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SLORC TROOPS RAPE FEMALE KAREN PORT



Subject: SLORC TROOPS RAPE FEMALE KAREN PORTERS

Press Release
Date: 12 June 1997


SLORC TROOPS RAPE FEMALE KAREN PORTERS
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Karen women who were forcibly conscripted as porters by the Burmese Army have been raped by officers during the military operation against the Karen National Union (KNU).

A porter, who escaped from the KNU's 4th Brigade to the Thai-Burma border, has told the ABSDF that SLORC troops from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 431, based at Kaw Thaung in Tenasserim Division, raped a young Karen woman when they arrived at Pyatha Chau
ng village in the Karen area. 

Myint Lwin, a 24 year old from Nat Seik village in Laung Lon Township, told the ABSDF he was in Pyatha Chaung at the time of the crime, and was taken by the army as a porter. The rape occurred when the Burmese Army launched its offensive, code-named 'Oper
ation Thura', against the KNU's 4th Brigade which began when the 4th cease-fire talks broke down.

Six young Karen women porters were also raped by army officers from LIB 431 and Infantry Battalion 104.

On February 16 the SLORC soldiers drafted 30 villagers from Pyatha Chaung as porters, 25 of whom were women, following a clash with KNU troops near the village. The porters were ordered to carry the soldiers' back-packs, and the women had to wash the sold
iers' clothes and cook for them during the fighting and marching. 

SLORC troops also drafted another batch of porters between Pyatha Chaung and Phaung Daw, comprising 10 women and a 60 year old Karen man.

The offensive against the KNU began in February this year following the breakdown of cease-fire talks on November 23 1996. The SLORC Secretary-1, Lt. General Tin Oo. has directed the operations and the offensive against the KNU's 4th Brigade has involved 
3,500 SLORC troops from 17 regiments under the control of Division 55. 

Throughout the offensive, the SLORC has used more than 4,000 porters, 600 of whom are prisoners. The offensive has also resulted in the influx of thousands of refugees into Thailand.

All Burma Students Democratic Front

For more information please call  01 654 4984.