A/HRC/39/CRP.2 but also impact upon the ecosystem of the Ta’ang region. For this reason, the Tatmadaw will be carrying out area clearance operations in the near future. Therefore, local citizens and temporary workers living in the jade mines are to leave the area by 15 June 2017. Anyone who does not vacate the area by the established date will be considered an accomplice of the Kachin insurgent group, the KIA. During the area clearance operation, the government does not wish citizens to die or be injured. Therefore, we would like to make this public announcement. 285. It is difficult to see the military necessity of such a broad order. The leaflet contains implied threats and appears to merge civilians and fighters. In any event, the Tatmadaw also did not ensure proper transfer, evacuation and accommodation for civilians. Instead, four of the five exit routes were blocked and credible information indicates that some displaced individuals were only allowed to leave on the condition that they did not travel to Tanai town but rather to Kawng Ra, which was unsafe and subject to active conflict. 597 286. The Mission further received recent, credible information on one incident where the Tatmadaw forced villagers who had fled to go back to their villages despite not wanting to return due to safety concerns.598 One person described how she and 160 others from Man We and Hlaing Naung Hku villages in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, were detained by the military for several days in April 2018, after fleeing their villages and were then forced to return against their wishes: We fled our villages on 11 April 2018 and on the 12 April 2018 we came across the Tatmadaw in the forest. They stopped us and asked us questions, they made us cook for them and build a tent. We were getting ready to sleep when they made us move again. They walked us to trucks and then drove us to a field. They made us stay with them for five days and kept asking questions about the KIA. We did not have enough food, only one meal a day. On 16 April 2018, the commander said we should go back to our village. We didn’t want to go back because it is not safe but the commander forced us. The soldiers followed us back to the village to make sure we went back. When we arrived at our village soldiers took our livestock and belongings. 599 287. Following this, they left the village once again due to the continuing conflict, but were not allowed to set up IDP camps by the Tatmadaw, so they stayed in a local church. Fighting in the area later ceased, and the villagers wanted to return to their village. However, the Tatmadaw would not permit them to return. The Mission further understands that there have been other incidents where displaced persons have been put under pressure to return to their villages before they felt comfortable doing so. 600 288. General restrictions on freedom of movement have also had a significant impact on the ability of civilians to access livelihoods and basic services. 601 Formal restrictions on movement include checkpoints, accompanied by documentation checks, and curfews.602 In addition, in one case in December 2016, residents of the town of Monekoe, Muse Township, Shan State, were issued with cards to prove their residence and were only allowed to enter and leave if they were in possession of these cards. 603 Individuals also reported limiting their own movements, including to farmland or tea plantations, because they were afraid of nearby fighting or because of landmines.604 For example, one person from Namhsan Township, Shan State, reported that during fighting in December 2017 she could not go to her tea plantation. She explained that a curfew was in place from 6am to 6pm in their village and, if people were seen outside after curfew, shots would be fired at them. 605 Credible information received by 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 K-063.7, PI-049. K-063.9, PI-104, V-135. PI-104. QM-002, V-331. PI-046, PI-073, PI-097, V-142. See also this chapter, section A.8: Emblematic incidents (Tanai). K-064, V-142. See this chapter, section A.8: Emblematic incidents (Monekoe). PI-046, PI-094, PI-097. PI-097. 73