According to TNLA battalion commander Mai Plang Haol, a clash between Burma Army Infantry Battalion 17, led by major U Myo Myint Aung, and the joint forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) occurred in Hoe Nam village ,Namsan township Kyautmae district on the 15th May 2012 at 3pm.
Villagers are being charged exorbitant electricity fees for hydroelectric power which is generated from the Shweli river which runs through the Nam Kham area. The majority of the power generated in this area is bought by the Chinese government. Prices have risen to 250 Kyat per unit, which is now the standard rate being charged in Honar village, Nam Kham Township, Northern Shan State. The personnel in charge of collecting electricity payments don’t accurately check how many units of electricity a household has used, but instead count the total units consumed by the entire village. Each household is then charged the average rate for the whole village and must pay no later then the end of every month.
240 civilians signed a petition which they sent to Myanmar Mhyar Oo Company’s chief, demanding that the tin and mineral extraction in the Nam Maw and Nam Khar rivers be stopped, as those rivers are critical for the Nam Parkar peoples’ survival. The extraction is being conducted in Nam Parkar village by the Myanmar Mhyar Oo Company and its alliance militia leaders who are based in Loi Lom village, in Muse District, Northern Shan State.
A local petrol station in Zayan Panlaw village, Namhsan Township, Kyautme District, Northern Shan State caught fire at 10:35AM. The fire was caused by the flame from the petrol station owner’s lighter. The fire was stopped by 5:30 pm thanks to the efforts of local people.
Although the Mhyar Oo Company promised to postpone their work by 4th April, the tin and mineral extraction in Northern Shan State, Kutkai Township, Nam Pakar Village is still ongoing.
As a result of the on going conflict between Burma Army Infantry Battalion 130 and the Kachin Independence Army, the number of internally displaced persons fleeing from Kyaukme District, northern Shan State, has increased dramatically. The IDPs are currently seeking refuge in Mantong Township and are in dire need of assistance.
More than 500 villagers attended a meeting with Mhyar Oo Company to demand that the Company terminate their mineral extraction in the area of Nam Maw and Nam Khar rivers, in Nam Pakar village, Kukai Township, Muse District, Northern Shan State.
The Palaung Women’s Organization (PWO) was established in 2000 in response to the dearth of women actively participating within other Palaung organizations. Cultural factors determined that men had greater access to training, better English language and computer skills, greater self-confidence and more leadership opportunities. Read More >>
The Palaung people are one of the indigenous nationalities within the multi-national in the Union of Burma. The Palaung are descended from Mon-Khmer from Mongolia passing China to Burma. The Palaung people have a long history and a strong sense of their unique identity. They have their own language and literature, a distinctive traditional culture, their own territory and a self-sufficient economy. Read More >>
The Palaung Women's Organisation (PWO) has documented 72 cases of actual and suspected trafficking involving 110 people, which took place along the China-Burma border, mostly during the past six years. The majority of those trafficked were young Palaung women from tea farming communities in Namkham, Namhsan and Mantong townships. Read More>>
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