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A new, unknown armed group has emerged in southern Ye, extorts and leaves locals in fear

HURFOM: On July 6^th 2018, locals told HURFOM that an unknown armed group has been active in southern Ye Township, Mon State. Local villagers have been extremely cautious about travelling to and working their farms and plantations, which has had negative consequences for daily livelihood needs.

According to a local monk, the unknown armed group has been active between Ka Log and Ham Gam villages of the Mount Kyaik Mote Lot region in Southern Ye for the past three months, and they have been extorting money from local farmers. Read more

NMSP’s land application has locals worried about development agenda

HURFOM: The New Mon State Party (NMSP) has applied to local authorities for permission to use land near Andin and Hnit Karote villages, Andin village track, Ye Township, Mon State. Local villagers are worried about the possible connections to investment projects.

“The local villagers didn’t know that the NMSP had applied to use the land. We don’t know when they made the application. We found out via the Village Farmland Management Committee only after clerks from the Land Record Department came to do a survey. We’re worried that the NMSP will hand over the land to an investment company. The NMSP has connections with investment companies and it’s a cause of worry for the locals,” said Mi Dar Dar, a member of Andin Youth Group. Read more

“We Still Want Our Land Back”: HURFOM interview with victims of land confiscation

HURFOM: On July 1^st 2018, HURFOM met with two victims of land confiscation, Nai Lin Aung and Mi Aye Mi San, a couple from Wae Rat village, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State. Their land was confiscated by Burma Army Artillery Battalion No. 315 in 2004.

“The plot we bought for our house was about 40×60 ft. It was located between Wae Rat and Wae Gali villages [of Thanbyuzayat Township]. We bought it in 2004. Six months after we bought it, Artillery Battalion No. 315 confiscated it. Read more

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

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

HURFOM: On June 21^st 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 26^th 2018. Read more

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

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

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

HURFOM: On May 21^st 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 10^th 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

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 22^nd 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

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

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