SITUATION REPORT – KAREN STATE
MARCH 2, 2006

Brigade 2 - Toungoo District

Active enemy units

At present seven SPDC battalions are active in Bde-2 area. Four are from LID 66 and three are from the local SPDC Southern Command. Messages from Bde-2 at one point said all the three Tactical commands were in the KNU Toungoo area.

Clashes

In Dec. 05, there were 25 clashes. Four SPDC soldiers were killed and 21 wounded. Two defectors. In Jan. 06, there were 18 clashes. 8 dead and 16 wounded on SPDC side. One defector. In Feb. 06, there were 21 clashes. Five dead and 19 wounded on SPDC side. One dead on KNLA side. One defector.

Atrocities by SPDC troops

Jan. 06, SPDC troops shot dead 5 civilians. SPDC land mines killed one and wounded 8. Feb. 06, SPDC land mines wounded one civilian.

Human rights violations

Human rights violations such as unlawful arrests and detention, torture to intimidate and of suspects, forced labor, and extortion of cash and kinds are on the increase with the increase in military activities. The civilians in the hills and on the plains at the foot-hill are banned from going to their farms, fields and plantations and taking trips to buy food, especially rice.

Brigade 3 - Nyaunglaybin District

Active enemy units

At present, there are seven battalions. At one point, there was a report of units from LID 66 in the area.

Clashes

In Dec. 05, there was one clash. One dead on SPDC side. In Jan. 06, there were 5 clashes. Five wounded on SPDC side. In Feb. 06, there were 7 clashes. One dead and 7 wounded on SPDC side.

Atrocities

In Feb. 06, SPDC shootings wounded two civilians.

HR violations

In Bde-3 area also there was an increase in human rights violations such as unlawful arrest and detention, forced labor, torture, looting, extortion of cash and kinds with intimidation etc.