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NEWS - Rape Cases by the Burmese Mi



Subject: NEWS - Rape Cases by the Burmese Military in the Shan States

SHAN HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION MONTHLY REPORT

NOVEMBER 1999

SHRF: Rape Cases by the Burmese Military in the Shan States

4 WOMEN RAPED AND KILLED IN MURNG-KERNG

On 30.10.99, 4 women who were returning from reaping rice at their farms
were raped and shot dead at a deserted village west of Murng-Kerng town
by
SPDC troops from LIB514.

The 4 women were originally from Kung Pek village, Huay Awm tract, that
had
been forced to move to the town. They were returning to the town from
their
farms some distance away in the west after reaping rice for a day when
they
ran into a group of about 30 SPDC troops led by Capt. Myint Aung who
were
patrolling the area.

The troops stopped them, accused them of having gone to provide rice for
the
Shan rebels and arrested them, and took them to a deserted village west
of
the town. The soldiers raped the women all night and returned to the
town
after shooting them dead in the morning.

When in town, the troops told the authorities and community leaders that
they had gone to shoot the rebels that morning, but could only shoot
dead 4
of their wives while all the men got away, not knowing how many died and
wounded, and told the townspeople to go and see for themselves.

When they heard the news, the husbands of the women told the community
leaders that they were very worried about their wives who had gone to
reap
rice at their farms since the previous day and had not yet returned.
They
then went together to look for them only to find their dead bodies lying
in
a heap.

The 4 victims were:
1. Pa Poi, aged 38
2. Naang Awng, aged 31
3. Naang Mawn, aged 30
4. Pa Loi Pe, aged 42

RAPE OF SCHOOLGIRLS IN LAI-KHA

In early October 1999, 2 schoolgirls from a middle school in Lai-Kha
were
arrested, detained and raped by the Commander of SPDC's LIB515, Lt-Col.
Htun
Sein, in the military base in Lai-Kha, and money was extorted for their
release.

On 8.10.99, a school meeting of all teachers and students of a middle
school
in Lai-Kha town, where there were 84 students studying up to 6th
Standard,
was held at the school. After giving a counselling speech and announcing
a
15-day holiday, the head teacher, U Kyi Maung, asked the students if
they
had any questions to ask.

Accordingly, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, Naang Mawn Zing, from the 5th
Standard asked the following question: "I would like to ask why  the
Burmese
soldiers who claim to be government troops oppress the people so much. A
lot
of village people have been forced to move to the town where they are
faced
with difficulties to settle down and make a living. I've seen how
pitiful
they are".

Another schoolgirl, Naang Lam Poi, aged 18, from the 6th Standard also
asked, "Why did the government troops close down the main market place
of
Lai-Kha town?. This market has been where it is since a very long time
ago,
but now it has been closed down for 2-3 weeks by the government soldiers
and
has not yet opened again, why? If the government soldiers are angry with
the
Shan soldiers, they should go after them. We students don't understand
and
would like to ask why the government troops are oppressing the people
like
this instead of going after the Shan soldiers".

Before the head teacher, who was hesitating, could answer the questions,
2
of the SPDC soldiers who were on security duty at the school called out
the
2 girls and said that they should go to the military base and ask the
commander if they really wanted to know, and actually took them  to
LIB515
base. As soon as the 2 soldiers finished reporting about the incident
and
what the 2 girls had asked, commander Htun Sein ordered them to lock up
the
girls in the military base.

At night, around 21:00 hrs, soldiers took Naang Mawn Zing to Htun Sein
for
interrogation. After Naang Mawn Zing told him what she had asked the
head
teacher, Htun Sein said that asking about what one did not know was
good,
but her question was against the laws of the country, so she would have
to
stay and wait at the military base for a while.

Htun Sein then took Naang Mawn Zing into his bedroom and ordered her to
take
off all her clothes, but she refused, asking why such a military officer
who
was in charge of a whole battalion as him could become so low as to
order
her to take off her clothes. That caused him to point his pistol at her
and
asked if she would do as told or not, but the girl only fell down on the
bed
and cried. Htun Sein then put away his pistol, forcibly pulled off her
clothes and raped her all night.

In the morning, he sent Naang Mawn Zing back to the lockup and brought
out
Naang Lam Poi and did the same to her, and raped her for one day and one
night. After raping the girls, in turns, for 4 days and 4 nights, Htun
Sein
ordered the girls' parents to pay 15,000 Kyat for the release of each of
them.

After their release, the 2 girls recounted their plight to their
parents,
village and community leaders and the head teacher, and wanted their
cases
submitted to higher authority. However, the head teacher said that their
questions were against the laws of the country and that he was not at
all
sure whether they would win or lose the case, so the best thing to do at
the
moment was to keep quiet. So, they have been keeping quiet up to the
present.

RAPE IN MURNG-KHAK

On 18.9.99, a Private named Hla Tin from IB227 of the SPDC in
Murng-Phyak
raped a villager of Wan Tap village, Murng Nung tract, Murng-Khak
township.

Naang Noot, aged 18, was catching fish alone in an irrigation ditch
outside
her village when Private Hla Tin came to her and, threatening her with
his
gun, raped her.

When the soldier left, Naang Noot went immediately back to the village
and
told her father about her plight. Her father then took the case to the
village headman, who in turn led him to stage a complaint with the
village
tract Chairman.

However, the village tract Chairman was too afraid of the SPDC troops to
do
anything against them and dared not push the case any further.