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2010 Elections with Non-Politicians Candidates

Burma’s long-standing problems can be traced to its genuine political clashes  between the country’s military rulers and its democratic opposition parties, and these same military rulers and the country’s ethnic minority .  However, the military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) does not want to solve Burma’s political problems, but instead wishes to continue maintaining its power in the upcoming 2010 elections. Read more

Like water poured in the sand: Southeastern Burma in a post-ceasefire world

Introduction:

On April 22^nd, 2010 the New Mon State Party publicly announced its final refusal of the State Peace and Development Council’s (SPDC) Border Guard Force (BGF) proposal.  The refusal was issued despite widespread reports that Southeast Command Major General Ye Myint had informed the party at an April 7^th meeting that such a move would lead to a return of the NMSP’s “pre-ceasefire relationship” with the SPDC[1]. Read more

Women’s Rights Study on Mon Women’s Day

Introduction

On February 24th, 2010, Mon nationals from various areas in Thailand and southern Burma celebrated the 6^th anniversary of Mon Women’s Day (MWD). Celebrations took place in Baleh-Donephai, an Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) resettlement site in southern Burma. During the celebration WCRP conducted a cross-sectional qualitative survey about: domestic violence, economic despair, livelihoods and the role of women in the family. Read more

Forced portering rumors spread fear and stymie economies in southern Mon State

HURFOM,Southern Mon State: Young men between the ages of 18 and 40 from southern Mon state have informed HURFOM’s field reporters that they have significantly curtailed their movements within the area, in response to rumors that young men from the region are being arrested and forced into portering services by locally-based military battalions. Supposedly, porters are being arrested as part of a new Burmese government-spearheaded launch of military offensive against ethnic ceasefire groups. Read more

SPDC township authorities arrest and extort fees from residents not included in family lists

Moulmein: According to HURFOM field researcher, since May 5^th, 2010, joint forces of State Peace and Develop Council (SPDC) included members of Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC), Police forces, People’ militia, Immigration and Military Intelligence have been cracking down on residents and family members whose names have not been listed on their families’ lists in Moulmein Township, Mon State. Residents claimed that some family members have been arrested and had fines extorted as punishment for failing to present their names on the families’ list. Read more

Increased security demands force villagers to guard along Kanbauk to Myingkalay pipeline

Mon State: In order to tighten the security along the SPDC’s 180 mile-long gas pipeline which is from Kanbauk, Ye byu Township, Tenasserim Division to Myingkalay, opposite the river-side of Pa’an, Karin State, the local authorities ordered the civilians to guard the pipeline every night with 10 persons per village. One resident said that this command would be implemented at the end of the first week of May. Read more

2010 Elections Is Meaningless for the Mon People

After reaching the deadline of April 22nd, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) had to make a statement regarding their position on whether to accept pressure to transform their armed force into a militia force under the command of the Burmese army – since then the situation in Mon areas has been unstable.  The troops of the Burmese Army have moved into or close to the 1995 ceasefire designated areas, and hundreds of Mon people have been displaced, escaping from their villages. Read more

When Frogs Eat Frogs: Systematic Abuses by DKBA Forces Against Karen Communities

A Karen proverb says, ‘Frogs are extinct because they eat each other.’ Now, like this proverb, the same ethnic groups oppress each other, so they will be extinct and get nothing beneficial.
A village headman in Kawkareik Township

In some cases, they [DKBA troops] are worse than the Burmese military.  As they speak Karen language, they are defined as Karen, but their manner is the same as Burmese Army.
Saw Phoe Thar,  a 63 year old resident of Kook Ka Rate, Karin State. Read more

Residents from New Mon State Party territory react to advance of Burmese battalions

HURFOM: Reports that military columns from the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) have entered into territory controlled by the New Mon State Party (NMSP) have fed fears amongst area residents of a potential break in the 15 year old cease fire. Read more