PHR’s report – Bitter Wounds and Lost Dreams: Human Rights Under Assault in Karen State, Burma – provides a snapshot of ongoing abuses against Karen people and communities in the country’s mountainous eastern region bordering Thailand, where the army has been battling insurgent groups for decades
Nearly one-third of the families surveyed reported having experienced human rights violations, including being forcibly evicted from their homes, being forced to work for the army, and being physically attacked — sometimes even tortured or raped. The research showed a much stronger incidence of human rights violations in territory controlled by the Burmese army than in areas where insurgent groups were actively striving for control.
“As observers of the peace negotiations in Karen State hope for a ceasefire, we must remember that an end to hostilities does not necessarily lead to an end to human rights violations,” said Davis. “Any agreement to lay down arms must also include provisions that target the foundations of violence, such as greater political participation and mechanisms to hold accountable the people who violate human rights.”
The PHR survey indicated that people who lived near a mine, pipeline, hydroelectric dam, or other economic development project promoted by the Burmese government were significantly more likely to have experienced a human rights violation. People living near such projects were almost eight times more likely to have been forced to work for the army and over six times more likely to have been uprooted or had restrictions placed on their travel.
PHR’s research team trained 22 surveyors from five partner organizations who surveyed 665 households in 88 villages in Karen State in January 2012. The survey, conducted in two local languages, consisted of 93 questions covering human rights abuses, health indicators, food availability, and access to health care between January 2011 and January 2012.