KHRG Photo Gallery 2009

8/14/2019 KHRG Photo Gallery 2009

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HRG Photo Gallery 2009

This first instalment of KHRG's Photo Gallery 2009 presents 123 stillages and 1 short video that have been received from KHRG field researchers since the last instalment of Photo Gallery

008 in February 2009. Many of these photos chronologically overlap with photos that were previously published in Photoallery 2008. They therefore include photos taken from July 2008 up to July 2009. All photos are presented here in roughlyronological order irrespective of subject matter and labelled with alphanumeric identification tags beginning with 'A'lowed by a number. Images in subsequent instalments of Photo Gallery 2009 will be given labels starting with 'B', 'C' andforth according to the order of their instalment. Some photos included here have also been presented in previous KHRGld reports and news bulletins. All photos are included with no thematic divisions. As more photos are added to the Photo

allery in later instalments, all images will be incorporated within relevant thematic sections with the most recent photosso grouped together in a 'latest additions' section.

photos included here are by KHRG except where otherwise noted.

A-1

13-year-old Saw E--- is shown here on July 25th 2008 at hisfamily's farm field in Bilin Township, Thaton District whilemarching a buffalo around to break up the soil in preparationfor paddy planting. Although Saw E--- is only 13 years old,he cannot currently attend school because his parents cannotafford the school fees and need him to work in order tocontribute to the household income. Saw E--- has thereforehad to work for his parents and also engage in wage labour

tending other people's buffalo and cattle. [Photo: KHRG]
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ese students at B--- village in Thaton District are shownre studying at the local elementary school on July 29th008. Education across Burma, but especially in rural areas,woefully underfunded and less than half of all childrenmplete elementary school. [Photo: KHRG]

A-2

A-3

Photo A-3 shows flood damage to the farm fields of residentsof L--- village in Bilin Township of Thaton District, on August15th 2008. Nearly half of the paddy crop grown on this farmfield was damaged due to the flooding. The livelihoods ofmost farmers in Karen State are highly susceptible toflooding, drought and other natural disasters as few peoplehave insurance, while military extortion in the form of cropquotas, taxation and other demands are rarely amended toaccommodate poor or failed harvests. [Photo: KHRG]

is picture - taken on September 28th 2008 - shows aamed photograph of U Thuzana, the nominal head of theemocratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). DKBA Commanderkaw Muh Lah, based at Lay Gkay army camp in Thaton

strict, ordered residents of N--- village to buy copies of theotograph at a cost of 2,500 Thai Baht (approx. US3.32). [Photo: KHRG]

A-4
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A-5 A-6

e photograph above left shows a stack of calendars produced by the DKBA. The calendars are written in Burmese and Pwo

aren languages (with the latter using the traditional Karen Leit-San Weit('chicken scratch') script). DKBA authoritiesdered every household in Bilin Township to buy a calendar for 2,500 kyat (US $2.46). The money collected by the village

ad of T--- village that was to be paid to the local DKBA authorities is shown in the photo above right. Both photographsere taken in October 2008. [Photos: KHRG]

-year-old Naw A--- and her younger sister, 11-year-oldaw M---, are shown here on November 17th 2008 helpingeir family by pounding paddy to remove the husks at theirme in Thaton District. Naw A--- is the eldest daughter ine family and currently attends grade three. After finishinghool in the evening, both girls regularly help their parentsth work around the house. [Photo: KHRG]

A-7

A-8 A-9


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ese pictures were taken on November 19th 2008 and show rubber plantations owned by SPDC General Major Maung Bo inaton District. The SPDC has been colluding with the Max Myanmar Group of Companies to confiscate large swaths of

lager-owned land in Thaton District for use by the company in its business ventures. For more details on the SPDC's landnfiscation in Thaton District, see Land confiscation and the business of human rights abuse in Thaton District, KHRG, April

09. [Photos: KHRG]

A-10

Residents of T--- village in Thaton District winnow rice toseparate the grain from the chaff on November 26th 2008

after the annual harvest of the rainy season paddy crop.[Photo: KHRG]

is photo - taken on December 31st 2008 - shows the

mains of a house at Htee Bper Kee village in Dta Grehwnship, Pa'an District, which DKBA forces destroyed on

ctober 8th 2008 after issuing forced relocation orders to thecal residents. The DKBA ordered the local residents to

ove to nearby Htee Bper village adjacent to which theKBA was planning to construct an army camp. For more

formation on this incident, see Human minesweeping andrced relocation as SPDC and DKBA step up joint operations

Pa'an District, KHRG, October 2008. [Photo: KHRG]

A-11

A-12

A-13
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pictures A-12 and A-13, a KNLA soldier removes a DKBA-deployed landmine in December 2008 from a road in Dta Grehwnship, Pa'an District. This road is one which local villagers frequently use. [Photos: KHRG]

A-14

This photo was taken on December 31st 2008 and shows anSPDC-manufactured M14 landmine which was planted byDKBA soldiers active in Pa'an District. The SPDC has providedmuch of the weaponry, like the landmine shown here, whichthe DKBA now utilises.[Photo: KHRG]

is landmine - made by hand from a block of wood, gunwder and a battery-powered detonator - was deployed by

KBA soldiers from Special Battalion #999 in Dta Grehwnship, Pa'an District. It was subsequently retrieved andotographed by KHRG in January 2009. [Photo: KHRG]

A-15

A-16 A-17
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photograph A-16, taken on January 23rd 2009, a 42-year-old villager named Saw P--- carries 25 thatch shingles to belivered to the DKBA's Gka Hsaw Wah ('White Elephant') Battalion, based in southern Papun District. He is shown here

ing followed by his son. Although Saw P--- was able to travel with a friend by boat to deliver the shingles, other villagersve had to take the shingles by foot - a 6 to 7 hour walk. PhotoA-17 was also taken on January 23rd 2009 and shows

atch shingles which residents of M--- village stacked before delivery to DKBA camp commander Puh Tah Thoo who is basedt of Meh Mweh army camp in southern Papun District. Villagers here had to collect 1,000 thatch shingles and deliver them

the DKBA by January 25th 2009. DKBA soldiers didn't compensate the villagers for the thatch nor for the petrol consumed the boats used to deliver them. [Photos: KHRG]

A-18 A-19

lagers from the lowland area in Nyaunglebin District are shown here on January 30th 2009 after having travelled to theountains to trade with, and sell goods to, displaced villagers and others living in the hills. Trading at such 'jungle markets'

a crucial means by which villagers can evade SPDC-imposed restrictions and, for those hiding in the hills, maintain theires outside of State control. [Photos: KHRG]

A-20

In this photo, village girls are shown caring for their younger

siblings on February 1st 2009 while their parents are out atwork on their hillside farm fields in Nyaunglebin District. With

heavy demands by miltiry forces, ongoing livelihoodsvulnerabiliy and increasing poverty, many young children in

Karen State have had to take on more household work aswell as wage labour outside the home in order to help their

families cope. [Photo: KHRG]


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oto A-21, taken on February 2nd 2009, shows the formerantation of the 54-year-old mother of Saw T---, of M----

lage in T'Nay Hsah Township of Pa'an District. Saw T---'sother had to sell the plantation because her 28-year-oldn, who had been recruited into the DKBA, refused to servea soldier. Along with this plantation, Saw T---'s mother

so had to sell her farm field in order to collect the 900,000at (approx. US $914) needed to hire someone else to taker son's place. [Photo: KHRG]

A-21

A-22

53-year-old Saw N---, of Gk--- village in Lu Pleh Township ofPa'an District, is carving a wooden spoon at an IDP site inPa'an District on February 6th 2009. He told KHRG that,because he had to do forced labour at his home village forthe SPDC and DKBA almost every day, he had no time to dohis own work and therefore fled to this IDP site at the startof 2009. [Photo: KHRG]

A-23

This picture, taken on February 7th 2009, shows an SPDC-

sponsored school in Htee Bper Kha village, Papun District.After beginning construction nearly one year prior, the

building remains unfinished and villagers have been informed

that the SPDC expects the villagers themselves to completeits construction. [Photo: KHRG]


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e photo to the right, taken on February 9th 2009, shows aose-up of a picture of Maung Chit Thoo, Operation

ommander of DKBA Brigade #999 and now one of the mostwerful figures within the DKBA, along with his wife. Maung

hit Thoo had DKBA personnel under his command forciblyll this picture to individual households in T'Nay Hsah

wnship of Pa'an District, at a cost of 2,000 kyat (approx.S $2.03) each. [Photo: KHRG]

A-24

A-25

34-year-old Naw T--- shown to the left, a widow from N---village in T'Nay Hsah Township of Pa'an District, makes

charcoal as her sole means of livelihood in order to supporther four children and cover DKBA-imposed taxes. In mid-

December, while felling a tree with her father, the tree landedon her legs, injuring both knees. Her legs are shown here

covered with a turmeric-based medicinal compound meant toreduce and prevent swelling. She had been unable to walk or

work for two months since the accident when this photo was

taken on February 16th 2009; making the payment of DKBAtaxes especially difficult. [Photo: KHRG]

w P---, the 39-year-old head of B--- village in Bu Thownship of Papun District, is shown here on February 24th

009. Saw P--- told KHRG that local DKBA forces had beengularly demanding 'porter fees' from the residents of hislage. On December 16th 2008, January 16th 2009 andbruary 16th 2009 the villagers had to give payments of

0,000 kyat (approx. US $9). Furthermore, on Decemberth 2009 the villagers had to give 400 thatch shingles toe DKBA. [Photo: KHRG]

A-26
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A-27

18-year-old Maung Z---, shown in photo A-27, is of mixed

South Asian and Burman ethnicity. He came from a town inPegu Division and spoke to KHRG on February 27th 2009.Amongst other things, Maung Z--- explained that while hewas involved in the military training, "There were manypeople under 18 years old. There were also 13-year-olds and

16-year-olds attending the military training."

8-year-old Maung C---, shown in photo A-28, spoke toHRG on February 26th 2009. Maung C--- was grabbed by aurma Army soldier at the Sule Pagoda in Rangoon afterturning from his grandmother's shop. The soldier then soldaung C--- to a Burma Army officer for the equivalent of US8.80. Maung C--- was then enlisted in the Burma Armyd began military training in June 2008. As he described it,

My parents didn't know that I was grabbed and sent to the

ilitary. Up until now they still don't know where I am." Forore details on the deserters shown here, see Mistreatmentd child soldiers in the Burma Army: Interviews with SPDC

serters, KHRG, June 2009. [Photos: KHRG]

A-28

A-29 A-30
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A-31

Northern Karen State continues to have one of the highestdocumented concentrations of Internally Dispalced Persons(IDPs) in Burma. Lu Thaw Township of northern Papun

District is amongst those areas of northern Karen State withlarge IDP populations living in hiding. Photos A-29 to A-36show the hiding site of displaced villagers who previously fledfrom their homes at Th--- village of Papun District. IDPs inhiding have to adopt a range of strategies to supportthemselves while evading the Burma Army. Photo A-31shows a patch of onion plants now being grown by thedisplaced villagers from Th--- village. [Photo: KHRG]

A-32 A-33

oto A-35 below shows a patch of sugar cane shoots that

e also being cultivated at the hiding site in Papun Districtwhich the former residents of Th--- village now reside. In

oto A-36, the displaced villagers clear a hill-side field onhich to plant a new paddy crop. These photos were all

ken on February 28th 2009. [Photos: KHRG]

A-34
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A-35 A-36

A-37 A-38

A-39

This cave in Papun District, shown in photos A-37 to A-41 on

February 28th 2009, has long served as a hiding site fordisplaced villagers living nearby who have sought to avoid

Burma Army soldiers when their patrols have arrived in thearea. The writing on the cave walls traces the history of

displaced villagers who have hid out here over many years.

The year '1991' is visible in photo A-39, written out by aprevious resident. [Photos: KHRG]
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A-40 A-41

A-42 A-43

A-44

Photos A-42 and A-43 show an abandoned SPDC army campat Thay Wah Gkyo village in Lu Thaw Township of PapunDistrict. Photo A-44 shows writing on a wooden plaque foundat the army camp that reads "[For] the meritorious deed [of]

Major Myo Win Min company communication officer for MOC#10 [and] Major Myo Min Aung LIB #504." These photoswere both taken on March 1st 2009. In total, the Burma

Army withdrew from 13 camps in Lu Thaw Township betweenthe end of 2008 and the start of 2009. [Photos: KHRG]
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aren villagers in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District constructplatform as part of a traditional ceremony on March 1st

009 to evict malevolent spirits from the area and ensure aosperous future on the newly sanctified land. Thisremony is often conducted in areas that have not beenltivated or inhabited for extended periods of time. For ascussion of related Karen religious architecture, see Kirstenwers Andersen, "Two Indigenous Karen Religiousenominations," Folk23, 1981. [Photo: KHRG]

A-45

A-46 A-47

P villagers in Lu Thaw Township of Papun District are shown here on March 4th 2009, having come to D--- IDP camp in

der to receive medical treatment from a mobile Karen medical team. Such aid, delivered by local Karen staff working withmall mobile medical teams which obtain supplies from accros the border in Thailand are crucial means by which IDP

mmunities are able to address their health needs. Many communities residing in SPDC-controlled areas likewise rely onch 'cross-border' aid because of the lack of government health care provisions and restrictions on access to the area

posed on international aid agencies based out of Rangoon. [Photos: KHRG]

any elderly villagers are included amongst the many

ternally displaced persons in Karen State. This 79-year-oldan, shown in photo A-48winnowing rice on March 4th 2009

an IDP hiding site in Lu Thaw Township of Papun District,eviously fled from his home village when a patrol of Burma

my soldiers arrived in the area. [Photo: KHRG]

A-48
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A-49 A-50

is domestically-made M14 landmine was removed from the ground in Lu Thaw Township on December 14th 2008. A KHRG

ld researcher subsequently took these photos on March 5th 2009. According to Landmine Monitor, these M-14 landminese "manufactured by Myanmar Defense Products Industries at Ngyaung Chay Dauk, in Bago division." [Photos: KHRG]

A-51

This landmine was removed from the ground on December14th 2008 from a spot near to P'Lah Koh Burma Army campin Lu Thaw township of Papun District. The mine had earlierbeen planted by soldiers from Burma Army Light InfantryBattalion #242. The mine appears to be a domestically-manufactured MM1 landmine, which according to LandmineMonitor is "modelled on the Chinese Type 59 stake-mountedfragmentation mine.". These photos were all taken on March5th 2009. [Photos: KHRG]

A-52 A-53
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ese photos show displaced villagers in Nyaunglebin District

they work together to face the challenges of life in hiding

om Burma Army forces. In photo A-54, girls are shownring for their younger siblings while their parents work oneir hillside farm fields. The elderly woman in photoA-55 is

om S--- village and is responsible for both looking after herandchild and pounding rice while her children work in their

l fields.

A-54

A-55

Thramu M---, a school teacher shown in photo A-56is asingle mother who continues to both raise her own childrenand teach the other displaced children in her community.Photo A-57shows a 21-year-old woman named Naw H---from T--- village of Kyauk Kyi Township while she makes abamboo container with which to store and carry water. Thesephotographs were taken on March 7th and 8th 2009.[Photos: KHRG]

A-56 A-57
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ese pictures show bamboo huts located at the hiding sitevillagers from Thaw Ngeh Der village in Nyaunglebin

strict. The residents of Thaw Ngeh Der fled their homes inarch 2008 and remained at this displaced hiding site until

least March 8th 2009, when these photos were taken. Atat time, the villagers had not yet returned to their village

e to ongoing Burma Army patrols in the area. [Photos:HRG]

A-58

A-59 A-60

A-61 A-62

udents who have just finished their school year at an IDP camp in Papun District return to their home villages. Theudents are shown here on March 20th 2009 hurriedly crossing an SPDC-controlled vehicle road while Karen National

beration Army (KNLA) soldiers take security. Because of insecurity and a lack of educational facilities at their homelages, which remain outside of SPDC-controlled areas, these students must take this risky journey simply to access

hools. [Photos: KHRG]


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A-63 A-64

lagers in Papun District take part in a KHRG Village Agency

orkshop in March 2009. In these workshops, participantse encouraged to discuss the strategies that they and other

lagers use to resist abuse and to develop and refine theserategies according their local situation. For more

formation on KHRG's Village Agency workshops, seeupporting IDP Resistance Strategies, KHRG, April 2008.

hotos: KHRG]

A-65

A-66

The picture to the left shows the Burma Army camp at BpawHseh Koh in the Maw Gkyaw Koh area of Papun District inMarch 2009. While Burma Army soldiers withdrew from 13camps in Papun District between the end of 2008 and thestart of 2009, many other camps, like the one shown here,remain occupied. [Photo: KHRG]
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any villagers in Karen State have been displaced repeatedlyer the past decades due to human rights abuse and armednflict. 70-year-old Naw Hs---, who is shown here in March

009 with her husband, is now staying at Th--- village inpun District. Naw Hs--- has been repeatedly displaced

nce she first fled from Japanese troops during World War II.nce that time she has fled from the soldiers of successiveurmese governments. Naw Hs--- told KHRG that she hopesace will come quickly to her and her husband. [Photo:

HRG]

A-67

A-68 A-69

A-70

Photos A-68 to A-73 and video A-74 show villagers inNyaunglebin District as they engage in forced labourrepairing an SPDC-controlled vehicle road leading from Htaik

Htoo relocation site to Kyauk Kyi Town on April 2nd 2009 asordered by Burma Army personnel based at See Bpay Tha Ya

army camp in Kyauk Kyi Township.


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A-71 A-72

ose ordered to comply with the forced labour include villagers previously relocated from Ay Neh, Bpa Ta Lah, Thoo Gka

ee, Noh Gkaw and Weh Lah Taw village tracts. Burma Army personnel ordered one person from each household tontribute to the road repair. Women and children were amongst those engaged in the forced labour. [Photos and video:

HRG]

A-73

A-74

[To watch the video clickhere.]

oto A-75, taken on April 3rd 2009, shows the road leadingom Papun Town to Gk'Ma Maw at the point where itnnects Way Hsah and Way Moo villages. Local SPDCthorities have surveyed the farm fields on both sides ofis road, apparently planning to confiscate this land as theyve done with other land in the area. If the SPDC doesnfiscate the land, many civilians who farm fields alongth sides of the road will lose their means of livelihood.

hoto: KHRG]

A-75
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A-76

16-year-old Maung Ht---, a deserter from the Burma Army is

shown here in April 2009. Maung Ht--- told KHRG that "Inthe past, when I was staying in the SPDC Association

[Burma Army] I suffered many troubles. I was exploited withinsufficient salary and rations. And furthermore, as I didn't

have a high level of education, I had to remain at a low-rank. They [Burma Army authorities] ordered [the soldiers]

as they wanted. I had to meet all of their needs. Because Icouldn't endure this treatment, I fled when I got in contact

with the KNU... In the same way as me, I pray that the childsoldiers who remain with the SPDC Army will be quickly

released from oppression and torture." [Photo: KHRG]

April 2006, SPDC Light Infantry Battalion #349 forciblyocated the residents of numerous villages in Nyaunglebin

strict to Htaik Htoo relocation site - also located inyauglebin District. Over nearly three years, the empty

mes and other buildings at the formerly occupied villagescame dilapidated. However, in December 2008, the former

sidents of B--- village, one of those that had beeneviously relocated, were able to return to their homes and

ve since rebuilt the local school, as shown in photo A-77,though without any SPDC assistance.

A-77

A-78

Amongst those forcibly relocated to Htaik Htoo relocation siteby Burma Army forces in 2006 were the residents of multiplevillages in Bpa Ta Lah village tract of Kyauk Kyi Township.

However, on December 22nd 2008, SPDC authorities orderedthe former residents of Bpa Ta Law village tract to relocateagain. This time residents of three of the previously relocatedvillages were moved to a new site (photo A-78) with noirrigation located in an open area between Bpa Ta Lah andTaw Koh village. For more details about the SPDC's forcedrelocation of civilians to Htaik Htoo and other relocation sitesin Nyaunglebin District, see Cycles of Displacement: Forcedrelocation and civilian responses in Nyaunglebin District,KHRG, January 2009. [Photos: KHRG]
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is picture, taken in April 2009, shows a family from Thaton

strict that fled to Pa'an District and then to Thailand. Themily reported that they had to pay money to support the

lagers who were recruited as new DKBA soldiers. Theyerefore decided to leave their village to avoid paying this

oney. [Photo: KHRG]

A-79

A-80 A-81

0-year-old Saw M--- deserted from the DKBA in early 2009 and subsequently spoke to KHRG on April 14th, when these

otos were taken. Prior to deserting, Saw M--- served in the 'Brigade Security Force' of DKBA Brigade #999 undermmander Pah Nwee. Regarding child soldiers in the DKBA, Saw M--- told KHRG that "some soldiers are only 13 yearsd. There were six soldiers who were 13 years old in my security detachment [the 'Brigade Security Force']." [Photos:HRG]

A-82

On April 19th 2009, SPDC and DKBA soldiers combined toattack the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) camp at

Khaw Lay Kee in north-eastern Dooplaya District. Due to thefighting, about 200 local villagers fled to a site in Thailand

near the Moei River where they built approximately 30 hutsin which to temporarily reside, as shown in these photos.
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n April 28th 2009 the joint SPDC and DKBA forces defeatede KNLA at Khaw Lay Kee. When these photos were taken April 30th 2009, some of the refugees from the Khaw Lay

ee area had briefly returned to the area of the fighting toeck on their abandoned agricultural fields. [Photos: KHRG]

A-83

A-84 A-85

A-86

This picture, taken in April 2009, shows a poster of DKBABrigade #999 Brigadier Pah Nwee's drama troupe. Pah Nweeannounced that his drama troupe would perform in Ht---village of Pa'an District, on March 7th to 9th 2009. Hedemanded 200,000 kyat (approx. US $182) from theresidents of Ht--- village to pay for the production. [Photo:

KHRG]
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A-87 A-88

e photos above and below show IDPs in Lu Thaw Township in northern Papun District receiving emergency food support

the form of rice supplies that are being given by local KNU officers. After prolonged periods of hiding in the forest,ese villagers have been unable to fully tend to their farms or maintain stores of harvested paddy. As a result, they have

ced severe food shortages. These photos were taken on April 25th 2009. [Photos: KHRG]

A-89 A-90

A-91

The S'Gkaw Karen Buddhist monk, shown here on April 30th2009, reported to KHRG that he had gotten into an argument

with Pah Nwee, the commander of Democratic KarenBuddhist Army Brigade #999, which operates primarily in

Pa'an District. When Pah Nwee insisted that the monk follow

a strictly vegan diet, the monk replied that he would not doso. Pah Nwee then got angry with the monk and punchedhim in the chin and hit him on his back. The monk

subsequently fled to Thailand. U Thuzana, a Karen monk andthe nominal head of the DKBA, enforces a strict vegan diet at

his compound at Myaing Gyi Ngu in Pa'an District, which alsofunctions as the DKBA headquarters. Following U Thuzana's

regulations, some DKBA officers maintain a vegetarian diet,while others do not. [Photo: KHRG]


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e photo to the right shows 34-year-old Naw M--- along

th her three sons, who now live in Mae La Oo refugeemp in Thailand. Naw M--- told KHRG that she left her

lage in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District, because ofoblems created by frequent SPDC patrols. Naw M--- lost a

g to a landmine while she was displaced in Lu Thawwnship, and her husband was shot and killed by the Burma

my. A fourth son and her father died from lack of access toedical treatment. This photo was taken on May 9th 2009.

hoto: KHRG]

A-92

A-93

This picture, taken on June 2nd 2009, shows land in T'NayHsah Townshipof Pa'an District owned by DKBA Brigade #999Operation Commander Maung Chit Thoo. Maung Chit Thooreportedly plans to build a resort for foreign tourists at thislocation. However, he has demanded money from localvillagers to pay for the construction. [Photo: KHRG]

eginning in the first week of June 2009, DKBA and SPDC forces conducted joint attacks on a KNLA camp located in Dta

eh Township of Pa'an District. The KNLA camp was located adjacent to Ler Per Her camp for internally displaced people,hich prior to the attacks had a population of over 1,200. Residents from the from the surrounding villages began leaving

r Thailand at the start of June to avoid the fighting as well as expected forced labour carrying military supplies amidst

e fighting. Subsequently, on June 5th the entire civilian population of Ler Per Her camp evacuated to Thailand to avoide fighting. Joint SPDC/DKBA attacks on the KNLA continued until mid June, when the KNLA withdrew its forces from themps and dispersed as small units into the surrounding forests. [Photos: KHRG]
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oto A-94, taken in July 2008, shows the locations (at theme immediately preceding the attacks) of the SPDC andKBA camps in the background. In the foreground lies thew empty Ler Per Her IDP camp. Between Ler Per Her ande SPDC/DKBA camps lies the KNLA camp. PhotoA-95

ows the Moei River dividing Thailand (on the left andttom) and Karen State (on the right). The village of Maelit (to which many of the Ler Per Her refugeesbsequently fled) is visible on the Thai side of the river ate bottom left corner of the photo. A few buildings at Lerr Her IDP camp are just barely visible amongst the trees the opposite bank of the river. Photo A-96 shows smokeing from the KNLA camp near Ler Per Her on June 14th

009, after KNLA forces withdrew and the camp was taken the DKBA.

A-94

A-95 A-96

A-97 A-98

otos A-97 toA-100 show displaced villagers from Ler Per Her IDP camp who wait to leave the area by boat as they fleeThailand on June 5th 2009 to avoid the joint SPDC/DKBA attacks.
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A-99 A-100

A-101 A-102

A-103

In photos A-101 to A-105, displaced villagers from Ler Per

Her IDP camp flee to Thailand by boat on June 5th asinsecurity grows amidst the SPDC/DKBA troop build-up in the

area.
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A-104

A-105

A-106 A-107

llowing their arrival in Thailand, local and international aidganisations including the Karen Refugee Committee (KRC),e Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) and thenited Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cameprovide assistance. In photosA-106 to A-112the newly

splaced refugees from the Ler Per Her area receivemanitarian aid on June 7th 2009 in Noh Boh village in Tha

ong Yang District of Tak Province, Thailand.

A-108

A-109 A-110
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A-115

Likewise, the man in photo A-115 lost his leg near to thesame village at the end of 2008. As their village was located

near to Ler Per Her IDP camp, they both fled to Thailand atthe start of June 2009 (when they were photographed by

KHRG) in order to avoid the fighting between jointSPDC/DKBA attacks against a KNLA camp in the area.

[Photos: KHRG]

A-116

In 2007, this man stepped on an SPDC-deployed landminenear his home village in Bu Tho Township in Papun District.Since losing his leg, he has not been able to work to supporthis family, so he has moved to stay at Ee Thoo Hta IDP campin Papun District of northern Karen State where he is able to

get some limited food rations to support himself. This photowas taken in June 2009. [Photo: KHRG]

A-117 A-118

hen this photo was taken in June 2009, the young man shown above wearing a grey shirt was enrolled in 10th standardEe Thoo Hta High School in Ee Thoo Hta IDP camp. When he was 11 years old he stepped on a KNLA-deployed

ndmine near his village in Bu Tho Township in Papun District. The prosthetic leg he now wears has been provided by theNLA and he currently receives support from the Karen Youth Organisation to be able to continue to study. [Photos:

HRG]
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A-119

The photo to the left shows Ee Thoo Tha camp for internallydisplaced persons (IDPs) in Papun District along the SalweenRiver bordering Thailand. The camp has steadily increased in

size since it was opened in April 2006 and now has apopulation of just over 4,000 people. The residents of EeThoo Hta told KHRG that due to the recent fighting betweenjoint SPDC and DKBA forces and the KNLA in June 2009,they are concerned about their security and a possible attackon the camp. [Photo: KHRG]

A-120 A-121

hildren residing at Ee Thoo Hta IDP camp play football andalk to school during the rainy season in the first week ofly 2009. Most of these children have come from villages ine mountains of northern Karen State and for some thehool at Ee Thoo Hta is their best opportunity for education.e current camp registration includes 472 children aged 15 years. The head teacher of Ee Thoo Hta High School,rthermore, told KHRG that there were over 500 childrened 6 to 15 years attending the school. Including thoseed 15 to 17, the head teacher estimated that the totalpulation of Ee Thoo Hta below 18 years of age is about000, or roughly half the camp's population of over 4,000ople. [Photos: KHRG]

A-122

A-123 A-124
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l images and reports Karen Human Rights Group Top
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KHRG Photo Gallery 2009