News,
Personal Accounts, Reports & Analysis on Human Rights Situation
In
Electric Publication by
HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION
OF MONLAND
The
Mon Forum
ISSUE NO. 10/2002; OCTOBER 31,
2002; MONTHLY PUBLICATION
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COMMENTARY:
Welcome UN Resolutions for Improvement of Human Rights Standards
Since many previous years
until this year, UN General Assemblies have asked
However for
several years, the regime has refused or has made delay to the international
independent bodies to monitor human rights: labour standards; woman and child
rights; violations against ethnic civilians in conflict area; and freedom of
association and expression. This is a
clear sign that the regime has not welcomed political
reform for democratization and positive political negotiation, although it
claims ‘national reconciliation’.
It has some
positive signs that the regime has cooperated with international organizations;
such as cooperation with ICRC; appointment of ILO’s a
liaison officer; and visits UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur on a regular
basis.
But it is not
enough. The mandate
of international organizations or representatives to have access up to the
areas where human rights conditions are still worst. Additionally, there must be in need of
serious pressure to the regime to cease all types of human rights violations
committed by its authorities and members of Burmese Army.
NEWS:
Forced labour in Ye-Tavoy motor road repairs
(October 2002,
Starting
from October 8 until 25, a local military battalion in Yebyu
Towship, LIB No. 282 has forced many hundreds of Mon
and Karen people in Ye-Tavoy motor road repairs.
This motor road is over 100 miles long and connects Ye Town in
LIB
No. 282 commander, Lt. Col. Maung Aung led in the conscription of forced labour
from local villages, which situates along the motor road. The villagers from over 15 villages under Yapu, Aleskan, Kalein-aung and Pauk-pin-gwin
village tracts of
The
conscripts were forced in works laying stones (to be ready for tarring), digging water canals alongside of the road, clearing
bushes and grasses alongside of the road and repairing some bridges.
Villagers
were instructed to carry their own foods from their homes and walked to work
site every day if they were close. By
the instruction of the army commander, the village headmen asked one villager
from each household to contribute their unpaid labour. Piece of work for the villagers is: 3
villagers must complete all works laying stones; digging canals; and clearing
grasses and bushes in 1 furlong length of the road.
According
to a villager from Aleskan village, they were ordered
to work for 7 days in the work site to complete the duty. If the work site was far from their villages,
the villagers also had to travel by ferry to reach there. They also had to pay ferry cost, 700-1400
Kyat depending on distance from their villages to work sites. As they have to work for many days they also
slept in army barracks at night.
In
some houses, if men were working in farms, the women and children (under 18
years old) had to go instead of their fathers.
If one house could not go, they had to hire a substitute by paying 5000
Kyat for the whole work duty or for 7 days works.
The
village headmen managed on a rotation basis in sending the villager labourers
to work site. If they failed to manage
they must be punished by Burmese Army.
At least one member of every family have to
work in the work site. The road repairs completed on October 25.
Paddy destroyed by flood, difficult for farmers to sell their paddy
In
many parts of
Since the early of October, the authorities from Township’s Myanmar
Agriculture Products Trade Department have entered many villages in Mon State
and forced the farmers to sign a contract that promising they would sell the
set amount of paddy to the government paddy-buying center after harvest. Harvest time is normally in early December
and farmers could complete all their cultivation activities.
Regime
authorities always pressured to farmers to sell their paddy crops to their
paddy-buying centers first before they bring to their homes. As the quality of lands is different from
between one Township to another, the authorities
orders to farmers also different.
According to orders
However,
farmers are too disappointed with this order because every farmer lost their
paddy crops. In northern part of Ye
Township alone, the paddy in over 500 acres of agriculture lands are destroyed
by flood.
Some
farmers in Ye, Mudon, Kyaikmayaw
and
The
regime forced the farmers to sell their paddy at low price, 300-350 Kyat per basket to their paddy-buying center. Currently the paddy price in the market is
2000 Kyat per basket.
Most
disappointed situation is the farmers did not have available paddy crops for
selling even at low price to the regime set paddy-buying. Most farmers said they would face detention
by the authorities if they failed to sell the set amount of paddy.
Guards for Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas pipeline
(October 2002,
Ye Township,
Since
September, the villagers in the northern part of Ye Township have been forced
to guard and sometimes are forced rebuild the embankment of Kanbauk-Myaingkalay
gas pipeline, which passed close to their villages.
Villagers
are forced to guard that gas pipeline both day and night and Burmese Army’s
battalions, LIB No. 586 and IB No. 61 have responsibility in conscription of
the villagers to use them in guarding gas pipeline and sometimes forced them
for some repairs of pipeline embankment.
Due
to flood in last rainy season, in some area of gas pipeline route, the earth
above pipeline was thrown away and then the army ordered the villagers to fill
earth onto pipeline. In September, many
villagers were forced to do this covering gas pipeline works. At the same time, they were forced to guard
the pipeline.
In
early October, LIB No. 586 commanders also went into villages and instructed to
villagers to guard the pipeline both day and night, and if the pipeline was
sabotaged they must have to take responsibility.
According
to a 50 years old woman from Kyone-por village, she
said that the army commander ordered every household must take responsibility
in guarding the pipeline and if the explosion occurs near their guarding place,
they must be punished. She added that
the army threatened them they must face imprisonment for life. If the gas pipeline was sabotaged near a
village, the villagers from that village had to pay 10 million Kyat.
Because of
this order, many villagers would like to move from their villages. However the villagers are not allowed to move
from their villages, because the headmen worried there would be no villager
left in the village.
NEWS IN BRIEF:
SPDC’s Various Types of Tax Collection in Mon
State
Tax for competition of paddy planting
(August 2002, Ye
Township,
In August 2002, when MOMC
No. 19 commander Brigadier Ye Myint planned to
arrange a competition for paddy planting in Lamine
village’s farm, Ye Township, he ordered the authorities to collect money from
the villages.
This
fund collection to spend for several expenses in competition. They ordered the village headmen from Lamine village to collect this fund from villages under Lamine village tract.
There are 6 villages in that village tract.
The authorities ordered
to collect 300 Kyat from each household.
In 6 villages in this village tract, there are about 4000 households and
the authorities could receive over 1 million Kyat fund in total.
The authorities and army
commander spent just small amount of money in giving prizes to winners in
competition.
A farmer said, ‘they got
large money and they would not spend all money.
I think they would share among them’.
In
Forcibly Education Fund
(July 2002, Ye Township,
To equip a computer
system in No. 2 Basic High School in Ye town, Township authorities collected
large amount of fund from the people in town and villages.
In creating ‘multimedia
and computer room’ in High School, as the authorities required about one
million Kyat from Ye Town alone and MOMC No. 19 commander Brigadier Ye Win also
ordered the authorities to collect fund from every town section.
The authorities collected
100, 000 Kyat from each section and Ye Township has about 10 town
sections. Thus, the authorities could
get one million Kyat totally for this purpose.
Police’s
fund-raising program
(August 2002,
In early August, the
police officers forcibly sold tickets to civilians to watch boxing stage, with
price of 1000 Kyat per sheet.
The police department
planned to hold boxing stage in
They stopped ferries that
came from various villages and towns to capital
As they were sure that
the civilians from the rural area could not enable to watch boxing in the
capital, then they forced more and more passengers to buy tickets. They could raise a lot of income. Not only passengers in ferries, they also
sold passengers who traveled by motorcycles.
Although many passengers refused they would not like to buy tickets,
because they are not interested in boxing, but were forced to buy anyhow.
From this
selling tickets, the police department could receive some million Kyat
and it greatly supports their fund-raising program. They could not only spend for all
administrative purposes of their office, but they could put into their pockets.
Fund for food to
soldiers
(July 2002, Ye Township,
The village headmen of Khaw-za village, southern part of Ye Township, collected
500 Kyat from every house on a monthly basis, to pay for food expenses that
paid in feeding Burmese soldiers.
Whenever Burmese soldiers
(local name for members of Burmese Army) arrived into Khaw-za
village, they always asked village headmen to provide them some food,
especially rice and meat. Additionally,
they also asked liquor, beer, bervarages and
cigarettes. Village headmen had to
manage and bought foods, beer, liquor, beverages and cigarettes with debt and
promised to pay later.
The Burmese Army’s
military columns arrived into village many times. Each time, the headmen had to feed at least
20 soldiers and sometimes, up to 200 soldiers.
Whether the number of soldiers were much or
less the headmen needed to arrange for foods and other stuff for them.
For the headmen, they
were too busy for this management because the Burmese soldiers came into
village very often. As an example, IB
No. 61’s 70 troops went into village on 2nd July and stayed there
for 3 days. After only one day IB No.
61 troops left, another 60 troops from LIB No. 343 came into village
again. They stayed for another three
days.
Thus, the village headmen
have to spend a lot of money for feeding different group of soldiers. Burmese soldiers never brought their own food
and just ask from the civilians.
As Khaw-za
village has about 800 households, the headmen could collect 300000-400000 Kyat
from the villagers. At the end of each
month, the headmen had to pay all debts to shops from where they bought food
and other stuff.
Fund for hospital
building
(August 2002, Ye
Township,
For the repairs of Ye
town public hospital and to buy supplementary medicines, under the direction of
MOMC No. 19, the Township and Village PDC authorities also collected fund from
the civilians.
The commander of MOMC No.
19, Brigadier Ye Win ordered to the authorities to collect 50000 Kyat from each
section in town. The authorities
collected 50000 Kyat from each section in town and there were 10 sections totally.
Again, the commander
instructed to village authorities that they needed to collect 100, 000 Kyat
from big village and 50, 000 Kyat from small village. There are over 50 villages under full- or
semi-control of PDC.
On August 13, Township
authorities and MOMC No. 19 commanders celebrated a ceremony for receiving
donated money. They totally received about 5 million Kyat in total from forcing the civilians to provide
fund.
According to a man from
Ye Town said, ‘they forced us to pay money, but they declared in the ceremony
that we voluntarily donate the money.
That is how they lie’. This type
of fund collection for hospital repairs and supplementary medicine supplies is
done yearly.
On villager from rural
area said, ‘whenever the patients arrive to hospital for treatment, we do not
see any medicines in hospital. Now, they
said they collect fund to buy medicines for hospital, but we always experienced
buying medicines in shops outside of hospital’.
Health system the worst
one in the world and the patients could not rely on. However, the corrupted army commanders and
authorities collected fund by showing health purpose.
Arrest of women and
fines from illegal lottery
(July 2002,
Police officers have
allowed illegal lottery that copied from
However, on July 4, an police officer from nearer Kamawet
police station, the area police officer Sergeant Hla Cho came to Yaung-daung, in
southern part of Township and arrested two Mon women, Mi Khin Aye and Mi Aye
Mon, who involved in selling lottery.
Mi Aye Mon was released when a village headman guaranteed for her.
But Mi Khin Aye was
brought to police station. While the
police officer brought her to police station, she also had to bring her 5
months old baby, and her 8 years old daughter also followed along her. Police fined her to pay 50000 Kyat for
release. He relatives found that amount
of money and paid to police for her release.
REPORT:
Human Rights Violations Accounts of
DKBA and Its Unlawful Activities
I. DKBA formation under the SLORC regime
DKBA
was initially the splinter armed organization from KNU (Karen National Union)
after some commanders from KNU surrendered to Burmese Army. It was formed with purpose by Burmese Army to
fight against KNU since 1994. In that
year, there was a minor religious clash in KNU. So, the Buddhist monks in
In
1994, Karen Buddhist monks led by U Thuzana organized
the Buddhist community to not support KNU because they accused and
propagandized that Christians have monopolized in the politics and army roles
in the revolution organization. Then,
they formed DKBA by supports of the regime.
Due to a religious based split the Buddhist soldiers and commanders who
were in KNU for several years fighting against the Burmese Army joined DKBA. It also has political wing and it was called
DKBO (Democratic Karen Buddhist Organization) and it was also led by that
senior monk.
From 1994 until 1997 when the Burmese Army launched massive military offensives against KNU/KNLA, its had used DKBA commanders and soldiers to help them in occupying many rebel bases, including KNU’s a well known GHQs, Manaplaw.
When
the regime and Burmese Army used DKBA soldiers, they also provided them with
food ration and encouraged DKBA to recruit more soldiers. Later, when the Burmese Army occupied many
KNU strongholds and permanent GHQs, they ceased their
assistance to DKBA and instructed to them that they needed to set up some
program for self-reliance.
Again,
after the regime ceased their supports and assistance to DKBA, it was unable to
feed their soldiers and could not recruit the new soldiers. Therefore, the regime encouraged DKBA
commanders to do their own business. As
former KNU members, DKBA has been familier with
border area, thus, they have conducted border trade via Myawaddy-Mae
Sot border point, eastern part of
On
the other hand, they also took various contracts from SLORC/SPDC and did as
suppliers in some development projects in
In
organizing DKBA commanders and their soldiers to not again collaborate with
KNU, the regime SLORC/SPDC gave too much favour or opportunity to DKBA. Additionally, they also have more freedom in
dealing in trading activities than normal traders. Accordingly to the local people in
As
an armed organization, the DKBA have copied many practices from soldiers of
Burmese Army in committing human rights violations against Mon and Karen
civilians in
In
the areas where DKBA is taking bases, the local civilians have been constantly
suffered from various types of human rights violations by members of Burmese
Army and DKBA. Similarly to SPDC
authorities and local military battalions of Burmese Army, DKBA also involved
in implementing development projects especially in road constructions. In most of such development projects, DKBA
also conscripts forced labour and used hundreds of civilians to contribute
unpaid labour. Additionally, like
Burmese Army, they have also conscripted forced labour in construction of the
military barracks and to work in their self-reliance originated rice-farms and
fruit and rubber plantations.
DKBA also collecting tax and involved in many activities in
repressing the civilians and abuses of power in both cities and rural areas. Although the members of DKBA involved in some
crimes, the regime’s law enforcement authorities could not punish them because
of favour provided by SPDC top leaders.
These abuses of power also created dissatisfaction for anti-DKBA among
the civilians. However the civilians
lost their rights for justice.
The following accounts are DKBA’s
gross human rights violations in rural area: conscription of forced labour;
discrimination or abuses of power against the civilians; tax or fund extortion;
gambling and robbery activities; involvement in drug trafficking; and other
abuses.
In
the recruit method of DKBA, if someone joined DKBA as soldiers to build peace
in
II. Conscription of forced labour
Whenever
the regime SLORC/SPDC deal a ceasefire agreement, their leaders and authorities
always promised that the group should involve for development activities of
their own area. In 1994, when SLORC
authorities dealt ceasefire with DKBA, the SLORC promised that the State would
provide fund for various development projects and asked DKBA to lead in the
activities for those development projects.
In this type of implementing development projects, the local Burmese
Army’s battalions or DKBA involved in conscription of forced labour.
In
where DKBA is taking base, they always confiscated the lands belonged to
civilians or took many acres of lands which have no owners and then built the
military barracks and created plantations.
Whenever they needed labour to clear their base compound, clear the
plantation grounds, grow trees and other works, they always forced civilians
from the area to contribute unpaid labour.
As
DKBA has various works in their bases, they normally forced the civilians very
regularly. Depending on the work loads
they have in the base, the numbers of forced labour were different. Sometimes, when their works was urgent, they
forced over one thousand of people in their specific workplace while they forced
a few number of people in other time.
As an instance,
“On
“In
the verbal orders to the village headmen from these villages, the DKBA
commanders ordered to send one man or woman to come and contribute labour in
the work-site. They ordered to carry
their own food along with them. From the
morning until the evening, the villagers were ordered to clear small trees,
bushes and grasses near their military barracks and the whole compound. The commander who was responsibly in that
conscription of forced labour is Maj. Sein Hlaing
from Battalion No. 906.”
This
Battalion No. 6 also often used small number of works in their minor battalion
works from the villages nearby in
Once or twice a year, DKBA conscripts a huge number of
civilians to contribute unpaid labour in their battalion compound. The conscript number is over 1000 people and
forced one member from every house.
As another instance,
“Again, on
As
Buddhism oriented organization, DKBA especially involves in religious affairs,
and planned to build pagoda, dhamma (Buddhist
teaching) building and other monuments. Whenever in the construction of religious buildings, DKBA commanders
concerned who took responsibility for the construction always forced the
civilians near their villages to contribute unpaid labour in those
constructions.
As an instance,
“In
September 2002, DKBA was building a dhamma
building in Kyone-doe village,
“Among
many villagers, the villagers from Kanni village were
often forced and when they conscripted the labourers, they ordered 36 villagers
every day and this conscription continues for two weeks. Kanni village has
12 sections, and the headman, Nai Kyaw Myint, had to manage to get 3 villagers from each section
and sent to the construction site.
“Similarly to Kanni village, the village headman from Kaw-lyan village had to manage to send 20 villagers everyday for about 2 weeks to the construction site. The villagers had to go in early morning by boats and took their foods to eat in the construction site. They also had to bring their own tools accordingly to the orders.”
While
the villagers were forced to work the construction site, they also lose
opportunity to work in their farms or plantations. Some villagers were day labourers and on the
day when they were forced to work for army, they could not get any income for
their families. For those day
labourers, as the members of whole family depends on the man, lack of daily
income create great difficult for their survival. In this
If
compared with Karen villages, the Mon villages which situates on Gyaing riverbank have more population and household numbers. Therefore, to quickly complete of their
work-duties, DKBA forced the Mon villagers more. For several Mon villages, they could get up
to one thousand number of villagers to use in their
work-places.
III. Gambling, Robbery and Tax Collection
Likely
to SPDC authorities and Burmese Army, DKBA also raising their fund by
collecting money from illegal gambling dens (especially
playing card game) and collected tax from the civilians. Sometimes they also involved in robbery.
Since
1996-1997, after the regime SLORC was unable to pay administration and other
expenses for its respective Township General Administration Department and
battalions under Burmese Army, it has instructed the authorities and army
commanders to seek their own income to support in the administration cost. This order again supports the authorities and
army commanders to seek their own corrupted income from the people.
Similarly
to SPDC authorities and Burmese Army commanders, DKBA commanders and soldiers
also involved in raising fund by their own way. In 1998, after the regime
occupied nearly all of KNU strongholds in eastern part of
DKBA
also copied the fund raising methods from the regime authorities. What are they? The regime authorities in
Whenever there is a village’s pagoda festival in area near
their bases or under their control, DKBA commanders always planned to set up
gambling dens and collect fund from the players. In most activities, DKBA
always extent the period of gambling even the festival had a few days.
Sometimes, even though there is no special occasion or villages’ pagoda
festivals, DKBA commanders also conduct gambling activities and encourage the
local villagers to involve in the activities.
As an instance,
“The
pagoda’s festival in Tha-dar-oo village, Kaw-lyan village tract of
As another instance,
“In September 2002, there was no festival in Lon-lung village, Pa-an Township. But when DKBA troops from Battalion No. 4 led by Lt. Saw Mee Mee arrived into village, as he wanted some money and he set up gambling den in village quickly. They operated gambling for 10 days and set about 30 dens and informed the villagers who were interested to involve in playing card game. They received about 0.5 million Kyat from that gambling.”
In
Additionally,
SPDC authorities regularly collected fund from the people by showing various
reasons. DKBA similarly collected money
or fund from the civilians with various reasons.
As an instance,
“In November 2001, DKBA
commanders called a meeting with all household, who belonged
motor-bikes in
DKBA troops launch military
activities patrol the areas near their bases and tried to prevent the access
from KNLA soldiers. During they are
launching military patrol, they also went into many Mon and Karen villages and
took foods from the villages.
Especially, whenever DKBA soldiers arrived into a village, the village
headmen had to manage to provide foods for them. But DKBA commanders or soldiers never paid
any cost of foods. Then after DKBA
troops returned, the village headmen had to collect money from the villagers
again to pay for food costs.
As an instance,
“Village headmen from En-duu village, Pa-an Township of Karen State, collected tax from villagers every month for providing foods to DKBA soldiers, who arrived into villages very often. Each household had to pay 500 Kyat per month. The village headmen had to provide DKBA soldiers with rice, various type of meat, liquor and cigarettes when they arrived into village. En-duu village has about 500 household and so, the headmen had to spend 250, 000 Kyat per month for foods and other materials.”
Sometimes,
by showing the reason of health or education development in the area like SPDC
authorities, DKBA commanders also collected fund from the civilians. In the
area where DKBA takes bases, the civilians not only have to pay to SPDC
authorities but they also have to pay DKBA for some development projects. The civilians are too disappointed paying to
both parties because they collected tax for the same reason.
As an instance,
“In
mid-September, 2002, DKBA Battalion No. 4 based in Pa-an
Township,
“Many
villages which paid to DKBA could not participate in competition, because of
difficulty in traveling to town football grounds and only a few number of villages could involve. According to a Township authorities, DKBA
could receive 1.5 million Kyat in that fund collection and spent only 200, 000
Kyat for competition. In this case,
besides the fund collection conducted by DKBA, the civilians in the ”
In the activity of collecting permanent tax, DKBA also set
check-points on many main roads such as on Three Pagoda Pass-Thanbyuzayat motor road, Myawaddy-Moulmein
motor road and others. Most roads are
connecting Thai border points and a city in
According to a woman trader who
used trading along
“In
this motor road, there are many check-points hold various armed groups. We have to pay every checkpoint after we left
from
Many
travelers and traders are always disappointed with DKBA when they faced
them. But for the security reason, DKBA
troops always closely set their checkpoint and deploy their soldiers. Sometimes, they were also attacked by KNLA
soldiers.
When DKBA soldiers faced shortage of money or if they have
opportunity, they also robbed some villages and took money and gold from
villagers. In many times, although the
village leaders and villagers knew who involved in robbing, but they have to
keep silence. If the speak out
something related to the robbery, they could face torture and detention by DKBA
commanders in the area.
Sometimes,
DKBA did not rob the villages near the base but robbed in
As an instance,
“On
“After
robbery, one DKBA soldiers sold some gold wares in town and he sold them to a
relative of Kanni villager, whose gold wares were
robbed. A Mon woman, Mi Nyunt, spoke
out that gold wares were hers in a shop.
DKBA soldiers also heard about that and then they arrested her. They brought her to their base in Kyone-doe village and tortured her to not speak out about
robbery. She was detained for one
night. Before release, they also
threatened if she continued speaking about robbery, she must be killed.”
DKBA has used various method in
collecting fund from the civilians including robbery. In some types of fund collection, DKBA just
copied from SPDC authorities and Burmese Army’s practices, but in another
cases, DKBA used most cruel ways. In
general, the SPDC has less influence or authority in rural areas and DKBA
overwhelmingly takes this opportunity and tried to extort money from the people
in various ways.
IV. Power Abuses
By
holding guns, like the members of Burmese Army, DKBA soldiers always oppressed
the ordinary civilians by pointing guns to them. DKBA always claims there will be no justice
if someone has problem with them. In
Pa-an Township, the capital of
Without
respecting justice, DKBA totally involves in power abuses than the SPDC
authorities. In the area where DKBA has
influence, the conditions became as in lawlessness and chaos. As DKBA receives great favour and power from
SPDC top leaders, especially ceasefire organizer Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, they have
not cared even SPDC local authorities and law enforcement police officers.
Sometimes,
DKBA commanders put their power or influence onto the civilians and some
corrupted village headmen also cooperated with them. Threatening, arrest,
torture against the civilians are constantly committed by members of
DKBA.
As an instance,
“In
May, 2002, a corrupted village chairman of Kanni
village (in
In
Pa-an town, DKBA officially opened its office for
business purpose and it has most influence in town. As it never respect justice and existing
laws, abuses and violations against the normal Mon, Burmese and Karen town
residents are often committed. Whenever
there is a crime committed by DKBA soldiers, Township authorities, law
enforcement police officers and army do not want to deal with and let DKBA
win. Lawlessness
activities conducted by DKBA soldiers always occurs in town. As an example, when DKBA rides a motorcycle,
everybody in town needed to give them way, if not, someone who refused must be
slapped. Although
town residents dissatisfied with the situation, but they have no way to against
DKBA.
As an instance,
“On
January 1, 2002, when a commander of DKBA drove a motorcycle and when he tried
to get way, his motorcycle also hit a bicycle belonged to a town resident, Ko
Aye Lwin, a man. After hitting, the
commander also beat Ko Aye Lwin and he said that the men had to pay him for
repairs of his motorcycle, which was damaged just a little. Then, they have argument each other and the
man also beat the commander after he lost tolerance. But the commander pulled out his gun and
point to the man. The commander also
said, ‘why you try to beat me? I am a
DKBA commander. You will be killed
soon.’
“Then
he beat the man several times and brought him to their battalion base. His wife went and looked for him and DKBA
commander asked his wife to pay 20000 Kyat for his release. To end the problem, his wife paid the money
and got her husband back home. Community
leaders, town residents and relatives of Ko Aye Lwin did not satisfy much to
DKBA commanders and complained in Township police station. But the police officer them, ‘we don’t want
to handle any case that relating to DKBA soldiers.’ He also added, ‘not only you, we are also afraid of DKBA.’
“One
Township also explained to relatives of Ko Aye Lwin that because of favour and
power to DKBA came from higher authorities, they have given special opportunity
to DKBA in town. They are independent to
hold gun both days and nights and could kill anyone. He also pleased Ko Aye Lwin and his relatives
to keep silence about the case. If not,
they could be killed.”
By studying this case, DKBA is the most powerful group in
where they take base or open their offices, even in town. It does not respect any people and the
violations of laws or human rights by members of DKBA occurred on a daily basis
is totally ignored.
V. Discrimination against other ethnic people
In
late 2001, there was a religious clashes between
Muslims and Buddhist monks in Pegu, Prome and some
Townships in
In
DKBA, most of its members have anti-Muslim sentiment and accused the civilians
who believe in Muslim as religious extremists.
Therefore, whenever the DKBA soldiers met Muslims in villages, in farms
or in forests, they always beat them. Torture
against the Muslim people often committed by DKBA commanders or soldiers, and
when that torture happened, DKBA always accused that these Muslim people were
directly related to Muslim political or terrorist group.
As an instance,
“On
Additionally,
DKBA always claims that they are representing the Buddhist Karen people and
their activities would benefit to only their ethnic people and not for other
people. With narrow-minded nationalistic
idea, the members of DKBA have widely involved in discrimination against Mon
people especially.
There were many instances of discrimination against the Mon people in
the area. Even in the conscription of
forced labour, DKBA commanders selected Mon villages and ordered the village
headmen to send labourers to contribute unpaid labour, while sometimes they did
not order Karen villagers to contribute labour. Similarly when DKBA decided to collect tax
from fishermen who fished along Gyaing river, they just selected the Mon fishermen and ordered them
to pay tax to them in early 2002. There
were nearly 200 fishermen in the area, who have livelihood of fishing in
river.
For many years, DKBA also involved in
human trafficking to
As an instance,
“On
Even
in villages, towns and cities, when there is clash between young people between
Karen and other ethnic people Burman or Mon, they always involved from the side
of Karen and threatened other ethnic people.
Beating against young Burman or Mon like in Pa-an
Town and in Mon villages in
VI. DKBA’s involvement in drug trade
DKBA
is also holding border points in
Later
in 1998, after SLORC/SPDC cut support and assistance to DKBA and gave
instruction for self-reliance program, DKBA started involved in drug
trafficking. DKBA could easily contact
drug or methamphetamine produced organization in
As
mentioned above, DKBA received great favour from SPDC leaders and they could
involve in any type of trade, even in drug trafficking. As DKBA put sticker of their organization
flag in trucks, no police or army checkpoints along the road could check their
trucks and goods in there. Thus, DKBA
has good opportunity to carry drug from
After
Wa ethnic armed group could not send much
methamphetamine via
As an instance,
“On
August 27, 2002, when a truck of DKBA which carried drug entered into Pa-an
town, the capital city of Karen State, and the soldiers of Burmese Army’s LID
No. 22 tried to check it. DKBA
commander and soldiers from Battalion No. 999 who guarded the truck refused to
stop their trucks. When the Burmese soldiers
barred them Karen soldiers shot into the group. Burmese soldiers also shot back to Karen
soldiers and the fighting lasted about 5 minutes. Three Burmese soldiers died on the spot and
some got serious injuries while one Karen commander died. However, the truck could leave from the
check-point quickly. When the commander
of LID No. 22 reported about the case to GHQs in
Many bottom level of Burmese
soldiers also angered to DKBA for illegal trade activities and over use of
power. But SPDC has to keep DKBA for
their political game. Because it needs the opposition of KNU and uses DKBA to show to the
international community as an organization representing Karen people.
With
drug money, DKBA also has opportunity to increase the number of their troops,
they could involve more in launching more illegal business, such as stealing
cars, motorcycles from
VII. Conclusion
In
rural areas where DKBA troops are taking bases, the Mon, Karen and other ethnic
people faced not only oppression by SPDC authorities and Burmese Army, but they
also suffered from the violations and other abuses committed by DKBA. ‘Power comes from gun barrels’ is the
politics in the areas and the people cannot find any justice. Inhumane treatment regardless of respecting
Buddhist principles, DKBA, which is named as Buddhism based organization, are
constantly committed by it members.
Basic Buddhist teaching such as to be kind on others, to keep passion
each other and to offer the poor are practiced by DKBA, but it practices in
opposite.
Why
does SPDC keep DKBA as their best friend?
This is also come out the regime policy of ‘divide and rule’ among the
Karen ethnic people and gives more favour to DKBA. The regime leaders blind their eyes for what
DKBA does. Reasoning that there are
many conflicts even in one ethnic nationality, the rights to self-determination
for various ethnic nationalities in
-------------------------------------------------------
Information about Human Rights Foundation of
Monland
&
Invitation for feedback from readers
Dear Readers,
Human
Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) was founded in 1995, by a group of young
Mon people. The main objectives of
HURFOM are:
- 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,
In
order to implement these objectives, HURFOM has produced “The Mon Forum”
newsletters monthly and sometimes it has been delayed because we wait to
confirm some information. We apologize
for the delay.
However,
we also invite your feedbacks on the information we described in each
newsletter and if you know anyone who would like to receive the newsletter,
please send name and address to our address or e-mail as below:
HURFOM,
P. O. Box 11, Ratchburana P. O.
Bangkok 10140, THAILAND
E-mail: [email protected]
With
regards,
Director
Human Rights Foundation of
Monland