Most of the material in this report is based on the interviews Amnesty International conducted with Shan villagers in Thailand. Amnesty International believes that the testimonies are consistent with other reliable reports documenting killings and torture of Shan civilians
In February 1999 Amnesty International interviewed recently-arrived Shan refugees in Thailand in order to obtain an update on the human rights situation in the central Shan State. The pattern of violations has remained the same, including forced labour and portering, extrajudicial killings, and ill-treatment of villagers. Troops also routinely stole villagers’ rice supplies, cattle, and … Continue reading Myanmar: update on the Shan State
Civilians in the central Shan State are suffering the enormous consequences of internal armed conflict, as fighting between the tatmadaw, or Myanmar army, and the Shan State Army-South (SSA-South) continues. The vast majority of affected people are rice farmers who have been deprived of their lands and their livelihoods as a result of the State … Continue reading Myanmar: exodus from the Shan State
Amnesty International is concerned by the Thai authorities’ violation of international obligations to protect refugees, and fears that it sets an ominous precedent for the future of refugee protection in Thailand. This fear is heightened by reports that the Thai authorities may have plans to return refugees from Myanmar during the upcoming dry season, which … Continue reading Thailand: erosion of refugee rights