News,
Personal Accounts, Report & Analysis on Human Rights Situation in Mon
Territory and Other Areas Southern Part of Burma
The Mon Forum
Issue No. 8/98 November 31, 1998
Human Rights Foundation of Monland (BURMA)
Contents
News
(1)
SPDC Police Forced Local Paddy-husking Mills to Provide Rice,
(2) Land
Confiscation for Army's Food Supplies
Reports:
(1)
SPDC Troops' Atrocities against Karen Villagers,
(2)
Rebellion and Related Abuses against the Local Villagers by SPDC troops,
Personal Account:
Interview
with A Village Headman Who Was Tortured by SPDC
Commander.
Some
Acronyms in This Issue
SPDC- State Peace and Development Council,
IB
- Infantry Battalion (of Burmese
Army),
LIB- Light Infantry Battalion (of Burmese
Army),
KNU- Karen National Union,
KNLA- Karen National Liberation Army,
NMSP- New
News
SPDC
Police Forced Local Paddy-husking Mills to Provide Rice
(October, 1998)
Since
June until September, 1998, Kya-Inn-Seikyi and Kawkareik townships' police
stations in Karen State have demanded plain rice (polished rice) from both big
and small paddy-husking mills in
die townships to provide them with food supplies which they needed every month.
According to local police stations' order, the small mill
were instructed to give 25 baskets of paddy or 12 baskets of plain rice
to the nearest police station. Since June, Karen State police department has
cut food supplies to all local police stations and has paid with cash but at
government official price and the concerned polices have taken responsibility
to buy their own food supply from civilians or rice traders.
With the department paid cash, it could not cover to get die needed food
supplies for all polices and their families in stations, and they have found
the way to get it from forcing the local paddy-husking mill owners and
confiscated farmlands from farmers. There are many small paddy-husking mills in
many villages of this area and only a small number of big rice mills are only existing in some large villages. During last year
rainy season, many acres of paddy plants were destroyed and the result of paddy
crop production was also reduced, because of flood. Although the Karen State
government officials established many paddy-buying centers in these two
townships to buy paddy at low price from farmers, they could not make effort to
get the set amount of paddy instructed by government.
After
the government officials could not get the set amount of paddy, they could not
share the needed food supplies to their many department
in
Then
every police station in the towns or in the villages collected the names of the
owners of paddy-husking mills including big rice mills. First, they normally
instructed the big rice mills, which are mostly in towns, to give about 100
baskets to the station, if not they would stop these mills. Continuously, the
stations wrote letters to every paddy-husking small mills
in the village and demanded 20 baskets of plain rice or 50 baskets of paddy
from mill owners from husking paddy. If they did not receive the set amount of
supplies or the mills which was delayed to send rice must be stopped to husk
paddy for one year.
Or,
if the mill owners did not give the set amount of rice on time, they must be
arrested for their refusal to the government police. As an example, because of
his delay to send paddy to the police station, a mill owner, Nai Chit Khaing, a
native of Kawbein
by the police. He was detained in police station for one week
and severely tortured for his delay sending the paddy. After his release, he was
also treated in hospital for another one week.
This
kind of forcible demand for rice supplies from the rice mills by the local
police station was taken place during June to September while many rural
fanners husked their paddy in these mills. Because of this forced confiscation
of rice, the mill owners also have to steal some rice from farmers or
sometimes, they openly discussed and took some rice from farmers.
Land
Confiscation for Army's Food Supplies
(November, 1998)
Since
June until October, many SPDC military battalions in Mon State had confiscated
many hundreds of rice farmlands and salt lands from the local farmers and
forced them again to work in these farms to produce crop and salt. All these
crop or salt productions are taken by soldiers without providing the farmers
with possible payment for land confiscation and labour costs.
The military battalions that base in Ye town, IB No. 61 and LIB No. 343
confiscated about 40 acres of salt land in the west of the town and put the
battalion signboard and declared these lands are owned by army in September.
The land owners were not before hand informed by any authorities or soldiers
and after confiscation, the soldiers went to these land owners and ordered to
keep working in the salt farms but all salt produced from the farms was owned
by army. The land owners did not receive any compensated or labour costs for
their losing lands and for working in the farms. The soldiers have sold all
salt to traders for their battalion funds to buy food supplies especially rice,
fish-paste, bean, milk and other supplement foods to feed their soldiers for
every day's meals.
Additionally,
the battalions of Ye township, IB No. 61, LIB No, 343, and No. 106 also
confiscated about 150 acres of farmlands for each battalion in June without
paying possible compensated costs to the land owners. These confiscated
farmlands are situating about 20 kilometers in die northern part of Ye town
between two villages, Tamortkanin and Thaungbon. After land confiscation, the
soldiers have constantly forced the farmers from Tamortkanin, Thaungbon and
Ara-taung villages, to do ploughing the lands, clearing the grasses, preparing
embankment to store water and growing the plants, etc., in these farms. For
nearly two months, every 30 farmers from these villages had been conscripted to
do farming in these farms until the small plants were well grown. The forcible
conscription of farmers had taken on a rotation basis and about 30 farmers
worked for three days as a one round and they were changed with another a 30
farmers group after three days. The soldiers forced not only farmers, when
these farmers went to soldiers' farms, they also had
to bring their own cattle, oxen or water buffaloes and other equipments along
with them to complete their pieces of work. They also had to take their own
foods for these three days farming along with them.
Similarly,
LIB No. 209 that bases near Kamawet
SPDC
Army Division No. 44 bases in Thaton township also
confiscated about 2000 acres of farmlands in area near their bases.
There
are about 10 SPDC military battalions have been active in Yebyu township area of Tenasserim Division
and the battalions from LIB No. 401 through No. 410 confiscated land from
farmers by forces and have used forced labour to do farming for them. LIB No.
410 battalion confiscated about 50 acres of farmland from Singu village and the
lands were owned by 30 farmers of Singu village including palm plantation land.
After confiscation, the Singu villagers were forced to do farming in these
lands. Similarly, LIB No. 406 confiscated about 60 acres of farmland near Yapu
village and the villagers from Yapu were forced to do farming in that land.
In
Kawkareik township of Karen
State, the local battalions LIB No. 547, 548, and 549 also confiscated about
500 acres of farmlands from 40 farmers near Nabu village and the land owners
have been also hired by the soldiers to do farming in these lands for the
military. The battalions have told to these farmers that they will pay for
farming and so will give farmers with small amount of paddy to these farmers
after crop harvesting, but the farmers have no chance to own the lands in
future. According to government law, the farmers have only rights to do farming
but they do not own any land, because all lands are owned by State. The
battalion commanders also explained the farmers about this law and forced them
to work in their own farms but crop products must be given all to the
battalions.
Therefore,
totally many thousands acres of land in Mon State, Karen State and Tenasserim
Division have been confiscated by the local military battalions or Divisions
concerned. The land confiscation by the military was happened following the
secret directive order from Rangoon Military GHQs in July that the local
battalions by cooperating with the Military Command concerned, must find their
own lands and do farming for food supplies. The GHQs would cut all food
supplies which were previously provided and the battalions should support by
themselves. If the battalion did not follow accordingly to the order, GHQs will
take actions against these battalion commanders.
Because
of this new policy, every local battalions tried to
get possible land close to their base and at the same time, since they have
been soldiers, they did not know how to do farming. In addition, the nearer farmers
have been also forced to work in the farms besides their farmlands were
confiscated by forces.
Report
One:
SPDC
troops' Atrocities against Karen Villagers
The
offensives and Related Abuses
Since
May until September, the SPDC troops of LIB No. 230, 209 under die military
command of Division 22 and IB No. 61's military operation no. 2 have launched
regular military offensives against KNU and KNLA troops in area along Three
Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat motor
road and Zami river. Because of armed conflict between SPDC and KNU/KNLA
troops, the local Mon and Karen local inhabitants in Three Pagoda Pass,
Kya-Inn-Seikyi and Thanbyuzayat townships were always accused as
rebel-supporters or sympathizers and were also inhumanely mistreated by the
SPDC soldiers. They were subjected to be killed, arrested, tortured and raped
whenever the SPDC troops launched offensives. Sometimes, their villages were
totally destroyed and the villagers were ordered to move into SPDC troops
control and desinated villages. On the other hand, SPDC troops also arrested
all male villagers in the village and used them as frontline civilian porters
to carry ammunitions and supplies for military. Sometimes, for the emergency
cases, the soldiers also arrested women and used them as porters.
Killing
and Torturing by LIB No. 230
From May until July, the military battalions LIB No. 230 and 209 have
cooperated in launching unceasing offensives along the motor road and Zami
river, against KNU/KNLA to force all Karen troops to move out from the areas.
Therefore, many villagers were suffered from this offensives.
In the third week of May, when the troops from LIB No. 230 approached to
Maezalee village, situates on the motor road, die soldiers also shot down 26
years old a Karen woman, Naw Buu Htae, and her 10 months old son, Ah Chon, in
the small bush near the village. About 6:30 p.m. in the evening time, while the
SPDC troops were waiting for KNLA troops at the entrance of the village, the
woman went into village and soldiers shot at her. She and her son died on the
spot. In second week of June, the same troops came into Maetabu village, which
is about one kilometer from motor road, and tried to arrest some villagers to
use them as porters. Most villagers were afraid of being beaten by soldiers and
many men fled from the village to escape the arrest. So the soldiers could
arrest only three old men in the village, including village secretary, Saw Ne
Mi Sein (70 years), and beat them severely and accused all fled villagers as
KNLA soldiers. These three men were tied up with ropes and hanged up in the
trees and the soldiers beat them with rifle butts and sticks. On the next day,
the same troops went to Apalon village and also killed a Karen villager, Kyaw
Lwin (24 years), outside of village with accusation he was a contact person for
KNLA troops. While the troops rounded up the village, he went to his farm and
left from the entrance of the village and so he was arrested. The soldiers
interrogated about the KNLA troops in the area. He replies he did not know and
the soldiers also tortured to tell about KNLA troops and the rebel bases. At
the end, they killed with accusation he was a contact person for KNLA troops,
because of his constant replies that he did not know about KNLA troops. After
killing of a villager, the troops went into villages and also beat other five
village leaders, Saw Ba Aie (52 years), Saw Aung Nyunt Shwe (41 years), Saw Ba
Kyi (22 years), Saw Ba Kyaing (35 years) and Saw Aye Hlaing (56 years), they
were severely beaten by soldiers with accusation they were keeping KNLA contact
person in the village.
Later,
in July, LIB No. 230 moved down along Zami river area and cooperated with LIB
No. 209 and launched joint military operation to attack against the KNU along
the river and Kya-Inn-Seikyi township area. The fighting constantly occurred
along Zami river area and most villagers in this area have been displaced. Most
villagers were instructed to not allow any KNU troops to stay or to pass into
their villages. Most villages in this area were already ordered to move into
three designated places before the end of 1997 (see The Mon Forum, Issue No.
1/98, Report: Forced Relocation in
Torturing
and Rape by IB No. 62
On
July 26, to change troop location with LIB No. 343 that based in
Then
on the next day, July 27, the troops moved into Paungkhaw village (with 50
households), which was far about one hour walk from Maetabu, and tried to
arrest all men in the village. But most of them already fled and they just
arrested only five villagers. These villagers were severely beaten by soldiers
while they were interrogating them about KNLA troops and why the
villagers allowed KNLA troops to launch activities in the area. Then, the
troops of IB No. 62 moved and reached to Three Pagoda Pass on July 30.
Because
of the order from Southeast Military Command, IB No. 62 troops have launched
the offensives against KNLA troops along Three Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat motor
road with plan to re-build the road and use it in dry season. The troops went
into every village and forced the villagers to show the KNLA bases. When the
troops reached near Apalon village, they arrested about 10 villagers from the
hilly rice farms and asked them about the bases of KNLA troops. When the
villagers could not give clear answer to them, all of them were severely beaten
and prohibited the farmers to not go to the farms, because the soldiers tried
to cut contact between KNLA troops and Karen civilians. On September 29, this
military operation was attacked by KNLA troops near Khonkhan village and the
soldiers were angry to nearest villages. When the troops went village, the
soldiers took every villagers' belongings along with them, so at the end, the
village was totally destroyed.
Report
Two:
Rebellion
and Related Abuses against the Local Villagers by SPDC Troops
Accusation
of Rebel-supporters and Other Violations by SPDC in Ye
Township
Since
the new formed "Mon Armed Group" which has no official political
name, has been active in most part of Ye southern part and Yebyu township
areas, the local Mon inhabitants in over 30 villages have been accused as rebel-supporters
or sympathizers by the local SPDC battalions. Since June, with attempt to keep
more control in the area and prevention the deployment of SPDC troops in the
area, the armed group has operated more attacks against the SPDC troops who
came into area and war situation has escalated in the region. SPDC troops also
have tried to block the movement of Mon rebels both on land and in sea routes.
The SPDC troops have re-used "four cuts campaign" against the Mon
armed group and tried to cut all contacts such as information, food supplies,
recruitment and moral support from the villagers to the armed group. Following
this new policy adopted by the SPDC troops, the villagers in these areas have
faced more and more difficult situation to stay in their villages and they have
been constantly punished by the government troops.
Additionally,
the villagers are also suffered from the constant conscription of forced labour
by SPDC troops in their attempts to deploy firm and absolute control in the
area. More military encampments have been built in the area or the former encampment were re-built to be more stronger to protect from
attack, and so the villagers in these area are suffered from forced labour.
They have to contribute their manual labour in building the military
encampment. A result of more SPDC troops' activities in the area is more arrest
of civilian porters in the area and the villagers have been continuously
suffered from the forced portage conscripted by SPDC troops.
Therefore,
the villagers have faced very unsafe and unstable situation in the area. Some
villagers also decided to move from their villages and fled to other areas
normally NMSP control area where they feel more safe
than their area. Some villagers also moved into SPDC firm control area like Ye and other villages where SPDC has military outpost,
because they anyhow would contribute labour and pay tax to the soldiers, but
could escape from torturing and killing by soldiers. They expected the
situation is more better than they were in the villages.
Thousands of villagers are still displaced in their own area. This kind of
villagers would not like to abandon their belongings in the village such as
houses, gardens, rice, livestocks and others, and rice farms, fruit plantations
and when they have chance they will return homes. They villagers who could pay
ransom and regular tax such as portering fees, development funds for government
infrastructure projects and security fees for local troops could be avoided
from forced labour and other mistreatments. However, the villagers have faced
escalated difficult situation to stay and survive in the area. But they have
very little choice to flee from their origin country to cross the border into
Killing
and Torturing following the Allegation of Rebel-supporters
After
the SPDC troops from IB No. 61 were attacked by Mon troops in the last week of
May, the joint operation of SPDC troops including LIB No. 408, No. 273, No. 343
and IB No. 61 also went into many Mon villages and tried to arrest the
villagers who have contact with Mon armed group. On June 8, about 60 troops of
LIB No. 408 also went into Kronekanya village and arrested two villagers,
namely, Nai Mit (48 years) and Nai Aung Kyi (35 years) with accusation they
were contact persons for Mon rebels. Actually, these two men's rice farms
were near the sea and the Mon troops also passed near die farms to get boats
after die}' fought with SPDC troops. Therefore, they were accused as
rebel-supporters. After arrest, they were severely tortured by SPDC soldiers.
The LIB No. 408 battalion's column commander also cut the face and throat of
Nai Mit with knife with his own hand. When they interrogated Nai Aung Kyi about
the Mon troops he could not give satisfied answers to the commander because he
could not speak Burmese language. The commander also angered to him and beat
him. They also cut his mouth and face. Then the soldiers took his eyes and, cut
and open his stomach with knife. Thus, he died in the hands of LIB No. 408's
commander and soldiers.
Similarly, when the
Mon troops passed near her farm. they also took foods
in a rice farm hut owned by a woman with five children, Mi Khin Ye (42 years).
Therefore, when the LIB No. 408 troops turned head to Mi-htaw-hla Kalay
village, Ye township, from Kronekanya village on June
9, and they arrested Mi Khin Ye in the village. Although Mi Khin Ye said he
knew about the Mon troops took dinner in her farm but she was not there at that
time. The soldiers angered to her and took her outside of village. They did not
torture but shot at her and so she died on the spot.
On
July 30, the SPDC troops from IB No. 106 had big fighting with Mon troops in
Yindein village, about 20 kilometers from Ye, and both
sides' soldiers were injured. Then the SPDC local military strategic commander
also ordered to all battalions to force the Mon troops out of
this area within two weeks, first and second week of August.
Following this order, the local military battalions gave instructive orders to
the villages in the area through village leaders to inform about the activities
of the Mon troops or if not, the villagers or village leaders must be punished.
They also instructed to give the names of suspected villagers, who might have
contact with Mon troops, to their battalions.
During
these two weeks military operation, the soldiers also ordered to every village,
to not go to their rice farms or plantation, to not keep foods in the farm
huts, to not go to the sea for fishing, to not use forest route to travel from
village to another or if possible to not travel anywhere and to not use torch
lights at night time. The SPDC troops also expected that the Mon rebels would
use the forest roads and traveled at night time by using torch lights. In
operation to launch attacks and force the Mon troops out of the area, the
strategic commander also used both troops based in Ye township and Yebyu
township area.
On
August 7, when SPDC troops from LIB No. 408 went into Thaungkhun village in
evening time about
On
August 15, another villager from Koemile village was killed and other four
villagers were severely tortured by soldiers from IB No. 61 which was taking
base in Koemile village. The troops from LIB No. 61 was conscripting forced
labour from Koemile and forced the villagers to build military barracks in
their outpost on a rotation basis. The conscription of forced labour have been taken place since June and so the villagers knew
their round to work for the military at least one week in a month. Thus, some
villagers also left from villages to town or another places
to seek jobs for income and were away from the village if the round to work for
the army did not reach.
However,
in August, the soldiers took unregular forced labourers from Koemile village.
While five villagers from Koemile village, namely, (1) Nai Myint Sein, 25
years; (2) Nai Maung Than, 35 years; (3) Nai Win Maung, 21 years; (4) Nai Krok,
49 years and (5) Nai Maung Hla, 34 years, were in a fishing village working as
fishermen, they were asked to work in the outpost. Their families could not
substitute with another villager labourers and the commander in the outpost
angered to them. When they came back to their village, these five men were
arrested by IB No. 61's outpost commander, Sergeant Pauk Khaw, and detained in
the outpost.
While
they were in detention, they also asked why they did not come to work in the
last week to build the military barracks. Nai Myint Sein had an argument with
Sergeant Pauk Khaw and said the villagers had no time to work for income. The
commander also angered to him and alleged he was encouraged by Mon armed group
to against SPDC troops. Then the soldiers changed questions and asked about the
activities of Mon troops in the area where they worked as fishermen. Nai Myint Sein
also said as he was not the native villager in the fishing village, he did not
know well about the activities of the Mon troops. The commander and soldiers
also beat Nai Myint Sein. After he was seriously tortured, he was brought
outside of village and killed by Sergeant Pauk Khaw and his soldiers with
knife.
Moreover,
the other four villagers were seriously punished by soldiers when they were
interrogated about the activities of Mon troops. They also cut Nai Maung Than
and Nai Win Maung ears and pulled hot water to their mouths. Their throats were
also cut and beaten for several times, whenever they said they did not know
about Mon troops and their activities. Similarly Nai Krok and Nai Maung Hla
were severely tortured by soldiers.
The
commander also reported to IB N o. 61 battalion HQs in Ye that they also killed
a contact person of Mon troops, Nai Myint Sein, and other four villagers who
went along with Nai Myint Sein were detained and tortured to get more
information. HQs also instructed their outpost commander that to not release
the remaining four villagers and said to treat their wounds in outpost.
Therefore, the soldiers did not allow any family members or relatives to meet
these villagers in the outpost. They were detained in the outpost for one month
and battalion also treated them in there. After one month, HQs found they were
not rebel-supporters and ordered the outpost commander to release them. But no
action was taken against the outpost commander by HQs for his killing and
torturing innocent villagers.
In
the second week of August, because of the disappearance of village chairman in
Mi-htaw-hla Kalay village, Ye township, the SPDC
troops LIB No. 273 -also angered to the villagers. On August 10, the LIB No.
273 troops also went into this village and arrested the eldest and younger
brothers of village chairman, Nai Kalar Mae (62 years) and Nai Tin Maung (52
years). They also accused these two villagers that the chairman went to rebel
group and tried to against them. Two villagers refused and said their brother
was not interested about the Mon troops and he just escaped from torturing of
SPDC commander, because the chairman was beaten by a commander from IB No. 106
in May. They did not believe these villagers and tortured them. They let these
two villagers dig the earth and put them in the holes. The soldiers covered the
whole bodies of these two men and beat them. They also burnt dried leaves
outside of the holes and kicked the heads. They also cut the ears and
interrogated whether their brother joined the Mon troops or not. Whenever the
two villagers said they did not know about their brother, they were severely
beaten. At the end, those two villagers lost conscienceness and the soldiers
let the villagers take them out of holes. As a result, former village
chairman's elder brother Nai Kalar Mae became crazy and younger brother Nai Tin
Maung also entered into monkhood after release.
These
are the instances of the mistreatment against the villagers, such as killing
and torturing. As the local villagers are blocked in their own area, and
dangerous situation in the area, all information of killing and torturing are
not unable to inform to the outsiders.
Mistreatment
against the
Since
June, soon after the Mon troops have been active, the local village leaders in
the area concerned are instructed by the nearest local SPDC battalions to keep
inform about the activities of Mon troops. According to the local battalions'
instruction, if the Mon troops came into their villages, or passed close to the
villages, the village leaders must immediately inform the nearest SPDC outpost
by sending villagers and letters. In informing about the Mon troops, those
village leaders must describe, who lead the troops, how many troops, when they
arrive to village or pass close to it, what kinds of armed they are holding,
etc..
In
addition, the village leaders are absolutely ordered to not support the Mon
troops with foods and information. They are also barred to not provide any
porters to the rebel troops. If someone, village leaders or ordinary villagers,
support rebels or sympathize them, he/she must face death penalty. Moreover,
the SPDC troops also gave secret order to the village leaders that if they met a
suspect or a stranger, they must immediately contact the nearest SPDC outpost.
Under the various kind of instruction, the village leaders have faced more and
more difficulties to survive.
In
second week of May, Captain Khin Maung Myint of IB No. 106 also beat the
village chairman of Mi-htaw-hla Kalay, Nai Khee (55 years) (see his personal
account on the next page) for his delay to inform about the Mon troops'
activities who passed close to his village. During this week, IB No. 106 also
launched military operation to find the Mon rebel troops in the area and
suddenly arrived to Mi-htaw-hla Kalay village after the Mon troops left about
one and half hour. Soon after the Mon troops left, the village chairman also
immediately wrote a letter and sent it with a villager to LIB No. 343 that
based in Khawza village. Actually, LIB No. 343's Khawza village outpost was the
nearest one and he was also instructed by this battalion to keep informing
about the activities of Mon rebel troops. He did not know the military operation
of IB No. 106 appeared in his village. Then the commander also asked the
village chairman why he kept silence about the activities of Mon troops near
his village and beat him without inquiring more information. Although the
chairman complained that he already informed about the Mon troops' activities
to LIB No. 343 and the villager was still walking to Khawza village to reach
the outpost, but the commander did not trust him and hit his face. The village
chairman was seriously injured and moved to Ye for treatment. After treatment,
he decided to stay in a village under control of NMSP After his disappearance, his two brothers were severely tortured by
government troops. (See above, killing and torturing of the villagers.) After
his resignation of chairman post, every one in the village tried to avoid to be village chairman. Then, LIB No. 343 troops came and
appointed the new chairman in July.
In
the first week of July, because of the fighting in the surrounding area, four
village leaders of Kaw-hlaing village, Nai Tin Hlaing, Nai Kyi, Nai Shwe and
Nai Pu, were kidnapped by the SPDC troops from IB No. 61 battalion from Ye.
This village is about 15 kilometers far and situates in the west of the town.
They were severely tortured by the government troops during they were detained
over two weeks in both a outpost in Hangan village and
battalion HQs. After these arrested village leaders' families paid a ransom of
30,000 Kyat per head, they were released by the battalion. (See in news, The
Mon Forum Issue No. 7/ 98.)
Similarly,
in August, Khawza fishing village's chairman was severely beaten by LIB No.
273's soldiers for his delay to inform about activities of Mon troops. When the
Mon troops came into this fishing village, they also took two fishing boats and
went to the sea. While he prepared a report finding someone who can write
Burmese language, about 20 SPDC troops suddenly came into village and arrested
all villagers. The soldiers also angered to village chairman and they punished
him for his delay to inform the arrival of Mon troops to the village and
providing boats for them. The soldiers pressed the stomach of village
secretary, Nai Dot (40 years), with a round bamboo stick for many rounds. He
also lost conscienceness for one day and one night and received inner injuries.
The commander did not allow to bring the secretary to
hospital. After the troops left, his family brought him to hospital in Ye town
and was treated in hospital for three weeks. He got serious pains in stomach
and three bones broke. He also resigned as village chairman and the new
chairman was also appointed. In first week of September, the new chairman was
also severely tortured by this battalion's soldiers again. After he received
village chairman post, he also went to other villages for trading to sell dried
fishes. When the Mon troops passed his village he was away and the LLB No. 343
troops also angered to him. When he arrived back to village, he was arrested
and beaten. The soldiers also take his eyes and said that his eyes were useless
and careless. Because of torturing, his two eyes also were blind and he was
brought to
On
September 2, the SPDC troops from LIB No. 273 led by Maj. Maung Maung Than also went into Tawbaung village and beat the village
chairman, Nai Aung (52 years) and secretary, Nai Hla Pe (48 years) were
severely tortured for their inability to arrange for needed porters. According
to LIB No. 273's
instruction, they ordered to arrange five porters from the
village with 30 households for every day use of the troops. On that day, when
the troops arrived the village, they received only
four porters and asked the village chairman and secretary why they could not
provide another porter. The village leaders said one porter was sick and he
could not walk and so, to forgive him. The commander angered to village
chairman and secretary and beat them. The secretary's bones broke and he was
treated at home for one month and could not walk for one month. Because of this
severe torturing, the chairman sold his house at low
price and moved to other place.
On
September 19, when the Burmese troops from LIB No. 273 led by Maj. Maung Maung
Than went into Kyonekanya village, there was no village chairman and the
commander was unable to get porters or to get information about the activities
of the Mon troops. All villagers except women and children already fled to
escape from mistreatment of soldiers and conscription of forced labour and
porterage. Therefore, the commander also called a meeting with villagers and
asked someone to be a chairman. As there was no man, nobody accepted as
chairman. So he angered and went to monastery and forced a Buddhist monk to
disrobe and take chairman post. Among three monks in the monastery, Nai Hataik
was a former village secretary and the commander forced him to disrobe. The
commander also told the villagers that if the monk did not disrobe, or no one
acted as village chairman, the village must be destroyed and the
villagers must be relocated. Therefore, Nai Hataik disrobed to prevent the
distroyance of village and forced relocation of the villagers.
Recently,
the SPDC troops also instructed the villagers that they must have always
prepared 20 porters from one hundred households for daily use in their military
battalions and later many villagers especially men escaped from the forced
labour and portage. So the commander also angered to the village leaders and
beat them. Because of this inhuman treatment for several time,
the village chairman escaped from village and the secretary, Nai Hataik, also
entered into monkhood to avoid torturing. Again, the secretary was forced to
disrobe by soldiers and forced him to manage for villager labourers and
porters.
Because
of this severe torturing to the village community leaders, many village leaders
in these villages have fled to escape the mistreatment. Normally, even the new
appointed village leaders were also severely punished by the soldiers when they
dissatisfied on them. Many villages in the area became lack of leadership and
could not manage for the administration. Therefore, the community practices
have been gradually ruin by the SPDC soldiers.
Personal
Account
Interview with A Village Headman Who Was Tortured by
SPDC Commander
Because
of armed fighting and the rebellion by a Mon armed group, many Mon villagers
have been displaced while some fled to NMSP control area to escape from
killing, torturing, and other related abuses.
On October 23. our
human rights also conducted an interview with a village chairman from
Mi-htaw-hla Kalay village as below;
Name;
Nai Khee Age/Sex: (55) years/ male
Nationality/
Religion: Mon/ Buddhist
Occupation:
Farmer
Native Place; Mi-htaw-hlar Kalay village. Ye Township,
When did you arrive to
this village and why did you flee from your village?
I
arrived here about one month ago.
Because of Mon troops activities led by Nai Ah Bin. and
Nai Kyine Daik in around our area, the Burmese troops (SPDC troops) always came
into our village and always asked for porters and cash from village. Sometimes
they came and tortured the villagers who were suspected as contact persons of
the Mon armed group. In second week of
May, I was also beaten by a Burmese commander from LIB No. 106 and that was why
I flee.
What SPDC battalions
have been active in your area and how did they treat the villagers?
There
have been about 4 Burmese battalions, such as LIB No. 343, No. 408, IB No. 61
and IB No. 106 -have been active and always came into our village when I was as
a village chairman since two years ago. Since the beginning of this year
(Burmese calendar year since April, 1998), the Burmese army launched offensives
to the Mon troops led by Nai Bin and Nai Hlein. Thus, whenever the Burmese, troops came into
our village, they also asked many questions to me and took at least three
villager porters from our
village. And they also
asked for foods such as rice, chicken, pork and beer, and so the villagers had
to pay for it.
Did you keep good
relationship with them (Burmese soldiers) and now you can manage for the
labour, porters and other materials that the Burmese army asked?
No.
I had stayed as normal. If I kept very
good relationship with them, they will take more from the villagers and it
could not make any profit to anyone. For example, if the soldiers needed about
10 villagers to be porters., I always asked to reduce
them up to five persons.
Concerning to the activities of Mon
armed group, how the Burmese troops instructed to you and what kind of
punishment you must be received if you failed your duty.
Yes,
there are a lot of instructions came to me by the commanders of the battalions
concerned. Normally, we must have to
inform about the activities of Mon troops regularly and soon after the Mon
soldiers passed into our village or outside of our village, we must write and
send the reports to the nearest Burmese battalion. In the report, we also had to describe, the
numbers of Mon troops, names of their leaders, what kinds of arms they were
holding, what routes they used and form which village they came, to where they
went and did they prepared to attack the Burmese Army and etc.. Because of too many questions and detail facts
to put in the report, sometimes, we also forgot to put some facts and the
Burmese soldiers also angered to us.
Did the Burmese soldiers ever punish you
because of your failure to report them about the activities of Mon soldiers?
Yes. That was why I flee from my village. Before April of this year, I always informed
and reported about the activities of Mon troops to the nearest
Burmese army's military outpost, LIB No, 343 which had bases
in Khawza village, about 15 kilometers north from our village. Thus, 1 have good
relationship with LIB No, 343. But in
second week of May, soon after the Mon troops passed close our village, I also
prepared a report like before and sent it to LIB No. 343 by sending a villager
to walk to outpost. While my villager
was walking for one hour to LIB No. 343's outpost, there were about 60 troops
from IB No. 106 led by Captain Khin Maung Myint, which came from the south and
suddenly arrived to the village. The commander asked many questions to me about
the activities of Mon troops. He also argued that why I didn't inform anything
about the Mon troops. I told him that I
already informed about all about Mon troops to LIB No. 343. He said he didn't get contact or radio
message from the LIB No, 343. So I told
him my villager walked only for one hour and he could not reach to LIB No.
343's outpost. He also accused me that
I had delayed to inform about Mon troops because I supported their activities
and let them go far to avoid from the attack.
I complained I never had like this mental behaviour and I was always keeping
informed about the activities of the Mon troops to Burmese Army Because of my complaint, he angered to me
and beat and hit me with fists. He hit
me several times with his fists to my face.
My tooth also broke and my face was immediately getting pain. I could not eat foods for nearly 10 days.
Did you continue working as village
chairman, after you was beaten?
No.
I decided to resign as village chairman.
Then I left from village for nearly one month to find a new place to
stay. First I went to a village near Ye
town and stayed there for two month, but I kept myself silence. I didn't contact anyone because I worried
that the Burmese battalions asked me to be chairman again. First, my wife and daughters also brought
all our belongings to Ye and decided to settle in Ye. But the Burmese soldiers also tried to
arrest me and tortured my two brothers who left in the village.
Why did they arrest you and how did the
soldiers mistreat your brothers?
On
July 30, when the Burmese soldiers were attacked by Mon troops, the troops from
LIB No. 273 also accused that I had contacted with Mon troops: disappeared from
the village. Because of my connection
with Mon troops, the Burmese soldiers were attacked, said by commander of LIB
No. 273. Therefore, they arrested my eldest brother, Nai Kalar Mae (62 years
old) and my younger brother Nai Tin Maung (52 years old), and tortured
them. The soldiers let my brothers to
dig the earth and put them in the holes until their neck. They also covered the holes with earth and
tortured them to tell truth about me and asked them how I contacted the Mon
soldiers. Both my brothers told soldiers that I didn't contact any Mon soldiers
and stayed in a village near Ye, After enough torturing my brothers, they
released them and LIB No. 273 also informed IB No. 106 troops to arrest me in
the village I stayed. After severe
torturing by soldiers, my eldest brother also became crazy and my younger
brother entered into the monkhood. Then
I decided to flee to NMSP control area like now.
What did you left in
your native village and do you want to go back home in near future?
No,
It is impossible to go back home in near future, because the Burmese troops
accused me I was rebel-supporter. I had
to abandon everything when I came from my village. I got only some clothes and pots. I
abandoned a big house which costs about 1 million Kyat, one
betel-nut plantation and another one coconut plantation. My betel-nut plantation could produce the
worth of 500,000 Kyat of betel-nuts every year while I received about nearly
worth of 300,000 Kyat from my coconut plantation. When I was in village, I could pay every
thing for the military : whenever
they asked portering fees, development fees for motor road and railway
constructions, regular tax from village to support the Burmese troops. Even sometimes, when the soldiers took beer
and other foods from the village shops, I myself paid for the costs. Now, they accused me totally rebel-supporter
and I could be killed by soldiers if they met me in the village. Therefore, I decided I will not go back home
until the situation totally improves.