CONSTANT FLOW OF REFUGEES FROM CENTRAL SHAN STATE
During January and February of this year, 1999, at least 1,100-1,200 people
per month from the following towns of central Shan State have moved to the
eastern side of the river Salween, to the border areas and to Thailand.

1. Murng-Kerng
2. Lai-Kha
3. Paang Long (in Loi-Lem)
4. Murng Nawng (in Kae-See)
5. Kun-Hing
6. Nam-Zarng
7. Murng Pawn (in Loi-Lem)
8. Murng-Nai
9. Larng-Khur
10. Murng-Pan

The numbers are believed to be much larger, given the fact that many people just pass through unnoticed. The main reasons that are causing these people to flee are still basically the same as before:

1. Unfair Rice Procurement: Farmers are obliged to sell an unreasonable ratio of their produce at prices much lower than the actual contemporary market rates, forcing many into destitution.
2. Conscription of Forced Labour and Forced Portering: In almost all areas where SPDC troops are present, forced labour of the civilian population such as building and maintaining military camps and other facilities, cultivation of crops for the military are routine chores that leave very little time for the people to care for their own necessities. The civilian population are also forced to provide porters for the military every 10-12 days. People who cannot go must pay a 10,000-12,000 Kyat wage to hire someone else to go instead. Those who cannot afford this must suffer cruel and inhuman treatment by the members of the military.
3. Foraging on civilian livestock: Livestock such as pigs and chickens belonging to villagers are often taken at will, often in front of the owners, without being paid for. Cattle are also frequently shot for meat.
4. Excessive Restriction of Movement: People are not allowed to go beyond 3 miles from towns to cultivate crops, making it very difficult for those who have been forcibly relocated over the past 2-3 years because there is usually no land available for them to cultivate within 3 miles of the towns. Those who go beyond the set limit are severely punished and sometimes shot dead.
5. Those who manage to catch and sell their loose cattle are subject to heavy tax by the military, about half the selling price -- 4,000-5,000 Kyat tax on 10,000 Kyat sale.

LANGUAGE BAN IN SHAN STATE
In early March 1999, SPDC’s Northeastern Regional Military Command Commander, Maj Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo, instructed all the regiments and battalions under his command to destroy all the signboards bearing villages’ names in Shan script in their respective areas of control.
These signboards were put up by the Shan cease-fire groups and village communities alongside the Burmese sign-boards. But the Shan language was not allowed to be used even in Shan State. Only signboards that bore the Burmese script were to be used. The Shan
have no right to their own language.

IMPENDING MASS FORCED LABOUR IN NORTHERN SHAN STATE
The SPDC Military Commander of the Northeastern Regional Command, Tin Aung Myint Oo, has issued an instruction to all the battalions under his command to engage in rubber plantations. Each and every battalion has been compelled to plant at least 100 acres of
rubber during this year, 1999.<

The labour needed to implement this project is most likely to be exacted from the civilian population. There are currently 21 battalions under the Northeastern Command and 2,100 acres of arable land will be needed. The people will not only have to provide thousands of unpaid labourers, but may also have to give up many acres of their ancestors’ lands.

FORCED RESIGNATION OF AN MP OF NLD IN LA-SIO
In early March 1999, U Sai Myint Maung, member of NLD (National League for Democracy) and Member of Parliament, in La-Sio township, was released, after being imprisoned for 162 days, following his resignation from his status as a Member of Parliament. It is said that he is up to now still being kept under close and constant surveillance of the Military Intelligence.

RAPE, KILLING AND DISAPPEARANCE IN HO-PONG
On 17.1.99, a patrol of SPDC (State Peace and Development Council -- the ruling military junta in Burma) troops from Murng Pawn (in Loi-Lem) led by Commander Aung Mya saw a group of 25 villagers from Tawng Seng village, in Huay He tract, Ho-Pong township, and arrested them.
The villagers, 11 men and 14 women, were taking rice paddy from their farms to the village, using shoulder yokes to carry them, and were leaving the farms when they ran into the SPDC troops.

The troops then accused them of transporting rice for the Shan soldiers, despite the villagers’ repeated pleadings that they were only taking the rice to the village for their own consumption. The SPDC troops said that such a big group of villagers must be involved in somthing other than carrying their own rice. The troops interrogated the villagers for a while and tied up the men and took the women to a deserted house. Aung Mya chose a beautiful one for himself and gave the other 13 women to his officers to rape.

There was a woman named Naang Awn, aged 21, who, after she had been raped by an officer named Sein Win, pleaded for mercy, begging him not to kill her because she had a mother, who was blind and alone, to look after. Fortunately, her words touched the heart of the soldier and he secretly took her out of the farm and told her to take a jungle route back to her village, warning her not to let any other soldiers see her.

The other women and the men were taken away with the troops as porters. Some days later, there were some villagers who saw 3-4 corpses of their relatives who had been taken in the same group. The fate of the other villagers is still unknown at the time of this report.
They have not returned and have not been seen or heard about by the local people. The farms where the villagers were arrested were located north of Luk Myawk village in Huay He tract, about 15 miles from the town.

RAPE AND ROBBERY IN NAM-ZAANG
On 24.1.99, Naang Seng Lu, aged 16, who was forced to move to Nam-Zarng town with her family from her original village of Kawng Yaao in Wan Nawng Kung Mong tract in 1997 by the then Slorc troops, was raped and robbed by SPDC Capt Than Kyaw from IB66 at her house.

On that day, both Naang Seng Lu’s parents, Loong Paan and Pa Seng, went to work on their rice farm, leaving their daughter alone at home to look after the house. Than Kyaw was on patrol with his troops when he entered and asked for drinking water in Naang Seng Lu’s house. When he learned that Naang Seng Lu was alone in the house, he sat down and asked her to massage his arms, saying his arms were
so stiff and hurt from overwork.

Naang Seng Lu was very frightened and declined, saying she did not know how to massage. Than Kyaw insisted for a while and, when Naang Seng Lu did not appear to give in easily, he pointed his pistol at her and threatened to shoot her, saying, “Don’t you know me, I am an army captain”. He then dragged her by the arm into the inner room of the house, ordered her to take off all her clothes and raped her, keeping his pistol on her all the time.

After raping Naang Seng Lu, Than Kyaw searched the bedroom and took away the following valuable property:

1. A necklace weighing 2 Baht
2. A necklace weighing 1 Baht
3. 45,690 Kyat of money
4. One 3-celled-capacity, very old model electric torch light (believed to be much better in quality than later models and valued much by rural farmers).
5. cold-season over coats

Naang Seng Lu was left crying alone all day until her parents came home. She then recounted to them, between sobs, the horrible experience she had suffered. After careful consideration of the situation, Naang Seng Lu’s father, Loong Paan, told his wife and daughter that it was no use trying to complain about it because no civilian headmen and leaders would be able to do anything about it. The SPDC captain would not confess to his crime and the authorities would only accused them of defaming an army officer and fine or even arrest and punish them. The only thing they could think of to avoid further abuses in the future was to flee. So, after a few weeks, when they managed to collect some money to cover the journey, they left for Thailand on 12.2.99, intending to earn a living as wage earners.

EXTORTION IN MURNG-NAI
On 1.2.99, SPDC Capt Han Sein, commander of Company No.4 of IB45, stationed in Kaeng Tawng in Murng-Nai township, called a meeting of all the village and village tract headmen and exacted money from the villagers. He told the headmen that there was to be an opening ceremony of Ta Saang bridge, a new bridge built over the Salween river on the main road joining Murng-Pan and Murng Ton townships, sometime in the near future and the senior military authorities had asked for financial assistance from Kaeng Tawng area for 50,000 Kyat.
The money was to be collected from the villagers and handed in before 15.3.99. The headmen then collected from each family 300-500 Kyat, depending on the financial conditions of respective families, and handed the demanded 50,000 Kyat to Capt Han Sein on 12.2.99.

However, on 20.2.99, Han Sein was transferred to somewhere else and in his place came a new commander, Khin Zaw. The local people were of the opinion that Han Sein had swindled them and he had extorted the money for his own good. The higher authorities probably had
not asked for the money, but he had just taken advantage of the occasion and made it seem like the money was for the bridge opening ceremony.

LAND CONFISCATION IN TA-KHI-LAEK
In February 1999, SPDC’s LIB359, under the command of Lt Col Khin Maung Gyi, seized 1,000 Rai (1 Rai = 1,600 square meters) of rice fields belonging to the villagers of Phang Min and Murng Phong tracts, Ta-Khi-Laek township. The land area was given to a group of former rebels led by Lao Zaang who had surrendered. Among the victims, 30 houses had no land left to cultivate and make a living, but could do nothing except to lament their losses.

ARREST AND DETENTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 13.2.99, Capt Kyaw Lwin Moe, commander of the SPDC military intelligence unit No.24 in Ta-Khi-Laek township, accused Sai Yi Phu, a man, aged 41, of being an agent and working for NLD (National League for Democracy -- the political party that won the May 1990 by a large majority votes) and arrested him without giving any chance for him to speak for himself.

Sai Yi Phu lived in Pung Thun quarter of Ta-Khi-Laek town. The headmen and community leaders of the quarter, together with some senior Buddhist monks including the abbots of the famous Sai Murng and Maak Ka Ho Kham monasteries, tried to bail him out without success.
The arrest was a surprise to many local people because Sai Yi Phu was known to have worked for the MI (military intelligence) several times. It seemed the MI did not bother to count the help he had given them before.

BEATING AND DETENTION IN MURNG-YAWN
On 15.2.99, SPDC troops from LIB311 arrested 4 men villagers of Murng Wa (Kaeng Khaang) village who were formerly members of MTA (Mong Tai Army - a Shan armed resistance group that capitulated to Slorc in early 1996). The troops accused the 4 men of having hidden 60 guns and demanded to know the location, beating and torturing them to make them tell the place.

The villagers knew nothing about the hidden guns and their parents, relatives and the village headman testified to their innocence and begged for their release. But they were not released. However, after 3 days of detention, their parents were told to bring 3,000
Kyat for each of them for their release. So they were released only after the demanded money had been paid.

The 4 victims were:

1. Sai La, aged 22
2. Sai Pan, aged 29
3. Sai Ten, aged 36
4. Sai Ping, aged 31

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-YAWNG
In February 1999, the SPDC’s LIB311 at Murng-Yawn ordered the villagers in the area to go and fix the fences of the military base. The villagers had to divide among themselves and go in shifts each and every day until it was finished. On 14.2. 99, it was the turn of the villagers of Wan Tap and Ho Waeng villages. About 15 of them went and worked on the fence and, unfortunately, sometime during the day a bicycle belonging to the military went missing. So, the soldiers accused the villagers of stealing their bicycle. Though the villagers argued that they had not stolen it, the troops did not listen but forced them to pay money for the lost bicycle. The SPDC troops exacted 1,500 Kyat from each of the 15 villagers which totally amounted to 22,500 Kyat while the lost bicycle could only be worth at most over 2,000 Kyat.

A TRADER ROBBED OF CHINESE MONEY IN KAENG-TUNG
On 16.2.99, a trader from Wan Tong, Murng Ma tract, Kaeng-Tung township, was robbed of 60,000 Yuan of Chinese money by SPDC troops from IB245 manning the checkpoint at Ta Ping, a crossing point over Nam Luay river. Murng Ma tract was in the area under the control of a cease-fire group led by Sai Lern, known as Special Zone No.4, and marked from the SPDC controlled area only by Nam Luay river. The SPDC checkpoint was located just across Nam Luay.

The trader was searched and his money taken from him. It was said that he intended to change the money in Ta-Khi-Lake to purchase
goods to bring back to Murng Ma. When he reached the town of Kaeng-Tung, he tried to file a complaint with the SPDC authorities there. But they did not accept his case and told him to complain to IB245 itself instead. When he went to the base of IB245, he was only berated in many ways and threatened to be put in jail if he dared come back to complain again. The trader was Ai Kat, aged 28, from Wan Tong village in Murng Ma tract.

ARREST AND TORTURE IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 21.2.99, a male villager named In Seng, aged 20, of Murng Phong in Ta-Khi-Laek township was arrested, beaten and put in Ta-Khi-laek jail by SPDC troops from LIB526. In Seng was charged with shooting SPDC soldiers with a slingshot and severely beaten until he was suffering from a fractured head and a stiff and painful waist.

DOUBLE EXTORTION IN MURNG-KHARK
On 21.2.99, 3 families of Wan Tap village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township, were forced by SPDC authorities to pay double for being a little late in paying the exacted money for the reparation of Murng Nung - Murng-Khark road. The 3 families, who were so poor that they could not find enough money in time, had to pay 4,000 Kyat each instead of the 2,000 Kyat extorted from each of the other families.

A FISHERMAN BEATEN AND ROBBED IN MURNG-KHARK
On 26.2.99, a fisherman named Pan-Yaa, aged 36, from Wan Tap village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township, was beaten and robbed by SPDC troops from LIB328. On that day, the man was fishing in Nam Luay river when he was seized by a patrol of SPDC troops and badly beaten up. Skull fractured and bleeding, he was left lying in a pool of blood while the troops took away all his fishing outfit.

ARREST, BEATING AND EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG
On 25.2.99, SPDC troops from LIB519 arrested 2 men-villagers of Wan Oi, Murng Khawn tract, Kaeng-Tung township. The 2 men were Sai Pi, aged 19 and Loong Wun, aged 46. The troops accused them of being tax-collectors for a resistance group SSA-E (Shan State Army - Eastern), without any evidence, and interrogated them, beat and tortured them. Finally, the villagers of Wan Oi had to pay the military 20,000 Kyat for the release of the 2 victims.

SHOOTING OF LIVESTOCK IN MURNG-PHYAK
On 28.2.99, a group of 25 SPDC troops from LIB335 shot 2 buffalo belonging to the villagers at Murng Pak, Murng-Phyak township. The troops cut apart the carcasses, took only some of the best meat and left the scene. The villagers who lost their buffalo were:

1. Sai Kan-Na, aged 41
2. Lung Yaa Seng, aged 59

FORCED LABOUR IN TA-KHI-LAEK
Since June 1998, SPDC’s LIB526 in Ta-Khi-Laek has been forcing the civilian population to work in cultivating bean, onion, garlic and corn for the military every day. The people have to work in rotation and almost have no time to work for themselves. Some have to hire others to go in their place in order to be able to tend their own farms and it has cost them their hard earned money. Not only do the village people have to provide free labour for the military crops cultivation, but also the townspeople, and there has been a lot of complaining about their hard lives.

EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 21.1.99, 7 SPDC troops from Ta Lur-based LIB316 led by Capt Than Htaik seized 2 women villagers at Kawng Ke village, Murng Laen tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township. The SPDC captain accused the women of having returned from selling their bodies in Thailand and forced them to pay a fine of 6,000 Baht each, saying that it was against the State law to do so.

Though it was true that they had just returned from Thailand, they had only worked as housemaids and were able to return with some savings by working very hard and spending as little as possible, and only after paying all the obstacles on their way home. However, fearing further abuses, the women had no choice but to comply with the cruel demand of the SPDC captain.

The 2 women were:

1. Naang Seng Non, aged 19
2. Naang Sao Laeo, aged 18

ARREST AND EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 25.1.99, about 25 SPDC troops from LIB331 led by Capt Than Myint went to Murng Hai Nur village and arrested 3 men villagers who were ex-members of MTA (Mong Tai Army) but had surrendered since 1996. The troops accused them of collecting tax money for a resistance group SSA-E (Shan State Army - East), brought them to Ta-Khi-Laek and locked them up. They also interrogated, tortured and beat the villagers with rifle butts. Three days later, on 28.1.99, the villagers of Murng Hai had to pay 2,000 Kyat for each of the 3 men to be released. The 3 men suffered the following injuries:

1. Zaen Hong, aged 29, got a fractured skull from the rifle-butt-beating
2. Sai Pan, aged 21, suffered from a bad sprain at the waist
3. Saam Dip, aged 18, also received a fractured skull

PEOPLE FORCED TO ATTEND THE OPENING CEREMONY OF ‘TA SAANG BRIDGE’
A few weeks before the opening of ‘Ta Saang Bridge’, a new bridge built by the SPDC over the river Salween spanning the main road from Murng-Pan and Murng-Ton, which was to be on 20.2.99, the SPDC authorities concerned issued an order compelling the people in urng-Ton, Murng-Sart and Murng-pan townships to attend the ceremony.

At least 1 person from every house was required to go to the bridge. Any house that failed to do so would be fined 1,000 Kyat, said the order. Further more, in order to be there and ready to welcome the SPDC top brass generals headed by Maung Aye, who would be arriving by elicopters to preside over the ceremony, the people had to go in advance as early as on 17-18.2.99, providing their own food, and shelters if any.

For those who lived too far to go on foot, many civilian cars were conscripted for transportation. However, that was only for a one-way journey. After the ceremony was over, and the military authorities left the scene on cars and trucks, the people were left to find their own way home.