KNU Press Release No 43/98

[johnathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
    KAREN NATIONAL UNION
     KAWTHOOLEI

   KNU Press Release No 43/98
  Regarding Human Right Violations by SPDC
            November 27,1998

Nyany-le-bin District

* 7-11-98: At 6 a.m Troops from SPDC IB 59 combined with some troops
from SPDC special guerrilla force went into Kyain village, Kyaukkyi
township and arrested Saw Po Naw age 45, who was the village headman
and Saw Than U, age 35 and took them out side the village and shot and
killed them without any reason. On 11-11-98: Those troops went into
Htee-mu-hta village Kwee-la village tract and shot and kill two
brothers namely Saw Thay Moo, 22 and Saw Kho Pa, 18 son of Saw Maung
Twe, without any reason.

* 9-11-98: Troops from SPDC army IB 39 led by commander Zaw Min went
into Mar-lar-daw village and forcibly collected 6 villagers as porters.
Among them Saw Per Kaw, 40 who could no longer walk was shot and
killed by these troops. In addition the troops took away 5,000 kyats
and I wristwatch from him and 4, 500 kyats from Saw Kah Kaw. 

* 9-11-98: Troops from SPDC IB 35 led by commander Kyaw Thien which
took its army position at Tha-byay-nyunt village , Mon township
demanded 20,000 kyats from Mar-lar-daw village, 20,000 kyat from
Yu-lor village and 10,000 kyats from Ka-mu-lor village and these sum
of money must be handed over to them every month. In addition
Tha-byay-nyunt village tract also had to give 15,000 kyats for sport
fees.

*10-11-98: SPDC  troops which took their army position at 
Saw-tay-doe, forcibly gathered 20 villagers to work for them.
*10-11-98: troops from SPDC army arrested Saw Kay Koe from Mon 
township and severely beat him. After that the troops sent him to Mon
town and ordered the village headman to ransom a fire arm for his
release.

*Beginning from 16-11-98: Troops from SPDC army went into villages
such as Htee-wah-hta, Htee-mu-lor, Maw-Khee and Kler-khee and as
result villager can no longer harvest their paddy for searching them
to be killed. Therefore in the coming year these villagers in Kwee-lar
and Khai doe village tract will be facing a great food problem.

*17-11-98: Troops form IB 39 column (2) killed and ate a pig owned by
a Mar-lar-daw villager. 

*18-11-98: Troops from SPDC  army IB 59 went into  Kaw-byin village
and arrested Saw Wah Po and severely beat him. After that the army
burned down his house and tied up his hands and took him to Aus-law-Si
camp.

*20-11-98: A column of SPDC army IB 35 went into Mar-lar-daw village
and forcibly took 5 bullish carts and 2 person from that village to
haul food supplies to Saw-tay-doe village.

*From the beginning of November, 1998 until this days columns of SPDC
army continuously conduct their activities in the region of Khai-doe
and Kwee-lah village tracts killing villagers, burning and destroying
villagers crops and looting villagers materials. As a result they had
to flee and hide themselves in the jungle for their safety. But due to
the shortage of warm clothes and medicine they were facing with
various illnesses. For this reason these villagers will inevitably
face with great trouble in the coming year.

Words & Abbreviations: Kyat=Name of Burmese currency; SPDC State Peace
and Development Council (Military dictatorship of Burma); LIB= Light
Infantry Battalion; IB = Infantry Battalion.

(Translated, printed and distributed by Karen Information Center)