Increased military presence affects locals living near the Shwe Gas and Oil pipeline project

Local people from Namhkam and Namtu Townships are being subjected to travelling longer distances in order to get to their destinations as a result of the Burmese soldiers who are in charge of security for the Shwe Oil and Gas-pipeline There is not only an increase in check points, but the soldiers continually questions the villagers. A local villager commented that on Maimaw’s Market day, on February 4th there were over two hundred soldiers that toured around the market turning it into a sea of green uniforms. It looked like there were more soldiers there than local people. This is a prime example of the massive increase of military presence...

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Villagers forced to take responsibility of security for imminent visit of region’s presedent

Villagers were forced to be sentries by the Ta’ang autonomous region’s president, U Maung Kyaw and his colleagues during trips to check reports of land confiscation by Fry Dragon tea-drying industry. They also plan to come and listen to a religious sermon in Lun Thout village on February 4, 2012, Namhsan Township, Northern Shan State, Burma. “I have been forced to take security for the whole night from February 3 to 4 in the jungle. I was given no support, I could only eat when a family member came to feed me” said one of the sentries. For U Maung Kyaw’s trip, the villagers, who come from Upper Manloi, Lower Manloi and Thaungkyaw Villages,...

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SSA soldiers extort money from NAG Staff

Network Activities Group’s (NAG) staff were threated and were made to give money to the SSA’s soldiers on their way back from helping Panhka’s refugees who were fleeing from the fighting and are now located in Hopan village on January 21st 2012 in Mantong Township, Kauytme District, Northern Shan State, Burma.  According to the case, When U Zaw Min Aung, who is the leader of NAG, and his four staff based in Mantong Township returned from helping Panhka’s refugees (178 people), the Shan soldiers pointed their guns to them and demanded money from them. “The soldier spent a long time interrogating us they then ordered that one of my...

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Locals who refused to pay electricity bills sent to prison

The local people in Namtu have to pay extra tax for using electricity by the order of the Namtu’s Ministry of Electricity in Northern Shan State, Burma. They also collect a fee of one thousand Kyats monthly for maintenance of the Meter box even though it is illegal for the authorities to do this. “It already specifies that customers need to pay twenty five kyats per unit of electricity, but the Minister of electricity collects thirty five Kyats per unit. Therefore, local people are extremely unhappy and have refused to pay their electricity bill” said a Namtu local. As a result, the residents were fined fifty thousand kyats and their...

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School has been closed in war zone

Due to the continual fighting between the KIA and the Burmese Military in Northern Shan State especially in Ta’ang autonomy areas as well as in seven villages, the primary schools in these regions have been closed since the first week of December, 2011. “As my children missed school, they have to repeat the same class next year. We don’t know what to do because the teachers are not coming and the local education minster hasn’t tried to resolve the problem even though they are due to take their final exams this month” explained by a parent of a student. During the academic year of 2011-2012, students only studied from June until the end...

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No legal action has been taken against the perpetrators who are members of Pansay Militia group and brutally murdered an innocent Palaung villager.

Media Release Militia group led by Qian Lu and Qian Kwae Shin based in Pansay, Nanhkan Township, Mu Se Distirct in northern Shan State handcuffed U Aik Htaut Naing (aka) U Naing Swae and brutally beat him to death. The victim lived in Phar Pyant village, Saenay village track, Nanhkan Township. About 1 pm on January 3, 2012, about 60 soldiers of Light Infantry Battalion # 507 under the command of Maj Myat Tun Lin based in Lashio, northern Shan State and 20 members of Pansay militia group led by Qian Lu and Qian Kwae Shin came to Phar Pyant village, Saenay village track, Nanhkan Township. They then summoned all the villagers including...

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Over 500 Palaung Internally Displaced Persons still in need of aid

Due to fighting between Burmese government troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Bamor District, Mansi Township and Man Lwae village in Kachin State since December, many Palaung IDP’s are in need of help and aid. On January 26 2012, twenty Palaung IDP’s came from Man Lwae village to the TNP office in Namkham Township. “There were twenty Palaung IDP’s who fled here from Man Lwae village, Kachin State because of the instability in their area. They asked the TNP to help them in order to be able to come and stay in Namkham Township. If the TNP doesn’t help those IDP’s, they will be in trouble” – TNP member.Even if those 306...

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