Karen Human Rights Group

Hpapun Incident Report: Restriction of movement in Dwe Lo Township, December 2013

Incident Report | Dwe Lo Township, Hpapun District (December 2013)

The following Incident Report was written by a community member who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights abuses. It is presented below translated exactly as originally written, save for minor edits for clarity and security.[1] This report was received in February 2014 along with other information from Hpapun District, including three other incident reports.[2]

Part 1 – Incident Details

Type of Incident

Restriction of movement

Date of Incident(s)

December 3rd 2013

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

Between M--- and Ma Lay Ler, Meh Kyoh village tract, Dwe Lo Township, Hpapun District

 

 

Victim Information

Name

Naw S---

 

 

 

Age

23

 

 

 

Sex

Female

 

 

 

Nationality

Karen

 

 

 

Family   

No

 

 

 

Occupation

Medic

 

 

 

Religion

Buddhist

 

 

 

Position

No

 

 

 

Village

M---

 

 

 

 

Perpetrator Information

Name(s)              

Rank

Unit(s)

Base

Commander’s Name

Na Taw (or) Maw Hta

Corporal

[Infantry] Battalion #5, [Light Infantry] Battalion #102

K’Daw Koo Hta

Commander Kyaw Thein

Part 2 - Information Quality

1. Explain in detail how you collected this information.

On December 3rd 2013 at 7:00 pm, Naw S--- was trying to go to a Ma Lay Ler religious campaign concert. She went with 20 of her friends and when they arrived at the checkpoint between M--- [village] and Ma Lay Ler [village], they asked permission from [Commander] Na Taw at the checkpoint, but Na Taw did not allow them, so they came back to their village.

 

2. Explain how the source verified this information.

Naw S--- faced this abuse herself and she reported the information, so the information is true [valid].

Part 3 – Complete Description of the Incident

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened. Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please use the space prepared below, and create an attachment if needed.

On December 3rd 2013 at 7:00 pm, Naw S--- went to a Ma Lay Ler religious campaign concert with 20 of her friends. They were on their way and later arrived at the Tatmadaw checkpoint between M--- and Ma Lay Ler, which was set up by Tatmadaw Commander Kyaw Thein. Kyaw Thein ordered [Corporal] Na Taw to wait at the checkpoint. When Naw S--- and her friends arrived at the checkpoint, they asked permission from Na Taw to go [through]. Na Taw questioned them and asked [demanded] that they sit down and stand up repeatedly, but Naw S--- and her friends would not do it, so he forced them to go back [home]. Naw S--- and her friends were not allowed to go to the campaign concert and, moreover, they were asked to sit down and stand up repeatedly. They are teenagers and they feel shy; some of them even cried. Naw S--- said that there should not be any restriction of movement during this time [after the ceasefire].[3] “We don’t know why they questioned us and stopped us from going to other places. I thought the Karen leaders would improve the situation right? If they are trying to improve it like this, it is not good. I was not the only person who faced that, but my friends also faced the same thing as me. I faced this incident myself and I reported it to you, so all of the information is true,” said Naw S---.

 Part 4 - Permission for Using the Details

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.

Naw S--- allowed this information to be used and published to many media groups for the better [less restricted] movement [of villagers in Karen areas of Southeast Burma].