Villagers living and dying for the army

Soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #524 and Infantry Battalion (IB) #246 based in Kunhing have been subjecting villagers to do forced labor including to provide security and  portering and doing domestic work like collecting firewood and building fence for the battalion, said Sai Panti,28, from Kunhing who fled to Fang district on 20 August.

“Each from every household must take turns going to do sentry duty at the local command post for 5 days a week. If we refuse to comply, we would be fined Kyat 1,500 (US $ 1.25) per day,” said Sai Panti.

“Moreover, widows are requried to pay Kyat 2,500 (US $ 2) if they can’t go and a person who is absent for portering must pay Kyat 10,000 (US $ 8). We even have no time to work for our livelihood,” complained Sai Panti’s wife Nang Herng, 23.

Similar incidents took place in Keng Tawng sub-township, Mongnai township.

On 16 July, a group of Burmese soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) # 569 based in Keng Tawng, went to patrol around Kunhing area and called on the headman of Hsai Khao village, Hsai Khao village tract, to order villagers to carry weapons and to show the shortcut to the location of the rebels, according a local villager who fled to the border.

Sai Nanda, 28, who is not a native of Hsai Khao was chosen as the guide, but as he was not able to show the way, he was beaten at his head until the blood came out, said a source.

“You must be a member of the rebels, as you don’t know the way,” a villager quoted soldiers as saying.

He was sent back to the village after he got many injuries. But no one including the village headman dared to open the case at the top.

“The soldiers did not even go to the place where they said they wanted to go,” complained the villager.

Human rights situation in Shan State are reported monthly by the Shan Human Rights Foundation based in Chiangmai.