SHRF MONTHLY REPORT
MAY 2000

DISPLACED FARMERS SHOT DEAD, THEIR GRANARIES BURNED, IN KUN-HING

On 7.4.00, 3 displaced farmers were shot dead and their camps and granaries were burnt by SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) troops from IB72 at their farms in the forest 2-1/2 miles south of Kun-Hing town, Kun-Hing township.
The victims were among the displaced farming populations who had been forced to move to the outskirts of the town from the surrounding rural villages a few years ago by SLORC/SPDC (SLORC = State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.
Having been farmers all their life, many of them have since then been trying to grow crops in places somewhat distant from the town because land for farming was not available near it, though some have turned to some other means of livelihood such as wage labourers and peddlers of food stuff and small things.
There were 5 families farming close together in the area where the event took place. The heads of the families were:

1. Lung Na-Ling (m), aged 35, originally from Loi Yarng village, Kun Pu tract
2. Lung Wi (m), aged 30, originally from Na Saai village, Loi Keng tract
3. Zaai Zaam Khaa Laai (m), aged 20, originally from Maak Laang village, Saai Khaao tract
4. Lung Kung-Na (m), aged 43, originally from Naa Ho Kho village, Loi Kheo tract
5. Lung Sara Wi (m), aged 62, originally from Kung Ke village, Loi Ke tract

These 5 families had been able to grow different crops such as rice, bean, sesame and vegetables in different seasons for 2-3 years and had managed to stockpile some of their unhulled rice at their camps where they stayed and worked during busy times, about 60-80 baskets per family, from which they drew a little at a time for their regular consumption.
On the day of the incident, a column of about 170 SPDC troops from IB72, from Loi Kaw township in Karenni State, led by Maj. Aung Win, that was patrolling the area came upon some farms and, seeing some farmers in their camp huts, shot at them without any warnings or questions.
Some farmers managed to run away and escaped, but 3 of them were shot and beaten to death. They were:

1. Lung Sara Wi (m), aged 62, got hit with a bullet in the head before he could run and instantly killed
2. Lung Na-Ling (m), aged 35, wounded in his upper right thigh while running away and died on the way before he could reach his house
3. Zaai Zit-Ta (m), aged 21, son of Lung Sara Wi, got caught alive and beaten to death in their farm

After shooting the farmers, the troops searched the camps and took away what they wanted, and burned down all the huts and granaries they found and continued to search the area for 7-8 days before they marched towards Kaeng Tawng areas in Murng-Nai township.

HIDING PLACES OF DISPLACED FARMERS LOOTED AND BURNED,
THEIR HANDICAPPED DAUGHTER RAPED AND KILLED IN KUN-HING

On 11.4.00, SPDC troops from IB246 looted and burned the camps and granaries of the displaced farmers who were hiding in some small remote islands in Nam Paang river, and raped and killed a handicapped 18-year-old girl and dumped her body into the river, in Kun-Hing township.
These farmers, altogether 8 families, were originally from Kun Pan village that had been forcibly relocated by SLORC/SPDC troops 3-4 years ago and, after finding that it was virtually impossible for them to earn a decent living as farmers in the relocation site due to lack of farming land, had been hiding in remote islands for 2-3 years, growing crops on small plots of land and catching fish and games for food.
Due to good rice harvests resulting from hard work and the fertile soil of the islands over that 2-3 years, the farmers managed to stockpile some of their extra rice in granaries hidden under thick brush and dense forest. They also managed to keep some livestock like chickens, pigs and cattle in their camps.
On that day, a patrol of about 100 SPDC troops, with 20 forced civilian porters, from IB246 led by Capt. Htun Myint searched the area and found the camps of the farmers. The troops looted the camps, taking all they wanted including food, livestock and other possessions, and eventually burned down the camps and all the rice granaries.
The following list is of the names of family heads, numbers of family members and the possessions they lost:

1. Lung Loi Ngern (m), aged 70, 6 family members, lost 120 baskets of unhulled rice, 2-1/2 baskets of rice, 21 chickens and 3 pigs
2. Lung Pung-Nya (m), aged 65, 6 family members, lost 60 baskets of unhulled rice, 3-1/2 baskets of rice, 2 pigs
3. Lung Nu (m), aged 50, 5 family members, lost 44 baskets of unhulled rice, 12 baskets of rice, 18 chickens and 1 pig
4. Lung Ka-Wi (m), aged 75, 7 family members, lost 32 baskets of unhulled rice, 1-1/2 baskets of rice, 22 chickens, 6 pigs and 2 water buffalo
5. Lung Thun (m), aged 50, 6 family members, lost 52 baskets of unhulled rice, 6-1/2 baskets of rice, 24 chickens and 7 pigs
6. Lung Serng Wi (m), aged 87, 8 family members, lost 68 baskets of unhulled rice, 6-1/2 baskets of rice, 7 chickens, 5 pigs, 2 cows and an old model ‘National’ tape recorder
7. Lung Pu Nae (m), aged 80, 7 family members, lost 60 baskets of unhulled rice, 6-1/2 baskets of rice, 1 musket and an old model ‘National’ shortwave radio
8. Lung Zan-Ta (m), aged 45, 5 family members, lost 12 baskets of unhulled rice and 2 baskets of rice

The camps were deserted when the troops came because all the farmers had run away just before their arrival. However, a handicapped girl who could not run away was caught by the troops near the camps. Naang Oo, aged 18, was physically and mentally handicapped; she could not walk properly because one of her legs was badly deformed and she could not speak sensibly or communicate properly with others.
The SPDC Captain, nevertheless, interrogated her for some time, beating and torturing her. When it became clear that she was mentally handicapped and could not answer his questions sensibly, he ordered his troops to take her away, saying, “Take her away, I don’t want to see this kind of fool anymore”.
The soldiers took her away and gang-raped her and eventually shot her dead on the bank of Nam Poon stream, a tributary of Nam Paang river, and dumped her body down into the water.

A ‘LOI-LA’ MAN BEATEN TO DEATH, VILLAGERS THREATENED, IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 27.3.00, a Loi-La (one of the tribes relating to ‘Wa’) man, Ai Lao, aged 28, of Kui Nam Ngaw village was accused of stealing a cow and beaten to death by SPDC troops of LIB334 near his village in Huay Pha tract, Murng-Yawng township.
SPDC troops of Company No.2 from LIB334, that were stationed at a bridge on Nam Luay river, had been forcibly seizing cattle from the villagers, 1-2 head from each village tract in an area at a time, and keeping them for their own consumption and for producing dried meat to be sold to the villagers in the area to get some extra money.
On the day of the incident, one of the soldiers’ cows went astray and got lost and some troops were sent out to search for it. At that moment, Ai Lao was gathering firewood not very far from his village and when the troops saw him they arrested him without asking any questions.
The troops accused Ai Lao of having stolen their cow and hidden it somewhere and started to beat and kick him. Although Ai Lao tried repeatedly to explain that he had not stolen or hidden any cow and that he was just gathering firewood, the troops did not listen to him, but all the soldiers in the group continued to beat and kick him until he died on the spot.
After they had killed Ai Lao, the troops went to the village headman of Kui Nam Ngaw village and said, “A villager of yours has stolen our ‘military’ cow and we have beaten him to death. Tell all your villagers, who ever does like him will be dead like him”, and immediately left the village.

RAPE OF DISPLACED WOMEN IN KUN-HING

In late April 2000, 4 women who were peddling small things and food stuff in the countryside were arrested, forced to act as guides and raped for 5 days and 4 nights by SPDC troops from LIB246 led by Capt. Htun Myint, in Kun-Hing township.
The victims were originally from Kun Pu and Nawng Hai village tracts that had been forced to move to the outskirts of Kun-Hing town in 1997 by SLORC/SPDC troops and had since then been trying to subsist by working in many different ways because there was no land for them to farm in the area.
These women had been secretly peddling small things like tobacco, tea, salt and other small food stuff among the displaced persons who were hiding in remote places for 3-4 months. They exchanged their merchandise, which they bought on credit from the shops in the town, with dried fish and meat and other forest produce gathered by the hiding people, which they brought back and sold them in the town. With the money, they paid their debts and bought rice for their families.
On 25.4.00, while they were going towards those places, on the way before they reached them, they ran into a patrol of SPDC troops who were searching the area, about 100 troops from IB246 led by Capt. Htun Myint (the same troops as those in the previous event on 11.4.00).
The SPDC troops arrested and interrogated the women, and forced them to lead the way to the secret camps of the displaced persons where they used to go and peddle their goods. After much coercion and threat, the women took them to the camps that had already been burned by the same troops on 11.4.00.
The troops then told the women to show them other places, but the women said that this was the only place they knew and used to come to peddle their goods. The troops, however, continued to patrol the area and took the women with them for 5 days and 4 nights.
At nights, the Captain took the youngest woman and raped her, while his officers and troops raped the rest. After 5 days and 4 nights the troops got back to their base and the women were released, but all their merchandise was taken or eaten and all the little money they had was also searched and taken by the troops.
When they got back to their families, the women were said to have consoled them and themselves by saying that they were lucky they had not been killed and bereaved their children of their mothers and their husbands their wives, despite having been arrested and raped by the SPDC troops.
The 4 victims were:

1. (Pa Wai), aged 37, originally from Kun Pu village, Kun Pu tract
2. (Naang Thawn), aged 24, originally from Naa Mawn village, Nawng Hai tract
3. (Naang Thun Nae), aged 22, originally from Naa Mawn village, Nawng Hai tract
4. (Naang Ing), aged 19, originally from Naa Mawn village, Nawng Hai tract

RAPE AS A MEANS TO GET A WIFE IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 9.4.00, a villager of Wan Paw village, (Naang In Keo), aged 19, was raped by a Private, Kyaw San, from Co. No.2 of LIB334 at a place near her village in Murng Yu tract, Murng-Yawng township.
(Naang In Keo) and 2 other women from the same village were gathering wild vegetables along the banks of Nam Paw stream some distance from their village when, at about 16:00 hrs in the evening, one SPDC soldier suddenly appeared from nowhere and grabbed (Naang In Keo) and dragged her into a nearby bush. The other 2 women were too frightened to help their friend and ran away towards their village.
Although (Naang In Keo) struggled at the best of her strength to get away, the soldier was just too strong for her, and because he also threatened to shoot her dead if she kept struggling, she had to give in and the soldier raped her to his satisfaction.
The SPDC soldier who raped (Naang In Keo) was a Private named Kyaw San from Company No.2 of Murng-Yawng-based LIB334 and, because he had visited the village several times before, most villagers of Nam Paw had known him for some time, and he had even bought food at (Naang In Keo’s) food stall in front of her house many times.
When (Naang In Keo’s) farther and the village headman tried to lodge a complaint with the Commander of Company No.2 at the military camp, no action whatsoever was taken to address their plight. Since the culprit was undeniably guilty, the Commander said, “It happened because my soldier loves your daughter. If you are afraid of losing face, isn’t it good after all to let your daughter become Kyaw San’s wife?”
The villagers could say nothing and returned quietly to the village with their heads down.

AKHA VILLAGERS BEATEN IN TA-KHI-LAEK (TACHILEK)

On 10.4.00, 6 Akha villagers were arrested, accused of being intelligence agents of SSA-E (Shan State Army - East) and severely beaten by SPDC troops from LIB331 at Huay Sa village in Murng Hai tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township.
On the day of the incident, at 5:00 hrs early in the morning, about 30 SPDC troops from Company No.3 of LIB331 surrounded Huay Sa, an Akha village, and selectively arrested 6 male villagers. The troops tied the villagers up together in the centre of the village and interrogated them, accusing them of spying for SSA-E and beat and tortured them.
The troops beat, kicked and struck them with their rifle butts until all the villagers sustained a lot of severe injuries, but still the villagers kept denying the charge. The troops then called out the village leaders and ordered them to take responsibility and guarantee that the villagers would behave themselves in the future, and released them.
All the victims suffered from fractured heads and sprains and bruises all over and could not walk or stand up. Most of the serious wounds were said to have been caused by the beating with rifle butts which was extremely painful and even more damaging than the beating and kicking with hands and boots.
Aa To (m), aged 34, was the oldest among the victims and sustained more injuries than the others. He was so beaten up that he was near dead.

FORCED PORTERING AND BEATING IN MURNG-SART

On 1.4.00, 7 Palaung male villagers of Wan En village were forcibly taken as porters by SPDC troops from LIB527, in Murng Lung tract, Murng-Sart township. One of the porters was later beaten by the Commander of the troops.
The villagers were seized by the troops in their village and made to carry military things as well as lead the way to Murng Pak village tract area. The villagers led the troops by a shortcut route which went through forests, brush and undergrowth.
After some time the Commander became quite angry because of the difficulty in following the route and called one of the porters, who was also one of the village leaders, and punched him on the face with his fist. Ai Zaen was hit right on one of his eyes with the Commander’s fist, causing a painful bruise over it.
The leader of the porters was beaten because the SPDC troops thought the villagers had deliberately led them through a difficult route and caused them a lot of troubles. The villagers were released on 3.4.00.

LAND CONFISCATED AND RESOLD IN MURNG-TON

In March 2000, the Commander of SPDC Murng-Ton-based IB65, Lt.Col. Swe Myint, confiscated 50 acres of cultivated land from the people of Murng Harng in Murng-Ton township and sold them to the new ‘Wa’ settlers at the rate of 15,000 Kyat per acre.
The land, consisting of 17 acres of rice fields and 43 acres of gardens and orchards, was located on the northeast of Murng Harng village and had been cultivated by the villagers for a long time.
The owners of the land later cried and tried to beg the SPDC Commander to have mercy and give back their land. Commander Swe Myint, however, only told the ‘Wa’ buyers to pay the owners 200 Kyat for each acre of the land as compensation.
The farmers, however, having been deprived of their farming land with not enough money to acquire new land, have already left their village and headed for Thailand at the time of this report.

FORCED LABOUR AND SCOLDING IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 5.4.00, SPDC troops of Ta-Lur-based LIB316 issued an order requiring the villagers of Huay Tai village and Pa Saang Mai village in Ta-Lur tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, to prepare the ground of the military farm for cultivation for 3 days, 6-8.4.00.
Some villagers, confused over why only their 2 villages were required to go and not the other villages in the tract, went and asked the Commander of the troops, only to be angrily scolded by him.
“Whichever village I order, that village has to do. You have no right to ask this and that or feel envious. Your duty is to do what you are told the best you can”, said the Commander. The villagers dared not say anything more and did as they were told.

EXTORTION IN MURNG-PHYAK

On 8.4.00, 2 women from Yaang Kham village, Wan Lom tract, Murng-Phyak township, were extorted of 15,000 Kyat each by the township police.
Naang Phawng, aged 33 and Naang Tip, aged 21, of Yaang Kham village, were summoned to the township Police Station in Murng-Phyak town and forced to pay a fine of 15,000 Kyat each.
They were accused of having gone to work in Thailand without permission and forced to pay the fine.

EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In April 2000, 3 villagers of Saalaa Wan Mai village in Phang Min tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, were arrested and extorted of 30,000 Baht of Thai money each by police and members of the township USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association), a bogus non-governmental organization organized by the SPDC.
On 21.4.00, 7 members of USDA with 3 policemen came to Saalaa Wan Mai village and arrested 3 villagers in their farms, accused them of being amphetamine traffickers and detained them in a Buddhist temple at Saw Kong village in the same tract.
These 3 villagers, Zaai Paan, aged 22, Zaai Leng, aged 26 and Zaai Kam, aged 31, were know among the local people to be simple farmers who grew rice and soya bean and kept some livestock. Their financial status was no better than any other ordinary local farmers and they had never engaged in any kind of trading business.
However, the USDA members accused them of being amphetamine dealers and extorted money from them, forcing them to pay 30,000 Baht each and threatening to send them to prison if they refused.
The farmers explained that they had never bought or sold any amphetamine of any kind, though they confessed they had a few times taken it at social occasions such as weddings and funerals in the village tract. But the USDA members insisted on getting the money and threatened to take the farmers to the town prison.
The farmers were so frightened that they finally agreed to pay the money and sent one of them, Zaai Paan, to borrow it from their fellow villagers and paid the demanded amount.
Later, these farmers had to sell their livestock and other belongings to pay back their debts.

SHOOTING OF LIVESTOCK IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 6.4.00, a patrol 7 SPDC troops from LIB311 came to Ho La village in Tong Noi tract, Murng-Yawng township, and shot dead a large boar that was lying in a mud hole in the centre of the village and ordered the village headman to order his villagers to cut up 10 viss of pork for them.
The pig belonged to an Akha man, Aa Li, aged 46, and was worth no less than 7,600 Kyat in the market. About 10 days ago, there had been people who offered that price for the pig, but Aa Li had wanted 8,500 Kyat and he had to wait for new buyers.
After they had taken their 10 viss of pork, the troops left the village without paying anything for it or even bothering to say a word of thanks to the villagers.

TV AND VIDEO OWNERS REQUIRED TO PAY TAXES IN MURNG-SAR

In April 2000, people who owned TV and Video sets in Murng-Ton and Murng-Sart townships were required to pay taxes to the military authorities.
On 27.3.00, the Deputy Commander of Military Tactical Command in Murng-Sart issued an order to village and community leaders in the township to provide lists of people who either owned TV or Video sets or both.
On 1.4.00, the Commander issued another order requiring the civilian leaders to collect taxes on TV and Video sets from the owners and bring them to the base of IB49 in Murng-Sart no later than 15.4.00. Any headmen or leaders who failed to provide the tax money before the specified date would face severe punishment.
In Murng-Ton, similar orders were issued virtually at the same time by the military authorities in the township.
The taxes were fixed at 2,000 Kyat per TV set per year. The same amount was set for Video sets, but those who used their Video sets for ‘Karaoke’ entertainment were required to pay an additional 2,000 Kyat per set.
Owners who failed to pay the taxes on time would be fined and their machines confiscated, said the orders.

FORCED PORTERING IN PEACEFUL CEASEFIRE AREA IN SI-PAW

In January 2000, on a military operation in Murng Khur tract area, Si-Paw township, a column of about 100 SPDC troops from Nam-Lan-based LIB506 led by Maj. Kaung Kyaw had forcibly taken several civilians to serve as porters for several days.
The following is an account of one of the porters who had to serve the military for 13 days, from 10.1.00 to 22.1.00.
On 10.1.00, at about 8:00 hrs in the morning, Ai Zaam, aged 26, a Palaung villager of Naa Mawn village, Murng Khur tract, Si-Paw township, was seized at his village by a passing column of SPDC troops from LIB506 to serve as a porter.
He was forced to carry rice and some backpacks of the soldiers. There were about 30 civilian porters with him at the time. It was said that the troops came from Paang Hung village early in that morning, drew their rations at Ho Kho village military camp and came to Naa Mawn village where they took Ai Zaam.
For several days, the troops searched along the route which went through several villages, somewhat in a circle, in Murng-Khur tract. From Naa Mawn they went through Paeng Hak, Kawng Saang, Wan Kawng (Kung Kaw), Wan Li, Loi Ngern, Kung Paang Khe, Loi Tao, Long Lam, Murng Tung, Loi Paang Zalawp, Sop Tung, Wan Kaang, Wan Paan and Naa Tawng villages. From Naa Tawng they came back to Wan Paan and, on 22.1.00, to Mark Khi Nu and Paang Hung where they had left on 10.1.00.
On 22.1.00, at Paang Hung village, 12 porters were released, including Ai Zaam, after serving for several days and were suffering from badly injured feet and shoulders. But the same number of new porters were taken to replace them, and even 1 ox-cart was taken in addition.
During the 13-days period in which Ai Zaam had to serve as a porter, the troops took 7 more civilian porters at different points and 4 of the soldiers from Company No.3 deserted. While travelling, several porters were beaten, particularly those from Murng Tung were most hit. All the porters were tied up to their loads, and were untied only at eating and sleeping times.
In the villages, the troops took the chickens they wanted without paying. They bought 2 pigs for the troops on the way, enough to distribute 1 viss of pork to each soldier.
The rice they fed the porters was rotten and had horrible smell, and was given with only salt. Only when they happened to be eating in a village, could the porters ask for some dried or pickled bean or vegetables from the villagers.
As a result of 13-days portering, Ai Zaam suffered from extreme weakness and badly injured feet and shoulders.