According to a KHRG community member, in early May 2012, Tatmadaw-Border Guard Force (BGF)[2] Battalion #1013 planned to build an army base in between K’Ter Tee and Baw Kyoh Leh villages in Dwe Lo Township, Hpapun District. To implement the project, they cooperated with the Burma government and confiscated a total of 135 acres of land, including villagers’ rubber plantations, cashew plantations and farms, for their military compound.

Villagers reported to KHRG that the confiscation took place on May 20th 2012. The Burma government Hpapun Administer U Hswi came to K’Ter Tee village; four villagers were invited to attend the meeting that related to the confiscation of land belonging to eight people. According to the KHRG community member who met with the villagers who attended that meeting, one of the KNU/KNLA-Peace Council (KPC)[3] members named Hteh N’Ser, who is affiliated with the BGF, told the villagers that he was from the KNU headquarters and convinced the villagers to agree to sell their land and accept compensation. Later, the villagers found out that they had been deceived and regretted their earlier decision to sell their land. They wrote complaint letters to local KNU authorities, requesting that an official take up this issue on their behalf; however, they have not received any response from the KNU yet.

They started to construct the army camp on May 10th and the land was confiscated on May 20th 2012. The compensation was given to the eight villagers at different times during May, June and July 2012. According to the villagers, the BGF and Green Hill Company compensated the owners for only 34.5 acres of land out of 135 acres.[6] The villagers feel that they must say they are satisfied with the deal because they already signed the documents. However, they are not satisfied with the amount of compensation and feel they were coerced into selling their land. At the same time, they think they cannot do anything to negotiate with the company or authorities. Thus, these villagers decided to report the incident to KHRG and to any other authorities who visit their area. 

Since May 2012, the construction was carried out by the Green Hill Company, and as of November 2013, the KHRG community member reported that the construction of BGF Battalion #1013’s camp was almost finished, noting that 75 buildings had already been constructed.[7]  

According to local villagers, the risk of this type of construction is that the armed wing of the KNU, the KNLA, might engage in an armed attack if this project is not terminated. The local community is deeply concerned about the potential for such armed conflict, as they believe the BGF will continue to build its army base until it has been successfully completed.

Indeed, one incident occurred on February 11th 2013 related to the construction of the BGF Battalion #1013’s army base; a Green Hill Company truck that was transporting sand for the construction of the army base detonated a landmine, which killed five civilians, including three under the age of 18. The incident occurred in the western part of the Yunzalin River in K’Ter Tee village, Dwe Lo Township, Hpapun District.[8] A villager reported to KHRG that the KNU had permitted a Green Hill Company representative, Ko Myo, to transport sand for the construction of a school. However, when KNU and KNLA authorities discovered that the sand was being used for the construction of the BGF army base, they warned Ko Myo to stop transporting the sand. The transport ceased temporarily, but then continued and the KNLA continued to demand that the project be terminated. According to a villager in the area who spoke with KHRG, KNLA Battalion #102 soldiers then planted the anti-vehicle mine in the project area.[9] The Green Hill Company compensated the family of each victim with 300,000 kyat (US $307) and Ko Myo provided an additional 200,000 kyat (US $204) to each family.[10]

These incidents underscore the challenges faced in implementing development projects in areas of contested authority and in a context of ongoing militarisation. In such environments, development projects have significant potential to trigger violent conflict when implemented in a coercive manner or without the agreement of all local people and authorities.