BEATING OF INNOCENT VILLAGERS, SOME TO DEATH, IN MURNG-NAI
In early August 1999, several villagers were severely beaten up one after another at several different villages in Kaeng Tawng area of Murng-Nai township by SPDC troops of 55th Division from Taunggyi.

On 7.8.99, about 300 SPDC troops from Kalaw-based 55th Division led by Commander Thein Win came to Kaeng Tawng area in Murng-Nai township. They arrested villagers who they thought were supporting the Shan resistance at several villages they passed through and interrogated them, beat and tortured them until some of them died.

At Nawng Phaa village, Nawng Hee tract, the troops interrogated and tortured to death a 73-year-old man, Loong Zarae Awn.

After that, they came to Waeng Kao village, Nawng Hee tract, and arrested a former headman named Loong Haeng Kawn. They accused him of supporting the Shan resistance and beat him until one of his legs was broken, and told him that if he confessed they would cure his leg so that it healed quickly, otherwise they would let him suffer for a long time before they killed him. He was said to be still alive at the time of this report.

The troops continued to Kun Mong village, Kun Mong tract, and beat up a secretary of the village tract headman, Zaai Khat-Ti-Ya. He was so badly beaten up that when the troops left it was not at all sure whether he was going to live or die.

As many as 13 villagers had already been beaten up at the time of this report and the troops were still continuing to beat up many more, and it was not sure who had died or survived. The other known victims were: Zaai Ti-Ya, leader of the youth community of Ton Hoong village; Aw-Zin-Na, Ton Hoong village headman; Wi-Ma-La, Ton Hoong village tract headman and his secretary, Zaai Saw-Na.

TORTURE AND KILLING IN MURNG-YAWNG
On 30.7.99, SPDC troops from LIB311, under the command of Maj Sein Htwa, severely beat up 3 villagers of Murng-Tin village in Murng-Yawng township, instantly killing one, causing death to another and seriously wounding the last.

On the day of the incident, about 60 troops from LIB311 came to Murng-Tin village and arrested 3 villagers. They suspected the villagers of knowing where some former members of the MTA (Mong Tai Army) had hidden their weapons and interrogated them right in the middle of the village.

While forcing the villagers to tell where the hidden arms cache was, the troops tortured and beat them up so harshly that one of them died on the spot. Another died later at the hospital and the last one suffered from serious head wounds and had to be hospitalized for some time.

The 3 victims were as follows:

1. Ai Khaat (m), aged 19, died on the spot in the middle of the village
2. Zaai Pao (m), aged 18, died at the hospital
3. Ai Kaang (m), aged 18, had to be hospitalized

RAPE, TORTURE AND EXTORTION OF RELOCATED VILLAGERS IN MURNG-KERNG
On 29.6.99, 7 villagers, 2 men and 5 women, were beaten and raped by an SPDC Captain, Win Naing, and his troops from LIB524 at their rice and sesame farms 3-1/2 miles west of Murng-Kerng town. The villagers were also extorted when trying to lodge a complaint at the LIB524 base.

The villagers were originally from Naa Pung village, Wan Phui tract, that had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of the town in August 1997. These villagers and several other groups of villagers had been going to work at the farms west of the town since April 1999.

On the day of the incident, about 35 SPDC troops from LIB524 led by Capt Win Naing saw a group of villagers who were working on a farm and arrested the following:

1. Loong Taan Lu (m), aged 51
2. Pa Tin (f), aged 47
3. Zaai Kham Mon (m), aged 30
4. Naang Seng Phaa (f), aged 27
5. Naang Thun Ung (f), aged 19
6. Naang Lawn (f), aged 17
7. Naang Wo (f), aged 15

The troops first separated men and women and tied up the men and interrogated them, asking them if they had seen or knew anything about the Shan soldiers while torturing and beating them all the time. When the men could not give them any information they wanted, the troops then brought the women one by one and interrogated them. The women also said they had not seen or heard anything about the Shan soldiers.

Eventually, the troops raped the 4 young women. The SPDC Captain took the youngest, Naang Wo, for himself and gave the other 3 to his officers. Naang Wo was so scared that she cried and struggled, and Captain Win Naing struck her on the head with his pistol, splitting her scalp and fracturing her skull. The troops let the villagers go after they had raped the women to their satisfaction.

Having got back to their house, Loong Taan Lu, Naang Wo’s father and also one of the victims, complained about her daughter’s plight to the headman and some members of the Village Committee and they all went to LIB524 base and lodged a complaint with Commander Aung Win.

Commander Aung Win then ordered 70 soldiers to line up and told Naang Wo to point out her rapist. Since Captain Win Naing was deliberately left out, Naang Wo could not find him among the soldiers in the line, so she was dismissed to be taken to the hospital by her relatives. Loong Taan Lu, the headman and members of the Village Committee, altogether 5 of them, were accused of defaming the military and were detained in the prison at the military base.

On the next day, 30.6.99, the villagers were told that they had committed a grave offence and could be punished as wanted by the military, and asked whether they would like to face punishment or pay money as a fine. However, before the villagers could give any answer, the headman was beaten with a stick until he lost consciousness.

Later, their families were ordered to pay 2,000 Kyat for the release of each of them and the rest of the victims that had been beaten and raped at the farm, including Naang Wo, were fined 500 Kyat each.

RAPE IN LAI-KHA
On 7.7.99, 2 SPDC soldiers from LIB515 raped a relocated village girl at a vegetable garden 1 mile away from Lai-Kha town.

The rape victim, Naang Thun Nae, aged 16, was the daughter of Loong Zing & Pa Lu of Tawng Heo village, Wan Thi tract, that had been forcibly relocated to Lai-Kha town by SPDC (formerly SLORC) troops in 1997. This family was able to get a plot of land to grow vegetables about 1 mile from the town.

Naang Thun Nae was gathering vegetables alone in their garden when 2 SPDC troops came to the edge of the garden and called her to go to them as if they were going to buy some vegetables.

However, when she got near them, as there was no one in sight at the time, the soldiers seized her, took her into a nearby bush and both of them raped her, and quickly left the site and returned to their military camp.

As soon as she was free, Naang Thun Nae cried and ran back to her house and told her parents about it. Her parents then took her to the village leaders who in turn led them to complain to the authorities at their military camp.

The company commander, Capt Saw Hpyu, who heard the complaint then ordered about over 30 of his troops to line up and told Naang Thun Nae to point at the ones who she said had raped her. However, she was not able to do that because the rapists had already been told to hide elsewhere and were not included in the line.

The SPDC commander then accused the village leaders of trying to vilify the military and arrested 2 of them, headman Loong Kawn and his deputy Loong Paan La, and ordered Naang Thun Nae’s father, Loong Zing, to bring 5,500 Kyat for the release of each of them. The village leaders were released only after the money had actually been paid.

RAPE IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 30.7.99, 2 SPDC troops from Ta Lur-based LIB316 raped a Lahu woman who was gathering wild vegetables outside her village in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

The woman, Ae Mi, aged 23, was gathering vegetables on the bank of Nam Kherm stream near her village, Naa Lao in Murng Laen tract, when the 2 soldiers seized and raped her. After both of them had raped her, they pointed their guns at her and threatened to kill her if she dared tell anyone about the incident..

However, Ae Mi did tell her father, Kya Lu, who in turn told their village headman. Though the girl’s father and the headman went to complain to the military authorities at LIB316 base and were promised that the culprit would be taught a proper lesson, nothing has been heard about anything being done in connection with this case.

BEATING AND EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG
On 15.7.99, SPDC troops from IB226 stationed at Loi Muay arrested 3 villagers of Wan Laen in Murng Khawn tract, Kaeng-Tung township.

The troops accused them of being agents who traded for SSA-E (Shan State Army - East), tied them up and beat and tortured them while interrogating them right in the middle of their village.

The villagers were released only when the village community leader and their families begged for their release by paying 5,000 Kyat for each of them.

The 3 villagers that were beaten were:

1. Ai Maat, male, aged 19. He suffered from a head wound that needed 3 stitches
2. Zaai Num, male, aged 20. He suffered from a sprained waist and legs and had to be hospitalized
3. Zaai Peng, male, aged 16. He suffered from a sprained leg, fractured head and broken teeth.

FARMERS DEPRIVED OF IRRIGATION WATER IN KAENG-TUNG
Farmers in the areas of Waw Khok, Kaeng Phawng, Yaang Kham and Zaang Saat villages have not been getting enough water to irrigate their rice fields since November 1998 because of a sand refining machine owned by the SPDC Commander of the Golden Triangle Command, Brig Gen Thein Sein.

Only some farmers who could afford water-pump machines have been able to irrigate their fields. The other farmers, who were in the majority, have faced great difficulties and they have tried to complain to the SPDC Township and District authorities about their grievances several times.

However, nothing has been done about it and the local authorities do not seem to have the courage to forward the complaint of the villagers, let alone to mention anything critical of the Special Regional Commander. The sand machine was said to have been running under the name of a certain influential semi-Mafia lord, U Ma Kot, since November 1998.

EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG
On 9.8.99, an order was issued by Brig Gen Thein Sein, the Commander of the Golden Triangle Special Regional Command, requiring all the military units in Kaeng-Tung township to grow different kinds of fruit-bearing trees at their respective locations.

The SPDC troops in turn ordered the villagers in their respective areas to provide them with the required trees. Each village was to bring to the military compound in its area 100 banana plants and a mix of 30 other kinds of fruit trees such as mango, grapefruit and guava etc.

Villages which did not have enough such trees had to collect money among the villagers, about 600 Kyat per house, and buy elsewhere to fill their quota.

TORTURE AND EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 16.8.99, 2 Lahu villagers were tortured and extorted by SPDC troops from LIB331 in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

On that day, 12 SPDC troops from Ta-Khi-Laek-based LIB331 came to Li Za village, Loi Taw Kham tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, and arrested 2 Lahu villagers.

They accused the villagers of assisting the Shan soldiers of SSA-E (Shan State Army - East) to procure rice and interrogated them. They beat and tortured them, using thick bamboo sticks to crush and roll on their shins until they lost consciousness several times.

The 2 Lahu villagers were released only after the villagers of Li Za paid 20,000 Kyat for each of them to the military as demanded. The 2 victims were:

1. Kya Yur (m), aged 33
2. Kya Pae (m), aged 26

PEOPLE FORCED TO BUY TREES FOR SPDC IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 16.8.99, the Chairman of the Township PDC in Ta-Khi-Laek, Capt Aung Win, acting under the directive of the District PDC Chairman, issued an order requiring the people in Ta-Khi-Laek township to buy trees from Thailand for the military.

The order came to all the village and tract headmen in Ta-Khi-Laek township demanding each house to buy 3-5 trees from Thailand and send them to the military base. The trees would have to be edible fruit bearing kinds such as mango, jackfruit, lichee, lamyai and peach etc. and would be distributed among military personnel and SPDC civil servants.

The local people were complaining about it and were sure that they not only had to provide the trees but would also be forced to plant and look after them for the SPDC people.

EXTORTION OF CATTLE TRADERS IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 9.8.99, SPDC troops from LIB526 led by Cpt Tint Lwin extorted 150,000 Kyat from a group of cattle traders in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

A patrol of 25 troops led by Cpt Tint Lwin met a group of cattle traders with 75 head of cattle at Wan Mark Kawk village, Murng Ko tract, and forced them to pay taxes for their cattle, 5,000 Kyat for each head, or they would take away all the cattle.

The traders begged the troops to have pity on them and, after some begging and bargaining, the troops reduced the amount to 2,000 Kyat per head. The traders had no choice but to succumb and find the money for the troops in order not to lose all their cattle.

EXTORTION OF WELL-TO-DO HOUSE OWNERS IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 10.8.99, the deputy chairman of the Narcotics Control Board in Ta-Khi-Laek township, Cpt Hla Myint, and 4-5 policemen under his command extorted 125,000 Baht of money from some civilians in Murng Phong tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township.

They entered some big houses which they thought had money and interrogated the owners, inquiring about their incomes and how they made a living and other private and personal matters.

Eventually they accused the house owners of being involved in amphetamine trafficking and demanded money, threatening to take action against them if they did not comply.

In this way, they were able to extort in a single day 125,000 Thai Baht from 6 houses in Murng Phong area, ranging from 15,000 Baht, 20,000 Baht up to 30,000 Baht from each house.

EXTORTION OF AKHA VILLAGERS IN TA-KHI-LAEK
On 5.8.99, Capt Zaw Lwin Moe from the Ta-Khi-Laek-based Unit 24 of the SPDC Military Intelligence Service and his informer, Zaai Sae, went to an Akha village in Loi Taw Kham tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, and extorted money from the villagers..

They said they needed 300,000 Baht to buy a car for the head of the MIS in Ta-Khi-Laek, Maj Thein Han, and demanded it from the village headman.

They said that they would let the Akha villagers continue their amphetamine business if they agreed to help the MIS. If not, they would tell the Narcotics Control Board to give them trouble in whatever way possible.

It was said that, eventually, the villagers agreed to pay the demanded money.

ARREST AND BEATING IN MURNG-KHARK
In late July 1999, 3 villagers were severely beaten up by SPDC troops of Murng-Khark-based IB227.

On 26.7.99, 7 SPDC troops from IB227 led by Lt Hla Tint came to Wan Tap village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township and arrested 3 villagers under the suspicion that they helped distribute propaganda leaflets of SSA-E.

The troops brought the villagers to the military base and interrogated them, beat and tortured them and detained them until 29.7.99.

They were released only under the guarantee of the village leaders. After their release, all of them had to be hospitalized in Murng-Khark and treated for 2 days before they could go home. All of them suffered from head wounds and had to be stitched. The 3 victims were:

1. Ai Lap (m), aged 21, of Wan Tap village
2. Ai Wong (m), aged 19, of Wan Tap village
3. Zai Kam (m), aged 36, of Wan Tap village

WOMEN FORCED TO WORK IN MURNG-KHARK
From 29.7.99 until 29.8.99, women in Murng-Khark township were forced to grow soya bean and peanut for the military by SPDC troops of LIB328.

Each day, 60 women were required to provide free labour at the soya bean and peanut farms and it was warned that if anyone whose turn was due failed to show up, the troops would personally go and get her at her house.

Since it coincided with the rice cultivating season, it caused a great deal of trouble for the people to tend their own crops, because men traditionally relied on their women to prepare food and take care of other matters while they worked in the rice fields.

However, fearing unreasonable punishment, people had to go, and those who really could not go because their crops needed to be urgently tended had to hire others to go instead. The hiring fee was 1,500 Kyat for each shift.

EXTORTION, BULLYING AND BEATING IN MURNG-YARNG
On 28.7.99, SPDC troops from Murng-Yarng-based IB279 beat up a village leader of Wan Nam village, Yarng Lao tract, Murng-Yarng township, for failing to provide pork and chicken as demanded and forced the villagers to give twice as much as a punishment.

In mid July 1999, SPDC troops of IB279 ordered the villagers in Murng-Yarng township to provide pork and chicken on 26.7.99 for the birthday party of the Battalion Commander. Each village was required to bring 3 viss of pork and chicken.

Coincidentally, the villagers of Wan Nam were too busy preparing for the religious ceremony that marked the beginning of the Buddhist lent on 27.7.99 and had forgotten to provide the stuff on the designated day.

On 28.7.99, some troops came to Wan Nam village and arrested the village headman, Loong Sen Nan-Ti, aged 49, tied him up and took him to the military base. They shouted at him, scolded him and beat him, and eventually ordered him to provide twice the amount of pork and chicken that had previously been demanded.

Loong Sen Nan-Ti was beaten with a rifle butt and suffered from a sprained waist and fractured head.

EXTORTION IN THE MILITARY BASE IN MURNG-YARNG
In Murng-Yarng, an association of housewives was formed among the wives of the military personnel and a rule was set up that anyone who went to work outside of the military compound to earn wages must give half of her wages to the Association for central funds.

On 5.8.99, a wife of a private soldier, Yi Yi Myint, who had gone out to work returned with so little money that she was suspected of leaving some of her money with some villagers and was punished.

She was banned from going outside the military compound for 7 days and during that period was required to do menial work such as cleaning the floors of the offices and other sanitation work. Her husband, a Private, felt so sorry for his wife that he even helped her do some of the work every day.

ROBBERY IN MURNG-YAWNG
On 10.8.99, villagers returning from the town market in Murng-Yawng were robbed of their Chinese money by SPDC soldiers at Ta Luay, a crossing point on Nam Luay river.

On that day, 7 villagers from Murng-Yu village, who went to the market in town and were returning in a car, were stopped by a group of about 25 SPDC troops at Ta Luay.

The troops searched all the villagers and took away all the money they were carrying. All their money was in Chinese Yuan. The following were the 7 villagers and the money they lost:

1. Loong Pan-Yaa (m), aged 51, lost 75 Yuan
2. Pa Naang Po (f), aged 46, lost 52 Yuan
3. Zaai Non (m), aged 26, lost 130 Yuan
4. Naang Leo (f), aged 18, lost 100 Yuan
5. Naang Peng (f), aged 16, lost 39 Yuan
6. Naang La Keo (f), aged 17, lost 160 Yuan
7. Naang In Seng (f), aged 16, lost 65 Yuan

(Note: The money exchange rate in August was 1 Yuan = 3.6 Baht)

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-YAWNG
In July 1999, SPDC troops of LIB311 ordered the villagers of Hawng Zaang and Hawng Koey villages to cut firewood for them. The 2 villages would have to cut 30 ‘Waa’ of firewood for the military (1 Waa = a pile of about 2-feet-long pieces of firewood, 1 armspan high and wide).

Because wood had become so scarce in that area, the villagers were not able to find the demanded amount of firewood. However, the villagers were still forced to provide money, 30,000 Kyat from each village, on 24.7.99.

SHOOTING OF LIVESTOCK AND FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-PHYAK
On 1.8.99, 12 SPDC troops from Murng-Khark led by Cpt Win Thu shot 2 pigs belonging to Lahu villagers at Nam Naang village in Murng-Phyak township, without asking or paying anything to the villagers.

After they had shot the pigs, the troops forced 2 Lahu villagers, Kya Lu and Kya Pur, to carry the carcasses all the way to Ta-Khi-Laek - Kaeng-Tung main road, over 4 hours of walking distance, without paying them anything.

Kya Pa (m), aged 46 and Kya U (m), aged 40, lost their pigs which were worth 3,000 Kyat and 2,600 Kyat respectively.

BULLYING BY POLICE IN MURNG-PHYAK
On 7.8.99, 3 SPDC policemen, led by Sgt Ye Hlaing, beat up a civilian man in the town of Murng-Phyak until he was bruised all over.

In the morning of that day, Sgt Ye Hlaing borrowed a motorcycle, a purple Honda Dream, from a man, Zaai Keo, who lived in the market quarter of the town. He used the motorcycle for the whole day and when he returned it, the left side leg protection board was broken and half torn away..

Zaai Keo, the motorcycle owner, was discontented and demanded that Ye Hlaing fix it and pay the cost. But, instead of fixing the motorcycle, the police Sergeant went away and came back with other 2 policemen and beat up Zaai Keo until there were bruises all over his body.

Although Zaai Keo had complained to the Township PDC authorities about this, there has been no sign of any action taken against the bullying policeman.

FORCED LABOUR AND ROBBING OF LIVESTOCK IN KUN-HING
On 17.7.99, SPDC troops at IB246 base in Kun-Hing killed and ate 2 oxen belonging to a relocated villager who they had just forced to carry firewood for them with his ox-cart.

On that day, Capt Zaw Htun of IB246 had ordered the villagers who had been relocated to the town 2-3 years ago to provide firewood for the military.

A villager, Loong Pan-Ti, aged 53, was told by his headman to use his ox-cart to transport some firewood to the military base. When Loong Pan-Ti unloaded his ox-cart and was about to leave, he was told to leave his ox-cart in the base and to come and get it later.

Having no choice and not wanting any argument with the soldiers, he then went home to eat his lunch.

When Loong Pan-Ti came back to the military base that evening to get his ox-cart, the soldiers were already busy cutting the meat of his 2 cart-oxen. Loong Pan-Ti was so shocked that he cried and went to complain to the headman.

When the headman and some village leaders went to the military base to enquire about it, the soldiers simply told them that they had killed Loong Pan-Ti’s 2 oxen because they needed meat and that if the villagers pitied him, they should collect money among themselves and pay him or get new oxen for him, and told the headman to tell Loong Pan-Ti to come and get back his cart.

Eventually, knowing that Loong Pan-Ti was in a difficult situation, the headman had to collect money from the villagers and bought a new pair of oxen that cost 45,000 Kyat for him.