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Myanmar: Query Response Myanmar: Query Response The situation in Chin State and Sagaing Region March 2019 (COI between 1 January 2016 and 19 February 2019) Commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Division of International Protection. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author. © Asylum Research Centre, 2019 ARC publications are covered by the Creative Commons License allowing for limited use of ARC publications provided the work is properly credited to ARC, it is for non-commercial use and it is not used for derivative works. ARC does not hold the copyright to the content of third party material included in this report. Reproduction or any use of the images/maps/infographics included in this report is prohibited and permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder(s). Please direct any comments to [email protected] Cover photo: © Volina/shutterstock.com 2 Contents Explanatory Note ............................................................................................................................ 7 Sources and databases consulted ................................................................................................. 13 List of acronyms ............................................................................................................................ 17 Map of Myanmar .......................................................................................................................... 18 Map of Chin State ......................................................................................................................... 19 Map of Sagaing Region.................................................................................................................. 20 1. Information on the armed military forces ........................................................................... 23 1.1. Tatmadaw ........................................................................................................................... 23 2. Information on ethnic armed groups ................................................................................... 25 2.1. Arakan Army (AA) ............................................................................................................... 26 2.2. Arakan Liberation Army (ALA) ............................................................................................ 27 2.3. Chin National Army (CNA) .................................................................................................. 28 2.4. Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) ............................................................................ 28 2.5. Kachin Independence Army (KIA) ....................................................................................... 28 3. Overview of the security situation ....................................................................................... 29 3.1. Chin State ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.1.1. General level of militarisation (Chin State) .................................................................... 33 3.1.2. Security situation: Paletwa .............................................................................................. 35 3.1.3. Security situation: Matupi ............................................................................................... 38 3.1.4. Impact upon civilians (Chin state) ................................................................................... 39 3.1.4.1. Landmines (Chin State) ................................................................................................. 40 3.1.4.2. Displacement (Chin State) ............................................................................................ 42 3.2. Sagaing Region .................................................................................................................... 45 3.2.1. General level of militarisation (Sagaing Region) ............................................................. 46 3.2.2. Impact upon civilians (Sagaing Region) ........................................................................... 46 3.3. National Ceasefire Agreement ........................................................................................... 46 4. Overview of the political situation....................................................................................... 47 4.1. National peace process....................................................................................................... 47 3 4.1.1. Regional peace process ....................................................................................................... 49 4.2. Freedom of Assembly ......................................................................................................... 50 4.2.1. Chin State............................................................................................................................. 51 4.2.2. Sagaing Region ..................................................................................................................... 51 4.3. Freedom of Expression ....................................................................................................... 52 4.3.1. Chin State............................................................................................................................. 56 4.3.2. Sagaing Region ..................................................................................................................... 56 5. Overview of the human rights situation .............................................................................. 57 5.1. Chin State ............................................................................................................................ 59 5.2. Sagaing Region .................................................................................................................... 64 6. Housing, Land and Property rights ....................................................................................... 65 6.1. Chin State ............................................................................................................................ 67 6.2. Sagaing Region .................................................................................................................... 67 6.3. Land confiscation and restitution ....................................................................................... 67 6.3.1. Chin State ............................................................................................................................ 70 6.3.2. Sagaing Region .................................................................................................................... 75 7. Violence against women ...................................................................................................... 77 7.1. Chin State ............................................................................................................................ 79 7.2. Sagaing Region .................................................................................................................... 82 8. Violence against children ..................................................................................................... 82 8.1. Forced/Child Marriage ........................................................................................................ 82 8.2. Child labour......................................................................................................................... 83 8.3. Sexual Exploitation of Children ........................................................................................... 84 9. Freedom of Religion ............................................................................................................. 84 9.1. Race and Religion Laws in Myanmar .................................................................................. 84 9.2. Situation and treatment in Chin State ................................................................................ 87 9.2.1. Na Ta La schools .................................................................................................................. 87 9.2.2. Religious converts ............................................................................................................ 89 9.2.3. Christians ......................................................................................................................... 89 9.3. Situation and treatment in Sagaing Region ........................................................................ 93 9.3.1. Na Ta La schools .............................................................................................................. 93 4 9.3.2. Religious converts ............................................................................................................ 93 9.3.3. Christians ......................................................................................................................... 94 10. Ethnic Chins ........................................................................................................................ 95 10.1. ‘Kuki’ ................................................................................................................................. 96 11. Forced Recruitment and Forced Labour ...........................................................................
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