SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- JUNE 2003

COMMENTARY

“When they shoot, they shoot to kill”, the late Burmese military dictator Ne Win once bragged of how the Burmese army troops shoot when they shoot at civilians. Shooting and killing of civilian populations in Shan State is still rampant, as it has been for more than 4 decades. 

In Shan State, however, not only those who oppose the military rule are being ‘shot to kill’, but also innocent villagers who are doing their daily chores.

For instance, cow traders and cowherds are often readily accused of being rustlers and shot on sight, and their cows taken for meat, without enough attempt to find out who they really are. In this newsletter, 1 trader and 12 cowherds were shot dead in this way by the SPDC troops. (see P.-)

Displaced farmers who have to grow subsistence crops at remote farms, because they do not have land and other means of livelihood at their relocation sites, are still being accused of supporting or being Shan rebels and shot.

An 8-year-old boy was accused of being a son of Shan rebels and shot dead by the SPDC troops in a deserted village while his parents were working at a farm 1 mile away. (see P.-)

Although lately there have been efforts by the SPDC troops to hide their identity by not using regular attire and weapons to do the killings, local people still knew who the culprits were. The natives have their own means and ways to know what outsiders do not.

12 COWHERDS AND A COW TRADER SHOT DEAD, THEIR COWS STOLEN, AFTER MONEY WAS EXTORTED, IN KUN-HING

In late March 2003, a cow trader and 12 cowherds who had been hired to drive a herd of cattle were tortured and beaten to death by SPDC troops from IB246 in the forest about 4-5 miles north of Kun-Hing town, Kun-Hing township.

On 20 March 2003, 8 cattle traders from Kun-Hing township decided to pool together their money and buy some head of cattle from Murng-Su township in the north to sell them in Kun-Hing town. They asked the SPDC military of IB246 for permission and were issued a written permit allowing them to buy 30 head of cattle, but were required to pay 3,000 Kyat ‘tax’ per head in advanced, 90,000 Kyat in all.

After they had bought the cattle, the traders hired people along the way as cowherds to drive their 30-head herd of cattle from Murng-Su toward Kun-Hing. At one point, 7 of the traders boarded a passing truck and went to Kun-Hing ahead of the others, leaving 1 trader and 12 cowherds to take care of the herd.

The 12 cowherds were beaten to death and the cattle stolen by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 in the forest about 2-1/2 miles from the main road, about 4-5 miles north of Kun-Hing town. The trader, Saang Su (m), aged 43, from Kaa Li village, Kaa Li village tract, Kun-Hing township, was also killed and his body was found about 4 miles from the main road.

Although the 7 other traders later found their cattle in the compound of the base of IB246, they dared not ask for them for fear of further abuses.

8-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT DEAD, OPIUM EXTORTED FROM FARMERS, IN KUN-HING

On 1 April 2003, an 8-year-old son of displaced farmers was shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 at a remote opium farm, for which opium seeds were provided by local SPDC troops, in Kun-Hing township.

In late 2002, SPDC troops in Kun-Hing township provided opium seeds and encouraged displaced farmers to grow opium. Many displaced farmers who could hardly earn enough to feed their families decided to try their hands.

On the day of the incident, a group of 25 displaced farmers who were tending their opium farm about 1 mile from Long Maw village (relocated) left an 8-year-old boy alone in a hut at the village, because his parents were required to work with the other farmers.

After they had shot dead 2 Buddhist monks at Tham Loi Kong monastery in the area a few days earlier (see story # 2 in May issue), a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 continued to search for what they said were Shan rebels. When they search Long Maw deserted village they found the boy and the SPDC troops shot him dead.

Zaai Kaw (m), aged 8, son of Lung Paan and Pa Seng, originally from Long Maw village, who had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Kun-Hing town in 1996 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. The boy’s body was found shot dead about 30 yards from the hut in which he was left by his parents. All the rice and other food stuff in the hut were also stolen.

Later some SPDC troops related to villagers that they had recently raided an opium farm and a deserted village, Long Maw, in which Shan soldiers were hiding but all the adults had run away, leaving only their child son, so they just shot him dead.

After the incident, farmers were reluctant to go to tend their opium farms for fear of being shot at, negatively affecting the yield of the opium. The opium seeds were provided by SPDC troops on a condition that each farmer sell 3 viss of opium sap to their friends at the market rate after the harvest.

In mid-April, when Capt. Soe Win Maung from Co.1 of SPDC’s IB246 gathered the opium farmers to collect the opium, only some of the said 25 opium farmers could barely meet the quota. The others had to buy from somewhere else to fill up their quotas at the rate of 50,000 Kyat per viss and sell to the SPDC troops at the rate of 20,000 Kyat per viss.

KILLING OF FORCED LABOURERS, EXTORTION OF MONEY, IN MURNG-NAI AND MURNG-PAN

In late February 2003, 3 forced labourers in a road construction project were killed and money was extorted from their fellow villagers by SPDC troops from Murng-Nai-based LIB576 and Murng-Pan-based LIB332 who were overseeing the road construction between Murng-Nai and Murng-Pan townships.

During the construction of a road, from February 2002 to March 2003, the SPDC troops overseeing the construction had among others conscripted 3 villagers from Wan Kaad village in Kun Long village tract, Murng-Nai township to serve as guides to help find the shortest route for building the road.

The 3 villagers, Lung Kam (m), aged 56, Lung Aa-Zay-Ya (m), 53 and Zaai Kawn (m), aged 41, were promised a monthly salary of 500 Kyat and a sack of rice each by the SPDC troops on their conscription, and they actually received their salaries from the SPDC troops for the first 3 months.

After the first 3 months, however, the SPDC troops ordered the village headman of Wan Kaad to borrow rice and money from his villagers for the salaries of the 3 men, saying that they would pay it back as soon as they received the allotted budget from their superiors.

When the road was nearing completion, in late February 2003, and the villagers of Wan Kaad still had to collect the rice and money among themselves for the salaries, the 3 forced labourers were called out of their camp and taken away by the SPDC troops, and have never returned since then.

A few days later, some SPDC troops came to Wan Kaad village and asked for the 3 men, saying that they had come to take them back to work for it had already been 3-4 days since they said they would visit home.

When the road was completed in late March 2003, the SPDC troops came to Wan Kaad village again and told the village headman and elders that the 3 men had run away before they completed their duties and that village leaders were responsible for their misconduct.

“Your villagers had run away before fulfilling their duties. It was government work. Why didn’t you instruct them to serve until the work was completed, you deserve punishment for this”, said the SPDC troops and demanded a fine of 60,000 Kyat from the villagers. After some bargaining and begging, the troops were satisfied with 45,000 Kyat, which was collected from every house in the village.

A few days later, villagers of Wan Kaad who had gone to catch fish found the bodies of the 3 men, recognizable only by the clothes on them, in a pile near a stream in a valley called Huay Nam Kaab in Murng-Pan township, about 3 miles from the labour camp where they were last seen being taken away by the SPDC troops.

RAPE IN NAM-ZARNG

On 5 April 2003, a displaced woman was raped by an SPDC soldier, Capt. Aung Myo Khaing, from Kun-Hing-based IB296 in a farm hut while her husband was controlled by another SPDC soldier, at a remote farm in Kho Lam village tract, Nam-Zarng township.

Naang Non (not her real name), aged 20, the victim, was originally from Kung Khaet village in Kho Lam village tract, which had been forcibly relocated to Kho Lam village relocation site in 1996 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

Naang Non and her husband, Zaai Aa-Lit-Ta, aged 25, together with their 1-1/2-year-old daughter, were working and staying overnight at their rice farm, about 5 miles from Kho Lam village and about 2 furlongs west of the Nam-Zarng -- Kun-Hing main road.

On the day of the incident, at about 7 o’clock in the morning, a patrol of 7 SPDC troops led by Capt. Aung Myo Khaing, commander of Co.2 of IB296, came to their farm and, after asking some questions about farmers in the area, asked for food for the midday meal. After Naang Non and her husband gave them the food, the troops left, saying they were on duty guarding the main road.

At night, at about 11 o’clock, 2 SPDC soldiers came into the hut in which Naang Non, her husband and their daughter were sleeping. Under the light from an oil lamp, Naang Non saw one of them was Capt. Aung Myo Khaing who had come to ask for food that morning.

Capt. Aung Myo Khaing then grabbed Naang Non’s husband by the arm and ordered the other soldier to take him away, and prepared to rape Naang Non while her husband was being forced out of the hut by the soldier, begging him not to harm her. 

The captain, however, raped Naang Non to his satisfaction, covered her mouth with his hand and threatened to kill her when she tried to call out for her husband. After the SPDC soldiers left, the couple dared not stay at their hut and moved to a hut in a nearby farm where there was a bigger group of farmers staying together.

The next day, Naang Non and her family returned to Kho Lam relocation site to lodge a complaint with the village chairman, but could not do so because he was not at home. They were able to complain to him on 7 April 2003, and together they went to the SPDC military camp at Kho Lam.

After some questioning by the commander at Kho Lam camp, the villagers were required to sign a document and the troops took them in a car to a place called Maak Mong Lao where Capt. Aung Myo Khaing and his troops were guarding the road. After Naang Non’s husband pointed out to the village chairman that it was Capt. Aung Myo Khaing who raped his wife, they came back and reported it back to the commander of Kho Lam camp who told them that the troops were from Kun-Hing and were not under his command, and that they should file a complaint with the Tactical Command in Kun-Hing township.

The commander of the Tactical Command in Kun-Hing also required the villagers to sign a document after questioning and promised to look into the matter. The commander also warned the villagers not to tell anyone else about this incident. “Otherwise, you and us could more and more loathe each other, and become farther and farther apart”, he said.

After about 20 days, as the news of the incident spread without them telling anyone since they were warned, Naang Non and her family fled Kho Lam for fear of retaliation from the SPDC troops. 

No action had yet been taken against the culprits until the receipt of this report in May.

14-YEAR-OLD STUDENT RAPED IN MURNG-TON

On 5 January 2003, a 14-year-old student was raped by an SPDC soldier, Capt. Thin Za Ong, from LIB360 in her house at Pung Pa Khem village, Pung Pa Khem village tract, Murng-Ton township.

In the morning of that day, Naang Kham Non (not her real name), aged 14, was alone in her house preparing to go to school after her parents left to work at their farm. As Naang Kham Non was changing clothes after eating her morning meal, Capt. Thin Za Ong came into the house and dragged her by the hand into the inner room and raped her.

When Naang Kham Non had not arrived at her school after 9 o’clock that morning, a teacher came to look for her at her house which was not very far from the school. As the teacher entered the house, she saw Capt. Thin Za Ong was raping Naang Kham Non and she shouted at the captain.

After shouting at the captain, the teacher went and reported the incident to the village tract leader, U Khin Maung Lat. When Capt. Thin Za Ong was asked by the village tract leader, he confessed his crime and offered to compensate, and requested the leader and the teacher not to report it to his superiors.

Capt. Thin Za Ong made a compensation of 300,000 Kyat to all 3 of them -- 50,000 Kyat for the village tract leader, 50,000 Kyat for the teacher and 200,000 Kyat for Naang Kham Non, the victim -- and the case was closed.

RAPE IN MURNG-NAI

On 8 November 2002, a woman was raped in her house in Pa Saa village in Kaeng Tawng area, Murng-Nai township, by an SPDC soldier from a military camp at Ton Hoong village in Ton Hoong village tract, Murng-Nai township.

In the evening of that day, a column SPDC troops from Ton Hoong came to Pa Saa village and spent the night in the village, and 5 of the soldiers went to sleep in the rice barn of a house in the village. All people from the house had gone to a nearby Buddhist temple to attend a religious ceremony, leaving only Naang Poi (not her real name), aged 22, and her baby in the house.

At about 20:30 hrs. at night, as Naang Poi was rocking her baby in a cradle in the house, one of the SPDC troops that were sleeping in the barn, an officer with 2 stripes on his arms, came into the house and raped Naang Poi. 

As she was being raped, Naang Poi managed to scream several times. When Naang Poi’s husband heard her scream from the temple and ran back to the house the soldier had already raped her, but he denied doing anything to her.

The next day, when Naang Poi and her husband went to lodge a complaint with the commander at Ton Hoong military camp, he requested them not to tell anyone else about the incident and gave them a China-made bicycle in compensation.

AN AKHA VILLAGER BEATEN, HIS CHICKEN STOLEN, IN MURNG-PHYAK

On 13 April 2003, an Akha villager from Nam Pan village in Nam Naang village tract, Murng-Phyak township, was severely beaten up and his chicken and a musket was stolen by a patrol of 5 SPDC troops from IB221 on the way not far from his village.

Aa Hur (m), aged 30, was returning home from hunting, carrying a musket and a wild chicken that he had shot on his shoulder, when he ran into the SPDC troops. The troops stopped him and wrested away the musket and the chicken from him and, without uttering a word, one of the troops kicked him harshly in the hip and he fell to the ground.

As Aa Hur was lying on the ground, the other troops joined in and kicked him in the body 4-5 more times. When he was lying painfully and looking at the troops, not knowing what he had done wrong, the troops said to Aa Hur, “You kept this musket without permission, and you are not allowed to kill any wild animals. We are taking away your chicken and musket, and you must not tell anyone about this”, and left.

In addition to the bruises and sprains in his body, Aa Hur suffered from a severe sprain in his left thigh and could not walk. In the evening, he was helped by some fellow villagers who were returning from their farms to get back to his village, and he had to be treated for 3-4 days before he could walk again.

A PALAUNG VILLAGER SHOT AT, HIS BUFFALO STOLEN, VILLAGERS FORCED TO CARRY MEAT, IN NAM-ZARNG

On 20 April 2003, a Palaung villager was frightened away with gunshots and his buffalo was stolen and killed, and 5 villagers were forced to carry the meat to a military camp by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB66, in Kho Lam village tract, Nam-Zarng township.

Aai Ngern, male, aged 28, was a villager of Phaa Ngaab village. He was working at a farm about 11 miles from Kho Lam village near the motor-road that led from Kho Lam to Kaeng Tawng area in Murng-Nai township, and was letting his buffalo graze near the farm after using it to plough the earth.

As Aai Ngern was tending his buffalo, a patrol of about 25 SPDC troops from IB66 came and when they saw the buffalo, they shot their guns over his head 14-15 times. Aai Ngern was frightened and he ran away as fast as he could, and the SPDC troops pulled away his buffalo. 

The troops later killed the buffalo and forced 5 villagers from Wan Phui village to carry the buffalo meat back to their camp at Kho Lam.

STEALING OF LIVESTOCK IN KAE-SEE

On 23 March 2003, a patrol of SPDC troops from IB286 shot and stole tens of chickens and a large female pig belonging to the villagers of Paa Khee village in Murng Yaai village tract, Kae-See township.

On that day, a patrol of about 20 SPDC troops from IB286, based in Murng Nawng village tract, came and surrounded Paa Khee village while some of them came into the village and shot tens of chickens and a pig, causing fear and confusion among the villagers.

After taking the chickens they had shot, the troops cut the pig and took the parts they wanted, and just before leaving the village they told the villagers not to tell anyone about the event, or they would come back and punish them.

According to the villagers, not counting the tens of chickens, the pig alone was worth at least 50,000 Kyat at the market.

STEALING OF VILLAGERS’ BAMBOO IN MURNG-YAWNG

On 5-6 April 2003, SPDC troops from LIB334 forcibly cut and took away bamboo from the bamboo gardens of villagers in Wan Po and Pa Hok village tracts, Murng-Yawng township, leaving only bamboo stumps in several gardens.

Since the Burmese military were expanding in Murng-Yawng area, a lot of wood and bamboo were needed to build new camps and bases and the troops simply cut and took them from the woodland and gardens of the local people without caring to ask or pay for them.

During the said 2 days, two groups of SPDC troops from LIB334, each group comprising 30-40 men, went separately to Wan Po and Pa Hok village tracts. The troops forcibly cut and took away all the bamboos from a garden at Pa Mon village and another garden in Yaang Le village in Wan Po village tract.

In Pa Hok village tract, the SPDC troops cleared all the bamboo from 2 gardens at Paang Zaa village and another garden at Nam Tee village. When the troops did the cutting, they cut down the whole groves including the young shoots, leaving nothing for the owners, who could only sit and look on, unable to say anything.

EXTORTION FOR WATER FESTIVAL IN KAENG-TUNG

On 7 April 2003, the Commander of the SPDC Special Triangle Regional Military Command issued an order requiring the townspeople of Kaeng-Tung, in all 5 town quarters, to donate money to the township authorities for the coming water festival, 2,000 Kyat per house, no later than 9 April 2003.
An order was also issued to all village tracts to come and join the water splashing ceremony in town.

The ceremony was held day and night at the lake in the centre of Kaeng-Tung town from 13 to 15 April 2003. Five temporary decorated villas were set up around the lake and popular singers from Rangoon were hired to entertain the guests.

The Regional Commander himself came to the lake to enjoy the water splashing every day. When he came, young women were required to dance and welcome him and security was tight during his presence, with many soldiers, police and people’s militia standing guard all over around the lake.
Some families who did not have the money had to borrow from their friends and relatives to donate for the water festival because no one was allowed to defy the order.

MORE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED, PEOPLE FORCED TO BUY FIREWOOD, IN MURNG-TON

Since early 2003, SPDC military authorities of LIB519 have issued an order putting more restriction of movement on the people in Wan Naa village tract, Murng-Ton township, requiring them to ask for permission from the military every time they go to their farms outside their villages.

Villagers who were going to the same area were given only one document as a pass, with all their names and destinations written on it, for which each person had to pay 100 Kyat. The pass was valid for only 5 days after which the villagers were required to ask for a new one.

Villagers who wanted to gather firewood were not given permission, saying that the forestry department had banned woodcutting in the area. Villagers were instead told to buy wood from the SPDC troops at the rate of 3,000 Kyat per mini-truck-load of firewood.