SCMP-Dozens of Shan villagers shot

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Subject: SCMP-Dozens of Shan villagers shot in 'free-fire' zones set up by

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South China Morning Post
Tuesday  December 15  1998

Burma

Dozens of Shan villagers shot in 'free-fire' zones set up by military


WILLIAM BARNES in Bangkok
The number of Shan villagers murdered by Burmese troops in recent weeks has
risen sharply again, according to human rights observers.

Dozens of villagers have been shot in the virtual free-fire zones that the
military has established in the centre of the region that sits above
Thailand's northern border.

Thirteen villagers were reportedly shot fleeing from advancing soldiers in
the Kunhing area.

The head of the village was able to persuade the soldiers that his people
had actually been ordered back to their original villages by another
battalion - but only after he was severely beaten.

The Shan Human Rights Foundation also reported that a family was killed by
soldiers after being robbed of 30,000 kyat (about HK$774).

Six villagers caught feasting where rebel fighters were rumoured to have
held a public meeting were shot, the foundation said.

Burmese troops appear to have almost complete freedom to deal with suspect,
vulnerable or rich villagers in the region of the Shan state where
nationalist guerillas are operating.

Last year there were several massacres of villagers as troops sought to
enforce the relocation of local populations into "safe areas" away from
local rebels. About 300 people were killed last year.

Since March 1996, 1,400 villages in the central Shan State have been
relocated. This is often a disaster for subsistence farmers who sometimes
try to sneak back to harvest their crops - at the risk of being shot on
sight.

The killings eased late last year and early this year as troops engaged in
one-off murders, rapes and robberies.

"There have been some very bad things happening over the last few months.
Frankly I don't know why," said one observer.

Three nationalist rebel groups combined last year to form the Shan States
Army - which Rangoon quickly rejected as a cease-fire partner.

There are no signs that the wanton killing will ease because the military
regime appears unwilling both to deal with any group that makes even modest
political demands and to restrain its trigger-happy troops.