OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS

KAREN NATIONAL UNION

KAWTHOOLEI
www.karennationalunion.net

Situation in Conflict Areas, Karen State

(January-March 2011)

Report by: Karen National Union -SHQ

April18, 2011

The post-election situations have not resulted for better hopes, livelihoods and security for Karen villagers. There are increased
Human Rights violations that include war crimes and crimes against humanity, in which the Karen civilians are targeted directly. The
numbers of both the regime’s troops and their affiliated groups, mainly the Border Guard Force (BGF), have largely increased in
Karen areas, particularly in Dooplaya (Kawkareik), Taungoo and Nyaunglaybin districts. More troops have been sent also to other
Karen districts, but the numbers are unknown. During the three months period, the troops, increased in number, have committed
forced labor, arbitrary arrest, extra judicial killing, rape, torture, murder, extortion, shoot on sight, human mine sweeping, using
humans as shields, building road and military bases, and attacking the villagers involved. Shoot on sight and restrictions on villagers’
movement have barred villagers from earning a living and performing their daily activities to support their survival. The troops have
brought along with them military trucks, weapons, convict porters, horses and other supplies for the military operations. The
frequency of using forced labor, human mine-sweeping and human shields has noticeably increased during the 3 months. The troops,
increased in number, have demanded not only villagers but have taken forcibly also the villager’s properties such as bullock carts,
motor vehicles and motor cycles to use for their military activities.

The right to life and security is completely deprived of the innocent Karen civilians in the conflict affected areas. Daily
activities for survival have been taken away by being forced to work and pay for the military’s activities. This directly and adversely
affects also the lives of villagers. The following information is just some cases documented by local villagers and leaders in some
areas in the period starting from January to March 2011.

Increased Troop Levels

More SPDC troops have entered Karen State in January 201l. They brought in military trucks, convict porters, heavy weapons,
food supplies and horses particularly into Dooplaya (Kawkareik), Papun, Taungoo and Nyaunglaybin Districts. The troops also
conducted forced labor on villagers, forced villagers as human mine sweepers, human shields and commandeered villagers’ trucks,
bullock carts, pickup trucks and motorcycles to carry their food supplies and military items.

Taungoo district
The regime’s Military Operation Commands (MOC) - 3, 4, 7, 9, 15 and 16 - have operated fully in 2 townships; Htan-da-bin
and Dawt-pa-koh Townships. The troops have brought more than 150 trucks and used civilians’ trucks to carry foods supplies,
ammunitions and weapons to their different military bases. The regime has issued order to block the roads against all kind of civilian
traffic and transportation, since January 20, 2011.

Nyaung-lay-bin District
The troops active in these areas are Light Infantry Battalions (48 and 60) and Infantry Battalion (590). The increase in strength
is about 10,000 troops along with 40 military trucks and 270 horses. The troops forcibly took 200 bullock carts of the villagers to carry
their food supplies and do other work for the different military bases and camps.
The other districts in Karen State saw an influx of more troops, trucks and weapons, but the numbers and quantities are
unknown.

Forced Labor and Land-mine Sweeping

Both the regime and BGF troops have continued the practice of forced labor, forced human mine sweeping and forced
collection of fines (extortion of money). The troops threaten villagers with severe punishment, if they fail to fulfill the demands. Both
the SPDC and BGF troops demand large numbers of people for labor from different areas for forced labor in places where they are
operating and the villagers cannot refuse. Forced labor includes also forcing the villagers to clear the roads and landmines for the
troops.
The SPDC troops killed innocent villagers during the 3 months without any reason. Similarly, villagers were arrested and
tortured without any reason.
 Forced Labor, Mine Sweeping and Other Related Violations

Period Villagers/ Villages Troops Committing Abuses Location More information

Jan 6 villages Light Infantry Division-11 troops Thaton district Forced to carry food supplies and weapons

207 villagers Light Infantry Battalion-73 Taungoo district 42 out of 207 villagers, forced as human mine
sweepers
38 villagers SPDC troops based in Play-has- Taungoo district
lo village
45 villagers Light Infantry Battalion-48 Nyaunglaybin district Forced to carry food and military supplies
22 villagers Border Guard Force-1013 Pa Pun district Forced to clear ground, provide items such as
leaves, bamboos etc. for building military camp and
carry food and military supplies.
Feb 20 villagers Light Infantry Battalion-102 Taungoo district
197 villagers Light Infantry Battalion-102 Taungoo district

10 villagers Light Infantry Battalion-102 Tuangoo district Forced to clear landmines

10 villagers Infantry Battalion-539 Taungoo district

63 villagers Infantry Battalion-336 Taungoo district

220 villagers Light Infantry Battalioin-102 Taungoo district 150 out of 220 were forced to clear landmines

125 villagers Infantry Battalion -336 55 out of 125 were forced to clear landmines

14 villagers Light Infantry Battalion-32 Dooplaya (Kawkareik)

district

Ma Tin Aye, aged 35 Light Infantry Battalion-283

Dooplaya (Kawkareik) She died, a victim of landmines planted around her
district village.
1 villager, Saw Ler Tandabin township leader U Taungoo district Forced to build road and was injured
Moo, aged 23 Than Win
Mar 15 villagers Infantry Battalion-539, MOC-9
54 male villagers Infantry Battalion-336, MOC-9 Forced to clear landmines and carry military items
25 villagers District leader U Than Win Taungoo township Forced to clear and build motor roads
75 villagers Infantry Battalion-285 Pa-pun district Forced to carry food supplies and military items
 Arbitrary Arrest, Torture and Extrajudicial Killing

Period Number of Villagers Troops Committing Abuse Location More Information

Jan Kyaw Lwin Light Infantry Battalion (48) Nyaunglaybin Killed
District
3 male villagers Light Infantry Battalion (48) Nyaunglaybin Arrested
District
2 female villagers; Naw Htoo MOC-10 Nyaunglaybin Arrested and sent to Kyaukgyi police station
Wah and Naw Lah District
2 villagers; Thet Paw aged 18 Infantry Battalion (406) Dooplaya Shot on sight and seriously injured.
and Kyaw M’Tweet aged 14 (Kawkareik)
District:
Feb Saw Ler Paw, aged 22 Light Infantry Battalion-250, MOC-7 Taungoo District Killed
3 villagers; Saw Ah The and Infantry Battalion-426 Taungoo District Arrested
his brother and sister
Villager Naw Poe Day, aged Infantry Battalion-547 Dooplaya Killed in mortar attack on Ywa Thit Gone village
26 (Kawkareik) District:

Saw Oo Hhin Myat, aged 30 Light Infantry Battalion-250, MOC-7 Taungoo District Killed
Saw Lah Kay, aged 40 BGF-1015 Pa-an District Killed and mutilated

Saw Boh Thoh, aged 60 Infantry Battalion-539, MOC-9, Taungoo District: Arrested, tortured and detained

Saw Maw Ywe (48) years old Infantry Battalion-426 Taungoo District Killed
Village head Saw Maung La, BGF-2013 Pa-pun District: Arrested
aged 32, another villager Saw
Moe Lo, aged 37

Mar Saw Mu Gay (39) years old SPDC troops from patrol along Kaw Pa-pun District Killed
Pu motor road
1.Saw Baw, aged 50 Pa-pun District Severely beaten
2.Saw Pu Pu, aged 43 BGF-1013
3.Saw Mg Aung, aged 50
4.Saw Shwe Lu, aged 58

Unknown married woman Infantry Battalion-599 Taungoo District Raped

A novice, Shin Thu Han, aged Bns 402, 405, 406 from MOC-8 Mortared Mae Kyu village and injured
14
Girl, Naw Gugu aged 10, Infantry Battalion-547 Dooplaya Mortared 5 villages in Ywa Thit Gon and caused
injured (Kawkareik) District injuries