KHRG #98-06 Part 5/5 (Karenni)

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                   A STRUGGLE JUST TO SURVIVE

          Update on the Current Situation in Karenni


    An Independent Report by the Karen Human Rights Group
              June 12, 1998     /     KHRG #98-06

*** PART 5 OF 5 - SEE OTHER POSTINGS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THIS REPORT ***

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                                  #10.

[The following information is translated from an interview with a 
member of the Karenni National Women's Organisation.] 

In District 2 [in the southwest, where most of the fighting between SPDC 
and KNPP is going on] the SPDC is ordering people to go to relocation 
sites.  In Mawchi it is difficult to eat because no trucks carrying dried 
foods are allowed to travel between Loikaw and Mawchi.  People are not 
allowed to grow food in the [relocation] camp, and the available food is 
reserved for the people who work in the mine and for the civil servants, 
not for the villagers.  No permission is given to bring in food [from other

areas].  Some people have paddy rice hidden in the forest but if the SPDC 
troops see them going into the forest they shoot them.  In March this year 
one woman tried to go.  She was captured by the Army and tied to a tree.  
She stayed there for three days and had already died when the Karenni 
soldiers found her and untied her.  She was single and 26 years old.  Her 
name was Naw Kreh, she was from Shaw Daw Ko village.

Some village headmen have been killed in Mawchi [relocation site], like 
Tablu Daw from Law Tee village and Ko Nu from Daw Leh Ko village, 
both in 1997.  So now many of the village heads are women [even in 
relocation sites, villages stay together and village heads retain their 
positions, representing their villagers in front of the SPDC].  Mawchi 
relocation site is divided into four sections.  There are about 40 or 50 
families in each of them.  There is enough water in one part of Mawchi 
[relocation site], but not enough in most of the camp.  In the first week 
that most people got there the soldiers gave them food.  Then for the next 
2 weeks they gave them food only once a week.  Now people have ration 
cards, but the ration they get is not enough and the price of the rice is
very 
high:  2,500 Kyats for one big tin.  There is almost no work to do in 
Mawchi to find money.

Before, women could get work in the mine, but now they have to pay for a 
pass to go.  Then they must sell whatever they get to the government.  
There is sometimes forced labour in the mine but not often.  Usually the 
people who work in the mines are government workers.  They use 
dynamite, so a lot of the people who work there get lung diseases [from 
the dust of the exploding rock].  Now there are not a lot of minerals left
in 
the mine so it is getting harder and harder to find anything.

In Mawchi there is one hospital but it is for the government workers.  
People can go there but they have to be able to buy their own medicines.  
They have a church in Mawchi that the villagers built themselves.  Until 
they built that church they could only worship in their houses.

The road from Mawchi to Toungoo is 600 feet wide [not the road itself, 
but the villagers must clear a wide 'killing ground' along both sides of
the 
road to prevent ambush or sabotage by KNPP troops].  It is nearly 
finished.  They started it  in November 1997.  Many soldiers came for this 
road but they don't work on the road.  There are also no machines working 
on the road.  One person from every house has to go every day to do it, so 
women and children are also going.  People have to take along their own 
food and sleep beside the road.  Every family is assigned a length of road 
to finish, and they must stay along the road until it is finished.  This
road 
was first built by the British in 1937.  After that it was destroyed, and
they 
already tried to rebuild it two or three times.  One time was in 1972-73.  
Then cars could get to Mawchi, but that only lasted for two months before 
it was destroyed by the first rains.

Apart from the work on the road, people also have to build SPDC camp 
fences.  The [relocation] site is surrounded by hills, there are military 
posts on top of these hills, and the people from Mawchi have to climb the 
hills to bring water and food to those posts.  The food rations for the 
soldiers come from Loikaw by Army truck.

[The information below is translated from an information report 
produced by the Karenni National Women's Organisation.]

In the last week of December 1997, 26 villagers were arrested and jailed 
under Article 17(1) [prohibiting contact with illegal organisations], 
accused of having contact with the KNPP:

   a)  U Pah Yay Yeh, 26 years old, village headman, Tee Lon village
   b)  U Aung San, 40 years old, village headman, Nam Sonkuay village
   c)  U Aung Myat, 30 years old, Tee Lon village tract secretary, 
       Nam Sonkuay village
   d)  U Bee Hla, 49 years old, villager from Nam Sonkuay village; the 
       Tee Lon Village Tract PDC [local-level SPDC administration] 
       Chairman's name was U Bee Hla but when the soldiers came to 
       arrest him he had already run away, so the soldiers arrested  
       and imprisoned this ordinary villager whose name also happens 
       to be U Bee Hla.  [Local administrators are often arrested 
       for failing to provide forced labourers or to obey forced 
       relocation orders.] 
   e)  U Ee Reh, 30 years old, village headman, Daw Seh village
   f)  U Pa Reh, 28 years old, area leader, Daw Seh village
   g)  U Boe Reh, 50 years old, Daw Seh village
   h)  U Lu Reh, 40 years old, village headman, Wa Ngaw village
   i)  U Ku Reh, 35 years old, teacher, Wa Ngaw village
   j)  U Day Reh, 35 years old, villager, Wa Ngaw village
   k)  U Thoe Reh, 35 years old, villager, Wa Ngaw village
   l)  U Lee Reh, 35 years old, villager, Wa Ngaw village

There are still eight other people [of the 26 arrested] from Daw Tah Hay 
village whose names we have not obtained and six other people from other 
villages about whom we are still investigating.

Starting on the 22nd of April 1998, the soldiers started to build three
camps 
on the hills just south of Daw Tah Hay and P'yah Pyu villages in Tee Thay 
Ka village tract, Loikaw township.  To build the camps, one person from 
each house in the 25 villages of Tee Thay Ka village tract and Tee Lon 
village tract has to go on rotation, with their own rice and without
getting 
any payment.  The officer in charge of constructing the camps is Captain 
San Hlaing.  The soldiers are from IB #102, IB #250, LIB #421, LIB #426, 
and #4 training troops.  Two hundred soldiers who were not in the front 
line are doing the camp construction together with the villagers.  On April

27th the regional commander, Brigadier General Kyaw Win, came to check 
on the construction of the camps.  For the camp construction the villagers 
have to do forced labour and they also had to give money and the 
following things to Captain San Hlaing:

a) Thick bamboos ten cubits [15 feet] long and twenty inches in 
   diameter; small villages had to give five of these and the big 
   villages had to give ten;
b) Ordinary bamboos ten cubits long, one hundred from each small 
   village and five hundred from each big village;
c) Leaf shingles on bamboo sticks [for roofing],  two hundred from 
   each small village and  five hundred from each big village;
d) Bamboo strips [shaved bamboo strips used as ties], 2 viss 
   [3.2 kg/7.2 lb] from each small village and 5 viss [8 kg / 18 lb] from 
   each big village;
e) Three-inch nails,  1/2 viss from each small village and 1 viss 
   [1.6 kg / 3.6 lb] from each big village;
f) 35 Kyats in cash from each family to feed the soldiers working on 
   construction of the camps [the villagers working on the camps had 
   to bring their own food, and also pay this money to feed the 
   soldiers].

The villagers who live near these camps are only allowed to go out of their

villages from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.  After 9 p.m. they are not even allowed to
go 
outside their houses, and they are never allowed to go anywhere in groups 
of more than 5 people.  If they need to sleep out in their fields, they
must 
ask permission from the camp commander.  When they finish harvesting 
their paddy, they must give one third of it to the Army for free.

On May 7th 1998 in Tee Lon and Meh Pya village tracts of Loikaw 
township, they had a celebration with fireworks.  When the fireworks 
exploded they made noise.  Then Captain San Hlaing called in the 
headmen of the two village tracts and shouted at them.  He punished them 
by ordering them to bring five thousand bamboos each ten cubits long 
because they had not asked for permission before using fireworks.  Then 
the chairmen and the village headmen asked for his pity, so in the end they

only had to bring three thousand bamboos to the camp within three days.

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                                 #11.

[The following information was provided by human rights monitors who 
note down information from villagers and field reports.] 

On March 9th 1998, Ta Wah village near Loikaw was forced to relocate to 
Wa Lu Hu, where there is an SPDC base.  The villagers were forced to 
move by LIB #337.  The village had 70-100 houses.  After the villagers 
moved, it was burned down by SPDC troops.

On March 20th 1998, Pata and Beh Kee villages were also relocated to Wa 
Lu Hu, this time by LIB #427.  Each village had about 50 households.  
After the move they were burned.  They had received the order to move on 
March 1st, telling them that they had until March 7th to move.  Ta Wah, 
Pata, and Beh Kee villages are in Wa Lu Hu village tract.

On April 8th 1998 at 1 p.m. in Ku Baw Deh village in Mae Se township 
[southeastern Karenni], Naw Mu Kreh, age 28, was found in the forest by 
troops from LIB #423, who raped and then killed her.  On April 11th 1998 
at 3:30 p.m., the same troops found and raped Ywa Hay Mu, age 23, in the 
same village.  They also raped and killed Pweh Ko Tah Mu, age 9.  Naw 
Tah Lu, age 24, was raped and killed by Colonel Min Din, commander of 
LIB #423.  All four women were from Ku Baw Deh village, Mae Se 
township.

On February 6th 1998 in Tee Saw Ku village of Shadaw township, two 
sisters named Na Meh, age 15, and Su Meh, age 14, were going to their 
field in the forest together with their younger brother.  Their father's
name 
is Po Reh.  They met troops from SPDC Infantry Battalion #54 based in 
Loikaw.  The soldiers tied up the small boy, then raped the two girls 
throughout one day and one night but did not kill them.

On October 28th 1997, SLORC soldiers from IB #250 Sergeant Hee Day 
Maw, Gaw Zaw and Saw Leh raped Tee Mo, age 50, Htoo Meh, age 30, 
and Oo Meh.  The three women were staying at Nwa La Bo relocation site 
and were going to the forest to collect firewood when they met the three 
soldiers.

In October 1997,  two SLORC soldiers from IB #54 raped Nu Meh, age 
35, who was living in Shadaw relocation site.  She is a widow with one 
small child.

At noon on August 23rd 1997 in Leh Bu village of Pah Saung township, 
Saw Klo and his wife Naw Bu were in the forest and encountered SLORC 
soldiers from Company #5 of IB #102.  The company commander is 
Captain Sein Lai.  The soldiers arrested them, then killed Saw Klo and 
raped Naw Bu.

In the second  week of April 1997 in Aung Shein Da quarter of Shadaw 
town, the 12-year-old daughter [name unknown] of Daw Reh [father] and 
Daw Than Shwe [mother] went to watch a movie.  On her way back home 
she was arrested and raped by SLORC troops.  She was with 2 friends but 
her friends ran and managed to escape.  She was raped by a soldier named 
Ko San from LIB #429.

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                     List of Villages Affected

The following villages are known to have been forcibly relocated in 1996, 
some in 1997 and early 1998.  This list has been provided courtesy of the 
Karenni Information Ministry.  It is not complete.  Numbers in the lists 
correspond to the numbered dots on the map on Page 33 showing village 
locations.  Some village names are common and repeat themselves, such 
as Daw Kraw Aw, Daw Tama and Daw Mu Say.


              Between Pon River and Salween River

The following 98 villages were all sent a written order on 1 June 1996 
ordering them to move to Shadaw or Ywathit relocation site by 7 June.  
Most of them were forced to move to Shadaw.  The area measures about 
120 km. from north to south by 15 km. from east to west.

No.     Village Name

1       Daw Kadweet
2       Daw Taku
3       Daw Eida
4       Daw Naw Klu
5       Tee Taraku
6       Tee Leh
7       Naw Plu
8       Daw Tanaw
9       Leh Dukaw
10      Daw Mu Say
11      Leh Du
12      Thaw Thwee Leh
13      Daw Mu Leh
14      Nam Aw Lay
15      Klaw Leh
16      Tee Ka Bo Leh
17      Su Leh
18      Daw Wai Raw
19      Thirida (East)
20      Thirida (West)
21      Daw The Phu
22      Daw Noh Ku
23      Daw Klaw Leh
24      Daw Klo Ku
25      Daw Mumar
26      Daw The
27      Daw So Klai
28      Daw Soe
29      Daw Kraw Aw
30      Pana Leh
31      Tee Tho Ku
32      Tin Loi
33      Daw Leh Ku
34      Daw Law Bu
35      Nam Loi Yin
36      Daw Ei Taw
37      Shadaw (North)
38      (name not given)
39      Tee Ku Leh
40      Shadaw (West)
41      Shadaw (South)
42      Pa Lai Lai
43      Daw So Sah
44      Daw Pu Ei
45      Bu Law Ku
46      Si Ko Leh
47      Daw Ta Ma
48      Daw Ta Maw
49      Daw Klaw Leh Du
50      Daw Thaw Bu
51      Daw Ei Lah
52      Daw The
53      Nga Ma Loh Soe
54      Daw Klaw Leh Phu
55      Daw Mi Ku
56      Daw Ei Sa
57      Daw Klo Ku
58      Daw Ta Tho
59      Daw Klai The
60      Daw Klo Ku
61      Daw So Kyar
62      Tee Kay Leh
63      Daw Klaw Duh
64      Dee Leh
65      Daw Soh Doh
66      Daw Klo Ku
67      Daw Thaw Ku
68      Daw Tama
69      Daw Tamwi
70      Daw Bo Loh
71      Daw Mu Say
72      Daw Kraw Aw
73      Daw Leh Da
74      Su Leh
75      Daw Sar Si
76      Daw Lar Leh
77      Daw He So
78      Nam Phe Ku
79      Manai Ku
80      Daw Leh Ku
81      Tee Tho Ku
82      Daw Kulee
83      Wan Loi
84      Pa Ku Dah
85      Wan Pi Lu
86      Nam Lin
87      Leh Way
88      Mine Lam
89      Wan Pha Gyi
90      Wan Pla
91      Wan Chai
92      Nan Noh
93      Ji Kwe
94      Sa Laung
95      Wan Aw 1
96      Wan Aw 2
97      Saw Lon
98      Tee Ke Leh


                    Pah Saung and Mawchi area

The following 52 villages, possibly more, are known to have been ordered 
to relocation sites with a deadline of 20 June 1996.  Villages in Pah Saung

township have been forced to move to a site near Pah Saung, villages 
north, south and even 30 km. northwest of Mawchi to relocation sites near 
Mawchi.  Bu Ko and Kwa Chi, initially reported by KHRG in July 1996 as 
a relocation site, was burned by SLORC and the villagers there ordered to 
move to Mawchi relocation site.  The entire area covers an 80-km long 
swath going northwest from the Karen State border in the south up to the 
southern tip of Shan State.

No.   Village Name

 99   Peh Ko Kee
100   Ko Baw Doh
101   Ku Tru
102   Lay Law Tee
103   Tu Doh Lay Ko
104   Baw Tar
105   Bu Law Po
106   Har Thedo
107   Kaw Tu Doh
108   Sho Daw Ko
109   Plo Ti
110   Ma Tu Peh
111   Yeh Mu Peh
112   Pan Put
113   Nam Kut
114   Pa Haw Ko
115   Yaw Di Ka
116   Po Bu Ku
117   Sho Ka Seh (1)
118   Sho Ka Seh (2)
119   Geh Lo (lower)
120   Ka Bweh Doh
121   Plah Kee
122   Bwa Doh
123   La Bweh Po
124   Ho Sak
125   Ka Baw Nga
126   Bu Ko
127   Kwa Chi
128   Sho Lo
129   Lel Po
130   Ka Tho Kee
131   Pweh Li Ko
132   Thi Bo
133   Hu Mu Kla
134   Ra Raw Bo
135   Lar Wa
136   Thaw Thi Lu
137   Par Put
138   Tu Ka Thu
139   Thaw Thi Po
140   La Par Ti
141   Doh Po
142   Pain Chit
143   Kaw Kee
144   Doh Mo Kaw
145   Sonlel
146   Yu Lay Ko
147   Ko Leh
148   Bweh Do Tha
149   Keh Kaw
150   Par Weh


              Dee Maw So, Pruso and Baw La Keh area

The following 25 villages east of the Baw La Keh-Pruso-Dee Maw So road 
were forced to move to relocation sites at Tee Po Kloh , Kay Lia, Daw 
Tama Gyi, Baw La Keh and Mar Kraw She by 25 June 1996.  The region 
is 40 km. north-south and 15 km. east-west.

No.   Village Name

151   Daw Ku Li
152   Daw Lyah Ku
153   La Li Leh
154   Daw Law Ku
155   Bu Lyar
156   Ta Po
157   Daw Tanaw
158   Daw Put
159   Daw Bya Ku
160   Daw Ta Kleh
161   Daw Law Ku
162   Kay Bi Soe
163   Daw Pet
164   Daw Preh Tu
165   Daw So Ku
166   Tee The Ku
167   Daw Takya
168   Daw Kyli
169   Daw Mo Sheh
170   Bu Ku
171   Daw Kaw
172   Daw Par
173   Daw Tama Gyi (*)
174   Daw Klet
175   Daw So Pya
176   Daw Nyeh Ku


                         Daw Tama area

The following 7 villages in Daw Tama area, east of the Salween River 
near the Thai border, were forced to move to a relocation site near Daw 
Tama by the deadline of 25 June 1996.

No.   Village Name

177   Thaw Thwi Leh
178   Tee Kaw Leh
179   Daw Plaw Du
180   Daw Tama
181   Myeh Leh
182   Daw Peh
183   Daw Ta Tho
   

                          Loikaw area

Elders of the following 29 villages northeast of Loikaw were forced to sign

papers guaranteeing that they would be forced to relocate if any shots 
were fired in the region.  The area is between the Loikaw-Taunggyi road 
and the Pon River, from Loikaw northward to the Shan border - a 25 km. 
square area.  These villages were subsequently forced to relocate to Nwa 
La Bo and other smaller sites in the area in late 1997 and early 1998.

No.   Village Name

184   Pa Da Nyeh
185   Pa Kyeh Thit
186   Pa Temah
187   Daw Mu Kla
188   Lar Boi (lower)
189   Lar Boi (upper)
190   Sam Pya
191   Daw Kraw Ku
192   Daw The
193   Lay Aim Su
194   Nam Ma Hu
195   Daw The
196   Daw Par Pa
197   Mai Mya
198   Tha Wa
199   Wah
200   Paya Pyu
201   Ye Kan
202   Kon Nah (lower)
203   Kone Paw
204   Wan Kar
205   Kon Mako
206   Koy Ton
207   Nam Koy
208   Mae Huso
209   Tee Lon
210   Nam Sonkuay
211   Wa Ngaw (west)
212   Wa Ngaw (east)

- [END OF REPORT] -