Displacement Monitoring: Regular updates on protection concerns for villagers in Dooplaya and Pa'an districts and adjacent areas in Thailand

Civilians in Dooplaya and Pa'an districts continue to be impacted by conflict between the Tatmadaw and armed Karen groups, who have increased fighting since November 7th 2010. The situation remains highly unstable and civilians report a variety of human rights and security concerns related to ongoing conflict and conflict-related abuse. In order to provide as current information as possible on the fighting and related human rights and protection concerns, KHRG has developed this page as a 'Displacement Monitoring' section of the KHRG website. Immediate situation updates, news bulletins, field reports, maps and photo galleries regarding the situation for civilians in Dooplaya are accessible through links in the table at the bottom of this page.

Background

Civilians in Dooplaya and Pa'an district continue to be impacted by increased conflict since November 7th 2010, involving Burma's state army, the Tatmadaw, and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), as well as other armed Karen groups such as the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Since larger battles occurred in Myawaddy and Three Pagodas Pass towns on November 8th and 9th, the conflict has been characterised by frequent skirmishes, shelling and guerrilla style attacks throughout areas opposite Mae Hong Song, Tak and Kanchanaburi provinces, Thailand.

Civilians living in areas affected by fighting, including villages in which fighting is expected but has yet to occur, have described a range of physical security and livelihoods threats including: death, injury, or destruction of property as a result of skirmishes between armed groups and functionally indiscriminate use of weapons by soldiers in civilian areas;[1] looting of property by soldiers or other villagers;[2] arrest, detention or execution by soldiers that suspect civilians of supporting an adverse party to the conflict;[3] sexual violence;[4] arrest and forced portering;[5] movement restrictions impeding livelihoods activities and villagers' ability to escape fighting;[6] and the fear that prolonged fighting and associated abuses will disrupt the harvesting of corn and bean crops into which many villagers in the area have invested significant labour and financial resources.[7]

Most of these threats are markedly different from the human rights and security concerns associated with the low-intensity conflict that communities in eastern Dooplaya and Pa'an have confronted over the past decade. Villagers have told KHRG that they do not feel safe amid the unstable and increasingly dangerous military context created by the upheaval of military relationships and the re-emergence of open conflict;[8] many have opted to flee with their families temporarily to more secure locations from which they can monitor the security situation and check on their homes, property and crops.[9] Villagers attempting to access such temporary refuge in Thailand, however, have faced a number of obstacles that have caused incoming refugees to hide in dispersed, discreet locations or else cross back and forth between temporary sites established just across the border in Burma whenever fighting occurs.[10] Several sources, including within the DKBA and KNLA, have told KHRG that they expect the fighting to continue, which suggests that threats to the human rights and security of villagers in eastern Dooplaya and Pa'an districts will remain urgent.[11]

Ongoing monitoring by KHRG

Footnotes

[1] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "Arrest, looting and flight: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Villager injured, community flees: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[2] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "Arrest, looting and flight: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[3] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "School closures and movement restrictions: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Arrest, looting and flight: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[4] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010

[5] "Villagers flee to avoid fighting and portering: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "More arrests and movement restrictions: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[6] See: "School closures and movement restrictions: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Villager injured, community flees: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "More arrests and movement restrictions: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010

[7] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "School closures and movement restrictions: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[8] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "Arrest, looting and flight: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "More arrests and movement restrictions: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[9] "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[10] See: "Arrest, looting and flight: Conflict continues to impact civilians in Dooplaya District," KHRG, November 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

[11] See: "Protection concerns expressed by civilians amdist conflict in Dooplaya and Pa'an Districts," KHRG, Novmeber 2010; "Threats to human rights, obstacles to protection: Conditions for civilians seeking refuge in Phop Phra District, Thailand," KHRG, November 2010.

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