SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- OCTOBER 2006

SHRF  MONTHLY REPORT -- OCTOBER 2006

COMMENTARY
        Extortion of money and possessions, and robbery and theft, etc., by the Burmese junta’s military and other departments are still rampant in Shan State, and are getting worse in many parts,  and remain among the major causes that have been depriving people of their livelihoods and forcing them to flee.
        The practice of extorting money has become so widespread over the years that it is now almost everywhere at any given time. Incidents of theft and robbery also often take place, especially in the rural areas.
        Apart from the various fees, which are more or less regularly extorted from the people, such as porter fees, fire-guard fees, forced labour fees, etc., there is occasionally mass extortion when the authorities need to organize festivals and various ceremonies and celebrations, and implement state-run projects, etc..
        In the rural areas, in addition to the various kinds of routine and occasional extortion, patrols of the Burmese junta’s troops often simply rob the villagers of their money and possessions, forcibly taking what they want from the villages they pass through, and occasionally whole villages are searched and looted.
        Their most favourite things which they almost always take whenever they get to a village are chickens, and also often pigs and cattle when they are available, all without the consent of the owners and without ever paying for them.
        While the people are getting poorer and poorer after years of extortion, theft and robbery and ever increasing costs of living, the numbers of the junta’s troops are increasing and their demands for money and possessions from the people to support themselves are also getting bigger and bigger.

        (Note: Apart from 2 killing and 1 rape cases, this issue contains mainly reports on incidents of Extortion and Robbery, etc..)

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A FARMER BEATEN TO DEATH, HIS MOTORCYCLE AND VALUABLES STOLEN, IN SI-PAW
        In March 2006, a villager of Kung Nyawng village in Nam Lan village tract, Si-Paw township, was beaten to death near his village, and his motorcycle and other valuables stolen, by the SPDC troops from LIB505 based at Nam Lan.
        Lung Suay Lu, male, aged 59, was returning from tending his rice paddy outside his village on a motorcycle when he ran into a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB505 near his village. When he had not returned home in the afternoon, Lung Suay Lu’s family and relatives went to look for him in the area where he was stopped by the SPDC troops.
        They found Lung Suay Lu’s lifeless body lying in a bush on the side of the road, apparently beaten to death, and his motorcycle was nowhere to be seen. The valuables he was wearing, including a wrist watch, a gold necklace and a gold ring, were also missing.
        The villagers buried Lung Suay Lu’s body near the place he was killed and conducted a funeral rite for him at the village temple. The villagers believed Lung Suay Lu was killed and robbed by the SPDC troops because they were the only group patrolling the area at the time of the incident.
        Lung Suay Lu’s relatives later learned that his motorcycle, which was brought in from Thailand, had been taken to May Myo and sold there by the SPDC troops, and they became quite sure that he was actually killed and robbed by them. However, no one dared to do anything about it.

A MAN SHOT DEAD WITH NO APPARENT REASON IN LAI-KHA
        In May 2006, a villager of Nam Lawd village in Lai-Kha township was shot dead by SPDC troops from IB121, based in Mawk-Mai township, without any apparent reason.
        On 11 May 2006, Lung Zaang Ti, male, aged 51, of Nam Lawd village in Lai-Kha township was taken away from his house by a patrol of SPDC troops from Mawk-Mai-based IB121. He was later found shot dead at a place called Kun Maak Khur in Lai-Kha township.
        According to the local villagers, Lung Zaang Ti was just a simple farmer and no one seemed to know why he was killed by the SPDC troops, and no one dared to do anything about it except conduct a traditional funeral rite for him.

RAPE IN KUN-HING
        In May 2006, a woman was raped by an SPDC soldier from IB246 near Laai Kaam village in Laai Kaam village tract, Kun-Hing township.
        The victim, Naang Ho Ling, aged 18, single, was from Paang Nim village in Laai Kaam village tract. She was looking after her relatives’ buffalos at Laai Kaam village when the incident took place.
        On 18 May 2006, Naang Ho Ling was grazing her relatives’ buffalos near a village cemetery outside Laai Kaam village alone when a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246, who were stationed at the iron bridge at Kho Laek village in the same village tract, came to her.
        The commander of the SPDC troops, Moe Tint, probably a 2nd Lieutenant, forced Naang Ho Ling into the nearby cemetery compound and raped her. After raping her, the SPDC troops took Naang Ho Ling to Kho Laek village and kept her there.
        But Naang Ho Ling later managed to escape and returned to her village, Paang Nim. Although Naang Ho Ling related her plight to her relatives and village leaders, no one dared to file a complaint against the SPDC commander for fear of reprisal.

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SITUATION OF EXTORTION AND ROBBERY, Etc., IN SHAN STATE
        Stealing, etc., and extortion of money and possessions of the people by the SPDC troops in Shan State are still rampant and remain among the major causes that are depriving people of their livelihoods and making them flee or move to other places in desperate search of means of survival.
        The following are incidents of extortion, stealing and robbery, etc., that took place from early to around mid 2006 in several townships in Shan State:

MONEY EXTORTED TO MAKE PRESENTS FOR FOREIGN DIGNITARIES, IN KAENG-TUNG
        In May 2006, a large amount of money was extorted from the people by the SPDC authorities in Kaeng-Tung township to make copies of video footage covering the drug-burning ceremony, held on 25/05/06 in Kaeng-Tung, to be given to foreign dignitaries and reporters as presents.
        In order to show the international community that they are trying to eradicate narcotic drugs, the Burmese military junta conduct virtually once a year a ceremony in which drugs, which they claim to have been seized from traffickers, are burned in front of the eyes and cameras of the local and foreign reporters and dignitaries especially invited to the ceremony.
        This year the ceremony was conducted in Kaeng-Tung town on May 25th and as usual some foreign reporters and dignitaries were invited. Prior to the ceremony, the SPDC authorities in Kaeng-Tung said they needed money to make video footage of the drug-burning ceremony and ordered all the village and community leaders in the township to collect money from the people.
        Altogether 15 sets of copies of the video footage were made. At the rate of 1,300,000 kyat per set, it cost about 19,500,000 kyat in all to which virtually every household in the township was forced to contribute either 400 or 500 kyat.
        However, only 6 sets of the video footage were said to be taken away by the guests and the rest were left piled up in the SPDC township office until at least late July when they were still seen to be there.

MONEY EXTORTED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE’S MILITIA AND SPDC SOLDIERS, IN MURNG-PAN
        In May 2006, money was extorted from the people by the SPDC authorities of LIB332 to support a SPDC-sponsored people’s militia force in Murng-Pan township, but the SPDC troops only gave the militia a certain amount of money and took the rest for themselves.
        On 1 May 2006, the commander of LIB332 issued an order to the community leaders of the “new town” quarter of Murng-Pan town to collect money from the people in their area to be used to support members of a people’s militia.
        The “new town” quarter was formerly a relocation site to which villagers from surrounding villages had been relocated over the last several years, and it was lately integrated in Murng-Pan town as a new quarter. All the 150 houses or so in that quarter were required to provide money.
        The said people’s militia force which was formed from the townspeople under the instruction of the SPDC authorities consisted of 70 members. The main duties of the people’s militia were to go with the SPDC troops on their patrols and guard the pagoda on Loi Noi hill. Members of the militia were required to work in rotation in standing guard at Loi Noi, 7 persons at a time for a period of 2 days and 2 nights.
        Members of the militia had been forced to serve without pay for several years since the forming of the force. Now the SPDC authorities wanted to pay them in return for their services, and townspeople in other quarters who did not have members of their families in the militia were also required to contribute money.
        Each family or household was required to provide 1,000 kyat of money per month, and the money was to be collected by the respective community leaders and handed to the commander of LIB332, who would in turn give it to the people’s militia.
        However, over the last 2-3 months, members of the militia were only given 1,200 kyat each per month, which was only a fraction compared to the total collected amounts, and the rest were taken by the SPDC authorities.

MONEY EXTORTED FROM PEOPLE WITH NEW HOUSES IN MURNG-TON
        In April 2006, money was extorted from villagers who had relatively new houses in Pung Pa Khem village in Pung Pa Khem village tract, Murng-Ton township, by the SPDC troops from Kaeng-Tung-based LIB528.
        On 8 April 2006, a contingent of SPDC troops from LIB528, based in Kaeng-Tung township, that was stationed at Pung Pa Khem village issued an order to the village and community leaders to collect money from the owners of new houses in the village.
        All houses built in 2006 were counted as new and divided into 2 categories, the simple bamboo houses with thatched roofing; and concrete and/or wooden 2-storey houses. There were 36 bamboo and 15 concrete/wooden new houses in all the 5 quarters of the village.
        Each of the bamboo houses were made to provide 10,000 kyat and the concrete/wooden houses 50,000 kyat each. The villagers had to comply with the order because they had no other option and for fear of further abuses.

MONEY EXTORTED FROM AIR PASSENGERS AT ALL THE AIRPORTS IN SHAN STATE
        For some years now, every civilian air passenger has to give tea money to the SPDC authorities in charge of checking passengers and their air tickets for security reasons before they are allowed to board their planes, at all the airports in Shan State.
        Since some years ago up to the present, at least 3,000 kyat of money has been extorted from every civilian passenger who was about to board a plane by the security authorities checking them and their tickets, who said they deserved some extra tea money for their service.
        Passengers who did not have or did not carry that much money and could not pay were stopped, their tickets taken away and told to wait until the next flight, which was usually several days later.
        In order not to miss their flights and having to wait for several days, air passengers needed to make sure they carried enough extra money, explained a trader who liked to travel by air.

POLICE EXTORT MONEY FROM A MOTORCYCLIST AND TELL HIM WHY, IN KAENG-TUNG
        In early 2006, a man riding a motorcycle was stopped and 3,000 kyat of money was extorted from him by 2 traffic policemen in Kaeng-Tung town, Kaeng-Tung township.
        Zaai Pan, aged 21, was going to the market on his motorbike when he was stopped by 2 traffic police at a road junction in Kaeng-Tung town. The police asked to see all the necessary documents and also checked the motorcycle but could not find any fault, and Zaai Pan was also wearing a safety helmet.
        However, the police still seized his driving licence and told Zaai Pan to give them 3,000 kyat as a fine, which prompted him to ask them why, because he believed he had no fault. The police said that Zaai Pan did not stop and look to his left and right before he turned at the junction which was a breach of the traffic law.
        Zaai Pan argued that he did look to his left and right, and he turned without stopping because he saw no other vehicles at the junction which was, he believed, allowed by the law. As they were arguing, another motorcycle driven by an SPDC soldier came along and turned without stopping, and the driver did not even care to look to his left or right before turning, and sped passed them.
        Zaai Pan then asked the traffic police, “Why didn’t you stop that man and fine him like me. He just did and I did, but he didn’t even care to look left and right?” The police then said to Zaai Pan, “Shut up. It’s none of your business!”
        After some more arguments, Zaai Pan gave in and paid the fine for fear of the police bearing a grudge against him and giving him more troubles in the future. After receiving the money, the police returned Zaai Pan’s driving licence.
        As they let him go, the police said to Zaai Pan, “Don’t be angry with us. We have to do this because we are being forced to. Each member of the police is required by the authorities to find at least 5 cases per month, either you have to fine them and get the money or arrest them, or both”.

MONEY EXTORTED FROM CAR OWNERS IN MURNG-TON
        In early 2006, several car owners in Murng-Ton township were summoned to the base of LIB519 one after another and money extorted from them by the battalion commander.
        The car owners were accused of having transported people to Thailand and avoiding paying money to the checkpoints on the way many times, and forced to pay a fine of 300,000 kyat each.
        Although they had stopped carrying passengers for a long time, they still had to pay a fine to the SPDC authorities for fear of further abuses, complained several car owners.

FARMERS FORCED TO SELL RICE A SECOND TIME IN MURNG-TON
        In March 2006, farmers in Me Ken village tract in Murng-Ton township were forced to sell their rice for a second time even though they had already sold their rice quotas to the concerned SPDC authorities, by the SPDC troops of IB277 and IB225.
        The SPDC troops of the said 2 battalions called a meeting of village and community leaders in Me Ken village tract and said that they urgently needed some rice but had not yet received any from the concerned authorities, and ordered the villagers to sell it to them.
        All the 4 villages in Me Ken village tract were required to sell their unhusked rice as follows:
1. Me Ken village - 70 baskets
2. Mawk Zali village - 70 baskets
3. Son Khaan village - 50 baskets
4. Naa Pa Kaao village - 40 baskets
        The rice was to be transported to the military camps within 5 days, said the order, because the SPDC troops needed to mill it into white rice and keep it ready for emergency operations.

FARMERS FORCED TO PAY TAXES FOR USING THEIR OWN FARMS IN KYAWK-ME
        In early 2006, farmers in Wan Kha village tract in Kyawk-Me township were forced to pay taxes for growing crops on their own farmlands by the SPDC troops of LIB502 based in Kyawk-Me.
        The farmers were surprised because there had never been levying of taxes on remote farms in the rural areas before 2006 and, furthermore, the lands of those who failed to pay the taxes were threatened to be confiscated.
        For rice farmers, for every 2 baskets of rice seeds used in cultivating their farms, a tax of 5,000 kyat was levied, which they said was unreasonably high. However, they had no choice but to pay the tax for fear of their farms being confiscated.
        According to the local people, farmers in the areas of other village tracts in Kyawk-Me township were also forced to pay the taxes by the SPDC troops in their areas.

SHOPKEEPERS ROBBED OF THEIR CONSUMER GOODS IN MURNG-NAI
        In early 2006, 3 shopkeepers in Naa Khaan village in Naa Khaan village tract, Murng-Nai township, were robbed of their consumer goods by SPDC troops from IB248 who bought the goods on credit and refused to pay for them later.
        SPDC troops from IB248, who were stationed at the camp near Naa Khaan village, often came to the shops selling consumer goods in the village and took what they wanted a little at a time and told the shopkeepers to make a list of them and the goods they bought, saying that they would pay for them when they got their monthly salaries.
        Every few days, the SPDC troops came and took a little of the consumer goods, e.g., cooking oil, seasoning powder, chilies and pickled soya bean, etc.. Every 5 days, a motorcycle ridden by SPDC troops also came to one of the shops which sold petrol and filled up 1 to 2 litres at a time, also on credit.
        When the SPDC troops failed to pay their debts after more than a month, which had amounted to over 100,000 kyat at each shop, but continued to try to buy more goods on credit, the shopkeepers, 3 of them, went to the military camp and complained about it.
        One officer, probably a major, told them that he would later deduct some money from the soldiers’s salaries and pay the debts, and the shopkeepers were satisfied and returned home. After waiting for more than a month and still no one had turned up to pay their debts, one of the shopkeepers went to the military camp again to inquire about it.
        The shopkeeper was told by the officer in charge at the military camp that the SPDC troops from IB248 had just moved away 4-5 days ago, and that he and his troops had just come to replace them and he did not know what the shopkeeper was talking about.
        Although the shopkeeper saw the “248” number batches on some of the SPDC soldiers’ uniforms, he dared not say anything. He returned quietly and told his fellow shopkeepers about it, but no one dared to do anything about it.

VILLAGERS ROBBED OF THEIR PROPERTY IN MURNG-PAN
        In early 2006, the whole village of Paang Son in Paang Pi village tract, Murng-Pan township, was looted by a patrol of SPDC troops from Larng-Khur-based LIB525.
        One afternoon, a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB525, based in Larng-Khur township, came to Paang Son village in Murng-Pan township. There were about 50 houses in Paang Son village but only a few children and elders were in the village because all the young adults had gone out to work at their farms.
        The SPDC troops searched and looted every house in the village, taking away what they wanted. Pigs and chickens were either killed or caught alive and taken away. The following villagers were only some of those who lost their possessions:
1. Lung Nu (m), aged 48, lost 2 bushels of sesame seeds
2. Zaai Tu (m), aged 37, lost 2 muskets and 2 heavy-duty knives
3. Lung Awng Thun (m), aged 45, lost 2 large pigs
4. Lung Zi-Na (m), aged 45, lost 1 musket and 22 chickens
        It was learned that 4-5 other villages in Paang Pi area were also looted by the same SPDC patrol during the same period, but no details of those incidents were available.

VILLAGER ROBBED OF HIS COWS AND FORCED TO SERVE AS GUIDE IN MURNG-KERNG
        In March 2006, a villager’s cows were shot dead and the cows’ owner was forced to serve as a guide by SPDC troops from LIB514 at Wan Paang village in Murng Khun village tract, Murng-Kerng township.
        On 5 March 2006, a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB514 came to Wan Paang village. As they got near the village, the troops saw a herd of cows grazing in the meadow outside the village and surrounded them, and shot dead 2 young fat cows.
        The SPDC troops then cut up the 2 cows, carried the meat and the parts they wanted into Wan Paang village and camped in the centre of the village to prepare a meal. They cooked some of the meat to eat with their meal and smoked the rest to be taken away with them.
        When one of the Wan Paang villagers, who was the owner of the cows, learned about the fate of his cows, he decided to go and talk to the SPDC troops to see if he could get some compensation for his loss. Even about half the worth of his cows would be nice because his cows was worth at least 200,000 kyat each, he thought.
        But when the villager went and talked about his cows with the SPDC troops, the patrol commander said nothing about the cows, but said, “It is good that you have come. We were just about to find a guide to go with our patrol and you might as well help us with it”, and ordered him to wait until they finished their meal.
        As the SPDC troops left the village, they took the villager away with them to serve as a guide. The villager not only lost 2 cows but was also forced to serve the military without pay.

STEALING OF PIG AND CHICKENS IN KUN-HING
        In April 2006, a pig and several chickens were stolen by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246 at Paang Hok village in Nawng Mai village tract, Kun-Hing township.
        Sometime in early April 2006, a patrol of about 16 SPDC troops from IB246 came to Paang Hok village and forcibly seized a pig and 16 chickens from the villagers and took them away.
        Although the pig was worth more than 35,000 kyat and the chickens worth not less than 7,500 kyat, the villagers received nothing from the SPDC troops for the loss of their possessions.