Burma: Eyewitness Accounts of Abuses in Eastern Fighting

Thai Authorities Should Ensure Protection of Refugees Fleeing Conflict

The Burmese armed forces and ethnic insurgents should act to protect civilians as fighting in eastern Burma intensifies, Human Rights Watch said today. The Burmese army, or Tatmadaw, has conducted a major build up in the East following an attack and brief seizure of the border town of Myawaddy by ethnic Karen rebels on the date of the elections, November 7, 2010 […]

European Parliament Condemns ‘Atrocious’ Violations against Karen

The European Parliament passed a Resolution on Thursday 25 November 2010, following sham elections in Burma and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. The Resolution noted that the elections were not free or fair, and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi by itself did not represent a positive step forward, without other fundamental changes.

The Resolution also highlighted how the “Burmese military continues to commit atrocious human rights violations against civilians in the ethnic Karen homelands on the Thai border, acts which include extrajudicial killings, forced labour and sexual violence …. continues widespread and systematic forced recruitment of child soldiers” […]

Burmese Regime Continues Brutal Campaign Against Ethnic Civilians

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is concerned by reports that despite the welcome release of Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and a high-level visit by UN Burma envoy Vijay Nambiar, the regime continues to perpetrate grave violations of human rights against ethnic civilians, including military attacks and forced labour […]

Karen Villagers Still Fleeing Post-Election Attacks By Burmese Army

On the same day UN Burma envoy Vijay Nambiar visited Rangoon, the Burmese Army fired mortar bombs at a civilian village in Karen State, breaking international law.

Thousands of ethnic Karen have fled a new Burmese Army military offensive in Karen State, along the Thailand Burma border, in the past two weeks […]

KNU Statement Condemning Election-Related Violence in Burma’s Border Areas

We, the Karen National Union (KNU), strongly condemn recent attacks by Burma’s military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), on Myawaddy Town and several other locations in Burma’s border areas, where at least 3 civilians were killed, and more injured. These latest attacks are part of the SPDC’s systematic violence against Burma’s ethnic peoples.

The conflict in Myawaddy began on 7 November, the day of Burma’s first elections in 20 years, when civilians complained of being threatened and intimidated to vote for the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), rather than the local Karen party which was their preference […]

SPDC and DKBA order documents: January 2009 to June 2010

This report includes translated copies of 94 order documents issued by State Peace and Development Council Army and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army officers to village heads in Karen State between January 2009 and June 2010. These documents serve as supplementary evidence of ongoing exploitative local governance in rural Burma. The order documents collected here include demands for attendance at meetings; the provision of money and food; the production and delivery of thatch shingles and bamboo poles; forced labour as messengers and porters for the military; forced labour on bridge repair, the provision of information on individuals and households; and restrictions on trade […]

Supporting civilians that face ongoing military attacks

The Burma Army continues to launch deliberate military attacks that target civilians and undermine humanitarian conditions in upland areas of Karen State, according to the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), which today released the report Self-protection under strain: Targeting of civilians and local responses in northern Karen State. Drawing on over 212 interviews and 85 field documents submitted by KHRG field researchers since January 2009, the report makes clear that civilians contending with attacks need increased humanitarian support. This support must be designed to strengthen local communities existing capacities for protection of human rights […]

Self-protection under strain: Targeting of civilians and local responses in northern Karen State

The SPDC Army continues to attack civilians and civilian livelihoods nearly two years after the end of the 2005-2008 SPDC Offensive in northern Karen State. In response, civilians have developed and employed various self-protection strategies that have enabled tens of thousands of villagers to survive with dignity and remain close to their homes despite the humanitarian consequences of SPDC Army practices. These protection strategies, however, have become strained, even insufficient, as humanitarian conditions worsen under sustained pressure from the SPDC Army […]

CSW Renews Calls for Burma’s Crimes Against Humanity to be Investigated as Over 900 Karen Civilians Flee Attacks by Burmese Army

Soldiers from the Burmese Army attacked Tha Dah Der village in Karen State, Eastern Burma on 23 July, burning 50 homes, a school and a church. Over 600 villagers fled as the army advanced, joining 300 more from neighbouring areas whose villages have not yet been attacked, but who have abandoned their homes in fear to seek refuge in the jungle […]

Pre-Election Military Operations by SPDC

The SPDC military junta has started pre-election military operations, targeting the innocent Karen civilians in the Karen State and other KNU areas.

1. On July 23 at 10:00 am, the SPDC troops heavily shelled with mortars Tha-dah-Der village in Papun (Mudraw) District for more than 4 hours […]