Karen Human Rights Group

KHRG Photo Gallery 2006: Update on previously published photos

Top of Report | Preface | Terms and Abbreviations | Table of Contents Latest additions to the Gallery The Northern Offensive Forced Relocation and Forced Displacement Militarisation, Regimentation and Abuses in SPDC-controlled areas Village Responses to Abuse Soldiers Update on Previously Published Photos | Map Room

6. Update on previously published photos

KHRG recently obtained an update on the photos and caption shown below, which were initially released in Section 8 of KHRG Photo Set 2005A (May 2005).

They appeared as below in Photo Set 2005A:

8-10	8-11	8-12

Photos #8-10, 8-11, 8-12: These photos taken in April 2004 show Naw M---, 21, and her one-and-a-half year old daughter, Naw T---.  They are from B--- village in Dweh Loh township, Papun District.   The large abscess visible on the side of Naw M---'s neck had grown for over a year because no Karen medical teams had been able to penetrate this area due to intensive SPDC and DKBA militarisation.  SPDC and DKBA authorities in the area have outlawed the possession of medicines, fearing that the villagers will give them to the KNU.  She tried to treat the disease using traditional herbal medicines, creating a concoction of various roots and grasses with turmeric, but these traditional remedies often prove to be inadequate and the illness persisted uncured.  Naw M--- became malnourished to the point where she could no longer produce milk for her baby, and even if she could the baby might be too weak to suckle.  The baby was so weak that even when she cried, she made no sound. [Photos: KHRG researcher]

Though it is very difficult to access the area where these photos were taken and to follow up on the stories of specific people, a KHRG researcher recently followed up on the story of Naw M--- and her baby and gathered the following information.

We regret to report that the mother and child both died only a few months after the photos were taken.  The mother's name was Naw Ma Nay Kyi, she was 29 (our original information incorrectly reported her age as 21).  Her father is living but her mother had died of cancer, and the abscess on Naw Ma Nay Kyi's throat also turned out to be cancer - though there are no methods of testing for or treating cancer in her home area.  This cancer had begun in 2002. Her daughter shown in the photos was also born in 2002, and Naw Ma Nay Kyi named her Naw Tha Pwee (literally means 'Happy'), though in the village she quickly acquired the nickname Naw Rosy.  Their village, Bpoe Kha (a.k.a. Baw Naw Kee), was outside the area of direct SPDC military control and was therefore ordered by the SPDC to relocate to Koo Thoo Htah in the SPDC-controlled area so the villagers could be used for forced labour and taxed with extortion.  There were 12 households in the village. Rather than face starvation and forced labour at the relocation site, Naw Ma Nay Kyi and some of the other villagers moved into the forest, evading SPDC forces and returning to their village whenever they could.  Her throat cancer worsened, and her breasts stopped producing milk when Naw Rosy was 5 months old.

The SPDC and DKBA still blockade all medicines and food from entering the area in order to starve the villagers out of the forest, so the displaced villagers were unable to obtain any medicines or any milk for the baby.  Their village is in a remote area, so it was also bypassed by Karen mobile relief and medical teams bringing in supplies from Thailand.   Naw Rosy's father and grandfather had nothing to feed the baby but wild honey and mashed rice.  She grew slowly but suffered from fever, enlarged liver and malnutrition.  When the photos in the KHRG photo set were taken in April 2004, the villagers were still displaced, moving into the forest whenever SPDC and DKBA troops were active nearby and back to their village when the troops withdrew.  Naw Ma Nay Kyi's condition continued to worsen, and on July 16th 2004 she died in her village.  Just over two weeks later, Naw Rosy died on August 2nd 2004. She was one year and nine months old.

As of October 2006, our field researcher in the area reports that the situation for the people of Bpoe Kha village still remains the same - some of them are interned at the SPDC forced labour relocation camp, while others remain hidden in and around their village.  The SPDC and DKBA continue to blockade all food and medicines from entering the area, and if they find displaced villagers they shoot them on sight or force-march them to the relocation site.

Photo Gallery 2006 ends here. New photos will be released in KHRG Photo Gallery 2007.

Top of Report | Preface | Terms and Abbreviations | Table of Contents Latest additions to the Gallery The Northern Offensive Forced Relocation and Forced Displacement Militarisation, Regimentation and Abuses in SPDC-controlled areas Village Responses to Abuse Soldiers Update on Previously Published Photos | Map Room