Photo courtesy Friends Without Borders Foundation
Hundreds of Thai villagers who live along Thailand’s border with Myanmar were evacuated to safe areas after Karen rebels attacked a Burmese army outpost near the frontier on Tuesday, the governor of Mae Hong Song province said.
The borderland residents were moved to an area farther inside Thai territory where they could shelter, amid reports of fresh fighting between the Myanmar government forces and Karen rebels, who claimed they seized a military base early Tuesday.
“About 450 villagers in Mae Sam Lab were evacuated to safe areas in Mae Kong Kard village,” Gov. Sithichai Chindaluang told reporters.
Kler Lwee Htoo District Situation Update: Gold mining activities, COVID-19 and access to electricity in Moo Township, August 2020 to October 2020
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This Situation Update describes events that occurred in Moo [Mone] Township, Kler Lwee Htoo [Nyaunglebin] District between August 2020 and October 2020. Gold mining activities along the Klaw Myaw, Puh Loh Kloh and Kaw Ka Loh Kloh rivers have caused water pollution and now threaten the livelihood of entire villages. In government-defined Kyaukkyi Township, vulnerable households received financial support from the Myanmar government to cope with the difficulties caused by the COVID-19[1] pandemic, but local authorities diverted some of the support money. In H - village tract,[2] local villagers were required to pay for the installation of electric posts even though they cannot afford this expense.[3]
Kler Lwee Htoo District Situation Update: Gold mining activities and COVID-19 restrictions threaten local livelihoods in Moo Township, May to July 2020
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This Situation Update describes events that occurred in Moo (Mone) Township, Kler Lwee Htoo (Nyaunglebin) District from May to July 2020. Gold mining activities along the Klaw Myaw and Puh Lo Kloh rivers have damaged local farmland and have resulted in the pollution of plantations and water sources. More than ten villages were negatively impacted by these activities, and several villagers lost their lands after the local Karen National Union (KNU) authorities allocated them as gold mining sites. The villagers affected now face livelihood issues and difficulties to access water. The local communities reported the problem to the KNU township authorities, to no avail. The KNU authorities also implemented travel restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in June 2020, which translated into livelihood difficulties for the local v