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Gangs of substance abusers committing more thefts in Ye

HURFOM: Since February, 2025, local villagers have been reporting to HURFOM that gangs of substance abusers are committing theft and robbery in villages in Northern Ye Township, Mon State.

Ever since the attempted coup that began in February, 2021, the rule of law has become progressively weaker and local authorities are unable to adequately respond to criminal cases and incidents linked to substance abuse.

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Junta launches constant air assaults in Tenasserim Township

HURFOM: From January to the third week of March, 2025, the military junta has been launching constant and frequent air assaults on villages in Tenasserim Township, Tenasserim Division.

According to local sources, on January 13^th, the junta launched an air assault on Ta Ku village injuring five villagers and destroying three houses.

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Mon State electricity blackout during matriculation exams, despite promises from Chief Minister

HURFOM: From March 17^th to 22^nd, 2025 is the time of the matriculation exams for the 2024-25 academic year, and the Mon State Chief Minister promised there would be no electricity cut offs during exam time.

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Villagers worry as junta’s troops check household lists

HURFOM: From March 12^th to 16^th, 2025, junta’s troops were checking the household lists during a military operation in Phar Chaung village tract, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division leaving local villagers in fear.

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Voice of Conscripts

HURFOM: In order to realize the impacts of the forceful and unlawful conscription law in Burma HURFOM has interviewed three individuals who fled the junta’s army and sought shelter with the armed revolutionary forces.

Interview #3 – Ko Wine Chit (Tenasserim Division)

I was sleeping at my home on September 8^th, 2024 when the soldiers arrived by military truck. They arrested me for abusing drugs. Upon reaching the police station, they threatened me with jail or joining the army. I replied I would go to jail and they gave me a document and forced me to sign it, but I refused. My mother couldn’t reach me, I was forcefully collected as a conscript on October 4^th.

I was sent to the 12^th military training school in Pu Law District. There were 387 conscripts there as part of batch #5. They gave us 11 military items at the start of the training. We’re paid 180,000 MMK in the first month. In the next two months, we got 240,000 MMK per month. But then they cut our salaries, to only 150,000 MMK.

During the training, they delivered propaganda to us, saying the PDF would torture us and post videos on the internet before killing us. They also encouraged us that everybody must fear us.

The military training finished on December 29^th, 2024. I was transferred from the 558^th battalion to the 208^th Light Infantry Battalion in Kyikemayaw, Mon State. I stayed there for about 20 days and then was sent to the front lines in Ye Ta Gon, Thanbyuzayat Township.

Previously I had contact with the revolutionary forces. Upon reaching the front line, they allowed us to use mobile phones at 7 am but they seized the phones in the evening. But I secretly kept my phone. I have had a brotherhood relationship with four members of the resistance forces. I requested help from them and they gave me a contact number and I was able to get help. I also urged my friends to leave the army and told them to take responsibility if they were recaptured. I had a bit of fear after running away from the army but later, I wasn’t afraid of death.

Since our arrival to the revolutionary forces, they have treated us like brothers and sisters. I felt like I was living in my mother’s house. I am in contact with my family once a week. As of today, there has been no intimidation by the army to my parents. I told them if the army asks my whereabouts, they should say that I was dead.

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland Releases Voice Up Volume 2, Issue 1

December 2024 – March 2025

For Immediate Release

As part of the Voice Up series, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has released its first report in the annual quarterly series, which addresses the gendered impacts of the attempted coup in Southeastern Burma. Between December 2024 and March 2025, in targeted areas of HURFOM, including Mon State, Karen State, and the Tanintharyi region, HURFOM reported that 16 women were killed, 43 were injured, and 21 were arrested and detained by the military. Additionally, nine children were killed and 23 wounded.

In addition, in HURFOM targeted areas, the junta has killed 203 women since the coup on 1 February 2021, along with 415 wounded women and 218 unlawfully detained. The military has also murdered 57 children and injured 105 others. The Burmese Army was the sole perpetrator of the crimes detailed in this report.  

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Voice of Conscripts

HURFOM: In order to realize the impacts of the forceful and unlawful conscription law in Burma HURFOM has interviewed three individuals who fled the junta’s army and sought shelter with the armed revolutionary forces.

Interview #2 – Ko Kyaw Swar Win (Irrawaddy Division)

I’m from Pa Khoe Ku Town. I worked in an oil field in Myine Township. I was collected as a conscript with batch #5 by the ballot system. The village Administrator and my parents phoned me. I didn’t know why I was collected. They said I must return. I replied I hadn’t finished my work and I couldn’t come back. I remained at my workplace for 15 days. The Administrator phoned again and forced me to come back. He threatened that if I didn’t come back, they would arrest my parents. I explained the situation to my employer and returned to my village.

I stayed in my village for nine days. Then, I received a summons letter for conscripts from Ye Kyi Township. I was sent to the conscript collection camp with the 907^th Light Infantry Battalion. I was detained at the camp for 28 days and then sent for military training with the 6^th Light Infantry Battalion.

I had to join the military training for three months – from September 9^th to November 29^th, 2024. After finishing each day’s training exercises, we had to do “night study” from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Only then did we return to the barracks where they locked us inside.

I wasn’t allowed to have contact with my family during the military training. They seized all of our mobile phones at the beginning of the training. They do not allow any use of mobile phones. They forcefully blocked us from having any connections with family members.

I was to be paid 204,000 MMK for the military training. They said after we finished the training and started our duty with a battalion, we would be paid another 370,000 MMK. That never happened, and it appeared that we would only receive 204,000 MMK. But then things changed again, and they reduced our salary.  In the end we only received 100,000 MMK. It’s just equivalent to the transportation fee. They said they cut our salary not because we breached the law. They used our money to buy uniforms and military equipment. Personal items, blades or swords, shovels and grass cutters were bought with our money. We also had to buy gasoline for use at night.

During the training, they delivered propaganda to us, saying for example, that other armed organizations had never defeated the military and we were not recruited to fight a battle. We would serve as security guards with the battalions.

After the training, 80 out of 252 conscripts from our batch were sent to the military interrogation camp in Yangon by six trucks. We spent two nights there before being sent to Mawlamyine by ship. We had to stay with the 208^th Light Infantry Battalion in Kyikemayaw for two months. The battalion had no soldiers as all of them were sent to the front lines in the Japanese Mount in Ye Ta Gon village, Thanbyuzayat Township.

At first, I wanted to run away alone, but later, I talked with friends and urged them to leave the army. I told them we didn’t protect our people but just sacrificed our lives for the power and profit of the army. It wasn’t worth sacrificing our lives. Then, six other friends agreed with me and one had a connection with the Daw Na Column, an armed revolutionary force. Then, we ran away.

During the training, the Major warned us not to run away and join the PDF. He said the PDF could treat us well for just two or three days and then, they would kill us after getting information from us. He spread fear amongst us.

But we already knew the real situation. We didn’t trust anything they said. The revolutionary side welcomed us warmly from the first day of arrival and they treated us with brotherhood. I feel I’m free. Everything is okay now since we met with them. We have had contact with our families. We are still worried that the junta will threaten our family members.

Finally, to all conscripts, majors and soldiers, if you want to defeat the military dictatorship, just come and cooperate with us. Please don’t kill people to strengthen the power and personal interest of the army. I urge all conscripts to join us.

Junta’s drone attack injuries three Thane Za Yet residents

HURFOM: On March 13^th, 2025, the Thane Za Yet based 310^th artillery regiment dropped bombs by drones on a security gate manned by the People’s Defense Force.  The incident took place near Moke Kha Malt village, Kyike Hto Township, Mon State. There was no active armed clash in the area at that time.

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Voice of Conscripts

HURFOM: In order to realize the impacts of the forceful and unlawful conscription law in Burma HURFOM has interviewed three individuals who fled the junta’s army and sought shelter with the armed revolutionary forces.

Interview #1 – Ko Chan Mon (Mon State)

I was born in Thailand and l have never been to Burma. It was in March, 2024. I returned to my native place (of my parents), Lamine Town, Ye Township, Mon State. I came back via the Kaw Thaung route when junta’s soldiers arrested me because I had no Burmese ID card. They detained me for seven days. After a month, they applied for the ID card for me. At that time, everything seemed okay. But after getting the ID card, I was sent to the conscript collection camp in Myeik. That is when I realized I was being forced into military service as a conscript.

I was part of batch #5 of the conscripts receiving military training from September to November, 2024 in Dawei. Every day was disappointing during those three months. Because I had no intention to join the military and it had never been in my thought to do so. I wanted to run away on the first day of the training. My parents are in Thailand and I had to talk with them in the presence of the military officials. I wasn’t allowed to have conversations with them very often. Most of the conscripts were arbitrarily arrested or collected by the ballot system. None of us joined the military with our consent.

They said I would receive a salary of more than 200,000 MMK but I received only 104,000 MMK. They also said we would serve as security guards and not be sent to front lines after the training. We were first sent to the Mawlamyine military training school. Then, we were sent to the 208^th Light Infantry Battalion in Kyike Kha Mi, Thanbyuzayat Township. Then, we were sent to the front lines in Ye Ta Gon village, Thanbyuzayat Township.

It was there that one of my friends from conscript training said he had connections with the Daw Na military column, a revolutionary armed force. We were able to establish a connection by phone and they told us to wait in a place. Then, they came to pick us up. After reaching the Daw Na Column, I felt I was totally free.

In conclusion, I want to advise young men that if you have to join the military training, please make contact with the revolutionary forces and find shelter with them. Don’t waste your life for the military. It isn’t worth sacrificing our lives for the military.

Weekly Analysis: Landmines Post Life-Threatening Risks to Conflict-Affected Communities in Southeastern Burma

Over the last week in targeted areas of the Human Rights Foundation of Monland, including Mon State, Karen State and the Tanintharyi Region, civilians faced immense risks and threats to their lives due to landmines. The military junta deliberately places and hides landmines and unexploded ordnance devices in civilian areas to instill fear and uncertainty.

Many who accidentally step do so while on their way to work or tend to their harvests. The explosions have injured and killed men, women and children. Survival rates are low, and treatment is costly and painful. Further, survivors face additional barriers in earning an income and fleeing during attacks by the junta.

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