Beating the dead horse

On January 6, 2013, Ma Le, a worker of a carpet factory in Mae Tao, came to PVA and claimed that she was a victim of rape, beating and unfairly fired by the factory owner, his wife and their family. According to her, Ma Le had been working the same factory for 2 years without any problem. On January 5 at 12 midnight the factory owner sneaked into her bed and tried to rape her. Meantime, all her roommates woke up and saw the scene. At that point, he said that he was just trying to hide away from his drunken friends, and he had no ill intention against her. However, her roommates, who knew the boss as a womanizer, had discussed and decided to quit the factory on January 6. The boss still apologized for his mistake and begged the women not to quit. later, the boss’s wife who found out the incident came to the factory and cursed all the female workers by threatening. then, the boss’s wife, daughters and their neighbors began to beat and kick Ma Le. and, that was the reason she came to PVA and asked for help. PVA, which understood that violation of worker’s rights was a criminal offense, had taken Ma Le to the lawyers group helping for worker’s rights called LLC for further legal action.

From January 18, 2013

Got stabbed for playing TV loud

On November 4, the PVA office no.8 region near the Moei river bank was reported for a stabbing case According to the report, Ko Yan Naing Moe and Ko Tin Htay (a) Phosate were room neighbors. One night at 10:15pm, Ko Yan Naing Moe, his wife Ma Khet and their children heard a loud TV playing by the room neighbors Ko Tin Htay and Ko Tin Than when they were about to sleep. Thus, Ko Yan Naing Moe gave a warning by throwing a stone on their roof. Later, they engaged in an argument in this regard. And, finally, Ko Yan Naing Moe stabbed Ko Tin Htay for several times. In the end, Ko Tin htay was sent to the hospital. PVA had interviewed with Ma Khet while looking for Ko Yan Naing Moe who was still on the run. It also had determined to bring him into justice eventually.

A Suffering Woman

On December 17, 2012, Ma Yuyu Maw and a buddhist monk came to PVA and informed that her husband and son were hit by a car and the son died aftermath when her husband was rushed to intensive care unit. On November 11, her husband and son were hit by a car driven by a Thai man while they were riding a bicycle on the street at 6pm. Her son named Maung Ye Lin Oo died at 1:30am on November 29 at Mae Sot hospital and her husband Ko Myint Shwe was still in the hospital with serious injury. She had received 5000baht on November 11 and another 5000baht on November 29 from the Thai driver named YoHan. PVA finally took on the case and seek for her grievance in this regard in accordance with the law now.

Almost get killed

On October 29, 2012, U Aung Aung came to PVA and asked for help claiming that his son a 15 years old named Maung Sit Min Naing’s life is in danger. According to him, his son had jumped over a fence and picked up his longyi that fell into other people’s residence. It was owned be a relative of the village’s head of Sanmae village, Maetao. While picking up his longyi, Sit Min Aung heard TV playing and saw three girls watching it. Since he knew them already, he went into the house and watched TV with the girls. A niece of the village head had reported the incident to the village paramilitary troops and asked them to kill Sit Min Aung. A Burmese, who understood Thai and heard about it, told the father to hide his son. After carefully listening to the report, PVA members went to the village head’s home and explained the situation on October 29. PVA finally decided to send the child to youth center where he could live safely.

January 11, 2013

Soccer match followed by stabbing

On August5, 2012, Ko Thet Naung couple came to PVA and reported that Ko Thet Naung was stabbed with a knife by Kalar. The incident took place at a soccer play where they both played together. At one point, the ball kicked by Ko Thet Naung went into other people’s yard. Kalar told him to get the ball right away. Ko Thet Naing asked him to wait hence the ball went into Thai people’s property. However, Kalar cursed and threatened him to beat up with an iron bar if he couldn’t do it right away. That’s where the argument got started. Later, Ko Thet Naung went into the yard and picked up the ball after Kalar left. He returned the ball to Kalar’s friend Ye Yint Aung at his home. On his way back home, Kalar ran after Ko Thet Naung and stabbed him frequently. Ko Thet Naung was injured in the chest and arms in due course. Therefore, he had to go to Mae Taw clinic and took the medical treatment. Meantime, the leader of their work named Ko Kyaw Khine comforted him that he would sort out the problem and took care of Kalar. However, after he and his wife came back from the clinic, they had learnt that Kalar had run away and Kalar’s friend, a women named Ma Aye Mu, threw the knife into a lake, according the Ko Thet Naung. At the work on the next day, Ko Kyaw Khine and Ah Shegyi told Ko Thet Naung that they would arrange to pay for his medical fees if he agreed not to report it to police. Also, they threatened him that he could be fired from work if he reported to police. That was the reason the couple decided to report it to PVA regardless. PVA thus arranged for the temporary stay for the couple, who were already fired from work. It also was looking for Kalar to bring into justice.

From August 30, 2012

The daily wages problem in Mae Pa

On June 24, 2012, Ko Nay Lin and Ah Win, the residents of Mae Pa, came to PVA and asked for help to sort out the daily wages problem. According to them, they worked for a construction led by Ah Nge Lay, which was building a 16 room apartment, at 250 baht a day for 13 days beginning from June 2, 2012. As a result, they supposed to earn 5700 baht a person after the deduction of 800 baht each, which they took in advance, on June 20, 2012. Still, the employer failed to pay the money by giving many excuses. They finally told PVA that that’s the reason they came to ask for PVA’s help. On July 24, 2012, PVA official negotiated with both parties and let the employer signed the agreement to pay the money. Finally, Ah Nge Lay paid the money for both employees to Ko Nay Lin and settled the problem.

August 6, 2012

Be aware the passport seeker

On July 20, 2012, the residents of Myawaddy namely Ah Zaw, Ko Min Min Kyaw and Ko Maung Toe came to PVA and reported that a Mae Tao resident named Ma Thidar Aye took 6000 baht from Ah Zaw, 16,000 baht from Ko Min Min Kyaw and 8500 baht in total of 20,500 baht at No. 2 gate on June 20, 2012, by promising to get the passports for them. PVA ordered Ma Thidar Aye to come to the office and asked about it. She agreed their claim and promised to return their money. It ordered both parties to sign the agreement in this regard and suggested them to comply with the agreement further forward on July 24, 2012.

From July 25, 2012

Workers are fired for greeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

On June 13, 2012, Ko Bo Bo Kyaw and his wife came to PVA and reported that they both were fired by Ma Soe’s sewing factory, where they worked for one year and two months, without any compensation. According to them, while they were working and listening to Burmese radio as usual, they had learnt that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would pay visit to Mae Sot and other refugee’s camp on June 4, 2012. Therefore, the couple and other workers decided to go and greet her by taking day off on that day. And, they took half day off to greet her and came back at 3 pm. As a result, most of the workers showed up to work late on that day. The employer assumed that listening to the radio had caused them to take the day off and come back late. Therefore, the boss ordered all the workers not to listen to the radio while working. However, the couple and some others refused to obey it and kept listening to the radio while working. Thus, the couple along with Ko Bo Bo Kyaw and his wife was fired finally. PVA ordered the employer named Ma Soe to come to the office and negotiated. It also transferred the case to the Sawadeekan office so that all of these workers could claim for their grievances in this regard. Meantime, it had provided the temporary foods and shelters for Ko Bo Bo Kyaw and his wife, who had nowhere to go, and helped looking for another job for them.

July 23, 2012

Two sisters died in hit and run automobile incident

On May 30, 2012, Ko Thein Toe came to inform PVA that his two sisters namely Ma Nilar Soe (19) and Ma Htay Htay Win (21) were hit by a blue car when they were on the way to buy some foods from work, the Top Form factory, at 9 pm on May 29. Ma Htay Htay Win was died on the spot and Ma Nilar Soe died at the hospital later. There were 5 bystanders coming to visit to Mae Sot from Myawaddy witnessed the incident. However, they were afraid to speak out about it. Thus, no one took responsibility about it. The factory owner assured him that it would pay for the funeral costs and guarantee for the death-compensations at 35,000 baht a person via the factory manager. Their passports were held by the factory who promised to return them to him after the funeral according to him. On May 30, PVA had performed the funeral service for them and met the responsible person for their compensations. By the help of Thai authorities and Labor Law Clinic(LLC), it also was looking for the blue car driver who committed the crime for further legal action.

An appeal to join the worthwhile charity

As an organization with its own principle to help the citizens of Burma at any rate, PVA now is attempting to open a school for the children living in Phratot village and neighboring areas in Maeramat Township, on time for 2012 academic year, with the help of the earnest donors and local residents. However, it still needs your help. Therefore, PVA would like to urge the citizens of Burma to donate it for our future, the children’s future, the future of Burma and the future as a whole. 

Contact Numbers: 087 6953100, 084 3195771, 082 4044262 

Email...............: pvamaesod@gmail.com 

Account No.....: 6040206233, Kyaw Tay Za, Krung Thai Bank

Injustice follows where the underdog goes

On April 29, 2012, a resident of Mae Sot named Ma Chaw Su came to PVA office and claimed that her niece Ma Hnin Aye (17) had become a victim of human trafficking. According to her, her niece, a resident of Alantayar quarter in Thathon, Burma, was brought and let to work for a clothing shop in Naunbwa near Mae Sot by a carry two months ago. Later, the owner of the shop shut down the shop and moved to Bangkok without paying her salary. In addition, the owner sold her to a massage place according to her claim. Therefore, the PVA officials went to the massage place and demanded to bring her back. PVA could manage to convince the owner of the massage place that it’s a serious crime involving in the human trafficking related to human rights violations especially in the case of a minor. He finally agreed to return her with PVA officials.

May 7, 2012

Two motorbike thieves arrested

On May 9, 2012, by the help of a responsible citizen, PVA officials from the leading committee no.1, regional.7 in Maepa could manage to arrest two motorbike tourists, who stole a motorbike in the region, in front of Golden New hotel in quarter no.1, Maepa at 12 midnight. The incident occurred when they hid a stolen motorbike (W.100), which was changed into 821 in lead color, in a bathroom at Ma Aye residential line in front of Tawya monastery in Maepa on May 5 at 12 midnight. The motorbike was stolen by them from Golden New hotel, no.1 quarter in Maepa. By the report of a responsible citizen, who saw them borrowing a screw driver in order to switch the license plate, the PVA officials went there and made the arrest on the spot on May 9 at 3 pm. The PVA members led by U Kyaw Htet, a member of the leading committee.1, confiscated the stolen motorbike and the license plates as well. The thieves namely Kyaw Moe and Sai Htwe Aung along with the evidences were handed over to Thai authorities for further action by PVA finally.

From May 12, 2012

From May 12, 2012

Prosperity requires the security first

On April 4 at 2:45 am, 2012, PVA regional no.10 and the paramilitary troops from Maepa had arrested Min Oo (29), Thagi, U Ye Myint, U Chit Hlaing in total of 20 people coming from Myawaddy in Karen state, Burma for human trafficking. There were 70 victims, who were about to engaged in a long walk in the woods to get a job at a glue factory in Bangkok, as promised by the traffickers, by bringing the foods, medicines and rations for the long journey. They entered into Mae Sot from a place called Tatmaan in Myawaddy. PVA could manage to stop them at a quarter in the western Kyuntaw, Maepa. With tremendous experience of human trafficking including the case of the migrant workers, who were sold to the fishing boats in Ahchaung region, Chunburi, PVA had determined to fight against human trafficking at all costs. Thus, it had handed the detainees over to the district administration office in Mae Sot. The office had repatriated them to Myawaddy on the same day. Due to the poverty and the lack of employment opportunity in Burma, the migrant workers had been flooding into Thailand in many ways by risking their lives. By taking advantage of their vulnerability, some of the carries and human traffickers had destroyed their lives by extorting, raping, killing and selling them to the unsafe workplaces like the fishing boats. Therefore, PVA strongly believe that it has the responsibility to protect the Burmese migrant workers in accordance with its stand. It also would like to urge the citizens of Burma to get involve in the anti-human trafficking activities. 

 

An underage girl was tied and beaten up

On May 5, 2012, Soe Moe Aung aka Chit Aung, a resident of Kappiban, reported to PVA that his wife, a 15 years old teenager was disappeared after they had an argument. The couple was married about a month ago. Even though the wife was an underage girl, the mother had permitted her to get married. On April 30, the couple got an argument after the husband found out that the wife had kept a man’s phone number. At that point, the husband threatened her to beat up and kill if she did it again. The wife had run away after that. After he found out that the wife was nowhere to be found, the husband came to PVA and asked to help looking for his wife. However, on May 6, he found her on his own and brought her back home. When arrived to home, the wife was tied up with a rope, laid down on the house floor and beaten up severely by the husband. The wife’s mother was cheerleading the incident, according to neighbor. The wife’s elder sister finally reported to PVA in this regard. When arrived to the residence, PVA witnessed that the wife still was on the floor and tied up with a rope. Therefore, PVA brought the couple and the mother to Irrawaddy office. Hence the case was under the concern of both PVA and Irrawaddy organizations, PVA requested to Irrawaddy to solve the case. Irrawaddy sent the wife to a women and children protection center for her physical and mental rehabilitation, in accordance with the protection of children’s rights. It also educated both the husband and the mother that such action had met with a punishable crime. And, finally, it warned them not to repeat the same mistake again in the future.

From May 9, 2012

From May 9, 2012

Small prawns attempting to swim across a sea

On May 6, 2012, Ma Cho, the mother of Ma Hla Hla Htwe (15) a 9th grader, residing in Thathon town came to PVA office, by claiming that her daughter had eloped with Maung Ye Aung (16) a 9th grader, and ask for help. According to her, her daughter, who went to see the result of her 9th grade final exam at the school on April 24, was illegally taken to Mae Sot by Maung Ye Aung aka Yahmu. PVA found out that the teenage couple was living with Maung Ye Aung’s cousin at her resident in Mae Sot. With the help of its members, PVA brought them to the office from the cousin’s house in Honphai and inspected. According to Ma Hla Hla Htwe under 15 years old, her mother had forced her to get married with her second cousin without her consent. She finally confessed that that’s the reason she decided to elope with her lover. However, PVA had comforted and explained the girl that it’s illegal for a teenager under 18 to get married. PVA had managed to persuade the girl to go back home along with her mother eventually. Likewise, Maung Ye Aung was allowed to go back to his cousin for the reunion of his parents.

From May 7, 2012

From May 7, 2012

From May 7, 2012

Without a mother life is like “fish out of water”

On April 29, 2012, Ko Win working at a rose garden in Khwekanukalal, Phopphra came to PVA office along with his three daughters, 11 years old, three years old and another 6 months old. According to him, his wife Ma Than Than Sint had passed away for heart failure and tuberculosis disease on November 27 after they had migrated to Thailand and worked for a rose garden for almost three years. The rest of the family went back to Burma for a while after the mother’s death. The realization of the difficulty to survive in Burma had pushed the family back to Thailand again. In Mae Sot, Ko Win went to Maetaw clinic to ask for the baby milk powders for his 6 months old baby. By the recommendation of a health worker from the clinic named Ko Yan Naing, Ko Win finally seek for temporary shelter at PVA. PVA provided the family for temporary shelter and arranged to take care of the children when Ko Win went out to work ever since then.

From May 7, 2012

The trouble of the underdogs (3)

On April 22, 2012, Ko Aung Naing Htun (21) and his wife Ma Than Than Oo (20) with a 4 months old baby requested to PVA for temporary shelter. When they were in Burma, the husband used to work for a carwash in Kawkarate town at 50,000 kyat a month. From time to time, the wife had to help his works depending on the busy nature of the business. One day at midnight, the boss came and woke Ma Than Than Oo to help her husband who was busy working. When she rushed to work for help, she accidentally slipped and fell against the concrete water tank. Her head was severely broken in due course. However, the accident was yet to be over when she kept falling on a brushfire on the fence next to the concrete water tank. Thus, her right arm was caught on fire. She finally passed out. The husband grabbing her body took her to the boss and demanded to take to a hospital. The boss, who knew his involvement in this regard, brought a nurse for medical treatment instead of taking to a hospital. The nurse had failed to treat for the broken head and the burn injury in the arm other than the minor treatment to stop bleeding. Later, the boss named Ko San She offered 50,000 kyat for them to go to another town and seek for the medical treatment. Therefore, the couple came to Maetaw clinic in Mae Sot on April 11. While the wife was under the medical treatment at Maetaw clinic, the husband had lost 1500 baht for some reason. The clinic discharged the wife after all her injuries were taken care of. The dilemma of the couple was that they had no money left to go back home when the wife was cured. Also, it was doubtful if Ko San She would rehire the husband to work again. Finally, their friends suggested them to seek for help at PVA. PVA had provided temporary shelter and foods for the family at first. Then, it could manage to get a job for the husband so that they could save some money to go back to Burma and restart their life again.

May 7, 2012

Don’t trust to the strangers

On March 8, 2012 at about 7 pm, a 21 years old named Maung Kyaw Swar Lin’s home near Kwinpai mosque, in Mae Sot, was illegally searched, and his wife Ma Myat Knothu and her friend Ma Thandar were taken to a hotel and raped by the strangers. The victims came to PVA office and asked for help. They told PVA as followed.

On February 19, 2012, at 1 am when Maung Kyaw Swar Lin couple were on their way to 7/11 store to buy some foods and medicines for Ma Myat Knothu, who was sick in bed at home, three Thai speaking men claiming themselves as the authorities to search for illicit drugs came into their residence and confiscated 2700 baht under their pillows, another 2800 baht in total of 5500 baht and 2 cell phones while strip searching Ma Myat Knothu naked. Meantime, the couple came back home and witnessed the incident. At that point, a chubby guy, one of the three men, took out a knife and stuck it in Maung Kyaw Swar Lin’s neck and confiscated 960 baht and his cell phone. His wife was strip searched naked and took her phone again. Later, two of the three men took away the ladies for the investigation, by leaving a skinny man to watch out for Maung Kyaw Swar Lin. Finally, Maung Kyaw Swar Lin punched the skinny man in the face and ran away. He rushed to his friends and looked for the ladies who were nowhere to be found. On the next day morning, Ma Myat Knothu called and told him that these men were not the authorities but the crooks that took them into the separate rooms and raped them in a hotel. The chubby guy raped his wife and the other guy and his other friend raped her in a separate room. She was also threatened that both ladies would be killed if they report to the police in this regard.

After hearing of the inhumane and outrageous story, PVA had decided to investigate it by the help of the Thai authorities for the further action.

April 4, 2012

The suffering of the underdogs (2)

A daughter of U Tin Aye and Daw Khin Aye named Ma Myint Myint Aye (37) living in Kyaungpai quarter, Thanbyuzayat township in Mon state, Burma, came to PVA and ask for her temporary stay while looking for her missing mother on April 4, 2012.

Ma Myint Myint Aye got married with a railroad worker named Ko Win in 1991 and moved in with her husband in the railroad worker’s housing line in Moulmein. In 2011 while she was carrying her pregnancy, she and her 9 years old son Maung Khant Win remained helplessly after the husband unexpectedly died of the stroke in the brain. The compensation for his death at 30000 kyat handed over to the husband’s parents by the railway official. The pension fund also was not available for her husband, who was just a day laborer. However, she received 10000 kyat a month for 7 month from the railroad office for her grievance. In January 2012, she was ordered to move out of her residence for the other worker to move in after she had her new born baby for 7 days. On March 3, 2012, she came to Mae Sot and looked for her mother, who was supposed to be in Mae Sot, by the help of her elder sister. However, she couldn’t find her mother. Instead, her baby was ill leading her to bring him to the Maetaw clinic by a motorbike taxi. At the clinic, she met with Ko Yan Naing, who was a social worker for the Maetaw clinic, and explained him about her situation. Finally, Ko Yan Naing instructed her to go to PVA and seek for help in this regard. As an organization that was formed to help the migrants from Burma, PVA saved Ma Myint Myint Aye and her children while looking for her missing mother.

From April 9, 2012

From April 9, 2012

The suffering of the underdogs (1)

On March 30, 2012, the Arakanese ethnic men namely Ko Maung Than (40), Ko Aung Than (36) and Maung Win Tin (34) from Panmyaung village and Kuto village, Minpya township in Arakan state, Burma were arrested with their belongings by tawmao (Thai immigration force), who disregarded their official daily pass to travel in Mae Sot, at the bus station in Mae Sot and detained in the jail for 4 days. By the help of their aunt living in Um Pyan refugee’s camp, they were released on March 3, 2012. They came to PVA office and asked for help for their temporary stay in Mae Sot and going to the Um Pyan refugee’s camp. Under its policy guidelines involving to look for jobs and to provide the temporary foods and shelters for the migrants from Burma for free, PVA had provided the foods and shelters for them for 7 days.

April 4, 2012