Toungoo Incident Report: Villagers request improved communication between KNU and local community, Htantabin Township, September 2012

Incident Report | Htantabin Township, Toungoo District (September 2012)

The following Incident Report was written by a community member who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights abuses. It is presented below translated exactly as originally written, save for minor edits for clarity and security.[2] This report was received on January 24th 2013 along with other information from Toungoo District, including one other incident report, four interviews and 36 photographs. [3]

Part 1 – Incident(s) detail

Type of Incident	Type of Incident
The mother organisation [Karen National Union (KNU)] demanded a tax for travelling; loss of villagers’ land because of dam construction	The mother organisation [Karen National Union (KNU)] demanded a tax for travelling; loss of villagers’ land because of dam construction

Type of Incident	Date of Incident(s)
The mother organisation [Karen National Union (KNU)] demanded a tax for travelling; loss of villagers’ land because of dam construction	September 2012

Type of Incident

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

The mother organisation [Karen National Union (KNU)] demanded a tax for travelling; loss of villagers’ land because of dam construction

Kaw Thay Der village, Kaw Thay Der village tract, Htantabin Township, Toungoo District

Type of Incident

The mother organisation [Karen National Union (KNU)] demanded a tax for travelling; loss of villagers’ land because of dam construction

Date of Incident(s)

September 2012

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

Kaw Thay Der village, Kaw Thay Der village tract, Htantabin Township, Toungoo District

Victim Information

Victim Information	Name
	Age
	Sex
	Ethnicity
	Religion
	Family
	Occupation
	Responsible
	Village

Victim Information	Naw Heah Thaw
	32
	Female
	Karen
	Christian
	Single
	Farming
	Religious woman leader
	Kler La

Victim Information	Saw Law Pleh Ler
	35
	Male
	Karen
	Christian
	Married
	Farming
	-
	Kler la

Victim Information
Name	Age	Sex	Ethnicity	Religion	Family	Occupation	Responsible	Village
Naw Heah Thaw	32	Female	Karen	Christian	Single	Farming	Religious woman leader	Kler La
Saw Law Pleh Ler	35	Male	Karen	Christian	Married	Farming	-	Kler la

Perpetrator Information

Perpetrator Information	Name
	Rank
	Unit
	Base
	Commander

Perpetrator Information	-
	-
	-
	-
	-

Perpetrator Information
Name	Rank	Unit	Base	Commander
-	-	-	-	-

Part 2 - Information Quality

1. Explain the specific manner how you collected this information.

According to a villager who lives close to the Kaw Soe Koh area, after the ceasefire agreement [4] [was signed], the mother organisation set up a taxation checkpoint beside Kaw Soe Koh.

1. Explain the specific manner how you collected this information.

According to a villager who lives close to the Kaw Soe Koh area, after the ceasefire agreement [4] [was signed], the mother organisation set up a taxation checkpoint beside Kaw Soe Koh.

2. Explain how the source verified information accuracy.

We can rely on this true information. One of the villagers reported that it [the information below] is the experience he faced while he was travelling.

2. Explain how the source verified information accuracy.

We can rely on this true information. One of the villagers reported that it [the information below] is the experience he faced while he was travelling.

PART 3 – Incident Details

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened. Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please, use the space prepared below and create attach if needed.

After the ceasefire, villagers who live in Kler La village tract have reported that they would like to know why the mother organisation demands taxes, such as on cardamom, and why (the KNU) built a gateway or checkpoint. After the ceasefire, we interviewed one of villagers who explained about the taxes that we [the villagers] had to give [pay] every year [before the ceasefire agreement was signed]. Since the ceasefire agreement, the mother organisation has set up (a gate or checkpoint) and questions travellers more than they are allowed to, according to the ceasefire agreement. Because we [the villagers] and [KNU] are Karen ethnicity, we should guide each other in a correct way toward a free future [in which] we are united and work together. The villagers who reported this information [to the KHRG community member] want leaders who make clear decisions for the community and, when they [the villagers] select a leader, it should be a trustworthy [person] for them. They (our villagers) also said that they still do not have much information about the Toh Boh Dam and they do not know how [the construction company] communicates with them. They would also like to know whether the KNU gave them permission to construct the dam or not. Regarding these problems that the villagers reported, we [the villagers] hope that our leaders and the people in charge of our area will make things clear to us [explain more about the problems mentioned above]. We also think that it would be best to have more discussions [about these issues] between the villagers [and the responsible people] in the future.

Part 4 - Permission for Using the Details

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.

The villagers want to know more about the [KNU’s] taxation process and if they would know more about this process, they would be happy about it. They [villagers] want KNU to inform them about anything which relates to the village.

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.