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re Total 's forced location
- Subject: re Total 's forced location
- From: cd@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 03 Apr 1996 01:39:00
Headline: Villagers face forced labor and forced relocation under new
TOTAL security
Keyword: TOTAL, forced labor, Slorc, Burmpa, Kanbauk, Eindayaza, Yebyu,
Tenassaarim, Brig-Gen. Zaw Tun
Date: Apr 2 1996
Source: Caroline Lurie <caroline@xxxxxxxxxx, ABSDF News Agency, (DAWN
GWIN), Conference "reg.burma" <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx, ed. UVI.
Villagers face forced labor and forced relocation under new TOTAL
security
Shortly after the military battle at French TOTAL oil firm's field
office,
near Kanbauk village, Yebyu township by a reportedly unknown armed group
on
last February, local villagers from Eindayaza village in Yebyu township,
Tenassarim division have been ordered to move out by the end of March,
according to the office of
SLORC strategy commander Brig-Gen. Zaw Tun. At the time of the attack
reported in the world press, TOTAL issued an unequivocal denial of any
battle engagement, from its headquarters in Paris. The denial from the
French Ambassador in Rangoon, Bernard Pottier, also contradicted rebel
reports that a French citizen had been killed in the attack
The Eindayaza village, mostly Karen villages , is situated 7 miles
near the TOTAL's field office. Slorc?s order of forced relocation
requires villagers to
move to "54-mile" on the Ye-Tavoy motor road. Villagers were allowed to
bring only basic belongings and deprived of their home possessions.
The reason for the relocation remains unclear, and once again
contradicts TOTAL?s denial of the violent clash with the anti-government
fighters. Adding further mystery is the suspicion that the forced
relocation is viewed a reprisal for the February 8 attack.
On February 12, 1996, 11 Karen civilians including village headman from
Eindayaza village
were arrested by the troop from Slorc' LIB 273 and tortured for
allegedly
having contact with the attackers. Twelve villagers from Eindayaza were
arrested while on their way to their hill-side cultivation on
the Phya Gone hill, on the same day in which a 107 rocket launcher was
used in the attack from the same hill which was only 5 furlongs from the
TOTAL's office.
In addition, under the pretext of security for TOTAL's office, 10
civilians - mostly women - were summoned from each village in Kanbauk
village
group by the LIB 273. Over a hundred people were ordered to a
security quarter between Kanbauk and Eindayaza. Twenty villagers from
every village in Kanbauk group are
being conscripted by Slorc LIB 273 to work forced labor in the
construction of three-mile-long Kanbauk- Pyin Gyi motor road between
TOTAL?s
office and the sea port. The road will be used for transportation of the
materials for the building of natural gas pipe.
According to reports, TOTAL is allegedly paying 50 kyats per day for the
each Slorc soldier supervising the forced labor in the construction
project.
TOTAL continues to deny that any forced location is conducted on their
pipeline or payin Slorc soldiers to do it.