SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT, OCTOBER 2003

COMMENTARY

Although it has become more difficult in some areas of Shan State to gather information on human rights violations due to various factors including restrictions and intimidation by the SPDC troops, many people are still willing to take risks and expose to the outside world the brutal abuses they and their fellow civilians have to suffer under the boots of the junta’s troops so that SHRF’s field workers can still manage to collect news about human rights violations on a more or less regular basis.

As the SPDC military patrols have been searching the hiding places of the displaced villagers in the relocation areas in central Shan State more thoroughly, more and more villagers have had to abandon their hiding places and flee, some to the Thai border, bringing with them not only horrible stories of recent human rights abuses but also of previous abuses they had to suffer during the years of their hiding. 

The SPDC troops still shoot on sight displaced farmers in the relocation areas and have looted and burned their camps. In one case reported in this newsletter, the wife was raped after the husband was cold-bloodedly killed by the SPDC troops before burning down their farm hut.

Forced labour is still being used by the SPDC troops in many parts of Shan State as before. SHRF has received news from northern Shan State as far as Si-Paw and Kyawk-Me townships that forced labour is still being used in road construction and routine daily chores at military camps and police stations.

HUSBAND SHOT DEAD, WIFE RAPED, FARM HUT LOOTED AND BURNT, IN LAI-KHA

On 19 July 2003, a displaced farmer was shot dead, his wife raped and their farm hut looted and burned with the body of the dead farmer in it, by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64, at a remote farm near a relocated village, Ho Nam, in Paang Saang village tract, Lai-Kha township.

A displaced farming family was temporarily staying and working at a rice farm near the said old village when a patrol of 12-15 SPDC troops from IB64 came and surrounded the hut in which they were staying. Members of the family were:

1. Zaai Za-Lin-Ta (m), aged 35, head of the family
2. Naang Punt (f) (not her real name), aged 32, wife of Zaai Za-Lin-Ta
3. Zaai Kam (m), aged 12, their son
4. Naang Leng (f), aged 10, their daughter
5. Naang Zing (f), aged 9, their daughter

The SPDC troops shot dead Zaai Za-Lin-Ta in the hut and all 12-15 of them raped his wife, Naang Punt, to their satisfaction. Later the troops searched the farm and took away the following: 8 baskets of paddy; 1-1/2 baskets of rice; 2 viss of salt; 2 viss of pickled soya bean; 1 pair of boots; 2 pairs of trousers; 1 shirt and a pair of sandals.

As they were leaving the farm, the SPDC troops set fire to the hut and burned it to ashes with the body of Zaai Za-Lin-Ta in it, leaving nothing for his wife, Naang Punt, and their 3 fatherless children.

9 DISPLACED FARMERS SHOT DEAD IN KUN-HING

On 10 June 2003, 4 displaced farmers were shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 in a hut at a rice field near a relocated village, Wan Phaai, in Kaeng Lom village tract, Kun-Hing township. The next day, the same SPDC troops shot dead 5 other displaced farmers who were working in a rice field at another relocated village, Paang Khaa, in the same village tract.

In the evening of the first day of the incident, the said SPDC patrol saw lights in the said hut and, without warning, came close and sprayed their guns on it, killing all the 4 occupants. The 4 villagers shot dead were:

1. Zaai Saw-Li (m), aged 26
2. Zaai Zan-Ti-Ma (m), aged 24
3. Naang Thawn (f), aged 21
4. Naang Taeng Yaen (f), aged 23

These 4 villagers were originally from Wan Phaai village which had been forcibly relocated in 1996-97 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. They had temporarily come back to cultivate their rice field at their old village and were staying overnight in the same hut when they were shot dead by the SPDC troops.

On 11 June 2003, the same SPDC patrol saw 5 other villagers who were working in a rice field at Paang Khaa old village and, without warning, shot all of them dead in the field. The 5 victims were:

1. Zaai Mu (m), aged 32
2. Naang Nguay (f), aged 19
3. Zaai Kyaw (m), aged 37
4. Naang Kya (f), aged 30
5. Pa Zing (f), aged 50

These 5 farmers were originally from Paan Khaa village which had also been forcibly relocated in 1996-97 by the SLORC troops. They had temporarily come to cultivate their original rice fields at their old village when they were shot dead.

It was learned that the SPDC troops suspected these displaced farmers of being members or supporters of the Shan resistance and simply shot them dead without bothering to ask any questions. The SPDC troops even took away an abandoned old shirt with SSA (Shan State Army) insignia and a pair of old boots they found at the edge of the rice field as evidence.

A FIREWOOD GATHERER SHOT DEAD IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 12 June 2003, one of 2 Akha villagers who were gathering firewood was shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB334 in a forest near Nam Zee village in Pa Hok village tract, Murng-Yawng township.

On that day, 2 Akha villagers from Paang Khawn village in Pa Hok village tract, Murng-Yawng township, had gone together to gather firewood. As they were gathering firewood in the forest near Nam Zee village in the same village tract, a patrol of 7 SPDC troops came to them.

After asking some questions as to who they were and what they were doing in the forest, the SPDC troops shot at the villagers. One of them, Aa Zi (m), aged 36, was hit and fell to the ground while the other, Aa Sae (m), aged 36, ran and escaped.

Aa Sae ran back to Paang Khawn village and told the villagers about the incident. Later the villagers went and buried the body of Aa Zi and conducted a funeral for him in accordance with their traditions.

Although after the funeral Aa Sae’s relatives and their village leaders filed a complaint with the SPDC authorities in Murng-Yawng town, no action had yet been taken until mid-July when news about the case was last heard.

A FIREWOOD GATHERER SHOT DEAD IN MURNG-KHARK

On 25 June 2003, a villager who was gathering firewood was shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB327 about 2-1/2 miles west of Wan Tap village in Murng Nung village tract, Murng-Khark township.

On the said day, Zaai Zaen Seng, male, aged 26, a villager of Wan Tap village in Murng Nung village tract, Murng-Khark township, had gone to gather firewood in the hills west of his village. As he was returning home, Zaai Zaen Seng ran into a group of 6 SPDC troops who shot at him on sight.

A fellow villager who was searching for his buffalo in the area, and who saw the SPDC troops first and hid in a bush just before Zaai Zaen Seng ran into them, saw the incident. He returned to Wan Tap village and told Zaai Zaen Seng’s wife about it.

After conducting a proper funeral for him, Zaai Zaen Seng’s relatives and their village leaders went and lodged a complaint with the Murng-Khark township SPDC authorities, but no one seems to have taken any action so far with regard to this case. Zaai Zaen Seng’s is survived by his wife and 2 children.

RAPED DURING FORCED LABOUR, AND EXTORTION, IN NAM-ZARNG

On 14 November 2002, a 15-year-old girl was raped by an SPDC soldier while doing forced labour near Kaad Lur village relocation site in Haai Laai village tract, Nam-Zarng township. Money was also extorted by SPDC troops from villagers who had failed to provide forced labour.

On that day, villagers of Kaad Lur, a village to which people from surrounding villages had been forcibly relocated in 1997, were forced by the SPDC troops stationed there to clear the sides of the Nam-Zarng - Kun-Hing main road, which runs through the village, for some distance on both sides of the village.

There were some SPDC troops overseeing the work among the villagers clearing bush on the sides of the road. When it was approaching noon and the work was almost finished, and some had already left the work site, one SPDC soldiers said there was some bush still left to be cleared and told a woman to come and clear it.

Naang Seng (not her real name), aged 15, was called to a remote spot by the soldier, who had one stripe on his shoulder, to clear the bush. But when she got there, she was dragged into the nearby forest at gunpoint and raped by the SPDC soldier, who threatened to shoot her right away if she tried to make noises. The soldier released Naang Seng after he had raped her to his satisfaction.

Villagers of Kaad Lur who did not come to provide free labour at the road clearing site on that day were later fined 1,500 kyat per family. 

3 WOMEN ROBBED OF THEIR FISH AND RAPED FOR 5 NIGHTS, IN MURNG-NAI AND KUN-HING

In mid-June 2002, 3 women who were peddling dried fish were robbed of their fish and raped for 5 consecutive nights by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 during their patrol in Murng-Nai and Kun-Hing township.

On 13 June 2002, 3 women from Wo Long village in Wo Long village tract in Kaeng Kham area, Kun-Hing township, went to sell fish which the male members of their families had caught and dried at Ho Ha village in Kun Mong village tract, Murng-Nai township.

When the 3 women, Naang Mi Awng, aged 30, Naang Ku, aged 14 and Naang Sip, aged 15, entered Ho Ha village in the evening of that day, carrying dried fish in baskets on shoulder-poles, they ran into a groups of SPDC troops which were already in the village. 

The SPDC troops took the 3 women to their commander who interrogated them. Although the women explained about who they were and said that the villagers of Ho Ha knew them because they had often come to sell fish in the past, the SPDC troops accused them of being wives of Shan soldiers and arrested them.

The SPDC troops took the dried fish from the women and distributed it among themselves as they prepared for dinner. After eating, the troops started their return journey back to their base in Kun-Hing, taking the 3 women with them.

On the way, the SPDC troops raped the 3 women every night when they stopped for the night in the jungle. It took them 5 days and 5 nights to reach the IB246 base in Kun-Hing, where the women were finally released because the community leaders in Kun-Hing guaranteed that the women were not wives of Shan soldiers.

Anyway, the damage had already been done, and with impunity. In addition to being raped every night for 5 nights, the women lost 15 viss of dried fish worth about 60,000 kyat at the time.

DISAPPEARANCE AND ROBBERY IN KUN-HING

In July 2003, a villager disappeared after being arrested by SPDC troops from IB246 and another villager was robbed of his money by the same troops, at Kun Mi village in Wo Long village tract in Kaeng Kham area, Kun-Hing township.

On 14 July 2003, a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 came to Kun Mi village and arrested Pan-Ta, male, aged 43, and took him away with them. Since then, Pan-Ta has disappeared. His family has not heard of him until they came to the Thai border in late September 2003.

At the same time, some of the SPDC troops forcibly took 50,000 kyat of money from another villager, Lung Paan, male, aged 60, in the same village.

Kun Mi village had once been forcibly relocated to Kun-Hing town relocation site in 1996-97 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council). Some of the villagers were allowed to return to the village sometime in 2002.

DISAPPEARANCE IN MURNG-NAI 

Since May 2003, 2 men from Murng-Nai town have disappeared after being arrested by SPDC troops from IB64, in Murng-Nai township.

The 2 men, Zaai Yi, aged 46 and Zaai Kham, aged 49, were known to have worked as buying agents for some ethnic Chinese opium traders in the past. 

On 29 May 2003, 2 SPDC soldiers from IB64 came to their houses and took them away, and they have since then disappeared.

Their relatives have tried several times in vain to find them. The SPDC troops also denied having arrested them and having any knowledge of their whereabouts. Most of their relatives thought that they must have been killed by the SPDC troops.

A FEMALE STUDENT ARRESTED AND DETAINED, IN MURNG-TON

In March 2003, a student who went to study at a degree college in Kaeng-Tung was summoned back to her hometown, Murng-Ton, by the SPDC military authorities of IB225 and detained in a police lockup for 3 days, without her having done anything wrong.

On 17 March 2003, Naang Zaam Mawn, aged 23, from Murng-Ton, who was studying at a degree college in Kaeng-Tung town was summoned back to her hometown by commander Tin Thein of IB 225.

When she got back to Murng-Ton on the same day, Naang Zaam Mawn was taken to the police station and locked up for 3 days without knowing the reason for her detention. During her detention, many of her friends who heard about the incident came to see her, bringing with them food and water so that she did not starve even though her guards did not give her anything to eat.

After 3 days, Naang Zaam Mawn was taken out of her lockup and told by commander Tin Thein that her parents had gone to Thailand with 2,000,000 kyat of stolen money. Naang Zaam Mawn responded that if her parents had that much money they did not need to go to Thailand and work as laboures. They went to work in Thailand because they did not have money to support her school expenses.

Naang Zaam Mawn was then released and told to go and bring her parents back. She did not come to Thailand right away but went back and forth between Murng-Ton and Kaeng-Tung a couple of times. But the authorities said nothing more, so only in August she came to the Thai border to try to find her parents.

DISPLACED FARMERS ARRESTED, MONEY EXTORTED, THEIR FARM HUT LOOTED AND BURNT, IN LAI-KHA

On 20 July 2003, displaced farmers and their children were arrested and their farm hut looted and burnt by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64 at a remote farm near a relocated village, Kawng Wet, in Paang Saang village tract, Lai-Kha township, and later money was extorted for their release.

These farmers were originally from Kawng Wet village, which had been forcibly relocated by the Burmese troops some years ago, and they had temporarily come back to cultivate rice near it when the incident took place. The farmers and their children staying at their temporary farm hut were:

1. Zaai Zaw-Ta (m), aged 41
2. Zaai Naw (m), aged 38
3. Naang Kham (f), aged 35
4. Naang Non (f), aged 21
5. Naang Zing (f), aged 14
6. Naang Naang (f), aged 12
7. Naang Yong (f), aged 9
8. Zaai Awng (m), aged 7

After arresting the farmers, the said SPDC troops searched the farm hut and took all the rice and foodstuff, and burned down the farm hut. The farmers were accused of being Shan soldiers and their families and taken to Paang Saang village.

The farmers were released after community leaders in Paang Saang village tract guaranteed that they were only ordinary farmers, not Shan soldiers, but only after 20,000 kyat had been paid for their release.

REPEATED RELOCATION AND LAND CONFISCATION IN MURNG-NAI

In March 2003, displaced villagers who were forcibly relocated in 1996 and had been permitted to return in 2002, were again forced to move and their property confiscated by the SPDC troops at the newly established military training school in Kaeng Tawng area in Murng-Nai township.

Villagers of Nam Tum Nur village in Nawng Hee village tract, Murng-Nai township, were forcibly relocated to Wan Nawng village in Ton Hoong village tract in the same township in 1996 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. In July 2002, the villagers were told by the SPDC authorities in the area that they could return to their original village.

Although Nam Tum Nur village originally had about 60 households, because many of them had gone to different places including in hiding and Thailand, only about 20 households returned. Since their original houses were all ruined beyond repair, they had to build small bamboo shelters to start life anew at their old village.

At the same time the villagers started to cultivate their original farmlands, growing corn and other vegetables with the intention to sell them during the coming cold season, as they had been doing over the years for their survival.

As the crops and vegetables grew to eatable sizes, the SPDC troops from the military training school near the village often came and stole them a little at a time. Although the school authorities seemed to know, they said nothing about it, and when the villagers tried to complain, the commander of the school only told them not to take issue because his soldiers only took them to eat, not to sell.

On 19 March 2003, the villagers of Nam Tum Nur village were ordered to relocate back to Wan Nawng village relocation site by the training school authorities on the grounds that the village was too close to the school and it would be confiscated for the expansion of the training ground.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-PHYAK

Since May 2003, car owners in Murng-Phyak township have been collectively forced to provide a regular amount of money each month by the SPDC troops from IB221 to pay for the cars forcibly conscripted to serve the army.

Since May, a dispatch of SPDC troops from Murng-Phyak-based IB221, stationed in Murng Lung village tract in Murng-Sart township, have conscripted 2 civilian trucks from Murng-Phyak each month and used them in transporting their troops and logistics between Murng-Phyak and Murng-Sart. The 2 trucks were kept at the military camp in Murng Lung on standby until they were replaced by 2 other trucks. 

The SPDC troops at that camp have issued an order requiring all the car owners in Murng-Phyak township to provide money to pay for the service of the 2 conscripted trucks, 200,000 kyat each per month. The car owners have to share the burden among themselves and give the SPDC troops 400,000 kyat per month.

FORCED LABOUR IN SI-PAW

Since April 2003, mini-tractors in Nawng Kaw village tract in Si-Paw township have been forcibly conscripted by SPDC troops from IB67 and IB22 to carry rocks and stones without pay in a road building project in Si-Paw township. In addition, the tractors also have to fetch water for the troops.

The said mini-tractors are from the following villages: 2 from Nawng Kaw village; 4 from Kawng Laang Tai village; 2 from Nam Pim village, 3 from Naa Mon village, 7 from Paang Niu village; 3 from Paang Murd village and 3 from Nam Yaang village.

Altogether 25 mini-tractors have to take turns and provide free labour for the road construction between Si-Paw town and Nam Lan village tract every day. 

FORCED LABOUR IN KYAWK-ME

The SPDC troops stationed at Murng Long village in Murng Long village tract, Kyawk-Me township, have been using unpaid forced labour of the local villagers in various kinds of work.

Each day, 4 villagers have to come and wait at the military camp on a regular basis to do whatever the SPDC troops order them to do. Occasionally, up to 50 people have to provide forced labour for the military.

The kinds of forced labour the villagers have to do include: carrying letters; going as porters; doing sanitary work in the camp; digging trenches; digging latrine pits; clearing bush and grass; asking for vegetables and chickens from the villagers and bringing them back for the troops; going to buy liquor for the troops; carrying water to the camp with ox-carts; etc. Women also have to pick out unwanted seeds from rice and bean, and wash clothes of the soldiers, including military boots.

The police station at Murng Long has also occasionally requisitioned forced labour of the villagers. Villagers, numbering from 5 up to 50, have to clear bushes, build fences, do sanitary work, etc., and seasonally grow crops for the police.