Bedok Construction Company trucks destroy roads; locals fail to see promised benefits of development project

June 28, 2018

HURFOM: Locals report that trucks from the Bedok Construction and Engineering Co., Ltd (BCE) have destroyed the road between the villages Tha Byay Thit and Da Min Sake, in Hnint Kayin village tract, Ye Township. As a result of the company’s trucks using it to transport sand and stone, local villagers and students have found the road almost impassable. Read more

Following pressure from villagers, Mon State government U-turn on their decision to dismiss village administrator

June 26, 2018

HURFOM: On June 21st 2018, the Mon State government declared that they had reversed their decision to dismiss Mi Than Htay, also known as Mi Jaloon Htaw, of Taranar village, Kyaikmayaw Township, who had been removed from her position as village administrator on April 26th 2018. Read more

HURFOM statement: Without ending torture, implementing transitional justice, there can be no chance of national reconciliation

June 26, 2018

Today on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, HURFOM wishes to express solidarity with survivors of torture around the world, as well as draw attention to the serious violations ongoing in Burma.

The military, police, and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) in Burma have for decades used torture against civilians, in direct violation of international customary law.

The United Nations Convention against Torture, which came into force on this day 31 years ago, has still not been signed by the Burmese government. Read more

World Refugee Day

June 20, 2018

HURFOM: Today on World Refugee Day, HURFOM honors all refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people around the world.

HURFOM calls on governments, ethnic armed groups, civil society organisations, donors, and the international community to end the human rights violations which are causing people to flee their homes, and to aid all refugees, asylum-seekers and displaced people.

According to the Global Peace Index there are currently 68 million refugees and internally displaced people in the world, the most since records began following WWII.

In Burma, refugee and IDP crises are escalating across the country. Read more

Witness to police torture case beaten and threatened by police in Paung Township

June 15, 2018

HURFOM: On May 21st 2018, Police Sergeant Thein Hline Oo and Police Private Shine Htet Aung, from Yin Nyein Police Station, tortured two villagers from Kyauk Ye Twin village, Paung Township, Mon State. Police Sergeant Thein Hline Oo has been charged under three sections of the Penal Code. On June 10th at around 4pm, Sergeant Thein Hline Oo was found back in the same village beating another villager, as he was reportedly angry with having been charged for the first beating. Read more

Locals worry about damage to their plantations as Mon State government gives green light to treasure hunters

June 15, 2018

HURFOM: Just weeks after Thanbyuzayat Township General Administration Department forced Golden Geo Myanmar Co. Ltd. to halt illegal excavations on the same site, on April 22nd 2018, the Mon State government officially granted permission to the Royal Eagle Myanmar Development Group Co. Ltd to excavate fabled caches of buried gold and other valuables said to have been left by retreating Japanese troops during World War II. The company has been given three months to excavate at Mount Mane Mala (Samane Blai) at the western edge of Thanbyuzayat Town, Mon State. The excavations have local residents worried about the potential damage to their plantations, as well as about the possibility of the company accidentally uncovering and detonating old Japanese cluster bombs. Read more

Villager tortured by police refuses hush money; files lawsuit against police

June 7, 2018

HURFOM: On May 21st 2018, Police Sergeant Thein Hline Oo and Police Private Shine Htet Aung, from Yin Nyein Police Station, tortured two villagers from Kyauk Ye Twin village, Paung Township, Mon State. On May 23rd the Chief of the Police Station and the Village Administrator came to the victims asking them to accept compensation and cover up the case, according to U Maung Gyi, one of the torture victims. Read more

Statement by HURFOM on World Environment Day

June 5, 2018

Today on World Environment Day 2018, HURFOM urges the Burma/Myanmar Government, ethnic armed organizations, corporations, and the international community to protect and preserve the environment and natural resources of Mon State and southern Burma. The livelihoods of local people depend on the conservation of this region’s various ecosystems. Read more