The Human Rights Foundation of Monland Releases a New Report:
October 5, 2023
“The Resistance and Resilience of Civilians in Southeastern Burma: Human Rights Violations in Southeastern Burma from January to June 2023”
HURFOM
Today, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) releases a new report, “The Resistance and Resilience of Civilians in Southeastern Burma: Human Rights Violations in Southeastern Burma from January to June 2023.” Our findings indicate an overview of the rights landscape in HURFOM target areas of Mon State, Karen State, and Tanintharyi region during the year’s first six months. It also details the admirable and deeply courageous acts of resistance exemplified by people of all ethnicities, genders, and religions in Southeastern Burma in response to the violence waged by the military junta.
Read moreTen Paung residents charged under the Anti-Terrorist Act
October 5, 2023
HURFOM: On September 3, 2023, the military junta arrested more than 20 residents from Oak Tan Tar village, Paung Township, in Mon State after accusing them of having connections with the People’s Defense Forces.
Read moreDisabled person injured by artillery explosion in Bilin
October 5, 2023
HURFOM: On October 1, 2023, the military junta launched an artillery attack on Lay K village, Bilin Township, Mon State and injured a disabled person, reported the Thaton District Karen National Union (KNU).
In the morning of October 1, the Karen National Liberation Army and the People’s Defense Force attacked a military unit based in Lay K village and in response, the military launched four artillery attacks on the village.
Read moreClosure of the Za Well Gate causes rice shortage and high commodity price
October 5, 2023
HURFOM: In September, 2023, the military junta banned local people from passing through Za Well Gate which is located at a triple junction in Tenasserim Township, Tenasserim Division. As a result, villages are now faced with rice shortages and a sudden and sharp increase in commodity prices.
Read moreJunta extorts money from unlicensed car owners in Mon State
October 4, 2023
HURFOM: The military junta has been extorting money from unlicensed car owners citing they would give them a (unofficial) local driving license and number plate.
“Unlicensed cars can be driven after getting recommendation letters from military officials. You have to pay more than two million MMK to get the letter. After that, you can drive unlicensed cars in Mon State,” said a member of a local militia group who is also a broker for unlicensed cars.
Read moreJunta imposes movement restriction creating more difficulties for people in Paung
October 4, 2023
HURFOM: In September, 2023, at least four police forces, informers and militia members of the military junta were shot and killed in Paung Township, Mon State.
Following these killings, the junta arrested many residents and imposed movement restriction in the township.
Read moreBetel nut farmers in financial crisis as price drops
October 4, 2023
HURFOM: Last season, the price for dried betel nuts was between 5 to 6, 000 MMK for 1.63 kg., but this year, the same quantity of betel nut is priced at between 2,500 to 3,000 MMK.
The sharp price drop means a financial crisis for betel nut farmers in Mon State.
Read moreJunta desperate for US dollars tries to exploit migrant workers
October 3, 2023
HURFOM: After the attempted coup, many countries in the international community undertook some economic sanctions as a way to show their opposition to the junta. The World Bank also decided to halt loans to Burma.
As a result export income has declined, and economic sanctions of the international community are proving to have some impact.
Singapore recently decided to cut its dealings with two banks controlled by the junta.
These efforts are making it more difficult for the junta to access US dollars.
In response the junta has turned to exploiting migrant workers abroad, as a short term remedy to access US dollars.
On September 1, 2023, the junta declared that migrant workers abroad must transfer back 25% of their salary to Burma via official transfer systems to domestic banks. If not, they would be banned from working abroad for three years.
“We’ve worked like slaves to get this money and we have to send 25% to the junta. It’s totally unfair. When we were in trouble abroad, no one came to help us,” said a Burmese migrant worker in Thailand.
When transferring their salary to their families, most migrant workers use a fast, simple and illegal money transfer agency, rather than the complicated and often delayed official banking system.
After declaring the new law targeting migrant workers, the junta began to arrest illegal money transfer agencies and their brokers in Mon State.
From September 15 to 17, 2023, five illegal money transfer brokers were arrested in Kyike Hto, Paung and Thaton Townships and face charges under section 171 of the Monetary Association Laws Act.
“They’ve arrested illegal money transfer brokers to increase the pressure on migrant workers to use the official banking system. If so, they (the junta) will get 25% (of their salary),” said a local source.
Critics of the new law note the junta already exploits income from natural resources extraction to kill its own people. Migrant workers are unwilling to send their salary back to banks controlled by the junta as they don’t want their salary to be a contribution to killing people in Burma.
In addition, the junta controlled banks use an exchange rate that is much lower than the exchange rate being used in the actual market.
On September 19, 2023, one Thai Baht was equivalent to 96.5 MMK in the actual market but the junta-controlled banks say the Thai Baht is equal to 55 MMK. One US dollar is equivalent to more than 3,000 MMK in the actual market but one US dollar is priced at more than 2,000 MMK in domestic banks.
After the attempted coup, the numbers of workers interested in working abroad sharply increased and many go abroad via legal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pathways with select countries, or via undocumented routes.
“Migrant workers who came under MOU agreements often have to do jobs which are different from the job classifications described in their MOU contract. Even though they came with an MOU, they couldn’t get that type of job when arriving here. They had to wait for months. It’s terrible,” said a migrant worker in Thailand.
The junta is now also pressuring “foreign work agencies” to make sure that migrant workers had signed documents agreeing to send 25% of their salary back to their mother country before they leave the country.
“I had to sign the document. But I don’t know how to transfer back my salary,” said a migrant worker who recently left Burma.
“One of my friends had gone to Korea for work and he/she had to sign a document before their departure agreeing to send back 25% of their salary. It’s compulsory,” said another local source.
The National Unity Government says this latest move by the junta is a breach of the 1999 Foreign Work Law, and is abusive and oppresses migrant workers.
Junta arrests two individuals and lays Anti-Terrorism charges for social media posts
October 3, 2023
HURFOM: Two people from Mawlamyine and Thaton Townships of Mon State were arrested by the military junta in the last week of September, 2023 and both are being charged with offenses under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) according to sources close to their families.
Read more30 houses burnt down and thousands flee home in Pu Law
October 3, 2023
HURFOM: Since the second week of September, 2023, the military junta has engaged in armed clashes with the People’s Defense Forces in Pu Law Township, Tenasserim Division.
The military junta has arrested villagers and burnt down houses.
Read more
Latest Headlines
- Three killed and fifteen injured by reckless artillery attacks in Kyike Hto in just over month
- Junta’s air assault injures two civilians in Tenasserim
- Junta forces arrest four villagers: Uses them as human shield
- Rice farming declines in Kyikemayaw due to armed conflict and security concerns
- Weekly Overview: Human Rights Situation in Mon State, Karen State and Tanintharyi Region
- Detainee not released even after 15 days of arrest
- Junta’s forces recklessly kill girl in Long Lone
- Woman sustains serious leg injury from landmine explosion
- Woman killed by bomb dropped by drone in Kaw Bane
- Junta’s EPC extorts huge sums from Mawlamyine residents for dubious electricity bills
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