"This News Bulletin describes the displacement of villagers in Kawkareik Township, Dooplaya District as a result of fighting that took place during July 2015 between Tatmadaw and Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) soldiers over control of a recently completed section of the Asian Highway. This information was provided by monk U T---, in whose monastery many of the displaced villagers sought refuge. This News Bulletin also lists several specific incidents of fighting and the implications of these incidents on the surrounding villages. As a result of the fighting, more than 1,000 villagers from more than five different villages in Kawkareik Township temporarily fled their homes and sought shelter at monasteries in Kawkareik Town. The schools in these villages were forced to close temporarily out of fears over the safety of the students, who were consequently unable to attend their lessons. The displaced villagers struggled to maintain their farms and plantations, as well as to look after their livestock during the fighting. The villagers slept at the monasteries throughout the night, as they were afraid that they would be ordered to porter for the Tatmadaw soldiers if they had stayed in their villages. On July 6th 2015, two villagers who were travelling on a path near to where Tatmadaw soldiers had taken up position for fighting were shot dead in Hlaingbwe Township, Hpa-an District, see more at ?Recent fighting between Tatmadaw and DKBA soldiers leads to killing and displacement of villagers in Hpa-an District, July 2015,” KHRG, August 2015. On July 7th 2015, a primary school building in Kawkareik Town was hit and damaged by a grenade reported to have been fired by two DKBA soldiers. However, no students or teachers were harmed as the incident took place at 7 am before the school had opened for the day.[1]..."