” I don’t want to live under this government” were the words of a villager as he stood in the remains of his home that was burned by the Burma Army. With tears in his eyes he described the attacks that destroyed his home and village and how his family had to flee for their lives in the face of the Burma Army attacks. He pointed across the valley to a new mountaintop Army camp that dominated the area. “They are there and they will shoot.”

Dear friends, this is a brief photo essay from here in Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District, western Karen State, Burma.

We are on a relief mission following Burma Army attacks that killed villagers, burned homes and displaced over 3,000 people. The Burma Army has built two new camps in this area and regularly shell villagers they see attempting to approach their old rice fields.

Thanks to your help we have been able to provide emergency assistance through the teams on the ground here from the beginning of the attacks in January up to now. Many local organizations under coordination by the Karen pro-democracy resistance (KNU), work together to provide, food, shelter, medical supplies and educational support. The displaced people and our relief teams here have especially benefited from the support of Partners Relief and Development.

As we meet people in their hiding places or as they clear and plant new fields, we are impressed by their endurance and hope. They feel that they are right to hold on to their homeland, they feel innocent in that they have never attacked the dictators’ homes and they know they can survive terrible privations. All this they do with good cheer and hope.

Still, sometimes it is too much and like the man in the ruins of his home, people break down and weep. But they do not give up and we have not given up and because you too have not given up, there is hope. Most of all we believe that love, truth, justice and reconciliation will prevail and as we try to walk in those ways we feel grateful.

Thank you and God bless you,

A Relief Team Leader

Western Karen State, Burma

www.freeburmarangers.org

More than 2,100 newly displaced Karen villagers hide from Burma Army after attacks

Seven Burma Army battalions (Five as the assault element and two in support) attacked villagers in Ler Doh township, Nyaunglebin District, Western Karen State, displacing over 2,100 villagers. The attacking battalions are advancing from three directions; north, west and east.

The first phase of this attack started in late January and resulted in the killing of 3 villagers, the destruction and burning of 2 villages and the displacement of 1,000 people in Ler Doh and 1,000 in a different area of Hsaw Hti. (please see January reports at www.freeburmarangers.org). The second phase of this attack started on February 5rh, is continuig today with 2,100 in hiding, 14 schools abandoned and 46 houses burned in the Toe Hta area, 28 houses in the Ka Di Mu Der area , 30 houses in Hti Baw Hta, and earlier 11 houses burned in Kweh Der. Total houses destroyed in these attacks is 125. Including farm huts and a clinic it is about 140 buildings destroyed.

The Karen resisitance (National Liberation Army) are trying to protect the people from these attacks and the Free Burma Ranger relief teams and others are providing humanitarian assstiance. . At least two villagers have been shot dead by the Burma Army which does not discriminate between combatants and civilians as it seeks to terrorize the Karen people. (See three reports UPDATE OF BURMA ARMY ATTACKS, MURDERS, DISPLACEMENT AND FORCED LABOR IN KAREN STATE, BURMA from January 21-31 .)

The FBR teams with the help of Partners are also bringing new medical supplies and are working with township medics to help treat those who have fled. These people, unable to return to their villages, now face life on the run and without sufficient food. They are also much more likely to suffer from illnesses such as dysentery, acute respiratory infections and malaria. The IDPs are trying to keep their children’s education going, but 14 schools have been closed as a direct result of these attacks. One clinic has also been burned to the ground by the Burma Army.

Seven battalions (each with about 130 men) from the Burma Army’s Military Operation Command 10, their command post being at Hti Baw Hta, Light Infantry Battalions 362 and 367, Tactical Operation Command 3 of Military Operation Command 10 attacking from the north, LIBs 361, 366 and 368 and troops from the Southern Command attacking from the west and east are responsible for the attacks. The numbers of the two supporting battalions are not known yet. They are using mortars and machine guns on the civilians in the area.

FBR teams saw Burma Army troops with villagers they were forcing to carry loads for them. In every area here that the Burma Army controls, they force villagers to carry loads and work for them. In spite of the threat of punishment of death, the villagers attempt to avoid this work and actively support the resistance instead. But often they cannot avoid carrying loads for the Burma Army occupying troops. 12 new FBR teams have joined the existing FBR teams in these areas and are providing medical and other humanitarian assistance. Over 2000 patients have been treated and over 100 loads of relief materials have been distributed by the new teams. There is now a need for more medical supplies to help those displaced by the new attacks. (Thanks to Partners Relief And Development (PRAD) and others who are sending more medical and food support and thanks to PRAD and Genocide Intervention Network for help with the early warning system of radios and other communications equipment that villagers use to warn each other and better escape impeding attacks.)

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

Over 2,100 people displaced, 4 villages burned, 14 schools abandoned and a clinic burned as seven Burma Army battalions attack villagers in Western Karen State, Burma. 12 February 2010. (Reports relayed from teams in the field with the IDPs)

More than 2,100 newly displaced Karen villagers hide from Burma Army after attacks:
Seven Burma Army battalions (Five as the assault element and two in support) attacked villagers in Ler Doh township, Nyaunglebin District, Western Karen State, displacing over 2,100 villagers. The attacking battalions are advancing from three directions; north, west and east.

The first phase of this attack started in late January and resulted in the killing of 3 villagers, the destruction and burning of 2 villages and the displacement of 1,000 people in Ler Doh and 1,000 in a different area of Hsaw Hti. (please see January reports at www.freeburmarangers.org). The second phase of this attack started on February 5rh, is continuig today with 2,100 in hiding, 14 schools abandoned and 46 houses burned in the Toe Hta area, 28 houses in the Ka Di Mu Der area , 30 houses in Hti Baw Hta, and earlier 11 houses burned in Kweh Der. Total houses destroyed in these attacks is 125. Including farm huts and a clinic it is about 140 buildings destroyed.

The Karen resisitance (National Liberation Army) are trying to protect the people from these attacks and the Free Burma Ranger relief teams and others are providing humanitarian assstiance. . At least two villagers have been shot dead by the Burma Army which does not discriminate between combatants and civilians as it seeks to terrorize the Karen people. (See three reports UPDATE OF BURMA ARMY ATTACKS, MURDERS, DISPLACEMENT AND FORCED LABOR IN KAREN STATE, BURMA from January 21-31 .)

The FBR teams with the help of Partners are also bringing new medical supplies and are working with township medics to help treat those who have fled. These people, unable to return to their villages, now face life on the run and without sufficient food. They are also much more likely to suffer from illnesses such as dysentery, acute respiratory infections and malaria. The IDPs are trying to keep their children’s education going, but 14 schools have been closed as a direct result of these attacks. One clinic has also been burned to the ground by the Burma Army.

Seven battalions (each with about 130 men) from the Burma Army’s Military Operation Command 10, their command post being at Hti Baw Hta, Light Infantry Battalions 362 and 367, Tactical Operation Command 3 of Military Operation Command 10 attacking from the north, LIBs 361, 366 and 368 and troops from the Southern Command attacking from the west and east are responsible for the attacks. The numbers of the two supporting battalions are not known yet. They are using mortars and machine guns on the civilians in the area.

FBR teams saw Burma Army troops with villagers they were forcing to carry loads for them. In every area here that the Burma Army controls, they force villagers to carry loads and work for them. In spite of the threat of punishment of death, the villagers attempt to avoid this work and actively support the resistance instead. But often they cannot avoid carrying loads for the Burma Army occupying troops. 12 new FBR teams have joined the existing FBR teams in these areas and are providing medical and other humanitarian assistance. Over 2000 patients have been treated and over 100 loads of relief materials have been distributed by the new teams. There is now a need for more medical supplies to help those displaced by the new attacks. (Thanks to Partners Relief And Development (PRAD) and others who are sending more medical and food support and thanks to PRAD and Genocide Intervention Network for help with the early warning system of radios and other communications equipment that villagers use to warn each other and better escape impeding attacks.)

Thank you and God bless you,The Free Burma Rangers

www.freeburmarangers.com

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

On January 17: Keh Der village in Ler Doh Township was attacked by LIB 367. 10. Ten houses were burned down. 2 villagers were shot and killed
This and related attacks have now displaced 1,000 people from 10 villages in the area.
On January 18th the Burma Army shot villagers at Hti Aw Top and captured two women and one man in Mon Township
On January 19 LIB 427 from Naw Soe camp shot at villagers from Kaw Htoo Toe while they were harvesting bamboo, scattering the villagers. Today (January 21) an FBR team responding to the attacks found the decapitated body of one of these villagers.
In total, more than 2000 people have been displaced by Burma Army attacks this week.

Dear friends,

This is an update with photos of Burma Army attacks, murders, displacement and forced labor against villagers and IDPs in Karen State, Burma. There are no large scale offensives at this time but over 2,000 people have been displaced in attacks this week while villagers were shot to death by Burma Army patrols. Yesterday while doing a reconnaissance of a Burma Army camp, we saw Burma Army troops with villagers they were forcing to carry loads for them. In every area here that the Burma Army controls, they force villagers to carry loads and work for them.

In spite of the threat of punishment of death, the villagers attempt to avoid this work and actively support the resistance instead. But often they cannot avoid carrying loads for the Burma Army occupying troops.

Here 12 new FBR teams have joined the existing FBR teams in these areas and are providing medical and other humanitarian assistance. Over 2000 patients have treated and over 100 loads of relief materials have been distributed by the new teams. There is now a need for more medical supplies to help those displaced by the new attacks. (Thanks to PRAD and others who are sending more medical and food support and thanks to PRAD and GI for help with the early warning system of radios and other communications equipment that villagers use to warn each other and better escape impeding attacks.)

The following are reports from the teams themselves sent to our HQ team as we move through the three Northern and Western Karen State Districts of Toungoo, Muthraw/Papun, and Nyaunglebin Districts. There is also one report from Dooplaya District South Central Karen State where there is forced labor and a build-up of Burma Army troops- but no offensive yet. We have consolidated these reports and they are below as well as some photos and a map from one of the teams. Thanks for all your help and encouragement,

May God bless you,

A Relief Team Leader, Free Burma Rangers

Western Karen State, Burma

Attacks and Murders:

Two men killed:
On January 17: Keh Der village in Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District, was attacked by LIB 367 under Military Operation Command 10. Ten houses were burned down. 2 villagers were shot and killed. One man’s name is Saw Mya Kaw Htoo. He is 48. He has a wife and 6 children (5 girls). The villagers ran before the SPDC attacked, but later some villagers went back to try to retrieve some of their belongings and that was when Saw Mya Kaw Htoo was shot. The second villager killed was Saw Ey Moo who was killed on the 19th of January 2010 by the same patrolling unit. Because of the early warning system everybody ran away before the Burma Army troops attacked this village or there may have been more people killed. Now the Burma Army is patrolling in this area of Kgaw Hta village and Keh Der village tract.

Two women and one man captured:
On January 18th the Burma Army shot villagers at Hti Aw Top and captured two women and one man in Mon Township, Ler Klah village tract. The villagers were on their way to selling their goods when they were captured and tied up. The three villagers names are 1) Saw Poe lae, 2) Naw Gu Htoo, 3) Naw Day Poe. There was 1 Burma Army column divided into 3 small groups. The troops were patrolling in the area and planned to meet a column from Ko Pla Lay Ko at Saw Ka Der area somewhere.

One man shot and decapitated:
Southern Toungoo District: On January 19.1.10 at 11:38am LIB 427 from Naw Soe camp shot at 3 villagers from Kaw Htoo Toe while they were harvesting bamboo. One villager, Saw Htoo Nay Wa was wounded. When the villager was shot one of the other villagers tried to help the wounded man. The Burma Army was chasing them and shooting and he could not help Saw Htoo Nay Wa’s intestines were protruding out of his body from the gunshot wound. Today, a FBR team responding to the attacks, found the decapitated body of Saw Nay Wa.

Attacks in Ler Doh, Nyaunglebin District displaces 1,000 people from 10 villages:
As per above report, the Burma Army burned Khwe Der village, killed two villager and displaced 10 villages. The villages are; Khwe Der, Kaw Taw Kee, Thur Kaw der, Thaung Nya Der, Kaw Hta, Ler Taw Loo, Day Baw Kee, Muki, Hti Law Kee, Ko Lu.

Attacks in Southern Nyaunglebin District displaces over 200:
On January 18th the Burma Army attacked Hti Blah village in Hsaw Hti Township, Southern Nyaunglebin District. Over 200 people fled their homes and the Burma Army looted and destroyed property in Hti Bla. (The home of one of our FBR medics is here and he lost his home and his belongings).

Forced Labor:

Burma Army and porters carry water from village up their camp at Maladaw forced relocation site. Jan 18 2010
In Toungoo District, Karen State Burma MOC 7 (Military Operation Command) commander Kyaw Myo Aye and TOC 3 (Tactical Operation Command) commander Yae Min stay at Kler La (Baw Glee Gee) camp, and LIB 542 (Light Infantry Battalion) commander Kyaw Zay Oo stay at Play Sa Lo camp.
On 12.1.10 LIB 542 forced 36 villagers to carry Burma Army food supplies from Lay Day camp to Play Sa Lo camp. Villagers from Play Sa Lo (4 female and 5 male), Yay Lo (10 female, 10 male), Glow Ba Der (2 female, 5 male) are forced to carry loads.

On 13.1.10 the Burma Army forced 87 villagers from Play Sa Lo (26 female, 21 male) and Lay Gho Lo village (25 female, 15 male) to carry loads of food for the Burma Army.

On 14.1.10 the Burma Army forced 40 villagers from Play Sa Lo (16 female, 21 male), Yay Lo (1 female, 1 male), Glow Ba Der (1 female) to carry loads of food for the Burma Army

On 15.1.10 the Burma Army forced 38 villagers from Yay Lo (2 female, 2 male), Glow Ba Der (6 female, 4 male), Play Sa Lo (13 female, male 11) to carry loads of food for the Burma Army

From 12.1.10 to 15.1.10 the Burma Army forced 201 villagers to carry their food supply from Lay Day to Play Sa Lo two times each day. They forced each male to carry 20Kg and each female to carry 15Kg loads each time.

On 16.1.10 forty more BA soldiers from LIB 542 arrived at Play Sa Lo camp

On 17.1.10 The Burma Army forced villagers including school students to carry food supplies from Lay Day camp to Play Sa Lo camp. The villagers forced to carry loads were: Naw Koo Htoo 16 years old, Naw Ka Moo 15 years old, Naw Nay Ree 16 years old, Naw Blu Gay Paw 14 years old, Naw Bway Moo 10 years old, Saw Eh Dee Htoo 9 years old, Saw Nay Do 10 years old, Saw Then Oo Kyai 40 years old.

New Kayan, Karenni and Karen teams with IDP kids (GLC) Mon Township

On 16th January 2010 the teams did a program at Nwa Ta (Hti Ler Baw Ta village tract) and in that area there are over seventy families with at least five-hundred people total. There are four schools with nine school teachers with seventy-one students. In the area there are three orphan children. The father died in 2006 and the mother died in October 2009. The teams helped these orphans with what they could. These children cannot attend school, but we will try to send them to school next year.

Orphaned Children

The teams provided medical help and did a Good Life Club program in this village. We combined four schools from three villages and the teams treated one hundred and fifteen to one hundred and thirty people during the day.

Four porters escape from Burma Army camp

Four porters ran away from Ler Mu Plaw Burma Army camp on January 13. There are two Shan Burman Buddhists, 30 and 37 years old from Kachin State, a 41 year old Burman Buddhist from Daw Bo Township, and a 24 year old Shan Burman from Mo Gout east.

The four had been imprisoned in Myitkyina prison for two years on drug trafficking charges. They were mistreated in prison and moved to Pyinmana Cain Tha camp in October 2008 and forced to be miners. If they fell sick or could not work, they were beaten. They were sent on to Toungoo prison where they joined a total of 500 prisoner porters who were then sent to the front line of fighting against the Karen National Liberation Army.

When they got to Ler Mu Plaw camp in mid December 2009, they were forced to dig trenches, bunkers, foxholes, and carry loads, fetch water and firewood for all the Burma Army soldiers. They also had to carry out any Burma Army soldiers who were injured or killed in the fighting. The four men escaped to the KNLA’s 5th brigade company from where they will travel home.

Infantry Battalion 223, based at Ler Mu Plaw, has 28 soldiers at the camp, reduced from 45.

FBR teams in Nyaunglebin District, north west Karen state, report the Burma Army are patrolling in the villages around the Burma Army camps and stocking up on food and horses.

Other Burma Army Activity:

Burma Army situation at Ler Mu Plaw Camp
Now the IB 223 is at Ler Mu Plaw Camp. On top of the camp there are 23 soldiers, the middle of the hill 5 soldiers and there are no soldiers in the bottom. The troops have 4 artillery, one RPG 7, and 1 machine gun. In the very beginning the size of the troops was 45 soldiers, but now they are only 28 soldiers. The soldiers are very afraid. During night security one man takes 3 places and rings a bamboo bell every hour and another soldier takes his place.

Situation in Ler Klah village tract, Hti Kgo village
Today we received news that the Burma Army from Hti Ler Baw Ta and Koplalay Ko camps are patrolling. People here are worried about this. At Hti Ler Baw Hta camp the Light Infantry Battalion 370 arrived. All area IDPs are on alert.

On 12th of January the Burma Army sent 27 food trucks and 70 horses from Hsaw Me Lu to Muthe Camp and continued on to Paw Kay Ko camp.

20January; Mone Township: Villagers form Yulo village forced to carry loads from Hti Mu Hta (Moebya) Burma Army camp to Lay Day Camp. We saw the troops and porters through an opening in the trees but could not get a good photograph.

Dooplaya District, South Central, Karen State
Build up of Burma Army- two more divisional sized units arrive
Report on 18.1.10

Before 9 January in Dooplaya district there was only one Burma Army Military Operations Command (MOC). A MOC is a divisional sized unit with 10 battalions. They usually operate with 7 battalions forward and three in their base area. MOC 12 has been operating in Dooplaya District but now on 9.1.10 the Burma Army has reinforced MOC 12 with two new MOCs-MOC 19 and MOC 8. The reported purpose of the increased Burma Army presence in this area is to control the Mon State armed resistance groups that do not want to become a border guard force for the Burma Army. The second reason is to clear out the KNU (Karen National Union) from Dooplaya District. The Burma Army also uses the DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army), a Karen proxy force of the Burma Army, to fight the KNU. The Burma Army is sending more supplies than normal and are also including food for the DKBA. (Note: Some DKBA units report they do not actually receive the food supplies.)

Burma army trucks transport supplies and troops to attack the Karen Dec 09
15.1.10 South Eastern Command called Karen Peace Force, Karen Nation Union, and Democratic Buddhist Army for a meeting in Mah Lah May. The meeting is about becoming the border guard force but no group has responded yet as to whether or not they will take on this role and surrender their arms to the Burma Army.

FBR Team Activity report:

This is an excerpt of a report from one of the teams and is an example of how the teams report to us in the field
On 18th January, 2010 the team provided help, medical care, and did a GLC program at Hti Kgo. About 300 people came and over 150 people treated. The teams gave out children’s packages GLC T-shirts, Bibles, hymnals, and Lego toys to the children and the church. The teams did interviews of some people and a pastor.

Good Life Club program for kids, 21 Jan 2010
Today we left Hti Kgo and spent a night at Tawawpu. There the teams provided medical care and gave out mosquito-nets to the IDPs. There are 18 houses with about 100 people. The teams treated about 60 people. Most of the patient’s issues were coughing, ARI, and malaria.

On January 18 at 2:40 PM a group of Villagers from Aung Soe Moe village went to their farm in the jungle. This is not allowed under SPDC control. However, it is what all villagers have to do to survive; they grow their rice and other crops in the jungle. So they went to their farm anyway and on their way home LIB 370 under Military Operation Command 10, shot them. Now three villagers are missing, two men and one woman. Nobody knows what happened to them, but they are feared dead.

January 19. Light Infantry Battalion 367, under Military Operation Command 10 attacked Htu Gaw Soe village. Before they arrived at the village, at 1:05PM they saw Saw E Moo on their way close to Htu Gaw Soe village and shot and killed him. He was 40 years old and has a wife and 5 children.

Right now 10 villages are hiding in the jungle, this is approximately 1000 people. They have limited food. They are fleeing and hiding in the jungle.

Now LIB 427 patrol has arrived at Naw Htee Kaw area (near Saw Wa Der area). Villagers from Saw Wa Der, Yer Lo, Ho Htoo Toe, and May Daw Ko villages all fled into the jungle and are currently living in hiding sites. Our teams are now at Klaw Ki village, Saw Ka Der village tract. The team provides medical help during the day and will continue.

Thank you for your help, advice and prayers. God bless you, the

Combined Ler Doh, new Karen, Karenni, and Kayan FBR teams.

Nyaunglebin District, Western Karen State

www.freeburmarangers.org

Dear friends,

The following is a photo essay that reflects what we see here in Northern and Western Karen State. We are on our fourth month of missions here and there is more good news than bad.

There is all around us the reminders of the dangerous presence of the Burma Army –burned homes, displaced people and two villagers we met today who are from the plains and who escaped into the jungle after being beaten and tortured with boiling water by the Burma Army. In spite of this we see good things too and see that the story here is one of life and hope.

Last week, I was talking to a journalist friend who had walked in to write a story. We stood on one side of a field where the Good Life Club counselors (that are on every relief team) were leading the children in songs, dances and in learning anatomy and hygiene. At the same time my own children were racing their ponies up and down the field bareback and the IDPS were laughing as they watched, while on the other side of the field medics were giving medical and dental treatment.

The journalist turned to me laughing and said, “Who can I sell this story to? Where is the attacking Burma Army and fleeing people? Everyone here is laughing and having a great time. Maybe I could sell this story to a circus magazine!”

As I thought about it, I realized that this was the story. People laughing, playing and receiving help. People rebuilding and opening the way for their own development; this is the story and it is one of hope and a good life. The Karen people here are not close to giving up even though the Burma Army has burned thousands of homes and displaced almost everyone in this area. There are more clinics and schools in this area now than 10 years ago. In this area, the Burma Army built 103 new camps between 2006 and 2008 as well as starting three new roads in order to expand their control over the population. Due to the activities of the resistance (Karen National Union), only one road was completed and even this one is not useable. Also, over 40 camps have been abandoned as the Burma Army could not sustain them against a tenacious resistance.

Most important is the resilience of the people and how they keep rebuilding. As soon as a Burma Army unit has returned to their base, they come out of their hiding places and return to their fields and rebuild their villages.

We do not know what the future holds, but we do know it is good to be here with these people and the new relief teams as they give help and love and receive the same.

Thank you for your care and help and for being part of this team.

May God bless you,

A relief team leader
Free Burma Rangers
Karen State, Burma

www.freeburmarangers.org

Dear friends,

We are sending this out from northern Karen State. We are in the midst of resilient and hopeful people even though they are chased, shelled, and displaced by the Burma Army who are all around. We are here with the newly trained teams and they are doing a wonderful job. The Karen response to any difficultly or mishap is to laugh and since we operate closer to Mr. Bean than James Bond there is a lot of laughing. They know how to find joy and fellowship even in the most dire situations. At the same time darkness has invaded their land and its effect is constantly felt and people live always looking over their shoulders. The Burma Army is building roads and reinforcing their camps in this area and the darkness continues to spread.

On the way to do a photo reconnaissance of a Burma Army camp we met a mother and father with a young daughter carrying rice from their fields. We could see the fields up ahead of us with a Burma army camp behind them. The family said when they tried to harvest their rice the Burma Army would shell them and try to kill them. The Burma Army mortars from their camps at anyone trying to harvest their crops. Patrols from these camps do the same.

As I looked at the small girl resting with her sack of rice who narrowly escaped death I thought of my own daughter about the same age and I felt sad that she had to live with this terror. I was also angry that anyone would be vicious enough to target families as they tended their fields. We got as close as we could to the camp and photographed and recorded its location. There are 40 – 50 Burma army soldiers who man this camp and it is one of many along a Burma army road that divides this area and that has displaced over 7000 people here. This camp and the others act as launch points for larger attacking Burma Army units to base out of. The Karen pro-democracy resistance is too small and unsupported to push the Burma Army out and instead focus on early warning and protection of villagers and slowing down attacks when they come from the camps.

The next day we joined with the rest of the team putting on a Good Life Club and medical program in a valley 2 hours away from the Burma Army camp where displaced people had made their new homes. They said this area was also shelled but on the day of the program there was no shelling, instead there was a celebration of songs, gifts, and games for the children (thanks to Partners for the support of the GLC). I looked out at the crowd of Karen families joined with the teams for the good life club program. The family we had met on the recon were also there. They were singing and laughing on a green field with the mountains behind them and a blue sky above, it was a perfect day. It was perfect even thought the Burma Army was just on the other side of those mountains. it was perfect because of the love shared, the joy expressed, and the beautiful day God gave us together.

We don’t know why suffering and injustice are allowed in this world and we are aware of our own failings and that the line between good and evil runs through all of us. But we believe in redemption and we thank all of you who pray and enable us to stand with the people of Burma no matter the odds.

May God bless you all,

A relief team leader

Free Burma Rangers
Northern Karen State, Burma

www.freeburmarangers.org

Burma Army soldier in Ler Mu Plaw camp that shelles the iDPs when they go for rice, Dec 11 09

NOTE:This report was completed and is being sent out directly from the field by the Naunglebin District, Free Burma Ranger teams monitoring the building of this dam and the displacement of the people.

New Shwe Gyin Dam project, Naunglebin District, Karen State.
In 2005 the SPDC started a dam construction project on the Shwe Gyin Chaung, a mile above ShweGyin town. The dam is projected to be completed in December 2010. Already over 1,000 people have been displaced and when completed, the dam will destroy large areas of the local people’s land and villages. Already 44 square miles of villages, farms and orchards have been affected.

Objective of the dam
All along the Sittaung River the SPDC have built dams with the goal of 2000 Mega Watts of power. The Shwe Gyin dam is a part of this dam system and will provide 75 Mega Watts of power. The electricity will go to all of Burma.

Dam Specifications
The width of the dam will be 3610 feet and 185 feet high. It will be 1,685,000 square feet minimum, and the estimated resulting lake will be 44 square miles. The power of the dam will be 75 Mega Watts and have an output of 262 Kilo Watts. The dam will be finished in 2010 and now is currently about 92 percent done. The dam is located at N18° 02′ E96° 57′.

Dam Impact
The dam when finished will flood 44 square miles of land in the Shwe Gyin River valley, including the villages of Ler Wah, Kwi Lah, Ler Pau Tha, Ya-Aung, and Ta Say Der. 24 villages will be destroyed by the resulting lake. Also, 1950 acres of indigenous people’s belongings such as farms, orchards, and fields will be lost. While some of the villages have already been abandoned due to Burma Army activity, the farms, orchards, and fields are still in use.

If the dam is completed the local people in the northern part of Hsaw Hti will face many problems. They will not be able to live in their current residences and will have to move out.

Map showing dam site and projected results

Consulting
Early in 2005, the SPDC asked a Japanese consultant to advise them on the dam site. The consultant said it would be easy to build, but that it is not a good site for permanent construction because in one or two years the dam can be damaged easily by the water. The Burma Army ignored the advice saying that they will do the “Myama” way, so in 2007 they started to build the dam. This has led to speculation about the reasons for the dam, including some which state that the Burma Army is using the flood waters to drive away villagers and so claim their land (under which are rich Gold mines).

Other Dams
Moreover, in the future, another dam is planned to be built on another river called the BawGata Chaung. Construction will be started in December 2009. Currently all the supplies for this dam have been sent and have arrived at Nyaunglebin. Division 77 is responsible for security and supplies transportation.

The results of the BawGata Dam will be similar to the Shwe Gyin Dam if completed. Force labor will be used to construct the dam and many villages in the mountains above the dam site will be forced to either move or risk floodin.

Area Coordinator
Nyaunglebin District
Free Burma Rangers

www.freeburmarangers.org

Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your love and support. We are relaying this out from our training camp where we graduated new Karenni, Kayan, Mon and Karen relief teams. These 13 (of our 53 multi-ethnic relief teams ) successfully completed Leadership and Relief Team Training in Karen State. They are now on their way to relief missions to help people displaced by the attacks of the Burma Army. The teams received training in different subject areas, which will improve their ability to help their people and to put a light on the situation in Burma. (See the list of Subject Areas below.)

It is a privilege to train with such dedicated young men and women who are striving to serve their people regardless of the risk, and who seek to improve themselves and work in love and unity together.

We are grateful to all of you who pray and help as well as to our Karen friends who made this training possible and to Partners for all their help, especially with the Good Life Club program. Thank you and God bless you.

Karen State, Burma

Training Subject Areas:
Ethnic Unity
Leadership Principles
Medical Training and Reporting
Delivery and Simple Surgery
Dental Training
Human Rights Violations Interviewing and Reporting
Video and Digital Photography
Map Reading
Compass Reading
Land Navigation
GPS (Global Positioning System) use
Landmine Removal
Swimming and Lifesaving
Solar Power and Battery Management
Sun Energy Power International and BGET Solar Training Course
Emergency Drills
Operation Order Writing
Information gathering, analysis, and reporting
SALUTE Reporting
General Reporting
Counseling and Good Life Club operations
Media and Communication
History of Ethnic Nationalities movement and Current Events
Physical Training
Rappelling
Rope Bridge Building
Radio Communications
Early Warning System for Villagers and IDPs
Law of War and Geneva Conventions
Basic English and Math
Mule Packing
Roles of CBOs, NGOs, national and international organizations
One Field Training Exercise

Area of report

The team interviewed villagers in Paletwa Township who testified to forced labor in constructing the army camp at Doechawnwa, as well as having to provide bamboo and other building materials. (Paletwa is in southern Chin state, but is an area populated by Arakan, Chin and other ethnic groups. Some Arakan consider it part of Arakan State).

A village secretary described how people from his village had to provide forced labor to Kamtalam and Doechawnwa Army Camps at least twice a month. This involves building the camp, carrying water, cooking or doing other tasks without payment. FBR teams took photos of orders from Burma Army units demanding villagers carry out such work. The villagers are also sometimes beaten by the soldiers. They also have to supply chickens and other livestock without payment to the camp as well as paying for a boat to transport army rations. Villagers in this area are still struggling with the food crisis caused by the flowering of the bamboo plant, a once every 50 years cycle which causes a huge increase in the rat population which then devours rice crops.

A 25-year-old villager told how he shared a meal with Burma Army soldiers only to be told in the morning he had joined the army. He was sent to Sittwe, then on to Foundkree Military Training Camp before managing to run away. He said: “Until now, I am running from home. Sometimes I return home in secret and meet with my wife and daughter. When I hear that my wife and daughter are not well, I miss them very much.”

One villager, 53, explained that because of the food shortage, he and his wife and three children had to leave their village. He said they were given 24kg of food aid last year, but this year, he was told he had to repay 280kg of paddy rice. The villager was told that if he did not repay the rice, he would be arrested.

Another villager, 63, a Buddhist with five children, said: “I fled from Burma due to Arakan Liberation Army and SPDC attacks, forced labor and SPDC oppression. Now, I cannot return to Burma because I am afraid of being killed by the Burma Army. Due to rats eating rice, we have a food crisis and we have other problems with security, our health and our children’s education. If the situation in Burma changes, I will return home. I like my home village and need to go back, but here we do not have any chance to see development.”

FBR has copies of the letters to village headmen from the Burma Army or Village Peace and Development Councils demanding forced labor and supplies. These letters detail the labor or material that is to be supplied as well as stating that if these are not given, then villagers will be punished. There are also demands for militia units to be raised with each soldier having to provide 12,000 kyat (approx US$12). The Burma Army units involved are Light Infantry Battalions 2, 263 and 234.

The order dated October 11 reads: “From your village, the headman and a person who must be a road expert, must come by order of the Battalion commander. Therefore, you and a person must come to Deochawnwa on October 12 at 10am. If they fail to arrive, the headman will be held responsible.”
Commander of Army Camp
Doechawnwa

www.freeburmarangers.org

We apologize for sending this report out so late. We are sending it by relay from inside Burma and thought we had already sent this out last month when we recieved the information. We are doing our best to help the widows of the two men killed.

God bless you,
A relief team leader
Free Burma Rangers

On September 26, 2009, at 2p.m., Burma Army soldiers came and fired into a villager’s farm hut outside of Baw Kee village. Eight hours later people came to check the hut and found the bodies of two men killed in the attack. The two men killed are Saw Win Thein, 40 years old, from Ta U Kee village, and Doung Nyo, 26 years old, from Noh Ber Baw village. Saw Win Thein is the father of five children and Doung Nyo is the father of a 3-month old son. Doung Nyo was an FBR Thaton District team member from 2004 to 2006, until he was called by his leaders to head up his township administration office.

The Burma Army soldiers responsible for the killings are from Military Operations Command (MOC) 11, Light Infantry Battalion 220, from Mae Pray Kee.

God bless you,
Thaton Free Burma Rangers

www.freeburmarangers.org