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Forcible collection of logs
On July 17th 2022, villagers in B--- village, S--- village, and T--- village, Kyon Ma Thwel village tract, Hpa-an Township, Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton) District, were forced to collect logs by Border Guard Force (BGF)[2] Battalion #1014, Company #2. The villagers from these three villages were asked to cut logs and transport them to their camp [Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) BGF camp], located in Boo Prer village tract, Hpa-an Township. The villagers from these three villages were forced to cut the logs by a BGF leader [unknown rank] named Saw Pa Ka Nu. Saw Pa Ka Nu is from Taung Tha Lay Kho village, and he was on duty at Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp at the time. On July 17th 2022, at around 1 pm, Saw Pa Ka Nu called [via phone] the community members who were village heads of B--- village, S--- village, and T--- village at that time [village heads rotate every month] and commanded them to make their villagers bring logs that were longer than two handspans and six cubits[3] [108 inches / 274 cm] long to the [BGF] camp.
On July 18th 2022, the civilians in these three villages rented trucks and took the logs to Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp. There are 113 households (701 villagers) in B--- village, 47 households (336 villagers) in S--- village, and 72 households (527 villagers) in T--- village. In total, there are 232 households in these three villages, and each household was ordered to provide a log [to the Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp].
General Maung Chit is the battalion commander of BGF Battalion #1014 [but he is not based in Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp]. The commander of Company #2 within BGF Battalion #1014, named Saw Tin Win, was on duty at Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp at the time. Saw Pa Ka Nu [the BGF leader who called the village heads] and another soldier [of an unknown rank] named Saw Moe Hin were also on duty at Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp.
Villagers who live near Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp have been forced by Saw Pa Ka Nu and Saw Moe Hin to deliver logs at least four times since December 2021. On December 6th 2021, villagers from O--- and K--- villages, located in Kyon Ka Na village tract, transported logs with two trucks [to Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp]. On February 7th 2022, each household [unknown number] in H--- village was required to provide three logs [larger than two hand spans and 5 or 6 cubits [90 - 108 inches / 229 - 274 cm] long] to the same BGF camp. On March 3rd 2022, each household in H--- village and O--- village had to provide logs [3 handspans big and 5 or 6 cubits long] to the same BGF camp. The BGF soldiers stationed at Hkler Kheh (Nyaung Kone) camp forced villagers to work for them without payment.
Further background reading on the security and human rights situation in Doo Tha Htoo District in Southeast Burma can be found in the following KHRG reports: