DICTATOR WATCH
(www.dictatorwatch.org)

Contact: Roland Watson, roland@dictatorwatch.org

AUGUST KAREN NATIONAL LIBERATION ARMY SITREP

September 7, 2011

Please forward.

We have a new post on our conflict blog, a report which covers clashes between the Karen National Liberation Army and the Burma Army, and BA abuses of Karen villagers, from July 24 through September 1.

http://www.dictatorwatch.org/KNLA/KNLAaugust2011.pdf

http://www.dictatorwatch.org/burmaconflictblog.html

The report describes twenty-five clashes, which resulted in twenty-one known Burma Army killed in action casualties. The BA casualties from many of the clashes, though, were unknown. (This is also an incomplete description of the total number of clashes for this period - not all field reports have arrived.)

This represents a significant reduction in the amount of conflict at the Karen front from July. The principal reason for this is the weather. August was the height of the monsoon. It is likely that the conflict will expand again now that the dry season is approaching.

Other noteworthy incidents include:

- The Burma Army murdered two Karen villagers while they were working in their orchard, and executed another villager at a second location.
- There were many cases of villagers being arrested by BA troops and in some cases beaten and tortured.
- There were also numerous cases of villagers being robbed and extorted, and forced to porter and to provide other forms of forced labor.
- Villagers were forced to clear landmines, and in another incident, forced to walk in between BA troops in an attempt to forestall KNLA attacks.
- A total of 44 enemy troops defected to the KNLA, along with an additional 178 family members.