The following Situation Update was received by KHRG in May 2015. It was written by a community member in Dooplaya District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor local human rights conditions. It is presented below translated exactly as originally written, save for minor edits for clarity and security.[1] This report was received along with other information from Dooplaya District, including two other situation updates, two incident reports, seven interviews, 194 photographs, and 14 video clips.[2]
The information [below] was documented from January 1st 2015 to February 18th 2015 in Noh T’Kaw [Kyainseikgyi] and Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik] townships. [The report covers] the Tatmadaw activity, BGF [Border Guard Force][3] activity, Myanmar government activity, DKBA’s [Democratic Karen Benevolent Army][4] situation, education, and healthcare. The detailed information is presented below.
On January 19th 2015 MOC [Military Operation Command][5] #19, LIB [Light Infantry Battalion][6] #588, Lieutenant General Myo Min Thu and a battalion deputy commander marched to a KNDO [Karen National Defence Organisation][7] army base [checkpoint], [located between] B--- village and C--- village. They destroyed the KNDO’s place and threw away the [Karen people’s] flag. [Before they went there] they did not inform [KNDO of] anything and did not ask for permission [to enter the KNDO checkpoint].
On February 15th 2015, MOC #13 and LIB #432’s Commander Kyaw Myo Min rotated their camp to the Kyaw Hta army camp. There were 30 of them in a battalion. MOC #13 and LIB 358’s Commander Thu Way Thaw were [seen] patrolling in B--- [village] and C--- [village]. There were 27 of them in the battalion. MOC #13 and LIB #555’s Commander Kyi Tha Pyo are situated in D--- village [army camp]. Those army camps are [currently in] rotation in Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik] Township.
On February 26th 2015, the Tatmadaw and the BGF joined together to fight DKBA San Aung’s group.[8] The fighting took place in A--- [village] [near the] monk’s well. The first time, it broke out on February 27th 2015 at 5:00 am. The fighting between them then broke out again. It took place in the lower part of A--- [village] beside E--- village at 11:00 [am, February 27th]. During the fighting period one Tatmadaw, two BGF and one DKBA soldier were killed. The DKBA soldier was beaten and beheaded before he died.[9] [The fighting] was led by BGF Platoon Commander Eh Doo, Platoon Second-in-Command Myint Win and Maung Aye Lwin.
[There is road construction, which] stretches from Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik Town] to Kyonedoe [Town] and Kyonedoe [Town] to F--- [village]. The road constructors from the [Burma/Myanmar] government lied to the shopkeepers who are based beside the road. They borrowed the money [for their daily food needs] from the people [shopkeepers] and did not return the money back to the lenders. They [the road constructors] moved [from place to place] but none [of the] people know [where they are]. They went to eat in the shops and did not pay the money [they owed for their meals]. They are in debt with the [shopkeepers]. They also borrowed around 400,000 kyat (US $364.78)[10] from the [shopkeepers].
The road constructors from the government stole the [local] people’s clothes, dug up wild yams from the [local people’s land] and [took] coconuts [in order] to sell [them]. The owners saw them and went to talk with the village head. The village head went to tell [the road construction] managers [about the incident]. The managers said to the village head: “Could you recognise them? If you can’t recognise them, do not say things like that. We are constructing the road for you [local people], we suggest you don’t try to point out mistakes we do.”
DKBA San Aung’s group was patrolling in Noh T’Kaw [Kyainseikgyi] and Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik] townships, which scared the villagers. Fighting often breaks out between the DKBA and the Tatmadaw[11] during the ceasefire[12] period. We do not know how they will implement the ceasefire process.
Natural resource extraction such as logging, metal mining and stone mining is taking place in Noh T’Kaw [Kyainseikgyi], Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik], Kruh Tu [Kyonedoe] and Waw Raw [Win Yay] townships. The natural resource extraction negatively impacts the local people because their lands have been destroyed and it is hard for them to make a living. This [natural resource extraction] has been taking place in each township [in Dooplaya District].
As for education in Noh T’Kaw [Kyainseikgyi] Township, [there is a concern in] the places where the refugees came back to live, [which] are Htee Muh Khuh Khee, Htee Muh Khuh, D’Lay Poh, Kyaw Kay Khoh and Ta Proh villages. Those villages need Karen [textbooks] for standards one to five[13] in order [to teach students in the school]. The school committee reported it to the [KHRG researcher] and said that there are no Karen [textbooks], therefore it causes problems for them [teacher committee].
The rural villages which are situated in Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik], Waw Raw [Win Yay], and Kruh Tu [Kyonedoe] townships reported that they encountered a problem due to destruction of natural [resources] because they use these plants for [medical] treatment as they live very far from the clinics. The [natural resource extraction projects] destroyed the herbal plants which are in the jungles. [This situation] negatively impacts the rural community therefore they reported it to the leaders [KHRG] and [are waiting to see] how the leaders will deal with this.
The detailed information [which covered] the Tatmadaw’s activity, the Myanmar government activities, companies’ activity, DKBA’s activity, education, and healthcare in Noh T’Kaw [Kyainseikgyi] and Kaw T’Ree [Kawkareik] townships is presented above.