CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The LNDO has found that the Wa resettlement program has involved serious infringement of the rights of the estimated 126,000 villagers resettled as well as approximately 48,000 villagers into whose areas they were moved. The villagers resettled were given no choice about the move. Particularly for older people, it was devastating to have to leave their ancestral lands, and their customary livelihoods. Not only was the move forced upon them, but some villagers were even given no warning whatsoever before the move. This led to unnecessary suffering, and to some families being involuntarily separated. All the villagers were forced to abandon most of their belongings.

The movement of villagers en masse by truck and on foot caused physical suffering, sickness and even death. On arrival in the south, although the settlers were given basic rations for survival, no proper provision was made to prevent and treat the epidemic of malaria that ended up taking thousands of the newcomers’ lives. Medical and educational facilities remain inadequate, and, significantly, villagers are continuing to be allowed, and even encouraged, to grow opium by the Wa authorities. This makes a mockery of the original rationale for the forced resettlement.

The villagers into whose areas they were moved have had their land and property unlawfully seized. They have also faced arbitrary taxation and other abuses, which has made it impossible for many of them to carry out their former livelihoods. Over 8,000 people have been therefore been forced to relocate to other areas of Shan State or flee to Thailand as refugees. In Thailand, current government policy has denied them the right to protection or humanitarian assistance.

It is clear that the current lack of democracy and rule of law throughout Burma, particularly in the ethnic border areas, is the main factor that has enabled such a resettlement program to take place without respect for the rights of those affected.

The LNDO thus calls for international pressure to be maintained on the Burmese military junta to immediately enter into tripartite dialogue with the democratic Burmese and ethnic opposition to bring about a speedy transition to democracy and self-determination for the ethnic peoples of Burma. In the meantime, the LNDO calls for the following:

1. The SPDC and the Wa authorities must end immediately the forced resettlement of villagers from northern to southern Shan State. Any villagers who wish to return to their original homes in the north must be allowed to do so without penalty.

2. Land and property seized by the new settlers from villagers in southern Shan State must immediately be returned to their original owners, and these villagers must be allowed to return to their homes and continue their former livelihoods without further harassment.

3. Foreign governments and UN agencies should stop all support to the regime for drug control programs in Shan State, as their support makes them complicit in the human rights abuses being inflicted on local peoples in the name of drug eradication.

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