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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

Fourth Week of December 2022

HURFOM: Despite the Christmas holidays, the Burma Army has not slowed its offensives. The targeting of civilians continues in Southeastern Burma and across the country. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has closely monitored the scaled-up atrocities perpetrated against unarmed residents. Offensives remain unrelenting, and the lives of the most vulnerable are increasingly at risk amid food shortages and freedom of movement restrictions.

The military junta launched a coup two years ago and denied the results of the 2020 election by dubiously claiming significant mistakes with the voter list. The junta is planning to hold an election in 2023. The Union Election Committee, which is controlled by the military, has been collecting names for a new voters’ list via the General Administration Department (GAD). According to sources within the GAD, there is little confidence the new voter list will be accurate because of corruption within the Immigration Department which has been tasked to make national registration cards and a household list of voters. Some names hold two or three different ID cards. “If corruption cannot be eliminated, the voter list won’t be accurate,” said a source close to the township GAD.

It is worth noting that the junta has also been putting pressure on small or ethnic political parties. The UEC recently informed all political parties of an amendment driven by the junta establishing new membership numbers and requiring parties to pay a fee to the UEC.

“It has been a long time since they’ve checked to see if the people in the constituency and those on the household list are the same. Many have different household lists and don’t live in the township they are registered to vote in.”

Clashes throughout the region threaten instability as hopes for a return to normalcy feels all the more distant. Conflict broke out in Padauk-Gyi Village, Thayetchaung Township, Dawei. The junta burned seven houses, opened fire with artillery weapons, and killed a young villager. On December 18 at 10 AM, fighting broke out between the local People’s Defence Forces and the junta in Padauk-Gyii Village. According to the reporters, the military council army burned seven houses and two motorcycles. In the evening after the battle, the junta and their backed militias entered the road leading to the hot springs in Pe-Dak village. A witness said they fired indiscriminately with their guns. A young man was hit in the chest. He bled to death. Due to these new armed conflicts, at least 300 families and villagers are fleeing nearby areas who fear the junta’s indiscriminate gunfire.

Meanwhile, the abductions are creating a growing atmosphere of fear. In Kaw Dut village, Ye Township, Mon State, two young people were arbitrarily arrested by the junta at 8 PM on December 20: “The junta is patrolling our village day and night. There are no People’s Defense Force soldiers here. But two young villagers, our friends, who were using their phones at the public rest house, were abducted. They did nothing wrong. Their motorbike was also seized,” according to a close friend of one of the detainees. They were sent to the Lamine Police Station, a neighboring Town of Kaw Dut village, Northern Ye Mon State. The junta frequently demands ransoms for the release of their loved ones. Human lives should not have a price tag attached to them. They must be granted their universal human rights to live with dignity and peace.

2,000 villagers flee their homes in Pu Law

HURFOM: The military council launched a heavy armed attack in Pu Law Township, Myeik District, Tenasserim Division in the first week of December, 2022.  In response 2,000 villagers from 20 villages fled their homes and have been unable to return.

The military also launched artillery attacks on nearby  villages. 

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Military junta bans villagers from using social media to share certain news incidents

HURFOM: Villagers told HURFOM that the military junta is strongly threatening them not to share news related to armed clashes, bomb explosions or any news related to the revolution against the coup, via their social media accounts.

Those who do share reports of such incidents will be arrested and punished by the military junta.

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Junta prepares to crack down on civil society sector in Mawlamyine

HURFOM: Civil society organizations are preparing for a crackdown in the coming weeks  by the military  junta who will be looking to see if they have a  valid registration.

“Our registration has expired. The officials called us to extend the registration. But we have some difficulties and haven’t done it yet. Now we dare not do anything,” said an official from Mawlamyine based, youth empowerment organization.

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Junta’s troop arrests and extorts young people

HURFOM: In Kaw Dut village, Ye Township, Mon State, two young people were arrested by the junta’s security forces at about 8 pm.

“The junta’s forces are patrolling in our village day and night, at the moment. Two young people who were using their mobile phones at the public rest house were arrested last night. They did nothing wrong but their motorbike was also seized. They were sent to the Lamine Police Station. One was released while another one was sent to the Ye Police Station. I’ve heard that both of them were beaten,” said a villager.

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Junta’s soldiers’ rape pregnant daughter and mother in Ye

HURFOM: Mid-day on December 11, 2022, a daughter and mother who worked in a rubber plantation located between San Pya and Hnin Zone villages, Ye Township, Mon State were both raped by Burmese soldiers.

The rape victims lived with the daughter’s husband at the plantation and the daughter was pregnant.

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Junta’s voter list will not be accurate due to corruption

HURFOM: The military junta launched a coup in February 2020 denying the results of the 2020 election, by dubiously claiming there were major mistakes with the voter list.

The junta is  now planning to hold an election in 2023 and the Union Election Commission (UEC), which is controlled by the military, has been collecting names for a new voters’ list via the General Administration Department (GAD).

According to sources within the GAD, there is little confidence a new voters list will be accurate, because of corruption within the Immigration Department who have been tasked to make the  national registration cards (NRC or ID card) and a household list of voters.

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UEC applies pressure on small political parties

HURFOM: The military junta is preparing to hold an election in 2023 and the junta-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC) have put pressure on small or ethnic political parties, according to the political sources.

The UEC recently informed all political parties of an amendment driven by the junta  establishing new membership numbers within political parties,  and requiring parties to pay a fee to the UEC.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region

Third Week of December 2022

HURFOM: Over the last week, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) reported increasing cases of arbitrary arrests and abductions. The terror tactics deployed by the military junta have resulted in thousands fleeing for safety. Civilians continue to be fired at indiscriminately and lack access to protection pathways. A hijacked justice system has failed to uphold international rights and freedoms. HURFOM fieldworkers on the ground have reported a growing sense of fear and insecurity. 

Hundreds of residents who fled conflicts in their native villages in Bokpyin Township, Tanintharyi Region,  since the last week of November, have not been able to return to their homes, according to reporters in that region. Families are suffering from food shortages. A HURFOM reporter said that between December 4 and 10, the junta forcibly relocated another 400 local villagers living in Yadanap (Mining) village to the Myanmar-Thailand border. Now the number of people is about 700, including children and the elderly, who face risks to their survival as they cannot access medicine and nutritional food.

HURFOM also reported on the rising challenges facing people with disabilities who struggle to find work and secure their livelihoods. Due to political instability, businesses are reducing staff and stopping work, according to those assisting people with disabilities. He added they are working in connection with vocational training institutes to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities, but it is not practical. In addition, people with disabilities who have been stopped from work face difficulties in making a living. It is improbable that the military junta will support those struggling during these times. HURFOM has reported dozens of cases of the military extorting people through ransoms and confiscating possessions. The number of disabled people increased after the military coup due to excessive landmine injuries and other conflict-related wounds.

Travel in Southeastern Burma has also become much more restricted and high-risk. Since the beginning of December 2022, the Junta Administrator of Pu Law Township, Myeik District, Tanintharyi Region, has required all passengers or travellers to show their recommendation letter (travel authorization) at checkpoints. The junta persecutes anyone who has failed to deliver the letter. A recommendation letter costs at least 5,000 Myanmar Kyat, which is exceptionally high for some families, given the financial struggles amid the ongoing political and economic crisis. Since 1 February 2021, administrators appointed by the junta has made extra money by extorting villagers.

One of the reasons so many have remained fearful in their villages is that the junta has not hesitated to fire into civilian areas if they feel provoked or are suspicious of opposition forces hiding. An innocent civilian was shot dead by Junta LIB No. 406 troops in Wagone village, Dawei; according to local sources. Ko Chit, age 35, was found with gun wounds outside the village. The incident occurred on December 11, 2022, at 8:00 PM. A local who spoke to HURFOM said a group of soldiers and their alliances’ militias arrested Ko Chit by tying his hands behind his back and then he started hearing gunshot sounds. They fled and left the body.   The deceased was just an ordinary villager and had no history of being involved or linked with armed groups. 

HURFOM condemns the ongoing violence being perpetrated against innocent civilians. The junta has advanced their attacks because they have yet to be accountable. The people cannot trust the authorities to protect them, which has only added to the anxiety that residents face daily. There must be justice for lost lives and reparations to families. This is only possible through international accountability mechanisms which demand global intervention.

Betel nut farmers face tough times as prices drop

HURFOM: Since October of this year, betel nut buyers in Mon State have been able to buy dry betel nuts from farmers for approximately 3,000 Kyat per Peittha (1.63 kg) but  it is difficult to sell the products at that low price.

Early this year, there was a huge buy of juvenile/young betel nut from China, meanwhile local betel nut farmers had harvested a small crop. As a result a Peittha of betel nut was priced at 6,000 Kyat in June, 2022. However by September the price dropped to about 3,300 Kyat per Peittha.

Price fluctuations extended into last year.

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