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Rape victims are being forced to accept money rather than justice

HURFOM: Since the coup, organizations providing legal support to women and childen report increases in domestic assuaults and rape – particularly of children.

One organization said they have twenty case files open regarding rape involving children, and 10 cases of domestic assualt.  According to those working to assist victims, the actual number of cases is expected to be higher than what is reported, as many cases are not reported.

When victims have reported the incidents, authorities attempt to settle the case with monetary compensation rather than pursue an arrest and use the rule of law.

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Military junta slashes ethnic affairs budget

HURFOM: The Mon State government allocated a separate budget line for non-Burmese ethnics and is allowing the funding to be used to support the literature and culture sector. However, the military junta halved the budget allocation for this fiscal year.

After the start of 2021, the ethnic affairs budget remained at the same level as previous years.  Each ethnic group had received 100 million Kyat,  but in the 2022 fiscal year, each ethnic groups were allocated just 50 million Kyat.

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region
Second Week of July, 2022

HURFOM: 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 Tanintharyi region.

Analysis

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) is observing a downward spiral of normalcy across target areas of Mon State, Karen State and Tanintharyi region. The livelihoods of civilians are being threatened by the Burma Army whose increasing presence evokes fear and anxieties among local communities. The calls for international action have repeatedly called for targeted sanctions and accountability measures to be put in place to ensure the people of Burma have the peace that they have long craved.

Over the last week, locals from Kyaung Shar Kwin area, Yebyu Township, Tanintharyi Region told HURFOM that they had to abandon their plantations due to landmines. “A landmine exploded near my plantation. After that, I have not gone back. Another explosion can take place any time.” Between late 2019 and 2020, there have been 10 victims who suffered from landmine explosions in Yebyu Township. Five victims were from the Kyaung Shar Kwin area. Local plantation owners are frightened to go to their lands due to frequent explosions. “I’ve abandoned my plantation. I am afraid to go there. All landmine victims have been my neighbors. If I were injured, my family would be in trouble. That’s why I’ve abandoned my betel nut plantation for three years now,” said a plantation owner from Lae Sakan village.

Both ethnic armed organizations – the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Karen National Union (KNU) are active in this area, but no group has taken responsibility for the landmines. The Dawei District NMSP office released a statement on March 16, 2020 stating that both NMSP and KNU had responsibility for finding a solution. It is estimated that approximately 200 plantation owners work roughly 2,000-acre of land in the Kyaung Shar Kwin areas.

A rising number of destroyed religious sites has been documented by rights groups including HURFOM with dozens destroyed in our program areas. The junta, despite claiming to be Buddhist, has destroyed many monasteries, threatened, and imprisoned monks and refused to honor temples and churches as places of sanctuary, peace and relief for civilians.

On 10 July 2022, Kyauk-Hlay-Kar village in Thayet Chaung Township, Dawei was attacked and extinguished by the junta forces who killed five villagers accused of being members and supporters of the People’s Defense Force (PDF). A 45-year-old Kyauk-Hlay-Kar villager said three local people were killed when about 70 Junta troops stormed the village:”They arrested two more villagers on suspicion of being PDFs. Then they shot and killed those villagers when the military columns arrived at Yaung Maw village, Thayet Chaung. A total of five villagers were killed as many locals were fleeing the village. It was estimated about 200 families are fleeing to safer areas. Names of the victims; the exact personal accounts, and locations are being examined by HURFOM.

Arbitrary arrests and warrantless raids are also ongoing. On the night of July 9, 2022, a group of junta forces and their sponsored-armed members stormed a civilian house in Wei-Kyun-Myothit Ward, Dawei, and abducted three young men. According to local sources, it was later confirmed that one of them was shot to death. The victim was Ko Paing Paing, age 21, and the son of the Pan-Chit-Thu family, located on the Wei-Kyun-Yay road.

Meanwhile, clashes continue to displace and devastate communities. Local villagers near No. 1023 Military base of the Border Guard Force (BGF) were afraid of being investigated, arrested, or tortured by the military, as well as possible armed clashes, so they fled from their homes.

Most villagers moved to Mudon Township, Mon State: “I’ve left my house and just come back once a week to check its condition. I’m worried that the soldiers will burn down my empty house now that I’ve moved to Mudon,” said a villager.

CDM government staff struggle to find employment: Worry about their security

HURFOM: After the coup, many government staff from various departments were involved in the “Civil Disobedience Movement” (CDM).

Now, these staff are struggling to find a new job.  They are unable to find other employment as employers do not want to target their companies as being in opposition to the military.

In addition, they worry the military may arrest them at any time.

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Locals flee homes after BGF base is burnt down

HURFOM: On June 30, 2022, an unknown armed group invaded No. 1023 Military Base of the Border Guard Force (BGF) located near Htaw Pa Law village, Hla Ka Zine village track, in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State.  The base was abandoned by the BGF approximately two months ago. The armed group burnt down the base.

Local villagers near the base were afraid of being investigated, arrested, or tortured by the military,  as well as possible armed clashes,  so that they fled from their homes.

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Ethnic language teachers unpaid for more than a month

HURFOM: Since the opening of school in June, 2022, ethnic language teachers in Mon State have not received  their salaries, despite having performed their duties for more than a month.

“None of the ethnic language teachers have received their salary. Other (full-time) teachers have been paid monthly. The ethnic teachers asked the school authorities for a reason,  but officials say the issue is not their responsibility. The Mon Literature and Culture Committee, says the government has  the responsibility,” said a Mon language teacher from Kyaikmayaw Township.

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Many women in Mon State experience online sexual abuse: Support is limited.

HURFOM: Many women in remote villages in Mon State are experiencing sexual abuses on their  social media platforms such as Facebook and Messenger.  Most have very limited information or support on how  to handle this form of sexual abuse.

“My niece had a fight with her lover and they were apart but the boy wasn’t satisfied with the situation and released (private) photos on Facebook. We didn’t know what to do and how to solve the problem. As we knew nothing about laws, we had to stay in silence,” said the aunt of the victim.

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Attempted rape victim denied justice

HURFOM: On the last day of Burma Songkran (April 16), 2021, a 12-year-old girl from Han Gan village, Ye Township, Mon State on her way back from the festival of the Kyaik Mem Plog Pagoda suffered an attempted rape.

Separated from her mother, in the crowds, a man with tattoos had dragged her away from the festival, and tried to rape the child in a deserted spot. She shouted for help and the man hit her on the head with a stone and then ran away.

“After the incident, we went to the Administrator of Koe Mile village (the nearest village) and made a report. The Administrator said “Just treat the injury of the child first and we can discuss later.” It has been more than a year now since the incident and he has done nothing,” said the mother.

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Pu Law IDP Camp faces food supply shortage

HURFOM: Since late June 2022, there have been frequent armed clashes between the Burmese military and the alliances of Pu Law People’s Defense Forces.

These skirmishes have taken place in Pu Law Township, Myike District, Tenasserim Division, which has disrupted the food supply transportation system. Recently the Burmese military cut off the transportation corridor leaving the Pu Law Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp with a shortage of food.

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Locals abandoned plantations due to landmine explosions

HURFOM: Locals from Kyaung Shar Kwin area, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division have told HURFOM that they had to abandon their plantation due to landmines.

“A landmine exploded  near my plantation. After that, I have not gone back. Another explosion can take place any time,” said a local plantation owner from the Kyaung Shar Kwin area.

Between late 2019 and 2020, there have been 10 victims who suffered from  landmine explosions in Yebyu Township.  Five victims were from the Kyaung Shar Kwin area. Local plantation owners have been frightened to go to their lands due to frequent explosions.

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