SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

COMMENTARY

In his communication dated 24 January 2002 to Sir Ninian Stephen, the leader of the ILO high level inquiry team which had gone to Burma in Sep-Oct 2001, Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, Secretary-1 of the SPDC, has tried to deny the facts that the killings of villagers for complaining about forced labour in Kaeng Tawng area of Murng-Nai township had ever taken place.

However, SHRF has made a response to this which has been accepted as credible in the ILO Governing Body’s discussion on 21 March 2002.

It is not surprising that Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt is trying to deny the facts, as it is the military regime’s practice to deny they have ever committed any human rights violations.
What is more chilling is the ease they display in erasing the local Shan history and cultural identity. 

Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt casually stated that “there were only a few villages in the area” (of Kaeng Tawng), when in fact these villages are relocation sites to which 50-60 formerly thriving villages were forced to move in 1996. He also conveniently denied the existence of several victims because their villages “did not exist” (have been relocated). Not only that, but he corrected SHRF’s use of the Shan name of one village, calling it instead by the Burmese name.
This is the very area to which the regime is now relocating Burmans. The intent of the SPDC to Burmanize the region, erase the Shan history and identity, and its own crimes in the process, is thus frighteningly apparent.

2 AKHA VILLAGERS BEATEN TO DEATH WHILE SERVING AS PORTERS IN MURNG-PHYAK

In early February 2002, 2 Akha villagers who were being forced to serve as porters were beaten to death by a column of SPDC troops from Murng-Phyak-based IB221 on the way between Kawng Mon and Phaktu Murng villages in Murng Phyak township.

On 6.1.02, Aa Li (m), aged 26 and Aa Ming (m), aged 29, 2 Akha villagers from Ho Naa village in Murng-Phyak township, were seized on the way near their village as they were returning from their farm by a passing column of about 60 SPDC troops from IB221, and were forced to carry military things with the other 18-19 civilians already serving as porters.

After a couple of days, on 8.2.02, there was a battle between SPDC troops and SSA-S (Shan State Army - South) troops in which one of the SPDC troops’ stronghold manned by IB244 at Me Zok village in Murng Tum tract, Murng-Sart township, was overrun by the latter. 

On hearing the news, the IB221 column which was at that moment resting at Murng Kok immediately started off again. In order to be in time to help the IB244 troops take back the stronghold, the IB221 troops marched towards Murng Tum as fast as they could, day and night, forcing the porters to go fast and scolding and beating those who lagged behind.

When they reached a place between Kawng Mon and Phaktu Murng villages in the evening at dusk, Aa Li and Aa Ming collapsed from exhaustion and dehydration. The SPDC troops ordered them to get up, but they could not, and the troops pulled them up by the hands, but they fell down again and lay on the ground as if they were dead.

The troops then kicked the 2 Akha men with their boots and beat them with their rifle butts repeatedly on their heads, necks and waists for about 15 minutes until they were both soaked in blood, and finally pushed them down the side of the road and continued to march towards Murng-Sart.

When the 2 Akha men were later found by villagers from Kawng Mon, the closest village to the site of the incident, both of them were already dead. Their bodies were then buried by the Kawng Mon villagers.

6 DISPLACED SHANS ROBBED AND SHOT DEAD NEAR THAI-BORDER IN MUNRG-TON

On 30.1.02, 6 internally displaced Shans from Murng-Kerng township who were trying to enter Thailand were robbed and shot dead by SPDC troops from IB281 near the Thai border at a place about 2 1/2 kilometres east of BP-1 border checkpoint, in Murng-Ton township.
The 6 victims were:

These victims were all originally from Loi Saang village in Ham Ngaai tract, Murng-Kerng township, and had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Murng-Kerng town by the Burmese troops in 1996-1997, during the mass forced relocation programs in Central Shan State in which over 300,000 people have been displaced. 

As the situation in the relocation sites became worse over the years, due to the increasing demands of forced rice procurement and forced labour, and harsh restrictions imposed by SPDC military authorities, making it more and more difficult for the people to earn a living, these people had sold all their cattle and livestock and virtually all the other things they had and left Murng-Kerng town relocation site on 21.1.02, heading for Thailand.

They reached BP-1 on 29.1.02 and stayed overnight at an empty house which had been confiscated from the people by the SPDC troops. During the night they were told by some traders that they needed to change money, so they exchanged their money with Thai currency from one of the traders. It was said that they got 36,000 Baht from the money exchange.
The next day, 30.1.02, they hired a guide who would take them to Nong Ook village in Thailand by a route that evaded the Thai checkpoint. But when they had gone only about 2-3 kilometres to the east of BP-1 and were still some metres from the border, they were stopped and robbed of all their money and valuables by 5 Burmese soldiers from IB281 who eventually shot the 6 of them dead.

VILLAGER TORTURED TO DEATH, OTHERS EXTORTED, FOR FAILING TO GROW OPIUM IN MURNG-KERNG

On 21.1.02, a man, 1 of 29 villagers who were detained and beaten by SPDC troops of LIB514 in Murng-Kerng township for failing to grow opium, died of the beating and the rest were ordered to carry his remains back to his village to conduct a funeral, and later money was extorted from them.

It was said that on 4.10.01 SPDC military authorities in Murng-Kerng township issued an instruction requiring every household in the villages to grow opium. On 20.1.02, after they had checked and found that there were 29 houses that had not grown any opium as instructed, the SPDC troops summoned 1 person from each house to come to the military base.

At the base, the 29 villagers were scolded for defying orders and beaten 10 times each with sticks by the SPDC troops and were locked up at the base during the night. On the next day, the villagers were taken out of jail, forced to squat in line and beaten again, this time 15 times each.

As the beating was about to be over, 1 of the villagers, Paw Thao Mung, male, aged 61, fell down and fainted, and could not get up. The troops then kicked at him and beat him several more times. When they stopped to look at him, he was already dead.

The troops then ordered the remaining 28 villagers to carry the dead body of Paw Thao Mung back to his village and conduct a funeral for him.

On 27.1.02, the remaining 28 villagers were called to the military base once more and scolded again for not obeying the military commander’s orders and were accused of rebelling against the military government, and were told to choose between 3 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 Kyat each.

As all the villagers chose to pay the fine, they were given 20 days to complete paying it, and were even threatened with death if they broke their promise. It was said that some who were not able to find the needed amount of money in time had fled to different places as far away as they could.

3 LUMBERMEN TIED UP AND SHOT DEAD IN KAENG-TUNG

On 10.11.01, 3 lumbermen, 2 Shan and 1 Lahu, were tied up with ropes and shot dead by SPDC troops from LIB314 at a wood-sawing camp on the bank of Nam Luay river, 7 miles south of Ta Ping bridge in Kaeng-Tung township.

All the 3 victims were from Kaad Tao village tract in Kaeng-Tung township. The 2 Shans were Zaai Hawng, aged 36 and Zaai Lawk, aged 36 from Wan Kawm village; and the Lahu was Aa Pa, aged 42 from Paeng Tao village.

The 3 were friends and had been working together for some time sawing lumber and transporting it to be sold in Murng Laa, a border town near the Chinese border, in the special region 4 under the control of a ceasefire group.

On the day of the incident, while the said 3 men were resting and eating their day meal at their wood-sawing camp, a patrol of 12 SPDC troops came down from the direction of Ta Ping bridge and arrested them at gun point.

The 3 men were forced to sit in line and tied up. The troops then searched their bodies and their bags and belongings in the camp, taking what they wanted. As soon as they finished searching, the troops shot all of them dead.

The incident was seen by some other lumbermen who happened to be working nearby at that moment and managed to hide and watch from some distance. They knew that the troops were from LIB314 that was stationed at Ta Ping bridge. However, no one seemed to know for what reason these people were killed.

A DISPLACED FARMER SHOT DEAD IN KUN-HING

On 30.11.01, a displaced farmer from Loi Keng village in Loi Keng tract, Kun-Hing township, who was hiding in the jungle was shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB530, which was based in Loi-Kaw town in Karenni State, near his hiding place in Loi Keng tract, Kun-Hing township.

Sometime in late November 2001, a patrol of SPDC troops from Loi-Kaw-based LIB530 came to Kun-Hing and searched the area of Loi Keng village tract. At one point they saw a man and they called out to him to come to them. But the man ran away and they shot him dead.
The victim, Nya-Na, male, aged 35, had been in hiding with his family since Loi Keng village was forcibly relocated by the Burmese 4-5 years ago. He had managed to survive by growing rice and some vegetables on small remote plots of land until he was found and shot dead by the SPDC troops. He was survived by his wife, Naang Pin, and a child.

A MENTALLY RETARDED WOMAN RAPED AND KILLED IN KUN-HING

On 28.12.01, a 24-year-old mentally retarded woman, Naang Suay Nu, was beaten, raped and killed by a patrol of SPDC soldiers from Murng-Ton-based LIB519 at a remote farm on the west bank of the Salween river in Kun-Hing township.

In late December 2001, a column of SPDC troops from Murng-Ton-based LIB519 patrolled and searched the areas along the eastern bank of the Salween river, starting from Saalaa village in Murng-Ton township and heading upstream into Kun-Hing township.

At one point in Kun-Hing township, the SPDC troops crossed to the west bank of the river and came upon a remote farm where a man and a woman were working. The man saw the troops before they got near him and ran away, escaping into the nearby jungle.

The woman, who was slow, could not escape and the troops seized her. They interrogated her and beat her for some time but she could not answer any of their questions. The troops finally raped and killed her and left, leaving her body in the little farm.

The man and woman, Zaai Zit-Ta, aged 40 and Naang Suay Nu, aged 24, were brother and sister. They were originally from Kaeng Kham village in Kaeng Lom tract, Kun-Hing township, which had been forcibly relocated to Kun-Hing town by Burmese troops 4-5 years ago.

They had managed to survive as displaced farmers during those years by secretly growing rice at remote little plots of land near the Salween river in Kun-Hing township. They were working on their little farm when the SPDC troops came, and Naang Suay Nu was raped and killed.

GANG-RAPE IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 19.12.01, a woman from Lawng Haang village in Wan Wo tract, Murng-Yawng township, was gang-raped by 3 SPDC troops from LIB311 near the bank of Nam Haang stream, a short distance downstream from her village.

On that day, Naang Taan (not her real name), aged 19, went to gather wild vegetables along the bank of Nam Haang stream outside her village. When she got to a remote place some distance from the village, 3 SPDC troops came near her and said something to her.

But Naang Taan could not make out what they had said and continued to gather the wild vegetables. The troops then seized her and carried her into a nearby bush and raped her. They held her down and covered her mouth while raping her, taking turns until every one of them was satisfied.

The troops left as soon as they finished, leaving Naang Taan lying there alone. Just before they left, one of the troops threatened to come back and do more harm to her if she told other people about the incident.

Although Naang Taan and her father went to their village headman and reported her plight to him, because they did not know the names of the soldiers and because the headman was afraid of the SPDC troops, they could not do anything further.

DISPLACED FARMERS RAPED AND ROBBED IN KUN-HING

On 1.12.01, 4 displaced farming families were robbed of their belongings at their remote farming site and 4 of their womenfolk were taken to a military camp and raped for 2 days and 2 nights by SPDC troops from IB296 in Kun-Hing township.

On the day of the incident, a patrol of about 50 SPDC troops from IB296, led by commander Than Nyunt, searched the area of Kaeng Lom tract in Kun-Hing township and came upon a place where 4 displaced farming families were secretly staying and cultivating little plots of land for growing rice, in the area of Wan Phaai village (deserted) in Kaeng Lom village (deserted) tract.
The SPDC troops then searched the place and took all they wanted from the farmers:

1. Lung Nan-Ta (m), aged 47, originally from Wan Phaai village, lost 3,000 Kyat of money, half a basket of rice and all other food and seasoning stuff

2. Mae Thao Phong (f), aged 58, originally from Keang Lom village, lost 4,700 Kyat of money, 1 Kyat weight of gold ornament, 6 “pay” of rice, all seasoning and food stuff, and her new blouse

3. Pi Taw-Na (m), aged 41, originally from Wan Phaai village, lost 4,000 Kyat of money, half basket of rice, 1 basket of soya bean grain, 4 chickens and all seasoning and food stuff

4. Zaai Lon (m), aged 37, originally from Kaeng Lom village, lost 1,500 Kyat of money, 1/4-Kyat weight of gold ornament, 1 draught-ox, 4 “pay” of rice, 1 basket of soya bean grain, one dry-cell torch light, all seasoning and food stuff, and 1 viss of sesame oil

These families had been in hiding since 1996 when their village and village tract were forcibly relocated by Burmese troops, and had been able to survive by growing rice and some vegetables in remote places until they were found by the SPDC troops on 1.12.01.

After taking all they wanted, the troops told the displaced farmers not to stay in the jungle any more but to go and stay in a village or town, where they could get a pass from the authorities to come out and cultivate their farms. Saying this, the troops left.

A short while after they left the farms the SPDC troops saw 4 women on the way and forcibly seized them and took them to their military base in Kung Hing. These women were from the hiding place which the troops had just searched and looted. They were:

These 4 women were returning from Kun-Hing town where they secretly had gone to buy some consumer goods and daily necessities when they ran into the said SPDC troops on the way before they could reach their hiding place. They were taken to the military base and raped by the SPDC troops, and were detained for 2 days and 2 nights before they were released.

ARREST, BEATING AND DISAPPEARANCE IN TA-KHI-LAEK

On 22.12.01, a boatman was arrested, tied up, beaten, kicked and dumped into the Mekhong river by SPDC troops from LIB526 at Ta Wan Pung river-port in Ta-Khi-Laek township, and has disappeared since then.

The victim, Zaai Hong, male, aged 26, was a villager of Kaeng Laab who earned a living with a boat by transporting passengers along the Mekhong river between Kaeng Laab, Murng Phong and the Golden Triangle.

On the day of the incident, Zaai Hong had just transported 7 passengers from Kaeng Laab to Wan Pung and as he was collecting fares, 500 Baht each, from the passengers, the 7 SPDC troops from LIB526 who were on security duty at Wan Pung port came to him and asked to see his permit paper for running a passenger boat.

After looking at his permit, the leader of the troops said the validity date of the permit had expired and tore up the paper, and ordered Zaai Hong to pay a fine for running a boat without a permit, and threatened to confiscate his boat if he did not comply.

But Zaai Hong said that his permit was still valid for more than half-a-month and the soldier had destroyed it, and that he was not happy to pay the fine and would report it to the SPDC troops from LIB316 at Kaeng Laab port who had issued him the permit. 

Zaai Hong and the SPDC soldiers argued for a while and finally the soldiers became angry and seized him, tied up his hands and legs and tortured him on the bank of the Mekhong river. The soldiers beat and kicked him all over until he was rolling around on the ground.

Eventually, the troops searched Zaai Hong’s body, took all the 5-6,000 Baht of money he was carrying and pushed him into the Mekhong river. Since his hands and feet were tied up, he immediately sank into the water and disappeared.

Some of the 7 passengers witnessed the incident from some distance but did not dare say or do anything for fear of the SPDC troops and silently left quickly as they saw Zaai Hong disappear into the water.

The next day, when Zaai Hong’s relatives at Kaeng Laab village heard the news, they reported it to their village headman and together with the head of the people’s militia of their village tract came searching for him.

When they saw his empty boat at Wa Pung port and asked the SPDC soldiers there, they said that they hed seen him go up the bank and towards Wan Pung village with the other passengers and he had not yet been back and that they did not know he was missing until they were now told.

When they asked whether the news that the troops arrested a man yesterday was true, the troops said they did not arrest anyone and if they had any doubt they could file a complaint with anyone they liked. 

The villagers did not know what else to do and took the empty boat back to their village. Zaai Hong has disappeared since then.

VILLAGER NEARLY DIES FROM BEATING IN MURNG-KHARK

On 11.12.01, a villager of Aa Khur village in Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township, was arrested, detained and so severely beaten and tortured by SPDC troops from IB227 that he almost died of the torture.

Ai Nyee, aged 46, the victim, was a man who earned a living by going around and cutting firewood for other people at different villages and gaining wages from it to support his family. One day after he had worked for a villager at Wan Laa village, also in Murng Nung tract, his employer invited him to dinner, so that he returned home a bit late in the evening.

On the way home, Ai Nyee met a group of 6 SPDC troops. When he saw the troops, they were already too close for him to hide or run, so he just stepped to the side of the road and stood there, making way for them to pass by.

But the SPDC troops stopped and asked questions about him and searched his bag. Ai Nyee answered all their questions as to who he was, where he was from and what he did for a living, etc., and the troops found only 2-3 pieces of cheroot in his shoulder bag.

When the troops asked to see his identity card, however, Ai Nyee could not show them because he did not have one, and the troops accused him of lying and arrested him. The troops said he was not a local of Murng-Khark and interrogated him, beating and kicking him all the while.

Ai Nyee was then taken to the Buddhist temple of Murng Nung village and continued to be interrogated and tortured again. After a while, the abbot monk of the nearby monastery heard about it and came to the temple to have a look.

When the abbot saw that it was Ai Nyee of Aa Khur village and pleaded with the SPDC troops, guaranteeing his innocence, they released him. However, by that time, he was nearly dead.

FORCED PORTERING AND BEATING IN MURNG-TON & MURNG-SART

On 7.1.02, SPDC troops from Murng-Paeng-based IB43 came to Murng-Ton township and conscripted 140 civilians in the area to serve as porters for the military.
The civilian porters were put on trucks and taken to Murng-Sart township and were forced to carry heavy loads of military rations and ammunition to the Loi Laang area close to the border with Thailand.

At one point, a porter named Lung Phong, male, aged 53, stumbled and rolled down a mountain slope together with his load. Some SPDC troops then ran after him, seized him and, accusing him of trying to run away, beat him severely several times until he lost consciousness.

The troops left the unconscious porter in the jungle and continued their journey. It is not yet known whether Lung Phong has returned home, and whether he is dead or still alive.