Monks and BGF force villagers to build Papun bridge
Villagers taken from 30 villages were ordered to work on the construction of the HteeLah Eh Hta Bridge that crosses the Yunzanlin River, near Papun Township.
The Karen Human Right Group’s report released on June 13, described how villagers from Meh Mwe, Day Wah, Kyaw Pah, Htee Th’Daw Hta and Meh Pree village were forced to construct the bridge. KHRG said the construction project was led by U Thuzana, the head monk at Myaing Gyi Ngu Monastery.
The government’s militia, the Border Guard Force 1014th was responsible for the security of the construction. The KHRG report claimed that the “villagers reported that they were ordered to provide both labor and money for two local projects. Villagers reported that they were ordered to provide both labor and money for two local
Mu Traw District Situation Update: Militarisation, indiscriminate shelling, displacement and landmine contamination in Bu Tho Township, May to July 2020
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This Situation Update describes events that occurred in Bu Tho Township, Mu Traw (Hpapun) District between May and July 2020. The Tatmadaw[1] sent more troops and ammunition to the local areas, resulting in several skirmishes with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).[2] The Tatmadaw shelled civilian areas and farms in response to KNLA attacks, and also arbitrarily detained villagers and village leaders in one of their camps. Both the KNLA and the Tatmadaw planted new landmines. Local villagers now feel unsafe, and some communities have faced displacement and have seen their freedom of movement restricted because of the presence and activities of Tatmadaw soldiers. Access to healthcare remains difficult for villagers living in remote areas, and COVID-19[3] travel restrictions have delayed the start of the academic year