SHRF MONTHLY REPORT February

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- FEBRUARY 2004

COMMENTARY

Taking things without permission from the owners is stealing or robbery, however small the things might be. Even when authorities take things suspected to have been stolen, without proper legal procedure, this can amount to stealing, not to mention taking from the rightful owners.

Imagine how life could be when one has to live under such authorities, who often take or destroy what they want with complete disregard for the feelings of citizens under their control.

It is no exaggeration to say that the people of Shan State have been forced to live such a life for decades under the oppressive rule of the Burmese military juntas, whose troops regularly plunder the rural communities and steal from both rural and urban communities alike.

This situation is not just an annoyance or frustration to the people, but is also an economic hindrance preventing them from becoming better off.

Apart from some extrajudicial killing, torture, disappearance and rape cases, this month’s issue focuses on stealing of civilian property by the junta’s troops.

There are some cases involving motorcycles in which the owners were either beaten, arrested and imprisoned or forced to give money. In one case, the beating was so severe that it caused death.

An 8-year-old boy was detained in one incident, and refugees were stripped of their travel expense in another. Even child novice monks were not spared, being robbed of their alms by the junta’s troops. 

2 WOMEN RAPED AND KILLED IN KAE-SEE

On 16 October 2003, 2 women were raped and dumped into a hole in the ground while their father was tied up to a tree by SPDC troops from LIB515 at a remote farm south of Wan Zing village in Wan Zing village tract, Kae-See township.

Lung Loi Thawn, aged 60, and his 2 daughters, Naang Khin, aged 22 and Naang Lam, aged 19, were reaping rice at their remote farm in Wan Zing village tract when a patrol of SPDC troops from Lai-Kha-based LIB515, led by commander Hla Khin, came to the farm.

The SPDC troops tied Lung Loi Thawn up to a tree and raped Naang Khin and Naang Lam. After raping the 2 women for some time, the troops left the farm, taking the women with them into the forest.

Because Lung Loi Thawn and his daughters had not returned, some of their relatives came to look for them and found Lung Loi Thawn tied up to a tree at the farm. But they could not find the 2 women on that day.

After a few days, some of the villagers who kept looking for the 2 women detected a foul smell and found that it was coming out of a hole in the ground in the forest. When they looked carefully, they found a sarong, which one of the women was wearing on the day of the incident, hooked on a root just inside in the mouth of the hole. But the hole was so deep and narrow that no one could go down into it to look for the bodies of the women.

The villagers then came to the conclusion that after raping the women to their satisfaction, the SPDC troops might have either dumped them into the hole alive or killed them and dumped their bodies into it.

A DISPLACED VILLAGER SMOTHERED TO DEATH IN KUN-HING

On 13 October 2003, a displaced villager who was gathering bamboo was smothered to death, and another was shot at while escaping, by a patrol of local SPDC troops in the forest in Kun-Hing township.

Lung Pho Ma (m), aged 47 and Zaai Nyo (m), aged 30, were originally from Paang Kawk village in Saai Khaao village tract, Kun-Hing township, which had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Kun-Hing town in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.

The 2 men were cutting bamboo in the forest, having left their ox-cart alone not very far away with the 2 oxen tied to it feeding on a bundle of hay, when a patrol of SPDC came their way. While some of the troops dragged away their oxen, some called the 2 men to go to them.

Zaai Nyo ran away and escaped although he was shot after by the SPDC troops. Lung Pho Ma, however, was captured and tortured to death. When his body was found, he was still tied up to a tree and his head was covered in a plastic bag with its mouth tightly tied around his neck.

When Zaai Nyo and village and community leaders went to report the incident to the SPDC troops, they were told by the deputy camp commander that his troops had not gone anywhere on the day of the incident because they were having a meeting.

DISPLACED VILLAGERS SHOT DEAD, THEIR MINI-TRACTOR BURNT, DURING FORCED LABOUR IN NAM-ZARNG

On 11 October 2003, 2 displaced villagers who were going to gather bamboo for the SPDC troops of IB66 were shot dead and their mini-tractor burnt on the way by SPDC troops from LIB515 about 10 miles north of Kho Lam village in Nam-Zarng township.

The 2 victims, Lung Maan (m), aged 41 and Zaai Mya Awng (m), aged 21, were originally from Kung Yom village in Ton Hung Haai Laai village tract, Lai-Kha township, which had been forcibly relocated to Kho Lam village relocation site in Nam-Zarng township in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. 

They were going with their mini-tractor to gather bamboo to build fences for the SPDC troops of IB66 when they were shot dead by the SPDC troops from LIB515 and their mini-tractor was also burnt, on the way 10 miles north of Kho Lam village.

VILLAGERS SHOT DEAD, THEIR MINI-TRACTOR BURNT, DURING FORCED LABOUR IN LAI-KHA

On 19 September 2003, 3 villagers were shot dead and their mini-tractor burnt by SPDC troops on their way to gather bamboo for the SPDC troops of IB64, in Wan Lur village tract, Lai-Kha township.

On the day of the incident, 4 villagers, 3 men and 1 woman, of Paang Yong village in Wan Lur village tract, Lai-Kha township, went to gather bamboo with a mini-tractor to build fences for the SPDC troops of IB64.

When the villagers were still on their way to the bamboo forest, they were shot at by a group of SPDC troops, and their mini-tractor was burnt. The 3 men were killed on the spot while the woman rolled off the tractor and escaped. The 4 victims were:

1. Lung Tawng, aged 53, killed on the spot
2. Lung Kam, aged 51, killed on the spot
3. Zaai Mu, aged 38, killed on the spot
4. Naang Maat, aged 27, ran and escaped

Even though the surviving villager was sure that it was SPDC troops who were responsible, she did not know the unit to which they belonged. When the villagers tried to lodge a complaint with the SPDC troops in the area, the troops said, “It could only be your Shan soldiers. Our troops have not left the camp over the last 4-5 days”.

2 DISPLACED FARMERS SHOT DEAD, ONE DISAPPEARS, IN LAI-KHA

In March 2003, 2 displaced farmers were shot dead and in September 2003 one displaced farmer disappeared after being arrested by SPDC troops from LIB515, at a remote farm near Ho Phaai village (relocated) in Nawng Kaw village tract, Lai-Kha township.

On 17 March 2003, a group of about 9-10 displaced farmers who were camping at the said remote farm were shot at by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB515. 2 were killed instantly and the others ran away and escaped. The 2 farmers killed were:

1. Zaai Pun-Nya (m), aged 29, originally from Nam Pa Kaang village in Haai Seng village tract
2. Naang Man (f), aged 26, originally from Nam Pa Kaang village in Haai Seng village tract

In September 2003, a group of Burmese soldiers, claiming to be Shan soldiers from the SSA (Shan State Army), came to the same remote farm where farmers were harvesting their crops and demanded taxes from them, altogether 100,000 kyat.

But when one of the farmers, Wi-Zae-Ya (m), aged 31, recognized one of them as being an SPDC soldier and said, “You are commander Than Htun, aren’t you?”, he was immediately arrested and taken away by the soldiers. 

Since then, Wi-Zae-Ya, originally from Nam Pa Kaang village in Haai Seng village tract, has disappeared up to the time of this report.

A VILLAGER BEATEN, HIS TEETH BROKEN, IN KUN-HING

In late 2003, a villager of Wan Lao in Wan Lao village tract, Kun-Hing township, was grabbed and slapped by SPDC troops from IB246 severely many times on the face and mouth until he lost 2 teeth and blood filled his mouth.

Su-Nan-Da (m), aged 30, of Wan Lao village was stopped by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 when he was north of his village. The SPDC troops grabbed Su-Nan-Da by the arms and asked him if there were Shan soldiers in the area.

Every time Su-Nan-Da said he did not know, the SPDC troops accused him of lying and slapped him several times on the face and mouth. The troops repeated their questions and slapped Su-Nan-Da many times until 2 of his teeth were broken and his mouth filled with blood, before they let him go.

2 WOMEN BEATEN, CAUSING DEATH, MOTORCYCLE STOLEN, IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In mid 2003, 2 women were beaten until they lost consciousness and robbed of their motorcycle by SPDC troops from LIB331 in Ta-Khi-Laek township. One of the women died of her wounds from the beating at the hospital on the same night.

On 22 August 2003, Naang Seng (f), aged 17 and Naang Long (f), aged 17, from Saai Murng quarter in Ta-Khi-Laek town, were going to their pineapple orchard by a motorcycle when they were stopped by a group of 3 SPDC troops near the orchard about 2 miles north of the town.

As the women stopped their motorcycle, the SPDC troops beat and kicked them and wrested the motorcycle away from them. The troops beat and kicked the women severely many times, causing them to lose consciousness.

Some villagers from Pong Lo village, which was not far from the site of the incident, found the 2 unconscious women and took them to the town hospital. Although the women regained consciousness after they were treated at the hospital, one of them, Naang Seng, was so seriously wounded in the head that she died on the same night.

The parents and relatives of the 2 women, together with village and community leaders, later lodged a complaint with the SPDC authorities at the Ta-Khi-Laek township office. But there had been no progress with regard to the case even after 3-4 months.

MOTORCYCLE DRIVER BEATEN, HIS MOTORCYCLE STOLEN, IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In August 2003, a motorcycle taxi driver was beaten until he lost consciousness and his motorcycle stolen by SPDC troops from LIB331 at Nam Tun bridge in Murng Ko village tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township.

Zaai Kawn (m), aged 28, formerly lived in Murng-Yawng township, but moved to Murng Phong village tract in Ta-Khi-Laek township 2 years ago and since then had been running a motorcycle taxi to make a living in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

On the day of the incident, Zaai Kawn was returning from transporting a passenger to Sali Ngawk village in Murng Ko village tract when he was stopped by 4 SPDC troops from LIB331 who were guarding a bridge at Nam Tun stream, situated between Sali Ngawk and Wan Pong villages.

As Zaai Kawn stopped his motorcycle, the SPDC troops surrounded him and, without saying anything, beat him until he lost consciousness and stole his motorcycle.

Zaai Kawn was found some time later by some villagers from Wan Pong village who went to catch fish along the Nam Tun stream and was treated until he regained consciousness. The villagers also helped him return to his village in Murng Phong village tract. He was seriously wounded in the head and had to be treated at Ta-Khi-Laek township hospital.

Zaai Kawn and the community leaders later tried to lodge a complaint with the SPDC township authorities. But they said they could do nothing because there was no witness; no one saw the incident and no one knew who the culprits were.

MOTORCYCLES CONFISCATED, OWNERS IMPRISONED, IN SOUTHEASTERN SHAN STATE

During 2003, several motorcycles were confiscated and the owners imprisoned by SPDC military authorities in Murng-Ton, Murng-Sart, Ta-Khi-Laek, Murng-Phyak and Murng-Yawng townships in southeastern Shan State.
It was said that new motorcycles, mainly ‘Honda Wave 2003’, were confiscated by the authorities without any prior notice and the owners were given 7 month prison sentences as punishment.

For instance, in April 2003, Zaai Oon (m), aged 26 of Wan Mai village in Murng-Phyak township was arrested for owning a new ‘Honda Wave 2003’ motorcycle and sentenced to 7 months in jail, and his motorcycle was confiscated for use at the SPDC township office.

A STUDENT’S MOTORCYCLE STOLEN, MONEY EXTORTED, IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In mid 2003, a 7-grade student was robbed of his motorcycle by SPDC troops of LIB359 and later money was extorted before giving back the motorcycle, in a military base in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

Zaai Kam (m), a 7-grade student, parked his motorcycle at the school parking lot while attending sessions as usual. After he was released from school on the day of the incident, Zaai Kam found that his motorcycle had disappeared from the parking lot and he reported it to his teacher and the head of the school.

The next day, Zaai Kam and his parents came to the head of the school and were told that the motorcycle had been found in a military base and, during the school midday break, they all went to the military base and reclaimed the motorcycle.

They managed to get back the motorcycle. But only after 5,000 baht of money had been extorted from them and they had to promise not to let the news about this incident leak out to anyone else.

DISPLACED VILLAGERS ROBBED OF THEIR BELONGINGS, AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY DETAINED FOR 2 DAYS AND 1 NIGHTS, IN NAM-ZARNG

In July 2003, displaced villagers who returned to temporarily stay and work at their former village were robbed of their belongings, and an 8-year-old boy was taken away for 2 days and 1 night, by SPDC troops from Military Operation Management Command No.21 based at Kho Lam village, Nam Zarng township.

The villagers were originally from Kung Sim village in Wan Hai 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.

These villagers had been given permission by local SPDC troops to go back and farm the land at their former village during the rice cultivating season. However, a patrol of the said SPDC troops came and robbed them of their belongings and took away an 8-year-old boy for 2 days and 1 night, during which they asked the child about Shan soldiers and activities of the farmers, before returning him to Kho Lam village relocation site.

1. Lung Ti (m), aged 40, lost 2 warm jackets, 3 pairs of shoes and 11,900 kyat of money
2. Lung Wa-Ling (m), aged 43, lost 3 warm jackets, 2 pairs of shoes, 2 pairs of trousers and 9,600 kyat of money
3. Lung Zaam Pee (m), aged 46, lost 2 warm jackets, 2 pairs of shoes and 18,600 kyat of money
4. Lung Keng (m), aged 49, lost 2 pairs of shoes, 6 kilograms of seasoning powder, 2 tins of cooking oil and 45,000 kyat of money

EXTORTION AND FORCED LABOUR IN LAI-KHA

In August 2003, a truckload of bamboo was seized from 3 villagers and money was extorted from them by the local SPDC troops in Lai-Kha township. Later, each mini-tractor in the township was forced to provide 1 truckload of bamboo, with which villagers were required to build fences for the military.

On 17 August 2003, 3 villagers from the outskirts of Lai-Kha town went together with a mini-tractor to gather bamboo to fence their rice fields. As they reached the edge of their rice fields with a truckload of bamboo, they were stopped by a group of local SPDC troops.

The SPDC troops accused the villagers of cutting bamboo without permission and confiscated the bamboo. The troops also detained the mini-tractor and the 3 villagers, and money was extorted for their release.

Each of the villagers had to pay 1,500 kyat for the mini-tractor, 500 kyat for not having asked permission and 200 kyat for a pass to gather bamboo again. Altogether all of them had to pay 6,600 kyat for the mini-tractor and themselves, but their bamboo was confiscated.

A few days after that, local SPDC military authorities issued an order requiring owners of mini-tractors to provide a truckload of bamboo for each mini-tractor for the military for free. People who did not own any mini-tractor were required to build fences with the bamboo for the military, also unpaid.

VILLAGERS ROBBED OF THEIR BELONGINGS AT THEIR HOUSES IN KUN-HING

In November 2003, villagers of Saai Khaao village in Saai Khaao village tract, Kun-Hing township, were accused of harbouring Shan rebels and robbed of their possessions at their houses by SPDC troops from IB246.

A patrol of about 50 SPDC troops from IB246 came to Saai Khaao village and surrounded the houses of Lung Kam and Pi Lu, saying that they saw some Shan soldiers run away from those houses as they approached the village.

The SPDC thoroughly searched the houses but did not find any rebels or any weapons. However, they took everything of value they wanted in the houses. 

Lung Kam was said to have lost 30,000 kyat of money, 1-1/2 baht-weight of gold ornament and a lot of clothes; and Pi Lu lost 103,000 kyat of money, 2 baht-weight of gold ornaments and some clothes.

RETURNING REFUGEES ROBBED OF THEIR MONEY IN MURNG-TON

In November 2003, 5 refugees who were returning from Thailand were robbed of their money by SPDC troops from LIB360 at a checkpoint between the border and Pung Pa Khem village in Murng-Ton township.

Thun Awng (m), aged 31, and his 4 friends were from Kaang Oon village in Haai Seng village tract, Lai-Kha township. Since 1999, they had sought refuge along the border in Thailand and managed to save up some little money by working as day labourers over the years.

Thun Awng and his friends decided to return to Shan State to see the situation of their parents and relatives and to help them with the little hard-earned money they had managed to save by working hard for several years.

When they got to one of the SPDC checkpoints, locally known as Huay Nam Yum checkpoint between the Thai border and Pung Pa Khem village, about 5 kilometres north of the border, they were stopped and searched by the SPDC troops from LIB360 manning the checkpoint.

The SPDC troops took all their money, 25,600 baht in all, leaving only 100 baht each for them.

The 5 refugees could not travel without money and were stranded at Pung Pa Khem village. They were still working to survive from day to day at Pung Pa Khem village in late January 2004 when this report was received.

BUDDHIST NOVICE MONKS ROBBED OF THEIR ALMS IN KAENG-TUNG

On the full moon day of the 12th lunar month, 8 November 2003, 3 Buddhist novice monks who were returning from begging alms were robbed of their alms by SPDC troops at Pha Yaang Gate, the western entrance of Kaeng-Tung town.
On that day, Buddhist devotees in Kaeng-Tung town organized an alms-giving ceremony to which they invited all Buddhist monasteries in the township to come and receive alms. Accordingly, hundreds of monks from surrounding villages came to the ceremony and returned with bowls and bags full of alms.

Novice monks, Saang Suk, aged 11, Saang Khan, aged 10 and Saang Long, aged 9, from Seng Murng monastery, about 1 mile west of the town, were also returning from the alms-giving ceremony when they were stopped by 2 of the 7-8 SPDC troops taking security at the town’s western entrance, called Pha Yaang Gate.

The SPDC troops searched the novice monks and took away all the money and some food among the alms before they let them go.

1. Saang Suk lost 200 kyat of money, 1 packet of meat and 1 packet of sticky rice
2. Saang Khan lost 200 kyat of money, 2 packets of pork and 1 packet of sticky rice
3. Saang Long lost 100 kyat of money, 1 packet of sausages and 1 packet of sticky rice