Burma : Townships With Known Hazards of Antipersonnel Landmines (as of 15 Jun 2010)
FBR REPORT: Landmines, Victims and Flooding from Burma Army Dam
FBR REPORT:
Landmines, Victims and Flooding from Burma Army Dam Project Displaces Multiple Communities
Nyaunglebin District, Karen State, Burma
17 January, 2011
In This Report:
- Flooding from Burma Army dam project displaces multiple communities
- Burma Army burns house, plants landmines: one man loses leg
- FBR Nyaunglebin teams' mission report
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Map showing area of report (click on map for larger image)
Burma Army Burns House and Plants Landmines in Mone Township: One Man Loses Leg
On Christmas day, 25 December, 2010: Burma Army soldiers placed landmines on trails and village land, as well as burning down one house near a Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)- ethnic pro-democracy resistance- outpost in Mone Township in northwestern Karen State. The KNLA sent one soldier, Saw Kweh K'Baw, to demine the area; he discovered and disarmed four mines before stepping on and detonating a fifth. He lost his left foot in the explosion and was treated by FBR medics. Over 200 villagers fled the Burma army mine laying patrols.
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Kweh K'Baw, after receiving initial treatment after stepping on landmine. (see more pictures at end of report)
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Pro-Democracy resistance forces remove landmines placed near a village by the Burma Army
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IDPs from recent attacks in Mone Township
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Building burnt by Burma Army in Mone Township
Communities Displaced Due to Flooding from Dam Project
Entire communities in northwestern Karen State have been displaced due to extensive flooding from a new dam project on the Shwe Gyin River. This project was initiated by the SPDC government in Burma and is due to be completed by the end of January, 2011. FBR relief teams on a mission in the area conducted a reconnaissance of the nearby Burma Army Mae Zaung camp. The unit there is Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 349, which is responsible for security of the Shwe Gyin Dam project. According to one villager who once lived where a lake now stands: "I lived at Mae Zaung Ywa and my family survived by planting orchards. I planted dogfruit trees and lemon trees, and every year I made a living and never worried for myself or my family. Since the SPDC started the Shwe Gyin dam construction, all my orchards were flooded and I had to leave my village. I now live in Shwe Gyin town. Many of my friends in my village fled anywhere they could, and some went to a refugee camp. I have had to restart my life to survive, and now I do not have a regular income. I just work day by day and worry about my future."
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Extensive flooding resulting from a dam project on Shwe Gyin River
Nyaunglebin District teams' mission report
MISSION SUMMARY:
Five Karen relief teams went on a mission to provide humanitarian assistance and bring help, hope, and love to villagers and displaced people in northwestern Karen State. The mission ran from December 5th, 2010, through December 24th, 2010. They went to villages in the Shwe Gyin (Hsaw Hti) Township area of Nyaunglebin (Kler Lwe Htoo) District. The teams set up a program outside each village, and villagers would come there to receive medical aid and participate in Good Life Club programs for children. The teams were able to give medical aid to more than 250 villagers. The teams also conducted reconnaissance of Burma Army camps in the area, photographed them, and recorded the names of the battalions and leaders stationed at each camp.
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GLC program in Doo Pa Lae village
BURMA ARMY ACTIVITY:
There are multiple Burma Army camps in and around Hsaw Hti Township. This area saw attacks and displacement in early 2010, but Burma Army activity is currently minimal. Camps in the area and corresponding units include:- Thay Kay Mae Soe Camp -- LIB 350
- Kyo Daw Goe Camp -- LIB 349
- Mae Te Ta Camp -- LIB 589
- Lae Ya Camp -- LIB 589
- Ler Tau Thoe Camp - LIB598
- Ko Pet Camp -- LIB 350
- U Pao Chaung Camp -- LIB 350
- Thei Kay Mae Soe Camp -- LIB 350
- Mae Zaung Wa Camp -- LIB 349 IB
- Wa Ko Law Te Camp - LIB 349
- Ler Kyo Kgo Camp -- LIB 349
- Aut Mae Zaung Camp -- Infantry Battalion (IB) 57
- Kae Kge Ko Camp - IB 57
- Zalu Chaung Camp - LIB 598
- Wingalone Camp - LIB 589
From Mae Zaung Wa to Ler Wah there are no Burma Army camps but troops are patrolling the area from Military Operations Command (MOC) 16. The commander's names are Lt. Col. Thet Kheing - LIB 589; Maj. Aung Zaw - LIB 350; and Maj. Tha Zin Aung - LIB 349. The Wa Ko Law Te camp is led by Thet Oo. The Strategic Operations Command (SOC)is led by Myo Win.
VILLAGER SITUATION:
Currently there are no new IDPs in this area; however the Burma Army is near every village. The situation remains unstable. There were schools in most of the villages the teams visited, however, education in the area remains intermittent due to attacks this year and continued threats. For example, from January through December 2010, the people in Hti Blah village had to flee once and had to prepare to flee another four times. In Doo Pa Lae village they did not flee during the year, but had to prepare to flee four times -- in January, February, July, and September. Villagers are getting food primarily from subsistence farming. The common medical conditions that the teams treated were: common cold, urinary tract infections (UTI), hypertension, intestinal worms, anemia, chronic joint pain, beri beri, malaria, malnutrition, skin diseases, acute respiratory infection (ARI), eye diseases, diarrhea, and dysentery. Mosquito nets were also distributed.
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FBR medics treat patients on a mission in central Karen State
TEAM SUMMARY:
The teams interviewed villagers and conducted Good Life Club programs, which included teaching basic health, supplying maps and books to schools, singing songs, and playing games. They gave medical aid, encouraged the villagers, and shed light on the actions of the Burma Army.
Thank you for your support in helping these teams make a difference bringing help, hope, and love to the people in Karen State, Burma.
Thank you and may God Bless you,
FBR Nyaunglebin District Teams
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Local medics treat Kweh 'K'Baw, man wounded by landmine
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Saw Kweh K'Baw, wounded by a landmine placed by the Burma Army
The Free Burma Ranger’s (FBR) mission is to provide hope, help and love to internally displaced people inside Burma, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams, FBR reports on human rights abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under the oppression of the Burma Army. FBR provides medical, spiritual and educational resources for IDP communities as they struggle to survive Burmese military attacks. For more information, please visit www.freeburmarangers.org
freeburmarangers.org
Burma : anti-personnel landmines, extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, ....
"The Burmese military continues to violate international humanitarian law through the use of anti-personnel landmines, extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, beatings, and pillaging of property," HRW said.
Abuses continue in Myanmar rebel conflict: HRW
Sun Jan 22 2012
Myanmar: Myanmar's army raped, tortured and killed civilians in ethnic minority conflict zones last year, Human Rights Watch said Sunday, despite the government's recent political reforms.
Bloody battles have raged since June in Kachin State in the far north, marring the progress of a new regime that has surprised observers with a series of positive reforms in the isolated nation, also known as Burma.
"The Burmese military continues to violate international humanitarian law through the use of anti-personnel landmines, extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, beatings, and pillaging of property," HRW said.
Its report on the country -- part of a worldwide review of human rights in 2011 -- also said sexual violence against women and girls "remains a serious problem", while the army "continues to actively recruit and use child soldiers".
Ethnic minority rebels were also accused of abuses, including using landmines near civilian areas.
HRW said over 50,000 civilians had been internally displaced by fighting in Kachin State, which shattered a 17-year ceasefire, while around 500,000 people were internally displaced due to conflict in the country's eastern border areas last year.
Myanmar's government, still largely dominated by former junta generals, has reached peace deals with Shan and Karen rebels in eastern states in recent weeks as part of efforts to end civil war that has gripped parts of Myanmar since independence in 1948.
In December, a presidential order was issued for the military to cease attacks against guerrillas from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), but it failed to stop heavy fighting in the region, according to the rebels.
On Friday, Myanmar state media reported that the government and Kachin rebels had agreed to hold further ceasefire negotiations.
Resolution of the conflicts is a demand of Western nations which impose sanctions on the regime.
The government has made progress on other key areas including holding talks with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been allowed to stand in an April by-election, and released hundreds of political prisoners.
timesofoman.com
Landmines : Burma considering international treaty
Burma considering international landmine treaty
Friday, 13 July 2012
Burma’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Wunna Maung Lwin said his government is seriously considering all key disarmament treaties including the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or Ottawa Convention, as part of its state reforms, and he expressed optimism that Burma would positively consider the treaty.
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This file photograph shows landmines collected from Burmese army personnel operating in Toungoo District in late 2007. When departing villages, the soldiers often lay landmines along village paths, in farm fields and plantations and within the village proper to dissuade villagers from returning.
Photo: KHRG
Wunna Maung Lwin said Burma's army is no longer using landmines and is seeking a peace pact with armed ethnic groups, which would include banning anti-personel land mines.
However, vast numbers of land mines have been placed throughout ethnic areas by both government and ethnic troops, and soldiers and civilians are still victims of the explosives, as well as animals including elephants.
Wunna Maung Lwin’s comments came during a high-level meeting with the Convention President Prak Sokhonn of Cambodia, during the Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phnom Penh, according to a press release by the group on Thursday.
Burma had never participated in a meeting of the convention. Minister Wunna Maung Lwin said he would ensure that Burma’s Permanent Mission in Geneva attended future meetings of the convention. The next meeting parties to the convention will take place from Dec. 3-7 at the United Nations in Geneva, where over 800 diplomats and land mine experts representing over 100 states are expected to attend.
Prak Sokhonn also expressed the hope that, in addition to Burma, all Asean states that have not yet done so would one day join the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
“Accession to the convention by yet another Southeast Asian state would help strengthen the international movement to eradicate anti-personnel mines,” said Prak Sokhonn.
Prak Sokhonn also encouraged Burma to survey mined areas, mark hazardous areas, deliver mine-risk education to the public and assist land mine survivors.
“In keeping with the principle of international cooperation, we offer to Myanmar the assistance it may deem necessary, including sending Cambodian experts to Myanmar or providing Myanmar delegations with an opportunity to see firsthand mine action activities in Cambodia,” said Prak Sokhonn.
To date, 160 states have joined the convention and 155 no longer hold stocks of anti-personnel mines.
mizzima.com
