SHRF MONTHLY REPORT January

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- JANUARY 2004

COMMENTARY

Despite the repeated denials of the SPDC military authorities that they are still forcing people to work for them, there has been a lot of evidence that civilian forced labour is still being systematically used not only in military operations, but also in military bases and camps, and in the construction of state infrastructure and military facilities.

At least two road construction projects are underway at the moment in central Shan State alone, in which mass forced labour of the people and their vehicles is being systematically and regularly used. 

At many military bases and camps, people are still being forced to standby to be ready to serve the SPDC troops when their labour is needed. Civilian vehicles also have to be at the bases and camps 24 hours a day, ready to serve as ordered. 

Crop cultivation for the military also still needs the “help”, a euphemism used by the SPDC authorities for forced labour, of the civilian populations on a more or less regular basis. Even artists are not exempt from having to provide free labour of their arts. 

Some of the other types of human rights violations are also continuing unabated. Killing, rape, torture, detention and extortion, etc., are still more or less common occurrences.

In an incident reported in this issue, a man was buried alive while his ox was killed for meat, and in another incident, a man who went looking for his cattle was slit behind the knees and left to die.

A WOMAN KILLED, 2 OTHER RAPED, IN MURNG-KERNG AND LAI-KHA

In mid August 2003, a woman was killed and 2 other were raped for 2 nights by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64 in the forest in Murng-Kerng and Lai-Kha townships.

On 13 August 2003, 3 women from Saa Le village in Murng Yaai village tract, Murng-Kerng township, who were going to their farm ran into a patrol of 15 SPDC troops from Lai-Kha-based IB64, led by Maj. Tin Aung Soe. The 3 women were:

1. Pa Pong, aged 50
2. Naang Mint (not her real name), aged 18
3. Naang Zing (not her real name), aged 17

The SPDC troops accused the women of being wives of Shan soldiers and arrested them, and took them along with them. When they stopped for the night in the forest, somewhere in Murng-Kerng township, the troops killed Pa Pong and dumped her body down a pit and buried her, and raped the 2 other women all night.

The next day the SPDC troops continued their patrol back to Lai-Kha township and shot dead a villager’s buffalo they found on the way. The troops stopped for the night again to smoke the meat of the buffalo, and raped the 2 women again all night.

The next morning, the SPDC troops put the smoked meat in their backpacks, released the 3 women and continued back to their base.

It was said that at least once a month a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64 would patrol the areas between Murng-Kerng and Lai-Kha towns, staying 1-2 nights in the forest to hunt villagers’ cattle for meat, and abused the villagers they came across.

DISPLACED FARMERS SHOT DEAD WHILE BUILDING FENCES IN LAI-KHA

In May 2003, a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB515 shot at 6 farmers who were building fences at a remote farm, instantly killing 5 and wounding one who later also died, near Paang Sa village (relocated) in Wan Thi village tract, Lai-Kha township.

The farmers were originally from Paang Sa village which had been forcibly relocated 5-6 years ago by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. They were building fences around a remote farm near their original village when they were shot at without being warned or asked any question.
The victims were:

1. Lung Ma-La (m), aged 47
2. Zaai Wan-Na (m), aged 30
3. Zaai Gan-Ta-Ma (m), aged 31
4. Zaai Loo (m), aged 27
5. Zaai Laek (m), aged 25
6. Zaai Yawn (m), aged 33

Zaai Yawn was wounded in his stomach while escaping and the others were killed on the spot. However, Zaai Yawn also died only 3 hours after he got back to his house, before his relatives could take him to the hospital.

Zaai Yawn relatives and community leaders discussed the matter and decided not to file a complaint with the SPDC military authorities for fear of being accused of defaming the military and punished.

When SPDC troops from IB64 heard about the incident and asked the villagers, no one dared say that it was SPDC troops from LIB515 who shot the villagers, but said they did not know who they were. 

After that, a patrol of about 40 SPDC troops from IB64 and some of the villagers went to take a look at the place where the incident had taken place, but the SPDC troops later said that it was difficult to do anything if the perpetrators were unknown.

A VILLAGER SHOT DEAD IN KUN-HING

On 19 August 2003, a villager was shot dead by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 just outside Paang Hok village in Nawng Mai village tract, Kun-Hing township.

At about 7 o’clock in the morning of that day, Zaai Zan-Ta (m), a villager of Paang Hok was going out of the village to cut bamboo in the forest. As he was leaving the village, Zaai Zan-Ta ran into a patrol of about 10 SPDC troops from IB246 just outside the village.

The SPDC troops shot dead Zaai Zan-Ta and came into the village, and told the villagers of Paang Hok that they had shot dead a Shan rebel outside their village. After the SPDC troops left, the villagers went to have a look at the dead rebel.

However, the villagers could not find any Shan rebel. Instead, they found one of their fellow villagers, Zaai Zan-Ta, lying in a pool of blood where he had been shot dead by the SPDC troops.

A DISPLACED VILLAGER TORTURED AND LEFT TO DIE IN LAI-KHA

In April 2003, a displaced villager was tortured and tied up to a tree and left to die by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64 in a forest near Kung Sa village (relocated) in Wan Saang village tract, Lai-Kha township. 

The victim, Zaai Za-Lin-Da (m), aged 31, was originally from Kung Sa village which had been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Lai-Kha town in 1997 by SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. On 24 April 2003, Zaai Za-Lin-Da rode a bicycle from Lai-Kha town relocation site to see his herd of cattle which he had let graze in the area of his former village, Kung Sa.

Since then Zaai Za-Lin-Da had not returned and his relatives could not find him anywhere. However, some people in the relocation site had heard a patrol of SPDC troops from IB64, who returned on the day Zaai Za-Lin-Da disappeared, talk about having seized a bicycle from a rebel and having cut the sinews in the back of his knees, and tied him to a tree in the forest. 

About 15 days later, a man from another quarter of the relocation site said he heard faint voices like a man shouting when he went to look for his cattle near Kung Sa village, but he did not go and see. with the help of that man, Zaai Za-Lin-Da’s relatives went to search the area near the old village.

They found Zaai Za-Lin-Da’s body tied up to a tree in the forest east of Kung Sa village, partly burned by wild fire but still recognizable by his also partly burnt clothes.

A VILLAGER BURIED ALIVE, HIS CATTLE STOLEN, IN LAI-KHA

In April 2003, a man was buried alive and his ox killed for meat by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB515, at Kun Sai village (relocated) in Naa Mang village tract, Lai-Kha township.

On the day of the incident, Lung Loo (m), aged 40, went to catch his ox which had been missing for 2 days in the relocation area in Naa Mang village tract in Lai-Kha township. As he was returning with his ox, he ran into a patrol of about 30 SPDC troops.

The SPDC troops, from Co.3 of LIB515, led by commander Than Oo, took Lung Loo and his ox with them until they reached a relocated village, Kun Sai, and stopped there for the night. 

The SPDC troops then killed Lung Loo’s ox and smoked the meat. At the same time, they dug a well-like hole in the ground and put Lung Loo into the hole standing, and slowly buried him alive in that position.

This incident was said to be later also recounted by some of the SPDC troops to the displaced original villagers of Kun Sai village.

RAPE IN LAWK-ZAWK

In June 2003, a 16-year-old woman was raped by an SPDC soldier at her house at Lin Lam village in Wan Paeng village tract, Lawk-Zawk township.

On 21 June 2003, 3 SPDC troops, led by a commander notoriously known to the local people as Bo Myo Myint Ho Phaa (commander Myo Myint of Ho Phaa), came to Lin Lam village and entered Lung Saam’s house which was at the edge of the village.

At the time there were in the house Lung Saam (m), aged 60, head of the family; Naai Kham (f), aged 43, Lung Saam’s wife; Naang Seng (f) (not her real name), aged 16, their daughter; and Zaai Dip (m), aged 10, their son.

The SPDC troops ordered Lung Saam, his wife and their son to go and call the village headman to come to them while they waited at the house with their daughter, Naang Seng. Although they were worried about their daughter, they dared not defy the order.

As the villagers left the house, commander Myo Myint ordered his 2 men to stand guard at the door step and at the entrance of the house compound, and he dragged Naang Seng into the inner room of the house and raped her to his satisfaction.

Although Naang Seng managed to cry out a couple of times, no one dared to come near the house. When Lung Saam and his wife came back, they found their daughter crying in the house, but the SPDC troops were all outside the house.
Commander Myo Myint then said to Lung Saam and his wife that they did not do anything to their daughter; she cried only because she was afraid of them. The commander also warned the villagers that they would come and shoot dead whoever dared to accuse them of raping their daughter.

REPEATED ARREST, TORTURE AND DETENTION IN LARNG-KHUR

In 2003, a man was arrested, tortured and detained for 3 months and, 4 months after he had been released, was again arrested, tortured and detained for 3 more months by the SPDC troops of IB99 in Larng-Khur township.

At the end of 2002, Lung Leng (m), aged 52, of Long Khawk village in Nawng Long village tract, Larng-Khur township, was arrested by the SPDC troops of IB99 and taken to the military base. Lung Leng was accused of being a rebel agent and possessing a gun and a walkie-talkie.

For 3 days, the SPDC troops interrogated Lung Leng, beating and torturing him and pouring water into his mouth, asking him where he had hidden his pistol and walkie-talkie. When Lung Leng could not give any answer because he did not know, they locked him up and did not let his relatives know his whereabouts.

When Lung Leng did not return 3 months after he had been taken away by the SPDC troops, his relatives thought he was dead and they conducted a funeral for him in accordance with the Buddhist traditions. Only 3 days after his funeral, Lung Leng was released and he returned home.

However, only 4 months after he was released, Lung Leng was arrested again by the same SPDC troops. He was interrogated, tortured and detained for 3 months as before. As soon as he got home after he was released, Lung Leng went straight to a Buddhist monastery and ordained as a novice monk.

Even after he became a novice monk he could not stop being afraid of the Burmese soldiers and was frightened by their mere sight or even mention of them. So, a few weeks after his release he decided to flee to the Thai border.

A FARMER SEVERELY BEATEN, MONEY EXTORTED, IN MURNG-KERNG

In August 2003, a farmer was severely beaten and taken to the military base by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB514 and later money was extorted for his release, in Murng-Kerng township.

On 19 August 2003, Lung Thawn (m), aged 53, was weeding a rice field some distance from Murng-Kerng town when a patrol of about 30 SPDC troops from LIB514, led by Sgt. Thein Myint, came to the edge of the field and called him out to them.

The SPDC troops accused Lung Thawn of being a Shan soldier and arrested him. They beat and tortured him, took him to the military base and detained him there, and community leaders were summoned to see if they knew who he was.

When the community leaders guaranteed that Lung Thawn was not a Shan soldier but just an ordinary villager, the SPDC troops demanded 5,000 kyat as a guarantee before releasing him. Lung Thawn suffered severe injuries from the beating and needed to be treated at a hospital for several weeks.

VILLAGERS ROBBED OF THEIR MONEY AND BEATEN IN MURNG-YARNG

On 19 August 2003, 2 Lahu villagers were robbed of their money and beaten by a group of SPDC policemen on the way to the town market, about 1 mile north of Murng-Yarng town.

Aa Nger (m), aged 29 and Aa Si (m), aged 31, from Huay Ta village north of Murng-Yarng town, who were going to buy some consumer goods at the town market, each carrying a little money, ran into a group of 3 policemen on the way about 1 kilometre before they reached the town.

The policemen stopped the 2 villagers and searched their shoulder bags and bodies, and took all the little money they found on them. The villagers explained that they needed the money to buy consumer goods for their families, and begged the policemen to give it back.

But the policemen scolded the villagers and slapped them harshly 2-3 times each, and ordered them to go away quickly. The villagers were so frightened that they said nothing more and hastily continued to the town with no money.
In that incident, Aa Nger lost 600 kyat and Aa Si lost 800 kyat.

21 FARMERS DETAINED, MONEY EXTORTED, IN NAM-ZARNG

In August 2003, 21 farmers who were taking turns to weed their farms were arrested and detained by SPDC troops of IB66 and money was extorted for their release, in Nam-Zarng township.

On 16 August 2003, 21 farmers including men and women of Mark Mong Pawk village were going in a group to weed their farms when they were stopped by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB66 on the way. The troops searched the farmers and found them carrying a packet of rice each.

It has been one of the long-standing traditions for the Shan farmers to help one another in planting, weeding and harvesting their crops, taking turns to work together on one farm after another, and usually they provide their own food.
In this incident, the farmers were carrying food packets to eat while working at the farms, to save them from having to return home. But the SPDC troops accused them of carrying food packets with the intent to give to the Shan rebels and arrested them, and detained them at the military base.

When community leaders and relatives of the farmers pleaded with the SPDC troops for their release, explaining that the farmers were not going to give food to the Shan soldiers but were taking turns in weeding their farms and the food was for their own consumption, the troops demanded 1,000 kyat for each farmer as a fine.

The community leaders further explained that these farmers were so poor that they could not even keep any chicken and could not afford that much money. Finally, the farmers were released after paying 500 kyat each.

FORCED LABOUR IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN LAI-KHA AND MURNG-KERNG

Since 22 November 2003, forced labour of the local people is being used by SPDC troops in building a road west of Lai-Kha town up to the present.

In November 2003, an order was issued by the SPDC military authorities of IB64 requiring people in Lai-Kha township to help in building a motor road. From each village and town quarter, 5-10 people are required to work for 15 days at a time, during which they are also required to provide their own food, and then replaced by another batch of forced labourers.

About 45-50 workers are required to split rocks and those who have mini-tractors have to provide them to carry the rocks, while the rest have to work in leveling the ground and paving the road with rocks, together with some prisoners and civilian ethnic Burmans brought in from other areas by the SPDC troops.

The SPDC troops provide fuel for the civilian tractors only for 5 days and for the rest 10 days, money has to be collected among the people to pay for the tractors’ fuel. 

In addition to having to provide free forced labour, the local people also have to provide money for the tractors’ fuel, about 100-150 per house per month, in this road construction project, up to the present.

A similar incident has been taking place in Murng-Kerng township since around the beginning of 2003. The road under construction is in the north of Murng-Kerng town, starting from Paang Kaetu village to Naa Saai village and up north.
Since early February 2003, SPDC military authorities of LIB514 have been forcing people in Murng-Kerng township to help in building the road, requiring them to provide free forced labour and mini-tractors.

About 50-60 people are required to bring their own food and work for 20 days at a time, and the tractors are provided with fuel for only 5 days by the SPDC troops; fuel for the remaining 15 days is bought with money collected from the people.

Both in Lai-Kha and Murng-Kerng township, in addition to forced labour and money for mini-tractors’ fuel, people also have to provide money to buy chickens and pigs for the SPDC troops overseeing the road construction sites. 
Those who fail to show up as designated or sneak away from the work sites would be fined 20,000 kyat each and the

respective village headman 2,000 kyat for being unable to control his villagers.

FORCED LABOUR OF CIVILIANS AND THEIR VEHICLES IN TA-KHI-LAEK

Unpaid forced labour of the civilian populations and their vehicles is still being systematically and regularly used by the Burmese military in Ta-Khi-Laek township.

In Murng Phong village tract, 2 villagers and 1 car or truck with a driver are required to be at the military camp all the time to serve the SPDC soldiers. Villagers have to take turns and work in rotation to fulfill their forced labour duty, from 6 p.m to 6 p.m of the next day for each batch. The other village tracts in the township are also said to be doing the same things as in Murng Phong. 

In addition to that, since around July 2003, a vehicle is being forced to run for free each day along the line from Ta-Khi-Laek town to Kaeng Laab village tract. In forcing one vehicle per day to run between Ta-Khi-Laek and Kaeng Laab, the SPDC authorities sell 50 litres of fuel to the vehicle at 12 baht per litre.

Since a truck or car usually need 75 litres of fuel to run between Ta-Khi-Laek and Kaeng Laab, the vehicle owners still need to buy 25 more litres from outside dealers. Furthermore, if a vehicle breaks down or is unable to run on its designated day, the owner has to hire another vehicle to run instead, and that would cost him at least 1,000 baht a day.

PEOPLE FORCED TO ATTEND BRIDGE-OPENING CEREMONY, MONEY EXTORTED, IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In September 2003, people in Ta-Khi-Laek township were forced to attend the opening ceremony of a new bridge in Nam Kherm village tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, and money was extorted from those who could not make it on time.
In early September 2003, an order was issued by SPDC authorities in Ta-Khi-Laek requiring the people in the township to attend a new bridge opening ceremony that was to be held on 15 September 2003 and presided over by the SPDC Secretary-1, Lt. Gen. Soe Thein.

The bridge was in Nam Kherm village tract and people from the whole township, 20 persons from each village, were required to be present at the site no later than 8:30 a.m., a half-hour before the ceremony started. Those who turned up late would be fined 3,000 baht per village.

In order to be there on time, people hired cars and started early without eating anything. Most of the people arrived at the bridge site on time, but one village, Pa Kok village in Murng Phong village tract, was a bit late and was fined 3,000 baht.

The SPDC military authorities, led by Secretary-1, arrived at the site in a convoy of about 40 vehicles at 9:00 a.m. sharp, coming from the direction of Murng-Phyak township. They stayed only for about 20 minutes and returned towards Murng-Phyak. But the people were not allowed to leave the site until 10:00 a.m.

PEOPLE FORCED TO GROW CROPS FOR THE MILITARY IN TA-KHI-LAEK

Since October 2003, people in Pa Leo and Kaeng Laab village tracts in Ta-Khi-Laek township are being forced by the SPDC troops of LIB433 to cultivate maize and chili for the military, without receiving anything for their labour and are subject to fines if the crops do not yield as expected.

Maize and chili seeds are provided by the military and the people are required to cultivate them until they have been harvested. If the yields do not meet the minimum amounts designated, the growers are subject to fines, 2,000 kyat per household.

Each household is required to grow 150 chili plants and 5 tins of maize seeds on an acre of land.

UNPAID FORCED LABOUR OF AN ARTIST IN TA-KHI-LAEK

In October 2003, a painter was forced to paint signboards for the military by SPDC troops of Military Intelligence unit No.22 (MI-22), using his own paints and getting nothing for it, except intimidation.

It was on the day that marked the end of the Buddhist lent, 8 October 2003, when Buddhists traditionally go to the temples early in the morning to make merit. Zaai Yi (not his real name), a painter by profession, and his wife were preparing to go to the temple to make merit.

But before they could leave their house at about 6:00 a.m., 2 SPDC soldiers from MI-22 came by a motorcycle and told Zaai Yi that their Major had sent for him, saying, “Our Major wants you to go and paint some signboards at the camp. You must go immediately”.

When Zaai Yi asked them if it would be possible for him to go to the temple first and come to the military later, the SPDC troops said, “Which one do you think is more important? Your personal matter or our military matter? You must know that!”. 

Zaai Yi dared not say anything more, but told his wife to go to the temple alone and hastily gathered his brushes and paints and followed the SPDC troops to the military camp. There he was to paint signboards for welcoming military authorities that would be visiting from Rangoon the next day, which needed to be finished on that day.

Zaai Yi worked hard, stopping briefly only once to eat a meal which he had to buy with his own money, and managed to finished the signboards in the afternoon of that day. After handing in the signboards to the SPDC troops, the following words were all what he got in return: “If you don’t want to lose your livelihood as a painter, every time you are needed by our military you should put all your other matters aside and come immediately. Understand?”.