* To monitor human rights situations
in Mon territory and other areas southern part of Burma
* To protect and promote
internationally recognized human rights in Burma
human rights foundation of monland
Human Rights Report 9/96 (February,
1997)
Acronyms
SLORC-State
Law and Order Restoration Council;
KNU- Karen
Nation Union;
KNLA- Karen
National Liberation Army;
NMSP- New
Mon State Party;
LIB- Light
Infantry Battalion of SLORC;
IB- Infantry Battalion of
SLORC;
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
No one
shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
Article 8, 3. a: International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights
Conscription of Forced Labour
in
Focus of This Report
Since the SLORC came into power, it has tried to have more control of border
areas than before with objectives to officially open the border trading points
and keep the ethnic forces' guerrilla warfare militarily to be weak. After
occupation of some border areas, the SLORC has tried to connect border points
and the areas deeper inside Burma to create proper communication for its own
profit.
Among the
proposed road construction which are planned to connect the border areas and
deeper inside Burma, Three Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat motor road, which is 100
kilometers long, is the main one in the southern part of Burma (see map). The
road is passed through Kya Inn Seik Kyi township of Karen State and
Thanbyuzayat township of Mon State. Politically, when SLORC has approached
ASEAN to be a member to break the isolation of the international community,
this mentioned road is remained as an important way. It would connect with
motor highway of Thailand through Kanchanaburi Province and provide effective
access to ASEAN community. The military regime itself faced difficulty to build
this road with government's expense because it could not take out any official
loans from World Bank or International Monetary Fund (IMF) since it seized
power and cracked down the democracy movement in 1988. Since then it have
conscripted forced labour from local inhabitants to implement its development
infrastructure project.
In 1996,
the SLORC, anyhow, has been in a serious situation to construct this proposed
road although they could not accept outside development fund. Before it became
a full member of ASEAN, it should complete some important road construction for
trading purpose or could conduct more pressure to ethnic armed oppositions
militarily. In October of 1996, the SLORC local military bases took
responsibility and started constructing the Three Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat
motor road. Without spending available fund and necessary technical equipment
the SLORC local troops have been conscripted forced labour of the local ethnic
villagers who are inhabiting along the route.
To ensure
the on-going situation up to the end of 1996, the HURFOM human rights workers
also traveled around the area and conducted interviews with villagers who
escaped to the border refugee camps. To protect the persons who were conducted
interviews, the report does not use the real name of the interviewees and
changed all their names. However, all events and stories were true which really
happened in Burma. It is hoped that all information must be useful in helping
the international community to halt SLORC from abusing human rights violations
and promote international recognized human rights in Burma.
Development of Construction Plan
Before the SLORC reached ceasefire agreement with NMSP, it also considered to build this road but the situation was very unsafe for
SLORC because it could not control the whole area. In ceasefire agreement the
NMSP had the same opinion to build this road in a suitable situation when the
whole country retained peace. In 1996, even the KNU traveled to Moulmein
for several rounds of negotiation, but the hope for ceasefire was still far.
Soon after
ceasefire with NMSP, the SLORC has discussed with Mon leaders to build this
road, but later the Mon leaders realized the aim of the SLORC in constructing
of the road that to have more control of the area and launch more pressure to
KNU. When the NMSP proposed various border development projects to cooperate
with SLORC such as to build several roads, schools, hospitals, clinics and
etc., in the Mon area the SLORC has put the road construction as priority and
has ignored other projects which directly benefit to local Mon community.
Initially,
SLORC would like to give construction contract to NMSP and with its own
arrangement the NMSP could bring any Thai Co. to implement the whole project.
Eventually, the SLORC itself could not provide enough protection to build this
road and that was why its officials have approached and then pushed the NMSP to
agree and take responsibility implementation of the project. The most parts of
Three Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat road are controlled by MNLA and KNLA troops. But
SLORC has firm control only in the area from Three Pagoda Pass to Chaung Zone (see map). The SLORC also has some bases in area between Anan Gwin and
Thanbyuzayat and it has no concrete control in the whole area. Thus, if the
NMSP took responsibility and built this road, it could be possible.
By the way,
the SLORC also brought one Thai company. " Power.
P. Public Co. Ltd.," to conduct survey along the route
in September, 1996. Since the Mon leaders have realized objectives of
SLORC in constructing the road and have refused to cooperate with SLORC. To
build the road, some Mon leaders were also given pressure by SLORC authorities
and at the end the NMSP leaders officially decided not to take responsibility
to build this road.
In November
1996, the Central Committee of NMSP decided not to cooperate with SLORC to
build this road and not to make any disturbance to construction which means to
maintain the ceasefire agreement. It is also meant the NMSP will not approach
to KNU troops in the area to agree on the construction. Since SLORC did not
reach ceasefire agreement with KNU, the Karen troops could make troubles to
SLORC authorities or Thai Co. field personnel any time if they built this road.
Otherwise, at the time when NMSP never took any responsibility to build that
road, several parts where under control of KNU troops will become very unsafe
and SLORC itself could not complete the whole route of the road.
Plan Related Conscription of Forced
Labour
After the
SLORC authorities approached or persuaded the NMSP leaders for several times
after ceasefire and later they realized the attitude of NMSP regarding to this
road construction. Since the NMSP refused to build, the Thai Companies are also
reluctant to participate to build this road. But for the SLORC, on the eve
situation of becoming ASEAN membership, it would like to start building this
road anyhow.
The SLORC
has aimed to build this road as an international highway to connect with
When the time
SLORC could not get cooperation from the NMSP to build that road and no
participation of Thai Co., the SLORC decided to build this road by itself by
conscripting of forced labour and confiscation of villagers' land properties.
Like other government's infrastructure projects, while SLORC local authorities
has taken all constructing responsibilities, many local inhabitants have been
totally become victims of forced labour.
In 1996,
when SLORC has implemented the road construction from October up to December,
the two local battalions of IB No. 31 and 61 have been taken all
responsibilities in conscription of forced labour. Those two battalions' troops
normally have taken bases in villages Anan Gwin and Taung Zon which are
on the half way of the route and instructed for the road construction.
Initially, the SLORC just built the road construction only from Taung Zon to
Tha Nyin (see map).
The
conscription orders were instructed from the military commanders of Anan Gwin
and Taung Zon, and according to instruction, the villagers have to contribute
their manual labour by rotating basis. The conscription orders were directly
sent to village leaders of village tracts, and then they had to take
responsibility to send the demanded labourers. The villager labourers themselves
have to travel to the defined work-sites by bringing their own tools and foods
from their homes. In area where under loose control of the Burmese Army, they
have used the villagers as human shields in the construction to protect
themselves from the attack of the Karen rebels.
According
to villagers, at least about 30 villages of seven village tracts of the Karen
local inhabitants were conscripted to be forced labourers in the construction
site. Since October 1996, the respective headmen of village tracts who received
the orders from the military commanders had to provide at least 30 villagers
from each villager tract for at least one week duration in construction site.
With rotation basis, after one week the village headmen had to provide another
group of villagers to change them. As the population in the area is not so
much, the most villagers have to work in the construction for more than one
round within one month period and had to work for two times of two weeks
duration in the construction.
The most
work-duties were mostly to clear the foliage along the route and cut trees that
lied on route in the initial construction process. The villagers had to clear
the foliage and cut trees which are lied in width
about 50 foot of each side of the route. Since October, the local authorities
already measured the route and defined the width of route and the lands along
the each side of the old route had already been confiscated. The trees along
each side of the route have been grown naturally as forest and in some area,
the plantation of fruit trees are owned by Karen villagers. Those local
inhabitants grew such kinds of fruit trees in their own lands for several years
and these were confiscated by forces without providing any compensation.
The lands
that occupied the bamboo groves were also confiscated and cut down. Normally,
the villagers also grew bamboo to use it in building farm-huts and houses. The
fruit trees such as coconut, betel-nut, cashew-nut
were also cut down under the instruction of the military. The villagers could
not make complaint against SLORC for their loss, because the existed
constitutional law. It mentioned all lands in the whole country are owned by
government and it has rights to confiscate any land when it needed.
In Japanese
Era, that road was build as railway by forced labour of Burmese people and
prisoners of war, but the whole part of the road was not completed. After the
civil war broke out on the wake of independence of Burma in 1948 and the road
has been useless for several years. When the current military regime came into
power and after its occupation of the NMSP headquarters in Three Pagoda Pass,
it also opened the border trading point officially with Thailand. In 1992, the
road was prepared by truck owners to re-use it to bring passenger and products.
The Mon and Karen troops in area also allowed the trucks for passage and they
also have chance to collect more tax from products and passenger for their
fund. But the road was repaired very roughly and it was used only in dry
season.
Since the
SLORC tried to construct this road to use for the whole year, the whole
embankment along the route must be built very strongly and large. Actually,
since the road was planned to build as a highway, it should be built by
machines or provided other necessary technical assistance. But in its
construction process, the military have used the villagers as forced labourers
in spite of using machines. The width of the embankment is normally large about
100 foot according to proposed plan and in some part
of road, the embankment had to be built with height up to 4 foot. The
work-duties are considerably hard for those villagers as they had to work with
their own manual labour without machine help. In daily works, they had to dig
earth and rock outside of route and crushed and brought it to embankment. In
some areas, the villagers had to carry the dirt and rock from the places far
from the embankment.
The
military never provided any tool or equipment and the villagers have to arrange
by themselves to complete defined work-duties. Furthermore, they also have to
go to the construction site with their own expense.
The most
effected Karen villages with more 30 households and the estimated households
are mentioned as below
Name of
Villages Estimated Households
l.TaungZon 100
2. Kyauk Be
Lu 100
3. Phar
Pya 200
4. Win
Khana 100
5. Anan
Gwin 140
6. Khaiae Saw 70
7. Hnit Ei
Ywa 40
8. Phar
Ra 60
9. Htee Toe
Khoe 30
10. Law
Shan 100
11.
PuuTaw 40
12. Ah Htat
Ka Yar 50
13. Out Ka
Yar 40
14. Mae Ga Wa 35
15. Mae Da Lay 40
16. Wae
Paw 40
17. Mae Za
Le 40
18. Sin
Pyay 50
19. Lone
Se 50
The other
villages with less than 30 households were also forced to work in construction.
For those villagers, they are far from the military bases and while the SLORC
troops came into villages, all male villagers were suddenly arrested and
brought them to work-sites. They had to work in construction continuously and
without permission of military, they accepted no chance to return back to their
homes.
Sometime,
when the local authorities sent often instruction orders to village headmen
asking for labourers, it were refused by villagers.
The villagers, themselves, are farmers and they had to work in their farms or
plantations. Because of refusal of villagers, the troops came into villages and
arrested the left villagers rashly including women and children and brought
them to the work-site as hostages to change with men. The men who were arrested
in villages must be tortured severely for their refusal and brought to
work-sites by troops.
In
implementing the road construction, the SLORC local authorities have used the
prisoners for nearly two years to construct the part close to Thanbyuzayat
initially that is lied under its firm control. According to villagers, there
are over 500 prisoners working in the construction and they were detained in
the Yetagon detention center which is situated in Thanyin and far about 15
kilometers from Thanbyuzayat town. Those prisoners have been sent to work-site
every day in the morning and they are brought back to detention in the evening.
In some work-sites, where is far from the detention and those prisoners were
detained in military outpost.
The
authorities separated those prisoners into many groups and the soldiers watch
them very closely in the every work-site. By locking up chains in their legs,
the prisoners had to work very hardly and they are not fed with enough amount of foods. Their health situation is almost weak and
they had to work for the whole day harder than conscripted villagers. Because
of weakness and shortage of foods, the prisoners could not work well to meet
the satisfaction of the authorities and they were always punished such as
beating and kicking. In some work-sites, the villagers also had to work
together with prisoners and they could somehow help the prisoners who were
physically weak. They also had the same works like villagers such as to cut
trees, clear foliage, carry stone, crush rock and etc..
Because of
shortage of foods, malnutrition, maltreatment of authorities, hardship
work-duty and lack of medical care, some prisoners also died in work-sites. In
some case, because of weakness, prisoner became losing consciousness and the
authorities sent them to detention again instead of providing proper medical
treatment in hospital. But it was hard to get evidence how many prisoners died
in work-sites or in detention.
The Appalling Consequences in
Construction Site
Like other
construction sites which are under management of the Burmese Army's
infrastructure projects, the villager labourers who were forced to work never
accepted the proper shelter. The villagers initially had to create the
temporary shelter as quickly as possible soon they reached to the construction
site and the authorities never provided them any assistance. They brought
mainly rice and cash along went to work-site. The cash was used to buy other
supplement foods to eat with rice. Sometime, their rice brought from homes was
confiscated by the soldiers or it was changed with low quality rice that the
troops received as food ration. Normally the villagers are very poor even in
their native villages and when they have to work in the construction site, they could not bring much cash to buy supplement
foods. The military never provided them any payment for their labour
contribution and they have been faced food-shortage or malnutrition problems.
The
villagers also faced the problem to get pure water in their temporary shelters.
According to villagers, the military put them at least
over 50 men in one place not so far from their own work-site and they were not
allowed to go outside. If they moved or fled from that place by their own
decision, they will be accused contacting Karen forces and must be severely
punished or killed. Even many Karen troops were active in the area, they could
not make any trouble to construction or harm to the villagers as they were the same
ethnic people. Such restriction of movement to the villagers put them to be
hard to get foods and other supplies.
The
over-defined working time is also terrible enough for villagers. They had to start
working about 7:00 a.m. in the morning and could stop about one hour for launch
about 11:00-12:00 a.m. and returned to work-site again at afternoon time and
had to work up to 5:00 p.m. evening. In the construction site, the most
work-duties are normally hard and the villagers were always beaten and shouted
by the soldiers.
Even though
the villagers were forced to work hardly under the instruction of the military
commanders, the soldiers who were watching in the work-site never satisfied on
the villagers. Some villagers became weak and could not meet to satisfaction of
soldiers. In beating the villagers the soldiers always used bamboo or
wood-sticks. While they were ordered to carry heavy big piece of woods or big
stones, the villagers were unable to carry it to embankment and they were
severely beaten by group.
Because of
lack of communication and work opportunity, those Karen
village community are normally depending on their products of farming
only. When the head of family member had to work in the construction, the
family members left behind were in hard situation for survival. The women and
children left in home could not find enough income or unable to work in the
farm or plantation. The villagers had to work in construction very often and
more women and children were sent to work-site in spite of men. Normally the
men have to work for income or in their own work-place in farms or plantations.
But the military had used every body who reached to
the construction and never refused labour contribution of women and children.
The working situations are always very hard for women and children.
Other Human Rights Abuses
Those
villagers who were forced to work in road construction as labourers have been
suffered with various kinds of human rights abuses since the Burmese troops
deployed more bases in the area. After SLORC seized power in 1988, they have
extent its forces and took firm bases in the rural ethnic areas more than
before.
Those local
Karen inhabitants who were forced to work in
construction, are actually situating in the conflict area between KNLA and
SLORC troops for several years. After 1990, SLORC troops took more bases in
their native area and the situation became worsen when the Karen troops from
KNLA tried to push them out. The fighting between the two forces have been
occurred too often and the local inhabitants have been mistreated by SLORC with
accusation of [being] rebel-supporters.
When SLORC
troops from South East Command launched the military operation in the area,
some villages were relocated by forces or destroyed or burnt into ashes. When
the offensive troops moved back to their regular bases, the local inhabitants
came into villages and created their normal life again. The most suffering
situation is they were always forced to be porters carrying ammunition and
other supplies for military to frontline. The SLORC military patrols were
always launched in area by its local troops and the villagers were also
arrested to be porters. Additionally, when the SLORC troops came into villages,
they also looted villagers' belongings. In some villages which are close to the
military base, the villagers always have to provide defined number of porters
to the military base with monthly basis. The nearest military base also asked
monthly portering fees from villagers in situation whether they have military
operation or not.
Besides the
portering fee, the villagers near to the military bases also have to provide
rice and other food supplies with monthly basis. When the military operation
came around to the area, the villagers also have to provide extra food
supplies. Sometime the villagers, who refused to be porters or provided
portering, were arrested by the troops and severely tortured. The troops
brought them to the military bases and used them as labourers to work in
building military encampments or other necessary daily works such as to carry
water and find firewood. Otherwise, sometime when the troops needed to build
the military bases, they forced the whole villagers nearby.
Since
inhumane treatments to villagers have been abused, the villagers in the area
were displaced and several families fled to border areas to take refuge in
camps. The violations have been more terrible and terrible when the SLORC
started implementing the Three Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayzat motor road
construction. The safety of the villagers became worsen and they faced more
difficulties than before. To get enough foods and more safety, they had to
escape to refugees camp such as Halockhani, Thabyu,
Htee Lein Par and other camps.
Interviews
Interview #l
Name: U Ohn Khin
Sex/ Age: Male/ 48 years
Nationality/ Religion:
Karen/Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Native Place: Mae Gawa village,
Kya-Inn-Seikyi Township, Karen State
Interview Date: December 11, 1996
The Karen local inhabitants
in area have been suffered 'by various kinds of human rights abuses by Burmese
Army for several years. Later when the SLORC came into power and implemented
infrastructure projects and the situation of the local villagers became more
worsening and they have to leave their native places.
Regular
human rights situation
When did
you arrive to this village (in a border refugee camp) and why did you leave
from your village?
I came here
because of the maltreatment of the Burmese soldiers in our village and shortage
of foods at my home. When the Burmese soldiers came into our village, they
arrested and forced us to be porters to carry their supplies and now they
forced us to work in motor road construction. We have no time to work in farm
and my family faced hardship. Regular
human So I decided to come here. I have nothing left to
give them rice or cash. If I stayed here, they will arrest and beat me.
Did you
come here with your whole family and how difficulties did you face on the way?
I came here
with my whole family including my five years old youngest son, and we had to
walk for three days from our village. We used jungle way, we could not come straight
Conscription of forced labour
along with SLORC's military deployment
You said
the Burmese soldiers maltreated you and the other villagers. Can you explain me
how yourself and the villagers were maltreated by the
soldiers?
Actually,
my native village is Taung Zon. But I didn't stay in Taung Zon for several
years. Since 7 years ago, the Burmese troops took base in Taung Zon village and
then I moved to Mae Gawa village. When I was in Thaung Zon after arriving of
Burmese troops, they forced all male villagers including children to build the
military encampment at least two days in every week for nearly one year. In
there, we had to work many various jobs such as digging earth, making fence and
bunker, building barracks and others. Sometime, they forced the villagers to
carry ammunition and supplies to frontline. At that time, the base was unstable
and very vulnerable to attack from Karen troops. They said if the Karen troops
shelled with motor to the their military base, they
will burn down the village. After one year the Burmese soldiers took base, I
could not keep tolerance of maltreatment and I fled into Mae Gawa village. The
troops were mostly came from IB 61 and they were
changed quarterly with IB 31.
After I
moved to Mae Gawa (5 miles far from Taung Zon), the situation was likely
better. But we still had to work for military base but not so regularly. They
ordered to cut trees and bamboo to provide for their military encampment or to
use it as fire-wood. Up to now, we still have to work for soldiers as
labourers
or porters. And we also have to provide them 450 Kyat and about 2.5 kilograms
of rice every month as portering fee.
You said
you are a farmer. How many baskets (Burmese style rice measuring basket and it
is weighted about 60 kilograms) of seed of rice did you grow in the last
farming season and how many baskets of crop product did you received?
Every year,
I grew about 1.5 baskets of rice seed. I received about 30 baskets of rice
every year.
Looting of rice-supply from villagers
and food-shortage problem in rural area
Is it enough
for your family to eat for the whole year?
If the rice
was all for us it might be enough for the whole year for our family. We have to
give too much to Burmese soldiers. As portering fee and security tax, we have
to provide cash up to 1,000 Kyat and 4 kilograms of rice to Burmese soldiers
monthly. The village headmen collected and sent it to military base every
month. If the amount of cash and rice reduced, they will ask why it was reduced
and they checked whose refused to pay.
Besides the
portering fee and security tax, when the Burmese troops came into village, they
also confiscated rice. To give portering fee every month we also had to sell
that rice. So only half of the total rice we received from farm left with us
for eating. We had faced food shortage problems every year and we had to mix
rice with corn and cassava for every day meals.
When you
were in village, how did the Burmese soldiers treat the villagers, when they
came into village?
When the
Burmese troops came into village, they have always arrested the villagers for
porters. And they also confiscated the villagers' belongings. The also took our
clothes, pots, dishes, domestic raising animals and others. They came and
climbed up every house and took everything what they met.
Have you
ever been as a porter along with Burmese troops and how many times?
I have been
as porter for many times. Last year, I had been as porter for eight times. When
the Burmese troops came into village, they surrounded the whole village first
and entered into village, then arrested every male villagers
including elder persons. The most troops were from IB 61, 62 and 31. After the
villagers were arrested, they had to carry ammunition and supplies for Burmese troops
to Anan Gwin or Wae Ka Lee or Kyun Chaung and Three Pagoda Pass. I have carried
the supplies for many times to Anan Gwin and Wae Ka Lee.
Often arrest of porters and
mistreatments to them in the battlefields
When the
Burmese troops came into village, they always shout the villagers not to flee.
Sometimes, they shout "don't run, don't run, we will catch you with
bullets". If they met you were running, they will shoot
you. In October, I was also arrested as porter soon after I came back
from working in motor road construction. At that time, there were 100 troops
and about 80 porters. I had to carry one basket of rice (about 60 kilograms) to send it to Anan Gwin. It was too heavy for me. When
I could not walk fast like them (soldiers) they shout me and sometimes beat me.
When I was beaten by a soldier with his jungle boot, I was also hit with a
bamboo and I got injury in my foot. Then I could not walk like others. But they
didn't allow to stop. When we reached to Anan Gwin,
.they released me.
Monthly demand of portering
fees and conscription of forced labour for military encampment
You said
you have to pay portering fee every month, if you could not pay them, how they
will treat you?
Last summer
in March, I had to work for one month in military camp of Anan Gwin. Because I could not pay portering fees for three months. At
that time, I was working in border area as day labourer after harvesting, to
get more income for my family. When I was in work, my wife did not pay for
portering fees. When I arrived home back, village headman told me that I had to
work in military camp in Anan Gwin. If not, I had to flee to border area under
control of KNU with my whole family, he gave advice. Anyhow, at that time, I
didn't want to leave my village and decided to work for military. Then, I took
some rice and went to Anan Gwin. When I arrived the
military camp and met military commander there, I told him for my absence
paying portering fees, he said I had to work in military for one month. When I
was in military camp, I had to work making fence, cutting trees and bamboo in
the forest near base and digging earth for bunker and trench. But they didn't
beat me and didn't give me any foods all the time I was there.
Besides
the portering case, the military also forced the villagers to work in Three
Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat motor road construction. You said you have ever worked
in construction, can you explain me?
In second
week of October, the order from the military commander of Taung Zon reached to
village headman and he had to send 10 villagers to work in motor road
construction. When he selected the villagers, I was also participated in the
group. And 10 men from our village and another 20 men from another
villages went to work-site in Tha Nyin. We went by passenger trucks with
our own expenses. If we walked we will be late and punished by soldiers.
In Three Pagoda
Pass-Thanbyuzayat motor road construction, the work-duties are very hard and the
military did not provide any assistance to villager labourers. But the
maltreatment was also committed by the soldiers. The interviewee explained his
experience.
Did the
military provide the villagers some foods and if they became sick, were they
treated by military? And how many days did you have to work in construction?
No, they
didn't give us any food. We brought rice, fish-paste, and salt from home. And
we also had to bring cash from home because we had to buy palm oil, seasoning,
and vegetables when we were working there. At first time, I had to work in
construction for five days, while some villagers had to work for one week or 10
days. It was different, but I don't know why. At second time when I worked in
first week of November, I had to work for 10 days. In the last time third week
of November, I had to work for one week.
Every time
working in construction, I became weak and but luckily I didn't get sick. Some
men older than me also got sick in work-sites but the soldiers didn't provide
them any medical treatment.
Forced labourers in the
construction with rotation basis of villagers' labour contribution
Did the
military define piece of work for your villagers?
They
defined pieces of work for a group of villagers who came from the same village
tract and put them in the same work-site. But they didn't say how the villagers
had to complete the piece of work and when the new group of villagers came, it
replaced with former group and the old villagers could return.
Hard situation in the
construction work-sites :clearing route and building
embankment, and accompanied mistreatment
What
kinds of work-duties did you have to work and were it hard?
Various kinds of works. Firstly, we had to clear all foliage along sides of the
road. Each side of the former route, we had to clear foliage and trees up to
defined width about 50 foot. We had to cut every tree
that lied on the new route and carried it outside the route. At second time, we
were put in a new work-site to cut trees, bamboo and clear the foliage, and
continuously we had to dig the earth, carried dirt and making embankment. In
the last time, we absolutely had to build the embankment. We had to fill with
dirt and stone in the defined width of embankment route. The embankment is
about 2 foot in height. All the
works
were hard. When the working day lasted long, we became more tired and the works
were more harder and harder.
If you could not work according to
instruction of the military, what did soldiers respond
on you?
They shout
us all the time to hurry up and the complete piece of work that they defined
daily. They always shout us, "why you are lazy, why don't you work like
your farm to feed your wife". We worked as hard as we could. The works
were normally harder than the works in our farm. In our farm, we could take a
rest. If we took a rest in road construction, they will beat us.
If you could not contribute labour
in the construction, what kind of punishment will the soldiers treat you?
If you
could not work in the construction, it is better to hire a substitute for
replacement. If you hired, you have to pay 250 Kyat per day and provide rice
for that hired labourer.
When will you return back to your
home village? Do you decide to stay here longer?
I don't know
how to decide. But I am sure, I will not return back in this year. At the
moment the soldiers still forced the villagers to work in motor road
construction. But I don't enter into Thailand and I will make one rice
plantation around here.
Interview#2
Name: U Tha Wai
Sex/ Age: "Male/ 56 years
Nationality/ Religion: Karen/
Christian
Occupation: Farmer
Native Place: Mae Za Lee village,
Kya-Inn-Seikyi township, Karen State
Interview Date: December 16, 1996.
Because of conscription of
forced labour of the local inhabitants and recent human rights abuses, several
Karen villagers also fled into Thailand as immigrants while many of them are
displaced inside Burma. The interviewee explained his experience:
Why did
you come this village (a Karen village in
I arrived
here just two days ago. We are afraid of Burmese Army, then
we had to flee. The soldiers forced us to work in motor road construction every
day and sometime they also arrested us for portering. I left nothing at home to
give them and that was why I fled here. I knew this area well. I ever came here
last three years ago.
Refugee flux and displaced
person in the border area
Did you
bring all your family members along with you and why don't you decide to stay
in refugee camp?
I fled with
all family members and but now I put them in Palaing Japan village (a village
under control of NMSP). Now I came here to find jobs for me and my son to work
for income. I think I could not get good job in refugee camps and that was why
I don't want to stay in refugee camp.
How
difficulty did you face when you came on the way?
It was very
hard. My nephew is only one year old. When we came here we walked straight
along the way to Three Pagoda Pass. We also met with Burmese soldiers in Kyun
Chaung (Kyun Chaung is a place where the SLORC troops taking base and about 5
kilometers far from Three Pagoda Pass) and they asked us where we went. We told
them we would like to visit to our relatives in Three Pagoda Pass. They didn't
make any trouble because we brought nothing along with us that they could
suspect we were fleeing from our native village. We left all our belongings at
home. After we put children and women in a safe place we will return back again
to bring the left belongings.
Conscription of elder persons
into as forced porters and brought to battle-field
What
kinds of abuse did the Burmese soldiers violate to your villagers before you
came here?
Whenever the
Burmese troops came into village, they always arrested the villagers to use as
porters. Last summer, I was arrested as a porter and was taken by troops for
five days. When they came down from Three Pagoda Pass to Thanbyuzayat they also
crossed into our village and arrested villagers. At that time, I was in bed as
I was not so well and I could not escape from arrest of Burmese soldiers. I
thought they will not arrest me as I was an old man. But they took me and
forced to carry six motor shells. It was too heavy.
Did the
fighting occur when you were along with troops?
Yes. The
fighting happened after half a day we left from our village. First, we went to
Ye Phaw. After we left from Ye Phaw when we reached Lone See, the Karen troops
ambushed and fought the Burmese troops. The fighting lasted for half an hour.
Because of the fighting, three porter got injuries, one soldier died and other
two soldiers got injuries. When their soldier died and got injuries, the
soldiers angered to us and shout to hurry up in walking. The troops also didn't
dare to walk along the way. They passed into forest without using ways and all
of us had to walk inside thick bushes and long grass fields. We had to walk for
three day to reach Anan Gwin. After long difficult trip, the troops left small
amount of rice and they didn't feed us for one day. I had to eat wild banana in
the jungle. When we arrived Anan Gwin, they released
us.
In construction of motor
road, some villagers were continuously conscripted as forced labourers for more
than one month. They were not sent to work-site far away from the home villages
and just forced them to work in construction part close to their village.
Conscription of forced labour
to the whole village community in building motorway
You said,
you had to work in motor road construction, and in which part did you have to
work?
I had to
work in motor road construction for more than one month. The road part that
passed through close to our village and in which, all our villagers were forced
to work. We had to work every day. Every able body men and women in village
were forced to work according to the order came from military base of Anan
Gwin. In the morning about 7:00 a.m. we left to work-site and started to work
and we could take a rest at lunch time about 12:00 a.m. And we left to work
about 1:00 p.m. and returned home about 5:30 p.m. We have to take meals in our
home. They didn't feed us any thing. Starting from October, when they started
for construction, about 10 Burmese soldiers also came and stayed in our
village. The villagers have to provide them rice and other supplement foods.
How many
villagers altogether had to work in construction from your village? What kinds
of work they had to work?
About 60
villagers including all men, women and children from our village have to work
in construction every day. The soldiers also watched closely when we were
working and they always checked in each house in the morning to force every villagers before all villagers left to worksite. There were
also about 20 prisoners working together with us. The soldiers brought them
from Yetagon detention center.
Harder conditions for
prisoners in construction's work-sites
We had to
work everything. We had to gather stone and rock from the streams and mountains
and filled in the defined route to make embankment. We also had to fill some
dirt in the holes and we also had to build bridges. We had to walk very far
outside of route to carry stones and sometimes big piece of log. As the width
of the embankment was very large, I think if they used just the villagers to
complete it without using any machines it may last for many years.
Confiscation of villagers'
land, other properties and, destruction of living stocks of the community
Did the military
confiscate the lands of villagers which the route passes through?
We had also
to cut down crop trees that were owned by villagers. The road was passed
through villagers' plantations such as betel-nut, coconut, bamboo and lemon
trees. We also cut a half coconut plantation close to village that the route
passes through. Later the military ordered to cut more other fruit trees. When
I left from village, the rest villagers and prisoners were still cutting many
acres of fruit tree plantations. They also planned and ordered to cut down all
coconut trees which were grown over 15 years. The villagers have also depended
on those trees for their survival. As I knew, the military didn't pay any
compensation to those whose plantations' were confiscated. The road also passes
through coconut plantation near Kung Khun (name of a local area) and all
coconut trees were cut down, the land was confiscated and the military didn't
provide any compensation.
Can you
explain me how the situation of the prisoner who worked close to you?
Yes. The
prisoners had to work harder than us. They had to work for the whole day and
the soldiers provided them very little food. They also locked their legs with
chains and they had to work every works with tied chain. It was difficult for
them to walk, carry materials and dig earth. They were always beaten by
soldiers. The villagers were also beaten by soldiers with sticks but less times than prisoners. At the night time, they also tied
the prisoner with home-poles or trees. They could not sleep well and because of
physically weak, the prisoners also lost consciousness in work-site.
Will you return back soon to your
village if the situation became better?
I don't
think so. I don't know when the
situation will become better.