Introduction

This situation update describes incidents that occurred in Ler Doh (Kyaukkyi) Township, Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin) District. The information was collected from February 1st 2022 to May 27th 2022. It describes [State Administration Council (SAC)[2]] aircraft activity, shelling and fighting, and challenges for villagers in terms of livelihood, education, and health care.

SAC air strikes and aircraft activity

At the beginning of February 2022, aircraft activity increased in our [the researcher’s] area [Ler Doh Township]. On February 22nd 2022, two aircraft from the SAC flew over Kheh Der village tract[3], Ler Doh Township. The aircraft flew close to the ground and conducted reconnaissance over Kheh Der village tract for about 10 minutes. The type of aircraft that was used could not be seen by villagers. At 5:00 pm, some villagers in Kheh Der village tract moved out of their villages [to their farm huts outside of the village]. While displaced, some villagers would return to their village during the day to check their livestock and return to their farm huts in the evening.

On March 19th 2022, at 2:00 am, SAC aircraft conducted air strikes around [Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[4]] Battalion #9 army camp which is situated close to Kwee Lah village, Kwee Lah village tract, Ler Doh Township. [They dropped two bombs. There were no casualties.] After that, almost all the villagers in Ler Doh Township became displaced and as of May 2022, some had still not returned to their villages.[5]

On May 12th 2022, at around 2:00 pm, an SAC unit [unknown battalion number] in Ler Doh Township sent one of their drones, which dropped [an unknown number of] bombs in Ain Net village, Ain Net village tract, Ler Doh Township. The SAC also conducted ground attacks using guns. According to a villager, a monastery was damaged and a child was injured from the attacks.

SAC shelling, fighting and displacement

On May 11th 2022, at about 5:30 pm, troops from the Burma army [SAC] Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[6] #20, #57 and #350, all led by Deputy Battalion Commander Nada Aung, encountered local KNLA armed forces. Then, fighting broke out at a farm known as Ku Done, located between P’Reh Loh River, near Lay Pay Weh village, Lay Pay Weh village tract, Ler Doh Township. During the fighting, the SAC fired six mortar shells into Lay Pay Weh village; five of the mortar shells exploded and one mortar did not explode. This unexploded mortar shell remained in the village. [Villagers knew that six rounds of mortars were fired and that one did not explode. However, it was raining so the ground became wet and soft, and the unexploded mortar sunk into the ground and could not be found.]

On May 12th, fighting also broke out beside Lay Pay Weh village. Troops from SAC LIB #20, Infantry Battalion (IB)[7] #57 and IB #350 indiscriminately fired [an unknown number of] mortars into Lay Pay Weh village tract, with one landing close to Lay Pay Weh village.

Additionally, at 8:00 am on May 17th 2022, the same troops [SAC LIB #20, IB #57 and IB #350] returned to [Lay Pay Weh] village. As a result, the remaining villagers fled and many villagers [who had been displaced on May 11th and had already returned to their village] fled again. Now, the Burma army [SAC] soldiers have taken position [in the village], camping and patrolling around the village, so villagers who remain in the village do not dare to leave their houses and are living in fear.

As a result of the armed conflict and indiscriminate shelling by SAC soldiers, most Lay Pay Weh villagers had to flee from their village during the month of May and took refuge in a safer place in nearby forests, farming huts and villages. Some fled to their relatives’ houses in cities and towns, including Nyaunglebin and Pin S’Lone. Before displacing, some villages had prepared their farm huts with supplies in case they had to displace. Currently (as of May 2022), there are about 3,012 villagers, or 645 households, from Lay Pay Weh village who are displaced. There were only a few elders who remained in the village. Most villagers returned to the village when the situation became calmer in late May. [In June, villagers had to displace again to the Thai-Burma border.]

Villagers were worried and scared [due to the fighting and shelling]. Even though it was their [the villagers’] time to prepare for seasonal farming, they could not start and they felt insecure going to their farms. The villagers [from Lay Pay Weh village] were not able to work in their rice paddy fields, even though the time for ploughing and growing [planting] crops had come. Villagers also expressed that if the fighting continued [fighting also happened in areas where they had to displace], they would not know where to flee next.

Furthermore, on May 21st 2022, the combined forces of SAC LIB #35, LIB #439, IB #60 and the Pyu Saw Htee[8] occupied C--- monastery [in C--- village, Ain Net village tract, Ler Doh Township] and were attacked by the KNLA. During the attack, the Burma army [SAC] indiscriminately fired [an unknown number of] mortars directly towards Theh Koh village, and T’Ray Shee Law village in Ain Net village tract, Ler Doh Township. Saw[9] A--- [16 years old], Saw B--- [38 years old] and some livestock [cows] were injured. Buildings were also damaged.

Insecurity and livelihood challenges

The SAC’s air and ground attacks from February to May 2022 created many difficulties for villagers [in Ler Doh Township]. Rural villagers in mountainous areas had to displace to the forest to avoid air strikes. As of May 2022, some villagers still do not feel secure returning to their village.

Due to the Burma army [SAC] entering, occupying and patrolling the entrance of villages and monasteries, villagers in the plains areas [of Ler Doh Township] faced problems and obstacles. SAC activity made them concerned and fearful about travelling, [especially] if fighting happened. Moreover, villagers are concerned about their livelihoods. They worry that if fighting breaks out when they are in their workplace [on their farms or plantation fields], they could be affected by the fighting. Therefore, SAC activity brought challenges for villagers because they could not carry out their livelihoods.

Education

After the military seized power in February 2021, students who attended school in villages such as F---, G---, and H--- villages, Ain Net village tract, in Ler Doh Township had to reschedule their exams, as well as conduct school closing ceremonies in the forest, in order to complete the 2021-22 academic year. Standard [Grade] 8, 9 and 12 students [from these villages] were supposed to take a final examination during March 2022. However, due to air strikes at the time, in Ler Doh Township, Standard 8 and Standard 9 students could not continue with their exams because their parents did not feel secure allowing their children to go to school. [These students’ exams were scheduled to happen when air strikes were taking place, most likely those that took place on March 19th. Many of those students ended up having to reschedule the exams and take them in the forest at a later date. Students in other grades were able to take their exams prior to the air strikes.]

Furthermore, in May 2022, with the ongoing military coup, children and young adults did not get to attend school, so villagers [from E--- village, Ain Net village tract, Ler Doh Township] set up a self-funded school. According to them [E--- villagers], the children and teenagers are behind in their education [due to the coup], so villagers [local Karen authorities and villagers] came together to establish this school, with over 300 students and 15 teachers. As it is a very new school, it requires a lot of support.

Health care

With the increase in Burma military [SAC] activities, many villagers [from Ler Doh Township] who displaced to their hill farms and plantation fields have now experienced sickness including malaria and fever.

Further background reading on the human rights and security situation in Kler Lwee Htoo District in Southeast Burma can be found in the following KHRG reports:

•  “Kler Lwee Htoo District Short Update: SAC airstrikes destroyed two houses and resulted in the displacement of villagers in Ler Doh and Hsaw Htee townships, March to April 2022”, June 2022.
• “Kler Lwee Htoo District Situation Update: Violation of the right to information, travel restrictions, torture, increased SAC activities and displacement in Ler Doh and Moo Townships, August 2021 to February 2022”, April 2022.
• “Kler Lwee Htoo District Short Update: SAC troops fired mortars into a village, injuring three villagers, December 2021”, January 2022.