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Locals fear a return of Burmese army tactics of arresting and conscripting villagers

HURFOM: The Burmese army has a long history of forcefully conscripting villagers to be used as a human shield and serve as unpaid labourers.  International bodies and non-governmental bodies have documented these practices dating back to the era when the State Law and Order Restoration Council ruled Burma. 

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Security forces frightened locals during search for PDF members in Ye

HURFOM: On September 12, 2021, about 50 soldiers in  four military trucks searched houses in Tha Main Baran Street (between Thiri Nandar and Thiri Marlar Streets) in Ye, Mon State.

The incident frightened home owners and neighbours.

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Weekly Update in HURFOM Targeted Areas (Second Week of September 2021)

HURFOM, Mawlamyine: A weekly update by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) on the situation on the ground. Summary data includes Mon State, Karen State, and Northern Tanintharyi Region.

The numbers of those arrested & detained more than doubled in HURFOM areas in the last week. Violence by the junta has increased as young ppl are targeted.

Full Analysis:

Numbers in HURFOM areas of arrest and detainment more than doubled since last week. Eight civilians were arrested in Mon State, eleven in Karen and thirty-four from Dawei region. Of those injured, most of the victims were from Dawei and Mawlamyine. A pregnant woman, and mother of a young child was shot by the junta while coming home with her husband, who was also shot and severely injured in Ka-Dike village, Paung township on 1 September. Property also continued to be looted by state-backed forces under the unlawful ‘stop and frisk’ tactics. Some civilians were forced to pay fines to have their belongings returned.

Door to door inspections of suspected People’s Defense Forces (PDF) continue in Dawei region and in Hpa-an, Karen State. Three young people who the Junta forces suspected as the network members of PDF were abducted, according to one of the victims’ neighbors reported. National League for Democracy member houses were also targeted.

On 5 September, the Light Infantry Battalion No. 583, operating under the Military Operation Management Command No. 19, arrested a villager from Wae Bai village for unknown reasons. About 50 Junta troops with full ammunition entered into the village (Wae Bai, Eastern Ye, the New Mon State Party controlled areas) at 2 PM local time and arrested a 44-year-old man. Witnesses suspect that the junta was on alert for conflict as they entered NMSP controlled areas without permission.

Even aid workers are being targeted. Four young men volunteering with their village to provide health and social support were abducted by Light Infantry Battalion No. 401 army soldiers. The village is known as, Maw-Shae-Gone Village, Thayet Chaung Township, Dawei. 2 Army Trucks carried full of soldiers came and searched door-to-door. Then they arrested four men and brought them to unknown places, according to local sources.

In most cities in Mon State, the junta deployed more troops to tighten up security after the National Unity Government declared war on them. ‘We face difficulties traveling. They have full power to stop and frisk, to search our handphones, and to rob us,’ said a young man who had his phone confiscated.

The recent armed clashes between Junta troops and PDF have forced an estimated 1,000 civilians into the jungle, according to HURFOM network members in Palaw Township, southern Tanintharyi Region. After the military began launching indiscriminate attacks and shelling on Pein-Nae-Taung, Sar-Khae and Du-Yin-Pin-Yaung villages, everyone fled to the jungle. Some villagers ran with only the clothes on their back. “Targeting civilians is one of the oldest tactics of the military, especially when they have conflicts with Karen armed forces, or their opponents. The locals experienced these situations a lot, and they know that the military does not have humanity. The emergency relief and humanitarian aid providers should come and immediately respond to these people.” a former Karen National Union Brigade 4 commander said. The majority of civilians from these three villages are ethnic Karen.

Meanwhile, the Southeast Command, based in Mawlamyine, deployed many troops to tighten up the security checks in Mon and Karen State. Many of those informing on civilians are plain clothed police who are conducting more surveillance of civilians.

Tightened security impacts goods transportation

HURFOM: On September 7, 2021, the National Unity Government (NUG) announced a people’s revolution against the terrorist army, led by Min Aung Hlaing.

In response the  military council has imposed very tight security measures resulting in difficulties with  people’s movements and the transportation of goods in Mon State. 

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Electricity committee members threatened to hand over village funds to junta Administrator

HURFOM: In Hnee Padaw village, Mudon Township, Mon State, 6 members of the Mon Peace Defence Front (MPDF) and the Hnee Padaw Militia arrested two members of the Village Electricity Providing Committee on September 5, 2021, for threatening other committee members to hand over the electricity fund to the junta-appointed Administrator.

They told other committee members the fund must be given to the Administrator’s office at 10 am on September 6.   Committee members attempted to negotiate for additional time, but the junta’s administration team denied their request.

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Press Release: MYANMAR NEEDS A ‘DO NO HARM’ SOLIDARITY-BASED APPROACH TO HUMANITARIAN AID

•  AUTHOR: HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF MONLAND , KACHIN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION THAILAND , KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP , KAREN PEACE SUPPORT NETWORK , KAREN WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION , KARENNI CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK , KARENNI NATIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION , PA-O WOMEN’S UNION , PROGRESSIVE VOICE AND TA’ANG WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION 

[7 September 2021] Donors and international humanitarian organizations must ensure conflict sensitivity and employ a ‘do no harm’ solidarity-based approach to provision of humanitarian aid in Myanmar said 10 organizations. Aid must be sensitive to human rights protection and provided through cross-border channels, local humanitarian and medical networks, ethnic health and aid providers, community-based and civil society organizations, said the groups.

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Weekly update on situation in Karen, Mon & Dawei since the coup

First Week of September 2021

HURFOM, Mawlamyine: A 27yr old pregnant woman was killed by the junta and a journalist from Dawei was arrested. ‘Stop & frisk’ tactics are ongoing as youth are targeted.

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Monthly Overview of Violations in HURFOM Target Areas

HURFOM, Mawlamyine: Across the month of August, civilians in Mon State, Karen State, and Dawei experienced mounting levels of widespread human rights violations. Alongside the grievances and burdens, civilian resistance is still ongoing. August overview in full: http://ow.ly/rxEn50G2KqX

Weekly Update in HURFOM Targeted Areas (Fourth Week of August 2021)

HURFOM, Mawlamyine: The junta is continuing with their disregard of civilian rights and protections. Extortion, arbitrary arrest remain widespread across HURFOM target areas.

Full Analysis:

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Weekly Update in HURFOM Targeted Areas (Third Week of August 2021)

HURFOM, Mawlamyine: Privacy laws continue to be breached in HURFOM target areas. The assault by the Burmese junta on the rights and freedoms of innocent civilians have made everyday tasks one filled with worry. Traveling by bus has been met with soldiers coming through highway bus terminals and train stations to check everything on the mobile phones of civilians, including photo galleries and recent contacts, in addition to Facebook and various social media applications. If they find something released to the Spring Revolution, they can be arrested immediately or asked to pay a random anywhere from 5000 to 500 000 Myanmar Kyat or more.

Plain clothes police officers are arresting people in broad daylight. On 21 August, a witness reported the arrest of a woman at 3:30 PM in Mawlamyine for reasons suspected to be linked to her organising efforts of a student protest in March with her University. On 19 August, a group of young villagers were also adducted by junta security forces late at night based on accusations from a military informer.

Despite the distressing situation, bike strikes are ongoing in HURFOM target areas. A resident from Long Lone Township, Dawei commanded the bravery of those continue to protest the junta saying: “We can’t praise them enough—they did a brilliant job. We need these young people to continue breaking our silence.”

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