SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- APRIL 2003

COMMENTARY

Over the last couple of years, taking advantage of the ongoing global war against terrorism, the Burmese military junta have been trying to put a terrorist tag on every group and individual opposed to their rule, including nonviolent opposition political parties and other nonpolitical and social groups who have only pens and paper as their weapons. 

Lately, they have used another tactic to deal with the situation and complaints of human rights violations. Instead of blankly denying the charges against them and intimidating the complainants, they put the blame on some other groups that are active in the area and promise to address the issue.

In Shan State, over the last several months, there have been several cases in which the SPDC troops attempted to create confusion and put the blame on other armed groups, ceasefire or non-ceasefire, for the human rights violations, even though it was known by the victims that they were committed by them.

In one case reported in this newsletter, SPDC troops disguised as Shan rebels shot dead displaced farmers, but were recognized by some survivors, 2 of whom also disappeared later after being summoned to a military base.

In another case, rape victims who lodged a complaint with an SPDC battalion commander were told that it could also be some other armed groups who raped them.

KILLING AND DISAPPEARANCE OF DISPLACED FARMERS IN LAI-KHA

In early January 2003, SPDC troops from IB64 shot at some displaced farmers who were working at a remote farm in Lai-Kha township, killing 3 and wounding 2 while escaping. 2 managed to escape unhurt but were later summoned to the military camp and disappeared.

On 31 January 2003, some displaced farmers from Lai-Kha town relocation site managed to obtain a pass from the SPDC military authorities at LIB515 to return for 15 days to cultivate their farm at their original village, Paang Yung, in Wan Lur village tract, Lai-Kha township.

The farmers, 15 in all, had been working at their farm for 8 days when a group of about 25-30 armed men, wearing camouflage military fatigues with SSA (Shan State Army) insignias and name badges with Shan names on their breast pockets, came to the farm. 

There were some among the farmers who recognized some of the armed men as being SPDC troops from IB64 and 2 of them pretended to fetch water at a nearby well and ran away. The troops shot after them but missed, and the other farmers also started to run away. The troops then shot at the other farmers, killing 3 on the spot. The rest managed to escape while 2 got wounded as the troops shot after them while escaping. 

As the SPDC troops were trying to convince the local people that it was Shan soldiers who had shot dead the displaced farmers, Zaai Ku-Na (m) and Zaai Saw (m), 2 of the farmers who escaped the shooting, told the people that they had been shot by SPDC troops from IB64 and they recognized some among the armed men, including Nyo Maung, a Corporal or 2-striped Sergeant as they put it, who often visited their places.

Some time later, Zaai Ku-Na and Zaai Saw were summoned to the SPDC military camp to point out the man they called Nyo Maung among the troops. However, the 2 men have never returned and their relatives could not find them anywhere. They have since then disappeared up to the time of this report.

RICE-THRESHING FARMERS SHOT DEAD IN NAM-ZARNG

On 25 December 2002, about 70 farmers who were threshing rice in a rice field at Kung Sim village in Kho Lam village tract, Kun-Hing township, were shot at by a patrol of 30 SPDC troops from Co. No.3 of IB64 led commander Maung Maung Htun. 

Among the farmers, 2 were killed on the spot, 1 was wounded and died afterwards at Kho Lam village, 11 were wounded and had to be hospitalized, 24 were wounded and captured and 31 fled and escaped.

As it was rice harvesting time, the farmers were taking turns to help one another, as it was a tradition among the Shan farmers, in reaping, piling and threshing rice, and thus were working in a big group at the same place.

The farmers were threshing rice in a group at one of the rice fields at Kung Sim village in Kho Lam village tract when the said patrol of SPDC troops came and, as they got within shooting range, shot at the farmers.

The farmers who were killed in this incident were:

1. Zaai Pan-Ti (m), aged 19, son of Lung Sa and Pa Phong from Kung Sim village in Naa Poi village tract, Nam-Zarng township

2. Zaai Zan-Da (m), aged 35, son of Zan-Ti-Ma and Pa Maai from Naa Poi village in Naa Poi village tract, Nam-Zarng township

3. Lung Zan-Da (m), aged 36, (wounded and died in Kho Lam village) from Kung Sim village in Naa Poi village tract, Nam-Zarng township

DISPLACED VILLAGERS FORCED TO CARRY MEAT AND RAPED, IN KUN-HING

On 9 February 2003, 4 displaced villagers, 1 man and 3 women, were forced to carry meat and raped by SPDC troops from IB246 at Paang Wat village (relocated) in Ho Yaan village tract, Kun-Hing township.

The 4 displaced villagers were:
1. Zaai Num (m), aged 20 (not his real name)
2. Naang Maai (f), aged 40 (not her real name)
3. Naang Suay (f), aged 15 (not her real name)
4. Naang Leng (f), aged 16 (not her real name)

These 4 villagers were originally from Mai Silee village (relocated) in Kaeng Lom village tract, which had been forcibly relocated to Ka Li village relocation site in Kun-Hing township in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

The displaced villagers in the area used to bring their cattle back to their old villages to let them graze, because there was good grass and water around their old villages, and usually left them there for some time during which the owners came every few days to look after them. 

On the day of the incident, the said displaced villagers went back to an old village, Huay Aw (relocated), to look for their cattle which they had left to graze a few days before and ran into a group of SPDC soldiers who had killed 2 buffaloes and were cutting meat from the carcasses.

The encounter was so sudden that the villagers had no time to get away and were forced to serve as porters and carry the buffalo meat by the SPDC troops as they set off to resume their patrolling of the area. When they reached a place which was originally Paang Wat village in Ho Yaan village tract, it was getting dark and the troops decided to rest for the night.

The SPDC troops roasted and ate the meat, and later tied up Zaai Num and raped the 3 women.

The women were raped by 5 officers all night and all 4 of them were released at about 8:00 o’clock in the morning, and were warned by the troops not to tell anyone about the incident or they would come after them and kill them.

There were 18 SPDC troops from IB246 led by a Second Lieutenant who, with his other officers, raped the women. Among the officers who raped the women, the villagers knew 2 names: Soe Myint and Maung Cho, known by the villagers as 2-striped Sergeant and 1-striped Sergeant respectively, probably Corporal and Lance Corporal.

4 WOMEN RETURNING FROM RICE PLANTING RAPED IN MURNG-KERNG

On 23 January 2003, 4 women from Wan Pek village in Ham Ngaai village tract, Murng-Kerng township, who were returning from planting rice were raped all night by a group of 15 SPDC troops from LIB514 who were standing guard on the way back to their village.

The 4 victims were:
1. Naang Purng (not her real name), aged 38, single
2. Naang Em (not her real name), aged 32, married, with 2 children
3. Naang Mung (not her real name), aged 35, married and with 1 child
4. Naang Lu (not her real name), aged 26, married and with 1 child

On the day of the incident, the women had gone to plant rice as hired hands at a rice field some distance from their village and were returning home at around 5 o’clock in the evening when they were stopped on the way by the said SPDC soldiers.

When the women did not return home, their husbands and relatives went to report this to their village and community leaders, but no one dared to go and look for them because there were SPDC troops guarding the road on the way to the direction the women had gone.

The women were raped by all the SPDC troops all night and were only released at about 6 o’clock the next morning. After the women had related their plight to their husbands and relatives, they all went to the village and community leaders who then led them to the base of LIB514 and complained to the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Win Tint.

The battalion commander, however, said that it could be not only SPDC troops but also rebel troops such as SSA-N (Shan State Army - North), a ceasefire group, and SSA-S (Shan State Army - South), a non-ceasefire group, who raped the women. He would make necessary enquiries and let the villagers know who the real culprits were, and if it was really his troops, he would take serious actions against them. Saying that the commander dismissed the villagers.

When the village and community leaders went to inquire at the LIB514 base when there was no news as to the progress of the case after some time, they were told not to come again and they would be informed if the culprits were found. However, there was still no news about the case until the time this information was received in late March 2003.

ARREST, TORTURE AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-KERNG

In early January 2003, 3 villagers from Ham Ngaai village in Ham Ngaai village tract, Murng-Kerng township, were arrested, detained and tortured by SPDC troops of LIB514, and finally money was extorted from their relatives for their release.

On 4 January 2003, 3 villagers from Ham Ngaai village who went to the town market in Murng-Kerng town, wearing relatively new clothes, were arrested by SPDC troops and detained in the base of LIB514. The 3 villagers were: Zaai Nyunt (m), aged 23, Zaai Laao (m), aged 21 and Zaai La (m), aged 22.

The 3 villagers were interrogated and repeatedly beaten and tortured by the SPDC troops for some days. The troops then sent words to their parents and relatives to bring money and guarantee them for their release.

When the villagers arrived at the base, however, the SPDC troops told them to get the following materials for the release of each of the 3 men:

1. 20 viss of raw opium for the release of Zaai Nyunt, (1 viss of opium was about 30,000 kyat)
2. A walkie-talkie machine for the release of Zaai Laao
3. A China-made M-20 pistol for the release of Zaai La

After the villagers reported back and discussed the demands with their leaders and fellow villagers, they all, about 30 of them, came to the military base and told the SPDC troops that they did not know where to find the demanded materials. The troops then said they could buy the materials themselves if the villagers gave them 160,000 kyat for each of the detainees.

The villagers said they did not have that much money and after some bargaining and begging the SPDC troops agreed to release them for 60,000 kyat each, but on condition that the 3 men report at the military base every 10 days and bring 500 kyat each every time.

The villagers were also warned that if the 3 men disappeared, they would face severe punishment or even death. The 3 men, however, had been so severely beaten and tortured during their detention that they were still suffering and could not work when they were seen in late March 2003.

According to the local people, the 3 villagers were just simple native farmers who had never even travelled far from their native place. The fact that they were wearing relatively new clothes, which rural farmers usually did when going to town markets, would have made the SPDC troops suspicious of them being or having connections with the Shan rebels.

FARMERS IMPRISONED AND THEIR MONEY EXTORTED FOR FAILING TO MEET RICE-SELLING QUOTAS IN MURNG-KERNG

Since the beginning of 2003, SPDC troops of LIB514 have been forcing people in Murng-Kerng township, whether they have rice fields or not, to sell rice to the military at the rate of 300 kyat per basket while the current market price is 3,000 kyat per basket.

People who have rice fields have to sell 8 baskets of unhulled rice at the set rate for every acre of their rice fields, an increase from previous years when farmers were required to sell only 5 baskets per acre. Those who fail to meet their quotas will have to face at least 2 months imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 kyat. 

Those who do not have rice fields are required to sell 8 baskets per household or pay 24,000 kyat in money if they do not have the rice. Many people who work on a day to day basis and could hardly earn enough even to feed their own families, let alone to sell to the military, have been fleeing to other places, including Thailand.

Among farmers who have been arrested and imprisoned are the following 2 farmers:

1. On 24 February 2003, Zaai Saang Wi (m), aged 30, from Nawng Yaang village tract, Murng-Kerng township, was arrested and is still in detention at the time of this report. His 5-acre rice field yielded only 28 baskets of unhulled rice due to poor soil and bad weather, so he could not sell his rice.

2. On the same day, Naang Pao (f), aged 33, a widow with 4 children, also from Nawng Yaang village tract, was arrested and detained up to the time of this report. Due to destruction by insects and unexpected rains during harvest, she could only meet the quotas for 7 acres out of her 10-acre rice field.

PEOPLE FORCED TO SELL RICE QUOTAS EVEN BEFORE THEY COULD CULTIVATE THEIR RICE FIELDS IN NAM-ZARNG

In February 2003, farmers who had bought lands from the SPDC authorities in Kho Lam village tract, Nam-Zarng township, but had not yet been able to cultivate them, were already required to sell rice quotas to the authorities at the rate of 5 baskets per acre, and were forced to pay in money at the rate of 2,000 kyat per basket because they did not have the rice.

In November 2002, SPDC troops from IB64 and members of the Land Survey Department at Kho Lam village measured up a stretch of barren land south of Kung Sim village in the area and offered to sell it to people who did not have land to cultivate rice, at the rate of 2,000 kyat per acre.

It was flat land and looked good for rice cultivation but there was no water to irrigate the land. The authorities offered to dig irrigation ditches and divert water from nearby sources if enough land was bought to be cultivated.

Hoping that they would have their own land to farm, many landless farmers bought the land, 5-6 acres per household. But up until now, the irrigation ditches have yet to be dug by the SPDC authorities.

However, on 7 February 2003, an order was issued by the SPDC authorities requiring the farmers who had bought the land to sell their (not yet grown) rice at a 5-basket-per-acre quota to the authorities, or pay in cash at the rate of 2,000 kyat per basket, without fail.

PEOPLE FORCED TO GROW RICE FOR MILITARY IN MURNG-TON

Since December 2002, people in Murng-Ton township are being forced to cultivate rice for the military by the SPDC military authorities from all 4 battalions in the township, using the forced labour of the people and rice fields of the local farmers for the duration of the cultivation.

The people have to take responsibilities from beginning to end, starting from setting up fences and tilling the ground using their mini-tractors with their own fuel, sowing and planting, up to harvesting and until the rice is hulled out of the mills. If the amount of the hulled rice is less than expected, mill owners have to make it up.

PEOPLE FORCED TO GROW CHILLIES FOR MILITARY IN MURNG-TON

Since mid December 2002, people in Murng-Ton township are being forced to cultivate chillies for the military by the SPDC troops of IB65 and LIB133, on 2.5 acres of land for the former and 3.5 acres for the latter. 

The people have to provide the chilli seeds and do all the work required in cultivating chilli, from making fences and preparing the ground up to the harvest, using the rice fields of the local people. 

The people have also been made responsible for the good yield of the chilli by having to take care of it and provide fertilizers, or they would have to buy or somehow find enough chilli to make up the yield if it was not as good as expected.

The people are receiving nothing for their labour and have to provide their own food and use their own tools to work for the military. Some who have brought delicious food are even asked by the SPDC soldiers to share it with them.

FORCED LABOUR OF CIVILIAN VEHICLE DRIVERS INCREASES IN LAI-KHA AND LOI-LEM

Since the beginning of 2003, the SPDC troops in Lai-Kha and Loi-Lem townships have been using unpaid forced labour of civilian vehicle drivers more frequently than before.

Drivers of civilian vehicles in Lai-Kha and Loi-Lem townships, such as cars, trucks and mini-tractors, who have to take turns to provide forced labour for the SPDC troops, have to go more often since the beginning of this year, the local people have been complaining.

The kinds of forced labour civilian vehicle drivers have to provide for the SPDC troops generally include taking them to the markets on a daily basis, transporting them from place to place, transporting military things, and when there is nothing to do they have to wait at the military bases and camps on standby until their turns are over and they are replaced by other civilian vehicle drivers.

In serving the military, the owners have to provide their own fuel and lubricant for their vehicles and the drivers have to provide their own food. Moreover, every time they pass through the towns, the 100-kyat town-crossing tolls have to be paid by the vehicles.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MU-SE AND NAM-KHAM

Since the beginning of 2003, SPDC military authorities in Mu-Se and Nam-Kham townships have been forcing people to cut wood and sell it to those who make charcoal for export to China.

A pile of about 2-feet long pieces of wood, about 1 arm-span high and wide, is being sold for 10,000 kyat, of which 4,000 kyat goes to the SPDC military authorities and 3,000 kyat to the Forestry Department. 

The woodcutters actually get only 3,000 kyat for a pile of wood which is not worth their time and labour. But they have to do it because they cannot refuse the orders of the Burmese military.
This is taking place in almost all the village tracts in the townships and over time the environment in the area can be seriously affected, according to the local people.

DESTRUCTION OF RICE GRANARIES OF DISPLACED FARMERS IN KUN-HING

On 11 January 2003, a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 burned and destroyed the rice granaries of displaced farmers at remote farms near Tai Naai village (relocated) in Kun Pu village tract, Kun-Hing township.

Lung Zin-Ta (m), aged 53 and some fellow villagers, originally from Tai Naai village in Kun Pu tract which had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Kun-Hing town by the Burmese troops some years ago, had been cultivating their original farms at their old village.

After harvesting their rice crop, the displaced farmers kept their rice grains in bamboo granaries at their farms, to be used as rice seeds and for food during the next growing season. As the SPDC patrolled the area, they found the granaries and the farmers at the farms.

The SPDC troops accused the farmers of keeping the rice to feed the Shan soldiers and burned up all the granaries. They told all the farmers to go back to Kun-Hing town relocation site and not to come back, since the area would be flooded before long.

EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK

At the beginning of 2003, it was said that the Burmese military junta issued an order to all the townships in Shan State requiring the people to pay ‘death tax’ at the rate of 8,000 kyat per person who died.

In Ta-Khi-Laek township, however, people are being forced to pay much more than that. In addition to the 8,000 kyat ‘death tax’, people in the township have to pay 300 baht (Thai money) to the SPDC township authorities and 200 baht to the township municipality as well as 100 baht to the undertakers.

For the burial and construction of a tomb, 3,000 baht is needed to be paid to the authorities, and if the dead body is to be floated down the Mae Kong river, the same amount has to be paid to the authorities and 300 baht to the undertakers for taking the body into the river.