COMMENTARY

Pitching one armed ethnic group against another, and even armed groups of the same ethnic group against each other, has long been one of the ‘successful’ tactics of the Burmese military in controlling and subjugating the ethnic nationalities in Shan State.

Since 10 years after Burma’s independence, and especially after the 1962 coup d’etat in which the military took over State power and deprived all the peoples of their democratic rights, many ethnic nationalities in Shan State, as in many other ethnic States, have taken up arms to resist military rule in order to protect their rights.

To put down the resistance of the ethnic groups, the Burmese military have used various brutal means as well as ruses and tricks, one of which is creating conditions which would eventually lead the ethnic armed groups to fight against each other.

By encouraging and supporting several ceasefire armed groups, such as Wa, Pa-O and Lahu, to extort, use forced labour and confiscate land and property of the local people, the junta are currently pitting them against the Shan populations and the Shan resistance in Central and Southern Shan State.

The junta are also using the anti-drug campaign of the Shan resistance to provoke the Wa and Lahu militia forces in Murng-Ton and Murng-Sart townships bordering Thailand in southeastern Shan State into fighting the Shan resistance. (See the last 3 stories)

6 DISPLACED FARMERS SHOT DEAD WHILE DIVERTING WATER FOR GROWING RICE IN NAM-ZARNG

On 2.1.01, 6 displaced farmers who were diverting water from a stream into the irrigation ditch that fed their rice fields were shot dead by SPDC troops from IB66, led by Sgt. Zaw Myint, near the rice fields 2-1/2 miles south of Loi La village in Loi La tract, Nam-Zarng township.

These farmers were originally from Wan Nawng, Loi Khaang and Loi La villages that had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Nam-Zarng town by SLORC/SPDC troops a few years ago. They were:

They were shot by a patrol of 12 SPDC troops from IB66 led by Sgt. Zaw Myint while they were building a small earthen dam on a stream to divert water to their rice fields about 2-1/2 miles south of Loi La village.

Khat-Ti-Ya, though severely wounded, did not die immediately, but managed to escape and staggered back to Loi La village to relate his plight and died about 3 hours later.

Many villagers heard the shooting and knew who the troops were and, according to them, Khat-Ti-Ya thought that he and the others were shot because they had refused to grow opium-poppy that had been offered by the SPDC troops and had tried to grow rice instead.

A FIREWOOD GATHERER KILLED, HIS DAUGHTER RAPED, IN NAM-ZARNG

On 17.1.01, a villager who was going with his daughter to gather firewood was beaten to death and his daughter was raped and taken away for 2 days by SPDC troops from IB66 led by Capt. Aung Kyaw, at a place about 1-1/2 miles from Ho Ha village in Nam-Zarng township.

The victims, Lung Seng, aged 40 and his daughter, Naang Zaw (not her real name), aged 17, were going from Ho
Ha village to cut firewood, carrying with them a saw, an axe and a knife. When they walked about 1-1/2 miles they ran into a column of 70-80 SPDC troops from IB66 led by Capt. Aung Kyaw.

The troops stopped the villagers and interrogated them, and beat Lung Seng to death. Capt. Aung Kyaw raped Naang Zaw and took her along with them for 2 days before they released her.

A PALAUNG VILLAGER BEATEN TO DEATH, HIS WIFE RAPED, HIS PROPERTY LOOTED, IN MURNG-NAI

On 19.1.01, a Palaung villager was beaten to death and his wife was raped in their house, and their belongings were stolen by SPDC troops from Nam-Zarng-based IB66, led by commander Tin Myint, at Ho Ha village in Kaeng Tawng area, Murng-Nai township.

On the day of the incident, a patrol of 60-70 SPDC troops of Co.2 from IB66, led by commander Tin Myint, came to Ho Ha village and searched all the houses.

At one of the houses, the troops beat to death a Palaung villager named Paw Saang Kham Ai, aged 37, in his house and raped his wife, and took away all the money and valuables, and things they wanted, including clothes, household utensils, chickens, pigs and cattle.

According to the local people, it was said that Paw Saang Kham Ai was killed by the SPDC troops because he could not pay the 500,000 Kyat ‘tax’ or protection fee demanded by them for growing opium, due to the failure of the crop on account of bad weather.

ELDERLY CIVILIAN PORTER BEATEN TO DEATH IN MURNG-TON

In mid-February 2001, an elderly civilian porter who had become too weak to carry an unreasonably heavy load was kicked and beaten to death and his body thrown down a mountain slope in the Loi Larng area, Murng-Ton township, by SPDC troops from IB49 led by Capt. Aung Kyaw Htoo.

On 13.2.01, a column of about 80 SPDC troops of Co.4 from IB49, led by Capt. Aung Kyaw Htoo, forcibly conscripted 36 civilian porters, aged from 18 to 57, in Murng-Sart township and took them to the Loi Larng area in Murng-Ton township by forcibly conscripted civilian trucks.

The porters were then forced to carry heavy loads of ammunition through valleys and mountains to several military outposts positioned in the Loi Larng area.

After a few days, one of the porters, Lung Aw-Zae-Ya, aged 56, became so weak and sick that he could no longer carry his load up the mountain and collapsed. Some of the troops kicked and beat him and forced him to go on.

But when he could not stand up, the troops continued to kick and beat him to death and threw his body down the mountain at a place about 3 miles from Loi Larng village.

EXTENDED FORCED PORTERING, SEVERE BEATING AND EXTORTION IN NAM-ZARNG AND LAI-KHA

In January 2001, SPDC troops from Lai-Kha-based LIB515 led by Capt. Htay Win severely beat up 2 civilian porters, breaking the right thigh of one and the left arm of the other, and extorted money from 8 other civilian porters for their release after forcing them to serve as porters for more than 20 days, in Lai-Kha township.

On 27.12.00, a patrol of about 90 SPDC soldiers of Co.4 from Lai-Kha-based LIB515 led by Capt. Htay Win forcibly conscripted 10 civilian porters at Maak Mong Lao village in Ho Nawng tract, Nam-Zarng township. The 10 villagers taken as porters were:

These porters were forced to carry heavy loads of ammunition, food and other things for the troops for several days without having enough rest and food.

At one point, 2 porters, Lung Mu, aged 57 and Wan-Na, aged 17, had become so weak from lack of adequate food and rest that they could no longer carry their loads. The troops kicked and beat them with rifle butts so harshly that Lung Mu broke his right thigh and Wan-Na broke his left arm from the beating. The 2 porters were then left to their fate in the jungle between Ton Hung and Maak Laang villages in Naa Mang tract, Lai-Kha township.

On 17.1.01, after forcing the villagers to serve as unpaid porters for 22 days, Capt. Htay Win sent a message to the headman of Ho Nawng tract that the porters taken from his village tract were so unwilling to work for the Burmese army that they deserved punishments, and extorted a fine of 5,000 Kyat for the release of each of them.

As for the 2 porters left in the jungle, their relatives had to find them and take them back to their village.

CIVILIAN DRIVERS SLAPPED AND KICKED DURING FORCED LABOUR IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 22.1.01, several civilian drivers whose vehicles had been forcibly conscripted by the Burmese military were slapped and kicked by SPDC troops from LIB526 in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

On the day of the incident, the said SPDC troops were conscripting tens of civilian vehicles for military use in Ta-Khi-Laek township and some drivers, who had come from other townships on pilgrimage with Buddhist monks and lay pilgrims, tried to persuade the soldiers to spare their vehicles.

The SPDC troops, however, did not listen and scolded and slapped the drivers instead, and took their vehicles anyway.

On 23.1.01, a pickup truck, driven by Zaai Lu, broke down on the way while serving the military. Capt. Kyaw Naing who was on the truck became angry at that and scolded Zaai Lu, and beat and kicked him, causing him to fall down hard on his back.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 19.2.01, SPDC military authorities in Ta-Khi-Laek issued an order requiring the people in Ta-Khi-Laek township to provide money for the SPDC troops; each family was obliged to pay 600 Baht of Thai money to the Burmese military.

On that day, SPDC authorities in Ta-Khi-Laek summoned all the village and community leaders to the Township Office and ordered them to collect money from the people in their respective areas, 600 Thai Baht from each family and no family was to be spared, stressing that rations for the SPDC soldiers were urgently needed.

The gathering was dismissed without giving anyone a chance to ask or say anything. The civilian leaders had no choice but to comply with the order and, in order to avoid further harassments, collected the money as quickly as possible and gave it to the authorities in the evening of that same day.

Truck and car owners were required to provide 300 Baht of money and take turns to provide free service of their vehicles during allotted periods of time.

From 16 to 18.2.01, SPDC troops from Murng-Khark-based LIB327, who had been deployed for security purposes along the Mekong river in Pa Leo and Kaeng Laab areas in Ta-Khi-Laek township, forced the local people to build strongholds and dig trenches for them.

Villagers of surrounding villages such as Nam Kai, Ho Kawng, Pa Leo and Kaeng Lab had to provide their own food and tools and work from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. every day for 3 days.

In addition, since the strongholds were being newly set up, the villagers had to provide all the building materials such as wood, bamboo and thatch for roofing, etc.. While the villagers were busy cutting and transporting building materials, building houses and fences, and digging trenches, the SPDC troops did nothing but sit around and watch them work.

On 21.2.01, SPDC troops from Murng-Phyak-based IB221 forced the villagers of Huay Lin Lam, Phak Hi, Pa Khaa and Wan Tong to dig trenches at their stronghold on the hill called Loi Yon in Murng-Phong tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township; altogether more than 200 villagers were seen working at the site.

These troops had been moved from their base in Murng-Phyak and deployed at Loi Yon since 15.2.01, and since then the people in Murng-Phong tract were required to provide cooked food for them on a daily basis.

The above 3-4 villages had to rotate in providing food and forced labour for the SPDC troops and, in addition, they were also forced to dig trenches for the families of the SPDC police force in the area to take cover in case fighting broke out.

EXTORTION AND FORCED LABOUR OF ‘AKHA’ VILLAGERS IN MURNG-KHARK

On 27.12.01, SPDC troops of Murng-Khark-based IB227 forced the villagers of Aa Khur village in Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township, to provide 160 pieces of big bamboo for military use.

Aa Khur was a small village which had only 21 houses and the villagers were mostly dry farm rice growers with very little income. No one had rice fields or bamboo groves. Even for building their own houses, the villagers had to buy bamboo from other villages because there were also no wild bamboo groves in the area.

The village headman and some villagers of Aa Khur went to explain their difficulties to the SPDC township authorities in Murng-Khark town. But the township authorities said they did not dare to talk to the troops about that and persuaded the villagers to go to tell the soldiers themselves.

Having no choice, the villagers went to the base of IB227 and talked to the troops, explaining about their hardship and asking them to reduce the amount of bamboo to 30 pieces because they would have to be bought from other villages.

The commander of the troops, however, not only refused to reduce the amount but set a 7-day deadline for them and threatened to increase the amount up to 200 pieces if the deadline was not met.

The Aa Khur villagers had to buy 160 pieces of bamboo at the price of 250 Kyat per piece and transported them to the military base within the given time.

The bamboo had cost the villagers 40,000 Kyat in all, transport excluded, which was about 2,000 Kyat per house.

FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-YAWNG

Since December 2000, SPDC troops of LIB334 in Murng-Yawng have forced the people of Murng-Yawng township to grow 30 acres of rice for them.

Akha villagers of Pha Ta Le and Huay Pu villages have complained about being forced to work by SPDC troops of LIB334 so frequently that they have had very little time to work for themselves.

Not only Akha villages have been forced to work, but other Shan and Lahu villages have also been often forced to work on the military rice fields in Murng-Yawng, according to the local people.

It was the second crop of the year and the villages in the township had to work on rotation from the beginning to the end.

LAND AND PROPERTY CONFISCATION BY SPDC-SPONSORED ‘WA’ CEASEFIRE GROUP IN MURNG-TON

Since their deployment in Murng-Ton township in late 2000, Wa troops of UWSA (United Wa State Army), which has a ceasefire deal with the SPDC, have under the sponsorship of the SPDC been confiscating and occupying the lands and property of the local people in Murng-Ton township.

A number of Wa troops from Pang Sang, their head quarters in northeastern Shan State bordering China, have been moved down to the southern town of Murng-Ton bordering Thailand and deployed at several places such as Mawkzali village in Mae Ken tract, Naa Kawngmu in Murng-Harng tract and Huay Aw, Ta Kaang, Son Kuay and Nam Yum villages in Pung Pa Khem tract, about 35-50 troops at each place.

Since then, these Wa troops have been roaming their respective areas and taking vegetables from the local farms, in many cases in front of their owners which were mostly Shan, without asking or paying for them. When some farmers who only had little vegetables for their own consumption asked the Wa soldiers to spare them their food, the Wa soldiers usually threatened them with their guns, saying, “Don’t you see this?”

In many places, Wa troops have occupied several houses while the owners were away and refused to move out or permit them to stay when the owners returned. Many farmers who had taken their families to work at their farms for a few days at a time, because they were too far to go on a daily basis, found their houses occupied by Wa troops when they returned. Some neighbours who tried to stop them by explaining that the owners were their relatives who would return in a few days were told by the Wa soldiers that they came on the orders of Gen. Khin Nyunt (1st Secretary of SPDC) and that the villagers should go and tell him if they wanted them to leave.

In several places, Wa soldiers have also confiscated acres of cultivated lands of the local people, including fruit orchards, coffee and sugarcane plantations and vegetable gardens.

The following lists are the houses and lands lost in accordance with their respective villages:

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION BY SPDC-BACKED ‘PA-O’ CEASEFIRE GROUP IN SOUTHERN SHAN STATE

Since August 2000, after they set up their main base in Nam-Zarng township in central Shan State under the instruction of SPDC, members of the ceasefire Pa-O militia have also set up small sub-bases in several townships such as Murng-Pan, Larng-Khur, Murng-Nai, Loi-Lem, Lai-Kha, Murng-Kerng, Kae-See and Murng-Su, and have started collecting ‘taxes’ or protection money and using forced labour of the local people in their respective areas.

They collected ‘taxes’ on almost everything of any value such as all kinds of vehicles, mini-rice mills, electricity generators, livestock, lands, shops, TV sets, video players, etc..

When asked by community leaders why they imposed taxes on the property of the people, members of the Pa-O ceasefire said that the SPDC government had given them territories to take control of and had encouraged them to recruit new members and build up their military strength, so they had to collect taxes to feed the new recruits. Some even said that SPDC had given them permission to spread their military strength all over southern Shan State and take control of it, and if and when that happened, the SPDC would withdraw its troops back to Burma proper or lowland Burma.

They have also used forced labour of the local people in their daily matters and some projects such as road building, saying that they had been given permission by the SPDC to use forced labour.

‘LAHU’ AND ‘WA’ MILITIA PERSUADED TO FIGHT AGAINST ANTI-DRUG SHAN RESISTANCE, CIVILIAN VEHICLES FORCED TO TRANSPORT THEM, IN MURNG-TON AND MURNG-SART

On 3.3.01, Lt. Col. Swe Myint, commander of SPDC’s Murng-Ton-based IB65, called a meeting of all the Lahu and Wa militia forces in Murng-Ton township at the military base of IB65 and assigned them to the Loi Larng area to fight against the anti-drug Shan resistance forces active in the area.

The following militia forces were called to the meeting:

At the meeting, Commander Swe Myint gave a long speech explaining that ‘hill peoples’ like Wa and Lahu had for centuries been traditionally cultivating opium as a means of livelihood with no intention of harming anyone. But now, because of the activities of the Shan resistance forces along the border areas, it had become difficult to do any kind of business, including cultivating opium which was a traditional means of livelihood. Therefore, it was absolutely necessary for the Lahu and Wa militia to join hands with the Burmese army in destroying the Shan resistance. After that, the commander of IB65 provided the militia forces with one month of rations and 300 rounds of ammunition for each militiaman.

A similar incident also took place in Murng-Sart township at about the same time, where more than 300 Lahu militiamen led by Zayaw, the highest ranking Lahu militia chief in the area, took part in the meeting.

All the militia forces from Murng-Ton and Murng-Sart, numbering around 600 fighting men, were soon later transported to join the SPDC forces in the Loi Larng area, by 50 civilian trucks which had been forcibly conscripted.