SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

COMMENTARY

In Shan State, the rural populations, which are almost all farming communities, are the most vulnerable victims who have to suffer most under the oppressive rule of the successive Burmese military juntas. Since the military takeover of state power four decades ago, farmers are being forced to serve the military in many ways while their family members are being killed, raped and otherwise abused.

In addition to having to sell their rice on a quota basis at a very low rate, they have to serve as unpaid porters during military operations; provide forced labour in virtually all other activities ranging from catering to the Burmese soldiers’ personal needs, fetching water and firewood for military camps etc., to building and maintaining infrastructure such as roads, bridges and military camps etc..

Farmers, however, had managed to more or less fulfill these unfair duties up until during the 1990s when the military junta started forcing them to grow crops for the military. In doing so, the military not only demand more forced labour from the farmers but also lands on which to grow the crops.

A lot of land has also been confiscated from farmers for various other reasons, including for building military infrastructure. As the military are expanding in Shan State, more and more land is being confiscated.

There are several instances of land confiscation in this month’s newsletter. In some cases the land was then just leased or sold back to the original owners.

DISPLACED MOTHER AND CHILD KILLED, MOTHER ALSO RAPED, IN LAI-KHA

On 11 December 2002, a woman was raped and killed together with her 3-year-old son by an SPDC soldier from IB64 at the edge of a rice field in the outskirts of Lai-Kha town, Lai-Kha township.

Naang Htun Nae, aged 20, was originally from Wan Pang village in Wan Heng village tract, Lai-Kha township, which had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Lai-Kha town in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. Naang Htun Nae became a widow in October 2000 when her husband was shot dead by some SPDC troops, leaving her and her 1-year-old son to fend for themselves.

On the day of the incident, Naang Htum Nae and her son went to gather wild vegetables near a rice field outside Lai-Kha town relocation site. She shouted several times when she was raped by the said SPDC soldier and some villagers who happened to be in the area looking for their cattle heard her voice. 

One villager managed to secretly get close enough to recognize the SPDC soldier who was raping Naang Htun Nae, as being Than Kyaw from Co.4 of IB64. But because the soldier had a rifle in his hand, the villager dared not intervene and secretly went back to the relocation site and reported it to a community leader.

When the community leader and some villagers went to the site of the incident, there was no sign of the soldier and they found only the dead bodies of Naang Htun Nae and her son in a bush on the edge of a rice field, with clear signs that she had been raped. 

Although village and community leaders in the area had reported it immediately to the SPDC military authorities at LIB515, they were only given 500 kyat of money and told to conduct a proper funeral for the dead. They were told that it was not possible to file a complaint anywhere because no one really knew who the rapist and killer was.

DISPLACED VILLAGERS BEATEN TO DEATH AT FORCED LABOUR SITE IN MURNG-NAI

On 26 November 2002, 2 displaced villagers who had been forcibly conscripted to work as labourers were beaten to death by SPDC troops from LIB518 at a railway forced labour site in Murng-Nai township.

In early October 2002, SPDC military authorities of LIB518 issued an order requiring villagers in Murng-Nai township to provide forced labour in building a section of railroad which was started the year before and had not yet been completed. About 20 villagers from each village at a time had to go and work in 15-day shifts.

On the said day, Lung Zaw-Ti-Ka, male, aged 47, who was sick, was conscripted to work at the said forced labour site. Because he was sick, with the SPDC troops forcing them to work ever harder and faster, Lung Zaw-Ti-Ka became very tired after a few hours and had to frequently take a brief rest.

At one point while Lung Zaw-Ti-Ka was resting, an SPDC soldier, Cpl. Myint Hpe from Co.2 of LIB518, accused him of not willing to work for the army and came and dragged him away by the hand. When they were a few yards away from the other villagers, the soldier kicked him in the stomach and he dropped to the ground, kneeling. The soldier then picked up a stick nearby and beat him on the back of his neck, killing him instantly.

One of the villagers who were working nearby, Pa Nyo, female, aged 43, was so frightened by the gruesome sight that she fainted, and the soldier came over to her and beat her with the stick, accusing her of also trying to evade work. The stick hit her in the neck and Pa Nyo too instantly died of the beating.

Lung Zaw-Ti-Ka was originally from Ton Keng village in Mai Hai village tract, Murng-Nai township. Pa Nyo was originally from Naa Maak Zang village in the same village tract. Both of them were among those who had been forced to move to the outskirts of Murng-Nai town in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

Although many people witnessed the incident, everyone was just too afraid to report or file a complaint with the SPDC authorities.

A GRASS GATHERER SHOT DEAD IN LAI-KHA

On 1 November 2002, a villager who had gathered grass to feed his cattle was shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB515 near Nam Tawng village in Wan Lur village tract, Lai-Kha township.

Lung Paan, male, aged 55, from Nam Tawng village was sitting and resting near his village on his way back from gathering grass in a meadow when a patrol of 6 SPDC troops from LIB515, led by Cpl. Than Lwin of Co.2, came and shot him dead.

No one among the local villagers seemed to know why Lung Paan was shot dead by the SPDC troops. According to them, Lung Paan was just a simple farmer and on the day of the incident had gone out to gather grass to feed his cattle at home.

3 DISPLACED VILLAGERS ARRESTED AND KILLED WITHOUT REASONS IN KUN-HING

In April 2002, 3 displaced villagers were arrested and taken away from Wan Phui village relocation site in Kun-Hing township by a patrol of SPDC troops and later found dead with their throats slit in a ravine near Ho Nam Pa Kaang village (relocated) in Kun-Hing township.

The 3 villagers, Suay Pee (m), aged 46, Zaai Lam (m), aged 42 and Kum-Ma (m), aged 41 were originally from Haai Laai village in Haai Laai village tract, Nam-Zarng township, which had been forcibly relocated to Wan Phui village relocation site in Kho Lam village tract, Kun-Hing township, several years ago by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

In the evening of the day of the incident, a patrol of about 30 SPDC troops, stationed at Kho Lam village, came and arrested the 3 men at their houses at Wan Phui village relocation site and took them away with them. 

They had since then disappeared until their relatives and fellow villagers found their bodies 3 days later. They seemed to have been pushed down into the ravine at the deserted village of Ho Nam Pa Kaang after their throats were slit.

A PETTY FOOD PEDDLER RAPED IN KAENG-TUNG

On 9 November 2002, a petty food peddler who was returning from a neighbouring village after peddling food was raped on the way by 2 SPDC troops from IB226 between Wan Urm and Wan Lawn villages in Murng Khawn village tract, Kaeng-Tung township.

The victim, Naang Kham Long (not her real name), aged 35, wife of Zaai Naam Dip (not his real name), was from Wan Urm village in Murng Khawn village tract and on the day of the incident had gone to sell her goods, a kind of Shan snack called “khao saen”, at a neighbouring village Wan Lawn in the same village tract.

On her way back from Wan Lawn, carrying her goods on a shoulder pole, Naang Kham Long met the said 2 SPDC soldiers at a remote spot. The soldiers stopped her and dragged her into a bamboo grove on the side of the road and raped her, taking turns, until both of them were satisfied, and quickly left the place.

When she got back home, Naang Kham Long related her plight to her husband and they reported it to their village community leader, who in turn reported it to the village headman. Finally they all went to file a complaint with the SPDC military authorities in the area. Although the authorities have listened to the case, there has not been any action taken in connection with this case until the time of this report.

ARREST AND DETENTION OF INNOCENT VILLAGERS IN PHAI-KHUN

In 2001, a 60-year-old woman was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison in lieu of her son who the SPDC authorities suspected of dealing in methamphetamines in Phai-Khun township.

According to the local people, the SPDC authorities in Phai-Khun accused Maung Nyo, male, aged 40, of dealing in illicit drugs and issued a warrant for his arrest. Maung Nyo was a villager of Khawng Ee village in Gyi Noi village tract, Phai-Khun township.

When the police came to arrest him at his house, Maung Nyo was not there, having fled before they arrived. The police, however, arrested Maung Nyo’s mother, Pi Sao, aged 60 instead of him.

Later, it was known that Maung Nyo’s mother was given a 15-year-imprisonment sentence by an SPDC law court with no lawyer to defend her.

In the same year, a man named Kaw Lo, aged 46, was also accused by the SPDC authorities in Phai-Khun of using methamphetamines, and an order for his arrest was issued.

Kaw Lo was a villager of Pi Kin village in Gyi Noi village tract, Phai-Khun township, and he had already fled when the police came for him at his house. The police then arrested his 70-year-old father, U Yi, instead of him.

U Yi was also sentenced to 15-year imprisonment by the same law court without any lawyer to defend him, it was later learned.

FARMERS FORCED TO GROW WINTER CROPS FOR THE MILITARY IN SEN-WI

Since November 2002, farmers in Sen-Wi township are being forced to grow rice by the SPDC authorities during the cold season even before some could harvest their rainy season crops, causing losses to many farmers. Farmers were threatened with land confiscation if they refused, and some who tried to delay until they finished harvesting their rain crops were harassed, their crops confiscated, and even beaten.

In November 2002, the SPDC military authorities in Sen-Wi announced that there were 13,000 acres of rice fields in the township, and at least 1,700 acres were to be used in growing winter rice for the military. Only a certain kind of rice called ‘Shin Shweli No. 527’ was to be grown and the seeds were to be bought only from the military at the rate of 1,500 kyat per kilogram.
Starting from 1 January 2003, SPDC troops actually came to the farmers and forced them to start cultivating the winter crops even though many farmers had not yet finished harvesting their rain crops. In some places farmers were forced to divert water into the fields where rice had not been harvested, destroying a lot of crops, and in some places the military simply confiscated the crops.

In Zae Oo village tract, when SPDC troops from LIB346 forced the farmers to divert water into their rice fields, some farmers who begged for a few more days to finish harvesting their crops were severely beaten up by the troops.

VILLAGERS FORCED TO REPORT AND PROVIDE CHICKEN ON A REGULAR BASIS IN LARNG-KHUR

Since May 2002, SPDC troops at Nawng Long village in Nawng Long village tract, Larng-Khur township have been forcing villagers in the area to provide information and chickens on a regular basis.

A company of SPDC troops from IB99 that are being stationed at the military camp at Nawng Long village have been forcing villagers from the surrounding villages to report the situation in the area, including the movements of Shan resistance troops, to them on a daily basis.
Furthermore, villagers in the area have also been forced to provide chickens for that camp on a regular basis. Each village has to provide 1 viss of chickens every 5 days.

FORCED LABOUR AND FORCED BUYING OF CROPS IN KYAWK-ME

In the year 2002, villagers of Pung Wo village in Pung Wo village tract, Kyawk-Me township, have been forced by SPDC troops from IB22 to collect firewood and fetch water for them on a daily basis.

Each day, 4 villagers from Pung Wo village are required to go to the military camp near their village to serve the soldiers. In addition to other menial work, the villagers have to collect firewood and fetch water for the soldiers every day.

During the year 2002, SPDC military authorities in Kyawk-Me forced the farmers in the township to sell their maize crop at the rate of 1,000 kyat per sack, said to be much lower than the market price.

Quotas were set for the villages according to their sizes. Big villages were required to sell more and smaller villages sell less. Some farmers who could not meet the demanded quotas found their livestock and property being confiscated.

DISPLACED VILLAGERS FORCED TO GROW CROPS THE WHOLE YEAR ROUND FOR THE MILITARY IN KUN-HING

Since May 2002, SPDC troops of IB246 have been forcing people in quarter-3 of Kun-Hing town to grow one crop after another for them the whole year round, leaving virtually no time for them to work for themselves, and causing many to continually flee to other places, including Thailand.

There are about 300 households in quarter-3, most of which are displaced villagers from surrounding villages that have been forcibly relocated by the Burmese troops some years ago. These people were first required to cultivate maize for the military, from beginning to end.

After that they were required to cultivate sesame for the military, and now they are being forced to grow a certain kind of bean. Each crop has to be taken care of from beginning to end solely by the villagers.

Those who are not able to go for the forced labour are required to pay 500 kyat per day to the chairman of the quarter to hire someone else to go for them.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-PAN

On 20 October 2002, Capt. Myint Zaw of the SPDC troops of LIB332 in Murng-Pan township forced the villagers of Ho Phaai Long and Huay Maak Phurng villages to cut bamboo and build fences around the military base. The fences were to be completed in 3 days, said the order.
On the same day, SPDC troops of LIB520 conscripted mini-tractors from Waeng Mai, Nyawng Kham, Nawng Long and Nawng Mai villages and forced them to transport rice from their base to the outpost camp at Nawng Lur village, Murng-Pan township.

On 16 November 2002, Capt. Myint Zaw of LIB332 again ordered the people of Murng-Pan town to gather with traditional musical instruments to welcome the Secretary-1 of the SPDC, Gen. Khin Nyunt, who would come to preside over the (enshrining) ceremony of the pagoda, newly built after the model of the famous Shwedagon pagoda in Rangoon and named after it as ‘Shwedagon Pagoda-2’, at Loi Noi temple in Murng-Pan township.

On the same day, people in Murng-Pan were also forced to cook and provide food for those who had been forced to gather at the said ceremony to welcome Khin Nyunt. Each town quarter was said to have been required to cook not less than 1 basket (bushel) of sticky rice grain.

LAND CONFISCATION IN MURNG-TON

On 29 November 2002, the SPDC battalion commander of IB65 told the headman of Me Ken village tract that some land would be confiscated from the people after the rice harvest and given to the Lahu people’s militia in the area to build their base.

The land indicated was south of Me Ken village, along the main road and Nam Ken river, and comprised about 40 acres of rice fields, a betel nut farm and a vegetable garden close to a house, all belonging to the local villagers.

When the villagers heard about it they all went to the commander of IB65 and pleaded with him not to take their lands because they were their only means of livelihood, but he said that it was an order from higher-up and he could not do anything about it.

The commander added that he was sympathetic with the villagers and that was why he had relayed the news in advance so that they would have time to prepare, and urged them to find new places because it was no use trying to claim back their land.

LAND CONFISCATED AND RESOLD TO THE PEOPLE IN MURNG-PAN

On 17 April 2002, the SPDC battalion commander of LIB520 issued an order summoning all farmers from Nam Tern and Ho Lin villages, including 4-5 other villages in the surrounding area, to come to the LIB332 on 21 April 2002.

On 21 April 2002, when the farmers were gathered at the base of LIB332, they were told by the military authorities there that all their rice fields would be bought by the government so that they needed to stop growing anything from then on.

On 25 April 2002, after the concerned authorities had taken the measurements of the rice fields, the farmers were told to sign a kind of treaty after which they had to give up their land. The land was on the western side of Murng-Pan town, spanning about 2-1/2 miles along both sides of the Larng-Khur -- Murng-Pan road and was about 264 acres in area.

However, in November 2002, SPDC troops started to divide the land into small plots and put them up for sale back to the local people. Each plot was about 20-yards square and was sold for between 40,000 kyat and 20,000 kyat per plot, depending on the location of the plot: the closer to the main road the higher the price.

CONFISCATED LAND LEASED BACK TO FORMER OWNERS IN LARNG-KHUR

Since May 2002, SPDC troops of LIB578 have been leasing lands they had confiscated more than 2 years ago to their former owners to cultivate crops at the rate of 500 kyat per 1/4-acre per year, in Larng-Khur township.

More than 2 years ago, SPDC troops of LIB578 had confiscated about 20-30 acres of cultivated lands near Nam Oon village in Nawng Long village tract, Larng-Khur township, to build their military base. After the military base had been built, however, there were still several acres of confiscated lands left unoccupied.

The SPDC troops then told the former owners of the lands that they could hire those lands at the said rate on a yearly basis if they wanted to grow crops such as rice, sesame and beans etc. as they used to do before. 

Since it was difficult to find new places to grow crops and they had no other means to make a living, the farmers had no choice but to lease their own lands to grow subsistence crops.

LAND CONFISCATION IN KAE-SEE

In November 2002, SPDC troops confiscated about 160 acres of cultivated land at Naa Kaang village (relocated) from the local farmers who had been forcibly relocated to Murng Nawng village relocation site in Kae-See township 5-6 years ago.

In mid 2001, SPDC troops that were stationed at Murng Nawng village told the villagers of Naa Kaang village, which had been forcibly relocated to Murng-Nawng relocation site since 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops, that they could go and cultivate their rice fields at their old village if they wanted.

Since then, the displaced farmers had been cultivating their original rice fields at their old village until November 2002 when they were told that from then on they would have to stop growing crops after their last harvest because the lands would be taken by the SPDC troops to grow their own crops.