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FORCED RELOCATION IN MURNG NAI
FORCED RELOCATION IN MURNG NAI
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Map of VILLAGES FORCIBLY RELOCATED IN MURNG NAI TOWNSHIP (1996 - 1998) |
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| Background of the area The area of Murng Nai is renowned for its fertile farming land. Most of the inhabitants are rice farmers, who also grow other crops such as peanuts, soya beans, garlic and cabbages. In former times, farmers would always have a surplus rice crop to sell to nearby areas such as Loi Lem. |
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| Relocation In 1996, relocation began in March, when soldiers from SLORC IB # 247 and IB # 516 ordered the villages in the area of Keng Tong (in the east of the township) to move to several relocation sites near military bases. Villages west of the Nam Teng river were ordered to move to three main sites: Wan Nong Koong Mong, Na Kan and Na Loi. In early 1997, the relocation site of Na Loi, east of Murng Nai, and all the villages in the area, were forced to move to the town of Murng Nai. In June, relocation sites around Keng Tong were also consolidated into two main sites; they were given 5 days to move. In July 1997, the site of Wan Nong Koong Mong was moved to Murng Nai. |
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| Extrajudicial killings in Murng Nai township in
1997 SHRF has documented the following extrajudicial killings of villagers either found near their old villages or in the actual relocation sites in the Murng Nai area in 1997:
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| Conditions in the relocation sites In 1996, rice was taken from the villagers in Keng Tong relocation site and rationed back for 5 days at a time. In 1997, rice was also confiscated from the relocated villagers in the Keng Tong area and given back at a rate of 2 tins a day. A villager described the relocation site at Keng Tong in 1997 as follows: "They (relocated villagers) lived all round the village and near the army base. They built little huts. 2 or 3 families lived together in each hut. If they had money, they could afford to buy the straw roofing and live separately. If not, they would have to share a hut...Last year (1996) they could go back and work their fields. But this year, the situation's a lot of worse. If anyone goes back to their houses, they will be shot by the SLORC immediately. A lot have died...Before I came (to Thailand), 5-6 people were killed to the north of our area. To the west, several groups of 2-3 were killed. I was very afraid!" (KHRG interview with villager from Nam Tum village, August 30, 1997) |
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