In 2009, Pa An was very unstable due to the widespread joint military activities of the SPDC and the DKBA. The BPHWT health workers operating in these areas therefore faced increased security problems. This has made transporting of health supplies very difficult, sometimes delaying BPHWT teams’ activities. Moreover, the security situation made it difficult for health workers to get together and conduct field and community meetings. Overall, BPHWT health workers recorded more instances of forced labour, forced requisitions, and forced recruitment in the villages included in the BPHWT target areas. Details of human rights abuses recorded by BPHWT health workers include:
• On 3rd April 2009, DKBA Battalion 999 led by Bo Lar Kwe, beat the village leader in Pa Thu K’law P’law village
• On 29th April 2009, DKBA Battalion 999, led by Myint Tun Oo, killed the former village leader of Nar Lel Kaw village, Saw Poe, after having accused him of communicating with the Karen National Union (KNU)
• On 5th May 2009, the DKBA forcibly recruited 50 villagers and appropriated 2 walkie talkies from villages in the K’law Kyaw BPHWT area
• On 26th June 2009, medicines and some BPHWT documents were confiscated in Htee Par Yet village, Pa An area.
• On 18th November 2009 in the Pa An Special Area, BPWHT workers were attacked by 7 soldiers from DKBA Battalion 999 after they had come back from treating villagers.