LOOTING

A group of People's Militia, villagers armed by Burmese Army, from Kawpaw (Myinkanbaw) village confiscated eight cattle from a group of cattle traders and shot and wounded the cattle owners in the eastern border of Tavoy district, Tenasserim division, southern Burma on May 23, 2002.

A group of cattle traders from Burma was on their way to Thailand to sell the cattle. On May 23, they met with a group of People's Militia at a place called Tanay in Htee Blur Hkee area. The People's Military open fired to them and three cattle traders were wounded. They were Maung Soe, Han Soe and Nit Cha. After that, the People's Militia took all of eight cattle that they brought.

LANDMINE

On May 5, 2002, a cattle trader died by stepping on a landmine on Thai-Burmese border opposite Kanchanaburi province. It was learnt that the mine was planted by Burmese troops from Light Infantry Battalion 104, which were active in that area. The victim was Maung Win Myint, about 25 yrs. son of U San Lay, from Ze village in Yebyu township, Tavoy district, Tenasserim division.

FORCED LABOUR

Karen villagers in Sawkay (Taungzin) and Htee Pah Doh village, in Thyetchaung township, in Tavoy district have been continually facing forced labor by local Burmese troops, according to a local villager who arrived at the Thai-Burmese border.

On May 4, 2002, Camp Commander Sergeant Major Maung Ngwe from Burmese troops Light Infantry Battalion 403 based in Aye Bya village ordered Saw Kay and Htee Pah Doh villages that every household had to send one bullock cart load of firewood. The commander threatened the villagers that those who failed would be taken action against them. The military use the firewood to make charcoal and sell it for their own.

On May 16, 2002, Sergeant Major Than Zin Maung from the same battalion ordered Saw Kay and Htee Pah Doh villagers that every household had to send one bullock cart load of firewood.

On May 27, 2002, Sergeant Major Than Zin Maung demanded Saw Kay and Htee Pah Doh villagers to send 2000 pieces of roofing leaf, 1000 polls of bamboo, and 2000 trees of nursing pepper.

FORCED PORTERING

According to a local villager who arrived at the Thai-Burmese border, Burmese troops were practicing systematic forced portering against villagers in the surrounding of Yadana gas pipeline area.

According to him, on May 20, 2002, Burmese troops Infantry Battalion 282 based in Yapu village in south of Yebyu township, Tavoy district demanded villagers from lower Yabu, Upper Yapu, Kwe Ta Lay, Kyauk Ka Din, Long Theik and Alensakan to serve as porters for military operation. Five villagers from each village had to serve as porters. When the village headmen failed to arrange as the military officers had demanded, the troops entered the village and tried to capture the villagers for porters. The villagers escaped to the nearby forest. Anyhow, the troops captured at least 20 villagers and forced them as porters.

According to a local villager from the east of Tavoy, who arrived at the Thai-Burmese border, 50 villagers from Kawpaw (Myinkanbaw) village in the east of Tavoy, Tavoy district, Tenasserim division were conscripted by Burmese troops to serve as porters.

On May 8, 2002, a column of Burmese troops from Infantry Battalion 104, 25 and Light Infantry Battalion 402 came to Kawpaw village on their way to the Thai-Burmese border for military operation against Karen resistance group. The troops conscripted about 50 villagers in Kawpaw village and forced them to serve as porter during their military operation.

On May 28, 2002, Battalion Commander Han Thu from Burmese troops' Light Infantry Battalion 345 demanded 30 villagers from Buthawplaw village to serve as porter. The villagers had to carry the military supplies from Buthawplaw village to Palaw car road. It took two days walk by foot. Buthawplaw village is a relocation site. Many Karen villages around Buthawplaw area were relocated by Burmese troops to Buthawplaw, which is in Tenasserim riverside, down south of Tenasserim river.

CONSCRIPTION TO MILITIA

Deputy Commander Tin Naing Thein of Burmese army's No.15 Light Infantry Division demanded villagers from the villages in down part of Tenasserim river region to join military training. Seven villages were ordered to send their men to Ler Pah Doh village not later than May 25. Each village had to send five people. The villages that were ordered are Buthawplaw (kyauknga), Taruthta (Sarawa), Tatmoo, Dabawklo (Kinnigyun), Kawerhta (Pawetchaung), Pahtooklo and Ler Pah Doh.

FOLLOWS NEWS IN APRIL

EXTORTION

Commander demanded money to gamble, people as sentries, dogs for meal

9.5.2002

A Burma army battalion commander demanded money for road construction, played card in the village, and forced the villagers to take sentry duty for their security in southern Burma.

On April 12, 2002 Yan Myo Aung, the commander of Light Infantry Battalion 402 arrived at Naw Trootaw (Hnin Pa-yoke) village with his men and demanded 300,000 kyats from the village, saying that the money was for road construction in the area accordance with the regional development program.

As he demanded urgently, the village headmen had to collect the money in rush and gave it to that commander in that evening.

After receiving money, the commander demanded chickens from the village and ordered the male villagers to serve as sentry around the village. The villagers faced with difficulties, every time the wandering troops entered into the village some asked for chicken or pigs and some stole away their livestock for meal.

With that situation, the village head sincerely requested to lighten the demand. Understanding the real situation of the village the commander instead demanded for dogs and bananas for his troop. The villagers sorrowfully had to offer their pet animals to that army officer.

With the dog meal and the villager sentry around the village, that officer called his troops together into the village and played cards with the money, 300,000 kyats, they demanded from the villagers.

The 12 miles road between Khaw Paw and Taung thon Lon in that tract was constructed with labour and expenses of that local people since 1997. Villagers not only had to pay but also work for it every summer time. However, up to this year, it was not finished yet.