Karen Human Rights Group

Mon, 28 Oct 2024

Dooplaya District Incident Report: A KNU/KNLA-PC soldier raped a child and attempted to rape another child in Kruh Tuh Township (April and September 2023).

This incident report describes events occurring in Kruh Tuh Township (Kyonedoe), Dooplaya District. On April 24th 2023, a KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC) soldier named Saw Thar Soe (from Battalion #776) sexually assaulted and attempted to rape a 16-year-old girl, Naw A---, near her village. On September 9th 2023, the same perpetrator raped a 16-year-old girl, Naw B---, at his house. The survivors reported the case to the Karen National Police Force (KNPF) through the Karen Women Organisation (KWO). However, the perpetrator’s Battalion Commander, Zar Tin Mar, obstructed his arrest. As the perpetrator was not arrested and continued to live close...

Wed, 23 Oct 2024

Taw Oo District Short Update: SAC arbitrary arrest, torture, conflict-related sexual violence, house burning and forced labour of villagers in Daw Hpah Hkoh Township (November 2023)

This Short Update describes events occurring in Daw Hpah Hkoh (Thandaunggyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District, in November 2023. On the early morning of November 12th 2023, State Administration Council (SAC) troops opened gunfire in the air while entering A--- village, Htee Day village tract, Daw Hpah Hkoh Township. The SAC soldiers arrested more than 20 villagers who had not fled, three of whom were subsequently tortured. At around 9 am, a skirmish occurred between the SAC troops and local resistance armed groups near A--- village. During the skirmish, SAC troops burned down 15 civilian houses and looted property. One...

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Resilience and Resistance : Challenges and threats faced by Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) in Southeast Burma since the 2021 coup

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Kler Lwee Htoo District Incident Report: A landmine explosion severely injured a 14-year-old girl in Moo Township, May 2024

This Incident Report describes events occurring in Moo (Mone) Township, Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin) District, in May 2024. On the morning of May 29th, a 14-year-old girl from H--- village, Nat Than Kwin village tract, stepped on a landmine planted by troops from State Administration Council (SAC) (including Light Infantry Battalions (LIBs) #439 and #307 and Light Infantry Division (LID) #77), inside her village. Her right leg was blown off by the landmine explosion, and her left leg was injured. Her family sent her to a hospital under the Karen National Union (KNU) administration in Hplee Hta village tract, with...

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Dooplaya District Short Update: SAC shelling killed a villager and damaged houses in Kruh Tuh Township (May and September 2023).

This Short Update describes events that occurred in Raw Keh village tract, Kruh Tuh (Kyonedoe) Township, Dooplaya District, in May and September 2023. On May 14th 2023, SAC Infantry Battalion (IB) #97, based in Laing Wah’s new army camp, fired 60mm mortar shells into A--- village, Raw Keh village tract, Kruh Tuh Township, and damage a villager’s house. SAC soldiers also destroyed the Asian Highway located close to A--- village, impacting villagers’ access to healthcare services in towns. On the next day, on May 15th 2023, SAC IB #97 soldiers fired mortar shells again into A--- village, and the shelling...

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Taw Oo District Incident Report: An SAC soldier committed conflict-related sexual violence against a 90-year-old villager in Daw Hpa Hkoh Township (November 2023)

This Incident Report describes events that occurred in Daw Hpa Hkoh (Thandaunggyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District in November 2023. On November 12th 2023, a skirmish occurred between SAC troops and local resistance armed groups near A--- village, Htee Day village tract, Daw Hpa Hkoh Township. During the skirmish, an SAC soldier tortured and perpetrated sexual violence against a 90-year-old villager, resulting in enduring physical and psychological impacts. The survivor did not receive medical treatment and is unable to formally report the incident.

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Mu Traw District Incident Report: One teenager was killed and another was severely injured by a UXO explosion, in Lu Thaw Township (July 2024)

This Incident Report describes events occurring in Lu Thaw Township, Mu Traw (Hpapun) District, in July 2024. On the evening of July 14th 2024, two villagers named Saw R--- (17 years old) and Saw U--- (16 years old) went to fish at the Salween River. On their way, they saw an object lying next to a road, about 1.6 km distance from the deserted W--- village, Kaw Loo Der village tract, Lu Thaw Township. The boys picked it up, unaware that it was an unexploded ordnance (UXO) and hit it, causing it to explode. The 16-year-old boy was killed on...

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Mergui-Tavoy District Short Update: Militarisation and fighting causing fear, travel restrictions, and livelihood challenges in Ler K’Saw Township (January 2024)

This Short Update describes events occurring in Ler K’Saw Township, Mergui-Tavoy District, in January 2024. State Administration Council (SAC) soldiers from Infantry Battalion (IB) #559 and Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #560 patrolled into a village in Sa Tein village tract, Ler K’Saw Township, setting up a temporary checkpoint and stopping villagers to interrogate them. When SAC soldiers approached L--- area, fighting also broke out between the SAC troops against combined forces of Kaw Thoo Lei Army (KTLA) and People Defence Force (PDF). Due to sudden armed conflict occurring around the village, villagers faced difficulties to flee, and worried about livelihood...

Mon, 28 Oct 2024

Dooplaya District Incident Report: A KNU/KNLA-PC soldier raped a child and attempted to rape another child in Kruh Tuh Township (April and September 2023).

Wed, 23 Oct 2024

Taw Oo District Short Update: SAC arbitrary arrest, torture, conflict-related sexual violence, house burning and forced labour of villagers in Daw Hpah Hkoh Township (November 2023)

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Mergui-Tavoy District Short Update: Militarisation and fighting causing fear, travel restrictions, and livelihood challenges in Ler K’Saw Township (January 2024)

Mon, 30 Sep 2024

Mu Traw District Incident Report: One teenager was killed and another was severely injured by a UXO explosion, in Lu Thaw Township (July 2024)

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