SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- MAY 2004

COMMENTARY

As the Burmese juntas troops in Shan State are still persecuting the people unabated and have recently imposed more restrictions of movement on the displaced people in central and eastern Shan State, effectively cutting them off from their means of livelihood, many people have fled to different places including Thailand.

Over 1,600 refugees from Shan State have crossed the border into Thailand during April 2004 alone, indicating a 1/5 increase in number compared to the over 1,300 refugees who crossed into Thailand in March 2004.

In addition to all sorts of human rights abuses, many refugees stated the depriving of their livelihood as one of the main reasons for them to flee to different places in an attempt to find alternative means of survival.

You stay, you starve. We have no choice but to flee, complained one refugee. We have been strictly banned from going to our remote farms, which is our only means of survival.

However, after overcoming many difficulties on the way and managing to reach Thailand, these refugees are being faced with more or less the same situation as Thai authorities are cracking down and pushing back newly arrived refugees along the border.

Many have been either pushed back across the border or arrested and sent back, but still many managed to cross into Thailand.
One couple accidentally killed their baby while trying to avoid the authorities. (see story No. 5)

AN ELDERLY VILLAGER TORTURED TO DEATH, A MINI-TRACTOR ORDERED TO TAKE HIM HOME, IN MURNG-PAN

In February 2004, a 59-year-old villager was accused of being an agent of the Shan resistance and tortured to death by the SPDC troops of LIB332 in Murng-Pan township.

On the morning of 6 February 2004, Lung Wa-Ling Laai, male, aged 59, a villager of Wan Mai Tin Tap village in Ho Phaai Long village tract, Murng-Pan township, was taken from his house to the military base by 5 SPDC troops from LIB332, saying that their commander wanted to see him.

At the military base, Lung Wa-Ling Laai was accused of helping the Shan soldiers by providing them with food and information and was interrogated by the SPDC troops. The troops tied his hands together and asked him where the Shan solders were.

When Lung Wa-Ling Laai said he did not know and he had not given food to the Shan soldiers, the SPDC soldiers beat and tortured him. The SPDC troops tortured and beat him from head to toe while interrogating him.

The interrogation continued until about 16:00 hrs. in the afternoon when the SPDC troops ordered a civilian mini-tractor to take Lung Wa-Ling Laai, who was virtually dead, back to his house.
At his house, Lung Wa-Ling Laai was able to tell his family about his horrible experience before he actually died at 22:00 hrs. on the same evening.

2 VILLAGERS SHOT DEAD IN A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY IN KUN-HING

In December 2003, a drunken SPDC soldier shot dead 2 villagers at a religious ceremony traditionally held to mark a new rice harvest at No. 3 quarter in Kun-Hing town, Kun-Hing township.

On 25 December 2003, people in No. 3 quarter in Kun-Hing town were conducting a religious ceremony to mark their new rice harvest when at about 10:00 p.m. a drunken SPDC Sergeant with a gun came to the gathering.

As he got into the crowd, the SPDC Sergeant suddenly ran amok and shot at a villager attending the ceremony. A bullet hit Zaai Tae-Wing (m), aged 30, in the neck, penetrating from front to back, and he died instantly.

After shooting Zaai Tae-Wing, the SPDC soldier shot at Zaai Na-King (m), aged 37. Zaai Na-King was hit twice, in the neck and in the chest. Both bullets went right through from front to back and he also died instantly.

The Sergeant, named Hla Soe, was said to be from one of the 2 battalions, 606 and 66, which were overseeing the underground cable wire laying project along the Kun-Hing - Kali - Ta Kaw main road.

As the SPDC Sergeant was about to shoot the other villagers, a group of SPDC troops came and controlled him, and took him to the base of LIB524. Before they left, the SPDC troops told the villagers that Sgt. Hla Soe was suffering from a mental disorder and they had not seen him coming that way in time to stop him.

No one wanted it to happen, said the SPDC troops, and they would ask their superiors to compensate as much as possible for the losses of the villagers. However, even some time after the villagers had completed a proper funeral for the 2 victims, there had been no help coming from the SPDC troops.

When this case was last heard about in February 2004, there were rumours that an attempt had been made by the SPDC troops to cover up the case, saying that the SPDC Sergeant had to shoot at the villagers because they tried to harm him.

GANG-RAPE IN MURNG-SART

In February 2004, a Lahu woman was gang-raped by 10 SPDC troops from LIB580 in a forest about 2 miles north of Murng-Lung village in Murng-Lung village tract, Murng-Sart township.

On 9 February 2004, Na Kyaw (not her real name), aged 39, from Naa Pao village in Naa Pao village tract in Kaeng-Tung township, was going to buy consumer goods at Murng Lung village in Murng-Sart township when she ran into a group of SPDC troops taking security at about 2 miles north of Murng Lung village.

The SPDC troops stopped Na Kyaw and asked where she was going and she told them she was going to Murng Lung village to buy some food. It was about 4 oclock in the evening and the troops told her that they could not let her go because it was quite late, and forced her to stay with them.

When night came, the troops took Na Kyaw to a place where they camped for the night. There were altogether about 10 SPDC soldiers from Murng-Sart-based LIB580 camping at that place with a Captain being their commander.

Na Kyaw was raped by all the 10 SPDC troops during the night and was only released on the next morning. The SPDC troops warned Na Kyaw not to tell anyone about how she had been treated or they would come after her and kill her.

ARREST, TORTURE, RESTRICTIONS AND FORCED LABOUR, IN MURNG-YAWNG

Since March 2004, several village and community leaders in Murng-Yawng township have been arrested and tortured by SPDC troops from IB244 and LIB334, while restrictions of movement are being imposed on the local people who are also being forced to stand guard on a rotating basis.

Sometime around 13-14 March 2004, a combined force of SPDC troops from Kaeng-Tung-based IB244 and Murng-Yawng-based LIB334 arrested several village and community leaders from several village tracts in Murng-Yawng township for interrogation.

The SPDC troops accused the villagers of helping the Shan soldiers from SSA-S (Shan State Army - South) to find places to set up their secret strongholds in Murng-Yawng area and supporting them with food and fund, and interrogated them.

During interrogation, the SPDC troops used different torturing methods such as electric shock, stifling with plastic bags and water, and grinding shins with bamboo rods, etc.. The following 3 villagers were among those arrested and tortured:

1. Zaai Wan, headman of Ho Kho village in Wan Kawm village tract, Murng-Yawng township, was shocked with electricity

2. Zaai Sao, headman of Wan Kawm village in Wan Kawm village tract, Murng-Yawng township, was ground on the shins with bamboo rods

3. Zaai Phiu, village tract headman of Hawng Zaang village tract, Murng-Yawng township, was made to choke in a plastic bag filled with water

These 3 men were near dead and were still in military detention in Murng-Yawng when this report was received in late April 2004. Several other villagers and leaders in other village tracts are said to have also been arrested and forced to face the same fate.

Movements of people in Murng-Yawng township have also been restricted. People coming from other townships are searched and put under surveillance while local people going to other townships have to get a pass with only 7-day permission.

In several village tracts, dusk-to-dawn curfews have been imposed and until 8:00 a.m. villagers are not allowed to go outside their villages. People have to stand guard 24 hours a day in rotation, about 5-7 persons at a time according to the size of a village.

According to the local people in village tracts such as Long Yawng, Kaang Murng, Pha Keo, Wan Kawm and Hawng Zaang, it has become very difficult to elect village and community leaders because no one wants to become one for fear of being persecuted.

However, because of the unavoidable need, especially for answering to the demands of the military authorities, villagers have to take turns to serve as leaders, at least one person for one week.

A REFUGEE BABY DIED WHILE ON THE RUN, ON THE SHAN-THAI BORDER

This episode is presented here to highlight the fate faced by the Shan refugees coming to the Thai border over the last 3-4 months. The flows of refugees from Shan State have increased since the beginning of this year, the largest since the 1997-98 mass forced relocations in central Shan State.
On 23 February 2004, 68 refugees from Shan State, including men, women and children, crossed over the Shan-Thai border and entered Thailand somewhere in Fang district of Chiangmai province. As they entered a little deeper, they ran into a group of Thai police and military authorities.

As soon as they saw the Thai authorities, the refugees fled into the ravines and mountains and became separated in different directions. Among the refugees, there was a young couple, Zaai Mon, aged 21, and his wife, Naang Naw, aged 18, with their 3-month-old son, Zaai Awng Ting.

Naang Naw was carrying her baby in her chest in a long cloth tied over her shoulder. As they ran, she got separated from her husband and she fell down hard over her baby at one point. But she got up and continued to run for fear of being caught.

After running for about 30 minutes, Naang Naw stopped to look at her baby. He was dead! Another woman, an elder sister of her husband, was with Naang Naw at that time. They tried to bury the baby but had nothing to dig the ground with. So Naang Naw wrapped him in her shirt and left him under a tree.

Naang Naw and her husband were able to meet again in a farm hut somewhere in Fang district only after 5 days of searching, when they could mourn together the tragic death of their baby. They had run away from the persecutions by the Burmese juntas troops only to be faced with more or less the same situation. They did not know where to go and what to do.

Naang Naw and her husband, Zaai Mon, were originally from Nawng Wo village in Wan Thi village tract, Lai-Kha township, which had been forcibly forced to move to Paang Phon village relocation site by the Burmese juntas troops in 1999.

Like many other displaced villagers in the relocation site, Zaai Mon and Naang Naw managed to survive by growing rice and vegetables at a remote little plot of land during cultivating seasons. This year they and many other villagers had already cleared their remote farms to prepare for the coming growing season.

However, a few months ago, the Burmese military authorities in the area issued an order banning all the villagers from going into the forests where they had their remote farms, effectively depriving them of their means of survival.

Because of that, many people have fled to other places, including Thailand. Naang Naw and her husband have been among those refugees who have chosen Thailand as their place of refuge.

VILLAGERS ROBBED OF THEIR PROPERTY IN KAENG-TUNG

In February 2004, villagers of Ma Noi and Maak Mong Ton villages in Nawng Tao village tract, Kaeng-Tung township, were robbed of their property by a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB580.

On 6 February 2004, a patrol of about 36 SPDC troops from LIB580, led by commander Tin Maung Win, came to Ma Noi village in Nawng Tao village tract, Kaeng-Tung township, and demanded rice and chickens from the villagers.

The SPDC troops threatened to burn down the village if the villagers did not comply. Ma Noi was a Lahu village and, among the Lahu villagers who lost their property, Ja Maw (m), had to give away 3 big tins of rice and 5 chickens worth about 20,000 kyat.

On 8 February 2004, the same SPDC troops came to Mark Mong Ton village in the same village tract, but this was a Shan village, and forcibly took away villagers property. Among the villagers who lost their property, Lung Lek (m), lost 1 pig, 20 chickens, 2 big tins of rice, 12 blankets and 50,000 kyat of money.

Lung Lek was left alone at his house by other members of his family who had gone to work at their farm. Because he was an elderly man, Lung Lek dared not say anything to the SPDC troops who took away what they wanted in front of him as if he did not exist.

VILLAGERS ROBBED OF THEIR PROPERTY IN MURNG-SART

In January 2004, a patrol of SPDC troops from LIB579 robbed the villagers of Laai Khaa village in Murng Nim village tract, Murng-Sart township, of their rice, pork and chickens.

On 18 January 2004, a patrol of about 70 SPDC troops from LIB579, led by commander Myo Hla, came into Laai Khaa village in Murng Nim village tract, Murng-Sart township, and ordered the village headman to provide them with 5 viss of chickens, 20 viss of pork and 3 big tins of rice. (1 viss = 1.6 kg)

When the headman said that there was no pork in the village, he was forced to kill one of the villagers pigs and produced the needed pork. After all that had been demanded had been provided, the SPDC troops said that they meant to buy them and asked the villagers how much they were worth in Thai baht.

After some calculation, the villagers said that they were worth altogether 2,800 baht according to the current market rate. However, the SPDC troops simply said that they would pay the villagers when they had Thai money and left without paying.

A VILLAGER ROBBED OF HIS MONEY IN MURNG-SART

In January 2004, a villager of Murng Kok in Murng Kok village tract, Murng-Sart township was robbed of his money by a group of SPDC troops from IB75 on the road in Murng Lung village tract, Murng Sart township.

On 5 January 2004, Lung Naan Awn, male, aged 43, from Murng Kok village in Murng Sart township was going by motorcycle to Kaeng-Tung town in Kaeng-Tung township to have his false teeth replaced.
On the way, Lung Naan Awn ran into a group of about 30 SPDC troops from IB75, led by commander Hla Oo, who were supposed to be guarding the road to protect travellers from bandits, in Murng Lung village tract, Murng-Sart township.

The SPDC troops stopped Lung Naan Awn and accused him of riding a licenseless motorcycle. When Lung Naan Awn produced a license card, the SPDC troops said it was a fake and searched his bag and pockets.

The troops found 20 pieces of ancient silver coins and 30,000 kyat of money in Lung Naan Awns bag and pockets and took away all of them, saying that the coins were confiscated because they were illegal and the money was taken as a fine for the fake motorcycle license.

Finally, the troops said they could not let Lung Naan Awn go to Kaeng-Tung and told him to return home. They said Lung Naan Awn was lucky to be able to return home with his motorcycle, otherwise he would have landed in jail and his motorcycle confiscated.

Although Lung Naan Awn reported the incident to the village and community leaders and would like to make a try to get back his money, no one dared to help him lodge a complaint with the military authorities.

A DISPLACED FAMILY ROBBED OF THEIR FOOD AND LIVESTOCK IN KUN-HING

In late December 2003, a displaced family who had returned to their original village were robbed of their rice, pigs and chickens by a patrol of SPDC troops from IB246, in Kaeng Lom village tract, Kun-Hing township.

On 30 December 2003, a patrol of about 48 SPDC troops from IB246 came to Naa Khaak village in Kaeng Lom village tract, Kun-Hing township, and forcibly took away the following:

1. 3 pigs worth about 120,000 kyat

2. 25 chickens worth about 40,000 kyat

3. One basket of husked rice worth about 8,000 kyat

The property belonged to Zaai Zan-Da, aged 30, and his family who had been forced to move away in 1996-97 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. Zaai Zan-Da and his family had just returned to their original village a few months earlier when they were robbed by the SPDC troops.

Since late 2003, SPDC military authorities in Kun-Hing township have been allowing people from Kaeng Kham and Kaeng Lom village tracts to return to their original villages and some of them have returned and have been trying to resettle down.

However, there have been frequent patrols of SPDC troops in the areas and the patrolling troops often forcibly took food and especially livestock of the newly returned villagers. This happened virtually everywhere in the areas, but the villagers said they had no one to complain to.

RETURNING REFUGEES ROBBED OF THEIR POSSESSIONS IN MURNG-SART

In January 2004, 2 refugees, husband and wife, who were returning from Thailand were robbed of their possessions by a group of SPDC troops near Peng Kham village in Murng Yawn village tract, Murng-Sart township.

On 2 January 2004, Zaai Yan-Na, aged 28 and his wife, Naang Awng, aged 29, who were returning from Thailand, ran into a group of 6 SPDC troops taking road security north of Peng Kham village in Murng Yawn village tract, Murng-Sart township.

The couple were originally from Naa Keng village in Kaeng Lom village tract, Kun-Hing township, that had been forcibly relocated in 1997 by the then SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) troops. They had since then taken refuge in the border areas in Thailand, working as wage labourers in farms and fruit orchards.

They had early this year decided to return to Shan State to see the situation in Kun-Hing township and visit their relatives, when they were stopped by a group of SPDC troops in Murng-Sart township.

The SPDC troops accused the couple of belonging to the Shan resistance and took all their possessions except for some money. You are lucky because we do not want to kill you, said the troops, We did not take your money for you to use on your way home. So, go home and dont let us see your faces around here again because you will surely die next time.

The couple lost 3 baht-weight of gold ornaments, some new clothes, 1 wrist watch, 1 tape recorder player, 1 blanket and 1 rice container.

EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG

During November 2003, people in Kaeng-Tung town were forced to provide money 2 times by the local SPDC authorities for their office expenditures and government-organized activities.

In early November 2003, the SPDC authorities issued an order to all the community leaders of all the 5 town-quarters requiring them to collect money from the townspeople. The money would be used to help provide travel and personal expenses of the women representatives who had been chosen to attend a meeting concerning women in Rangoon (Yangon).

There were over 6,000 households in all the 5 quarters in Kaeng-Tung town. From each household, 300 kyat was required to be collected so that it amounted to over 1,800,000 kyat in all. Even some time after the money had been collected, Kaeng-Tung townspeople had not yet seen it being used for any activities concerning women, complained some of them.

Some time later in the same month, the SPDC authorities issued another order requiring Kaeng-Tung townspeople to again provide the same amount of money, this time for the expenditures of the SPDC district and township offices in Kaeng-Tung area.

Many townspeople bitterly complained about being forced to give money twice, which amounted to over 3,600,000 kyat in all, in November alone by the local SPDC authorities.