Map showing area of report

Local economy suffers as Burma Army builds dam on the Bawgata River, Ler Doh Township

In preparation for the building of a new dam on the Bawgata River, the Burma Army has moved over 2,000 troops into Nyaunglebin District. The Burma Army are building new camps and sending supplies of food by the use of trucks, horses and forced labor from the villagers in the area. In addition to this, they have also restricted movement between the plains and mountain areas, preventing villagers from selling goods and accessing wood for buildings and for the work on their farms. If built, the dam will flood villagers’ farms and prevent travel between the plains and mountain areas.

Burma Army using forced labor in the building of new army camps in Ler Doh Township

On December 27 2010 Burma Army division 101 entered into Nyaunglebin District. Already in the area are Burma Army MOC 10 and MOC 16 who have been in Nyaunglebin District since January 2010. The Burma Army is currently building 2 new camps in Hsaw Hti Township at Klaw Pa Hta and Tha Seik. Over 400 trucks and more than 200 horses have been carrying food from IB 60 headquarters at Tha Boh to these two camps as well as camps further to the east. For the building of Klaw Pa Hta camp, villagers from Baw Ka Hta, Min Lah Tha Seik, Kaw Tha Say, Pa Day Kaw, Hswe Tee, and Ma Pi have been forced to carry supplies and to gather wood and bamboo.
The Burma Army has ordered people in villages in the plains not to leave the vicinity of their village. The villagers have been told that any people found by Burma Army patrols to be travelling into the mountain areas will be shot.

Human rights abuse in Mone Township from December 2010 to February 2011

On 7/1/2011 BA IB 48 forced ten Tha Pyi Nyut villagers to stay with the police at Tha Pyi Nyut police station.
On 8/1/2011, ten BA military trucks with 300 soldiers and 70 horses arrived at Tha Pyi Nyut. BA then forced Tha Pyi Nyut and Kyauk Kyi Pauk Village to send people and 200 bullock carts to bring food from Tha Pyi Naut Village to Play Hsa Lo Camp. Following this, on 9/1/2011 IB 48 forced Tha Pyi Naut Village to send more people and another 140 bullock carts and villagers to transport food to Hti Mu Hta Camp.
On 10/1/2011 BA captured the two Tha Pyi Naut villagers Maung Ser and Kyaw Lwin. In addition, the next day another two Tha Pyi Naut villagers were captured – Saw Hsi and Saw Maung Wah – who were then sent to the LIB 590 headquarters at Ye Oo Zin Village.
On 12/1/2011 BA LIB 599 and 590 forced villages to send people and bullock carts to transport food for Maw Ner BA Camp. Nyaung Bin Tha Village were forced to send 29 bullock carts, Mone Village forced to send 36 bullock carts, Thaw Lei 26 bullock carts, Mi Tai Taw 22 bullock carts and Myau Twin 15 bullock carts. At the same time BA ordered village leaders of Myaung Oo, Por Pi Dor, Aung Chan Tha, Mi Tai Taw and Tee To Lo Villages to follow them to Maw Ner Camp.
On 20/1/2011 BA MOC 10 captured two villagers. Naw Wah Htoo from Kgopu Village and Naw Lah from Aung Soe Moe Village. On 28/1/2011 the two women were sent to Ler Doh police station.
On 26/1/2011 BA MOC 16 forced 30 Yulo villagers to transport food from Lay Day to Play Hsa Lo Camp. On the next day, 27/1/2011, BA forced 30 Yulo and 30 Kamulo villagers to again move food from Lay Day to Play Hsa Lo Camp.
On 28/1/11 BA MOC 16 TOC commander Tin Hla Oo forced villages to provide people and – in total – 150 bullock carts to cut down the trees and clean the road from Mone to Kyauk Kyi. The villages were from plain area zone 5 and 6. The plain area zone 5 villages were Myet Ye, Tai Bin, Poe Thaung Su, Nge Htwe Su, Don Don, Thit Chat Seik, Nge Luak Htek, Kyaung Bya and Lae Pa. The plain area zone 6 villages were Yan Myo Aung, Naung Kon, Yin Tai Kon, Yele, Htwa Ni Kon, U Chit Kon and U Pin Su. Then on 1/2/11 MOC 16 TOC commander Tin Hla Oo forced Kyaung Bya Village to send villagers and 30 bullock carts to transport food to Hti Ler Baw Hta Camp. Finally, on 6/2/11 Tin Hla Oo ordered LIB 599 Aung Law Sein Camp commander Hla Min to extort 600,000 kyat from Tat Kon Village, 450,000 kyat from Naung Bo Village and 450,000 from Kyo Bin Seik Village. These amounts were needed to rent trucks to send food to Hti Ler Baw Hta Camp.

FBR teams continue their work

Nyaunglebin District is a frontline area of the civil war between the Burma Army and the pro-democracy Karen National Union. FBR teams in the area are following the situation closely, while we continue to provide medical assistance to the people in need.

Thank you and may God bless you –
FBR, Nyaunglebin District