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

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

Across the last week in Mon State, Karen State and Tanintharyi region, pro-democracy members and supporters of the Spring Revolution continued to be ruthlessly targeted by the Burma Army, and junta-backed armed groups.

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Military sponsored groups abuse and kill villagers

HURFOM: Armed groups supported by the military are working with local authorities in many villages in Yebyu Township in the Tenasserim Division.  Two groups, in particular called “Pyu Saw Htee” and “Black Kite Brotherhood” have been destroying homes, physically assaulting villagers and setting of bombs.

“On June 21, three vehicles filled with soldiers and military sponsored groups arrived at Zar De village at 11 pm.   They claimed they were there to  check for “visitors”. If people took too long to open their door they broke down the door. They slapped villagers, kicked and beat them using their  rifles” recounted a local source.

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Armed clashes shuts down emergency services transportation efforts

HURFOM: The Burmese military and the local People Defense Forces (PDF) have had  frequent armed clashes on the highway road between Ye and Thanbyuzayat Townships, in Mon State.

As a result local emergency response teams have been unable to use that part of the highway. 

On July 1, members of the PDF, known as the “Mon State Taung Nyo People Guerrilla Force” announced that  people would be barred from using the Ye-Thanbyuzayat highway from 9:30 pm to 4:00 am.

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No compensation for village houses destroyed by oil and gas project

HURFOM: In February, 2022, officials from the “Yadanar Natural Oil and Gas Project” conducted a survey in the village of Pauk Pin Kwin, located in Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division.

The survey destroyed 12 houses, and those who suffered property losses have not received any compensation.

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

HURFOM: Junta forces in southeastern Dooplaya, Karen State, have been deploying relentless attacks against local villages with heavy shelling and airstrikes.

Full Analysis:

As June 2022 came to an end, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) observed the ongoing volatile tactics and human rights violations continuing in target areas. An additional layer of worry is the growing presence of other armed and violent groups like the Pyu Saw Htee and Black Kite Brotherhood who are believed to be sponsored by the military junta. These militias have targeted innocent civilians, predominantly those affiliated with the pro-democracy movement.

Over the last week, the Burma Army increased their attacks particularly in Karen State, promoting calls for Karen rights groups to call for urgent action including sanctioned aviation fuel, and a global arms embargo. Airstrikes on 1 July, in Thay Baw Boe village and Dooplaya district wounded five civilians, with three in critical condition. HURFOM has documented the growing numbers of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Karen State as the junta increases their presence, despite multiple orders from the Karen National Union (KNU) for the military to immediately retreat and withdraw all their forces.

The junta forces in southeastern Dooplaya have been deploying relentless attacks against local villages in the areas with heavy mortar shelling and with airstrikes. At least 7 airstrikes targeted 16 villages located in Dooplaya District. Throughout the month of June 2022 alone, HURFOM reported nearly 3,500 civilians newly displaced in Mon State, Karen State and Tanintharyi region.

Dawei has continued to be targeted by the junta as offensives worsen in the area. At 11:30 PM on 26 June 2022, joint troops of the junta sponsored militia forces and junta soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No.406 raided five houses in Kadak Gyi village, Long Lone Township. A 60-year-old couple was arrested and had tied their hands behind their backs. They were shot and killed at close-range. The victims were residents of Kadak Gyi village, U Thaung Win.

In a separate case, U San Win, a 50-year-old man from Goh-Inn village, Longlone, was also shot dead in front of his house. The Dawei District Strike Committee announced that the junta troops also looted a motorcycle with some gold jewelry. Homes in Kadagyi village were destroyed, and some valuables and banknotes were stolen. The military junta has been committing violence in LongLone Township actively between June 16 – 26, killing six in total.

In Mon State, homes are being scorched. Junta forces’ Light Infantry Battalion No. 9 continued to burn remaining houses in the village since the morning of June 26, destroying more than 60 houses in 4 villages in Thaton township. More than 110 civilians’ houses in 7 villages in Thaton township have been burned to the ground since June 26, 2022.

In addition, between June 25 and 26, villagers from Hpa-Paing, Kyauk-Taung, Kyauk-Taung-Kalay, Inn-Ywa, Saw-Ei-Poe, and Naught-Kadote (upper village) were attacked by indiscriminate shots fired by artillery (120 mm) from the 9th Battalion. Hundreds of locals have been fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in safer areas of the Karen National Liberation Army-controlled parts. “We have more than 150 houses in my native village. The junta opened fire with heavy artillery, forcing approximately 1,400 villagers to flee their residences,” a villager originally from Kaw-Kyar-Tae village described. “We’ve received six cases of injuries and two deaths during the junta’s invasion since the first week of June 2022,” an emergency response team member told the HURFOM reporter.

The situation in Burma continues to unravel, the safety and security of civilians must take precedent. The grave human rights violations committed are ongoing, yet the military evades accountability. There must be concrete actions and steps forward which make clear that the military is not free to violate international laws.

Ministry of Education doesn’t support ethnic language course materials

HURFOM: In the 2022-23 academic year, the Ministry of Education will not support “Ethnic Language Curriculum Books” for Non-Burmese students attending government schools in Mon State.

As a result there are difficulties  teaching ethnic language courses. 

“We haven’t had (ethnic language) curriculum books since the opening of school. We don’t know whom we can report this too. The headmaster/mistress claims it isn’t their duty. When talking with the Mon Literature and Culture Committee, the committee said the Ministry of Education is responsible,” said an ethnic language schoolteacher from Mudon Township.

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Mawlamyine residents say heightened security strips them of their dignity

HURFOM: The military junta is deploying numerous security forces as they tighten security measures in Mawlamyine, the capital of the Mon State. 

Local residents speaking to HURFOM say these security forces often assault their dignity, particularly when the junta authorities conduct investigations on the movement of local people.

“The (the security forces) mainly stop and check male residents. They routinely open  and search bags or backpacks. They treat residents like criminals and they speak rudely to people. The military junta also employs security forces who are in civilian clothes and this has increased the covert surveillance of people in Mawlamyine,” said one local person from Mawlamyine.

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Villagers unhappy with NMSP’s legal procedure

HURFOM: The New Mon State Party (NMSP) policy requires villagers to have recommendation letters from their village Administrators in order to submit a legal case to the NMSP Judicial Department. Villagers are expressing disappointment with this policy.

Villages in Ye Township have lost trust in the judicial system controlled by the military junta, and in some cases village Administrators have ties to the military or act in a corrupt manner. 

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Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi Region
Week Four, June 2022

HURFOM: The last week of June was met with more strife and hardships by communities across the Human Rights Foundation of Monland’s (HURFOM) target areas. Cases of theft, extortion and raids by the military junta are rampant and continue due to the lack of accountability channels in place. Civilians have been forced to endure layer upon layer of uncertainty as their livelihoods remain in jeopardy due to the junta’s growing presence.

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All Forms of Torture Must Immediately Be Put to An End in Burma

HURFOM: In target areas of the Human Rights Foundation of Monland, including Mon State, Karen State and Tanintharyi region, torture has been perpetrated by the military junta on a regular basis. HURFOM field workers have documented rising levels of fear as the junta increases their presence in civilian areas. Torture is considered a human rights violation under international law. See in full: Burmese | English

Torture in particular is a tactic which is deployed to scare and intimidate villagers. It is a way to force confessions and to exert power over unarmed, innocent populations. These acts have been committed with impunity. Villagers expressed to HURFOM that victims are denied their final death rights before they are killed. There are growing levels of frustration and uncertainty amid the current situation.

Across HURFOM areas, there have been reports of people being detained by the junta, and tortured to death in military run prisons. All political prisoners are subject to state-sponsored violence in the form of torture. Sexual violence is also considered a form of torture that robs civilians of their dignity. HURFOM has reported incidents of sexual violence against women while being interogated. Female inmates have also been deprived of food and water. Women in Burma are regularly denied their rights in military custody and are an increaed risk of being victims of sexual violence. Prison conditions are unsanitary and also deprive prisoners of their fundamental human rights.

HURFOM condemns the use of torture by any and all parties and calls for investigations to probe the unlawful deaths of civilians across the country who have been tortured to death, as well as those who have been forced to endure trauma and long term injuries as a result.

See in full: Burmese: https://rehmonnya.org/reports/TVSD-HURFOM-Bur.pdf
English: https://rehmonnya.org/reports/TVSD-HURFOM-Eng.pdf

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