COMMENTARY

At the height of the clashes between the troops of SPDC and SSA-S (Shan State Army - South) in late April, 2001, in southern Shan State, close to the border with Thailand’s Fang District of Chiangmai Province, several hundreds of civilians along the border had sought refuge in Thailand at a relatively safe distance.

Among those refugees, there were some Shans who had been displaced, after being forced to leave their villages and dispossessed of all their property by the Burmese troops since 1996, from central Shan State.

These internally displaced Shans had been trying to survive by doing all sorts of manual labour to earn meagre wages along the border villages on both sides and happened to be close to the site where the fighting broke out, and sought refuge inside Thailand with the other refugees.

We are grateful to the Thai authorities for accepting the displaced Shans as refugees and allowing them to take refuge in the school compound of a village in Fang District in Chiangmai Province, at a safe distance from the battle ground.

However, SHRF has lately learned that these Shan refugees, numbering 48, had been singled out and later sent back to the border even before the fighting had completely stopped.

Although it is unclear whether these refugees have been sent back across the border or not, SHRF would like to appeal to the authorities concerned not to push back refugees who have a well-founded fear of danger in their country.

KILLING OF CIVILIAN PORTER FROM MURNG-PHYAK IN MURNG-SART

Sometime in mid-February 2001, SPDC troops from Murng-Phyak-based LIB330 shot dead a civilian porter near Kawng Mon village in Murng-Lung tract, Murng-Sart township.

On 10.2.01, a column of about 60 SPDC troops from LIB330 led by Maj. San Win rounded up civilian porters from Wan Kaad, Wan Tong Long and Wan Yaang villages in Murng Hai tract, Murng-Phyak township. Some were seized while working in their vegetable gardens, some in their farms and some in the streets.

Altogether 16 porters were seized: 6 from Wan Kaad, 3 from Wan Tong Long and 7 from Wan Yaang. They were taken to Murng-Phyak and detained until the next day, 11.2.01, evening when they were forced to carry military things and headed towards Murng Kok & Murng Lung tract in Murng-Sart township with the same military column.

They set out at about 18:00 hrs. from Murng-Phyak and after they reached Murng Lung they camped at the village temple and the troops ordered the villagers to serve them food. It was almost midnight when the porters were allowed to sleep in the temple.

The troops stayed at Murng Lung for 2 nights, during which the villagers of Murng Lung not only had to provide them with free meals but also had to keep guard as an outer fence while the troops slept in the temple compound. The 16 civilian porters were not allowed to leave the temple during the day and were tied up together at night, 4 men in a group, to prevent them from escaping.

On 13.2.01, while the military column was marching from Murng Lung towards Ho Murng in Murng-Sart township, 2 of the porters tried to escaped as they reached Kawng Mon village along the way.

As the 2 porters ran away, the troops shot after them and killed one instantly before he could get far. The other porter, however, escaped into the nearby forest.

After that incident, the remaining porters were tied by the hands together 4 in a string even as they were carrying their heavy loads, making it very difficult for them to walk on. Whenever one fell down, the others would be pulled by the rope and fell down together, and the troops would scold, beat and kick them.

The 14 porters were released on 16.2.01, in Murng-Sart township and they had to find their own way home, stopping to ask for food at Kawng Mon village where one of their fellow porters was shot dead, while walking back together.

The porter that was killed was Zaai In Phya, aged 29, from Wan Tong Long village. He left his widow and 3 young children behind to fend for themselves.

KILLING WHILE ROUNDING UP FOR CIVILIAN PORTERS IN KAENG-TUNG

On 3.2.01, SPDC troops from IB226 shot dead a villager of Nawng Saa village who was catching fish and who had tried to escape from being rounded up for unpaid forced civilian porterage, at Yaang Ka stream near his village in Yaang Ka tract, Kaeng-Tung township.

On the day of the incident, the following 6 villagers from Sop Yoi and Nawng Saa village were catching fish in Yaang Ka stream:

While they were catching fish in Yaang Ka stream, these villagers were surrounded and seized by a group of 20 SPDC soldiers from Co. No.2 of IB226 to be used as civilian porters. As they were being surrounded, Zaai Wong, aged 19, who happened to be a bit far from the others and saw the troops before them, darted out from the stream and tried to escape.

The SPDC troops, however, did not let this happen. They fired at Zaai Wong and sent him tumbling down on the bank of Yaang Ka stream before he could get far from it, killing him instantly. The other villagers were so terrified that no one dared to move or utter a word and docilely went with the troops.

The troops took them to Yaang Ka village to join a bigger military column and 20 other civilian porters taken from other different villages. The civilian porters were forced to carry military rations and clothes and set out on 4.2.01 towards the mountain ranges populated mostly by the Lahu people.

The military patrol went on through village after village, stopping only for day meals and for the night at certain villages where the villagers were forced to provide food and keep watch outside the villages during the night, for more than 10 days until they got back to Yaang Ka on 15.2.01 where the civilian porters were released.

BEATING TO DEATH IN MURNG-PHYAK

On 3.1.01, 3 villagers from Paang Kiu and Pa Khaa Mai villages in Nam Laan tract, Murng-Phyak township, were severely beaten by SPDC troops from IB221 on the road between Nam Laan and Murng Tin tracts, causing one of them to die of the injuries from the beating 3 days later.

On that day, the 3 villagers -- Zaai Laa Keo (m), aged 23, from Paang Kiu village and Zaai Saam Tin (m), aged 30, and Zaai Lin (m), aged 23, from Pa Khaa Mai village -- were going on foot together to buy pigs in Murng Tin village tract and on the way ran into a patrol of 12 SPDC troops from Co. No.3 of Murng-Phyak-based IB221 who came from the direction of Murng-Phyak and seemed to be heading also for Murng Tin.

The SPDC troops stopped the 3 villagers and forced them to squat down in line and tied their hands up behind their backs. Before asking any questionS, the one who seemed to be the leader of the troops harshly kicked the villagers one time each.

After that, the other soldiers joined in and accused the villagers of spying for SSA-E (Shan State Army - East) and interrogated them. They kicked and beat, and thrust at the villagers with their rifle butts, asking for the whereabouts of the Shan soldiers.

The villagers, however, kept denying the accusation and said that they had not seen any Shan soldiers. After a while, Zaai Laa Keo, who had been hit harshly in the chest with a rifle butt, vomited a lot of blood and, seeing that, the troops untied their hands and released them.

The villagers could not go on to Murng Tin to buy the pigs they intended to, but returned to their villages, with Zaai Laa Keo who could hardly walk being helped by the other 2 who had suffered less injuries.

For Zaai Laa Keo, however, the continual vomiting of blood did not stop even after he reached home and received some traditional treatment, and he died 3 days later.

STRIPPING AND BEATING OF 8-YEAR-OLD CHILD IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 16.4.01, members of SPDC police force in Ta-Khi-Laek township stripped naked and beat up an 8-year-old Akha child, took away one kilogram of seasoning powder he was carrying, and left him unconscious on the road.

Due to the closure of the border since 11.2.01, especially the Friendship Bridge spanning the twin border towns of Mae Sai and Ta-Khi-Laek (Tachilek), consumer goods have become very difficult to obtain for most of the townspeople of Ta-Khi-Laek.

In such a situation, when people were virtually starving, it was only natural for the people in the area to try to smuggle in consumer goods from Mae Sai when and wherever possible, especially across the Mae Sai river at remote spots out of the sight of the soldiers from both sides.

On the day of the incident, Aa Mer, an Akha woman from Pung Thun quarter in Ta-Khi-Laek, was hired by someone to carry a little amount of consumer goods across the Mai Sai river. Since Aa Mer had to carry her baby in one hand, she had only one hand to carry the consumer goods and could not carry all, so she let her 8-year-old son carry a one-kilogram package of seasoning powder with her.

After Aa Mer and her children had crossed the river, they were chased by 2 SPDC police officers. Although Aa Mer was able to escape by running and hiding, her 8-year-old son was caught by the police.

The 2 SPDC police officers seized and scolded the boy, stripped him of his clothes, beat and kicked him several times and took away his seasoning powder, leaving him naked and unconscious at the place where they caught him.

After a while when Aa Mer could come back to look for her son, she saw him sitting naked near a pile of clothes, crying. She then ran to him, grabbed his clothes, pulled him up by the hand and ran away, while her son was crying and telling her that the seasoning powder he was carrying had been taken away by the police.

CONFISCATION OF THAI GOODS FROM SHOPS IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 9.4.01, SPDC authorities in Ta-Khi-Laek confiscated several kinds of goods imported from Thailand from several shops in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

Most of the confiscated goods were fuel and oil for motor vehicles and different kinds of consumer goods including seasoning powder, ready-made dried noodles, refreshment drinks such as Coca and Fanta, various kinds of cookies and candy etc., that were imported from Thailand.

According to the local shopkeepers, these goods were not banned goods and it was not a case of the authorities discharging their duties by confiscating contraband for the sake of the State, they were simply taken to be distributed among military and administrative personnel for their own consumption.

On that day alone, a six-wheeler truckload of Thai goods was seen taken away from the shops, worth about 300,000 Thai baht, reported a local shopkeeper.

FORCED DISPLACEMENT IN MURNG-SART AND MURNG-PHYAK

On 3.4.01, about 500 Shan villagers, including men, women and children, were driven out of their villages by SPDC troops from, according to the displaced villagers, IB330 and IB224, in Murng-Sart and Murng-Phyak townships, causing them to flee and seek refuge along the border in Thailand’s Chiangrai Province.

The refugees were from Murng Tum, Murng Kaan, Murng Long and Naa Yaao villages in Murng-Sart township and Murng Kok and Murng Lung villages in Murng-Phyak township.

On 31.3.01 and 1.4.01, the said SPDC troops had gone to those villages and ordered village after village to move out within 24 hours. Any village that failed to move in time would be burned down, the troops threatened.

Not knowing anywhere else to go, the refugees spontaneously headed for the Thai border and reached Thailand on 3.4.01. They are still camping at the place near Mae Maw village since their arrivial, just across the border in the Thai province of Chiangrai, at the time of this report.

The refugees are facing difficulties trying to get work and income to feed their families because there is little wage-earning work to be found and no land to farm in the area. One of their main concerns include the need to have appropriate shelters before the rapidly approaching rainy season.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-YARNG

In late February and early March 2001, SPDC troops from Co. No.3 of Murng-Khark-based LIB328, assigned to be stationed at a hilltop stronghold in Murng-Yarng township, forced several villages in the area to bring hundreds of bamboo and thousands of thatch-sheets for roofing to the hilltop camp and build houses for them.

On 26.2.01, a group of 12 troops from the said hilltop camp led by Lt. Htay Naing came to Kho Sung, Wan Zaang and Pa Hai villages in Murng Luay tract, Murng-Yarng and ordered the village headmen to provide bamboo for building the military camp. Together the 3 villages were ordered to bring 360 pieces of bamboo to the hilltop camp by 2.3.01.

On 1.3.01, the same troops came to Ter Laad, Huay Khaa and Wan Lio villages in Murng Yarng tract, Murng-Yarng township, and ordered the village headmen to provide 3,500 sheets of weaved thatch for roofing and bring them to the military camp by 6.3.01.

Since the villagers would have to buy most of the demanded thatch-sheets out of their meagre income, village headmen and leaders went and pleaded with the SPDC township authorities to help persuade the soldiers to reduce the amount to 600 thatch-sheets, explaining the plight of the villagers who would have to buy so many with their so little money.

The SPDC township authorities, however, not only dismissed the plea but scolded the villagers, saying, “Don’t you understand. You are able to live peacefully only because of the Burmese army. Stop complaining and give them what they want, and when they want”.

On 3.3.01, the same troops summoned the village headmen of Pa Nung, Pa Mai and Waeng Laek villages, situated close to the foot of the hilltop camp, to the camp and ordered them to bring their villagers to build houses for the soldiers in the camp, starting from 12.3.01.

The headman of Waeng Laek village, who was a member the Lahu people, was confused and asked the soldiers, “Not long ago we were told by the township authorities that no one would be allowed to use unpaid forced labour of the people any more. What has become of that order?”

On hearing such a daring question from an ordinary village headman, Capt. Nyan Lin, in-charge of the hilltop camp, became very angry and said, “That order was issued by the administration, not the army. What you must always keep in mind is ‘do as you are told by the army!’”.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-NAI

Since March 2001, SPDC troops of Co. No.4 of LIB524 led by Capt. Aung Nyunt had been patrolling the Kaeng Tawng area in Murng-Nai township and forcing the local people to serve as guides, 2 at a time for a period of 5 days after which would have to be replaced by another 2 new guides.

The troops patrolled and searched the deserted villages in Kaeng Tawng area and when the guides did not know the way well or accidentally took a wrong route, the troops beat and kicked them so harshly that some even lost consciousness because of the beating.

News about the torture spread among the local people and they became so scared, making it very difficult for the village headmen to assign their villagers to take their turns to serve as guides. Finally the villagers agreed to collect money among themselves and hire someone to go on behalf of their villages.

The fee of each person to go as a guide was 10,000 Kyat, and the guide in turn had to give the troops 5,000 Kyat to make them refrain from beating him. That means, every 5 days, the villagers had to collect 20,000 Kyat to hire 2 guides and the guides had to give 10,000 Kyat to the Burmese soldiers.

EXTORTION AND DETENTION OF GARLIC GROWER IN MURNG-PAN

In April 2001, a garlic farmer was extorted from and locked up for 2 days and 2 nights by SPDC troops of LIB502 for growing a test crop of 3 viss (1 viss = about 1.6 kilos) of garlic at a remote place without informing the military authorities.

In January 2001, the military authorities in Murng-Pan had issued an order requiring farmers who grew garlic to also grow for the military 10 viss of garlic for every single viss they grew for themselves.

It happened that a villager of Naa Ing village, in Murng-Pan township, Lung Kan-Ta-Maa, grew 3 viss of garlic at a far and remote little plot of land and, because it was only to test the soil, did not inform the military authorities, thinking that they would never see it.

However, in April, the SPDC troops from LIB502 led by Capt. Win Kyi while on patrol accidentally found that garlic farm and, although it was already harvested and deserted for some time, investigated as to who the grower was. Finally, the troops found out that it was Lung Kan-Ta-Maa and arrested him.

Lung Kan-Ta-Maa was locked up in jail for 2 days and 2 nights before Maj. Aung Than, also of LIB502, decided to fine him 500 viss of garlic for the 3 viss he had used as seeds, in the form of 25,000 kyat of money, at the rate of 50 kyat per viss. In addition, Lung Kan-Ta-Maa was also fined 15,000 kyat more for failing to inform the military.

Although Lung Kan-Ta-Maa tried to explain to the military authorities that he had not informed them because he had done it only as a test and it had not yielded much, no one took his words seriously and he was fined 40,000 kyat in addition to 2 nights in military jail.

EXTORTION IN MURNG-TON

In mid-April 2001, a villager of Phaa Khe village in Murng-Ton township was arrested on a charge of dealing in amphetamine and extorted of money by SPDC troops of IB225.

On 13.4.01, a patrol of 20 SPDC troops form IB225 led by Capt. Myint Lwin came to Phaa Khe village in Murng-Ton township and searched the house belonging to Zaai Wa-Ling, male, aged 24.

The troops claimed they had found a package containing 50 tablets of amphetamine in Zaai Wa-Ling’s house and arrested him on a charge of dealing in illegal drugs, and locked him up at the IB225 military base. They told Zaai Wa-Ling’s family to bring 500,000 kyat of money if they wanted him to be released.

Zaai Wa-Ling’s family had to sell several head of their cattle and some items of valuables to pay for his release.

According to the local people, Zaai Wa-Ling was one of the few well-to-do farmers in the area who had enough to feed his family without much difficulty by cultivating vegetables as well as growing and trading in onion and garlic with traders from different areas. They had not heard of Zaai Wa-Ling being involved in the drug business, and many thought that he might have been framed by the SPDC troops for some unknown reasons.

FORCED DISPLACEMENT OF LOCAL VILLAGERS BY SPDC-BACKED ‘WA’ TROOPS IN MURNG-TON

During March and early April 2001, several local families in many villages in Me Ken, Murng Haang, Huay Aw and Pung Pa Khem village tracts, in Murng-Ton township, have been forcibly displaced from their homes by SPDC-sponsored UWSA (United Wa State Army) troops who in turn occupied the places.

On 14.3.01, 3 families of local villagers in Naa Pa Kaao village, Me Ken tract, were forced out of their homes by UWSA troops who were assigned to be stationed there. The Wa troops gave each family 1,000 Kyat of Burmese money and told them to leave. When the villagers refused to take the money and did not leave, they were forced at gun point to take it and leave. After the villagers left, the Wa soldiers occupied all the 3 houses. The heads of the 3 families were: Zaai Wi (m), aged 37, Zaai Aw (m), aged 31 and Zaai Kam (m), aged 27.

On 19.3.01, 3 families in Naa Kawng Mu in Murng Haang tract were also forced out of their homes by another group of Wa troops. Each of the families were forced to take 1,000 Kyat of money and leave. When they refused to take the money, some Wa troops even said, “Are you going to take money or take bullets?”. The villagers had no choice but to take the money and leave and the Wa troops occupied their houses.. The heads of the 3 families were: Naang Maai (f), aged 36, Zaai Kaw-Ya (m), aged 38 and Zaai Kit-Ti (m), aged 22.

On 24.3.01, 4 families in Huay Aw village in Huay Aw tract were similarly forced to leave their homes and taken by Wa soldiers. The heads of the families were: Lung Wan-Na (m), aged 50, Pa Khyung (f), aged 47, Zaai Kaw (m), aged 30, Zaai Wan (m), aged 33.

On 29.3.01, 2 houses in Son Kuay village in Pung Pa Khem tract were forcibly taken and the owners pushed out by Wa troops. The owners were: Lung Nya-Ling (m), aged 36 and Lung Pan-Ta (m), aged 41.

On 1.4.01, 2 houses in Pung An village, Pung Pa Khem tract, were similarly taken by Wa soldiers. The houses’ owners were: Pa Wan (f), aged 39 and Zaai Awng Nyunt (m), aged 41.

On 3.4.01, 2 houses in Tak Led village, Pung Pa Khem tract, were similarly taken by Wa troops. The houses’ owners were: Lung Mae-Tha (m), aged 46 and Zaai Long (m), aged 52.

All the houses that were taken by the said Wa troops were situated at the edge of the villages and owned by mostly very poor farmers who could barely feed their families and the only things in their possession worth talking about were their homes.

Dispossessing these destitute farmers of the only thing of any value they possessed virtually meant starving them. The 1,000 Kyat which each family was forced to take could get no more than 100 Thai Baht at most, hardly enough to feed each family even for a couple of days.

Whenever someone tried to talk to the Wa soldiers to stop the forcible displacement of villagers and other abuses, they simply said that all the territories east of the Salween river had been given to them by Gen. Khin Nyunt (Secretary 1 of SPDC) and they could take anything and stay anywhere they liked.

Out of the several displaced families mentioned above, the last 5 families, all from Pung Pa Khem tract which was close to Thailand, have already fled to the Thai border.