Situation of villagers 

In response to the fighting, villagers dug deep holes in the ground to burrow and protect themselves from the shooting. They also set up bamboo stake fences around their areas, recruited more home guards, and relocated to other areas for safety. There are currently 2,295 IDPs [at the time this report was written] from Ler Mu Plaw, Saw Mu Plaw and Kay Pu village tracts. The IDPs could not carry enough food [rice] with them when they were fleeing, so they had to return to their villages to retrieve food [from their hiding places] during the night while home guards guarded villagers for their security. In March 2018, villagers from E--- village, Kay Pu village tract who returned to their villages and retrieved food [rice] with home guards were shot at by the Tatmadaw. Some IDPs could not return to their villages, so they had to borrow food [rice] from their neighbours who could return to their villages. In addition, there were four schools where students were not able to complete their final exams because the schools closed [during the fighting] and because the students [and teachers] had to flee to different locations. The four schools impacted by fighting were Cc--- Dd---, Bb--- and D--- schools. Also, the weather during this period [between February and March] was still cold, so IDPs faced health challenges because they did not have any access to healthcare services. IDPs contracted illnesses, including cough and malaria. Lastly, IDPs had to carry elderly people who were unable to walk long distances, so this was another problem facing civilians during the conflict.

The IDPs [in Lu Thaw Township] started fleeing from their villages on March 4th 2018 due to the fighting between the Tatmadaw and KNLA in Lu Thaw Township. The Tatmadaw from District #2 [Toungoo District] and District #3 [Nyaunglebin District] have been reconstructing a military road  from Ler Mu Plaw village, Ler Mu Plaw village tract to Hsaw Law Daw area, Kay Pu village tract. 

As a result, villagers [IDPs] had to retrieve food [rice from their villages or secret rice stores] during the night in fear. Civilians who had motorcycles helped their neighbours carry rice from the villages to their hiding sites.  There are about 30 villagers who own motorcycles in Ler Mu Plaw village tract, and they were able to do this only when the situation seemed secure. Similarly, villagers in Kay Pu village tract also did this, though some villagers had to carry [rice] by themselves. Villagers whose villages were situated close to the Tatmadaw patrolled areas [Tatmadaw army bases or roads] could not get rice from their villages. 

Villagers are concerned about their livelihoods in the upcoming year. If they cannot return to their villages and work on their plain and hill farms, they will face major problems [food shortages]. Thus, villagers urge the Tatmadaw to retreat [withdraw from their army camps in Hpapun District]. If they do not remove their camps from our area, the conflict might happen again and may be worse than the current conflict. During the past few years, since the ceasefire, villagers worked as daily labourers and earned income so they could buy tractors, rice mills and sugarcane mills so they could work on their farms in both the rainy season and the winter. Some villagers could sell [their crops] and share [crops or vegetables] with their neighbours.  Villagers bought and sold foodsas well as cows and buffalos in their communities.  [Compared to the past], there has been some development in the [Lu Thaw Township] community.  

Now [in March], villagers have to hide their belongings [food, clothes, etc…] in secret locations, and as a result, some of their clothes were damaged by mice and ants. In addition, whenever the Tatmadaw found villagers’ hidden belongings, they destroyed them.  Some villagers’ zinc boxes where they stored clothes were rusted [damaged]. These problems caused civilians to become concerned and worried [for their future] so they decided to recruit more home guards and buy more walkie-talkies for communication. Civilians reported to KHRG that, “We will not displace to other countries and we will die in our [indigenous] land. We also would like to inform the Karen people and other people in foreign countries to help us and give us suggestions [on how to respond the Tatmadaw attack]. We urge you [Karen people and others people in foreign countries] to pressure the Burma/Myanmar government and Tatmadaw who are currently oppressing [attacking] us to [remove their army] and stop their road construction project from our area.”