"In recent months the State Peace & Development Council (SPDC) regime ruling Burma has sent large numbers of troops into Papun district of northeastern Karen State to clear the hills of villagers. Unlike the offensives in neighbouring Toungoo and Nyaunglebin districts, where troops began burning villages in November 2005, in Papun district the attacks against villages only began to escalate in April 2006. Several villages have already been burned, rice supplies systematically destroyed, and villagers shot on sight. The arrival of at least seven new Battalions in the district on May 11th 2006 suggests that a major new offensive is about to be launched. This offensive is not related to the new SPDC capital at Pyinmana, which lies far to the northwest. It may be partly motivated by SPDC plans to dam the Salween River; but the main motivation appears to be to establish control over the villagers of this hilly region who have always evaded state control. The target of the offensive is therefore not the Karen National Union (KNU), but the villagers themselves, and many of them are already fleeing into the forests..."