FBR REPORT: Second Raw report: Family used as human shields as the Burma Army continues to displace villagers in Central Karen State, Burma
Karen State, Burma
31 December, 2010
 
  Dear friends,

Earlier this month we sent a raw report from one of our team leaders, ‘Golden Love’, in Dooplaya District, central Karen State. Here the Burma Army continues to attack the population there and hundreds are in still in hiding. The following is a photo essay from ‘Golden Love’ that shows a family captured and used by the Burma Army as human shields, people in hiding, forced labor and assistance for IDPs.

After the photo essay we have included the reports that the Dooplaya FBR teams have been sending out.

We want to thank all of you who have helped and especially Partners Relief and Development, who were and are in immediate support.

Thanks to all of you,

May God bless you,

A relief team leader

Northern Karen State.

 

Family used as human shields and human mine detectors by the Burma Army on 10 December 2010

Cher Poe Kee IDP hide site, where newly displaced people continue to arrive. December 2010

Relief teams give out clothing to children in IDP hide site. December 2010

IDP children in hide site. December 2010

Villagers preparing to send their own rice that the Burma Army has demanded they give them on 18 December 2010

 

Information directly from teams:

"1) Family used as human shields:
Dear Thara Tha U Wa A Pa,
Today, we are still helping IDPs by transporting the supplies, giving treatment and giving them security. I arrived back to the IDPs' village again yesterday.
The Burma Army troops live in the villages now.The Burma Army does not have food now, so they just use the rice that villagers left in their houses and in their farms. Now, one Tactical Operations Base (TOC-1 regiment) is located in Choo Ka Lee Village, and battalion LIB 586 is in Kwee Ta U Village. Battalion LIB 403 and LIB 299 are positioned on Maw Tu hill top.
The above picture is of a family that was captured by the Burma Army and used as human shields and as landmine clearers. The Burma Army forced them to go in front of and with their patrolling troops. It was battalion LIB 299 on 10 December 2010. While they were collecting chilli on their farm, the Burma Army came and forced them to go with a patrol to Maw Tu.
Naw Eh Moo is 31 years old and has four children.The Burma Army took her, her mother and her four children. The Burma Army forced them to show the way. And the troops did not let them walk together. The children and mother and grandmother had to walk seperately between the Burma Army troops. This is the strategy they use to save themselves from attack and landmines.
In the picture, left to right - grandmother of children is Naw Eh Say, 49 years old,  the mother of the children, Naw Eh Moo, 31 years old, the eldest sister Ka Nyaw Mu, 10 years old, second person Ka Nyaw Paw, 9 years old, last person on the right is Ka Nyaw Wah, 8 years old. The little boy in front of his mother is Saw Ka Nyaw Kwar, 4 years old. They walked for an hour and arrived to Maw Tu, then they were released. Now, they are ok.
God bless you all,Golden Love and teams
2) Burma Army activities:
Now, two new Burma Army Battalions, LIB 299 and LIB 586 under control ofMOC19, TOC2 arrived Choo Ka Lee Village. We don't know what their plan is yet. Choo Ka Lee is the place some of IDPs we have now are from. They came through KNLA(Karen National Liberation Army) Battalion 18 area, Kawtari Township.
Some of IDPs here that don't live so close to the Burma Army camp try to findthe way to go back and collect their crops. Next week we will start ournext trip to go and check the villagers that we haven't visited. So, someIDPs, especially men, will go with us to get food for their families. But we are not sure if we will have time to give them security. We just told them, it will depend on the situation. They worry about their food very much. But we encourage them and pray for them.Thank you very much for all your prayers and support. We are encouraged by your words.
3) Population Counts:Here is the latest population of IDPs moving with us --- twenty-six families. They are from Kwee Ta U, Kwee Ta Hoe and Ta Naw Ta.  I think the population of IDPs will continue to increase.
Ages and amount of people in each category0-5 yrs:  21 people5-12 yrs: 2412 - 18:  1618 - 40: 3340 - older:  30Total 124 people
4) Other Burma Army Human Rights abuses:
On 1 December 2010, Burma Army troops stayed in Htee Ru Thaw or Htee Hu Tha camp. Officer Ah Ka Myint Aung demanded that the villages build their army camp in Wa Ka Village.
Demands;700 pieces of bamboo from Tha Mi Doh500 pieces of bamboo, Kho Nee
By 10 December 2010 all of the pieces of bamboo had to arrive in the Burma Army camp.
Special Operation Command (SOC) #2 in Annakwin (or Noh Sho Nei), led by Htin Maung Nyunt, called a meeting for the village head men. Burma Army troops demanded 100 pieces of bamboo from each village and 100 pieces of roofing from each village.1. Ko Kaw2. Pa Naw Klen Kee3. Kyauk Pa Lu4. Lo Shar5.Maw Htee6. Noh Sho Nei
On 3 December 2010 Burma Army battalion 406 led by colonel Aung Kyaw Oo, demand money from the villagers at Plaw Mae Hti, Htee Law Dert Aun, the Zami river for the boats and also for the travel.
Demands for travel/boat owners:1. Maw Mae Po in Mae Pra Village: 10,000 kyat2. So Pa Lo: 10,000 kyat3. Kyaw Eh in Plaw Dent Tan Village: 10,000 kyat4. Boat owner Ahtun in Bo Kaw Village: cooking 1 box, 30,000 kyat5. Maw Kyain Mo in Mae Ta Kwee Village: 30,000 kyat6. Pyin Shan in Pa Ya Nge Ton: 30,000 kyat7. NgueTon in Ah Kyai Village: 30,000 kyat8. Nay Win in Seik Kyi town: 30,000 kyat9. U Ka Yin or U Karen in Seik Kyi town: A big box of ma ma (noodles),  30,000 kyat10. U Zaw Oo in Ye Lwai Village: 40,000 kyat11. Soe Naing in Pa Ya Ngue Ton: 30,000 kyat12. A Than in Ye Lwai Village: 2 boxes of beer and 20,000 kyat.
5) Demands for money
On 3 December 2010 Burma Army battalion LIB 406, led by Aung Kyaw Oo, entered Plaw Mae Hti and demanded money from villagers and checked boatsat the river and fined the travelers;
1. Saw Mae Poe in Mae Pra Village: 10,000 kyat2. Saw Pa Lo: 10,000 kyat3. Kyaw Eh in Plaw Dent Dah: 10,000 kyat4. The boat driver Ahtun in Bo Kaw Village: 30,000 kyat5. Maw Kay Moe in Mae Ta Kwee Village: 30000 kyat,6. Pyin San Pa Ya Nguton Village: 30,000 kyat7. Nge To in Akyan Village: 30,000 kyat8. Nay Win in Seik Kyi town: 30,000 kyat9. U Ka Ye in Seik Kyi town: one big box of ma ma (noodles) and 30,000 kyat10. U Zaw Oo in Ye Len village: 40,000 kyat11. Soe Naing in Pa Ya Nguton Village: 30,000 kyat12. A Than: 2 boxes on beer and 20,000 kyat.
On 4 December 2010, Burma Army LIB 406, Aung Kyaw Oo's battalion: 2 columns combine and they demand the money from the villagers in Plaw Mae Hti for travel and the boat owner.
1. Ya Naing win in Pa Ya Nguton: 10,000 kyat2. Maung Khing Soe in Seik Kyi town: 20,000 kyat3. Myint Htin in Pa Ya Nguton 20,000 kyat4. Kyaw Thu in Seik Kyi town: 25,000 kyat5. Ma San in Seik Kyi town: 35,000 kyat6. Kyaw Aye Han in Seik Kyi town: 20,000 kyat7. Daw Aye Aye: 3 boxes of beer, 2 pack of seasoning and 12,000 kyat8. Maung Kay Mon in Mae Ta Kwee Village, including the travel for 32 travelers320,000 kyat9. A Kyar in Mae Ta Kwee Village including for 26 travelers: 260,000 kyat10. Abyan Ye Len Village: 600,000 kyat11. Than Win in Seik Kyi: 10,000 kyat
God bless you and thank you for all the help,
Dooplaya Karen FBR teams