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SPECIAL POSTING: SHRF MONTHLY REPO
- Subject: SPECIAL POSTING: SHRF MONTHLY REPO
- From: m.win@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1999 02:49:00
Subject: SPECIAL POSTING: SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- NOVEMBER 1999 (PART I)
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SHAN HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION (SHRF)
=20
SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- NOVEMBER 1999
4 WOMEN RAPED AND KILLED IN MURNG-KERNG
On 30.10.99, 4 women who were returning from reaping rice at their =
farms were
raped and shot dead at a deserted village west of Murng-Kerng town by =
SPDC
troops from LIB514.
The 4 women were originally from Kung Pek village, Huay Awm tract, that =
had
been forced to move to the town. They were returning to the town from =
their
farms some distance away in the west after reaping rice for a day when =
they
ran into a group of about 30 SPDC troops led by Capt. Myint Aung who =
were
patrolling the area.
The troops stopped them, accused them of having gone to provide rice =
for the
Shan rebels and arrested them, and took them to a deserted village west =
of the
town. The soldiers raped the women all night and returned to the town =
after
shooting them dead in the morning.
=20
When in town, the troops told the authorities and community leaders =
that they
had gone to shoot the rebels that morning, but could only shoot dead 4 =
of their
wives while all the men got away, not knowing how many died and wounded, =
and
told the townspeople to go and see for themselves.
When they heard the news, the husbands of the women told the community
leaders that they were very worried about their wives who had gone to =
reap=20
rice at their farms since the previous day and had not yet returned. =
They then went together to look for them only to find their dead bodies =
lying in a heap.
The 4 victims were:
1. Pa Poi, aged 38
2. Naang Awng, aged 31
3. Naang Mawn, aged 30
4. Pa Loi Pe, aged 42
RAPE OF SCHOOLGIRLS IN LAI-KHA
In early October 1999, 2 schoolgirls from a middle school in Lai-Kha =
were
arrested, detained and raped by the Commander of SPDC's LIB515, Lt-Col. =
Htun
Sein, in the military base in Lai-Kha, and money was extorted for their
release.
On 8.10.99, a school meeting of all teachers and students of a middle =
school
in Lai-Kha town, where there were 84 students studying up to 6th =
Standard, was
held at the school. After giving a counselling speech and announcing a =
15-day
holiday, the head teacher, U Kyi Maung, asked the students if they had =
any
questions to ask.
Accordingly, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, Naang Mawn Zing, from the 5th =
Standard
asked the following question: "I would like to ask why the Burmese =
soldiers
who claim to be government troops oppress the people so much. A lot of =
village
people have been forced to move to the town where they are faced with
difficulties to settle down and make a living. I've seen how pitiful =
they
are".
Another schoolgirl, Naang Lam Poi, aged 18, from the 6th Standard also =
asked,
"Why did the government troops close down the main market place of =
Lai-Kha
town?. This market has been where it is since a very long time ago, but =
now it
has been closed down for 2-3 weeks by the government soldiers and has =
not yet
opened again, why? If the government soldiers are angry with the Shan =
soldiers,
they should go after them. We students don't understand and would like =
to ask
why the government troops are oppressing the people like this instead of =
going
after the Shan soldiers".
Before the head teacher, who was hesitating, could answer the =
questions, 2 of
the SPDC soldiers who were on security duty at the school called out the =
2
girls and said that they should go to the military base and ask the =
commander
if they really wanted to know, and actually took them to LIB515 base. =
As soon
as the 2 soldiers finished reporting about the incident and what the 2 =
girls
had asked, commander Htun Sein ordered them to lock up the girls in the
military base.
At night, around 21:00 hrs, soldiers took Naang Mawn Zing to Htun Sein =
for
interrogation. After Naang Mawn Zing told him what she had asked the =
head
teacher, Htun Sein said that asking about what one did not know was =
good, but
her question was against the laws of the country, so she would have to =
stay
and wait at the military base for a while.
Htun Sein then took Naang Mawn Zing into his bedroom and ordered her to =
take
off all her clothes, but she refused, asking why such a military officer =
who
was in charge of a whole battalion as him could become so low as to =
order her
to take off her clothes. That caused him to point his pistol at her and =
asked
if she would do as told or not, but the girl only fell down on the bed =
and
cried. Htun Sein then put away his pistol, forcibly pulled off her =
clothes and
raped her all night.=20
In the morning, he sent Naang Mawn Zing back to the lockup and brought =
out
Naang Lam Poi and did the same to her, and raped her for one day and one
night.
After raping the girls, in turns, for 4 days and 4 nights, Htun Sein =
ordered
the girls' parents to pay 15,000 Kyat for the release of each of them.
After their release, the 2 girls recounted their plight to their =
parents,
village and community leaders and the head teacher, and wanted their =
cases
submitted to higher authority. However, the head teacher said that their
questions were against the laws of the country and that he was not at =
all sure
whether they would win or lose the case, so the best thing to do at the =
moment
was to keep quiet. So, they have been keeping quiet up to the present.
KILLING IN MURNG-YAWNG
On 25.10.99, a group of patrolling SPDC troops from LIB334 shot dead 3
innocent villagers of Murng He village, Murng He tract, Murng-Yawng =
township.
The troops met the villagers on a road near the village and shot at =
them
without asking any questions, instantly killing 2 villagers and =
seriously
wounding 1, who later died in the hospital in Murng Yawng.
The 3 villagers killed were:
1. Zaai Awng, male, aged 18
2. Zaai Pao, male, aged 20
3. Zaai Saw, male, aged 20
INTENSIFIED FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-TON=20
SPDC troops of IB65 and IB226 have jointly issued orders forcing the =
people
in Murng-Ton township to dig holes along the roads, cut wood and bamboo =
and
build fences, make bricks and sell their rice to the military.
On 1.11.99, commander Swe Myint of Murng-Ton-based IB65 and commander =
Pan Hle of Murng-Sart-based IB226 jointly called a meeting in Murng-Ton =
which 108 town and village headmen and community leaders throughout =
Murng-Ton township were forced to attend.=20
Commander Swe Myint opened the meeting and issued orders requiring the =
people to provide the following materials and forced labour:
1. Every village would have to provide 30 pieces of hardwood to be used =
as
fence-posts. Each piece must be 4 elbow-lengths (about 2 yards) long and =
2
finger-spans (about 2 feet) in girth and must be finished by 15.11.99.
2. People in the areas of Naa Kawng Mu and Murng Harng tract would have =
to
make 3,000 raw bricks for IB65 and people in Me Ken tract were required =
to make 7,000 raw bricks, also for IB65, which must be finished by =
5.12.99.
3. Apart from the 2 village tracts mentioned above, all the rest were =
required
to dig holes along the sides of the main roads starting from BP-1 =
(Border
Point No.1 on the Thai-Burma border) up to the Salween river crossing =
point of Ta Saang, and up to Murng-Sart in the other direction. The =
holes, which must be
completed by 30.11.99, must be 2 elbow-lengths deep and equally wide and
only 4 arm-spans apart from each other.
After that, commander Pan Hle told the people that in 1999 the military =
would
buy (unhusked) rice from the people at a rate of 30 baskets per acre of
rice-cultivating land and at a price of 200 Kyat per basket (while the =
market
price was 450 Kyat per basket). Everyone who grew rice was required to =
sell it
and the lands of those who failed to do so would be confiscated and =
people
from lowland Burma would be brought to cultivate them.
=20
The meeting was dismissed as soon as the military commanders finished
speaking without any of the civilians having any chance to say a thing.
RAPE IN MURNG-KHAK
On 18.9.99, a Private named Hla Tin from IB227 of the SPDC in =
Murng-Phyak
raped a villager of Wan Tap village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khak =
township.
Naang Noot, aged 18, was catching fish alone in an irrigation ditch =
outside
her village when Private Hla Tin came to her and, threatening her with =
his
gun, raped her.
When the soldier left, Naang Noot went immediately back to the village =
and
told her father about her plight. Her father then took the case to the =
village
headman, who in turn led him to stage a complaint with the village tract
Chairman.
However, the village tract Chairman was too afraid of the SPDC troops =
to do
anything against them and dared not push the case any further.=20
ELDERLY PEOPLE THREATENED TO BE CONSCRIPTED AS MILITIA AND EXTORTED IN =
MURNG-NAI
In mid September 1999, SPDC troops from LIB518 threatened to conscript
villagers of Naa Khaan, Naa Khaan tract, Murng-Nai township, to serve as
militia and porters, but later extorted money from them before releasing =
them.
On 19.9.99, about 80 SPDC troops from LIB518 led by Capt Yanpha Maung =
came to Naa Khaan village and rounded up 130 villagers. They threatened =
to
conscript 42 of them, aged 45-60, to serve as militia and the rest, aged =
15-35, to serve as porters.
The SPDC captain said to the village headman, Loong Taan Awn, "Whenever =
we asked for about 50 porters, you only provided 11-12. That has always =
been the case before, but now we are going to conscript these old men to =
serve as
militia and send them far away to fight in the Karen area of 'Bo Mya'. =
All the
younger ones will have to serve as porters and there is no return for =
them
until we have destroyed 'Bo Mya'"
However, for several days, the troops did not move but stayed put in =
the
village. So, some of the relatives of the villagers pleaded with Capt. =
Yanpha
Maung not to take them away to distant places. Yanpha Maung called the =
village
headman and asked his opinion, who said that he would like to also plead =
as the
other villagers did. Yanpha Maung then said that if their relatives =
could pay
5,000 Kyat for each of the villagers, he would plead with his superiors, =
under
whose order he was acting, to release them.
The villagers had no choice but to comply, and the SPDC troops left the
village on 27.9.99 with the money.
BEATING AND EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG
On 1.11.99, 30 SPDC troops from IB226 led by Capt. Kyaw Own came to Wan =
Lawn village, Murng Khawn tract, Kaeng-Tung township, and arrested 3 =
villagers.=20
The troops beat and tortured the villagers while interrogating them =
about
SSA-E (Shan State Army - East). When the village headman and some other
villagers went to beg for their release, they were told to pay 10,000 =
kyat for
each of them.
The 3 villagers were released only after the money had been paid for =
them.
They were:
1. Zaai In Phya, aged 18, son of Loong Num=20
2. Zaai Ya, aged 20, son of Loong Long=20
3. Zaai Leng, aged 19, son of Loong Pan-Ti
LAND CONFISCATION AND EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG
In early 1999, SPDC troops of IB245 confiscated 60 acres of rice fields =
from
the Shan villagers of Wan Pawm, Tin Thaat and Waeng Sun villages in =
Kaeng-Tung.
After that, the troops forced the villagers in the area to lease the =
land to grow rice at the rate of 2,000 kyat per acre per year or for one =
harvest.
EDUCATION AND HEALTH SITUATION IN KAAT PHA TRACT, KAENG-TUNG
There are 34 Shan villages in Kaat Pha village tract in Kaeng-Tung =
township.
But there are only 1 school and 1 medicine dispensary for the whole =
village
tract.
Worse still, there have been no teachers at the school and no health =
workers
at the dispensary for 3-4 years.
Even though the village tract headman and community leaders in the area =
have
reported their needs several times to the SPDC military authorities and =
asked
for their assistance, up until now no one has turned up to look at the
situation.
-------End of Part I --------
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial =
size=3D4><STRONG><EM>SHAN HUMAN=20
RIGHTS FOUNDATION (SHRF)</EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><STRONG><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>SHRF MONTHLY REPORT -- NOVEMBER=20
1999<BR><BR></FONT><FONT color=3D#800000>4 WOMEN RAPED AND KILLED IN=20
MURNG-KERNG</FONT></FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR><STRONG><FONT=20
color=3D#800000> </FONT></STRONG>On 30.10.99, 4 women who were =
returning from=20
reaping rice at their farms were<BR>raped and shot dead at a deserted =
village=20
west of Murng-Kerng town by SPDC<BR>troops from LIB514.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> The 4 women =
were originally=20
from Kung Pek village, Huay Awm tract, that had<BR>been forced to move =
to the=20
town. They were returning to the town from their<BR>farms some distance =
away in=20
the west after reaping rice for a day when they<BR>ran into a group of =
about 30=20
SPDC troops led by Capt. Myint Aung who were<BR>patrolling the=20
area.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> The troops =
stopped them,=20
accused them of having gone to provide rice for the<BR>Shan rebels and =
arrested=20
them, and took them to a deserted village west of the<BR>town. The =
soldiers=20
raped the women all night and returned to the town after<BR>shooting =
them dead=20
in the morning.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3> <BR> When in =
town, the=20
troops told the authorities and community leaders that they<BR>had gone =
to shoot=20
the rebels that morning, but could only shoot dead 4 of their<BR>wives =
while all=20
the men got away, not knowing how many died and wounded, and<BR>told the =
townspeople to go and see for themselves.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> When they =
heard the news,=20
the husbands of the women told the community<BR>leaders that they were =
very=20
worried about their wives who had gone to reap </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>rice at their farms =
since the=20
previous day and had not yet returned. They then went together to look =
for them=20
only to find their dead bodies lying in a heap.<BR>The 4 victims=20
were:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>1. Pa Poi, aged =
38<BR>2. Naang=20
Awng, aged 31<BR>3. Naang Mawn, aged 30<BR>4. Pa Loi Pe, aged =
42<BR><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#800000><STRONG>RAPE OF SCHOOLGIRLS IN=20
LAI-KHA</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> In early =
October 1999, 2=20
schoolgirls from a middle school in Lai-Kha were<BR>arrested, detained =
and raped=20
by the Commander of SPDC's LIB515, Lt-Col. Htun<BR>Sein, in the military =
base in=20
Lai-Kha, and money was extorted for their<BR>release.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> On 8.10.99, a =
school=20
meeting of all teachers and students of a middle school<BR>in Lai-Kha =
town,=20
where there were 84 students studying up to 6th Standard, was<BR>held at =
the=20
school. After giving a counselling speech and announcing a =
15-day<BR>holiday,=20
the head teacher, U Kyi Maung, asked the students if they had =
any<BR>questions=20
to ask.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Accordingly, =
a 17-year-old=20
schoolgirl, Naang Mawn Zing, from the 5th Standard<BR>asked the =
following=20
question: "I would like to ask why the Burmese soldiers<BR>who =
claim to be=20
government troops oppress the people so much. A lot of village<BR>people =
have=20
been forced to move to the town where they are faced =
with<BR>difficulties to=20
settle down and make a living. I've seen how pitiful =
they<BR>are".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Another =
schoolgirl, Naang=20
Lam Poi, aged 18, from the 6th Standard also asked,<BR>"Why did the =
government=20
troops close down the main market place of Lai-Kha<BR>town?. This market =
has=20
been where it is since a very long time ago, but now it<BR>has been =
closed down=20
for 2-3 weeks by the government soldiers and has not yet<BR>opened =
again, why?=20
If the government soldiers are angry with the Shan soldiers,<BR>they =
should go=20
after them. We students don't understand and would like to ask<BR>why =
the=20
government troops are oppressing the people like this instead of =
going<BR>after=20
the Shan soldiers".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Before the =
head teacher,=20
who was hesitating, could answer the questions, 2 of<BR>the SPDC =
soldiers who=20
were on security duty at the school called out the 2<BR>girls and said =
that they=20
should go to the military base and ask the commander<BR>if they really =
wanted to=20
know, and actually took them to LIB515 base. As soon<BR>as the 2 =
soldiers=20
finished reporting about the incident and what the 2 girls<BR>had asked, =
commander Htun Sein ordered them to lock up the girls in the<BR>military =
base.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> At night, =
around 21:00 hrs,=20
soldiers took Naang Mawn Zing to Htun Sein for<BR>interrogation. After =
Naang=20
Mawn Zing told him what she had asked the head<BR>teacher, Htun Sein =
said that=20
asking about what one did not know was good, but<BR>her question was =
against the=20
laws of the country, so she would have to stay<BR>and wait at the =
military base=20
for a while.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Htun Sein =
then took Naang=20
Mawn Zing into his bedroom and ordered her to take<BR>off all her =
clothes, but=20
she refused, asking why such a military officer who<BR>was in charge of =
a whole=20
battalion as him could become so low as to order her<BR>to take off her =
clothes.=20
That caused him to point his pistol at her and asked<BR>if she would do =
as told=20
or not, but the girl only fell down on the bed and<BR>cried. Htun Sein =
then put=20
away his pistol, forcibly pulled off her clothes and<BR>raped her all=20
night. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> In the =
morning, he sent=20
Naang Mawn Zing back to the lockup and brought out<BR>Naang Lam Poi and =
did the=20
same to her, and raped her for one day and one<BR>night.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>After raping the =
girls, in turns,=20
for 4 days and 4 nights, Htun Sein ordered<BR>the girls' parents to pay =
15,000=20
Kyat for the release of each of them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> After their =
release, the 2=20
girls recounted their plight to their parents,<BR>village and community =
leaders=20
and the head teacher, and wanted their cases<BR>submitted to higher =
authority.=20
However, the head teacher said that their<BR>questions were against the =
laws of=20
the country and that he was not at all sure<BR>whether they would win or =
lose=20
the case, so the best thing to do at the moment<BR>was to keep quiet. =
So, they=20
have been keeping quiet up to the present.<BR><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#800000><STRONG>KILLING IN =
MURNG-YAWNG</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> On 25.10.99, =
a group of=20
patrolling SPDC troops from LIB334 shot dead 3<BR>innocent villagers of =
Murng He=20
village, Murng He tract, Murng-Yawng township.<BR> The troops met =
the=20
villagers on a road near the village and shot at them<BR>without asking =
any=20
questions, instantly killing 2 villagers and seriously<BR>wounding 1, =
who later=20
died in the hospital in Murng Yawng.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>The 3 villagers =
killed=20
were:</FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>1. Zaai Awng, male, aged =
18<BR>2. Zaai=20
Pao, male, aged 20<BR>3. Zaai Saw, male, aged 20<BR><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#800000><STRONG>INTENSIFIED FORCED LABOUR IN=20
MURNG-TON </STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR><STRONG><FONT=20
color=3D#800000> </FONT></STRONG>SPDC troops of IB65 and IB226 have =
jointly issued orders forcing the people<BR>in Murng-Ton township =
to dig=20
holes along the roads, cut wood and bamboo and<BR>build fences, make =
bricks and=20
sell their rice to the military.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> On 1.11.99, =
commander Swe=20
Myint of Murng-Ton-based IB65 and commander Pan Hle of =
Murng-Sart-based=20
IB226 jointly called a meeting in Murng-Ton which 108 town and village =
headmen=20
and community leaders throughout Murng-Ton township were forced to=20
attend. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Commander Swe =
Myint opened=20
the meeting and issued orders requiring the people to provide the =
following=20
materials and forced labour:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>1. Every village =
would have to=20
provide 30 pieces of hardwood to be used as<BR>fence-posts. Each piece =
must be 4=20
elbow-lengths (about 2 yards) long and 2<BR>finger-spans (about 2 feet) =
in girth=20
and must be finished by 15.11.99.<BR>2. People in the areas of Naa Kawng =
Mu and=20
Murng Harng tract would have to<BR>make 3,000 raw bricks for IB65 and =
people in=20
Me Ken tract were required to make 7,000 raw bricks, also for IB65, =
which must=20
be finished by 5.12.99.<BR>3. Apart from the 2 village tracts mentioned =
above,=20
all the rest were required<BR>to dig holes along the sides of the main =
roads=20
starting from BP-1 (Border<BR>Point No.1 on the Thai-Burma border) up to =
the=20
Salween river crossing point of Ta Saang, and up to Murng-Sart in the =
other=20
direction. The holes, which must be<BR>completed by 30.11.99, must be 2=20
elbow-lengths deep and equally wide and<BR>only 4 arm-spans apart from =
each=20
other.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> After that, =
commander Pan=20
Hle told the people that in 1999 the military would<BR>buy (unhusked) =
rice from=20
the people at a rate of 30 baskets per acre of<BR>rice-cultivating land =
and at a=20
price of 200 Kyat per basket (while the market<BR>price was 450 Kyat per =
basket). Everyone who grew rice was required to sell it<BR>and the lands =
of=20
those who failed to do so would be confiscated and people<BR>from =
lowland Burma=20
would be brought to cultivate them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3> <BR> The =
meeting was=20
dismissed as soon as the military commanders finished<BR>speaking =
without any of=20
the civilians having any chance to say a thing.<BR><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#800000><STRONG>RAPE IN MURNG-KHAK</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> On 18.9.99, a =
Private named=20
Hla Tin from IB227 of the SPDC in Murng-Phyak<BR>raped a villager of Wan =
Tap=20
village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khak township.<BR> Naang Noot, =
aged 18,=20
was catching fish alone in an irrigation ditch outside<BR>her village =
when=20
Private Hla Tin came to her and, threatening her with his<BR>gun, raped=20
her.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> When the =
soldier left,=20
Naang Noot went immediately back to the village and<BR>told her father =
about her=20
plight. Her father then took the case to the village<BR>headman, who in =
turn led=20
him to stage a complaint with the village =
tract<BR>Chairman.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> However, the =
village tract=20
Chairman was too afraid of the SPDC troops to do<BR>anything against =
them and=20
dared not push the case any further. <BR><BR><FONT =
color=3D#800000><STRONG>ELDERLY=20
PEOPLE THREATENED TO BE CONSCRIPTED AS MILITIA AND EXTORTED IN=20
MURNG-NAI</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR><STRONG><FONT=20
color=3D#800000> </FONT></STRONG>In mid September 1999, SPDC troops =
from=20
LIB518 threatened to conscript<BR>villagers of Naa Khaan, Naa Khaan =
tract,=20
Murng-Nai township, to serve as<BR>militia and porters, but later =
extorted money=20
from them before releasing them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> On 19.9.99, =
about 80 SPDC=20
troops from LIB518 led by Capt Yanpha Maung came to Naa Khaan village =
and=20
rounded up 130 villagers. They threatened to<BR>conscript 42 of them, =
aged=20
45-60, to serve as militia and the rest, aged 15-35, to serve as=20
porters.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> The SPDC =
captain said to=20
the village headman, Loong Taan Awn, "Whenever we asked for about 50 =
porters,=20
you only provided 11-12. That has always been the case before, but now =
we are=20
going to conscript these old men to serve as<BR>militia and send them =
far away=20
to fight in the Karen area of 'Bo Mya'. All the<BR>younger ones will =
have to=20
serve as porters and there is no return for them<BR>until we have =
destroyed 'Bo=20
Mya'"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> However, for =
several days,=20
the troops did not move but stayed put in the<BR>village. So, some of =
the=20
relatives of the villagers pleaded with Capt. Yanpha<BR>Maung not to =
take them=20
away to distant places. Yanpha Maung called the village<BR>headman and =
asked his=20
opinion, who said that he would like to also plead as the<BR>other =
villagers=20
did. Yanpha Maung then said that if their relatives could pay<BR>5,000 =
Kyat for=20
each of the villagers, he would plead with his superiors, under<BR>whose =
order=20
he was acting, to release them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> The villagers =
had no choice=20
but to comply, and the SPDC troops left the<BR>village on 27.9.99 with =
the=20
money.<BR><BR><FONT color=3D#800000><STRONG>BEATING AND EXTORTION IN=20
KAENG-TUNG</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> On 1.11.99, =
30 SPDC troops=20
from IB226 led by Capt. Kyaw Own came to Wan Lawn village, Murng Khawn =
tract,=20
Kaeng-Tung township, and arrested 3 villagers. <BR> The troops beat =
and=20
tortured the villagers while interrogating them about<BR>SSA-E (Shan =
State Army=20
- East). When the village headman and some other<BR>villagers went to =
beg for=20
their release, they were told to pay 10,000 kyat for<BR>each of=20
them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> The 3 =
villagers were=20
released only after the money had been paid for them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR>They were:<BR>1. =
Zaai In Phya,=20
aged 18, son of Loong Num <BR>2. Zaai Ya, aged 20, son of Loong Long =
<BR>3. Zaai=20
Leng, aged 19, son of Loong Pan-Ti<BR><BR><FONT =
color=3D#800000><STRONG>LAND=20
CONFISCATION AND EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> In early =
1999, SPDC troops=20
of IB245 confiscated 60 acres of rice fields from<BR>the Shan villagers =
of Wan=20
Pawm, Tin Thaat and Waeng Sun villages in Kaeng-Tung.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> After that, =
the troops=20
forced the villagers in the area to lease the land to grow rice at the =
rate of=20
2,000 kyat per acre per year or for one harvest.<BR><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#800000><STRONG>EDUCATION AND HEALTH SITUATION IN KAAT PHA =
TRACT,=20
KAENG-TUNG</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> There are 34 =
Shan villages=20
in Kaat Pha village tract in Kaeng-Tung township.<BR>But there are only =
1 school=20
and 1 medicine dispensary for the whole village<BR>tract.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Worse still, =
there have=20
been no teachers at the school and no health workers<BR>at the =
dispensary for=20
3-4 years.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><BR> Even though =
the village=20
tract headman and community leaders in the area have<BR>reported their =
needs=20
several times to the SPDC military authorities and asked<BR>for their=20
assistance, up until now no one has turned up to look at=20
the<BR>situation.<BR><BR><FONT size=3D3>-------End of Part I=20
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