The Regime’s Crimes Against The Shan

The Regime’s Crimes Against The Shan
_{By: Feraya Nangmone}

Recently, because the world’s attention has been on the peaceful protests and the bloodbath of monks and supporters in Rangoon, the ethnic peoples’ ongoing abhorrent treatment by the regime has been placed in the backseat or just ignored.

Before the above event, the Karens had been in the news, in their fight for freedom and the atrocities the Burmese soldiers inflicted on their villages and villagers, and which had received understanding and support from different countries of the world.
There have been hundreds of thousands of Shans who have been displaced internally, thousands of Shans killed by the Burmese Military Regime, and this has been going on for decades which are far too long in any kind of world history.

And because of this brutal and despicable behaviour of the Burmese soldiers that has been happening for so long, people have become complacent and even almost to the point of accepting this situation; viewing the Shan villagers as just victims of situations that cannot be avoided.

Earlier in the year when four Kachin girls were raped by the Burmese army, there was an outcry by the Burmese community, quite rightly and naturally.However when Shan girls are raped almost to a point of regular occurrences, no one, it seems, takes any notice.

Because many areas of Shan State are now in the complete control of the Burmese military, and no reporters are allowed in, the regime soldiers behave any way they like, bullying persecuting, raping, torturing and killing the Shan people as they please.
Naturally, many villagers do not report all the atrocities for fear of repercussions, as in many cases, the soldiers return to the victims and commit more and worse offences.

Most villagers keep quiet for survival. A few who are prepared to work with the regime are also prepared to accept bribes, such as houses and cars from the regime.

The villagers are threatened that if they accept assistance from the SSA-S, the Burma army soldiers will return and kill everyone.
The Shan villagers are suffering regular atrocious crimes committed against them and they need to be heard.

The Shan peoples’ plight, having had to suffer the ongoing rape, torture and killing by the Burmese Army for much too long, needs to be desperately addressed.

_{The author is a niece of the late Chao Tzang Yawnghwe (1939-2004) – editor}

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“The Shan State is the largest and most populous ethnic state in Burma. The Shan ethnic group are the largest (8-10 million) of the many ethnic groups within the Shan State. All the people of Burma live under oppression but like other ethnic minorities, the Shan are especially targeted for attack. What was once one of the most prosperous areas of Burma is now an impoverished and oppressed area where the Burma Army attempts to exert complete control.
The dictators exploit the Shan State's timber and mineral resources with little benefit to the people and a destructive result to the environment. Due to government attacks, oppression and lack of care, education is not available for many in Shan State and public health continues to decline as HIV rates climb. Here, the Burma Army and its proxy forces produce the second greatest amount of opium in the world and the most amphetamines in S.E. Asia.
In spite of all these challenges the people of Shan State have not given up and many work together to give needed material, medical, educational and capacity building support”.
Free Burma Rangers Report 20.9.2007