NEWS - RAPE OF TEENAGERS PAYS OFF F

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Subject: NEWS - RAPE OF TEENAGERS PAYS OFF FOR BATTALION # 524

BURMA COURIER No. 201           Oct 3 - 9, 1999


RAPE OF TEENAGERS PAYS OFF FOR BATTALION # 524

Based on a case history in the September report of the Shan Human Rights
Foundation

CHIANG MAI -- The message sent out by the generals at the top of Burma's
SPDC about the big advantages of opening up the country to the market
economy is beginning to filter through to the lower ranks, especially in
the war-ravaged areas of central Shan state.

On June 29 a group of seven villagers were busy on their rice and sesame
farm about three and half miles west of Mong-kung town when they were
interrupted in their work by the arrival of a patrol unit from Infantry
Battalion 524 which is stationed in the township. Troops of Brigade 759
of
the Shan States Army - South are also known to be active in the
township.

The villagers, originally from Naa Pung in the Wan Phui tract, were
forcibly relocated to the outskirts of Mong-kung in August, 1997.  They
and
others from Naa Pung had been engaged in cultivating their rice and
sesame
plantations west of the town since April of this year.  Among the group
were Loong Taan Lu, his wife Pa Tin, their son-in-law, Zaai Kham Mon,
his
wiife Naang Seng Phaa and three teen-age daughters of Loong and Pa,
Naang
Thung Ung, 19, Naang Lawn, 17, and Naang Wo, 15.

After separating the two men from the women, members of patrol tied up
the
men and interrogated them about the presence of Shan soldiers in the
area.
When beating and torture failed to produce any information from the men,
each of the women was taken in turn and similarly beaten, tortured and
interrogated, but they, too, had seen and heard nothing about Shan
soldiers
in the area.

Eventually, the four younger women were raped by the soldiers.  When the
youngest, who was taken by Captain Win Naing, the commanding officer of
the
patrol, cried and struggled, he used his pistol to hit her on the head. 
So
severe was the blow that her skull was fractured.  After raping the
women
to their satisfaction, the patrol from Battalion 524 finally released
the
villagers.

Upon returning to Mong-tung, Loong Taan Lu went to the Naa Pung village
headman to advise him of what had happened to his daughter.  Together
with
others members of the village council they went to the base camp of LIB
524
where they lodged a complaint.

The next morning seventy soldiers were lined up by Commander Aung Win of
the battalion and fifteen year old Naang Wo was asked to identify the
soldier who had raped her.  Since Captain Win Naing had been left out of
the lineup, the girl was unable to point out her rapist.

As a result, Long Taan Lu, the headman and members of the village
council
who had made the complaint were accused of defaming the military and
locked
up at the military base.  The next day the villagers were told that they
had committed a grave offence and could be punished by the military. 
They
were asked whether they wanted to take the punishment or pay a fine.
Before they answered, however, the headman was beaten with a stick until
he
lost consciousness.

Later, their families were ordered to pay 2,000 kyat each for their
release
while the victims who had been beaten and raped, including Naang Wo,
were
fined 500 kyat each.  Evidently, Burma's military is not above making
even
rape and torture into paying propositions.