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NLD Statement 74 (translation )



National League for Democracy
No:(97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan Township, Bahan

STATEMENT 74 (6/99)(translation)

Note - Read with Statement 65(5/99)

1.  Information has been received about the forced labour in Irrawaddy
Division in townships of Bo-ga-lay, Nga-thaing-chaung, and
Mou-la-myaing-gyun.

2.  The township and village authorities forced and intimidated
villagers to provide labor for the Pae-chaung to Ka-done-ka-ne road
construction in Bogalay township. Ko Tet Tun and Ko Aye Myint of
Thazin-gnu village were summoned to appear at Bo-ga-lay police station
on 1 May 1999 for failing to do so. When they explained that they had to
harvest the paddy and were not free, they were told to pay money which
they couldn't. As a result, on the 12 May, Kyaw Soe Moe, Deputy
Superintendent of Police charged them under the 1908 Village Act 12 and
had to suffer imprisonment for 15 days.

3.  Forced labour was required of villagers in Nga-thain-chaung township
to build up the Nga-wun embankment.  A sum of Kyats 500/- had to be paid
by every household that could not supply the required labor. Those who
could not make the said payment were required to go to Ma-u-gon village
for earth-piling. Orders to take action those who disobeyed were given.
At the time that these orders were given, Daw San Kyi of Ywa-thit-kyi
village said that the government had announced that forced labor did not
prevail in Burma, so she refused to work or to pay as ordered for which
she was handcuffed, arrested and taken to Ye-kyi Police station and
imprisoned for 15 days. The persons involved in this process were
village authority head clerk and member U Maung Myint and U Pho Khin,
Police superintendent Maung Htwe and sergeant Hla Kyi. She has now been
released on bond and has to report at the Kone-pyin police station every
fifteen days.

4. Information received is that farmers from eleven villages including
the villages of Kyaik-pe, Htee-pale, Thoung-dan, Tha-lun-sa, Bamaw,
Sa-noun-paik were forced to cultivate the land that was confiscated for
the military unit 534 in Moulamyain-kyun or pay kyats five hundered per
head.

5. We have heard also that U Khin Maung U (village chairman) and
Sergeant Tun Hlaing (Infantry Unit 534) collected Kyats 600/- from every
household in Ma-bay village tract on 3 May 1999 and again Kyats 500/- on
2 May 1999  There are 761 households in this village tract. This
collection is allegedly for the cultivation of fileds confiscated for

the army.

6. Most of the people in the country are living not only in a state of
fear but are tightening their belts and suffering almost unbearable
economic hardships.  Instead of showing compassion for the village
people and the cultivators at a time like this forcing them to give
their labour and demanding money from them is very reprehensible and we
strongly condemn these actions. They should be halted immediately.

Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
10 June 1999.




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National League for Democracy
No:(97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan Township, Bahan

STATEMENT 65( 5/99)(translation)


1. Information received is that every individual of every household in
Bogalay is required to give forced labor for the construction of a road
linking Paechaung and Kadone-kane villages in Bogalay township.

2. The car road that is to be 32 miles long and 600 feet wide will have
to cross six river tributaries, five chaungs (big creeks0 with a span of
approximately 200 feet, and ten small streams. This road is to be
imposing and massively built.

3. The residents of the town, villages and wards have been given notice
that they will have to give personal or substitute labor.

4. Substitute labor will cost a household between five to ten thousand
kyats.  the road will cut across jungles and forests and mangrove
swamps.  Water under the surface is salty and drinking water is
difficult to obtain.

5. Our information is that this road has not been planned by the central
or divisional PDC but has been initiated by Sayadaw U Kawlatha assisted
by the army and the township authorities.  The reason given is to
facilitate pilgrims to reach the site where the sayadaw has constructed
one thousand pagodas under gangaw trees.  This car road is not really
needed because it is a day's journey by waterway to and from Bogalay
town to Kadone-kane village.

6.  U Aung Khin Bo and U Aung Myint (Chairman and member of the township 
organising committee) who reported these circumstances to us have been 
illegally arrested and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment by those who hold 
power.  This action is downright unjustifiable.  They were only
performing their duty as required by the rules and regulations of a
legally constituted political party.  This is a travesty and miscarriage
of justice.

7.  We vehemently denounce such unfair inequitable practices.


Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
11 May 1999



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