6 MEMBERS OF A FARMING FAMILY KILLED IN A GROUP IN MURNG-PAN

On 2.8.00, SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) troops from Company No.4 of LIB520 led by Capt. Aung Hpe massacred a group of 6 farmers at their rice farm about 3 miles north of their village in Ho Lin tract, Murng-Pan township.

The victims were members of a 7-member family from Wan Nyawng Khong Khaang in Ho Lin tract who had been staying and working at their rice farm since June of this year. Over the 2-3 months while they were staying at the farm, several patrols of SPDC troops had passed by their farm several times and some had even stopped and asked for food and drinking water, but no one did any harm to them.

However, on the day of the incident, a patrol of 45-50 SPDC troops from LIB520 led by No.4 Company Commander, Capt. Aung Hpe, entered the farm and ordered the head of the family, Lung Pan-Ta, a 59-year-old man, to call the farmers to gather at a place. Since one of the family members had gone to fetch water some distance away from the farm, only 6 were gathered before the SPDC Captain.

Capt. Aung Hpe then accused the farmers of being supporters of the Shan resistance who were stationed there to collect intelligence for SSA (Shan State Army) troops and, before the farmers could make any response, ordered his troops to shoot them. All 6 farmers were shot dead together at the same spot.

Naang Nae, a 14-year-old girl, who was returning from fetching water and nearing to the farm, heard the sounds of the gunfire and ran away from the farm.

The following is the list of the family members of the victims:

Later, after burying the bodies of the dead, some village and community leaders went to complain to the Commander of LIB332 about the massacre of the innocent villagers.

However, the LIB332's Commander only said that because some of his troops often passed by that way, the troops from LIB520 might have mistaken them as rebel soldiers and misinterpreted the situation and shot the villagers dead, and told them to go and look at the dead and bury them properly.

2 DISPLACED SISTERS RAPED AND KILLED IN NAM-ZARNG

On 18.7.00, SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) troops from IB66 led by Capt. Htay Aung raped and killed 2 displaced women at their rice farm about 3 miles north of Nam-Zarng town, Nam-Zarng township.

The victims were sisters, Naang Tawng, aged 18 and Naang Maai, aged 16, who were originally from Haang Lin village in Naa Poi tract that had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Nam-Zarng town by SLORC/SPDC (SLORC = State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops in 1997.

Since there was no job and no land for them to farm near the town, these 2 victims and their families, like many other displaced villagers, had been trying to grow rice at a remote place some distance from the town.

On the day of the incident, the 2 sisters were working alone in their farm when a patrol of about 60 SPDC troops, with some civilian porters and guides, of Company No.3 from IB66, led by Capt. Htay Aung surrounded the farm and arrested them.

The SPDC troops took Naang Maai into a nearby farm hut and raped her. At the same time, Naang Tawng was taken by other troops to the edge of the farm and raped.

Eventually, the troops beat both women to death and just left their bodies at the places where they had raped them.

8 DISPLACED VILLAGERS KILLED, INCLUDING A WOMAN WHO WAS RAPED, IN KUN-HING

During the first half of July 2000, 8 displaced villagers who were foraging for food were killed by a patrol of SPDC troops from Company No.4 of IB246 led by Capt. Kyaw Myint, in Kun-Hing township.

On 2.7.00, the said patrol of about 35 SPDC troops beat to death a man they met in the forest who was carrying some dried fish and vegetables.

The man was Zaai Wun, aged 29, originally from Nawng Khawn village in Ho Yaan tract, Kun-Hing township, who had been hiding with his family on an islet in Nam Paang river since their village had been forcibly relocated by SLORC/SPDC troops 3-4 years ago. At their hiding place, his family fished and grew some vegetables, some of which they sold and used to buy rice in the town.

On that day, Zaai Wun was taking 4 viss of dried fish and some vegetables secretly to the town to sell and buy rice for his family. But before he reached the town and was still in a forest at some distance, he ran into the said SPDC troops who seized him, searched and interrogated him, took away all his food stuff and possessions and eventually beat him to death in the forest.

On 8.7.00, the same SPDC patrol beat to death a displaced man and a woman, who was also raped before being killed, in a forest some distance from Kun-Hing town.

The man, Zaai Pan and the woman, Pa Mung, aged 40, were also displaced persons who were in hiding and on that day they were taking some vegetables and 3 viss of dried deer meat to sell and buy rice in the town when they met the SPDC troops before they reached the town.

The troops stopped them, took all their belongings and interrogated them, and raped Pa Mung. Some time later, they beat and interrogated them until they both died.

On 14.7.00, the same SPDC patrol beat to death 5 other displaced persons-in-hiding who were returning from Kun-Hing town after buying rice for their families, in a forest some distance from the town. The 5 victims were:

These villagers were originally from Naa Khu village in Ho Yaan tract, Kun-Hing township, that had been forcibly relocated by SLORC/SPDC troops 3-4 years ago. Since then, because it was virtually impossible for them to be able to survive in the relocation site due to the lack of work and farming land, these men and their families had been hiding in the jungle near Nam Paang river where they could fish and grew some vegetables on its banks.

Though they could not grow rice for fear of being more easily detected, they managed to buy their rice by selling some of the fish they caught and some vegetables in the town.

These men were killed by the SPDC troops while bringing rice back to feed their families who were waiting for them at their hiding places.

3 DISPLACED WOMEN RAPED FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN NAM-ZARNG

During the first half of July 2000, 3 displaced women were taken with them and raped for several days by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB99 led by Capt. Than Maung, in Kho Lam area of Nam-Zarng township.

On 5.7.2000, a column of about 80 SPDC troops from IB99 led by Capt. Than Maung, who were patrolling the Kho Lam area in Nam-Zarng township, seized 2 displaced women who were working at their farm and forced them to go with them for 4 days and 3 nights, until 8.7.00.

During the 4 days and 3 nights, the 2 women were repeatedly raped day and night by all the troops who wanted to do so.

The victims, Naang Ngern Lu, aged 37 and Naang Kham Suay, aged 35, were originally from Haang Naa village in Wan Zid tract that had been forcibly relocated to Kho Lam by SLORC/SPDC troops in 1997.

On 10.7.00, the same troops, who were still patrolling, seized another woman at a different farm and took her with them for 4 days and 3 nights, until 14.7.00, during which they repeatedly raped her like the 2 previous women.

The victim, Naang Phit, aged 18, even after she got back home, was so physically and mentally sick that she has not been able to eat and sleep properly until the time of this report.

FORCED LABOUR AND LOOTING OF TEMPLES AND MONASTERIES IN RELOCATED VILLAGES IN KUN-HING

On 27.7.00, SPDC troops from IB246 dismantled several temples and monasteries in the forced relocation areas in Kun-Hing township and took away the tin roofs and the lumber.

On the day of the incident, about 80 SPDC troops from IB246 led by Capt. Min Oo forcibly recruited 54 young men, aged between 20-35, and 14 trucks in Kun-Hing town and drove them to Wan Lao tract where there were many deserted villages that had been forcibly relocated to other places in 1996-97.

The troops then forced the 54 men to dismantle deserted temples and monasteries in 6 deserted villages in Wan Lao tract and trucked the lumber and tin sheets roofing back to IB246 military base. The 54 workers and the 14 trucks received no pay whatsoever.

The 6 villages from which temples and monasteries had been stolen were:

Later, on 4.8.00, the same troops again forcibly took some workers and trucks in Kun-Hing town and went to deserted villages in Ho Yaan tract that had also been forcibly relocated a few years ago.

The troops disassembled deserted temples and monasteries in the following 6 relocated villages and trucked away the lumber and the tin sheet roofing to the IB246 military base.

On 10.8.00, the same troops again conscripted 87 workers from Kun-Hing town and forced them to build a big tent-like building to house the lumber and tin sheets roofing from the dismantled monasteries in the base of IB246.

FORCED PORTERING IN MURNG-PAENG

On 22.7.00, Akha villagers of Phaa Khaao village in Murng-Paeng township were forcibly taken by SPDC troops to serve the military without pay.

On that day, a column of about 60 SPDC troops from IB245 surrounded Phaa Khaao village in Si Paw tract, Murng-Paeng township, and forcibly took 13 Akha villagers to serve as porters for the military.

On the same day, the villagers were forced to carry heavy baggages, the contents of which they did not know, and set off towards Murng Sen and Murng In tracts in Kaeng-Tung township.

The troops went through several villages and tracts for 3 days until they reached Murng-Kok village in Murng-Sart township where they released the porters without paying them anything.

During those 3 days, the troops forced the villagers of the villages they were passing through to cook meals for them to eat immediately as well as put into packages for them to take away to eat on the way.

The porters, however, only received a very small amount of food per day and were scolded, kicked and beaten along the way when they slowed down due to hunger and weakness.

On 23-24.8.00, SPDC troops from LIB360 conscripted 21 villagers in Pet Kaang tract, Murng-Paeng township, to serve as forced and unpaid porters for the military.

A column of about 60 SPDC troops from LIB360 came through Pet Kaang village tract and seized 6 villagers from Kung Sa village, 9 villagers from Wan Tong village and 6 villagers from Nawng Kaa village.

The villagers, 21 in all, were taken to Tong Ta village where they were forced to carry heavy loads and headed towards Murng Sen and Murng In tracts.

Most of the things the porters had to carry were dried food, ammunition and clothes of the soldiers. Though they had dried food with them, the troops did not eat it, but forced the villagers of the villages where they stopped for meals to cook and provide food for them and the porters.

The troops went through several villages and tracts and, after 4 days of strenuous journeying, they released the 21 porters at Wan Mawn village in Nam In tract without giving them anything.

All the porters were suffering from severe shoulder wounds at the time of their release and they did not know the purpose of the troops and where they were going to.

VILLAGERS FORCED TO BUILD A DRIVEWAY FOR A MILITARY BASE IN KAENG-TUNG

On 19.8.00, SPDC troops of IB244 forced the villagers of Wan Lawng village in Murng Zaem tract, Kaeng-Tung township, to fix and renovate the 2-furlong-long driveway between the main road and their base.

According to the local people, the SPDC troops had already forced people from several villages in Murng Zaem tract many times to take turns and build the driveway but it did not seem to be finished.

One person from each of the 27-28 houses in Wan Lawng village had to get up early, prepare some food for midday meal and go to work from 07:00 hrs in the morning until 17:00 hrs in the evening, stopping only a short while around mid-day to eat the day meal.

While the villagers were working, about 25 fully armed SPDC troops from IB244 were always present, overseeing the work site and guarding the villagers as if they were prisoners.

VILLAGERS FORCED TO GROW CROPS FOR THE MILITARY IN MURNG-KHARK

Since June 2000, SPDC troops of LIB327 have been forcing the villagers of Kaeng Pin village in Murng-Khark township to grow an acre of chilli for them.

The villagers have to use a part of their cultivating land for it and have to do the work from the beginning until the end of the cultivation -- fencing, tilling, sowing, planting, weeding and up to harvesting of the crop.

In other areas such as Murng Nung tract and Nam Wok tract, villagers are also being forced to cultivate chilli, vegetables and cucumber farms for the military.

FORCED LABOUR FOR FIXING ROADS IN CENTRAL SHAN STATE

Starting from 24.7.00, SPDC troops from LIB520 led by Capt. Kyaw Win have conscripted 6 civilian trucks and 108 forced labourers in Murng-Pan township and forced them to fix and clear the sides of the Murng-Pan - Larng-Khur main road.

The labourers had to fill up cracks and potholes in the road with stones, rocks and earth gathered by the civilian trucks, and clear the bushes on both sides of the road, from Murng-Pan all the way up to Larng-Khur town.

Starting from 27.7.00, SPDC troops from Company No.3 of IB99 led by Capt. Aung Phe had conscripted 5 civilian trucks and 163 forced labourers in Larng-Khur township and forced them to fix the main road and clear the bushes on both sides of the road, from Larng-Khur up to Murng-Nai town.

Starting from 5.8.00, SPDC troops from Co. No.5 of IB248 led by Capt. Saw Hpyu had conscripted 3 civilian trucks and 87 forced labourers in Murng-Nai township and forced them to fix and clear the bushes on the sides of the main road, from Murng-Nai all the way up to Nam-Zarng town.

Starting from 19.8.00, SPDC troops from Co. No.4 of IB225 conscripted 8 civilian trucks and 120 forced labourers in Murng-Pan township and forced them to fix the road starting from the base of IB225 at Wan Naa village in Murng-Pan township. A new shift of trucks and labourers would replace the old one every 15 days.

All the forced labourers had to bring and use their own tools such as hoes and spades in road fixing and their own knives to clear the roadsides. They had to provide their own food and received no pay, no matter how long they had to go for the forced labour.

VILLAGERS FORCED TO PROVIDE FISH FOR THE MILITARY IN MURNG-YARNG

On 27.6.00, SPDC troops from LIB327 ordered the villagers of Pa Non village in Murng-Yarng township to provide 20 viss of fish for the military.

On that day, 3 troops from LIB327 came to Pa Non village and summoned the village leaders to go to see their commander at the military camp. At the camp, the commander told the 4-5 village leaders to go back and tell their villagers to catch 20 viss of fish and bring it to the camp on 29.6.00.

The village leaders explained that it was time for rice cultivation and all the villagers were very busy tending their rice fields and trying to get enough rain water for them, and requested the commander to let them provide the fish after the rice cultivation.

But the commander only scolded the villagers, "Our troops are stationed here to protect your interest, and yet we do not have enough curries to eat and nothing was sent from the HQs. It is your responsibility to see that we have enough good food. Say no more and go back, and make sure the fish is here on 29th".

For fear of further and harsher abuse the villagers had no choice but to comply. They had to abandoned their work at their rice fields for one whole day in order to catch the 20 viss of fish for the SPDC troops.

EXTORTION IN MURNG-PHYAK

On 17.7.00, SPDC Immigration Officers at a checkpoint in Murng-Phyak extorted 30,000 Baht of Thai money from travellers. The victims were 3 young women who were travelling from Ta-Khi-Laek to Kaeng-Tung.

Naang Non, aged 18, Naang Seng La, aged 18 and Naang Aam, aged 21, were all from Wan Pawk village in Kaad Tao tract, Kaeng-Tung township, who had gone to work in Mae Sai, the Thai border town opposite Ta-Khi-Laek, to be able to support their parents back home; each earning 1,500 Baht salaries per month.

After working for more than one year, they returned home to visit their parents and were stopped at the Immigration checkpoint in Murng-Pyak.

The Immigration Officer in charge there accused them of having gone to work as prostitutes in Thailand which he said was a grave offence and arrested them, and threatened to send them to jail.

The women denied the charge and explained their situation to the Immigration Officer and begged him to let them go. The car driver, who was somewhat related to them, also tried to explain about the innocence of the women and pleaded for their release.

But the Immigration Officer did not let them go and demanded money instead, 10,000 Baht for the release of each of them.

Seeing the uselessness of arguing with the SPDC people which would only bring more harm to themselves, each woman paid 10,000 Baht of her hard-earned money to the Immigration Officer for her release.

TRADERS ROBBED OF THEIR CONSUMER GOODS IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 19.7.00, SPDC police and members of USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) seized a truckload of consumer goods worth about 45,000 Baht from a trader and his wife at a Customs checkpoint in Murng-Yawng township.

On that day, a trader from Murng-Yawng, Zaai In Pan, aged 40 and his wife, Naang Zan Tip, aged 38, were transporting the consumer goods they had bought in Ta-Khi-Laek back to Murng-Yawng to be sold at their shop in Lawng Haang village, Wan Po tract, Murng-Yawng township.

The goods included foodstuff such as seasoning powder, coffee, powdered milk, fish sauce, bean sauce and many other odds and ends used in cooking and making food. The couple had been doing this, buying and selling consumer goods from Ta-Khi-Laek, over the last 2-3 years and there had never been any problems with the authorities.

However, this time they were accused of dealing in illegal goods by a mixed force of 10 police and members of USDA manning the Customs checkpoint and their merchandise was confiscated.

Even though the traders tried to pay some extra 'taxes' to get back their goods, they were not successful in doing so and lost all the truckload of goods worth more than 400,000 Kyat to the police and USDA.

TRADERS ROBBED OF THEIR MERCHANDISE IN MURNG-KHARK

On 29.7.00, SPDC troops from IB227 robbed some traders of their goods worth 17,000 Kyat in Murng-Khark township.

Zaai Kan-Na, aged 41 and his wife, Naang Phu, aged 36, were from Wan Kaang village in Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township, who had been for over a year making a living by selling candies, cookies and toys for children at a little stall in front of their house. Every now and then they went to buy their goods in Murng-Yarng township.

On the day of the incident, they were returning from buying their merchandise in Murng-Yarng when they were stopped by a group of 7 SPDC troops from IB227 in Murng-Khark at Nam Luay river crossing point on the way to Murng-Nung tract, east of Murng-Khark town. The troops searched the trucks and took away all their goods.

According to the local people, not only the couple mentioned above but several other traders had also been often robbed in this way at the same spot.

CHICKEN TRADERS ROBBED OF THEIR CHICKENS IN MURNG-YARNG

On 15.6.00, 2 villagers of Nawng Peng village in Murng-Yarng township who were taking their chickens to sell at the town market were robbed of their chickens by SPDC police on the way to the town.

Two villagers of Nawng Peng village in Yarng Long tract, Zaai Phen and Zaai Long Tao, both about 23-year-old males, were carrying their chickens in baskets hanging on a pole over their shoulders to Murng-Yarng town market.

At one point on the way, they were stopped by 3 SPDC policemen who ordered them to put down the chickens they were carrying on their shoulders. There were 13 chickens in one of the loads and 21 in the other and the policemen took all of them without paying anything to the owners.

The villagers pleaded with them to take only 5-6 chickens and give back the rest because they needed to sell them to buy other necessities for their families.

However, the police did not listen to them and took away all their chickens and later, it was later learned, ordered the villagers of Waeng Laek village in Murng-Yarng tract to sell them for them in Murng-Yarng town.

Although Zaai Phen and Zaai Long Tao, and their relatives who lived in the town, went to lodge a complaint against the 3 policemen at the SPDC township office not very long after the event, no action has been taken in relation to this case up to the time of this report.

SHOOTING OF LIVESTOCK IN MURNG-PHYAK

On 26.7.00, a section of SPDC troops from LIB345 shot a villager's pig in Yaang Kham village in Wan Lom tract, Murng-Phyak township, and forced the villagers to cut up pork for them.

On that day, the said troops suddenly came into Yaang Kham village and shot at a pig that was roaming and foraging in the streets. They did this so suddenly that the villagers thought they were shooting at a villager when they heard the sound of the gunfire and were terrified.

The troops then called out the village headman and ordered him to tell his villagers to cut up the pig for them, and left the village as soon as they got their pork.

The pig belonged to a woman, Mae Naai La, aged 51, and it was a sterilized female, so fat that it could be worth not less than 7,000 Kyat. Because it was the only pig she had, the owner broke down soon after the troops had left and wailed and lamented over her loss for some time.