DEMOCRATIC KAREN BUDDHIST ARMY

(also DEMOCRATIC KAREN BENEVOLENT ARMY)

(also KALOH HTOO BAW ARMED GROUP, KAREN KLO HTOO BAW ORGANIZATION, KLO HTOO BAW BATTALION, DEMOCRATIC KAREN BUDDHIST ARMY, DEMOCRATIC KAREN BUDDHIST ARMY BRIGADE 5)

The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) is a Myanmar/Burmese armed group, controlling territory in Myanmar/Burma’s Karen State, around Myawaddy on the Myanmar/Burma –Thailand border. The DKBA commits and is involved in serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma due to its role in facilitating large-scale scam centres. The DKBA has allowed those scam centre compounds to operate under its protection and has enabled criminal networks to function within areas under its control. Inside those scam centre compounds, many victims are trafficked or lured under false pretences, held against their will, and forced to carry out online scams targeting victims around the world. Additionally, victims working in the scam centre compounds report abuse, torture, and inhumane treatment within those compounds. Soldiers of the DKBA have been reported to participate in violence against victims of trafficking in human beings trapped inside the compound, such as by beating handcuffed trafficked individuals. Victims who attempt to escape or refuse to cooperate are subjected to violence, intimidation, and other forms of severe mistreatment. Therefore, the DKBA is responsible for serious human rights violations, including trafficking in human beings, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. The DKBA is also involved in those serious human rights violations, including by facilitating such acts.