SPDC TROOPS MASSACRE VILLAGERS IN A

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All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)


December 29, 1997


SPDC Soldiers Massacre Villagers In Arakan State

On November 16, 1997, Burma's newly formed junta, the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC), committed a brutal massacre at
Kyat Taw village, in northern part of Araken State. LIB 378
troops are responsible for the event, killing 13 people including
a seven month old child at Kyaut Ku Su village and Sa Pel Sake
village in Kyaut Taw township while collecting porters.

SPDC's LIB 378 commander ordered his troops stationing at Sa Pel
Sake village to collect porters, in quota of one person per
house, from Ku Su village. Section Commander later assigned Shwe
Thein and two other soldiers who right away asked U Sein Hla
Aung, headmen of 100 household of the village by saying one house
must provide one porter each without any complaint.

While 45 year old U Sain Hla Aung was organising a meeting with
other headmen for getting the porters for the SPDC, Shwe Thein
and two soldiers entered into the house and began to heavily
shoot, resulting in the death of six people, including U Sein Hla
Aung and his seven month old son. 

Later Shwe Thein and two SPDC soldiers proceeded to the house of
other influential headman, namely U Wai Pyu Aung and shot
abruptly again, killing seven,  including U Wai Phu Aung and his
wife.

People in Araken State have been brutally harassed by the
increasing number of the SPDC troops.  There have been 54 SPDC
Battalions in Araken State, deploying 23 out of 54 Battalions
only in Arkiab, the capital of Araken State.  Nine battalions
have also been deployed at the second largest town, namely Bu
Thee Taung, said a statement issued by Araken United Party on
December 23, 1997. 

"People in Araken State are very unhappy with SPDC troops
excessively deployed in Araken State in order to coerce the
people into forced labour and porterage," said U Sai Aung Kyaw
who recently fled the Araken State.

"People ranging from age 8 to over 50 including old and pregnant
women, who can not give fines to the military for escaping from
being taken as porters, are forced to work without taking
anything in order to construct military barracks, dig holes
for latrines, work for road repair and construction and dig lakes
for drinking water," U Sai Aung Kyaw reported. Military men are
performing these abuses with the intention to get extra-money
from people who can pay fines, he added. 

"There have been a series of massacres in working sites on some
people who have refused to work for the military,  because they
have no time left to work for their private business necessary
for their survival," said U Sai Aung Kyaw.

There have been more worse stories, for instance, in one
case, a 20 year old girl from Ma Kyi Taut village in Bu Thee
Taung township was raped by a soldier from LIB 535 and later the
commander himself dismissed the story, he added.

As there has been no punishment from their superior SPDC
officers, troops in the field are commiting such crimes
throughout Burma, resulting in an escalation of human
rights abuses day by day. (Name of 13 people executed will be
sent very soon).   
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