Karen Human Rights Group

Fri, 12 Apr 2024

Permanent Scars : Torture of villagers under arbitrary detention by State Administration Council in Southeast Burma (January - December 2023)

Fri, 05 Apr 2024

Mergui-Tavoy District Short Update: Forced recruitment of villagers by an SAC-affiliated militia causing displacement in Ler K’Saw Township (December 2023 to March 2024)

This Short Update describes events in Ler K’Saw Township, Mergui-Tavoy District, including the forced recruitment of villagers. These incidents of forced recruitment began in December 2023 and are continuing to unfold at the time of publication, in April 2024. Soldiers from the State Administration Council (SAC) and an SAC-affiliated village militia in A--- village, B--- village tract, Ler K’Saw Township, are forcibly recruiting villagers. Villagers in A--- village were threatened with being forcibly evicted from the village if they refused to join the militia. In addition, the SAC and this village militia force seven villagers each week to keep watch...

Thu, 04 Apr 2024

Statement on International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

Mon, 01 Apr 2024

Hpa-an District Situation Update: Extortion of villagers by the BGF, increased gambling, and teenage drug abuse in Ta Kreh Township (August to October 2023)

This Situation Update describes events occurring in Ta Kreh Township, Hpa-an District, during the period between August to October 2023. It highlights the livelihood difficulties faced by villagers due to extortion by the Border Guard Force (BGF) at checkpoints. In addition, there has been a rise in gambling activities and drug use, specifically amphetamines, which have increased theft and looting. Although villagers have reported these problems to the local village authorities, no action has been taken to address them. Teenage drug abuse has also risen, as yaba is highly accessible in the Township. With the increased use of drugs among...

Tue, 26 Mar 2024

Taw Oo District Short Update: SAC forced recruitment and extortion of villagers, and resultant displacement in Htaw Ta Htoo Township (January to February 2024)

This Short Update describes events that occurred in Htaw Ta Htoo (Htantabin) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District, during January and February 2024. In January 2024, State Administration Council (SAC) authorities from the Ministry of Home Affairs called a meeting with SAC-appointed village heads and village authorities in Day Loh Mu Nu village tract and other village tracts in Htaw Ta Htoo Township. The village heads and authorities were ordered to recruit villagers in their villages as soldiers for the SAC and to collect money from villagers who did not join as soldiers. Villagers were forced to draw lots which would...

Fri, 22 Mar 2024

Mergui-Tavoy District Incident Report: Arbitrary arrest and killing of a villager by the SAC in K’Ser Doh Township, October 2023

This Incident Report describes events that occurred in K’Ser Doh Township, Mergui-Tavoy District, in October 2023. On October 25th, State Administration Council (SAC) Infantry Battalion (IB) #403 arbitrarily arrested a 31-year-old male villager named Ko J--- whilst they were patrolling through his village in K’Ser Hkler area, K’Ser Doh Township. The reason for Ko J---’s arrest is unknown. Local villagers later found his dead body buried in a shallow grave in a nearby village. This incident caused insecurity and fear among villagers, causing many villagers to seek safety by fleeing to nearby villages or towns to evade potential harm...

Mon, 11 Mar 2024

Kler Lwee Htoo District Incident Report: SAC indiscriminate shelling injured two villagers, including a 9-year-old girl, in Moo Township, in October 2023

This Incident Report describes events occurring in Moo (Mone) Township, Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin) District on October 2nd 2023. Two villagers, named Saw Q--- (46 years old) and Naw M--- (9 years old), were injured by indiscriminate shelling conducted by the State Administration Council (SAC) Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #307 into G--- village, in Nga Ton Khin village tract. Saw Q--- was injured on his back. The 9-year-old girl, Naw M---, lost three fingers in her left hand due to the mortar explosion. They both received treatment from a local health worker at a clinic in a nearby village. Due...

Mon, 11 Mar 2024

Doo Tha Htoo District Situation Update: SAC shelling into villages in Tha Htoo Township, causing injuries and destruction (September 2022 to February 2023)

This Situation Update describes events occurring in Tha Htoo (Thaton) Township, Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton) District, during the period between September 2022 and January 2023, including constant indiscriminate shelling committed by the State Administration Council (SAC) resulting in property destruction, casualties and fear. On November 10th 2022, SAC Military Training Number #9 arrested Kaw Kya Ther villagers by accusing them of being informants for the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and detained them in the camp. As a result, fighting broke out between SAC and PDF, and SAC conducted indiscriminate shelling in the area. On January 11th 2023, the SAC indiscriminately...

Fri, 12 Apr 2024

Permanent Scars : Torture of villagers under arbitrary detention by State Administration Council in Southeast Burma (January - December 2023)

Fri, 05 Apr 2024

Mergui-Tavoy District Short Update: Forced recruitment of villagers by an SAC-affiliated militia causing displacement in Ler K’Saw Township (December 2023 to March 2024)

Thu, 04 Apr 2024

Statement on International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

Mon, 01 Apr 2024

Hpa-an District Situation Update: Extortion of villagers by the BGF, increased gambling, and teenage drug abuse in Ta Kreh Township (August to October 2023)

Advocacy

We work with local and international human rights stakeholders, ensuring that villagers' voices reach decision-makers who can influence their lives.

Documentation

We train community members to document human rights abuses on the ground, which we translate and publish in our reports to share villagers' perspectives.

Trainings

We train local CBO/CSOs, and ethnic armed organisations in human rights and international humanitarian law to help them prevent and document future abuses.

Workshops