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AFTERMATH: THREE YEARS OF DISLOCATI



Subject: AFTERMATH: THREE YEARS OF DISLOCATION IN THE KAYAH STATE

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 1999 REPORTS ON BURMA

AFTERMATH: THREE YEARS OF DISLOCATION IN THE KAYAH STATE

JUNE 1999 SUMMARY AI INDEX: ASA 16/14/99

DISTR: SC/CO

Civil war in the Kayah (Karenni) State has lasted for over 50 years, as
the
Karenni National Progress Party (KNPP), an armed insurgency group in the
Kayah State, continues to fight against Myanmar's government for
autonomy.
As a result the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC, Myanmar's
military government) has engaged in a massive counter-insurgency
campaign
involving the internal displacement of tens of thousands of Karenni
civilians. Although there are skirmishes between the KNPP and the
Burmese
army, known as the tatmadaw, it is the civilians caught in the middle
who
suffer the  vast majority of casualties.

During February 1999 Amnesty International interviewed dozens of Karenni
farmers, including men, women, and children, who had fled to Thailand in
late 1998 and early 1999 to escape forced labour and portering,
arbitrary
arrests and torture, and extrajudicial killings by the Burmese military
in
the context of its counter-insurgency activities.  Over 1,200 refugees
arrived in late 1998 and early 1999 from  relocation sites and from the
jungle where they had been hiding for two and one half years.  Those
interviewed by Amnesty International said that they left because they
could
no longer survive away from their farms; many said that their children
had
died as a result of malnutrition and treatable diseases such as
dysentery.
Both those in the jungle and in the sites have lost their land,
livestock,
and most of their possessions.

During the first half of 1996 Myanmar's military authorities began a
massive relocation program of civilians in the Kayah State. 20,000 -
30,000
members of the Karenni ethnic minority were forced from their home
villages
into designated sites. Forcible relocation by the Burmese military in
the
Kayah State appears to be carried out solely on account of the ethnic
origin or the perceived political beliefs of the affected Karenni
civilians.  Its effects are devastating.  People are forced to remain in
life-threatening conditions in the relocation centres, including  lack
of

sanitation, safe drinking water, food and proper medical care. One
relocation site resident described their lives: "We are like robots
working
as ordered by the controller."  Karenni villagers, who have for
centuries
been cultivating the same plots of land in mountainous remote areas,
have
been almost completely cut off from their traditional way of life.


The vast majority of Karenni refugees interviewed by Amnesty
International
were forced by the military to work as unpaid labourers when they were
in
relocation centres. They became in effect an unwilling pool of labourers
which the military  drew from to work in military bases, build roads,
and
clear land. But those who were not in relocation centres also had to
perform forced labour duties on a regular basis. When asked why they
decided to flee to Thailand, many refugees said that forced labour
duties
made it impossible for them to survive and do work to support
themselves.
Even children are frequently forced to perform labour duties for the
military.

Some Karenni civilians were also detained by the tatmadaw and accused of
having contact with the KNPP.  Several refugees told Amnesty
International
about the torture they had experienced at the hands of Military
Intelligence after being arbitrarily arrested by the military and held
without charge or legal representation.  Torture of political detainees
is
routine in Myanmar, particularly during the initial process of
interrogation.  Torture techniques described by Karenni refugees are
consistent with accounts by former political prisoners from central
Myanmar, where an estimated 1500 people are imprisoned.

As part of their counter-insurgency tactics, the Burmese military
sometimes
kills Karenni civilians if they are in free-fire zones, if they cannot
perform their duties as porters, or if they suspect them of being
members
of insurgent groups.  Karenni refugees described several killings of
their
relatives and friends which took place in a variety of circumstances in
1998 and 1999. None of those killed appeared to pose any threat to the
military.

KEYWORDS:
This report summarizes an 18 -page document (7963 words),  MYANMAR
:AFTERMATH -  THREE YEARS OF DISLOCATION IN THE KAYAH STATE (AI Index:
ASA
16/14/99 ) issued by Amnesty International in JUNE 1999. Anyone wishing
further details or to take action on this issue should consult the full
document.



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