SHRF MONTHLY REPORT April

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- APRIL 2004

COMMENTARY

Among the many types of gross human rights violations committed by the Burmese army troops against the people in Shan State, disappearance is one of those that have been often taking place over the last 4 decades under military rule.

From time to time, people disappear after being arrested or conscripted as forced labourers by the Burmese junta’s troops. People are often accused of being members of or having connections with the Shan resistance before they are taken away and finally disappear.

Sometimes, people simply disappear while roaming the forests when they accidentally run into Burmese troops taking security in remote places.

In Murng-Sart township, 3 villagers disappeared as they went to gather bamboo in the forest where some SPDC troops were taking security of something secret, which local people believed to be a new methamphetamine producing factory.

The victims include both men and women, young and old, and are often tortured and women raped before they disappear.

In one case reported in this issue, a woman was raped and tortured while her husband was being taken away and was not to be found again. The woman was raped and tortured so severely that she later died of internal wounds in a hospital in Thailand where she came to get treatment.
The junta’s troops, however, have almost always denied their being involved in any case of disappearance.

A CIVILIAN DRIVER BEATEN TO DEATH FOR REFUSING TO PROVIDE FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-KERNG

In March 2004, a civilian driver who was returning from providing forced labour for SPDC troops was beaten to death by an SPDC commander from LIB514 for trying to refuse to provide more forced labour, at a military checkpoint in Murng-Kerng township.

On 20 March 2004, a commander from LIB514, Lun Maung, stopped a civilian car at a checkpoint to conscript it for forced labour. The car happened to be one that was returning after serving a different group of SPDC troops for 3 days and had not yet reached home.

The driver, Zaai Thun Ae, explained that he had just been released from serving the SPDC troops for 3 whole days and was returning home, and told the SPDC commander to take some other cars instead.

Commander Lun Maung, however, became angry and asked Zaai Thun Ae whether he was the owner and ordered him to come down. As Zaai Thun Ae came down from the car saying he was not the owner but only a driver, the commander struck him harshly on the back of his neck with a rifle butt.

The blow was so harsh that it sent Zaai Thun Ae to the ground and killed him instantly in front of the military checkpoint. When an inquiry was made about the death of Zaai Thun Ae, however, the SPDC troops said that he killed himself when he slipped and fell and hit his head on the side of the car as he was descending it.

3 VILLAGERS SHOT DEAD WHILE FISHING, IN MURNG-PAENG

In October 2003, a combined force of people’s militia and SPDC troops from IB43 shot dead 3 villagers who were fishing in a stream in Loi Waeng village tract, Murng-Paeng township.

On 8 October 2003, Zaai In Kham (m), aged 21, Zaai Kaab Keo (m), aged 20 and Zaai Lun (m), aged 19, all from Naa Khaw village in Yaang Maai village tract in Murng-Paeng township, came to catch fish in Loi Waeng village tract in the same township.

As the villagers were throwing their net in a stream about 1-1/2 miles from Naa Laam village in Loi Waeng village tract, a patrol of about 50 SPDC troops from IB43 and Lahu People’s Militia saw them and shot at them without caring to find out who they were.

All the 3 villagers were hit and killed in the stream before they could say or do anything. Although local people knew that the 3 victims were ordinary villagers from Yaang Maai village, the people’s militia and SPDC troops claimed that they had shot dead 3 Shan rebels.

A VILLAGER BEATEN TO DEATH, FATHER-IN-LAW DETAINED, WIFE THREATENED, IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In November 2003, a villager was tortured and beaten to death, and his father-in-law was detained while his wife was threatened and forced to say that her husband had died of heart attack, by SPDC troops of LIB359, at their house in Pa Wo village in Hawng Lerk village tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township.

On 21 November 2003, a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB359 arrested Pu Laao and searched his house in Pa Wo village in Hawng Lerk village tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township. When they could not find any weapons which they suspected Pu Laao of possessing, the troops tied him up, beat and tortured him, and interrogated him.

Pu Laao died in his house while he was being interrogated and beaten by the SPDC troops. The SPDC troops then arrested his father-in-law, Lung Naan Som, aged 61, and threatened Pu Laao’s wife, ordering her to say that her husband died from a stroke of heart attack if she did not want her father killed.

Lung Naan Som was released only after a guarantee paper saying that Pu Laao had died of heart disease had been signed by his daughter and community leaders, and after a funeral for Pu Laao was conducted by the villagers.

A MAN FORCED TO BE A SOLDIER AND LATER KILLED, IN MURNG-NAI

In August 2003, a man was forced to join the Burmese army and later accused of trying to desert and put to death by the SPDC troops of LIB576 near Pa Saa village in Nawng Hee village tract, Murng-Nai township.

Zaai Nyunt, aged 23, from La-Sio town in northern Shan State, first joined a group of paid day labourers in the road construction in Nam Lan area in Si-Paw township in February 2003. When the section of the road they were building was about to be finished, the SPDC troops from Murng-Nai-based LIB576 which had overseen the road construction returned to their base, taking Zaai Nyunt with them.

The SPDC troops then forced Zaai Nyunt to undergo a military training course at the Regional Training Centre No.3, based at Waeng Kao village in Murng-Nai township. After the training, they forced him to join the Burmese army and brought him back to the base of LIB576 at Pa Saa village in Murng-Nai township.

Being a Shan, known among the SPDC troops as ‘Shan Lae’ (meaning ‘little Shan’), Zaai Nyunt quickly got to know many local people and had many friends.

On 6 August 2003, however, Zaai Nyunt was accused of trying to desert the Burmese army and executed by the SPDC troops of LIB576 and buried at a place about 4 miles south of Pa Saa village.

Local villagers knew how Zaai Nyunt became an SPDC soldier from Zaai Nyunt himself, and they also knew that he was executed by the SPDC troops of LIB576.

RAPE IN MURNG-PAENG

In December 2003, a woman was raped by 3 SPDC soldiers from IB43 near a rice field about 1 mile east of Yaang Maai village in Yaang Maai village tract, Murng-Paeng township.

On 4 December 2003, Naang Phawng (not her real name), aged 19, from Yaang Maai village was collecting wild vegetables near a rice field about 1 mile east of her village, Yaang Maai, when a group of 5 SPDC troops led by commander Aung Myint Htun came towards her and called her to them.

As Naang Phawng got near them, commander Aung Myint Htun ordered 2 of his troops to go and stand guard in different directions, and dragged her into a nearby bush and raped her. After raping Naang Phawng to his satisfaction, the commander ordered the 2 soldiers who were with him to rape her as well.

Naang Phawng was released after being raped by 3 SPDC soldiers and she came directly back to her village and related her plight to her parents and village leaders. But no one dared to lodge a complaint with the military authorities for fear of reprisal.

FORCIBLE DISAPPEARANCES IN SHAN STATE

As mentioned in the Commentary section, disappearance is also one of the human rights violations which often take place among the civilian populations in Shan State.

The following are cases of disappearance that have taken place during the end of 2003 and early 2004 in central, eastern and southern Shan State.

HUSBAND DISAPPEARS, WIFE RAPED AND TORTURED, IN NAM-ZARNG

In September 2003, a displaced farmer was taken away and disappeared, and his wife was raped and tortured until she lost consciousness several times, by SPDC troops from IB246 at a remote farm in Kho Lam village tract, Nam-Zarng township.

The victims, Zaai Yi, aged 40 and his wife Naang Kham, aged 30, were originally from Nawng Hai village in Kho Lam village tract that had been forcibly relocated to Kho Lam village relocation site in 1996-97 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

The displaced couple, like several other displaced villagers, managed to survive the hard years at the relocation site by cultivating a remote farm in the area during the rice growing seasons. The couple were working at their farm on 17 September 2003 when a group of SPDC soldiers, wearing green fatigues that looked like Shan soldiers, came and took the husband, Zaai Yi, away.

Only about 25-30 minutes after Zaai Yi was taken away, a patrol of about 45-50 SPDC troops from IB246, led by Capt. Htun Aye, came to the farm and asked Naang Kham where her husband had gone and she told them that an unknown group of soldiers had taken him away just a few moments ago.

The SPDC troops then accused Zaai Yi of being a Shan soldier who had simply gone to join his colleagues and accused Naang Kham of being a wife of a Shan soldier and beat and kicked her, and gang-raped her until she lost consciousness several times.

When Naang Kham regained consciousness the last time, she saw the SPDC troops had left the farm and she was so badly hurt she could not stand up. Fortunately, some fellow villagers from the other remote farms in the area knew about the incident and took her back to the relocation site on an ox-cart.

Naang Kham treated herself while waiting for her husband to return. But Zaai Yi had not returned even after several months, and no one in the village knew his whereabouts. He has disappeared since he was taken away from his farm up to the time of this report.

The health conditions of Naang Kham also had not improved, but gradually became worse month after month. So she decided to come to the Thai border in hope of getting better treatment and left her home on 17 March 2004.

Naang Kham was accepted to Fang district hospital in Chiangmai province of Thailand at 10:00 a.m. on 28 March 2004. But her condition was so bad that she was sent to the provincial hospital in Chiangrai province at 03:00 p.m. on the same day.

Naang Kham, however, did not recover from her worsening condition and died on the next day, 29 March 2004, at 05:00 p.m., in the Chiangrai provincial hospital.

A MAN DISAPPEARS AFTER BEING ARRESTED, TORTURED AND FORCED TO SERVE AS PORTER, IN MURNG-SART

In February 2004, a villager who was tortured and forced to serve as a porter by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB579, at Pa Noi village in Murng Kok village tract, Murng-Sart township, has since then disappeared and has not returned home until the time of this report.

On 6 February 2004, Zaai Pan (m), aged 32, was accused of being a Shan soldier and arrested by a patrol of 35 SPDC troops from LIB579, led by commander Hla Oo, at his village, Pa Noi, in Murng Kok village tract, Murng-Sart township.

The SPDC troops tied Zaai Pan up and interrogated him in the village, beat and tortured him for some time, and finally forced him to carry their things and go with them.

Since then Zaai Pan had not returned until late March 2004 when this report was received, and his parents did not know if he was dead or still alive.

3 WOMEN DISAPPEAR AFTER BEING TAKEN AWAY IN LAI-KHA

In October 2003, 3 women who were reaping rice at a remote farm disappeared after being taken away by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB515 in Lai-Kha township.

On 16 October 2003, Naang Non, aged 30, Naang Seng Lu, aged 27 and Naang Ae, aged 19, were left alone at a remote farm after their husbands had gone home to get some food.

As the 3 women were reaping rice and waiting for their husbands, a patrol of about 40 SPDC troops from LIB515, led by commander Aye Kyaw, came to the farm and took the women away with them.

The 3 women have since then disappeared. Despite their repeated attempts until the end of 2003, their relatives could not find them anywhere. All the SPDC military camps in the area they tried had denied any knowledge of the women.

6 VILLAGERS DISAPPEAR AFTER BEING TAKEN AWAY, IN LAI-KHA

In November 2003, 6 villagers from Kun Hung and Kung Sa villages in Wan Saang village tract, Lai-Kha township, disappeared after they were taken away by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64, at a remote farm in Wan Saang village tract.

On 7 November 2003, the 6 villagers had been clearing a plot of land together for growing rice at a remote place in Wan Saang village tract for 14 days when a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64, led by commander Saw Naing, took them away.

They have not returned home since then, and their relatives could not find them anywhere in the area. Although some low ranking SPDC troops told some villagers that the 6 victims were taken away to a far away place and killed, their relatives could not find their bodies.

The villagers, however, believed the SPDC soldiers who related the incident because they could tell all the names of the 6 villagers. They were: Lung Man, aged 47, Zaai Thawn, aged 44 and Zaai Gam, aged 37, from Kun Hung village; and Zaai Gaw, aged 49, Zaai Mawng, aged 33 and Zaai Wun, aged 24, from Kung Sa village.

2 DISPLACED VILLAGERS DISAPPEAR AFTER BEING TAKEN AWAY, IN MURNG-KERNG

In October 2003, 2 displaced villagers from Ham Ngaai village relocation site in Murng-Kerng township disappeared after being taken away by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB514.

The 2 villagers, Zaai Su (m), aged 35 and Zaai Wa-Lin (m), aged 33, were originally from Naa Lur village in Ham Ngaai village tract that had been forcibly relocated to Ham Ngaai village relocation site in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

These 2 villagers spoke fluent Burmese and often helped other villagers to avoid being harassed by the SPDC troops during forced labour and sometimes to avoid too frequent forced labour. One time when the SPDC troops asked them why they had not reported that Shan soldiers had passed by their village, they said, “We have reported to you many times when Shan soldiers took away our pigs and chickens, but you have not paid any attention, not even come to have a look. This time they were just passing by, so we did not report”.

On 22 October 2003, however, a patrol of about 35 SPDC troops from LIB514, led by Capt. Aung Hpe, came and took the 2 men away. Since then, they have disappeared up to the time of this report.

3 VILLAGERS DISAPPEAR IN MURNG-SART

In November 2003, 3 villagers who went to cut bamboo disappeared after running into and being taken away by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB333 in Me Nim village tract, Murng-Sart township.

On 19 November 2003, Lung Kham (m), aged 30, Zaai Tu (m), aged 26 and Zaai Maat (m), aged 21, from Pa Sak village in Me Nim village tract, Murng-Sart township, went into the forest together to cut young bamboo to make bamboo strings.

The 3 villagers ran into a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB333 on the way and were taken away by the patrol. They have since then disappeared up to the time of this report.

A few days later, some Wa soldiers from the UWSA (United Wa State Army) that has a ceasefire with the SPDC, came to buy food at Pa Sak village and told some villagers to warn other villagers not to go into the forest in a certain direction. “A new group of SPDC soldiers have been stationed there and they have already executed 4-5 people suspected to be thieves over the last couple of weeks”.

The direction the Wa soldiers mentioned happened to be the same direction where the 3 villagers had gone to cut bamboo and disappeared. When the villagers asked if 3 of those killed by the SPDC troops were Shan, the Wa soldiers simply said they did not know, they had only been told the news by the Burmese soldiers.

Local people suspected that there was a new methamphetamine factory being set up in the area and the 3 villagers happened to be heading to it and were killed by the SPDC troops taking security.

DISPLACED FARMERS DISAPPEAR IN KUN-HING

In October 2003, 3 displaced farmers who were harvesting rice disappeared after being arrested and taken away by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB524 at a remote farm at Naa Khu village (relocated) in Ho Yaan village tract, Kun-Hing township.

Zaai Thawn (m), aged 38, Mu-Lin (m), aged 27 and Zaai Thi (m), aged 23, were originally from Naa Khu village which had been forced to move away some years ago by the Burmese troops. They had been growing rice at their farms at their former village over the last few years.

On 2 October 2003, when they were harvesting rice at their farms at their old village, Naa Khu, a patrol of about 20-25 SPDC troops from LIB524, led by commander Win Maung Soe, came and surrounded their farms and arrested them, and took them away.

The 3 men have not returned until the time of this report. They have disappeared since they were taken away from their farms by the SPDC troops. Some relatives who tried to track them could only find a hat and some flip-flops that belonged to them at different places in the forest, and the SPDC troops in the area denied any knowledge of them.

2 CIVILIAN GUIDES DISAPPEAR IN NAM-ZARNG

Since May 2003, 2 villagers conscripted to serve as guides by SPDC troops of LIB247 have disappeared while serving the military, at Wan Paang village in Haai Phak village tract, Nam-Zarng township.

On 5 May 2003, a patrol of about 50 SPDC troops from LIB247 came to Wan Paang village in Haai Phak village tract, Nam-Zarng township, and conscripted 2 villagers to serve as guides. The 2 villagers were: Zaai Paang (m), aged 30 and Aai Zaai (m), aged 22.

The 2 villagers have since then disappeared and their relatives did not know what had become of them until the time this report was received at the end of 2003.

A DISPLACED FARMER DISAPPEARS AFTER BEING TAKEN AWAY, IN NAM-ZARNG

In September 2003, a displaced farmer who was working at a farm near Kaad Saa village in Nam-Zarng township was taken away by SPDC troops from IB66 and he has disappeared up to the time of this report.

On 14 September 2003, Zaai Kyaw Win was taken away at gun point by 5 SPDC troops in his farm in front of many other farmers while they were taking a break and eating their midday meal. Many farmers recognized many SPDC troops that were waiting outside the farm as being from IB66.

Zaai Kyaw Win, aged 41 and his wife, Naang Non Zing, aged 34, and their son and daughter, Zaai Thun Nae, aged 18 and Naang Seng Mon, aged 14, respectively, were originally from Maak Phurng village in Ton Hung village tract, Nam-Zarng township, which had been forcibly relocated to Kho Lam village relocation site in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

About 15-16 days before the incident, when Zaai Kyaw Win and his wife were reaping rice with other farmers at a farm, they were surrounded by a group of SPDC soldiers from IB66. The soldiers then said that whoever were Shan soldiers among the farmers should raise their hands.

Altogether there were 23 farmers including men and women, and Zaai Kyaw Win responded to the SPDC troops saying there was no Shan soldier among the farmers, and all were from Kho Lam village relocation site. If there had been any Shan soldier, they would have reported it to the SPDC troops because they also hated the Shan soldiers for forcibly taking villagers’ property, Zaai Kyaw Win added.

Zaai Kyaw Win has disappeared since he was taken away from his farm by the SPDC troops. His relatives have tried in vain to find him in many places, including military bases and camps and prisons in Nam-Zarng and Loi-Lem townships.

His relatives believed that Zaai Kyaw Win had been killed in retaliation by the SPDC troops somewhere at a distant place, because he had argued with the SPDC troops several times in the past.