SHRF MONTHLY REPORT

SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- JULY 2004

COMMENTARY

Forced labour, one of the most common types of human rights violations being committed by the Burmese troops, is still widespread in Shan State.

Although requisition of forced portering, one of the worst kinds of forced labour which often requires porters to carry heavy loads and walk long distances along rough terrain day and night, has somewhat reduced in areas where there are no incidents of fighting, other means of transportation such as horses, mules, ox-carts, motorcycles, trucks and cars, etc., are still being systematically conscripted to serve the military.

Furthermore, other types of forced labour are still more or less regularly and systematically used by the SPDC troops in Shan State.

In many areas, people are still required to provide free forced labour on a regular basis to cultivate military farms, to maintain and fix military bases and camps, to wait on standby at military bases and camps to be ready to serve as the need arises, and to build and maintain military and public infrastructure such as roads and bridges, etc..

During forced labour services, other types of human rights violations have also often occurred. Although scolding, beating, extortion and intimidation are most common, killing, disappearance, arrest and detention have also occasionally taken place.

All the human rights violations reported in this newsletter, except for one rape-killing case, are all related to forced labour requisitioned by the SPDC troops in Shan State during late 2003 and early 2004.

A FORCED LABOURER SHOT DEAD IN FRONT OF OTHERS DURING FORCED LABOUR IN NAM-ZARNG

In March 2004, a villager who had been conscripted as a forced labourer to work on road construction was shot dead by SPDC troops from IB9 in front of other forced labourers in Kho Lam village tract, Nam-Zarng township.

Since earlier this year, 2004, up to the time of the receipt of this report in May 2004, people in Nam-Zarng township had been forced to work on road construction between Kho Lam village in Nam-Zarng township and Wan Zing village in Kae-See township.

About 30 to 50 people from each village had to go and work for 15 days at a time on a rotation basis, so that there were 250 to 300 people working on the road building at a time. People had to provide their own food during the forced labour and use their own tools to work.

Those who the SPDC troops thought were not working hard enough or fast enough were scolded and/or beaten by them. At one point a man who had already been beaten 2 times was accused of not working hard enough and shot dead by the SPDC troops from IB9, overseeing the road construction.

The victim was a displaced person named Zaai Mawng, originally from Kaad Yaang village in Wan Lur village tract, Lai-Kha township, which had been forcibly relocated some years ago. He was shot dead right in full view of the other forced labourers.

After shooting him dead, the SPDC soldiers warned the other forced labourers that those who did not want to work for the military would have to face the same fate as Zaai Mawng, and ordered them to go and bury his body some distance from the main road.

DISAPPEARANCE AND KILLINGS DURING FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-SU

In March 2004, 3 of 15 villagers from Nawng Ep village tract in Murng-Su township who were forced to fix and build fences for a military camp in Murng-Su were taken away by the SPDC troops from Tang-Yarn-based LIB326. Their bodies were later found buried some distance from the military camp.

On 11 March 2004, 15 villagers from Paang Kham Saai, Luk Niu and Nam Aang villages in Nawng Ep village tract, Murng-Su township, were conscripted as forced labourers by SPDC troops from Tang-Yarn-based LIB326 to build fences at an outpost camp in Murng-Su township.

While the villagers were working at the camp, some soldiers from LIB326 came and singled out 3 young men among the villagers and took them away. Since then they disappeared. When their relatives and the community leaders made an inquiry, the SPDC troops said they had dismissed all the villagers at the same time at 4 p.m. on the same day.

A few weeks later, some villagers saw 3 new graves some distance from the military camp where the 3 men had been taken away and became suspicious, and dug up the graves. The bodies were beyond recognition, but the clothes on them were the same as those worn by the 3 villagers when they disappeared.

One of the 3 victims was Zaai Pan-Ta, male, aged 28, from Paang Kham Saai village in Nawng Ep village tract, Murng-Su township. The names of the other 2 were not known at the time the information was gathered.

A WOMAN RAPED AND KILLED IN MURNG-KERNG

In March 2004, a woman from Haai Ngern village in Ham Ngaai village tract, Murng-Kerng township, was raped and killed by SPDC troops from LIB515 at a place 5-6 miles south of Murng-Kerng town.

On 13 March 2004, Naang Hawm, aged 19, from Haai Ngern village, who was going to Murng-Kerng town market was raped and killed by a patrol of SPDC troops from Lai-Kha-based LIB515 in the forest about 5-6 miles south of Murng-Kerng town.

When Naang Hawm had not returned by the time she should have, her parents and relatives became worried and went in search of her in different directions for several days. Naang Hawm’s relatives became more anxious when they heard news spread by the SPDC troops that they had caught and killed a woman who was a wife of a Shan soldier.

After 5-6 days Naang Hawm’s body was found by some forest gatherers in the forest about 5-6 miles south of Murng-Kerng town and her relatives were informed about it. When Naang Hawm’s relatives saw her body, it was almost beyond recognition, but they recognized the clothes she had worn, which were scattered beside her body, and her other physical characteristics, and it was evident that she had been raped.

DISAPPEARANCE DURING FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-KERNG

In April 2004, a motorcycle owner from Naa Ti village in Ho Naa village tract, Murng-Kerng township, disappeared while being forced to transport an SPDC soldier with his motorcycle from the LIB514 base to an outpost 4 miles northeast of Murng-Kerng town.

On 11 April 2004, Lung Mu-Lin, male, aged 41, of Naa Ti village was summoned to the base of LIB514 in Murng-Kerng town to provide forced labour with his motorcycle. At the base, commander Tin Win of Company No.3 ordered Lung Mu-Lin to transport him to a military outpost 4 miles northeast of the town.

Since then Lung Mu-Lin has disappeared. When his relatives enquired about him at the military base, the military authorities there said that commander Tin Win dismissed Lung Mu-Lin as soon as he had taken him to the outpost, and they did not know where he had gone after that, but they thought he had gone home.

However, some time later there were rumours that some low ranking SPDC soldiers from LIB514 talked about having killed a motorcycle owner who supported the Shan resistance and dumped his body into a hole in the ground in the forest.

BEATING DURING FORCED LABOUR IN MU-SE

In February 2004, several villagers from Kaeng Yaang village in Paang Saai village tract, Mu-Se township, were beaten with sticks by members of USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) during forced planting of rice (Sin-Shweli-527) by the SPDC in Mu-Se township.

On 13 February 2004, during Sin-Shweli-527 rice planting forced labour in a rice field at Kaeng Yaang village, the field owner and his assistant were accused of being unwilling to work and defying orders and were beaten by a USDA member.

The owner, Lung Suay Kyawng, was beaten 5 times and his assistant, Ai Thun, was beaten 3 times with a bamboo-split stick by a USDA member named Win Maung in Paang Saai village tract.

On 27 February 2004, also in a rice field at Kaeng Yaang village, during Sin-Shweli-527 rice planting forced labour, the following 7 villagers were beaten with a stick also by Win Maung, member of Paang Saai village tract USDA. A pregnant woman suffered from a miscarriage from the beating a week later.

The victims were:
1. Lung Kham Yad (m), the village headman
2. Lung Kham Leng Lern (m)
3. Zaai Saang Mawng (m)
4. Naang Kham Suay (f)
5. Naang Yaen (f), 3-months pregnant, later suffered from a miscarriage
6. Naang Yong (f)
7. Naang Mo Kham (f)

FORCED LABOUR IN LA-SIO

In April 2004, people in Murng Ked village tract in La-Sio township were forced to weed military cornfields by SPDC troops from IB41 stationed at Murng Ked village.

On 20 April 2004, SPDC troops from IB41 stationed at Murng Ked village, led by commander Aye Lwin, ordered villagers in Murng Ked village tract, one from each household, to come and weed their corn fields.

There were 15 villages in Murng Ked village tract and about 250 villagers had to provide free labour for the military on that day.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN SEN-WI

In April 2004, villagers from several villages in Sen-Wi township were forced to transport logs for the military by SPDC troops from LIB568. Those who had no means of transport had to pay for the cost of transportation.

On 22-24 April 2004, SPDC troops from LIB568 ordered the villagers of Kawng Pha, Naa Kong and Tang Saw villages in Nam Salaab village tract to transport logs from Maan He village to Naa Kong village.

Since the villagers did not have any means of transport to carry logs, they had to collect 50,000 kyat of money among themselves and hire tractors to transport them.

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-PAN

Since January 2004, SPDC troops of LIB520 have forced people in Murng-Pan township to provide free labour for the military for several months.

People from all quarters of Murng-Pan town and its vicinity were first forced to build fences at the base of LIB520. After the fences were completed, people were forced to build a road from the military base to the main road.

The road was about 3 miles long and had to be dug by hand with the villagers using their own tools and providing their own food. The road was not yet completed when it was last seen by SHRF’s source in April 2004.

People were also required to guard the site of a pagoda under construction, built by the SPDC authorities on Loi Noi hill. Every night, 5 villagers had to sleep at the site to guard the pagoda, so that it required them to take turns to fulfill their forced labour duty. If villagers could not or did not have time to do the guard duty, they could hire SPDC soldiers to do it on their behalf, at a rate of 1,000 kyat per person per night.

According to newly arrived refugees at the border, the compulsory guard duty at the Loi Noi hill pagoda has continued up to the present although the pagoda it self has been completed about 3 months ago.

FORCED LABOUR, ARREST AND DETENTION IN MURNG-PAN

In November 2003, villagers in Nawng Long village tract were forced by SPDC troops of LIB332 to build a flower garden at the pagoda site being built on Loi Noi hill in Murng-Pan township. Six of the villagers were accused of being unwilling to work for the military and detained for 3 days and 3 nights.

On 27 November 2003, about 30 villagers from Nyawng Kham and Nawng Hi villages in Nawng Long village tract, Murng-Pan township, were forced by SPDC troops from LIB332 to fence a flower garden and grow flowers at Loi Noi hill pagoda site.

While the villagers were working, the SPDC troops overseeing the forced labour site singled out 6 of them and accused them of not working properly for the Burmese soldiers. “You are not willing to work for us. You only want to work for the Shan rebels. When they ask you, you have never refused”, they said.

In the evening when the day work was finished, the said 6 villagers were taken to the military base by the SPDC troops on the order of Maj. Hpe Thein and locked up for 3 days and 3 nights as a punishment for not being willing to work for the Burmese military.

FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-TON

Since November 2003, up until earlier this year 2004, SPDC troops from IB277 forced villagers of Naa Kawng Mu village in Murng Haang village tract, Murng-Ton township, to cut and transport bamboo, fix and build fences and barracks and cut wood for lamp posts for several months.

Since 15 November 2003, 15 villagers per day were required by SPDC troops from IB277, stationed at the outpost camp at Naa Kawng Mu village, to cut bamboo for several days until there was enough for fixing and building fences and barracks for the camp.

When enough bamboo had been cut, villagers who had trucks and mini-tractors were required to transport them to the military camp, while those who had no trucks nor tractors were required to fix and build 3 layers of bamboo fences around the camp.

After the fences had been completed, which had taken several weeks, the villagers were required to fix the barracks for the SPDC soldiers in the camp.

After that, villagers of Naa Kawng Mu were ordered to provide 100 pieces of hardwood lamp posts. This also required the villagers to cut straight hardwood trees and make them into about 7-yard long pieces, and transport them and pile them up in front of the military camp.
Up until February 2004, the work had not yet been completed. Villagers were still seen transporting long pieces of hardwood lamp posts to the military camp.

FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-YAWNG

In late 2004, a civilian vehicle was forced to unload the rice it was carrying and forced to transport SPDC troops on a 4-5-hour journey by SPDC troops from LIB334 in Wan Wo village tract, Murng-Yawng township.

Sometime in October-November 2003, during the last wet rice harvest when farmers were busy transporting their rice from the fields to their houses and barns, a civilian truck carrying rice was stopped and conscripted for forced labour by 7 SPDC troops from LIB334, in Wan Wo village tract, Murng-Yawng township.

The SPDC troops ordered the truck driver to transport them to a military outpost in the adjacent Murng Tin village tract. The truck driver, Zaai Long (m), aged 30, from Kho Ke village, asked the troops to let him take the rice to the house of the farmer who hired him first and he would willingly serve them after that.

The SPDC troops, however, said that they needed his service immediately and forcibly unloaded the rice sacks from the truck and roughly piled them up on the side of the road, and boarded the truck and ordered the driver to drive to Murng Tin village tract.

The truck driver had to take the SPDC troops along a very rugged mountain route to an outpost in the forest in Murng Tin village tract, Murng-Yawng township. It took him 4-5 hours of hard driving until he got back to transport the rice, and it was almost 10 p.m. at night by then. He was lucky a nephew was accompanying him, otherwise reloading the rice alone would have been impossible for a tired driver.

FORCED LABOUR, ARREST AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-NAI

In late 2003, a civilian tractor was forced to transport lumber by SPDC troops of LIB574 in Ton Hung village tract in Murng-Nai township, during which the tractor had an accident and a man died, and the SPDC troops extorted money from the tractor’s owner. The police also detained the driver and extorted more money.

Sometime in October 2003, a civilian tractor with a trailer from Ton Hung village was ordered by SPDC troops from LIB574 to transport lumber from the saw mill near Wan Kaad village back to Ton Hung village in Ton Hung village tract, Murng-Nai township.

The tractor’s owner had to hire 9 villagers to load and unload the lumber. After loading the lumber at Wan Kaad village, the tractor set off towards Ton Hung village and on the way it failed to climb a steep slope and went backward down the slope before the trailer overturned and stopped.

Although the 9 hired workers who were riding on the trailer managed to jump down before it overturned, another man who was getting a free ride with them could not jump in time and died instantly when the lumber fell over him and pressed his head flat.

The man who died was Zaai Seng, aged 18, from Ton Hung village. When the SPDC troops heard about the accident, they ordered a tractor to bring Zaai Seng’s body to the hospital in Ton Hung village and let the villagers conduct a funeral rite for him.

The tractor’s owner was required to pay for all the costs of the funeral, which was over 100,000 kyat, and the parents of the dead were quite satisfied with that, saying that no one had intentionally killed their son, and did not want to file a case or ask for any more compensation.
However, the police were not satisfied. They detained the tractor and the driver and ordered the owner to pay for their release, 100,000 kyat for the tractor and 1,000,000 kyat for the driver.

FORCED LABOUR, STEALING AND EXTORTION IN LAI-KHA

In late 2003, a man was forced to serve as a porter and his pig was stolen by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB514 at Paang Paeng village in Nawng Kaw village tract, Lai-Kha township, and later money was extorted from a community leader for complaining about the stolen pig.
In October 2003, a patrol of about 45 SPDC troops from LIB514, led by commander Mya Htwe, came to Paang Paeng village and demanded a porter to carry their things back to their military base. The village headman then assigned a villager named Ma-La to do the porter service.

As Ma-La left the village with the SPDC troops, carrying his load on his shoulders, some 10 SPDC troops deliberately stayed behind and killed one of his pigs in the sty, cut it into several pieces and put them into their ruck-sacks, and carried them away after the other troops.
When Ma-La came back from the porter service and found one of his pigs missing, he asked around and was told by some villagers who witnessed the incident that it had been killed and taken away by the SPDC troops after he had left the village.

Ma-La then complained about it to the village headman and they went after the SPDC troops to their base to claim back the pig. However, as they were approaching the base, commander Mya Htwe came and asked why they had come to the base.

The villagers then said that some SPDC troops had stolen their pig and they had come to report it. But commander Mya Htwe said that all the troops had come back together at the same time, and accused them of trying to defame the SPDC troops, and ordered the headman to pay 2,500 kyat as punishment.

FORCED LABOUR IN KAE-SEE

Since 5 years ago, SPDC troops of IB286 based at Murng-Nawng village in Murng-Nawng village tract, Kae-See township, have been using unpaid forced labour of the local people up until the present.

When the military base was set up about 5 years ago, local villagers were forced to do all the construction work such as building barracks, digging trenches, building fences and making bunkers, etc. until they were completed.

The villagers also have to take responsibility for the maintenance of the base. Up until the present, villagers are regularly required to fix the fences and the barracks, clear the trenches and bunkers, and occasionally build new ones.

The responsibility for cultivating a military corn field has also been assigned to the villagers from beginning to end, until the corn is harvested, using their own tools and buffalos and providing their own food, every year.

In addition, at present, 5 motorcycles per day have to standby at the military base on a routine basis to be ready to serve the military as the needs arise. Mostly the motorcycle-drivers have to run errands for the SPDC troops such as sending letters, buying things and taking them to markets for shopping, etc.. But sometimes the motorcycles also have to go long distance, such as transporting the troops to Kun-Hing town or even to Tawng-gi (Taunggyi).