The following Situation Update was received by KHRG in April 2014. It was written by a community member in Hpa-an District who has been trained by KHRG to monitor local human rights conditions. It is presented below translated exactly as originally written, save for minor edits for clarity and security.[1] This report was received along with other information from Hpa-an District, including six other situation updates, 1,080 photographs and two video clips.[2]
I would like to report about B--- village, Kah Teh Koh village tract, Ta Kreh [Paingkyon] Township, Hpa-an District.[3] Tatmadaw Infantry Battalion (IB)[4] #28 used to have a base in B--- village in the past. General Saw Bo Mya of the KNLA [Karen National Liberation Army] used to have a base there before Tatmadaw IB #28 [established] a base there. Then General Saw Bo Mya left the place after battles [with the Tatmadaw]. After, Tatmadaw IB #28 came in [to B--- village] and then the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army [DKBA][5] emerged [in 1994]. [Later] General Htay Maung, [leader of the KNU/KNLA Peace Council[6] moved to the area] and took control of C--- camp in B--- village. The commander who lives in that camp [now] is named [KNU/KNLA-PC Commander] Saw Kyaw Oo and he is the camp commander. The highest-ranking officer of the camp is [Operation Commander] Saw Htaw Lay, the adjutant. The soldiers of the Peace Council [KNU/KNLA-PC] also [among other armed groups] confiscated the land of villagers [in 2013]. The villagers whose lands were confiscated are:
They [KNU/KNLA-PC] confiscated the yards of the villagers. The villagers were not willing to talk because they were threatened. Some of them were not willing to follow me when I went to take photos. I have seen that the villagers are very frightened.