Situation Update | Kyainseikgyi Township, Dooplaya District (March to June 2018)

The following Situation Update was received by KHRG in June 2018. It was written by a community member in Dooplaya District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions.[1]

Military activity

In May 2018, a soldier from the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) had a dispute with local community members in Daw Ka Kloh village, Noh Taw Plah village tract, Noh T’Kaw Township.

Five local villagers cut down a tree close to the field of DKBA Deputy Company Commander Saw Kee, based in Noh Moh Wah army camp. The commander of this battalion was Pa Nyein. Saw Kee was upset because he thought the tree belonged to him. He said that the five villagers did not respect him, and took advantage of his absence to cut down the tree.  He behaved in an aggressive way to the local people, and threw their electric saw on the ground.

On June 1, he summoned the local villagers to meet his Company Commander in the DKBA army camp of Noh Moh Wah. They were afraid that Saw Kee would harm them, and did not dare to go meet him. A KHRG researcher intervened to help the civilians. He met with the village tract secretary of Noh Taw Plah, who said that they would try to resolve this issue on behalf of the local civilians. The local community feels afraid because of the incident. 

Healthcare

Since the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, access to healthcare has improved in T’Aye Shay village tract. The Karen National Union is providing support to village clinics.  However, a lack of available medicine still curtails the work of local healthcare providers.

The Myanmar government is also developing health clinics in Noh T’Kaw Township. In Ler Thaw Maw village, a hospital was built by the Myanmar government in 2018. In Plaw Pa Htaw village, the Myanmar government also built a health clinic.