Throughout the rainy season of 2006, the SPDC has sustained military attacks against villages in Lu Thaw township, northern Papun District (see map) as part of the broader northern Karen State offensive.  The suffering of civilians in this region persists while soldiers work to systematically undermine the livelihoods of displaced villagers living in hiding.  Those who have fled from SPDC attacks remain in the forest, waiting for an opportunity to return to reclaim their land and save this year's rice harvest.  To make matters worse, displaced villagers in hiding face constant illness and food insecurity as SPDC patrols seek out and destroy hidden food stores.  The prolonged SPDC presence around their villages has meant that they have been unable to return to tend their crops, thus ensuring a poor, or completely ruined, harvest following the end of the rains.  While displaced communities have received some covert food and medical support, it has so far been severely inadequate given the scale of what is needed.  Villagers' attempts to remain in their homes, tend their crops, educate their children and treat illness and disease have been directly challenged by military attacks against them.  As a consequence, if these villagers are to be successful in their efforts to maintain their livelihoods and assert their rights, greater cross-border assistance via Thailand is urgently needed.

"I saw my house burned as well as things which I kept in a hiding place.  The SPDC soldiers found it and took it all.  I lost all of my tools and I was staying in the rain with other villagers.  I have only the clothes on my body.  Our villagers are faced with big problems.  We want peace and not to face problems like these for too long.  We want to do our work without disturbances and we want to stay free."

- Saw D--- (M, 65), B--- village, Lu Thaw township (June 2006)

The civilian population of Papun District has overwhelmingly resisted the SPDC's attempts to bring them under military control.  The SPDC has in turn claimed that disobedient villagers are enemies of the State, and targeted them for direct military attacks.  From the end of December 2005 up until the time of this report, villagers in northern Papun District have been subject to attacks by SPDC forces in a particularly pernicious offensive which, despite slowing down during the rainy season, has nevertheless continued.  Soldiers have attacked villages outside of direct military control in a barrage of mortar fire and then entered to shoot and kill or capture any villagers who do not manage to successfully flee into the forest.  Villagers are unable to remain at their homes or tend their crops in peace.  In the face of these direct attacks against them, villagers have worked to lessen the detrimental effects of displacement by preparing secret food stores and hiding sites, secretly continuing to work their rice fields or hidden plantations, and monitoring the movements of SPDC troops, with the intention of returning to their homes following the soldiers' departure.  This report provides an update on the movements and attacks of SPDC troops and the displacement and responses of villagers in Lu Thaw township in northern Papun District as part of the ongoing northern Karen State offensive.

SPDC military operations in Lu Thaw township

SPDC forces currently conducting operations in Lu Thaw township[1] include Tactical Operations Commands (TOCs) #1, 2 and 3 under the command of Military Operations Command (MOC) #10 and TOCs #2 and 3 under the command of MOC #15.[2]  The battalions of MOC #10 active in Lu Thaw include Light Infantry Battalions (LIBs) #361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369 and 370.  Battalions operating under MOC #15 include LIBs #537, 552 and 564.  Previous KHRG reports have documented the advance of troops from MOC #10 along with TOC #2 of MOC #15 northward along the upper Yunzalin River and the establishment of new camps at Twih Mee Kyoh and Baw Ka Plaw (see map).[3]  During these operations, soldiers have swept through the area to the west of the Yunzalin, attacking villages, destroying food supplies and shooting villagers on sight.  Meanwhile, TOC #3 of MOC #15 has advanced southeast into northwest Lu Thaw from the SPDC base at Bu Hsa Kee in Tantabin township, southern Toungoo District.  These troops have subsequently established a new camp at a site known as Si Day.  Villagers who had been living in these areas were forced to abandon their homes and fields in order to flee into the surrounding hills where they still wait, monitoring the movements of soldiers operating around their homes.  So long as the troops remain, villagers are unable to return to reclaim their land and tend their crops.

LIBs #537, 552 and 564 of MOC #15, under the control of Commander Win Sway, have settled at two camps on separate mountains known as Ler Dt'Khaw Kyoh and Lay Ghaw Koh as well as at their new camp atop another mountain named Twih Mee Kyoh.  From these sites, patrols have been conducting operations throughout Ler Mu Bplaw, Nah Yoh Htah and Kay Bpoo village tracts.  Since May 26th, troops from MOC #10 comprising a total of seven battalions with over one thousand soldiers have been conducting operations throughout this area west of the upper Yunzalin River (Bpweh Loh Kloh).[4]  Operating together these troops have attacked and destroyed villages throughout Kay Bpoo, Leh Kee, Nah Yoh Htah, Bp'Na Ay Bper Koh and Htee Moo Kee village tracts.

"I think the SPDC battalions will continue operations more and more because they are settling at three new camps in this area.  They are on Twih Mee Kyoh, Lay Ghaw Koh and Ler Dt'Khaw Kyoh.  Many civilians dare not work their flat or hill fields in this area in this year.  Civilians will face big food problems in the coming year.  The villagers of many villages dare not go back to collect their possessions or food from their [abandoned] villages."

- Saw B--- (M, 39), P--- village, Lu Thaw township (Aug 2006)

On June 15th, SPDC soldiers from LIBs #362 and 363 of MOC #10, TOC #2, attacked Dta Law Bploh village.  This village was home to 40 households and more than 200 villagers.  When troops arrived at the village they burned 13 houses to the ground.  All of the villagers who had been living there as well as those from neighbouring villages fled into the surrounding hills.  The troops that attacked Dta Law Bploh were based at Htaw Mu Bpleh Meh army camp.  The villagers had to flee into the forest for three days and many were unable to bring along sufficient amounts of rice or other food.  Villagers displaced at this time therefore had to share amongst themselves what little provisions they had brought.

During the attack, soldiers poured on the ground and burned all of the villagers' rice and paddy stores that they could find.  People had kept their rice and paddy supplies in tins, sacks and woven baskets which the soldiers kicked, tipped and dumped out.  The rice stores had been saved in order to support the villagers through to the next harvest in November.  Some families had saved between 10 and 20 big tins (125 kg / 276 lb – 250 kg / 551 lb) of rice.  As the villagers had all fled, the SPDC soldiers were unable to capture anyone upon arrival.  Nevertheless, the troops ate pigs and chickens belonging to the villagers and shot another pig and some goats that they were unable to eat or take with them as well as a total of 30 chickens.  The soldiers also looted villagers' belongings, taking among other things tools such as mattocks, axes and saws.

In the afternoon of June 15th SPDC soldiers entered Bp'Na Gkoo Bplaw village and burned down the home of villager Po Leh Loh and also three field huts containing rice stores belonging to Po Raw Lay, Naw Boh Thay and Paw Moo's father.  The soldiers subsequently killed and ate one pig and two chickens separately belonging to the grandmother of Ma Ta, the father of Der Lweh Wah and another villager, Saw Yoo Kay.

As the rainy season persists, the expansion of military operations continues unabated.  Many villagers who have fled from the SPDC operations still remain hiding in the hills near to their homes with the hope that once the soldiers move on they will be able to return to their land to tend their crops.  However, many villagers living in the areas of northern Papun District expect the SPDC to sustain the expansion of military operations following the completion of the rainy season through the deployment of yet more troops and landmines, establishment of new camps and further mortar attacks on villages.

The impact on civilians

"I see that the work and actions of the SPDC are wrong, because even though the villagers were just doing their occupations – cutting weeds and trees and working their hillside or flat fields for their livelihood – the SPDC soldiers came and destroyed it. They came and pulled up the fencing, destroyed the gardens and paddy fields and tipped over our rice and paddy and fed it to the chickens.  It is a very unfair thing for me.  We know that it is not right.  For me, I see the SPDC as villains.  Even the civilians, when they [the soldiers] saw them they tried to hunt and shoot them.  But luckily the villagers managed to flee away from them."

- Saw P--- (M, 31), B--- village, Lu Thaw township (June 2006)

Many homes have been abandoned as civilians no longer dare to stay in their villages.  As a consequence, the number of households in most villages in Lu Thaw has declined over the years.  Nevertheless, many do not want to leave their homes and land behind and have therefore established measures to address regular military encroachment and abuses.  For example, villagers expecting imminent SPDC attacks hide food stores in the surrounding forest so that if soldiers destroy the food in their village, they have alternative supplies available.  However, SPDC soldiers regularly seek out concealed food supplies and destroy them and their storage containers when discovered.  

"In 1996 we [the village community] had 54 households and 369 villagers.  We have been displaced from place to place until we arrived at Gk'Baw Kee.  Now we have 28 households.  When the SPDC came to the village we ran away but we did not carry our pigs, goats and other livestock with us.  We lost our household materials.  The soldiers saw the things which we kept in hidden places and they took them all.  Our hill fields were destroyed too.  Those SPDC battalions that have based their camp on Twih Mee Kyoh are near to our village and to walk [from the camp to the village] it takes only 15 minutes.  So we dare not go back and take our materials [that were left] in our village.  It is very hard for our villagers to do daily work for our lives."

- Saw E--- (M, 38), S--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

Due to the continuing attacks by SPDC forces in Lu Thaw township as well as the overall increase in the number of soldiers and the establishment of new camps, local villagers throughout the area dare not tend their hill or flat fields.  Some villagers remain hiding in the forests while others have moved on to different villages.  Villages whose inhabitants remain in hiding include Ghih Thoo Kee, Bpaw Gklah Der, Gk'Baw Kee, Dtroo Kee, Dtaw Koo Mu Der, Htaw Baw Peh and Htee Hsih.  The displaced villagers from these villages amount to roughly 400 people divided between 70 households.  In Ler Mu Bplaw village tract, 57 out of an existing 93 hill fields were abandoned by local villagers following SPDC attacks during throughout June.

Other villages in Lu Thaw District whose inhabitants have more recently fled but who remain near to their abandoned homes include Nah Yoh Htah, Khoh Kyaw Der, Bp'Na Ay Bper Koh, Bler Ghaw, Htee Baw Kee, Htee Moo Kee, Htee Bway Kee, Thaw Dtu Kee, Theh Kee, Thay Bper Koh, Dt'Yu Bplaw, Thay Thoo Kee, Ah Bay Nay Sa, Kay Bpoo and Hta La Koh.  Those living in these villages have been preparing themselves for any sudden need to depart.  Should the inhabitants of these villages be forced to abandon their homes, they risk losing any possibility of a successful harvest as well as having soldiers kill and eat their livestock.  Furthermore, the risks to health for those in hiding due to food insecurity, unhygienic living conditions and a lack of medicine and medical treatment are ever-present and severe; especially so for infants, pregnant women and the elderly.

"Our villagers have to be prepared and ready to run away at all times.  We have to run away in the rainy season into the forest.  Many villagers have no shelter.  Many people get sick."

- Saw M--- (M, 57), B--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

"In my village we have 16 households and 61 villagers.  All of the villagers dare not labour at our places of work [in the fields].  An SPDC battalion based their camp near to my village from which it takes one hour to walk and [so] we moved our place [of residence] to the forest.  Our villagers dare not go back to take our livestock.  We have no money and our villagers have to do work every day to survive.  We cannot do our hill and flat fields this year and next year will be faced with a big problem.  I hope this conflict ends soon.  We must not run away.  Everyone must be free and [be able to] do our work without being disturbed."

- Saw L--- (M, 51), T--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

Livelihood, food and health problems

"We dare not go back to our village. All of our livestock were lost.  We ran away to the forest during the rainy season.  We are facing food shortages and problems with sickness."

- Saw K--- (M, 65), H--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

As a consequence of extreme inflation in Karen regions and widespread food insecurity brought about by destruction of crops and food supplies as well as the SPDC's quota system of rice procurement, the cost for a big tin of rice (12.5 kg / 27.5 lb) has risen to 7,000 kyat in areas of displacement.  The SPDC however, claims that increasing rice prices are due instead to unscrupulous rice traders "who were hoarding rice in a bid to create an artificial shortage in the market and thus push up prices."[5]  Nevertheless, such rapid inflation has undermined confidence in the Burmese currency and people in Lu Thaw, especially those in areas of the current offensive, have become reluctant to even deal in kyat, as it has so little value, and have instead switched to using Thai baht.  A big tin of rice therefore costs 150 baht and a big tin of paddy now costs 50 baht.  Alternative sources of rice for local villagers whose own crops and stores have been destroyed and who have very little disposable currency have thus become prohibitively expensive.

"In our area the value of the kyat is very cheap, 2 or 2 ½ baht is equal with 100 kyat. The civilians in our areas are facing food and health problems because of the offensive of the SPDC battalions.  We will face more problems in the future.  I hope that our country's situation will change and that our civilians will [be able to] stay and live in peace."

- Saw M--- (M, 45), T--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

As thousands of villagers in Lu Thaw township remain in hiding while the SPDC continues operations in the area, they confront unhygienic situations and illness and disease are rife.  Many children have been getting sick and access to medical care is limited.  While cross-border medical groups such as Free Burma Rangers and the Backpack Health Worker Teams and other Karen relief organisations provide much needed assistance, the amount of aid reaching displaced communities remains grossly insufficient.  For those villagers living in hiding, access to clinics or hospitals is dangerous.  If they attempt to travel to towns or larger villages in search of treatment, they risk identification and arrest by SPDC officials.  Many displaced communities therefore rely on traditional medicines available in the forest.  In some cases such methods provide relief but by and large they remain insufficient to the scale of local health needs.

"We had to run in the rainy season into the forest.  Many people have fallen sick.  There are medics but those medics have no medicine.  When women deliver their new babies people have to carry them in hammocks and cover them with plastic sheets in the rain."

- Saw M--- (M, 57), B--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

The SPDC strategy in Karen State

In areas of Karen State further south, such as Thaton, Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts, SPDC abuses have taken on a character different from those occurring in the context of the northern offensive.  In these districts, which have gradually come under more direct military control, the SPDC has worked to set up systems whereby villagers are regularly fleeced for money, building supplies and uncompensated labour in the construction of military infrastructure.  Northern areas of Karen State where extensive armed attacks on villages continue may be forced into a situation more closely resembling the southern districts should the SPDC succeed in consolidating control over the region, building more roads and establishing more permanent bases.  The success of such a plan, however, depends on the capture and subjugation of all civilians living outside of military control.  Villagers in the areas of the northern offensive are aware of this because they have seen the constant military orders and impossible demands inflicted on people in nearby SPDC-controlled villages, so they remain averse to life under military subjugation.  These villagers have therefore consistently endeavoured to evade military forces in an attempt to retain some measure of freedom and control over their lives, land and livelihoods. 

"The SPDC soldiers entered Ploh Htah, Gker Ghaw Koh and Bp'Na Ay Bper Koh.  They burned 13 houses, ate pigs and chickens, destroyed fences, burned the books in the office of a high school and destroyed all of the plantation crops. They pulled out and destroyed the paddy crops in hill fields which they passed over. These SPDC battalions do not attack only the KNLA, they attack civilians.  They destroy civilians' plantation crops and plantation fields so the civilians cannot stay in their own area.  So the SPDC has made an offensive to attack civilians, and they do not follow the [January 2004] ceasefire agreement.  All people understand that the SPDC wants to annihilate the Karen ethnic group.  I hope that this clash will reduce and civilians will [be able to] stay and live in peace."

- Saw P--- (M, 31 years), B--- village, Lu Thaw township (June 2006)

Following the announcement in January 2004 of an informal 'gentleman's agreement' ceasefire between the KNU and SPDC, the SPDC made use of the halt in KNLA attacks in order to expand its presence in the region by deploying large numbers of troops.  KHRG documented this expansion of SPDC forces prior to the current offensive in numerous reports.[6]  Having enlarged their forces within Karen State, the SPDC began in November of 2005 to vigorously attack villages in the three northern Karen districts of Toungoo, Nyaunglebin and Papun.  Since the commencement of the current northern Karen State offensive an estimated 20,000 civilians have been forced out of their homes by armed attacks in offensive areas.[7]

"Military Operations Command #15 officers said that the purpose of the SPDC's construction of roads is so that the civilians will dare not stay in their own places [at villages and hiding sites in the forest] and will go to stay under control in the SPDC area."

- escaped convict porter (June 2006)

In conjunction with their attacks against villages throughout Lu Thaw township, local sources had previously informed KHRG that the SPDC has initiated plans to develop the site of Pwah Ghaw into a 'town' large enough to receive the mass relocation of villagers from the surrounding hills.[8]  Such large-scale relocation would also allow for the expansion of the SPDC base of Baw Hser Koh, situated on a hilltop overlooking the plains of Pwah Ghaw, by providing a ready source of exploitable civilians for forced labour, finances, food and other supplies.  As recounted by the village head quoted below, some village leaders from SPDC-controlled villages in the region have been ordered to 'organise' the hill villagers to move to Pwah Ghaw:

"I was called again on June 19th 2006.  I went to Baw Hser Koh.  The SPDC's battalion [probably LIB #532, 552 or 564 from MOC #15, TOC #2] ordered me to come back to organise villagers in Ler Mu Bplaw and Saw Mu Bplaw areas.  They told me that they would keep food for villagers at Pwah Ghaw and they would provide food for villagers [who went there].  When I came back to my village I thought that it [the relocation to Pwah Ghaw] was not good for our villagers.  I met with the 5th brigade [KNLA] leaders.  I departed from D--- and I came to stay in M---."

- Saw D--- (M, 56), D--- village, Lu Thaw township (July 2006)

Conclusion

Despite the slowdown of SPDC attacks against villagers in Lu Thaw township and other areas of northern Karen State due to rainy season conditions, the offensive has nevertheless continued.  Moreover, it is most likely that following the cessation of the rains towards the end of October, the SPDC will increase the momentum of military operations throughout the region.  The recent construction of new remote-area bases such as those at Si Day, Baw Ka Plaw and Twih Mee Kyoh in Lu Thaw township is almost certainly meant to support an expansion of operations, continuing military operations around Kay Bpoo, Naw Yo Hta and Ler Mu Bplaw and the potential large-scale relocation of civilians to the site of Pwah Ghaw.  Given the ongoing pattern of civilian responses to such relocation efforts, the villagers of Lu Thaw township currently living outside of direct SPDC control will likely continue evading the military's attempts at capture.  However, should the SPDC establish a more permanent presence in these areas, continued resistance by the local civilian population will be severely undermined.  Chronic food shortages and difficulties in accessing medicine and medical care mean displaced villagers will find it even more difficult to remain in hiding.

While villagers are able to access food and medical aid from independent Karen relief organisations and other groups delivering aid across the border from neighbouring Thailand, such provisions are far from adequate.  With the increased internal displacement of villagers in Lu Thaw township and other areas of Karen State, local civilians are confronted with food insecurity and a shortage of medical treatment that undermine their ability to evade military operations.  If they surrender their freedom and move to SPDC-controlled villages and relocation sites where soldiers can more easily exploit them for food, finances, supplies and labour, their future is equally uncertain.  An increased delivery of food and medical aid directly to displaced communities would help them to continue with their own evasion strategies, eluding military capture and retaining some measure of control over their lives and land.  So long as systematic military abuses continue, however, displacement and death will remain widespread among northern Karen villagers.