* To monitor human rights
situations in Mon territory and other areas southern part of Burma
* To protect and promote
internationally recognized human rights in Burma
human rights foundation of monland
Human Rights Publication
4/95 (May 22, 1995)
P. O. Box 11, Ratchburana, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Human Rights Interviews with New Arrivals in Halockhani Refugee
Camp
Backgrounds of Interviews
Many ten hundreds of new arrivals from several townships of Mon
territories had fled to border refugee camps like Halockhani and Payaw after
they were severely persecuted by SLORC troops in their native places during
this dry season. Mostly, more than 1000 new arrivals fleeing from Tavoy
district areas sought refuge in Payaw where they hoped it has more safety than
Halockhani refugee camp. Among the three districts of Mon territories, the
Tavoy district have been under the most serious conditions of SLORC's abuses
for the villagers and the most refugees had to flee from the many villages of
this district. Although the villagers in Moulmein and Thaton districts have
been seriously suffered by violation of SLORC troops, they have very lack of
opportunity to flee to the border areas. When the villagers from Moulmein and
Thaton districts decided to flee, mostly, they fled to Halockhani refugee camp.
Halockhani, which the campsite is in the dispute areas of
Thai-Burma border, have been situated under the vulnerable conditions for the
attack of SLORC troops. It was already attacked by the SLORC's Infantry
Battalion No. 62 in July of last year and the troops burnt down one section of
the camp which far about three kilometres from the main camp and they also
attempted to advance to the main camp. In such situations, all 6000 Mon
refugees had fled into Thai territory and appealed for the new resettlement in
a safe site of Thai territory. But the Thai authorities had consistently
refused to allow those displaced refugees in their territory and pushed them
back again to the former unsafe campsite. In 1993, those refugees were safely
taken refuge in deeply Thai territory. But at the beginning of 1994, the Thai
Government forcedly repatriated them to the mentioned unsafe campsite by giving
more intensive pressure to the New Mon State Party to urgently make cease-fire
agreement with SLORC.
After the SLORC took power in Burma in 1988, the Thai Government
had established business relationship with SLORC to exploit natural resources
from Mon and Karen territory. The Thai government had planned for buying
natural gas from Burma's western offshore parts of Mon territory and
construction darns in Karen territory.
Even though the Halockhani camp have been likely very unsafe site,
for the new arrivals who were suffering for many kinds of human rights abuses
by the SLORC troops in Burma, after they had no choice for the safe place for
their families, they have sought refuge in Halockhani camp. During recent March
and April, there were about 200 new arrivals had arrived to Halockhani refugee
camp, mostly from Moulmein and Thaton District. To collect the informations
from those new arrivals how they were suffered of SLORC abuses, the human
rights worker of Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) made interviews
for the special cases from respective areas of their native place.
Interview 1
Name: Nai Ha Geed
Sex/ Age: Male/ 32 years
Nationality/ Religion: Mon/
Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Native Place: Panga village,
Thanbyuzayat Township
Date of Interview: 28 April,
1995.
I left my village because the Burmese troops conscripted me to
join in Burmese Army in the recent second week of February and I had to flee
from my village. Actually, I would like to stay there to survive the life of my
family and earnestly to allow my children to study in the school.
Over 10 years ago when I was 17 years old, I left from the my village and joined the Mon Army at that time. After I
served as Mon soldiers in Mon National Liberation Army for three years, I left
the Army and I went into Thailand to seek a job. I had worked in mining areas
of Thailand-Cambodia border for two years, even I got some money in mining I
spent it all as I was single. After I worked in mining for two years, I
returned back to the Kanchanaburi Province (in Thailand) again, to work as labourers
in plantation areas. I got good jobs with good salaries and at that time, I
could save some my money. When I was 24 years old, I got marriage with one Mon
woman from Sangkhlaburi.
I still had good jobs in a rubber plantation and had a son after
we married for two years. Then, last two years ago, I had another one daughter
and so, I decided to return to my native village to live with my parents and to
survive my life and the future of my children in there. As soon as I arrived at
village in April last year, the Burmese soldiers from Local Infantry Battalion
No. 32 came to me and interrogated me how many years I had joined in Mon Army
and what was my promotion. I answered to them all true of my past about joining
Mon Army for three years and I left Mon Army for a long time. Actually, after I
left the Mon Army, it did not use or conscript me to work for the army when I
was in civilian life, even sometime I met my old
commanders. I also admitted to the Burmese soldiers that I was a corporal when
I worked for Mon Army and I retired for a long time and when I was civilian,
the Mon Army never used me. But they did not satisfy to me and slapped me to
admit I was Mon soldier and to surrender to them officially. I was brought to
Thanbyuzayat military battalion and interrogated me again and again by
accompanying with many kinds of tortures. It was very impossible for me to
admit as I was Mon soldier last years. But I was released by the guarantee of
my aunt who married with a Burmese soldiers.
After that, I was enabled to stay at my native village again and
my son could attend to the school. I worked as a farmer in my parent's
farmland. But the problem was come out again when one Mon commander, Tala Bone,
surrendered to the Burmese Army at the end of last year. After that commander
surrendered, the Burmese Army have tried to form a Mon
faction to oppose the New Mon State Party. I did not know why he surrendered to
Burmese troops and what was the next plan of them, as
I was very busy in my farmland. In second week of January, the Burmese soldiers
approached to husband of my aunt again and started to organize me again to
release information I was a commander of Mon Army and had already surrendered
to them and would cooperate with local SLORC authorities for the development of
Mon areas. They said they will offer a possible rant, houses and other
belongings which I needed if joined the new Mon faction. But I refused to join
with them and reasonably, I wanted to stay in the village as an ordinary
civilian, not to participate any politics or army. They were very dissatisfied
on me. Then, I was taken by them to Thanbyuzayat military battalion for three
days and they beated me severely. And they also told
me if I refused to cooperate with them, the will imprisoned me with crime of
insurgency.
At the end, I promised them I will join to the Burmese Army when
the possible time was arrived after I kept all my crops in my farm. Thus, they
allowed me to return home or my farm to take all of my rice to the village. It
took the time for three weeks. In this three week the oftenly came to me and
threatened me not to flee from the village and I told them to trust me. One day
in the first week of February, I was called by them together with my aunt
again. When we arrived at the military outpost of village, I was given a letter
to sign. I did not know what kind of letter as I could not read Burmese
language and not dare to ask them and then I signed. And they also forced my
aunt to sign the letter in another room. When we left from the outpost, my aunt
told me that the letter we had signed was to give them promises not to flee
from village and to join the Army and the signature of my aunt was to guarantee
me not to flee from the village and to force me in joining the Army as quickly
as possible. Even my aunt did not want agree, but she had no choice.
In the second week of February, my aunt received informations from
her husband that the Burmese soldiers will arrest me on the day after tomorrow.
I realised that after they arrested they forced me as I was a
surrender and the put their uniform and I must became Burmese Army's man
to oppose Mon rebels. They must put to became a member
of counter-insurgency group. I did not accept it. If I accepted my relatives
will angry to me and the Mon Army will misunderstand on me. Therefore I decided
to flee to border areas again. My aunt also agreed with me and she said she
will take all responsibilities brought from Burmese soldiers. Therefore, on
February 14, I left from my village at night time without bringing my wife and
children as I worried for delaying. I came in the jungle way to Kannee village
of Ye Township and waited them. My relatives in the village arranged for
everything in bringing the whole my family to reach me in the next four days.
And we fled to Halockhani refugee camp. It lasted about six days from Kannee to
arrive to the camp.
Interview 2
Name: Nai Joon
Sex/ Age: Male/ 54 years
Nationality/ Religion: Mon/ Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Native Place: Lakepoke village, Ye Township
Date of Interview: 28 April, 1995.
I left from my village because of my ages as I could not serve for
the survival of my family and the oftenly severe torturing of the Burmese
troops. I had a small betel nut plantation in east of my village which I had to
get income. In my plantation, the Burmese troops particularly came to take
patrol for the prevention of Mon troops. When they came they always crossed
around our plantation. At the same time, the road close to plantation was also
used for the local peoples to travel into Thailand to seek jobs in there.
One day in third week of January, when I arrived to plantation in
the morning, I knew that some villagers who travelled into Thailand had slept
in my hut and I though they had managed for dinner in hut and left in that
early morning. It was a common happening. But on that day, I was unlucky. As I
never minded on those villagers and I continued my works in the plantation by
cutting the grass. In the afternoon on that day, one company of Burmese troops,
I did not know they came from which battalion, entered to my plantation. I was very late to
escape. Those soldiers went around the plantation and the commander stayed in
my hut and they took me with them. Initially, they asked me about the
activities of the Mon troops and then when they saw like many peoples had
cooked meal in my hut and they had suspicion on me. They asked me did the Mon
troops come to my hut last night and did I provide them some foods for their
meal. I refused and I explained them that there were some peoples who went into
Thailand had cooked dinner in my hut who I did not know as I was at my home in
village last night. I insisted them I just arrived in this morning and I did
not know for sure who had meal in my hut, as I though some peoples, not Mon
soldiers, had done it. I explained them most the
peoples always slept in my hut and cooked meals, as my hut was close to stream
which very possible to get water. They refused for my complaints and the
commander ordered his men to beat me. About three soldiers beated me with their
combat boots and rifle-butts for several time and forced me to admit I fed some
Mon soldiers in my hut last night and to tell where they were. As I did not
know, I constantly refused and they continuously beated. After about 15 minutes
torturing, I did not know for everythings. And they left me alone and went
away. When I recovered, I was unable to walk back to village and could not do
anythings. I stayed at hut for all night and could not make any foods. On the
next day morning, some villagers came to my hut and brought back me to village.
In the second incident, one day at the weekend of February, I was
arrested on the way when I went to plantation area. In that month, I hired some
labourers in my plantation to pick betel nut there and so, I brought more rice
from village to feed those labourers. After I left from village about half hour
on the way I went ahead, I unexpectedly met about 20 Burmese soldiers, I though
they came from one outpost in Kwanbae village (where a company of Burmese
soldiers from Local Infantry Battalion No. 61 of Ye, taking base), who came
opposite of me. Also, I had no ability to run away in this time also. As soon
as they were close to me, they asked me where I went and why I carried extra
rice to plantation. I explained them as I hired about 7 labourers in my plantation, I needed to carry more rice. Actually, the
military already issued orders not to keep extra rice in farm huts or
plantation huts. They asked me did I know they had issued orders. I explained
them that I knew the order and but I carried extra foods for labourers. Anyhow,
they did not listen my words and they accused me as I
sent foods for Mon soldiers who were taking base in one hill about 10
kilometres from our village. Then they took all my rice and beated me severely like the first time. I was pain too much and
lied down on the ground. After they beated enough,
they tied me up and took to the village. When they arrived at village leader
house, they severely beated me in front of villagers as a punishment for
bringing rice to Mon soldiers as they said.
In the third incident, when a company of troops from Battalion No.
61 came into our village to arrest the men to use as porters. They needed
altogether about 15 men in our village and many young men had escaped, I was
arrested again. And I told them to release me as I was elder persons. But they
angered to me as they could not get the total 15 men from our village and
beated with rifle-butt two times in my back. They said not to make any
complaint to them and gave me six shells of 60 mm mortar to carry. Although it
was too heavy for me, I did not dare to refuse because I afraid for their
beatings. After the more distances I carried the more I was weaker and weaker
and getting more tire. When we arrived at Kannee village, I went to their
commander and appealed for release me. He did not want to release me and told
me to pay them 5000 Kyat to hire someone to replace me. At that time, I had
nothing to pay them. When they took a rest in the village, I approached to
village headmen of that village and told them to help me for borrowing cashes
about 5000 Kyat. As they knew me well for ever visits to their village and also
I was looked like very weak and tire, they tried to find out 5000 Kyats cashes.
Then, I paid to the commander and he released me. I did not know for sure they
will hire someone to replace me or not, at that time. But, later I knew that
they did not hire anyone with my cashes and they asked
one more porter in Kannee village.
To repay for my debt in Kannee village, I had to sell half areas
of my plantation with low price because I did not want to stay in the village
anymore. I did not know why I was very unlucky in this year. Another half of my
plantation was offered to my relatives to maintain it. My eldest son had
already entered
into Thailand and with hopes he can provide me and previously, I decided to
join my son. Actually, It was not so easy and the
situation was not offered to enter into Thailand. It is very different from
last 20 years ago. Therefore, I decided to stay in this camp because we can get
assistances for our survival.
Interview 3
Name: Nai Ah Gai
Sex/ Age: Male/ 20 years
Nationality/ Religion: Mon/
Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Native Place: Taungchun
village, Yebyu Township
Date of Interview: 29 April,
1995.
I came here to take refuge because the Burmese soldiers had
already burnt down the whole village of us including my house and decided to came here. The reason they burnt down our village was I
think they suspected our villagers supporting the Mon troops to stay in our
village. Actually, our village was in the fighting areas between the Mon
soldiers and Burmese soldiers, the Mon or the Burmese soldiers always came into
our village. The difference one is that we always had to flee when the Burmese
soldiers came into village because they arrested the men for portering and
tortured the villagers, while Mon troops came it was
no need for us to flee. When we fled from the village, the Burmese troops
angered to us and later, they accused us the supporters of Mon troops, because
we were always in village when Mon troops came.
Following this suspicion, about 80 soldiers of Burmese troops with
40 porters came into our village on March 23 to destroy our village. The troops was from Local Infantry Battalion No. 104 and led by
Lt. Aung Nyein. They arrived at our village at mid-night. As soon as they
arrived in the village, all men in the village urgently waked up and fled away
to escape from the arrests of Burmese soldiers. I also escaped without my
family to the southern part of my village. At that night I slept in one farm
hut which 2 kilometre far away from the village with
another two villagers. In the whole night, the Burmese soldiers climbed on
every houses by searching for Mon soldiers but they
took the belongings and properties of the villagers. The troops slept there for
one night and in the morning about 8:00 a. m., they gathered everybody in the
middle of the village and told to the villagers, mostly women and elders, to
tell them which houses the Mon soldiers had always slept. The villagers were
quiet. The villagers who can speak Burmese explained them, they did not know
which houses the Mon soldiers had slept and as they knew the Mon soldiers
always slept at monastery or buildings in the road sections (in Mon tradition,
they always build a small building in every sections of road in the village, to
take rest or use for offering foods to the monks in the morning). Although some
explained them a lot and they did not accept for the complaints and they told
to the villagers, if they refused to show the houses they wanted to know, they
will burn down the whole village. At the end, about 10:00 a. m., they burnt the
whole village. They did not allow any villager to pick up their belongings.
When I saw some smoke came out to the sky, I and other villagers
knew our village was burnt down and three of us fled back to the village. On
the half way, my wife and other women also fled out of village because the
Burmese soldiers drove out them with acute order. No one dared to stay in the
village at all. After I got my child and we fled back to hut I slept last night
again. The reason why the soldiers angered to villagers was that they had already
told to the villagers last one week ago that all villagers to move from
Taungchun village and to relocate in Kyaethonenyima village. But the villagers
always refused to relocate by themselves in Kyaethonenyima. Because
the villagers did not want to abandon their village of with proper households,
good surroundings and the farmlands nearby. Our village had about 60
households and mostly we were farmers. But most of the villagers were poor as
we had to pay for many kinds of taxation to the Burmese troops and they always
took our properties or belongings when they came into village, was as a common.
After they burnt down our village, they had waited in the village
to prevent for whom tried to return to the village again. I was not dare to return back and stayed for two nights in that farm
hut with shortage of food and I tried to get some foods around the farms. I
went to the my relatives in Kyaethonenyima and I
borrowed some cashes and rice from them. And, altogether three families of us
tried to take refuge in the border areas. As I have never came
in this area and we were wrong the way and so, we crossed into Ye township
areas which took the time nearly one week to reach Halockhani. On the way, we
needed to avoid the Burmese troops' activities taking there and it was very
dangerous. Because of the long trip to the border, my 9 months child seriously
got sick. When we reached Halockhani, one family, who have no child like us,
went into Thailand to seek job there.
Interview 4
Name: Nai Soe Khaing
Sex/ Age: Male/ 50 years
Nationality/ Religion: Mon/ Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Native Place: Hlaingkhani
village, Kawkareik Township
Date of Interview: 30 April, 1995.
When I came to this refugee camp, many villagers who were staying
in the forest and some in the farmlands, although would like to come, it was
impossible for them as they did not want to abandon their farmlands but it was
also very dangerous of the actions of the Burmese troops on the half way. I
just arrived here one month ago. Now, I had already abandoned my farmland and
house in the village. I do not want to return back if the Burmese troops were
still active in the village because I ran away to avoid their tortures.
In third week of December, when I worked in farmland for keeping
my crops, a company of Burmese troops from Infantry Battalion No. 62 which was
active in that areas, came straightly to my hut and
many labourers working with me had run away. But I did not run as I think they
would not mistreat me because I was elder man. When they arrived my hut, they
asked why other peoples run away and from where they came. I told them they
came from the same village of me, as they were afraid of arrests. And the
commander angered to me and said they did not arrest any innocent villagers and
accused those fleeing villagers were as rebels. He said "because of they
are rebels so, they flee and you are the one who allowed the rebel to stay
around this farmland areas and did not to inform the Tatmadaw
(Burmese Army)". I refused for his accusation like those villagers
fled away were farmers who worked with me and they were not Mon soldiers. But
he did not believe to me and ordered his men to torture me. Then, two strong
soldiers brought me to water pool near my hut and dropped me into water. They
immersed me in water to admit for the true and not to make any argument to
their commander and they beated me with rifle-butts and combat boots
several times and immersed in the water again.
I was nearly
died. They immersed me and tortured me for three rounds and brought me to their
commander again. The commander kicked me two times with his boots and told me
to admit for my crime. After the soldiers
tried to torture again, I admit the villagers were rebels and they stopped
beating me. They asked me that the names of those villagers. Before they left, they warned they will
return back to my farmland again and if someone fled from my hut like that,
they said they would kill me.
After I was severely tortured, the villagers brought me to the
village and treated with one tradition doctor for one month. Because of the
military offensive of Burmese troops in our areas, mostly, the men in the
village had gone away and I could not go anywhere because of my inter pain.
When I was treated in the village in the second week of January, about 100
Burmese troops came into village again to arrest some men for portering.
Although I slept inner room of my home, when one soldier climbed on to find and
take some belongings, and he arrested me. As soon as I was arrested, I insisted
that I was a patient and to release me. But they refused, and one soldier
beated in my stomach and it was too pain. Then they gave six mortar shells to
carry and I demanded them I was unable to carry. So, they told me to pay them
6000 Kyat to hire for replacement of me. And my daughter
immediately find to get 6000 Kyat of ransom. They said they had no time
to wait us and they continued their trip and they forced me to carry mortar
shells. When troops were ready for trip, my daughter arrived
and paid them the ransom. And they released me.
As I had a lot of debts in recent time, so I needed to sell half
of my farmland. Another half of farmland was offered to my eldest son who
decided to continuously stay in the village. Although we stayed in the village,
the most of our time was to hide in the jungle or escape in farmlands.
Therefore, even it was not so easy, our family decided to come here. On the way
(in the areas of Moulmein District), we had to swerved the way for avoiding the
activities of the Burmese troops and it took for three weeks to arrive this
camp. We slept many nights in the thick jungle as we did not dare to approach some
villages which were in suspicion of the Burmese troops taking bases. But we
could reach to this place with many difficulties.
Interview 5
Name: Nai Ngwe Htun
Sex/ Age: Male/ 25years
Nationality/Religion: Mon/
Buddhist
Occupation: Labourer
Native Place: Baleh Kapol
village, Ye Township
Date of Interview: 30 April,
1995.
Last year, although I stayed at Halockhani refugee camp of Baleh
Donephai village, after it was attacked by Burmese troops I went away as not
dare to stay here again. After we were attacked by Burmese troops last year I
escaped from the arrests of Burmese troops because I was in jungle to cut
bamboo shoots, when they used the men as human shields in advancing to attack
the main Halockhani camp. When I returned back in the evening, the whole
village was already burnt down by the Burmese troops of Battalion No. 62 and my
wife was crying and busy for picking some rest belongings like rice, clothes,
pots and etc., which were in our half-burnt house. And we fled with other
refugees to the Thai Border Police checkpoint for safety. We stayed at
checkpoint with temporary shelter nearly for two months and after the Thai Army
took the rice warehouse in the camp, the camp leaders told to return back to
our former site again. I would like to build my house in main camp, but it was
impossible and I decided to stay in Baleh Kapol village which had only five
houses at that time. After we moved there it increased about 20 households
because some refugee family joined in. The houses situated separately in the
slope of mountain and it far for one day walk from Beleh Donephai village.
On April 6, while I was on the way to return my hut after cutting
heavy bamboos, the Burmese troops arrested me because I had no enough chance to
flee by carrying heavy load. About 200 troops was Light Infantry Battalion No.
403 and it came from Three Pagoda Pass. They also arrested other 30 porters
with their troops. When they crossed closely to the Baleh Donephai village, it
was small fighting also occurred with Mon troops and also the porters carried
two wounded soldiers. As soon as they arrested, they beated me first and asked
the activities of Mon troops and Karen troops. I said I did not know by shaking
my head because I did not understand the Burmese language well and they beated
me again mostly with rifle-butts. Initially, they gave me only one bag of their
wounded soldiers to carry and on the next day morning they gave another one
chain round of ammunition, and it became too heavy for me. On the second day of
the trip, when they arrived one Karen village Kamon they shot four innocent
Karen villagers to dead. Those four men just came out from the village and so,
they thought the Karen soldiers tried to ambush them and they shot. The four
villagers died on spot as I was eyewitness and we also stepped over the dead
bodies of those villagers.
In the evening we arrived one Karen village again. As soon as they
arrived the village they catched animals in their houses and took the belongings.
Except the elder persons, most villagers had already fled away. After we left
from that village about half hours, the Karen guerrillas ambushed them again.
It lasted only 5 minutes and one Burmese soldier wounded. The commander was
angry too much and he kicked all porters each time with his combat boots. And
the porters needed to carry another one wounded soldier. They also changed the
loads with me by offering six shells of 60 mm mortar. It was more
heavier than before.
All porters became weaker and weaker, because the soldiers gave us
very few rice of meal. They told us they had shortage of food and no extra food
for us. On the third day of trip, they gave us only one meal per day. As they
were very afraid of attacks from Mon or Karen guerrillas, they did not use the
common way and swerved the way by using the mountainous areas. On the fourth
day, one old Mon man unable to carry the load and one sergeant severely beated
and forced him to carry. The man said to the sergeant "I cannot go far
away by carrying the heavy loads, please put me here sir". We heard the
voice of man, no one dare to watch. By accompanying with another two soldiers
to the sergeant, they beated him several time and at the end, they kicked the him from the high and steep mountain. We heard the
crying voice of the man like "please help me, please help". No one
could help him. As I knew among the porters, he came to the border areas to
transport cows and oxes and sold it. After he sold his cows and oxes, he
returned back and arrested by Burmese troops on the half way. I did not know
his native place. I think he was old about 50 years.
By swerving the ways, the trip took for 10 days to arrive the
Aleskan military outpost. We, all porters, were weaken
and tire. Immediately, after we arrived at Aleskan, the soldiers detained all
porters and did not give any food for one day and one night. On
the next day, the Battalion NO. 403 troops returned to its Tavoy
battalion headquarters and released all of us. Therefore, I quickly return to
my home and I arrived at home after 5 days they released. At home, I got
serious sickness and the villagers brought me to treat in Halockhani hospital
and also my wife moved in. After I was recovered, I decided to stay in Halockhani
again which must be more possible for our family to get foods and I hopes we
can avoid such terrible portering.