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NLD Statement 45 in English



National League for Democracy
No (97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan, Rangoon

Statement No: 45(3/99)

(Addendum to Statement 122 (12/98) dated 14 December 1998)

1.	Not only are the people being forced to supply "voluntary labour" in 
transforming virgin land to agricultural land in Ra-za-gjou, Chin-su and 
Hanthawaddy in Sagaing Division, Kalaymyo Township and for construction 
of a railway crossing road in Yaymyinni-Pakhokku, but through force and 
coercion by the authorities the residents in Kalaymyo township are being 
divested of agricultural land inherited from their forefathers who were 
the first to clear and cultivate these lands.

2.	Our information is that though the term used is "transformation of 
virgin land" what is actually happening is the confiscation of lands 
originally cleared and cultivated by the forefathers of the residents.

3.	With reference to the Hantharwaddy camp, what happened is

(1) 	In April 1998, the authorities confiscated over three thousand 
acres of land where beans and pulses were originally and for many years 
cultivated.
(2)	About one thousand cultivators from eight townships viz. Monywa, 
Chaung-oo, Ayadaw, Depaeyin, Butalin, Yinmarbin, Salingyi, and Palei 
were conscripted and brought to the camp where they had to labour 
without payment of wages, inadequate food and medicines from 7:00 a.m to 
5:00 p.m. without any rest periods. Because of this and harsh climatic 
conditions, seventeen died of malaria at the camp.
(3)	One Maung Tin, age 32, from Than-bin-kan village, Chaung-oo 
township, committed suicide by hanging because though he was suffering 
intensely from malaria, he was not replaced and was never allowed to 
rest. Permission to return to Chaung-oo for medical treatment was 
refused, nor was he given any medical attention at the camp. He was left 
to starve.
(4)	Our information is that when Major Khin Aung Aye, Secretary of 
Monywa District SPDC, who arrogantly exercised authority at the camp was 
afflicted with malaria, he was immediately dispatched to Mingalardon 
military hospital for treatment.

4.	Over three thousand acres of land that had been originally cleared 
and cultivated by the ethnic Chins were confiscated and at the Chin-su 
camp, service personnel from Kalaymyo and the Chin State were brought to 
the camp for the purpose of transforming virgin to agricultural land. 
These service personnel had no knowledge or expertise in the use of the 
harrow, plough, carts and cows or paddy seed and found it impossible to 

perform so the original cultivators were made to sign bonds undertaking 
production at the rate of thirty baskets paddy per acre. This is a 
deliberate act of bullying and brow beating to the detriment of the 
original cultivators.

5.	Another information received is that early in 1999 people were being 
called up to work on constructing an embankment to capture water from 
the creeks and streams running out of the Chin State to irrigate the 
land. Villagers in the Monywa District were declined to go to the 
Hantharwaddy camp site. Therefore , the power wielding Divisional 
authorities summoned all the administrators in all the villages and 
ordered them to go and work at the Hantharwaddy camp site themselves. 
Failing to comply would result in heavy penalties.

6.	Thee-bin-kha-yine district village tract administrators in the 
township of Butalin were reluctant to conscript the villagers in their 
locality so they went themselves and worked on the Kalaymyo Hantharwaddy 
camp site. This tactic of holding the village administrators to ransom 
was not at all pleasing to the villagers. Fifteen villagers followed up 
to the site to relieve their village elders. The distance is about 300 
miles to the camp site and cost of travel (to and from) is about four 
thousand kyats . Having to travel at ones own expense with no 
remuneration for labour was not attractive to prospect for anyone.

7.	In assessing the facts stated above it shows the cruel and 
inconsiderate attitude of the power wielding authorities towards their 
fellow countrymen and citizens. Forcing people to contribute their 
labour, abuse of authority and unfair and inhuman practices are very 
obvious. We have been informed that the residents of the villages in 
Monywa District are filled with great fear at the prospect of  "forced 
labour" and are suffering great distress and hardship.

8.	We adamantly denounce such methods of  "forced labour" and demand 
respect for people's rights and that people be treated with compassion 
that they deserve.


Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

Rangoon
16 March 1999








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