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CHRO NEWS: Volume II No. 8 October



Subject: CHRO NEWS: Volume II No. 8 October 99

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			Rhododendron News Bulletin
		  ========================================================
			Chin Human Rights Organization
			50-Bell Street, N #2, ON, K1R 7C7, Canada
			Ph/Fx : 613 234 2485 Email : chokhlei@xxxxxxxxxxx
			http://www.chro.org
		 =========================================================
			Volume II No8			October 1999
		 =========================================================




			Innocent Chin villager shot dead by Burmese troop
			=================================================
	Cin Khua Sei was shot dead by six soldiers of Burmese Light Infantry 
Battalion 269 Company 2, on September 1, 1999. The troop led by a sergeant 
ordered Cin Khua Sei and Thang Lian Thawng of Cauleng village to deliver a 
letter to a nearby village Darkhai.
	The soldiers ambushed the two villagers on their return to Cauleng. Thang 
Lian Thawng escaped the ambush unharmed, but Cin Khua Sei was shot at the 
waist and he died on the spot.The incidence occurred at 2 km away from 
Cauleng at a bout 2 p.m.
	The body of Cin Khua Sei was taken by the villagers and buried at Cauleng, 
Tiddim Township, Chin State, Burma. The soldiers said that they mistaken 
them with the CNA activists, but the villagers believed that the soldiers 
shot the two deliberately. They did not find any reason that the soldiers 
would mistake the persons whom they must have recognized well when they 
assigned.
	The villagers had to keep silent about the death of Cin Khua Sei for their 
own safety. Cin Khua Sei, 40, was the sole person to feed his family. The 
eldest of his eight children is too young to work. The bereaved family is 
now in dilemma as to how they will survive. The soldiers paid no heed to the 
demand of compensation for the death of Cin Khua Sei. Panicked by fear, 
Cauleng villagers no longer dare to go out of the village-even to their 
farms.
		( Date of receiving report: 11 September 1999 )


			A Buddhist Monk killed in Chin State
			====================================
	A Buddhist monk U Thunanda ( 41 ) was killed by a group of unidentified gun 
men near Tlangrua village, Thantlang township, Chin State on 9 October 1999.
	On 11 October 1999, Myanmar Information Committee ( the military government 
agency )  reported that Chin National Front CNF ( CNF is underground armed 
Group fighting for restoration of democracy in Burma) was responsible for 
the killing of the monk. However, Chin National Front denied the accusation 
saying that "it is a dirty trick of Military Intelligence Service" in a 
press release made on October 12, 1999. There are only two armed groups 
actively operating in Chinland; SPDC's Burmese military and the other one is 
the opposition Chin National Front.
	Following the killing of the monk, 40 civilian have been arrested by the 
authority in Thantlang area. All Churches and a Monastery in Thantlang area 
are strictly guarded by the Burmese army.Chin community around the world 
strongly condemned the brutal killing of the Buddhist monk.


			SPDC used forced labor to repair road
			=====================================
			(Date of receiving report: 30th September 1999)

	On 25/9/1999, Burmese army Company 3 Commander of 268 Battalion stationed 
at Tibual Camp, Falam Township ordered 20 villages along Falam-Rihkhawdar 
road to repair the road (which extends up to the Indian border). (See 
attached order)The number of laborers from each village ranges from 15 to 30 
depending on the size and the population of the village. They had to bring 
their own tools and ration for three days. They were not paid for their 
labor. The soldiers warned them that any village that failed to contribute 
"unpaid laborers" will be considered supporters of CNF, and that severe 
action will be taken against them. No village dare nor defy the order.
( Order Translation )

Impression of round seal of the 268 Light Infantry Battalion Company 3
Date 24/9/99
To
Date: 24/9/99
Chairman, Village Peace and Development Council
Hnathial village (Old)

Subject: Invitation for " voluntary labor"

	Regarding the above subject, you are hereby informed that you organize 15 
adult men from your village to volunteer for the reconstruction of the motor 
road between Falam and Rihkhawdar, which was damaged as a result of erosion 
and heavy landslide during the monsoon.
	The heavy downpour had also caused flood that damaged bridges. Led by 
yourself, 15 volunteers from your village have to bring hoes, shovels, saws, 
harrows and other tools, which will be required for the road construction. 
You also have to bring rations for three days during your work.
	You have to reach Hmunthar village to notify yourselves by 28 September 
1999. Defaulter village will be considered as active supporters of CNF and 
severe action will be taken for defiance of order.

Sd/-Company Commander

			A new army camp in Lentlang
			===========================
	The villagers around Lentlang are now facing problems, as they do not have 
800 kyats to give Myo Kyaw, the commander of Battalion 268, Company 2, based 
in Falam, Chin State. He made an order throughout the area that one person 
from each family must see him or pay the fine in his camp which he ordered 
the villagers to build on September 1, 1999. Many of the villagers were too 
busy to see him timely, as it was the crucial period for their farm works.

			A strange Monk at Rihkhuadar
			============================
			(Place: Rihkhuadar, Falam Township, Chin State, Burma.)

	Rihkhuadar, founded in 1942, is 70 miles west of Falam and 2 miles from Tio 
River (the border river between India and Burma), is by the beautiful 
heart-shaped lake Rih (3 square miles wide and 60 ft deep).Rihkhuadar is on 
the trade route of Burma and India. There is 150 acres of productive paddy 
field nearby the lake, which annually produces 15,000 tins of rice.
There is a government High school at Rihkhuadar. The population of the twin 
village is about 1,400. All the villagers are Christians. The Burmese 
Military Regime sent a Buddhist monk Baddandah Tan Wa Yah (43years) to 
Rihkhuadar in August 1997, for the project of building a pagoda which was 
started that year.
	The military regime sanctioned 5,000,000 kyats for the projects of two 
pagodas, Aungdawmu and Naga-yung Pagodas. Aungdawmu literally means "the 
Pagoda of Victory," and "Naga Yung Pagoda" could be closely translated as 
"the Mythical Serpent Pagoda or Pagoda of Dragon. "Aungdawmu Pagoda was 
built at a place where the Christians villagers worship God for many years. 
Naga-yung Pagoda also was built nearby Lake Rih, which also was 
intentionally built at an important traditional religious place of the 
native Chins.
	Even though the building of the pagodas was projected and sanctioned by the 
military regimes, the army officials and the monk forced the villagers of 
Rihkhuadar and the nearby villages to build the pagodas continuously for 
months, without paying wages for their labors. The authorities provided 
nothing for the villagers, but the villagers had to supply themselves with 
their own food, tools and medicines.
	Some parts of Aungdawmu pagoda fell down in July 1999. The military regimes 
sanctioned another 1,000,000 kyats for the repair. However, the Buddhist 
monk, Baddandah Ta Wa Yah and the authorities forced the villagers again, 
for reconstruction of the landslide without paying any wages for their 
labors. The army officials and the monk shared the money.
As the villagers were forced to spend months of their time and their labor 
for the repair of the pagodas, they don't have time to work on their farms. 
The hope nothing for the harvest.
	A Brief Biography of Baddandah Ta Wa Yah: His service in the religion is 4 
Wa, according to the Buddhist naming of the service of the Sanga (Buddhist 
monk). He was born at Hintaya (Henzada) township. He is believed to be a 
powerful officers from the Military Intelligence Service ( MIS) of the 
Burmese military regime. The villagers were in fear of him. His real name is 
hidden. In fact, the military regime frequently uses the armies as monks for 
intelligence service. That has been being the military tradition for many 
years.
	Baddandah behaves as if he is superior to Christian pastors. He would 
rebuke the pastors whenever he is not in a good mood. He behaves superior 
not only to the pastors and the villagers, but also to the Burmese soldiers, 
based at Rihkhuadar. The villagers are required to take permits from him to 
collect firewood and for cultivation. He has the priority and favor of 
higher authorities is such a measure that the authorities order private cars 
to stand by at the camp of the monk. The authorities never paid money or oil 
for using the car. This is the practice of the military regimes in Burma for 
more than 35 years.
	The monk, Baddandah, also involves even in case of forced labors and 
porters. He plays a role in religious leader as well as the military 
regime's political (intelligent)leader. He works with the armies and does 
whatever he wishes. He talks a lot like a comedian, but he has great powers 
in many places and influenced up on the armies. The villagers as well as the 
soldiers hate him for his filthy behaviors, actions and wrong doings, but no 
one is dare to correct him.
	It is predictable that he will do more bad things to the Chin Christians as 
long as the SPDC have powers in Myanmar and as long as he is in the 
Chinland. On his request the monk is sometimes supplied with young women by 
villagers and traders in exchange with some privileges. Some families are 
exempted forced labors and porters, for instance.

(His practice indicates that he is not a true monk. Traditionally, there has 
never been prostitution among the Chins. However, the prostitution, which 
the SPDC promoted in major cities like Rangoon and Mandalay, has spread also 
to the Chin people after the army officers lure young Chin women for 
something. The career of many young ladies is destroyed in this way.)


			Meeting  for various kinds of works
			===================================
	Captain Min Zaw, Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 55 (Ngapali battalion ), 
No.3 company commander, based in Arakan State, took a position as camp 
commander of Shinletwa, Paletwa Township, Chin State on July 25 1999.
	On Sunday of 1st August 1999 he summoned a meeting of 9-village tracts in 
the area. Knowing the fact that Chin people are Christian and observe the 
Sundays, the army personnel intentionally summoned a meeting and forced the 
villagers to serve as porters on Sundays.
	In the meeting, they ordered villagers to build a house for the army at the 
center of every village around Shinletwa. The 9-village tracts to be 
completed within one month. In addition, they ordered villagers to 
deliver(4' by 2') mat and 8-pieces (18' by 6') of woods to build wooden 
boxes to the army camp before the end of September without fail.
	The commander fixed the price of chicken at 300 kyats per viss (about 1.5 
kg, actual price for one viss of chicken is Kyat 750). They ordered the 
villagers to deliver only hens since those are tastier than cocks. Capt. Zaw 
Min also restricted the villagers not to sell rice anywhere except to 
Sinbowah and Sinletwa villages where there are army camps. Rice is the sole 
commodity of the farmers for their earnings. He also made a restriction that 
no household in the village should sell rice more than three times a year. 
The soldiers depend freely on the rice of the villages whenever they go for 
patrolling.
	Capt. Min Zaw made an order that 18 people, two each from the 9 villages, 
must be reserved to serve the soldiers. Six villages have to serve, in a 
routine-wise, in the army camp for 7-days a week for emergency needs and to 
serve as porters. The villagers who serve in the camp have to bring their 
own food. The commander announced that anyone missing in the camp would 
cause a fine of 1500 kyats.
	Since the villagers were busy with their farm work they had to arrange the 
money by selling rice or cattle and pay the money to the commander. Now it 
is said that the commander is in full pocket with the money he took from the 
villagers. The commander also ordered the villagers to reconstruct the roads 
and clean even dried leaves and branches on the roads between villages.
	All the VPDC's Presidents are forced to attend the meeting every month. The 
place of the meetings is5-day walk (to and fro) from their own village and 
all the expenses(including foods) are also incurred by themselves.



			Villages Headmen Arrested
			=========================
	Burmese soldiers arrested Salai Van Peng (25) and another member of Chin 
National Army, on August 25, 1999. It was after the two activists crossed 
the village of Bungkhua, Thantlang Township, Chin State that the Infantry 
No.226 of Burmese army, Lungler Post, made the arrest.
The village council members of the nearby villages were also arrested on the 
same day in suspicion to have helped the CNA activists. Among those who were 
arrested, Pu Zamang, 46, Pu Chum Ling, 55, Pu Lawm Ceu, 35, and Pu Lengkam, 
40 were detained in Thantlang. They were the chairmen of the village of 
Fungkah, Bungkhua, Saikah and Ruakhua respectively.
	The Burmese soldiers also shot down two cows as the owner Pu Than Rawl 
escaped the arrest. Six families of Bungkhua and two of Saikah had to flee 
to Thingsai, Mizoram State of  India, as they were informed that the 
soldiers were searching them in suspicion to help the activists.



			Extort money from villagers
			===========================
	A troop led by Capt. Myo Kyaw and Corporal Tin Ohn of company 2, LIB 268 
regularly patrol in and around Khaikhan, Thuklai and Nginte villages in 
Tonzang Township, Chin State. Paupi said: Hoping to solve our hard living 
life I borrowed an amount of money with a high rate of interest and went 
down with friends to Khaikhan village to buy cattle (for reselling). On our 
half way of journey we met a patrolling troop led by Corp. Tin Ohn, the 
commander. There was a dump person among our group. He did not know how to 
answer in Burmese language the questions that the soldiers asked him.
	The soldier alleged a member of CNF and started beating him with their gun 
(G-3) butt, and took10,000 kyats from him. Pu Suan was unable to walk or eat 
due to the beating. He was treated at home since they were too poor to take 
him to the hospital. He used to feed his family by a small amount of money 
he made by buying and selling cattle. Now he is unable to work or eat. Pa 
pau, a farmer, is 50 years old, and a father of 5 children and live in 
Kabalah village, Tonzang township.

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