, impunity only continues to thrive as the international community fails to respond. During the most recent ASEAN summit last week, regional leadership refused to take progressive steps forward to hold the Burma Army accountable.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | May Week One

The first week of May in Southeastern Burma was met with more air and ground attacks by the Burmese military. The targeting of civilians remains ongoing as lives continue to be caught in the crossfire of artillery shelling and indiscriminate firing into local areas. In addition, junta forces increased their operation of thirty-seven checkpoints along the Tanintharyi Highway and have been committing illegal taxation and extortion against travelers and vehicle drivers, according to local sources and those using this 180-mile-long motor highway.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | April Week Three

In an ongoing wave of violence, civilians continued to be targets of the military junta. Young people, men, and boys, are regularly rounded up by the soldiers where they are violently questioned, tortured and often killed. Orders to ‘crush the resistance’ from the coup leader, Min Aung Hlaing, continue to fuel unprecedented rates of violence. Fear and the ongoing bombings from the various junta-backed battalions are growing causes of displacement, where over one million are displaced across the country.

Violence did not slow or stop even during the traditional Thingyan holidays. The junta shot at two young people during the annual festivities in Palaw Township, Southern Tanintharyi Region. On April 16, witnesses said that at 9:30 AM, a young man and a woman in their 20s riding a motorcycle were fired at during their mandatory sentry duty. They both are residents of Palaw. The young woman was injured by a bullet shaft in her stomach, and the man was hurt in the head,” according to reports. During Thingyan, the Burma Army soldiers killed at least five people in the Tanintharyi region.

Two young men were confirmed arbitrarily murdered after the Junta forces abducted and accused them as members of local armed resilience members during Water Festival Celebration holidays in Panga village, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State. A 35-year-old Social Worker from Panga village said these two young victims were strangers from unknown places, and the Junta Security troops captured them near Panga village on April 18, 2023. They were tortured before they were killed.

HURFOM reporters confirmed the names of these young victims as Maung Arkar Minn, 16, and Aung Myo Htet, 21.  “Where is the rule of law? We are being deprived of our rights,” asked a civilian.

While soldiers continued their murder spree, the Junta’s Correctional Department in Mon State began releasing over 220 prisoners to mark the Burmese traditional New Year festival on April 17 and 18. However, HURFOM confirmed that no political prisoners were removed from the prisons located in Mon State.

“As usual, the junta prioritizes releasing those with drug-related offensives and petty crimes,” according to a young volunteer lawyer in Mawlamyine.

“Hundreds of young political prisoners involved in this revolution have been detained in Kyaikmayaw Prison. All must be freed,” said the mother of a young prisoner.

Unfounded suspicions also encouraged the regime to add more chaos during the festivities by arresting people without cause. Residents in Bilin Township, Mon State, informed HURFOM that at least eight young people from two villages were detained for allegedly being involved in the explosion of two bombs on 16 April, the eve of Burma’s New Year.

On April 16, a homemade bomb exploded near Taung Gyi and Taung Zun Villages. The junta arbitrarily abducted four youths from Taung Gyi Village and another four young villagers from Taung Zun Village. The families and community leaders cannot visit those detained. They are negotiating with the police to see them.

Due to the explosion, the local social response team confirmed that at least four residents, including a 10-year-old boy, were injured. Some buildings were also damaged. With these latest arrested youths, the junta has detained at least 20 people since January 2023.

As of 23 April 2023, due to the recent fighting in Tanintharyi Township, at least 3,500 residents from seven villages are fleeing and in need of assistance, said residents who fled the war. In Karen State, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people were displaced, and hundreds of thousands were already made to run. Battles in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, ran from the new armed clashes in Mekanae areas, Brigade No. 6:

“The junta forces were firing long-range rockets into the villages for hours into the night,” according to HURFOM reporters in Karen areas. Emergency response team members said that at least 500 new arrivals were received in Thaton areas of Mon State.

Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | Week Two

Despite the annual traditional Thingyan celebrations, typically when the people of Burma participate in various New Year activities and ceremonies, the junta has once again given no reason to celebrate. The brutal presence of the military junta has quieted all plans, and boycotts have seen empty streets where barricades are placed. The violence by the Burma Army continues to escalate. During the last week in Mon State, Karen State and the Tanintharyi region, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland reported on more volatile crimes committed with impunity. Women, children, and the elderly, in particular, were targeted. The situation is dire and requires an immediate response.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

HURFOM | April Week One

Despite the annual New Year festivities celebrating ‘Thingyan,’ the military forces of the Burma Army have not hesitated to continue their crackdown on civilians as they continue to target alleged opposition forces. Martial Law, in particular, has been imposed in several townships where the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) is documenting rights abuses. After the junta’s martial law imposition in southern Mon State, the number of people killed and wounded by gunshots has increased in the areas between Ye Township Mon and Yebyu, of Tanintharyi Region. Injuries and death rates are also rising as punishment for violating them.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

Fourth Week of March 2023

HURFOM: Indiscriminate firing continues to target civilians. Over the last week, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) documented several incidents where innocent people were targeted by the junta and killed. A trajectory of violence, particularly in the Tanintharyi region, has caused widespread fear and uncertainty among local people.

On 21 March 2023, over 130 homes were burned to the ground in Long Lon Township, Dawei and six people were shot and killed after being taken into military custody by LIB 407 and 273 on 4 March 2023. Days later, the HURFOM reporters network confirmed that an innocent local villager was shot and killed in Long Lon Township.  Joint troops of the junta’s battalions then burned down more than a hundred houses in two villages. Yet again, on 21 March 2023, residents said a male villager was shot dead in Yange’ village, Thayet-Chaung Township, Dawei, around 6:00 PM. The victim, U Htun Wai was over 60 years old, and was fired at by four unknown gunmen on two motorcycles.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

Third Week of March 2023

HURFOM: The military junta is targeting women and children across Burma. In documentation areas of Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi region, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) continues to document the ongoing human rights violations perpetrated by the junta. Most recently, HURFOM fieldworkers reported that an innocent 6-year-old boy from Shwe Yaung Pya village died after being hit in the head by artillery mortars fired indiscriminately by No. 314 Artillery Regiment Command base in Zee-Won village, Bilin, Mon State.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

Second Week of March 2023

HURFOM: International Women’s Day was marked on 8 March 2023. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) called for an end to military impunity, and condemned the junta’s ongoing crimes of gendered violence. Since the failed coup on 1 February 2021, HURFOM has documented the murders of over 65 women, 190 injuries and 700 arbitrary arrests. In addition, out of 125 total enforced disappearances since the coup in Southeastern Burma, 30 have been women in HURFOM target areas of Mon State, Karen State and Tanintharyi region.

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