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PROGRESS REPORT (People's Defence



WED, 26-NOV-97 28:82                                  


   PROGRESS REPORT

   At 11.30 am, on the 24th of November 1947, 18 people were arrested in
their organisation's
   offices at Sangkhlaburi. A list of their names and organizations is
attached. Among those
   detained were two bays - 9 and 10 years old who were attending English
class at the PDF
   office.

   After arrest, the detainees were taken to the Sangkhlaburi Town Hall (Nai
Amphur). At 2pm,
   they were transferred to the Border Police Camp. Al approximately 3.30pm,
Lt Kyaw Zaw
   from M15 at Three Pagodas Pass, went to the Nai Amphur and collected a
list of names of
   those arrested.: AZ about 5pm, the adult detainees and the two boys were
transferred to the
   Sangkhlaburi Police Station and all were held in one large room with
other illegal immigrants.

   At the time of the arrests, from the PDF and DPNS offices, Thai Army
personnel confiscated
   statement files, photographs,. books and, from the PDF office, a machine
which prints
   photographs onto T-shirts. These items were last seen at the Nai Amphur
office. The
   telephone and fax line to the Alert Literature Club were cut.

   Later on the 24/11/1997, on arrival at the Police Station, all detainees
had their biographies
   written, then were photographed individually, in their groups and as a
whole group and
   videoed.

   In the evening of the 24/1111997, Kyaw Htet, alone, was taken from the
cell to a meeting
   room in the Nai Amphur building. He was asked a number of questions:
name, organisation
   and if the organisation was pro-armed struggle or negotiation. Other
questions were:

      What will you do if you are deported to Burma Myanma
      Would you like to return to BurmalMyanmar or go to the Safe Camp?

   One of the Thai police told all the detainees: This is not a police
arrest it is an Army arrest.

   On the 25th of November 1997, the Thai Army contacted the SPDC (contact
point unknown.
   Presumed to be Three Pagodas Pass) to advise of the arrests. Throughout
25111/1997,
   three other people - Shwe Thwe, Lu Maw and Aung Htoo, were taken for
questioning. During
   the evening of 25/1111997, about 9.20pm, a policeman came to the cell and
told all
   detainees to stand. He asked Are you Burma students? Ara you the
anti-government group?
   and divided all detainees into anti-government and illegals. The latter
were taken to another
   room. Al one stage on 2511111997, a Thai Army Major was questioning PDF
detainees. A
   police officer gave the Major a letter and said that many NEOs had
contacted UNHCR. The
   Major told the police officer Don't worry.

   On the 26th of November 1997, other detainees are being taken, one by
one, into the Nai
   Amphur meeting room and asked the same questions as Kyaw Htet was. This
is the last
   definite news.

   Food is coming to the detainees from the Thai Army.

   Apparently an informer has been asking people on the Mon side of
Sangkhlaburi about Htoo
   Chit's whereabouts. He is the remaining member of the PDF executive not
arrested. A Thai
   Army Military intelligence friend advised Htoo Chit to leave
Sangkhlaburi. but he refused.
   Naing Tun, DPNS, also remains unarrested.

   Report by
   People's Defence Force
   Wednesday, November 26, 1997