Posted on 02/26/2005 10:59:12 PM PST by ZayYa
It has been almost 9 years since the mass forced relocations carried out by the troops of the Burmese junta, then known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council or SLORC, in 1996-1997 in central Shan State during which almost 1,500 villages and more than 300,000 people were displaced, and hundreds of villagers raped and/or killed.
The military expansion and human rights violations connected to the forced relocations are still continuing unabated up to the present.
The same reasons given by the then SLORC troops for carrying out the mass forced relocations are still being used to commit human rights violations against the civilian populations by the current SPDC troops in Shan State. People are still often accused of being members of the Shan resistance or wives of Shan rebels, or supporting the Shan resistance, etc., and are being killed, raped, tortured, detained and robbed, etc., by the SPDC troops.
In this month’s issue, there are several incidents in which the victims were accused of having something to do with the Shan resistance and killed, raped and tortured, etc..
In one incident, a Lahu couple was shot dead by a convoy of troops from UWSA (United Wa State Army), an ally of SPDC, without any apparent reason.
Farmers in Mu-Se were forced to pull out their green rice plants to make room for a soya bean plantation for the military; and villagers’ woodlands in Kaeng-Tung were confiscated and forests destroyed by the SPDC troops.
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A DISPLACED WOMAN RAPED AND KILLED, 2 MEN KILLED DURING FORCED LABOUR, IN LAIKHA
In November 2004, a displaced woman was raped and killed while her husband and another man were forced to serve as porters for 2 days and killed by SPDC troops from LIB515 in Paang Saang village tract, Lai-Kha township.
The 3 villagers were originally from Loi Saai village in Paang Saang village tract which had been forcibly relocated to Phuay Hai village in Phuay Hai village tract, Lai-Kha township, in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops.
In mid-November 2004, Zaai Zaam Myint, aged 32 and his wife, Naang Ting, aged 29, and Zaai Thun Nae, aged 21, obtained a permission from the local authorities and went to harvest their rice field near their original village, Loi Saai (relocated).
After 2-3 days, they ran out of food and Naang Ting went back to their village to get some. As she headed back to their farm carrying rice and some other food stuff, enough for 3 persons for 2-3 days, Naang Ting ran into a patrol of about 30 SPDC troops from LIB515, led by Capt. Kyaw Kyaw Aye.
The SPDC troops accused Naang Ting of taking food to the Shan soldiers. But Naang Ting denied their charge and said that she was just taking the food to her husband who was working at a rice field, and the troops forced her to take them to her husband.
When they got to the rice field, the SPDC troops surrounded and arrested Zaai Zaam Myint, Naang Ting’s husband, and Zaai Thun Nae, who was working with him in the rice field, and took them away with them, together with Naang Ting.
After going for about 30 minutes, the SPDC troops stopped in the jungle and gang-raped Naang Ting, and eventually shot her dead. Zaai Zaam Myint and Zaai Thun Nae were forced to serve as porters for 2 days before they were also shot dead by the troops.
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A BUDDHIST MONK BEATEN TO DEATH IN KUN-HING
In October 2004, a Buddhist monk who was visiting a relative in Kun-Hing town was arrested and beaten to death and dumped into the Nam Paang river by SPDC troops from IB246, in Kun-Hing township.
The monk, Wi-Sa-Ya, was from Kun Naa village in Kun Naa village tract, Kae-See township. He had come to visit his relative, Lung Ta (m), who lived in No. 3 quarter in Kun-Hing town, only to learn that Lung Ta had been killed by SPDC troops some time before his visit.
As the monk was staying at Lung Ta’s house, one night at around midnight, a group of SPDC troops from IB246, who were taking security at Nam Paang bridge, came and took him away, and beat him to death on the bank of Nam Paang river and dumped his body into the river.
According to the local people who knew about the incident well, they thought the monk was killed because the SPDC troops were afraid that he would make an enquiry about Lung Ta’s death and file a complaint against them.
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4 FOREST GATHERERS BEATEN TO DEATH IN MURNG-PAN
In October 2004, 4 villagers who went to gather Mai-Hawm wood (a rare kind of wood which has a sweet smell) in the forest were beaten to death and their Mai-Hawm stolen by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB520, in Murng-Pan township.
On 23 October 2004, Lung Thun (m), aged 46, Lung Kham (m), aged 40, Zaai Gu-Na (m), aged 22 and Zaai Ma-La (m), aged 19, 4 villagers from Ho Lin village in Naa Law village tract, Murng-Pan township, went together into the forest to gather Mai-Hawm wood.
On 26 October 2004, after searching and camping in the forest for 3 days and managing to gather some Mai-Hawm wood, the villagers ran into a patrol of about 25-28 SPDC troops from LIB520, led by commander Thein Maung, in the forest.
After learning that the 4 villagers were gathering Mai-Hawm wood, the SPDC troops beat them to death one after another at different places. A villager from the same village who went to collect bamboo on the next day, 27 October 2004, found the dead body of Lung Thun lying in the forest about 25 yards away from the road.
On 28 October 2004, some SPDC troops, including private Maung Htwe, aged 21, told the villagers that 2 days ago they had killed 4 Shan rebels who were gathering Mai-Hawm wood in the forest to be sold in the town market, and had taken the Mai-Hawm wood for themselves.
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A DISPLACED VILLAGER SHOT DEAD, HIS OXEN STOLEN, IN MURNG-PAN
In October 2004, a displaced villager who was grazing his draught oxen was shot dead and his oxen stolen by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB520 in the forest in Murng-Pan township.
On 1 October 2004, Zaai Oo (m), aged 17, originally from Wan Pung village which had been forcibly relocated to Murng-Pan town, went to graze his 2 draught oxen in the forest outside the town.
As Zaai Oo was resting in a deserted farm hut, a group of SPDC troops came and took his oxen away while one of the troops came into the hut and shot him dead. A farmer, Lung Saw (m), aged 40, who was in a nearby farm saw the incident, but he did not know the unit of the SPDC troops.
A short time later, several villagers saw Zaai Oo’s 2 oxen grazing in the compound of the base of LIB520 and knew that the troops from this unit had stolen those oxen, and presumed that it was also one of the troops who had shot dead Zaai Oo.
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A LAHU COUPLE SHOT DEAD BY WA SOLDIERS IN MURNG TON
In October 2004, a Lahu couple was shot dead by a passing column of Wa soldiers in a farm hut at their rice farm in Me Ken village tract, Murng-Ton township, while their 10-year-old son escaped by running away.
The Lahu couple, Ja-Mu and his wife, Na-Kha, were from Nawng Mai Hok Pha village in Me Ken village tract, Murng-Ton township. They cultivated a small rice farm near the source of Nam Ken Awn stream that flowed through Mae Ken village tract.
On 9 October 2004, the couple and their 10-year-old son were in the hut at their farm when a column of about 30 Wa soldiers from UWSA (United Wa State Army) passed through their farm. When the Wa soldiers saw that there were people in the farm hut as they passed by from some distance, they shot at the hut without warning and without coming closer.
As the Wa soldiers shot at them, the couple’s 10-year-old son jumped out of the hut and ran into the forest and escaped back to their village. However, the couple were both hit many times before they could escape and died in the hut.
After hearing about the incident from the couple’s son, their relatives and some fellow Lahu villagers went to their farm and buried the couple according to their traditions. The Lahu villagers thought that the Wa column might have been a drugs convoy and they might have thought the couple was spying on them, and that was why they killed the couple without other apparent reasons.
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A WOMAN GANG-RAPED AND KICKED IN LAI-KHA
In September 2004, a woman who went to gather firewood in the forest was gang-raped and kicked by 3 SPDC soldiers in Lai-Kha township.
On 28 September 2004, Naang Nguay, aged 30, from Zalai Khum village in Ter Leng village tract, Lai-Kha township, was gathering firewood in the forest when 3 SPDC soldiers came and forcibly seized her and gang-raped her.
After they had finished raping Naang Nguay, the SPDC soldiers accused her of being wife of a Shan soldier and each of them kicked her 3 times before they left. Naang Nguay did not continue to gather firewood but immediately returned to her village and told her husband and the village leaders about her plight.
But the village leaders could do nothing about it because there was no witness and Naang Nguay did not know the unit of the SPDC soldiers or the names of any of them.
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BEATING DURING FORCED LABOUR, CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES, IN MURNG-SART
In October 2004, a man was severely beaten while being forced to build fences at a military camp by SPDC troops of IB49 in Murng-Sart township, causing him to sustain serious injuries in the waist.
On 19 October 2004, SPDC troops of IB49 conscripted 5-6 villagers from each of the surrounding 4-5 villages to serve as forced labourers in building fences around the military camp.
At one point, one of the villagers, Lung Aa-Ya (m), aged 47, was told by one of the SPDC troops to do something. Because Lung Aa-Ya did not understand Burmese, he did not know what to do.
The SPDC soldier, Cpl. Ong Laing, became angry and beat Lung Aa-Ya with a stick. One of the strokes hit Lung Aa-Ya severely in the waist, causing him to fall down. He was then unable to stand up or straighten his waist.
According to Lung Aa-Ya’s relatives, his waist bone might have been displaced or broken because since then he has had to lie on his bed and has been unable to get up, and look after himself without the help of others up until this report was received in December 2004.
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FARMING VILLAGERS SEVERELY BEATEN, ONE OF THEM CLOSE TO DEATH, IN LAI-KHA
In September 2004, several villagers who were working at their rice farms were beaten and slapped by SPDC troops from LIB515, in Lai-Kha township. One of the villagers was so severely beaten that he lost consciousness for a long time and could not walk even after he regained consciousness, and had to be carted back to their village.
On 24 September 2004, villagers -- 13 men, 11 women and 4 children -- from Wan Paang village in Wan Heng village tract, Lai-Kha township, were weeding their rice farm when a patrol of about 30 SPDC troops from LIB515, led by commander Kyaw Win Naing, came to the farm.
The SPDC troops said that a while ago some Shan soldiers had passed by that way, and asked the villagers whether they had seen them and which way they had gone. The villagers said that they had not seen any Shan soldier in the area since they came to work at the farm.
The SPDC troops then accused the villagers of telling lies and beat the men with sticks. The women were questioned one by one and slapped one time each. After that, the troops accused the villagers of cultivating rice with an intent to support the Shan resistance.
After that, the oldest man among the villagers, Lung Zaai Long, aged 51, was singled out and severely beaten and kicked until he lost consciousness. Lung Zaai Long regained consciousness only long after the SPDC troops had left.
An ox-cart had to be brought in to carry Lung Zaai Long back to their village because he was so severely wounded he could not walk. Many of his relatives thought that, judging by his injuries, Lung Zaai Long would not have a chance to recover and would not live long.
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ARREST, DETENTION AND TORTURE IN MURNG-NAI
In October 2004, a man was accused of being a Shan soldier and arrested, detained and tortured by SPDC troops from No. 17 Tactical Command, in Naa Khaan village tract, Murng-Nai township.
On the evening of 2 October 2004, a patrol of about 50 SPDC troops from the said unit came to Loi Aai village in Naa Khaan village tract, Murng-Nai township, and camped for the night in the village.
At around 7:00 p.m. that evening, the SPDC troops summoned the village headman and his deputy to them and said that they had information about Shan soldiers being harboured in the village and asked them if it was true. The village headman and his deputy said that they had not seen any Shan soldier in the village and the case was dropped.
However, early next morning, at about 4:00 a.m., the SPDC troops arrested a man named Zin-Ta, aged 45, in the village, who was a native of the village and had nothing to do with the Shan soldiers.
The SPDC troops accused Zin-Ta of being a Shan soldier who was hiding in the village and interrogated him, beat and tortured him to make him say where the other Shan soldiers were. But Zin-Ta kept denying the charge and said he knew nothing about Shan soldiers.
The SPDC troops then took Zin-Ta to a deserted village (relocated), Pa Laai, and continued to interrogate and torture him. After 3 days and 2 nights, Zin-Ta heard the troops say they were going to kill him and he ran away into the jungle, with his hands bound behind him, and escaped. The troops shot after him, but they missed and lost track of him.
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MORE RESTRICTIONS IN TA-KHI-LAEK
Since October 2004, more restrictions have been imposed on the people in Ta-Khi-Laek township by the township SPDC authorities, concerning movements and registration of household members.
On 6 October 2004, SPDC authorities in Ta-Khi-Laek issued an order requiring all households in the township to register their household members with the authorities every month. Each household was required to draft a chart containing personal profiles of their household members, make a copy of it, put one copy on the wall in front of the house and send one to the township authorities, every month.
When there was a difference in the number of household members, e.g., if someone left or joined the household, a new chart completed with the personal profiles of the newcomers had to be drafted to replace the old one and a copy sent to the authorities. If, on inspection by the authorities, the actual household members were not in accordance with the chart, the head of the household would face at least 3 months in jail.
On 10 October 2004, another order was issued by the authorities preventing the people in the township from hosting (or receiving) 3 kinds of guests that came from far away or from different townships. Those 3 kinds of guests were:
1. Government servants 2. Persons without Identity Cards (Guarantee Papers were not valid). 3. Women under 25 years of age
Those who defied this order would also face at least 3 months in jail. The above 2 orders have been in effect since 25.10.2004.
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RICE PROCUREMENT IN KAENG-TUNG
In 2005, an organization called the Merchants and Farmers Association will be buying rice from the farmers and reselling it to the SPDC authorities in Kaeng-Tung township.
The Commander of the Golden Triangle Special Regional Command, Gen. Khin Zaw, has issued an order requiring the said organization in Kaeng-Tung township to buy rice from the farmers and sell it to the military, after harvests in 2005.
The organization will have to pay 3,800 kyat for 1 basket of rice from the farmers and resell it to the military at the rate of 3,500 kyat per basket, at a deficit of 300 kyat per basket. However, according to some farmers, because the organization uses 2 kinds of measuring equipment slightly different in size in buying and selling -- the bigger one for buying and the smaller for selling -- there would not be much difference in terms of deficit and profit.
Before the purchase of the needed quotas of rice is completed, farmers would be banned from selling or taking their rice elsewhere, except for very small amounts for their own consumption. Even then, permission would have to be obtained or the rice could be confiscated. In the case of selling rice without permission, farmers could face up to 5-7 years in jail.
In 2004, the quotas of rice farmers had to sell to the military in Kaeng-Tung township were 50,000 baskets. For this year, 2005, the quotas have already been set at 100,000 baskets. Even though the ratio of numbers of baskets to be bought from each acre of land was not yet known, it was sure that farmers would be forced to sell until the quotas were completed.
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EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG
Apart from various other frequent types of extortion by SPDC authorities against the people, individually as well as collectively, in Kaeng-Tung township, there is also occasional extortion exclusively against the townspeople in Kaeng-Tung. The following are some of the incidents during 2004 as remembered by a trader from Kaeng-Tung town:
On 15 February 2004, SPDC authorities in Kaeng-Tung town issued an order requiring all the townspeople to contribute money to buy a fire engine for the town. Each household in all the 5 quarters of the town was required to provide 600 kyat, and there were about 6,000 households in the town.
On 14 June 2004, people in Kaeng-Tung town were forced to provide money for organizing a “District SPDC Cup” football tournament by the SPDC authorities. Each of all the households in the town had to contribute 400 kyat of money to the tournament.
On 17 October 2004, Kaeng-Tung townspeople were required to provide money by the SPDC authorities for the holding of a light festival at the end of the Buddhist Lent. Each household in the town had to give 300 kyat to the authorities.
On 6 November 2004, the townspeople of Kaeng-Tung were forced to provide money for organizing a boxing match by the SPDC authorities. Each of the 5 town quarters was required to provide 6,000 kyat.
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FORCED LABOUR, EXTORTION AND CROP DESTRUCTION IN MU-SE
In October 2004, villagers of Zawn-Zaw village in Mu-Se township were forced by SPDC authorities to destroy 10 acres of their own rice plants in the field near the bridge spanning the Nam Paw river, to make room for planting soya bean.
The said 10 acres of rice field had been flooded during the early part of the cultivating season and all the rice plants had been destroyed. New seedlings had to be sowed and replanted by the farmers later, causing the harvest time to be delayed.
But even before the rice was ripe, on 30 October 2004, the SPDC authorities ordered the farmers to destroy the rice plants and plough the field to grow soya bean. Soya bean was to be planted on 25 acres of land as a model. Fortunately the rest of the land had not been flooded and had already been harvested.
One basket of soya bean seeds was required to be planted on each acre of the land and the farmers were forced to buy the seeds from the authorities at the rate of 1,600 kyat per ‘pay’ (1 basket = 16 pay).
The farmers said that because of the flood they had to plant their rice crop 2 times and it had taken a lot of time and energy, and cost them twice as much, in order to get rice to feed their families, only to be destroyed again by the SPDC authorities.
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CONFISCATION OF WOODLAND AND DESTRUCTION OF FOREST IN KAENG-TUNG
In September 2004, SPDC military authorities confiscated a wide area of woodland in Murng Zaem and Murng Laab village tracts in Kaeng-Tung township. Since then SPDC troops have been cutting so many trees in the area that it has almost become deforested.
On 8 September 2004, the Commander of the Golden Triangle Special Regional Command, Khin Zaw, issued an order confiscating woodland in the areas of Ho Kho, Murng Zaem, Nam Zawm, Wan Mai, Loi Paang Phaat and Tin Loi Muay villages in Murng Zame village tract; and Wan Kaang, Wan Sa, Wan Tawng, Wan Mai and Wan Yaang in Murng Laab village tract.
The order said that the military needed the land and the wood for the expansion of military bases and people in the area were banned from cutting wood in the area. However, a lot of trees were being cut by individual and groups of SPDC soldiers and sold as firewood to the villagers and townspeople almost every day.
In the past, the woodland had served the local villagers in many ways and had been carefully looked after and maintained by them for generations so that it was always green all year round. But now it was almost destroyed, complained the local villagers.
The same had already happened to the forests in Murng Khawn village tract in the same township. Not very long ago, SPDC troops of IB220, LIB320 and LIB520 who had set up bases in Murng Khawn village tract had cut away so many trees in the area that almost all the woodlands had turned into bald hills and valleys.
Before long, woodlands in Murng Zaem would have to face the same fate and villages would be surrounded by treeless hills and valleys, not very much different from those in a desert, complained the village elders.
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