Ye Township residents concerned about planned coal-fired power plant

June 28, 2017

Concerns are being raised amongst residents of Andin village, Ye Township, Mon State, after reports that Toyo-Thai Public Company Ltd. (TTCL) will renew their plans to build a US$2.8 billion, 1,280 megawatt coal-fired power plant nearby.

On April 9th 2015, the Ministry of Electricity and Energy and TTCL signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on its construction under the previous Thein Sein government. However, the project was suspended in early 2016 after strong opposition and protest by local villagers. Read more

62-year-old woman raped by her neighbour in Kyaikmayaw Township

June 26, 2017

HURFOM: On June 17th 2017, Daw T—, a 62-year-old woman from Kyune Kone village, Tarana village tract, Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, was raped and strangled by U N—, her 45-year-old neighbour. Daw T— survived the incident and the perpetrator was arrested and charged by the Kyaikmayaw Township Police the following day.

The perpetrator was known to Daw T—, as the two were friends who often drank alcohol together. At 10 pm on June 17th, U N— visited Daw T—’s house and asked her if she would like to have a drink. Daw T— denied his request but the two engaged in a short conversation. Read more

HURFOM: International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

June 26, 2017

Today Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) commemorates International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. HURFOM wishes to express our solidarity with the many survivors of torture around the world.

In doing so we wish to show our concern regarding the ongoing torture of civilians and political prisoners throughout Burma/Myanmar. We are particularly troubled by the reports of violence and the systematic torture and rape of individuals in northern Rakhine State and during the ongoing conflict in northern Kachin and Shan states by Burma/Myanmar army soldiers. In addition, we are deeply disturbed by a recently released video purporting to show Burma/Myanmar soldiers beating six men under interrogation. Furthermore, HURFOM calls for greater attention to the torture and abuse of political prisoners during interrogation and imprisonment, as highlighted by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) in their joint report outlining commonly used physical and psychological torture tactics. Read more

Mudon Township village administrator accused of exploiting land resources

June 23, 2017

On June 14th 2017, the Mawlamyine-based Mon State Environment and Resource Lovers Association (MERLA) submitted a written report to the Mon State parliament accusing the Wet Tel village administrator of exploiting community land for personal gain. The association demanded the Mon State government take immediate action against the administrator and restore the land for public use. Read more

Drug use by young people on the rise in Kyar Inn Seik Kyi Township

June 22, 2017

HURFOM: Seventy per cent of young people in Kyar Inn Seik Kyi Township, Karen State, have experienced using drugs, according to estimates by an official of the New Mon State Party’s (NMSP) anti-drug team.

[For villagers] between 14-years-old to 50-years-old, I’ve estimated that 70% of them have experienced using drugs. [The younger ones], they are out of control. We can’t stop them. Even their parents have given up on them and come to our office and request us to arrest them,” said Nai Raja, chief officer of the Kyar Inn Seik Kyi Township NMSP anti-drug team. Read more

9-year-old girl raped by her brother-in-law in Kyaikmayaw Township

June 21, 2017

On June 11th 2017, a nine-year-old girl from Pha None village, Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, was raped by her brother-in-law.

Ma S— had been living with her elder sister, Ma M—, along with her brother-in-law, Mg K—, and her brother Mg T—. They had recently moved to Pha None from Ye Pyan village, West Zee Gon Township, Bago Region, to work on a nearby farm. Read more

World Refugee Day: Nai P—’s Story

June 20, 2017

In May 2017, Nai P— spoke with Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) to share his and his family’s experience being displaced from their village and starting a new life in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) settlement site along the Thai-Burma border. Read more

HURFOM: World Refugee Day Statement

June 20, 2017

Today the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) commemorates World Refugee Day and the estimated 65 million asylum-seekers and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) around the world. Despite ongoing political and economic transformations in Burma/Myanmar which saw the election of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the country’s first free and fair elections in 25 years, the number of displaced persons have continued to climb. With the violence in northern Rakhine State and the ongoing armed conflict in northern Kachin and Shan states, recent estimates put the total number of Burma/Myanmar refugees and IDPs at over 1.1 million. Read more

Over 500 children contract dengue in Mon State

June 15, 2017

HURFOM: Between January 1st and June 10th 2017, there have been 563 reported cases in Mon State of children contracting dengue, according to Dr. Nyan Sint, Deputy Chief of Mon State Public Heath Department.

Children under the age of nine are the most likely to suffer from dengue and Mawlamyine Township has one of the highest rates of dengue in Mon State.

Dengue is very common during the rainy season and there are usually two outbreaks of dengue every year, according to Dr. Nine Oo, the Chief Physician of the Mawlamyine Women and Children Hospital. Read more

Attempted sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Halockhani

June 14, 2017

HURFOM: On May 24th2017, a 26-year-old man attempted to sexually assault his 13-year-old neighbor in the Sin OrTaung Ward of the Halockhani Internally Displaced Person (IDP) settlement site near Three Three Pagodas Pass, Karen State. Read more

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