NEWS - BEATING OF INNOCENT VILLAGER

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Subject: NEWS - BEATING OF INNOCENT VILLAGERS, SOME TO DEATH, IN MURNG-NAI

SHAN HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION


SHRF  MONTHLY REPORT  --  SEPTEMBER 1999

BEATING OF INNOCENT VILLAGERS, SOME TO DEATH, IN MURNG-NAI

 In early August 1999, several villagers were severely beaten up one
after
another at several different villages in Kaeng Tawng area of Murng-Nai
township by SPDC troops of 55th Division from Taunggyi.
 On 7.8.99, about 300 SPDC troops from Kalaw-based 55th Division led by
Commander Thein Win came to Kaeng Tawng area in Murng-Nai township. They
arrested villagers who they thought were supporting the Shan resistance
at
several villages they passed through and interrogated them, beat and
tortured
them until some of them died.
 At Nawng Phaa village, Nawng Hee tract, the troops interrogated and
tortured
to death a 73-year-old man, Loong Zarae Awn. 
 After that, they came to Waeng Kao village, Nawng Hee tract, and
arrested a
former headman named Loong Haeng Kawn. They accused him of supporting
the Shan
resistance and beat him until one of his legs was broken, and told him
that if
he confessed they would cure his leg so that it healed quickly,
otherwise they
would let him suffer for a long time before they killed him. He was said
to be
still alive at the time of this report.
 The troops continued to Kun Mong village, Kun Mong tract, and beat up a
secretary of the village tract headman, Zaai Khat-Ti-Ya. He was so badly
beaten up that when the troops left it was not at all sure whether he
was going to
live or die.
 As many as 13 villagers had already been beaten up at the time of this
report
and the troops were still continuing to beat up many more, and it was
not sure
who had died or survived. The other known victims were: Zaai Ti-Ya,
leader of
the youth community of Ton Hoong village; Aw-Zin-Na, Ton Hoong village
headman; Wi-Ma-La, Ton Hoong village tract headman and his secretary,
Zaai Saw-Na.

TORTURE AND KILLING IN MURNG-YAWNG

 On 30.7.99, SPDC troops from LIB311, under the command of Maj Sein
Htwa,
severely beat up 3 villagers of Murng-Tin village in Murng-Yawng
township,
instantly killing one, causing death to another and seriously wounding
the
last.
 On the day of the incident, about 60 troops from LIB311 came to
Murng-Tin
village and arrested 3 villagers. They suspected the villagers of
knowing
where some former members of the MTA (Mong Tai Army) had hidden their
weapons and
interrogated them right in the middle of the village.
 While forcing the villagers to tell where the hidden arms cache was,
the
troops tortured and beat them up so harshly that one of them died on the
spot.
Another died later at the hospital and the last one suffered from
serious head
wounds and had to be hospitalized for some time.
 The 3 victims were as follows:
1. Ai Khaat (m), aged 19, died on the spot in the middle of the village
2. Zaai Pao (m), aged 18, died at the hospital
3. Ai Kaang (m), aged 18, had to be hospitalized
 
RAPE, TORTURE AND EXTORTION OF RELOCATED VILLAGERS IN MURNG-KERNG

 On 29.6.99, 7 villagers, 2 men and 5 women, were beaten and raped by an
SPDC
Captain, Win Naing, and his troops from LIB524 at their rice and sesame
farms
3-1/2 miles west of Murng-Kerng town. The villagers were also extorted
when
trying to lodge a complaint at the LIB524 base.
 The villagers were originally from Naa Pung village, Wan Phui tract,
that had
been forcibly relocated to the outskirts of the town in August 1997.
These
villagers and several other groups of villagers had been going to work
at the
farms west of the town since April 1999. 
 On the day of the incident, about 35 SPDC troops from LIB524 led by
Capt Win
Naing saw a group of villagers who were working on a farm and arrested
the
following:
1. Loong Taan Lu (m), aged 51
2. Pa Tin (f), aged 47
3. Zaai Kham Mon (m), aged 30
4. Naang Seng Phaa (f), aged 27
5. Naang Thun Ung (f), aged 19
6. Naang Lawn (f), aged 17
7. Naang Wo (f), aged 15
 The troops first separated men and women and tied up the men and
interrogated
them, asking them if they had seen or knew anything about the Shan
soldiers
while torturing and beating them all the time. When the men could not
give
them any information they wanted, the troops then brought the women one
by one and
interrogated them. The women also said they had not seen or heard
anything
about the Shan soldiers.
 Eventually, the troops raped the 4 young women. The SPDC Captain took
the
youngest, Naang Wo, for himself and gave the other 3 to his officers.
Naang Wo
was so scared that she cried and struggled, and Captain Win Naing struck
her on the head with his pistol, splitting her scalp and fracturing her
skull. The
troops let the villagers go after they had raped the women to their
satisfaction.
 Having got back to their house, Loong Taan Lu, Naang Wo's father and
also one
of the victims, complained about her daughter's plight to the headman
and some
members of the Village Committee and they all went to LIB524 base and
lodged a
complaint with Commander Aung Win.
 Commander Aung Win then ordered 70 soldiers to line up and told Naang
Wo to
point out her rapist. Since Captain Win Naing was deliberately left out,
Naang
Wo could not find him among the soldiers in the line, so she was
dismissed to
be taken to the hospital by her relatives. Loong Taan Lu, the headman
and
members of the Village Committee, altogether 5 of them, were accused of
defaming the military and were detained in the prison at the military
base.
 On the next day, 30.6.99, the villagers were told that they had
committed a
grave offence and could be punished as wanted by the military, and asked
whether they would like to face punishment or pay money as a fine.
However,
before the villagers could give any answer, the headman was beaten with
a
stick until he lost consciousness.
 Later, their families were ordered to pay 2,000 Kyat for the release of
each
of them and the rest of the victims that had been beaten and raped at
the
farm, including Naang Wo, were fined 500 Kyat each.

RAPE IN LAI-KHA

 On 7.7.99, 2 SPDC soldiers from LIB515 raped a relocated village girl
at a
vegetable garden 1 mile away from Lai-Kha town.
 The rape victim, Naang Thun Nae, aged 16, was the daughter of Loong
Zing & Pa
Lu of Tawng Heo village, Wan Thi tract, that had been forcibly relocated
to
Lai-Kha town by SPDC (formerly SLORC) troops in 1997. This family was
able to
get a plot of land to grow vegetables about 1 mile from the town.
 Naang Thun Nae was gathering vegetables alone in their garden when 2
SPDC
troops came to the edge of the garden and called her to go to them as if
they
were going to buy some vegetables. 
 However, when she got near them, as there was no one in sight at the
time,
the soldiers seized her, took her into a nearby bush and both of them
raped her,
and quickly left the site and returned to their military camp.
 As soon as she was free, Naang Thun Nae cried and ran back to her house
and
told her parents about it. Her parents then took her to the village
leaders
who in turn led them to complain to the authorities at their military
camp.
 The company commander, Capt Saw Hpyu, who heard the complaint then
ordered
about over 30 of his troops to line up and told Naang Thun Nae to point
at the
ones who she said had raped her. However, she was not able to do that
because
the rapists had already been told to hide elsewhere and were not
included in
the line.
 The SPDC commander then accused the village leaders of trying to vilify
the
military and arrested 2 of them, headman Loong Kawn and his deputy Loong
Paan
La, and ordered Naang Thun Nae's father, Loong Zing, to bring 5,500 Kyat
for
the release of each of them. The village leaders were released only
after the
money had actually been paid.

RAPE IN TA-KHI-LAEK

 On 30.7.99, 2 SPDC troops from Ta Lur-based LIB316 raped a Lahu woman
who was
gathering wild vegetables outside her village in Ta-Khi-Laek township.
 The woman, Ae Mi, aged 23, was gathering vegetables on the bank of Nam
Kherm
stream near her village, Naa Lao in Murng Laen tract, when the 2
soldiers
seized and raped her. After both of them had raped her, they pointed
their
guns at her and threatened to kill her if she dared tell anyone about
the incident.
 However, Ae Mi did tell her father, Kya Lu, who in turn told their
village
headman. Though the girl's father and the headman went to complain to
the
military authorities at LIB316 base and were promised that the culprit
would be taught a proper lesson, nothing has been heard about anything
being done in
connection with this case.

BEATING AND EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG

 On 15.7.99, SPDC troops from IB226 stationed at Loi Muay arrested 3
villagers
of Wan Laen in Murng Khawn tract, Kaeng-Tung township.
 The troops accused them of being agents who traded for SSA-E (Shan
State Army
- East), tied them up and beat and tortured them while interrogating
them
right in the middle of their village.
 The villagers were released only when the village community leader and
their
families begged for their release by paying 5,000 Kyat for each of them.
 The 3 villagers that were beaten were:
1. Ai Maat, male, aged 19. He suffered from a head wound that needed 3
stitches
2. Zaai Num, male, aged 20. He suffered from a sprained waist and legs
and had
to be hospitalized
3. Zaai Peng, male, aged 16. He suffered from a sprained leg, fractured
head
and broken teeth.

FARMERS DEPRIVED OF IRRIGATION WATER IN KAENG-TUNG

 Farmers in the areas of Waw Khok, Kaeng Phawng, Yaang Kham and Zaang
Saat
villages have not been getting enough water to irrigate their rice
fields
since November 1998 because of a sand refining machine owned by the SPDC
Commander of the Golden Triangle Command, Brig Gen Thein Sein.
 Only some farmers who could afford water-pump machines have been able
to
irrigate their fields. The other farmers, who were in the majority, have
faced
great difficulties and they have tried to complain to the SPDC Township
and
District authorities about their grievances several times. 
 However, nothing has been done about it and the local authorities do
not seem
to have the courage to forward the complaint of the villagers, let alone
to
mention anything critical of the Special Regional Commander. The sand
machine
was said to have been running under the name of a certain influential
semi-Mafia lord, U Ma Kot, since November 1998.

EXTORTION IN KAENG-TUNG

 On 9.8.99, an order was issued by Brig Gen Thein Sein, the Commander of
the
Golden Triangle Special Regional Command, requiring all the military
units in
Kaeng-Tung township to grow different kinds of fruit-bearing trees at
their
respective locations.
 The SPDC troops in turn ordered the villagers in their respective areas
to
provide them with the required trees. Each village was to bring to the
military compound in its area 100 banana plants and a mix of 30 other
kinds of fruit
trees such as mango, grapefruit and guava etc.
 Villages which did not have enough such trees had to collect money
among the
villagers, about 600 Kyat per house, and buy elsewhere to fill their
quota.

TORTURE AND EXTORTION IN TA-KHI-LAEK

 On 16.8.99, 2 Lahu villagers were tortured and extorted by SPDC troops
from
LIB331 in Ta-Khi-Laek township.
 On that day, 12 SPDC troops from Ta-Khi-Laek-based LIB331 came to Li Za
village, Loi Taw Kham tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, and arrested 2 Lahu
villagers. 
 They accused the villagers of assisting the Shan soldiers of SSA-E
(Shan
State Army - East) to procure rice and interrogated them. They beat and
tortured
them, using thick bamboo sticks to crush and roll on their shins until
they
lost consciousness several times.
 The 2 Lahu villagers were released only after the villagers of Li Za
paid
20,000 Kyat for each of them to the military as demanded. The 2 victims
were:
1. Kya Yur (m), aged 33
2. Kya Pae (m), aged 26

PEOPLE FORCED TO BUY TREES FOR SPDC IN TA-KHI-LAEK

 On 16.8.99, the Chairman of the Township PDC in Ta-Khi-Laek, Capt Aung
Win,
acting under the directive of the District PDC Chairman, issued an order
requiring the people in Ta-Khi-Laek township to buy trees from Thailand
for
the military.
 The order came to all the village and tract headmen in Ta-Khi-Laek
township
demanding each house to buy 3-5 trees from Thailand and send them to the
military base. The trees would have to be edible fruit bearing kinds
such as
mango, jackfruit, lichee, lamyai and peach etc. and would be distributed
among
military personnel and SPDC civil servants.
 The local people were complaining about it and were sure that they not
only
had to provide the trees but would also be forced to plant and look
after them
for the SPDC people.

EXTORTION OF CATTLE TRADERS IN TA-KHI-LAEK

 On 9.8.99, SPDC troops from LIB526 led by Cpt Tint Lwin extorted
150,000 Kyat
from a group of cattle traders in Ta-Khi-Laek township.
 A patrol of 25 troops led by Cpt Tint Lwin met a group of cattle
traders with
75 head of cattle at Wan Mark Kawk village, Murng Ko tract, and forced
them to
pay taxes for their cattle, 5,000 Kyat for each head, or they would take
away
all the cattle.
 The traders begged the troops to have pity on them and, after some
begging
and bargaining, the troops reduced the amount to 2,000 Kyat per head.
The traders
had no choice but to succumb and find the money for the troops in order
not to
lose all their cattle.

EXTORTION OF WELL-TO-DO HOUSE OWNERS IN TA-KHI-LAEK

 On 10.8.99, the deputy chairman of the Narcotics Control Board in
Ta-Khi-Laek
township,  Cpt Hla Myint, and 4-5 policemen under his command extorted
125,000
Baht of money from some civilians in Murng Phong tract, Ta-Khi-Laek
township.
 They entered some big houses which they thought had money and
interrogated
the owners, inquiring about their incomes and how they made a living and
other
private and personal matters. 
 Eventually they accused the house owners of being involved in
amphetamine
trafficking and demanded money, threatening to take action against them
if
they did not comply.
 In this way, they were able to extort in a single day 125,000 Thai Baht
from 6 houses in Murng Phong area, ranging from 15,000 Baht, 20,000 Baht
up to 30,000
Baht from each house.

EXTORTION OF AKHA VILLAGERS IN TA-KHI-LAEK

 On 5.8.99, Capt Zaw Lwin Moe from the Ta-Khi-Laek-based Unit 24 of the
SPDC
Military Intelligence Service and his informer, Zaai Sae, went to an
Akha
village in Loi Taw Kham tract, Ta-Khi-Laek township, and extorted money
from the villagers..
 They said they needed 300,000 Baht to buy a car for the head of the MIS
in
Ta-Khi-Laek, Maj Thein Han, and demanded it from the village headman. 
 They said that they would let the Akha villagers continue their
amphetamine
business if they agreed to help the MIS. If not, they would tell the
Narcotics
Control Board to give them trouble in whatever way possible.
 It was said that, eventually, the villagers agreed to pay the demanded
money.

ARREST AND BEATING IN MURNG-KHARK

 In late July 1999, 3 villagers were severely beaten up by SPDC troops
of
Murng-Khark-based IB227.
 On 26.7.99, 7 SPDC troops from IB227 led by Lt Hla Tint came to Wan Tap
village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khark township and arrested 3 villagers
under
the suspicion that they helped distribute propaganda leaflets of SSA-E. 
 The troops brought the villagers to the military base and interrogated
them,
beat and tortured them and detained them until 29.7.99.
 They were released only under the guarantee of the village leaders.
After
their release, all of them had to be hospitalized in Murng-Khark and
treated
for 2 days before they could go home. All of them suffered from head
wounds
and had to be stitched. The 3 victims were:
1. Ai Lap (m), aged 21, of Wan Tap village
2. Ai Wong (m), aged 19, of Wan Tap village
3. Zai Kam (m), aged 36, of Wan Tap village

WOMEN FORCED TO WORK IN MURNG-KHARK

 From 29.7.99 until 29.8.99, women in Murng-Khark township were forced
to grow
soya bean and peanut for the military by SPDC troops of LIB328.
 Each day, 60 women were required to provide free labour at the soya
bean and
peanut farms and it was warned that if anyone whose turn was due failed
to
show up, the troops would personally go and get her at her house.
 Since it coincided with the rice cultivating season, it caused a great
deal of trouble for the people to tend their own crops, because men
traditionally
relied on their women to prepare food and take care of other matters
while
they worked in the rice fields.
 However, fearing unreasonable punishment, people had to go, and those
who
really could not go because their crops needed to be urgently tended had
to
hire others to go instead. The hiring fee was 1,500 Kyat for each shift.

EXTORTION, BULLYING AND BEATING IN MURNG-YARNG

 On 28.7.99, SPDC troops from Murng-Yarng-based IB279 beat up a village
leader
of Wan Nam village, Yarng Lao tract, Murng-Yarng township, for failing
to
provide pork and chicken as demanded and forced the villagers to give
twice as
much as a punishment.
 In mid July 1999, SPDC troops of IB279 ordered the villagers in
Murng-Yarng
township to provide pork and chicken on 26.7.99 for the birthday party
of the
Battalion Commander. Each village was required to bring 3 viss of pork
and
chicken.
 Coincidentally, the villagers of Wan Nam were too busy preparing for
the
religious ceremony that marked the beginning of the Buddhist lent on
27.7.99
and had forgotten to provide the stuff on the designated day.
 On 28.7.99, some troops came to Wan Nam village and arrested the
village
headman, Loong Sen Nan-Ti, aged 49, tied him up and took him to the
military
base. They shouted at him, scolded him and beat him, and eventually
ordered
him to provide twice the amount of pork and chicken that had previously
been
demanded.
 Loong Sen Nan-Ti was beaten with a rifle butt and suffered from a
sprained
waist and fractured head.

EXTORTION IN THE MILITARY BASE IN MURNG-YARNG

 In Murng-Yarng, an association of housewives was formed among the wives
of
the military personnel and a rule was set up that anyone who went to
work outside
of the military compound to earn wages must give half of her wages to
the
Association for central funds.
 On 5.8.99, a wife of a private soldier, Yi Yi Myint, who had gone out
to work
returned with so little money that she was suspected of leaving some of
her
money with some villagers and was punished.
 She was banned from going outside the military compound for 7 days and
during
that period was required to do menial work such as cleaning the floors
of the
offices and other sanitation work. Her husband, a Private, felt so sorry
for
his wife that he even helped her do some of the work every day.

ROBBERY IN MURNG-YAWNG

 On 10.8.99, villagers returning from the town market in Murng-Yawng
were
robbed of their Chinese money by SPDC soldiers at Ta Luay, a crossing
point on
Nam Luay river.
 On that day, 7 villagers from Murng-Yu village, who went to the market
in
town and were returning in a car, were stopped by a group of about 25
SPDC
troops at Ta Luay. 
 The troops searched all the villagers and took away all the money they
were
carrying. All their money was in Chinese Yuan. The following were the 7
villagers and the money they lost:
1. Loong Pan-Yaa (m), aged 51, lost 75 Yuan
2. Pa Naang Po (f), aged 46, lost 52 Yuan
3. Zaai Non (m), aged 26, lost 130 Yuan
4. Naang Leo (f), aged 18, lost 100 Yuan
5. Naang Peng (f), aged 16, lost 39 Yuan
6. Naang La Keo (f), aged 17, lost 160 Yuan
7. Naang In Seng (f), aged 16, lost 65 Yuan
(Note: The money exchange rate in August was 1 Yuan = 3.6 Baht)

FORCED LABOUR AND EXTORTION IN MURNG-YAWNG

 In July 1999, SPDC troops of LIB311 ordered the villagers of Hawng
Zaang and
Hawng Koey villages to cut firewood for them. The 2 villages would have
to cut
30 'Waa' of firewood for the military (1 Waa = a pile of about
2-feet-long
pieces of firewood, 1 armspan high and wide).
 Because wood had become so scarce in that area, the villagers were not
able to find the demanded amount of firewood. However, the villagers
were still forced
to provide money, 30,000 Kyat from each village, on 24.7.99.

SHOOTING OF LIVESTOCK AND FORCED LABOUR IN MURNG-PHYAK

 On 1.8.99, 12 SPDC troops from Murng-Khark led by Cpt Win Thu shot 2
pigs
belonging to Lahu villagers at Nam Naang village in Murng-Phyak
township,
without asking or paying anything to the villagers.
 After they had shot the pigs, the troops forced 2 Lahu villagers, Kya
Lu and
Kya Pur, to carry the carcasses all the way to Ta-Khi-Laek - Kaeng-Tung
main
road, over 4 hours of walking distance, without paying them anything.
 Kya Pa (m), aged 46 and Kya U (m), aged 40, lost their pigs which were
worth
3,000 Kyat and 2,600 Kyat respectively.

BULLYING BY POLICE IN MURNG-PHYAK

 On 7.8.99, 3 SPDC policemen, led by Sgt Ye Hlaing, beat up a civilian
man in
the town of Murng-Phyak until he was bruised all over.
 In the morning of that day, Sgt Ye Hlaing borrowed a motorcycle, a
purple
Honda Dream, from a man, Zaai Keo, who lived in the market quarter of
the
town.
He used the motorcycle for the whole day and when he returned it, the
left
side leg protection board was broken and half torn away.
 Zaai Keo, the motorcycle owner, was discontented and demanded that Ye
Hlaing
fix it and pay the cost. But, instead of fixing the motorcycle, the
police
Sergeant went away and came back with other 2 policemen and beat up Zaai
Keo
until there were bruises all over his body. 
 Although Zaai Keo had complained to the Township PDC authorities about
this,
there has been no sign of any action taken against the bullying
policeman.

FORCED LABOUR AND ROBBING OF LIVESTOCK IN KUN-HING

 On 17.7.99, SPDC troops at IB246 base in Kun-Hing killed and ate 2 oxen
belonging to a relocated villager who they had just forced to carry
firewood
for them with his ox-cart.
 On that day, Capt Zaw Htun of IB246 had ordered the villagers who had
been
relocated to the town 2-3 years ago to provide firewood for the
military.
 A villager, Loong Pan-Ti, aged 53, was told by his headman to use his
ox-cart
to transport some firewood to the military base. When Loong Pan-Ti
unloaded
his ox-cart and was about to leave, he was told to leave his ox-cart in
the base
and to come and get it later.
 Having no choice and not wanting any argument with the soldiers, he
then went
home to eat his lunch.
 When Loong Pan-Ti came back to the military base that evening to get
his
ox-cart, the soldiers were already busy cutting the meat of his 2
cart-oxen.
Loong Pan-Ti was so shocked that he cried and went to complain to the
headman.
 When the headman and some village leaders went to the military base to
enquire about it, the soldiers simply told them that they had killed
Loong Pan-Ti's 2
oxen because they needed meat and that if the villagers pitied him, they
should collect money among themselves and pay him or get new oxen for
him, and told
the headman to tell Loong Pan-Ti to come and get back his cart.
 Eventually, knowing that Loong Pan-Ti was in a difficult situation, the
headman had to collect money from the villagers and bought a new pair of
oxen
that cost 45,000 Kyat for him. 
 
 
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