SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

COMMENTARY

Since 1999, mass relocation programs have been taking place in which over a hundred thousand Wa people from eastern Shan State near the Chinese border have been forcibly moved to the south near the Thai border. These relocation programs are being carried out by a Wa armed ceasefire group UWSA (United Wa State Army), notoriously known as the biggest supplier of amphetamine to the Thai market, and encouraged by the SPDC, the ruling Burmese military junta.

These mass relocations, which are still continuing, are not only displacing the Wa people from their homeland and causing them tremendous hardship during the movement and resettlement in unfamiliar places, but are also creating chaos among the original local populations, with the new comers violating their customs and taking up their lands and property and in the process displacing many of them. Since the indigenous populations are mostly Shan and Lahu, communal strife between the different peoples could break out at any moment.

In the midst of this chaotic situation, over the last few months there has been news of a plan by Thailand to aid the SPDC to carry out development programs in areas under UWSA control, in the southern Shan township of Murng-Sart near the border with Thai province of Chiangrai.

Giving aid to the oppressive military junta and its ally UWSA at this time, will inevitably backfire and only result in increased abuses, causing more suffering for all peoples in this area.

AN EXHAUSTED PORTER BURNED TO DEATH IN MURNG-KERNG AND LAWK-ZAWK

In mid December 2001, a porter who was taken in Murng-Kerng township was too exhausted to continue carrying his load and was burned to death by SPDC troops from IB243 and LIB505, in the mountains between Murng-Kerng and Lawk-Zawk townships.

On 12.12.01, a column of about 90 combined SPDC troops from Nam-Lan-based IB243 and LIB505 in Si-Paw township, led by Capt. Zaw Min and Capt. Kyi Too respectively, conscripted 5 civilian porters from Lin Lan village in Ham Ngaai village tract, Murng-Kerng township, saying that they were on an urgent mission to Lawk-Zawk and needed porters.

The 5 porters taken were:

The porters were forced to carry heavy loads and walk with the military column towards Lawk-Zawk township. When they reached Paang Wo mountain range between Lawk-Zawk and Murng-Kerng, the porters were forced to climb with their heavy loads.

Zaai Aw, who was carrying about 1-1/2 baskets of rice, fell down from exhaustion when they reached half way up the mountain slope, lying prone on the ground and was unable to get up. SPDC troops walking behind him barked out orders forcing him to get up, but he could not. Some pulled him up by his hands, but he fell down again as soon as they released him.

The SPDC troops then became angry and kicked and trampled Zaai Aw’s waist and neck with their boots until he became virtually unconscious and, saying that he wanted to die, made a pile of dry twigs and leaves over his body, and set fire to it.

Zaai Aw was thus burned alive to death. After being forced to watch the horrible scene, the other 4 porters were too frightened to get exhausted and managed to get to Lawk-Zawk with their loads where they were finally released.

A TERRIFIED MAN SHOT DEAD IN KAENG-TUNG

On 30.10.01, SPDC troops from LIB314 shot dead a man who was startled at the sight of them and tried to run away from them, on the road between Wan Sa and Wan Zawn village in Yaang Kaeng village tract, Kaeng-Tung township.

The victim, Naan Sai, aged 36, was from Nawng Ten village and on the day of the incident had gone to have a drink with his friend at Wan Sa village. On his return in the evening, not long after he left Wan Sa, he ran into a patrol of 7 SPDC troops on the road between Wan Sa and Wan Zawn.

Naan Sai was said to have once been conscripted as a porter by the Burmese troops for 3-4 months during which he nearly died and since then he was always frightened by the sight of the Burmese soldiers.

When the SPDC soldiers reached Wan Sa village, they told the villagers that they had shot dead a cow thief who tried to run away as he saw them on the road between Wan Sa and Wan Zawn villages, and told them to go and see if he was their fellow villager.

As it was getting dark, the villagers then made torches and went along the road until they reached the site, only to find that the man shot dead was not a cow thief but Naan Sai from Nawng Ten village who had been drinking at their village during the day. They then sent a man to Nawng Ten to tell Naan Sai’s family and relatives about his fate.

Naan Sai’s remains were then brought back to Nawng Ten and his relatives conducted a funeral according to their traditions. After the funeral, Naan Sai’s family and relatives, with the help of their village headman, filed a complaint with the village tract leader.

The village tract leader, however, did not dare to take the case to the township authorities and said, “I don’t see any good in complaining to anyone. No one could do anything to these Burmese soldiers. It could only bring reprisal and more harm to us. It is more advisable to keep quiet”.

Naan Sai’s family and relatives did not know what to do and quietly returned to their village.

GANG-RAPE CAUSING INJURIES IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 11.11.01, 2 women were gang-raped by 7 SPDC soldiers from LIB331 on the bank of Nam Ngaw stream near Nam Ngaw village in Hawng Zaang tract, Murng-Yawng township, and their necks were severely bruised and injured from being harshly held and squeezed by the soldiers while being raped.

Naang Seng Kham (not her real name), aged 19 and Naang Bo La (not her real name), aged 19, of Nam Ngaw village were catching fish in Nam Ngaw stream some distance from the village when 7 SPDC troops from LIB331 approached them.

The SPDC troops seized the 2 women in the stream and dragged them out on the bank and gang-raped them. Because the women were struggling and kicking fiercely all the time, the soldiers held them down on the ground and by pressing and squeezing their necks, making it difficult for them to breathe and causing severe pain, forced them to submit while raping them.

After all the soldiers had raped the women to their satisfaction, they left, leaving their victims with severely bruised and painful necks. Although the women and their parents complained about their plight to the village and village tract leaders, except for saying some words of consolation to the victims they did not dare to take the case any further.

BEATING OF LAHU VILLAGER, CAUSING SEVERE HEAD INJURIES, IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 20.11.01, SPDC troops from LIB316 beat up a Lahu villager at Kaeng Laab village in Ta-Khi-Leak township, fracturing his skull and splitting his scalp so severely that it needed to be treated with 7 stitches.

Ja Pur (not his real name), aged 29, the victim, was a villager of Ja Po Kham village in Kaeng Laab tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township. He earned a living as one of the goods peddlers who bought consumer goods in Thailand and crossed over to Laos to sell them, and in the process happened to know quite a few people in Laos.

Because of his acquaintanceship with people in Laos, Ja Pur was asked by SPDC troops from Co.2 of Ta-Lur-based LIB316, who were taking security in Kaeng Laab tract, to go over to Laos and collect debts from traders who had bought 700,000 Baht worth of metamphetamine tablets on credit from the traders under their protection.

When Ja Pur, unable to get any of the money from the traders in Laos, returned empty handed, the SPDC troops were furious with him and kicked and beat him many times, causing a fracture to his skull and a large wound in his scalp.

Although the SPDC troops were the ones who had forced Ja Pur to work for them and had caused severe injuries to him, they did not take any responsibility. Ja Pur himself alone had to hire a car to take him to the hospital in Ta-Khi-Laek town where he received treatment of his head wounds, which had to be stitched 7 times. It cost 7,000 Baht of Ja Pur’s own money for hiring a car and for the medical treatment.

A PORTER BEATEN UNCONSCIOUS, HIS NECK SLIT, IN MURNG-NAI

On 8.9.01, SPDC troops from LIB471 conscripted 17 civilian porters from Kaeng Tawng area in Murng-Nai township, saying that they would pay 500 Kyat per person per day for their porter service.

The porters were forced to carry heavy loads and walk through jungles day and night with very little rest and food. After some days, while they were walking across a field, one of the porters, Zaai Lu (m), aged 25, became so exhausted that he collapsed and could not get up right away.

The SPDC soldiers then beat Zaai Lu and one of them struck him on the head with his rifle butt. Zaai Lu lost consciousness from the beating and when he recovered his senses, there was blood all over his clothes, and the soldiers forced him to wash his clothes and forced him to walk on.

When they reached a place called Huay Lur, after patrolling for 8 days, Zaai Lu was exhausted again and one of the SPDC troops slit the left side of his neck with a knife, but fortunately not deep enough to reach his throat, and said, “I can kill you if I like. The death of one Shan is not as regrettable as the loss of one milk can of ours”.

The SPDC troops decided to stop for the night at that place and Zaai Lu managed to escape during the night, gaining courage from the thought that he would surely die sooner or later if he stayed on.

FORCED LABOUR CONTINUES ON RAILWAY PROJECT IN SOUTHERN SHAN STATE

Since early November 2001, batch after batch of hundreds of forced labourers are continuing to be used by SPDC military authorities in the railroad construction project between Murng-Nai and Si-Seng townships in southern Shan State.

On 18.11.01, the 226 forced labourers from Nam-Zarng and Murng-Nai townships, including men and women aged ranging from 18 to 53, who had been working since early November 2001 on the said railroad construction project had been replaced by a new shift of forced labourers from Nam-Zarng and Murng-Nai townships.

The new shift, consisting of 240 forced labourers, 130 conscripted from Nam-Zarng and 110 from Murng-Nai townships including men and women aged ranging from 17 to 55, had started working on 19.11.01, when the old batch of forced labourers were released.

Sometime in November 2001, the commander of IB66 sent directives to Si-Seng, Mawk-Mai, Larng-Khur and Murng-Pan townships demanding 100 forced labourers from each township, thus requiring military authorities in those townships to force village and village tract leaders to provide a number of villagers from their respective areas to fill up the demanded quotas.

The villagers were required to bring their own tools such as knives, hoes and rakes etc. to work with and provide their own food for 17-18 days during which they would have to stay and work at the construction sites. New shifts of forced labourers would be needed after every 17-18 days to replace the old ones.

On 22.11.01, the first batch of 400 villagers, over 1/3 of whom were women, from the said 4 townships had been sent to work on the railroad between Sai Khaao and Kung Mark Laang villages.

PEOPLE FORCED TO MAKE CHARCOAL FOR THE MILITARY IN MURNG-TON

On 16.11.01, the commander of IB65 of the SPDC issued an order to the people of Murng-Ton township forcing them to make 600 sacks of charcoal for the SPDC soldiers in the area, which had to be finished before 1.12.01.

Each of the following village tracts was ordered to produce equal amount of charcoal as follows:

The charcoal was to be produced from only 2 specified kinds of hardwood while all other different kinds of wood were strictly prohibited. Anyone found using wood rather than the specified kinds would be severely punished, said the order.

Furthermore, the village and village tract leaders were told to tell all the villagers to say that they willingly provided the Burmese military with charcoal free of charge to help them because the soldiers were so busy protecting the country that they had no time to do it themselves, when asked by either foreigners or anyone in the country. No one was to say that they were ordered by the Burmese soldiers to provide them with free charcoal.

PEOPLE FORCED TO CULTIVATE CROPS FOR THE MILITARY IN LAI-KHA

Over the last 2-3 months since late October 2001, commander of Co.2 of SPDC’s LIB515, Capt. Htun Khin Oo, forced people in Lai-Kha township to reap and thresh rice crops at a military farm and ordered them to grow garlic, onion and peanut for the military.

The people were to provide their own seeds to grow those crops on the following acreage of land

1. Garlic, 5 acres
2. Onion, 5 acres
3. Peanut, 80 acres

In addition, the people had to build fences around those farms to protect them from animals, which took some time to build and to cut and transport bamboo and wood for the fences. Around 70-80 people each day were required to work at those farms until they were finished.

Since it coincided with their own rice harvest time, it was very difficult for the people to find time to work for themselves and a lot of rice had been lost due to belated harvest.

PEOPLE FORCED TO MAKE LEAF-ROOFING SHEETS IN MURNG-NAI

During November and December 2001, people in Kaeng Tawng area of Murng-Nai township, mostly women, were forced by SPDC military authorities to collect leaves and make roofing sheets for the several military bases and camps in the area.

Every day at least 5 people from each village of the village tracts, such as Kun Mong, Kun Naa, Paang Kyawng, Kung Lom and Ho Ha, had to prepare their own food early in the morning to take with them as they needed to go into the forests around 6:00 a.m. to collect leaves and bring them to the military bases and camps in their respective village tracts.

Once at the military camps, the villagers had to work weaving leaves into roofing sheets until 5 o’clock in the evening. There were about 30 people working each day at each camp. If the demanded quotas of workers were not met, the responsible village headmen would face punishment.

The SPDC troops claimed that they paid for the forced labour, but the fee was so small that it was almost next to nothing, considering the time and effort exerted each day.

The SPDC troops offered 100 Kyat for 100 sheets of leaf-roofing. But each person could only make around 20 sheets per day, only the most skilled could finish up to 30 sheets. That meant 3-4 persons together could get only 100 Kyat per day for working more than 10 hours, from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

VILLAGER’S PIG SHOT, VILLAGERS FORCED TO CUT UP PORK, IN MURNG-YARNG

On 19.11.2001, a patrol of 7 SPDC troops from IB227 shot a villager’s pig at Yaang Lao village in Yaang Lao tract, Murng-Yarng township, and forced the villagers to cut up pork for them, without paying anything or even asking the owner for it.

On that day, 7 SPDC troops from Co.2 of Murng-Khark-based IB227, led by Lt. San Aung, who were patrolling the area came into Yaang Lao village and when they saw a pig lying in the shade of a fence, shot at it immediately without telling or warning the villagers.

When the pig was dead, the troops called up the village headman and ordered him to make his villagers cut it up into pieces of pork, each weighing about 1 viss (1.6 kg) with a loop of string attached to it.

When there were about 16-17 pieces of pork, the troops divided them among themselves and carried them away. Before they left, the troops said to the villagers, “Don’t go and complain to anyone. We have peacefully asked this pig from you because our army need pork. If you make a complaint with the authorities, we will come and punish you real hard”.

The pig was raised by Lung Saam Kham, male, aged 56, and according to him it was a male pig and it could have easily fetched 17,000 Kyat in the market when it was killed. No one of course dared to complain and Lung Saam Kham not only lost 17,000 Kyat worth of pig but his time and effort in rasing the pig had also been in vain.

PIG SHOT FOR PORK IN MURNG-KHARK

On 19.10.01, a group of 7 SPDC troops from IB227 shot dead a large pig belonging to the villagers of Yaang Long village in Murng-Khark township, cut it up and took away some pork without paying for it.

The troops shot dead the pig while it was roaming outside Yaang Long village and cut out pieces of pork, hooked them to their rifles with strings and walked away. They walked past close by Yaang Long village but did not say anything to the villagers.

Yaang Long villagers saw the whole thing from the village for they looked out as they heard the gunshot. But no one dared to go near the SPDC troops, let alone intervene, for fear of being harmed or forced to cut and carry the pork by the troops.

The pig belonged to a couple, Zaai Peng and Naang Pin, in Yaang Long village and weighed not less than 36 viss (1 viss = 1.6 kg) at the time it was shot dead, which meant it could be sold at least for 57,600 Kyat in the market at the current price of 1,600 Kyat per viss.

A HIRED BUFFALO SHOT DEATH, LEAVING THE POOR BORROWER IN DEBT, IN MURNG-NAI

Sometime in July and August 2001, a buffalo hired by a woman to till her rice field was shot dead by SPDC troops from LIB471 near Wan Turm village in Kaeng Tawng area, Murng-Nai township, leaving the woman alone responsible to pay for the buffalo owner’s loss.

Naang Num, the only daughter of a widow in Wan Turm village, earned a living and supported her widowed mother by cultivating a rice field all by herself. Since she did not have any buffalo, Naang Num had to hire one from others to till her field during cultivating times. This time, she hired a big female buffalo from Lung Kaang Aw of Kun Naa village to work with.

One day when she was taking rest in a hut to have her day meal and had let loose the buffalo to graze in a nearby meadow, Naang Num noticed it had disappeared into the nearby hills.

Panicked, Naang Num ran after the buffalo, shouting and calling out for it. But before she could find it she heard a gunshot and ran into a group of about 10 SPDC soldiers from LIB471 who stopped her and asked where she was going.

When she said she was going into the hills to get her buffalo, the SPDC troops said that they had planted mines on the way and told her not to go. But she ran into the hills risking her own safety and found the buffalo lying in a pool of blood, just shot dead by the SPDC troops.

Naang Num later went with community leaders to the military base and complained about it, but she got nothing in terms of money or materials as compensation. However, she still needed to pay the owner some percentage of the value of the dead buffalo.

According to the owner, Lung Kaang Aw, the buffalo was worth at least 760,000 Kyat as this had been offered recently by some buyers who wanted it. But he did not sell it because he did not want that amount of money and wanted to hire it out and earn just enough money, though small in amount, to go on for many years to come.

TREES AND BAMBOO GROWN BY VILLAGERS FORCIBLY CUT AND TAKEN IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 18.11.01, SPDC troops from Ta Lur-based LIB316 forcibly cut a large amount of trees and bamboo grown by the local people in the woodlands in the areas of 3-4 villages in Nam Kherm village tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, and took them away without even notifying the owners.

On the day of the incident, the villagers of Nam Maw, Wan Kawng, Li Hi and Wan Tong villages in Nam Kherm village tract, heard loud noises of people and woodcutting from the directions of their wood lands. When they went out to see, the villagers saw groups of SPDC soldiers from LIB316 cutting their wood and bamboo in their woodlands.

The villagers then tried to persuade their village headmen and the head of the People’s Militia in their village tract to go and prevent the SPDC soldiers from cutting and taking their wood and bamboo. But no one dared to do as the villagers wished.

The villagers and their leaders watched helplessly and silently as the soldiers cut and carried away as much of their wood and bamboo as they wanted.

According to some owners of the woodlands, tens of trees and hundreds of bamboo had been cut and taken away by the SPDC troops and they could not do anything about it, nor could they even find ways to prevent it from happening again in the future.