Forced Labor: work or service which is extracted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered themselves voluntarily.
- Article 2, Forced Labour Convention No. 29, ILO, 1930
1.1 Overview
Background and Developments
The International Labor Organization (ILO) Forced Labor Convention 1930 (No. 29) was ratified by Burma in 1955. Despite this, in 2004, both multinational organizations and non-government organizations have provided extensive reports on Burma's continued use of forced labor. The use of porters to carry army rations and other supplies for the army continued throughout 2004. Forced labor on infrastructure projects, such as the repair and construction of roads and bridges, and on the building and maintenance of military camps also remained widespread, as did the forced conscription of villagers into the military.
Both the ILO and the United Nations (UN) expressed their concern in 2004 about the continued widespread use of forced labor in Burma, particularly in ethnic border areas where there is a strong military presence. EarthRights International and Karen Rivers Watch have both recently produced reports which highlight the correlation between the presence of the Tatmadaw (armed forces) and human rights abuses, including forced labor. They contend that development project sites are of particular concern as they typically involve an increase in the number of army battalions in an area. The need to secure the site is used as a justification by the Burmese government to increase the military's presence in the area. This increase results in an augmentation in human rights violations, including the use of forced labor, with villagers not only being forced to work on the project site but also to construct and maintain military barracks (source: Another Yadana: The Shwe Natural Gas Pipeline Project (Burma-Bangladesh- India), ERI, 27 August 2004). The problems associated with an increased military presence are heightened further still when development project sites are located in ethnic minority areas, as there may be ethnic resistance movements within these areas. Karen Rivers Watch has gone so far as to argue that the SPDC has used the "convenient guise" of development to infiltrate ethnic minority areas and further their offensives against resistance movements. They argue that multinational corporations and foreign governments involved in the financing and construction of these development projects are therefore complicit in the human rights violations perpetrated by the Tatmadaw (source: Damming at Gunpoint: Burma Army Atrocities Pave the Way for Salween Dams in Karen State, Karen Rivers Watch, November 2004).
The methods employed by the Tatmadaw and SPDC authorities to extract forced labor have changed in recent years. Previously, military officers would send written orders to the village headman demanding villagers for forced labor. More recently, fewer written orders have been issued. Instead, villagers are requested to attend meetings in which orders for forced labor are issued verbally by military officers or SPDC authorities. In some instances, villagers have been forced to sign statements that they have contributed their labor voluntarily. It was reported in 2004 that the term used by military officials and SPDC authorities when referring to forced labor had also changed. In traditional Buddhist ideology, a villager may contribute voluntary labor, such as cleaning a temple, in order to gain merit. The term loh ah pay is used to denote this traditional form of voluntary labor. Reports of SPDC officers using the term loh ah pay when demanding forced labor for porter duty, road construction and labor at military camps began to surface in 2004. This redefining of forced labor was described to Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) researchers by a villager in the following terms: "Now they don't tell us to go and porter any more. They tell us to go and do loh ah pay. We still have to go for that (portering). It is not different, we still have to carry just the same. It is not any different: they just call it by a different name." KHRG has gone so far as to argue that this redefining of forced labor as traditional loh ah pay has been used to "cover up" the use of forced labor and to make it "sound nicer to foreigners" (source: Enduring Hunger and Repression: Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labor in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004). This argument appears to be supported by statements from Soe Nyunt, the director general of the Labor Department of the Ministry of Labor. Soe Nyunt has defended Burma's use of forced labor by drawing on the Buddhist tradition of voluntary labor within Burma. He has stated that the "Eradication of forced labor affects this tradition" and that Burma would "suffer a loss of culture" if forced labor was eradicated (source: Yeni, "Military Junta Slams ILO," Irrawaddy, 16 March 2005).
In 2004, the ILO called for an evaluation of the Burmese regime's current attitudes and commitment to addressing the issue of forced labor within Burma. In 2000, the ILO had, in an unprecedented move, recommended the imposition of trade and other sanctions under Article 33 as a means to ensure that Burma was not engaging in the use of forced labor. In order to avoid the imposition of sanctions, the SPDC issued a Supplementary Order to Order 1/99 making the use of forced labor a criminal act punishable under section 374 of the Penal Code. In 2002, the SPDC agreed to allow the ILO to appoint a liaison officer to Burma. In June 2003, the ILO and SPDC signed a Joint Plan of Action, which was designed to establish a framework by which the SPDC could take credible steps towards the eradication of forced labor. Despite this agreement, several developments in 2004 led the ILO to consider the reactivation of its recommendations from 2000. Most strikingly, in November 2003, three men were accused of "high treason" and sentenced to death on charges which included communication with the ILO regarding the situation of forced labor in Burma. Furthermore, despite the ILO having referred 38 credible cases of forced labor to the Convention 29 Implementation Committee, a Committee consisting of SPDC officials, by November 2004 no case had successfully been taken to court. Rather, in two of the cases that were rejected by the SPDC the accusers were prosecuted for deformation and imprisoned for six months. These factors, combined with the ousting of Khin Nyunt on 19 October 2004, led the ILO to question the Burmese regime's commitment to the eradication of forced labor. Consequently, the ILO agreed to send a high level mission to Burma to evaluate current attitudes and assess the determination of the generals to address the issue of forced labor. This mission is due to provide its report to the ILO Governing Body in their March 2005 session.
In December 2004, the Unocal U.S. federal and state lawsuits were settled. The cases were originally filed in 1996 on behalf of villagers who were the victims of forced labor and other human rights abuses at the hands of the Tatmadaw during the construction of the Yadana gas pipeline. Both cases were settled when an out of court "in principle" agreement was reached between Unocal and the plaintiffs. The agreement not only promises to provide the villagers with compensation but also to provide funds for the development of programs to improve the living conditions, healthcare and education of people in the pipeline region as well as protecting their rights. (Source: “Unocal Plans to Settle Human Rights Suits Stemming from Pipeline Project in Burma,” BNA, 14 December 2004)
Forced Portering
In ethnic border areas where the SPDC has established numerous military camps, the use of porters to carry camp rations and other supplies to military camps remains widespread. Reports of beatings, illness and sometimes killings are common and as a result porter duty is considered one of the most dangerous forms of forced labor. Typically, the number of porters and the days that they will be required for porter duty are demanded by the Tatmadaw through a written order or at village meetings organized by the SPDC. If a village cannot supply the number of men required by the Tatmadaw for use as porters, women and children are used to make up the quota. Monthly or bi-monthly military camp rations are delivered by truck to central locations and then transferred to baskets which the villagers are made to carry to the various military camps in the area. The delivery of camp supplies usually takes a day or two and can require in excess of one hundred villagers. Some villages are required to provide porters as often as three times a month. The risks involved in porter duty, together with the fact that porter duty directly affects villagers' ability to attend to their fields, leads some villagers to hire itinerant laborers to work as porters in their place. However, itinerant laborers are relatively expensive and are beyond the means of most villagers.
The Tatmadaw also use porters during their military operations to carry ammunition and other supplies. This form of porter duty is considered more dangerous as villagers can be taken from their villages for weeks at a time and can be placed directly in the line of fire during military offensives. While demands for "operation porters" typically go through the village head, it is not unusual for SPDC soldiers to capture villagers in the village or in the surrounding fields. Porters caught this way are forced to serve immediately and are consequently ill equipped, not having had the opportunity to pack food or other necessities for the trip. Furthermore, as the soldiers are under pressure to reach their desired location on time and are fearful of attack, "operation porters" are often treated very harshly. "Operation porters" are required to carry heavier loads than normal porters, sometimes as much as 30 viss (49 kilograms) for men and 20 viss for women (33 kilograms). Additionally, they are given little opportunity for rest, given little food and water and must sleep out in the open. Illness as a result of such harsh conditions is common among "operation porters", as are beatings and mistreatment by the SPDC soldiers. Porters who become too ill or too weak to continue are left behind in the forest to die. "Operation porters" have also been forced to walk in front of the soldiers as human mine sweepers and are shot if they attempt to flee. (Source: Eastern Pa’an District: Forced Labour, Food Security and the Consolidation of Control, KHRG, 23 March 2004)
Forced Labor for Infrastructure Projects
The SPDC routinely forces civilians to work on construction and maintenance projects. Infrastructure projects in which forced labor is utilized include the building and maintenance of roads and bridges, the construction of "model villages", as well as projects aimed at boosting economic potential. In 2004, there were numerous reports of forced labor for various infrastructure projects in border ethnic areas. For instance, in Chin State hundreds of villagers were forced to work on the repair of the India-Burma trade road. In Karen State and Mon State, road building projects were initiated to link surrounding villages and to provide access to military camps. Infrastructure projects, including clearing an area for an airport in Sagaing Division and digging a pool for a hydro-electricity project in Kachin State, were also reported. Typically, the SPDC demands villages near the project site to provide one person per household to work on the project. Households that are unable to provide a laborer are often fined. Villagers are required to provide their own tools, food supply and often also building materials, such as stones and sand for road construction projects. The work is unpaid and hence many villagers have reported facing economic difficulty as a direct result of having to work on these projects. Furthermore, as male members of the household need to work in the fields in order to provide food for their families, women and children are often sent to fulfill orders for forced laborers.
The construction of Natala, or "model", villages continued in Arakan State throughout 2004 and detailed accounts of forced labor and other human rights abuses were reported. In May 2004, a "model village" project was initiated in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State. One hundred and thirty Rohingya households were forcibly evacuated and villagers from surrounding Rohingya villages were forced to work on the construction of 120 houses, a monastery, a school, a health center, and several ponds and wells. Agricultural land was also confiscated from the surrounding Rohingya villages to reallocate to the new settlers arriving from central Burma.
Forced Labor for Military Camps and Income Generation Projects
Local and international non-government organizations documented an increase in the military's presence in ethnic border areas in 2004. This presence of new military battalions has resulted in continued instances of forced labor as nearby villagers are made to not only repair and maintain existing military camps but also to provide most of the labor and building materials for the construction of new camps in the area. The construction of new camps involves the building of barracks and bunkers, digging trenches, erecting fences and clearing the ground in and around camps. At established military camps, similar work is often demanded to maintain the camp. In some areas, each village has to send several people on rotating shifts of one to ten days to the military camp for miscellaneous forced labor. This is sometimes referred to as "patrol" and routinely involves clearing scrub and grass in and around the camp, maintaining barracks, digging and maintaining trenches and bunkers, building fences and man-traps, cutting firewood, carrying water, cooking, cleaning, and delivering messages to other military camps as well as order letters to local villages. The construction of sentry posts in and near camps is common and laborers can then be required to provide sentry duty. Additionally, in rural areas, especially those with a history of insurgency, the presence of a military camp usually means the seizure of land near the camp for the cultivation of rice and other crops. Local villagers are then forced to work the land in order to produce food for the camp. In the event of excess building materials, or crops being produced by the villagers, these are considered the property of the SPDC and are sold for their profit. Outright demands for food from nearby villages are common.
Forced Prison Labor
Both the ILO and human rights organizations have reported an increase in the use of prisoners for forced labor in recent years. Human Rights organizations have identified over 50 prison labor camps within Burma where prisoners, including woman and young girls, are forced to work on agricultural and infrastructure projects (source: Macan-Markar, Marwaan “Forced Labor Still a Problem in Burma,” Irrawaddy, 10 June 2004). The widespread use of prisoners as porters in frontline military operations has also been reported (source: Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004). Furthermore, there are instances of private businesses, for example the packing and car service industry, being given access to and actively exploiting prison laborers (source: "Pickled Tea Giants Reject the Use of Forced Labor," Network Media Group, 29 May 2003). Human rights NGOs, such as KHRG and the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), have speculated that the SPDC has attempted to deflect ILO and international criticism of the widespread use of civilian forced labor by substituting it, in part, with prison labor.
The living conditions, food supply and the treatment of prisoners are reportedly worse in prison labor camps than in prison. Consequently, prisoners attempt to pay large bribes to prison officials in order to avoid being sent to prison labor camps. Those who are unable to pay the bribes often endure extremely arduous and dangerous working conditions. Work can include blowing up rock faces, digging at cliff-sites and plowing fields in the place of animals. Reports of torture at prison labor camps are common, as are reports of inadequate or non-existent healthcare. (Source: Forced Labor of Prisoners in Burma, AAPP, May 2002)
Prisoners are also regularly organized into won saung ("porter battalions") and sent to porter for the army at frontline military camps. Prisoner porters are treated particularly brutally by the SPDC soldiers. Prisoners are often required to porter for long periods of time, sometimes for months. They are required to carry heavy loads, up to twice the weight of the loads carried by civilians. Porters are frequently beaten when they are unable to keep up and are not provided with medical treatment when they become ill. Prison porters are also used as human mine sweepers and human shields during military offensives. As a result, the death of prison porters is common. When not performing porter duty, prisoners are forced to work in military camps digging trenches, building fences and carrying water. (Source: Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004)
Perhaps evidencing the contention that forced civilian labor is being substituted by prison labor, in 2004 there were reports of villagers being either arbitrarily arrested or arrested for minor offences, sentenced to serve a prison term and then being forced to porter for the army at the frontline. On 15 February 2004, for example, a local shop-keeper from Letpadan, having answered a knock at his front door late one evening, was reportedly arrested and taken to Tharawaddy Prison. The next day he, along with fifty other prisoners, was sent to Pa'an in Karen State were they were forced to porter for the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) (source: "The New Face of Forced Labor,"Irrawaddy, 15 February 2004). The KHRG has documented similar accounts from people in Karen areas who have been sentenced to prison for trivial offences including the possession of illegal lottery tickets, failing to meet crop quotas and "hiding in the dark," a form of conspiracy charge which can be applied to anyone found outside not only after night fall but even in broad daylight (source: Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004).
Forced Military Conscription
Following the 30 May 2003 Depayin Massacre, a compulsory military training program was systematically implemented throughout the country. Authorities indicated that the purpose of the training was to prepare the population to defend the country from destructive elements and foreign invasion. It was reported that mainly men between the ages of 18 and 40, civil servants and members of state sponsored organizations were required to attend. The training reportedly ran for one month part-time or two weeks full-time during which time trainees were taught how to use small weapons and propaganda to defend the state.
In 2004, a few reports of compulsory military training surfaced and descriptions of these bore a close correlation with those from the 2003 training program. This similarity may suggest ongoing / routine programs being implemented by the Burmese military. For instance, reports from Mon State detailed a widespread military training program which included men between 18 and 50, USDA members, government servants and village headmen. The training was reportedly arranged by army battalions with low ranking commanders acting as trainers. Following the two to four week basic program, villagers were required to return after three or six months for an advanced training course. No payment was given to the villagers during the training period and villagers were required to pay food costs (source: The Mon Forum, Issue No. 8/2004, HURFOM, 31 August 2004).
Forced conscription of both adults and children into the army and people's militia continued throughout 2004. It was reported that the Burmese government continued it's policy of not allow soldiers to leave the army at the end of their enlistment without first recruiting three or four replacements, even if this meant forced recruitment. Forced recruitment for the police force often followed a similar pattern. Reports of forced conscription in this manner continued throughout 2004. (Source: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, Labor, U.S. Department of State, 25 February 2005) (Please see chapter on the rights of the child for more information concerning child soldiers in Burma.)
1.2 ILO Activities in Burma
Background
In June 1999, the ILO approved a resolution that denounced Burma's widespread use of forced labor. In November 2000, the ILO, under Article 33, urged its 175 member governments to review their relationship with Burma and to impose both trade and other sanctions as a means to pressure Burma to discontinue the use of forced labor. Burma avoided the imposition of sanctions by agreeing to allow the ILO to open an office in Rangoon. Burma also issued a Supplementary Order to Order No. 1/99 which makes forced labor a criminal act. Order No. 1/99 states that "whoever unlawfully compels any person to labor against the will of that person shall [be] punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may be extended to one year, or with fine, or with both." The Supplementary Order also widened the pool of persons liable under the Order to include authorities, members of the armed forces, members of the police force, and public service personnel. In March 2002, the ILO and SPDC agreed that the ILO would appoint a liaison officer to Burma. On 27 May 2003, the SPDC and the ILO agreed on a joint Plan of Action with an agenda that included: the dissemination of information, awareness raising programs, a pilot project for non-forced labor local road construction, expansion of the use of animal transportation, enhancing public awareness of the mechanism for filing complaints, specific responsibilities for the newly created Field Observation Teams (FOT), and the role of the ILO facilitator in dealing with allegations of forced labor. The Action Plan was to be implemented over an 18-month period beginning 1 July 2003. However, work on the Action Plan was twice suspended in the second half of 2003. The first time was following the 30 May 2003 Depayin massacre and the ensuing crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. The ILO considered that the events at Depayin called into question both the will and the ability of the authorities to make significant steps towards eliminating forced labor. In the second instance, the Action Plan was suspended in November 2003 when three Burmese citizens were accused of "high treason" and sentenced to death for having contact with the ILO and the Thai-based labor group Federation of Trade Unions – Burma. (FTUB).
2004 Developments
The death sentence imposed on three Burmese citizens, Naing Min Kyi, Shwe Man and Aye Myint, for having ILO connections at the end of 2003 raised serious concern within the ILO throughout 2004. One man was charged on the basis of having the business card of ILO interim liaison officer Richard Horsey while the other two men were found to be in possession of ILO documents (source: Macan-Markar, Marwaan “Forced Labor Still a Problem in Buma,” Irrawaddy, 10 June 2004). The ILO worked diligently through diplomatic channels to have the three men released and in October 2004 a special appeals court reduced the sentences of Naing Min Kyi and Aye Myint's to 2 years imprisonment and Shwe Man's sentence to 5 years imprisonment. Further diplomatic efforts at the end of 2004 saw Nai Min Kyi and Aye Myint released on 3 January 2005 as part of the wider release of prisoners on Burmese Independence Day. Shwe Manh, however, remained in prison at the time of writing.
In March 2004, Burma agreed to allow an independent ILO appointed monitor, known as the "facilitator", to assist victims of forced labor to bring their cases before the Burmese judiciary. Despite this development, the ILO liaison officer expressed grave concern regarding the Burmese government’s procedures for investigating allegations of forced labor. In November 2004, the liaison officer reported to the ILO Governing Body, drawing attention to the inherent conflict of interest that existed in the Burmese authorities’ methods for investigating complaints of forced labor. Current procedure is that on receipt of a complaint the ILO liaison officer writes to the Convention 29 Implementation Committee with details of the allegation. The Convention 29 Implementation Committee then sends a FOT out to investigate the allegations. Persons found to have acted illegally are then prosecuted under section 374 of the Penal Code. However, the liaison officer noted that complaints alleging instances of forced labor by the military were not investigated by the Committee but rather passed to the Minister of Defence. These cases were then investigated by the army, with little feedback on the findings being reported to either the Committee or the ILO liaison officer. Significantly, by November 2004, the ILO liaison officer had received 72 complaints and had referred 38 cases to the Convention 29 Implementation Committee. Of these 38 cases, the ILO liaison officer had received responses to 18 cases. All 18 cases alleging forced labor were rejected. Indeed, in two of the cases rejected by the court, a counter-suit was lodged by the Burmese officials against the complainants for defamation and the complainants were both found guilty and sentenced to six months imprisonment. (Source: "Developments concerning the question of the observance by the Government of Myanmar of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)," 291st Session of the International Labor Organization Governing Body, Fifth Item of the Agenda, November 2004)
On 19 October 2004, Khin Nyunt was ousted from the position of Prime Minister of Burma and replaced by Lt. Gen. Soe Win, who is considered a military hardliner. This development, in addition to pre-existing concerns (outlined above) were perceived by the Governing Body of the ILO as calling into question the Burmese regime's commitment to addressing the continued practice of forced labor within Burma. Consequently, the Director-General agreed to send a high-level team to Burma in order to evaluate the attitudes of the authorities and their commitment to cooperation with the ILO. The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Stephen, former Governor General of Australia, Her Excellency Madame Ruth Dreifuss, former President of the Swiss Confederation and The Honourable Eui-yong Chung, former Chairperson of the Governing Body of the ILO, were selected to make up the high-level team. This team was due to visit Burma on 21 – 25 February 2005 and to report its findings to the ILO Governing Body in March 2005. The findings of the team would determine whether the ILO would reactivate measures under Article 33, as originally decided in the 2000 Conference resolution and which include trade and other sanctions, or would go ahead with the Action Plan to tackle forced labor within Burma. (Source: “ILO Revives Sanction Threat Against Myanmar," AFP, 19 November 2004)
1.3 Forced Labor Resulting from International Joint Ventures
The Settlement of the Unocal Law Suits
In 2004, the protracted Federal law suit John Doe et al versus Unocal Corp., 00-56603 and the state law suit Doe 1 v. Unocal Corp., Cal. Super. Ct., No. BC 237 980 came to a close. Both law suits were first filed in 1996 by EarthRights International on behalf of Burmese villagers who had suffered human rights abuses at the hands of the Burmese military. Although both the Federal and State cases had been pursued on different legal grounds, both were settled in an out of court in-principle agreement reached in December 2004 between the plaintiffs and Unocal, based in El Segundo, California.
Unocal has a 28 per cent stake in the Yadana gas project. The gas production company and the pipeline carry gas from an offshore field through Burma to Thailand. While 346 kilometers of the pipeline runs along the seabed from the offshore production platform, a 63 kilometer section of the pipeline runs through Burma's Tenasserim Division. Unocal's business partners in Burma contracted the Burmese military to secure the 63 km overland pipeline area and to build helicopter pads and an access road. The Burmese military, during the pipeline's construction between 1993 and 1996, engaged in widespread human rights abuses including murder, rape and forced labor whilst fulfilling their contractual obligations to secure the pipeline area. Both the Federal and State suits centre on Unocal's liability for the actions of the Burmese military. A group of Burmese villagers claimed that the army "engaged in a pattern of systematic human rights abuses and environmental degradation...to fulfill its contractual responsibilities to Unocal and Total" (source: Campell, Duncan, “Energy Giant Agrees Settlement with Burmese Villagers,” The Guardian (London), 15 December 2004).
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeal had scheduled a second hearing on 13 December 2004. However, on 8 December 2004, attorneys representing both Unocal and the Burmese villagers told the Appellate Court that they had reached an "in–principle" settlement. The settlement was presented in a joint statement to the Appellate Court on 13 December 2004. While the terms of the agreement are confidential, representatives of Unocal and the Burmese villagers indicated that the settlement "will compensate plaintiffs and provide funds enabling plaintiffs and their representatives to develop programs to improve the living conditions, healthcare, and education and protect the rights of people from the pipeline region" (source: “Unocal Plans to Settle Human Rights Suits Stemming from Pipeline Project in Burma,” BNA, 14 December 2004). Terry Collingwood of the International Labor Rights Fund, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said it was, "a landmark settlement that is going to do some great things for the victims in Burma" (source: Alden, Edward and Doug Cameron, “Unocal Pays Out in Burma Abuse Case,” Financial Times, 14 December 2004).
The Federal case was first filed in 1996 in Los Angeles. A federal judge found that Unocal could not be held liable and dismissed the suit in 1997. The case then went to the Superior Court and the federal case was reinstated in 2002 by a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal. In June 2003, the full panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal heard arguments which centered on whether the 1789 Alien Tort Claims Act would allow refugees a trial in a federal court, even though the alleged crimes had occurred abroad (source: Chavez, Paul, “Unocal Urges L.A. Judge to Dismiss Human Rights Case,” AP, 9 August 2004). The 1789 Alien Tort Claims Act was originally used to prosecute pirates in international waters and had been used subsequently, and successfully, by Holocaust survivors and relatives of people tortured and killed under dictatorships overseas. However, the law had never before been used to prosecute a multi-national company for its business activities abroad (source: Sussman, Anna, “Big Business Keeps Eye on Historic Rights Case,” Berkeley Daily Planet, 23 November 2004).
In June 2003, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal postponed the case until the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled on a separate but related Alien Tort Claims Act case, Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, U.S., No. 03-339. In June 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court, with a 6-3 majority finding, ruled that the Alien Tort Claims Act could be used by foreigners to file lawsuits in American courts to address abuses overseas, including violations of certain international laws. In the majority opinion written by Justice David H. Souter, the court said that the door to alien tort suits "is still ajar subject to vigilant door keeping, and thus open to a narrow class of international norms today" (source: Girion, Lisa, “Court OKs Foreign-Abuse Suits,” Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2004).
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling was hailed as a positive sign by both attorneys working for the plaintiff and for Unocal. While Paul Hoffman, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, stated that slavery and forced labor allegations in the Unocal case were the types of abuses warranting federal court attention under the Supreme Court ruling, senior Unocal lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, stated that "issues involving local labor conditions, issues involving local crime are matters internal to the affairs of the country. These are not the sorts of claims that would be so specific that resort to international law is required." (Source: Girion, Lisa, "Court OKs Foreign-Abuse Suits," Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2004)
Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal asked both Unocal and the lawyers representing the plaintiffs to file a supplementary brief addressing the effect of the Supreme Court's decision on their case. A second oral argument for 13 December 2004 was scheduled. However, as detailed above, the case was settled when an in-principle agreement was reached.
In tandem with the Federal court case, a case before the California Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles had been pursued under California law (Doe 1 v. Unocal Corp., Cal. Super. Ct., No. BC 237 980). In this case, the plaintiff's accused Unocal under the Business and Professions Code, section 17200, of being liable for involuntary servitude in violation of state constitution, unfair business practices and unjust enrichment. (Source: “Unocal Plans to Settle Human Rights Suit Stemming from Pipeline Project in Burma,” BNA, 14 December 2004)
Superior Court Judge Victoria Gerrard Chaney divided the case into two phases. The first phase began on 9 December 2003 and focused on whether Unocal or its subsidiaries should be held accountable for the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Burmese military during the construction of the Yadana pipeline. The second phase centered on the issue of vicarious liability and whether Unocal should pay damages. (Source: Chavez, Paul, “L.A. Judge to Issue Oral Ruling on Unocal Liability in Human Rights Case,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 22 January 2004)
On 23 January 2004, Superior Court Judge Chaney ruled that Unocal was not directly liable for the human rights abuses. Attorneys for the plaintiff's had argued that Unocal, in order to deflect claims of liability, had concocted a number of shell businesses within Burma and that they therefore should be held liable under the legal doctrine of "alter ego". However, while Judge Chaney noted that "Unocal knew or should have known there were human rights abuses in Burma," she found that Unocal's five subsidiaries operating within Burma were separate entities and that they were responsible for Unocal's share in the gas pipeline. Judge Chaney noted that Unocal and its subsidiaries did share employees, offices and bank accounts, and that therefore there was no evidence that Unocal had manufactured these subsidiaries in order to avoid claims of liability. Judge Chaney found that Unocal's relationship with its subsidiaries mirrored that of many multinational companies and stated that "this court is unwilling to initiate a sea change in the way the majority of corporations do business." (Source: Girion, Lisa, “L.A. Judge to Issue Oral Ruling on Unocal's Liability in Human Rights Case,” L.A. Times, 24 January 2004)
Following the favourable finding in phase one of the case, lawyers for Unocal moved to have the case dismissed. They argued that to not dismiss the case would render phase one of the trial "an academic and pointless exercise." Lawyers for the plaintiffs, on the other hand, moved to have the case brought to trial on the basis that Unocal's subsidiaries were acting as Unocal's agents and that they were engaged in a joint venture with Unocal. Such notions of agency would establish a separate basis of liability under which Unocal could be held accountable for the human rights abuses perpetrated during the gas pipeline's construction. (Source: Chavez, Paul, “Hearing Set for Unocal Human Rights Case,” Seattle Post Intelligencer, 12 April 2004)
On 14 September 2004, Judge Chaney denied Unocal's motion to have the case dismissed. Judge Chaney noted that while there were commonalities between the legal theories of "alter ego" and agency, they were nonetheless distinct legal concepts (source: Girion, Lisa, “Unocal Must Face Abuse Suit,” Los Angeles Times, 15 September 2004). A jury trial date was set for 21 June 2005. However, as noted above, the in-principle agreement presented to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on 15 December 2004 also brought the state case to a close.
The Unocal case is the first time a U.S. multinational corporation has been held accountable for it foreign investment decisions. It shows that U.S. multinational corporations are vulnerable under U.S. law for their activities in foreign countries. In the future, multinational companies working with Burmese companies that engage the services of the Burmese military (or security forces) to protect their projects will no longer be free from the possibility of prosecution for human rights abuses that may occur. Similarly, they may be prosecuted for instances of forced labor related to these projects. As many of the supporters of the prosecution of Unocal have noted, this could have far reaching effects on how and where multinational corporations operate. Inside Burma, this may encourage the regime to cease the practice of forced labor in projects involving multinational corporations.
Legal Proceedings and Developments in the Total Case
In 2004, a further two cases relating to the Yadana gas project continued in France and Belgium. Total, formally known as TotalFinaElf, is the multinational French gas company who, along with Unocal, MOGE (Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise) and the Thai company PTT-EP (Petroleum Authority of Thailand Exploration and Production Public Co. Ltd), was responsible for the development of the Yadana gas field and pipeline in the 1990s.
The French case was first filed in August 2002 by two Burmese workers who have alleged that Total is guilty of acts constituting the crime of "illegal confinement." The plaintiffs claim that the Burmese military, nicknamed by the Burmese workers as the "Total battalions", forced villagers to work on the construction site by using death threats as well as physical and verbal violence and that they deprived workers of medicine and food. They claim that Total executives were present at the site and witnessed the actions of the Burmese military. The charges, brought against Total's President Director General, Thierry Desmarest, and Mr Herv Madeo, who was Director of the On-Site Operation (TOTAL Myanmar Exploration Production), include recruiting and paying battalions of the Burmese army and promoting a situation of forced labor on the construction site. (Source: Campaign Report: Totalitarian Oil: Fueling the Oppression in Burma, The Burma Campaign UK, February 2005)
In October 2003, the instructing judge heard testimonies by both the operations director of the project and one of the defendants. In May 2004, Sherpa, a French non-government organization, arranged for a witness and a plaintiff to travel to France to give their testimonies. On 11 January 2005, on the basis of the investigating judge’s instruction, a three-judge panel in a Nanterre court decided to proceed with the case. (Source: Campaign Report: Totalitarian Oil: Fueling the oppression in Burma, The Burma Campaign UK, February 2005)
The Belgian case was first filed in April 2002 by four Burmese workers who have alleged that Total is guilty of acts constituting crimes against humanity and that Thierry Desmarest and Herv Madeo are complicit in these crimes. The plaintiffs have claimed that Total provided financial and logistical support to the Burmese army battalions, again referred to by the plaintiffs as the "Total battalions", and that Total was fully aware of the human rights abuses and the systematic use of forced labor during the construction of the pipeline. The plaintiffs have drawn attention to Total's "compensation" to 463 victims of forced labor in 1996 as evidence of their knowledge of the use of forced labor at the time. Under the Law of Universal Competence a Belgian court could find Total's Thierry Desmarest and Herv Madeo guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity and sentence them to substantial jail terms. (Source: Campaign Report: Totalitarian Oil: Fueling the Oppression in Burma, The Burma Campaign UK, February 2005)
Future Threats of Forced Labor Involving International Participation
During 2004 a number of extensive road, rail and bridge agreements were either being discussed or had been reached between Burma and neighboring Bangladesh, India, Thailand and China. These agreements raise serious concerns regarding potential human rights abuses. A partial list of projects include the construction of a 1,360 kilometer highway connecting Burma, India and Thailand for which a survey was completed in New Delhi in December 2003. (Source: “Burma, India, Thailand Run Survey on Mega Highway Project,” Kaladan News, 1 January 2004)
On 5 April 2004, Bangladesh's Communications Minister, Nazamal Huda, and Burma's Transport Minister, Major General Hai Myint Swe, laid the foundation stone for a 133 kilometer highway to be known as the Burma-Bangladesh friendship road, which will link Rangoon and Dhaka. The road, which will eventually link up with China and Thailand, will run 36 kilometers inside Bangladesh and 97 kilometers inside Burma. (Source: “Dhaka – Rangoon Highway Stone Laid Rumu,” Kaladan News, 7 April 2004)
In July 2004, as part of Bangladesh's "Towards East" policy, the Roads and Highway Department (RHD) of Bangladesh had nearly agreed to the building of a bridge over the Karnaphuli River. The bridge, if built, will connect with the Asia Highway which runs between Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand. The construction of the bridge has reportedly been awarded, without tender, to a consortium of the Netherlands and Sweden. (Source: “Bridge to be Built on Karnaphuli Linking to Rangoon,” Kaladan News, 24 July 2004)
In July 2004, India and Burma signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop Burma's railways. India has made available a line of credit of approximately US$ 56 million for the building of the railways and the EXIM Bank of India and the Burma Foreign Trade Bank have also signed an agreement to finance the project. (Source: “India and Burma Signed MoU,” Kaladan News, 28 July 2004)
The Shwe Gas Pipeline Project
In July 2004, drilling of the offshore gas field in the controversial Shwe gas pipeline project began. Shwe, which means gold in Burmese, is the name given to the new gas pipeline project which aims to capitalize on a major offshore gas field in Block A-1, located in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, in Western Burma. While initial exploration estimated that the field contained between four and six trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas, further drilling tests estimate that the gas field could yield an additional seven to twelve trillion cubic feet. It is speculated that the gas field could generate between US$ 800 million to 3 billion in annual revenues for Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), which is owned by the Burmese military. (Source: Another Yadana: The Shwe Natural Gas Pipeline Project (Burma-Bangladesh-India), ERI, 27 August 2004)
The Shwe Project Consortium consists of both South Korean and Indian entities. Daewoo International is the majority share holder (60%) while the remaining 40% is divided between the Korean Gas Corporation (10%), India's state owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Videsh Ltd. and Gas Authority India Ltd. (GAIL) (30%). MOGE is responsible for coordinating the development of the joint venture within Burma. (Source: Another Yadana: The Shwe Natural Gas Pipeline Project (Burma-Bangladesh-India), ERI, 27 August 2004)
While the exact route of the gas pipeline has not been made publicly available, it is likely that it will affect both Arakan and Chin States, located on the western boarder of Burma. These states are heavily militarized areas and the use of forced labor, forced relocation without compensation, torture, rape, and extra-judicial execution are widely documented by non-government organizations. The Burmese military’s campaign to eradicate the Rohingya in northern Arakan State and to dilute the Chin population in Chin State has also resulted in the construction of "model villagers" and the in-migration of Burmans in both states. Given the history of human rights abuses in these states, it is feared by human rights organizations, such as EarthRights International, that the Shwe pipeline project will mimic the human rights violations witnessed during the construction of the Yadana pipeline. (Source: Another Yadana: The Shwe Natural Gas Pipeline Project (Burma-Bangladesh-India), ERI, 27 August 2004)
Salween Dams
In 2004, construction of the Tasang Dam project appeared to have continued and feasibility studies at both the Weigyi (Upper Salween Dam) and Dagwin (Lower Salween Dam) Dam sites were conducted. Monitoring the dam sites is made difficult by Burmese military restrictions regarding access to the area, but some reports are available.
On 20 December 2002, the MDX Group, a Thai company, signed a MoU with Burma’s Department of Hydroelectric Power to build the Tasang Dam in Shan State. Salween Watch, an organization monitoring the development of the dam, estimates the dam height to be 188 meters with potential electricity generation capacity of between 3,300–3,600 megawatts. While the progress of the Tasang Dam in 2004 was unclear, there were reports of soldiers guarding the dam site demanding villagers' porter for the army and build military infrastructure in the area. (Source: Akimoto, Yuki, “Hydro-powering the Regime,” Irrawaddy, June 2004)
Burma and Thailand are in the process of developing hydropower plants at two further sites along the Salween River. Both of these dam projects are at an early stage of development with feasibility studies at both the Weigyi (Upper Salween) Dam site and Dagwin (Lower Salween) Dam site having been made in 2004. These two dams are located a short distance apart on the Thai-Burma border, at a section of the Salween where the river itself forms the border between the two countries. According to Japan's Electric Power Development Company (EPDC), the two dams would work in tandem with the smaller Dagwin Dam trapping water released by the Weigyi Dam and pumping it back up to the Weigyi Dam during off peak periods. Estimates, reported by Salween Watch, indicate that the Weigyi Dam will have a generation capacity of 4,540 megawatts with a dam height of 168 meters while the estimates for the Dagwin Dam are considerably lower at 792 megawatts with a dam height of 49 meters. Current humanitarian concerns regarding these two dams revolve around the lack of provisions being made for the future of inhabitants local to the dam sites, a lack of dissemination of information to local inhabitants, fears of forced labor during the construction phase of the projects, as well as grave concerns regarding the repercussions of increased regional militarization and the human rights abuses, including forced labor, which this commonly entails. (Source: Another Yadana: The Shwe Natural Gas Pipeline Project (Burma-Bangladesh-India), ERI, 27 August 2004)
1.4 Portering - Partial List of Incidents for 2004
Arakan State
From 13 to 16 July 2004, Area 3 Commander Ye Myint Tun and his troops ordered 6 villagers to carry ammunition and food rations. During these 4 days, they were not allowed to talk, and were neither fed nor paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Chin State
On 5 January 2004, Major Thant Yin Oo of SPDC LIB 266, based at Sabawngte camp, ordered 14 villagers from Sabawngte village to accompany his troops as porters. Women and under age school children were among those ordered to porter for the troops. On 17 January 2004, the troops returned to Sabawngte and looted vegetables and 4 chickens from Pu Vel Lei, of Sabawngte village. When the villagers complained to Major Thant Yin Oo about the looting, the Major told them that the troops had not stolen from them but taken necessary provisions. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. I., CHRO, January-February 2004 )
Rezua Township
On 10 August 2004, Major Khin Maung Cho, company commander of SPDC LIB 274, ordered Ruava village in Rezua Township to send 14 porters to the army camp no later than 11 August. The letter sent to the village headman demanding the porters included a G3 bullet and threatened that there would be consequences if he failed to obey the order. On 12 August 2004, a further 2 porters were demanded. On 16 August 2004, the porters were released from the army camp as the trip for which they had been ordered had been cancelled. The porters were told that they would be called again when wanted. (Source: Rhododendron News, Vol. VII. No. V., CHRO, September-October 2004)
Tonzang Township
From January 2004 to the date of this report, August 2004, Major Win Maung, company commander of Darkhai camp from SPDC LIB 269 based in Tonzang Township in northern Chin State, ordered 10 villagers and 15 horses from each village in Tonzang Township to be provided to the army for porter duty. The villagers were ordered to carry army supplies, such as rations, arms and ammunition, from Rih army camp to Darkhai camp, a distance of 30 miles. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. IV., CHRO, July-August 2004)
Karen State
Note: Dooplaya, Pa-an and Papun, as reported below, are all areas demarcated by the KNU as Karen territory. Dooplaya District falls mostly in SPDC demarcated Karen State and partially in SPDC demarcated Mon State. Dooplaya District is under the patrol of the 6th Brigade of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Papun and Pa-an Districts fall entirely in SPDC demarcated Karen State. Papun District is under the patrol of the 5th Brigade of the KNLA and Pa-an is under the patrol of the 7th Brigade of the KNLA. The SPDC does not recognize these as official districts. Instead, the SPDC considers there to be 3 districts (North to South: Kawkareik, Myawaddy, and Pa-an) and 7 townships (North to South: Than Daung, Papun, Hlaing Bwe, Pa’an, Kawkareik, Myawaddy, and Kya In Seik Gyi) within Karen State. These townships do not correspond with the KNU demarcated districts and townships, even for those which share the same name.
Dooplaya District
On 17 February 2004, Operation Command 1 Battalion, under the control of SPDC Military Operation Command 1 based at Azin, was to be replaced by SPDC IB 283 and IB 32 on 18 January 2004. As a result, the soldiers commandeered villagers' trucks in Azin area to carry food supplies to Htee Hta Baw area. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 19 August 2004 at 8:00 am, SPDC IB 63 lead by Regiment Commander Thain Zaw Lin, Second Commander Kyaw Soe Oo and their soldiers, 130 plus, went to Wor Raw Township where they caught Nan Kway, Ku Na War and Ta Nyane villagers and ordered them to carry things. The villagers from Nan Kway were:
The villagers from Ku Na War villagers were:
The villagers from Ta Nyane villagers were:
These porters started carrying the military supplies at 8:00 am and arrived to Yae Paw village at 3:30 pm. Upon arrival, they were released. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 5 September 2004 at 5:00 pm, about 40 troops led by Operation 3 Commander, under SPDC South West Command Headquarters, came to Ta Nyin village in Win Yae Township, and took 14 villagers as porters. They were:
1. Saw Ler Lah, age 40;
2. Saw Nga Bya, age 25;
3. Saw Bo Kaw, age 40;
4. Saw Inn Sin, age 20;
5. Saw Maung Doh, age 20;
6. Saw Maung Ma, age 18;
7. Saw Pa Lah, age 31;
8. Saw Yo Po, age 26;
9. Saw Maw Kho, age 21;
10. Saw Thauk Kya, age 34;
11. Saw Ho Lay, age 40;
12. Saw Win Lin, age 23;
13. Saw win Yin, age 25; and
14. Saw Yeh Win, age 31.
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 9 September 2004 at 8:00 am, approximately 50 troops from SPDC LIB 308 under South West Command came to Lote Sha village in Win Yae Township and forcibly gathered 4 porters and looted a viss of chicken from villager Saw Ah Pyauk (age 27). The villagers who were forced to porter were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Pa'an District
From 11 March 2004 to 20 November 2004, SPDC LIB 101 of LID 77 together with DKBA Battalion 3 of 999 Brigade forced villagers from the village tracts of Kaw Pway, Kaw Toh, Noh T’Pweh, Htee Kywa, Kaw Nyeh, Toh Kaw Ko and Noh Htee Leh to carry supplies for them non-stop. (Source: Forced Labour and the DKBA in T’Nay Hsah Township, Pa’an District, KHRG, 21 February 2005)
Papun District
On 19 February 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 440 demanded 4 persons each day from Ma Lay Ler village in Dwe Lo Township to stay stand by at the army camp to carry supplies for the army column. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 21 February 2004, Battalion Commander Kyaw Kyaw Win of SPDC LIB 374 gathered villagers from villages in Dwe Lo Township to carry army rations, including 3 sacks of rice, 1 sack of yellow beans, 1 sack of sugar and 10 viss of dry fish from Ma Hta village to Kler Per village. The following villages and number of persons were affected:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 28 February 2004, Battalion Commander Kyaw Thu of SPDC LIB 350 demanded villagers from Mae Waing and Mae Thu village tracts to carry rations for the army from Tha Haw Lor, a place between Lay Kaw Hti and Mae Waing, to their army battalion base. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 2 March 2004, Battalion Commander Kyaw-hu of SPDC LIB 350 forcibly gathered villagers in Mae Waing areas and ordered them to carry supplies for the army for 4 days, bringing with them their own food supplies. The villages and number of persons requested were:
1. Toe Kot Kyaw Khee village, 45 persons;
2. Khaw Wah village, 45 persons;
3. Toe Meh Khee village, 45 persons;
4. Ler Wah Kho village, 45 persons;
5. Upper Mae Waing village, 80 persons;
6. Mae Kaw Lor village, 80 persons;
7. Mae Waing Hta village, 80 persons;
8. Mae Waing main village, 30 persons;
9. Khaw Po Khee village, 30 persons;
10. Klo Khee village, 40 persons;
11. Mae Taru Lor village, 40 persons;
12. Day Law Pu village, 50 persons; and
13. Wah Tho Lor village, 50 persons.
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 3 March 2004, Battalion Commander Kyaw Thu of SPDC LIB 350 forcibly gathered villagers from Mae Waing and Mae Thu village tracts to carry food supplies from Mae Waing to Maw Thay Tha camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Karenni State
On 9 January 2004, a column of SPDC troops from LIB 122 came to Gaylo village, Lopwakho District, West of Mawchi. All the males in the village ran away as the Burmese army approached, leaving behind only women and children. About 20 women, together with 4 old men, were forced by the troops to serve as military porters, carrying equipment from one place to another. Eight women have been released but in March 12 villagers were still being held as porters by SPDC troops. (Source: KNAHR, 2004)
On 29 January 2004, SPDC troops from IB 7, under the command of LID led by Aung
Kyaw Soe, forced about 40 villagers from Buko and Kwakee villages to transport
military rations to Mawchi. The majority of them were females. The group also
included two Baptist pastors named Kyar Htoo from Buko village and another
pastor (unknown name) from Kwakee. The Burmese troops also burned all the newly
cleared paddy fields along the Mawchi - Toungoo motor road in order to reduce
the risk of ambush by Karenni forces. (Source: KNAHR, 2004)
Mon State
Note: Thaton District is demarcated by the KNU as part of Karen territory. Thaton District falls mostly in the SPDC demarcated area of Mon State, while the area to the east of the Donthami River lies within SPDC demarcated Karen State. Thaton District is under the patrol of the 1st Brigade of the KNLA.
On 1 June 2004, IB 289, stationed at Thanbyuzayat, was replaced by another battalion from Three Pagoda Pass and ordered 30 villagers to porter ammunition and other goods. The exchange of battalions occurs on a quarterly basis and villagers are ordered to provide porters for the departing battalion. The distance between Thanbyuzayat and Three Pagoda Pass is 37 miles and in the rainy session the trip can take up to 7 days due to bad road conditions and the need to navigate through several streams. Ambush by resistance groups is also common in the region. (Source: The Mon Forum, Issue No. 8/2004, HURFOM, 31 August 2004)
Bilin Township
On 30 March 2004, Battalion Commander Zaw Win of SPDC IB 404 forced 30 villagers from Waw Mu village, Bilin Township, to carry army rations to Kaw Kaw camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 7 October 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 357 led by Major Htun Aung Zaw came to Mae Naw Theh Khee village tract in Bilin Township and demanded villagers to carry food supplies to Pa Ya Raw village tract. The affected villages and number of persons were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Ye Township
Between December 2003 and June 2004, battalions under the command of No. 3 Tactical Command, took "front civilians porters" from over 20 villages in the Ye Township area. The civilian porters were taken by the various battalions on a rotation basis or where randomly arrested and forced to porter for the battalion. For instance, on the order of the commander of No. 3 Tactical Command the village headman of Khawza village was ordered to arrange for 10 – 20 men to be ready every day in order to provide porter duty for the troops that came through the village. Porters were often taken by troops for 3-7 days. Upon the troops return these porters were replaced by the next rotation of porters. However, Mon villagers suspected of being "rebel-supporters" were sometimes taken as "permanent porters", their service as porters lasting several months. Porters were often beaten during service. (Source: The Mon Forum, Issue No. 8/2004, HURFOM, 31 August 2004)
Pegu Division
Note: Both Nyaunglebin District and Toungoo District are areas demarcated by the KNU as Karen territory. Toungoo falls partially in SPDC demarcated Pegu Division and partially in SPDC demarcated Karen State. Toungoo is under the patrol of the 2nd Brigade of the KNLA. Nyaunglebin falls in SPDC demarcated Pegu Division and is under the patrol of the 3rd Brigade of the KNLA. The SPDC does not recognize Nyaunglebin or Toungoo as official districts.
Mone Township
On 14 January 2004, Ta Ler Day Camp Commander Second Lieutenant Soe Win Kyaw of SPDC LIB 439 forced 428 villagers from Mar Lar Daw village in Mone Township to carry army supplies from Ta Ler Day camp to Ywa Kant Lant camp of SPDC LIB 590. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 January 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 439 forced villagers from Mar Lar Daw village in Mone Township to carry 3 sacks of rice from Ta Ler Day camp to Tha Byay Nyunt camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 18 January 2004, Ta Ler Day Camp Commander Second Lieutenant Soe Win Kyaw forced 10 villagers from Mar Lar Daw village in Mone Township to carry 7 sacks of rice to Tha Byay Nyunt village. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 22 January 2004, Ta Ler Day Camp Commander Second Lieutenant Soe Win Kyaw of SPDC LIB 439 forced 16 persons from Mar Lar Daw village to each carry 12 pyi of rice to SPDC LIB 599 based at Ye Oh Sin. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 2 February2004, Captain Soe Win Kyaw of LIB 439 ordered 32 men and 14 women from Ma La Daw village to carry loads from Ta Ler Day to Tha Pyay Nyunt. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
On 1 March 2004, SPDC IB 73 forced villagers in Myaung U' village to carry items to Tee Toe Loe village where the villagers where released. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 10 March 2004, Ta Ler Day Camp Commander Soe Win Kyaw of SPDC LIB 439 demanded 4 male villagers and 23 female villagers from Mar Lar Daw village in Mone Township to each carry 12 pyi of rice from Ta Ler Day to Tha Byay Nyunt camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 31 December 2004, a unit of SPDC troops ordered 17 villagers from Mar Lar Daw village to carry food supplies for the army from Ta Ler Day camp to Mar Lar Daw. The villagers were left with no time to do their own work and as a result faced great difficulty. (Source: KIC, 2005)
Nyaunglebin District
On 14 January 2004, the Ta Ler Day camp commander ordered 8 women and 34 men from Maw Keh Tha Per Ko village to carry rice, milk and beans to Ywa Kan Lan camp. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
Toungoo District
In January 2004, IB 92 ordered villagers from 5 villages to carry rations from Ker Weh village to Ler Ghee Koh Der Kah village. On another occasion during January, the same battalion rounded up 75 villagers from 2 other villages and forced them to porter army rations from Than Daung town to Kler Per Hti village. (Source: Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004)
On 3 January 2004, SPDC troops from Northern Command Tactical 1 led by Commander Khin Soe ordered the villagers of Baw Gali who were truck owners to transport military equipment from Baw Gali to Tha Aye Hta Military Headquarters. There was no support or assistance for the owners or the drivers. (Source: FTUK, 2004)
On 14 January 2004, troops from SPDC IB 92 led by Bo Khin Maung Nyunt, based at Kler Pa Hti camp, demanded villagers from Than Daung Township to carry army rations from Kler Pa Hti village to Kher Weh camp. The affected villages and number of persons were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 19 January 2004, Column Commander Kyaw Zaw Ko Oo of SPDC IB 92, based at Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka village, ordered 100 villagers from each village in Than Daung Township to carry food supplies from Kher Weh village to Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka village. The following villages were affected:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 19 January 2004, Bo Khin Maung Nyunt of SPDC IB 92, based at Kler Pa Hti village, forcibly collected 40 persons from Htee Pu Khee Doe Kho village and 35 persons from Htee Pu Khee Doe Ka village in Than Daung Township to carry army supplies from Than Daung town to Kler Pa Hti village. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 24 January 2004, troops from SPDC IB 92 led by Bo Kyaw Zaw Oo, based at Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka village, demanded 30 villagers from Ku Thay Doe village, Than Daung Township, to carry rations for the army from Baw Gali village to Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka village. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 26 January 2004, troops from SPDC IB 92 led by Bo Kyaw Zaw Oo, based at Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka village, demanded villagers in Than Daung Township: Thay Ku Doe village, 30 persons, and Kaw Law Ka village, 30 persons, to carry food and medical supplies for the army from Kher Wei village to Day Moe Chaung camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 5 February 2004, Operation Commander Tin Htun Aung of SPDC LID 55 came to Kaw Thay Doe village and seized villager and forced them to carry ration supplies from Naw Doe to Bu Has Khee. The victims were:
1. Saw Kyaw Po, age 25;
2. Saw Kee Ree Po, age 20;
3. Saw Keh Reh, age 27;
4. Saw Diamond, age 27;
5. Saw Kya Lah, age 28; and
6. Saw Heh Pwe, age 22.
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 14 February 2004, troops from SPDC LID 55 under control of the operation commander forced villagers from Kaw Thay Doe village to carry a TV screen and a generator to Tha Aye Hta camp. The victims were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 23 and 24 February 2004, troops from SPDC IB 48 led by Sergeant Maung Myint ordered 2 villagers each day from Ye Tho Gyi village, Tan Ta Bin Township, to carry military food supplies between Kaw Thay Doe and Ku Pyaung. Moreover, these troops burned and destroyed villagers' dog fruit tree plantations and cardamom plantations. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 2 March 2004, LIB 350 rounded up 245 villagers from 13 villages in the Meh Way area of Dweh Loh Township and forced them to carry supplies for 4 days. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
On 23 March 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters commandeered 7 trucks with 18 villagers from Baw Gali village and Kaw Thay Doe village to transport rations for the army from Naw Soe to Bu Hsa Hke. The truck owners were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 24 March 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters seized Saw Ta Tay (age 36) from Baw Gali village to drive a truck for them from Naw Soe to Bu Hsa Khe. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 1 April 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters ordered his troops to seize villagers for porters in Baw Gali village. The troop seized 41 villagers and 2 truck drivers. The troops forced the seized villagers to carry supplies for the army from Baw Gali to Kaw Thay Doe, Naw Soe and Bu Has Khee. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 10 April 14 April 2004, the SPDC operations commander at Kler Lah ordered the villagers to use their trucks to carry supplies for the army to the camps along the Kler Lah Bu Sah Kee road. On both dates, trucks overturned along the way. One villager was injured and 2 were killed in these accidents. (Source: Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004)
On 19 April 2004, SPDC soldiers from LIB 439 ordered 25 men and 65 women from Klaw Mi Der village to carry rations from Pa Leh Wah village to Klaw Mi Der. The next day, another 60 villagers from the same village were ordered to carry supplies along the same route. (Source, Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004)
On 19 April 2004, Bo Lin Lin Aung of SPDC LIB 439, based at Klaw Mee Doe camp, demanded 25 men and 65 women from Klaw Mee Doe village, Tan Da Bin Township, and forced them to carry food supplies from Pa Let Wa to Klaw Mee Doe. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 20 April 2004, Bo Lin Lin Aung of SPDC LIB 439, based at Klaw Mee Doe camp, demanded 60 more villagers from Klaw Mee Doe village, Tan Da Bin Township, and forced them to carry food supplies from Pa Let Wa to Klaw Mee Doe. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 May 2004, SPDC Tapaka Column 1 forced 150 male and female Kler La villagers to carry the soldiers' food from Kler La to The Aye Ta infantry area. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 17 May 2004, Operation Command 1 acting Commander Aung Kyaw Htay of the SPDC Southern Command Headquarters demanded 130 villagers from Baw Gali area and ordered them to carry army supplies to Tha Aye Hta camp on 18 May 2004. On that day, Bo Hlaing Win Tint of Klaw Mee Doe camp and Klaw Meh Camp Commander Yin Soe demanded, from each household of Ler Kla Doe and Hu Mu Doe villages, 1 pole of giant bamboo, which was to be brought to Klaw Mee Doe camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 May 2004, troops from SPDC IB 39 led by Battalion Commander Win Oo came to Kaw Soe Kho village, Tan Da Bin Township. As male villagers were away, they forcibly gathered the remaining villagers, mainly women and children, to serve as porters. The names of the females taken were:
They also took village headmen Saw Ta Htoo and Saw Lawder to Baw Gali village. On 18 May 2004, the police station of Kaw Soe Kho village ordered Kaw Soe Kho villagers to go as porters in return for the release of the village headmen, children and women the army had seized. As a result, 9 persons from Kaw Soe Kho had to go to replace them. The villagers who had to go were:
These villagers were forced to carry food supplies for the army from Tha Aye Hta camp to Koe Day. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 22 May 2004, SPDC IB 53 Commander Min Ko Ko ordered 2 villagers from Kaw Thay Dur village to carry a heavy load to Naw Soe. (Source: BI, 2004)
In June 2004, Local Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters forced Baw Gali and Kaw Thay Doe villagers to carry supplies everyday. Moreover, he demanded from each truck 1 tin of diesel fuel to drive the generator for lights and for a T.V. at Baw Gali camp. A truck of Saw Say Doe and a truck of Saw Way Roe from Baw Gali village, which were commandeered to carry military supplies to Tha Aye Hta camp, were still not released up to the time of this report. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 1 June 2004, troops from SPDC IB 124 led by Bo Kyaw Za Ya, based at Than Daung Toen, demanded villagers in Than Daung Township to carry food supplies from Ler Hgi Kho Doe Ka to Kler Pa Hti camp for SPDC IB 39. The affected village tracts and number of persons were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 8 June 2004, troops from SPDC IB 75 led by Battalion Commander Nyi Nyi Thein Zan based at Koe Day camp, Than Daung Township, summoned the village head of Hgar Mu Doe and ordered him to go and buy food from Baw Gali village once a week and deliver it to Koe Day camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 22 June 2004, SPDC IB 26 forced 4 female and 4 male villagers from Ga Mu Dur village to carry heavy loads from Ga Mu Dur to The Aye Ta. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 28 June 2004, troops from SPDC IB 60 Column 1 based at Klaw Mee Doe led by Bo Hlaing Win Tint ordered Hu Mu Doe villagers to carry army ration to Klaw Mee Doe village. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 29 June 2004, SPDC IB 60 led by Commander Hlaing Win Tint demanded villagers from Hu Mu Dun carry food to Klaw Mee Dun Infantry camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 5 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 26 summoned 4 villagers of Gar Mu Doe village, Tan Da Bin Township, and forced 2 of them to carry army supplies from Tha Aye Hta and the other 2 to carry supplies from Baw Gali to Koe Day. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 19 July 2004, SPDC IB 26 forced Naw Marry Paw and Naw May Sit from Ga Mu Dun village to carry items to The Aye Ta. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 2 August 2004, troops from SPDC IB 26 forced 2 Gar Mu Doe villagers to carry food supplies for the army from Baw Gali village to Tha Aye Hta camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 8 August 2004, troops from SPDC IB 124 led by Bo Ko Ko Aung, demanded villagers in Than Daung Township to carry military supplies from Than Daung town to Ler Kher Doa Ka village. The affected villagers and number of persons were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 29 August 2004, troops from SPDC IB 53 led by Bo Myo Ko Ko and based at Kaw Thay Doe camp ordered villagers from Kaw Thay Doe village in Tan Ta Bin Township to carry military supplies from Kaw Thay Doe camp to Naw Soe. The victims were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 5 September 2004, Captain Aung Gyi of LIB 590 based at Kaw Thay Do forced 3 females and 1 male from Kaw Thay Do village to carry food for Burmese troops from Kaw Thay Do to Now So village. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 6 September 2004, SPDC IB 124 forced 2 female villagers from Ga Mu Dur to buy things from Kler La village and take them to The Aye Ta infantry camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 15 September 2004, SPDC LIB 590 forced 3 female and 1 male from Kaw Thay Dur village, Taw Ta Htoo Township, to carry the troops' food to Naw Soe Infantry base. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 16 September 2004, an SPDC column deployed by Commander Kin Soe ordered Naw Ah Ri of Kaw Thay Dur village, Taw Ta Htoo Township, to use her car to carry firewood to Kler La military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 17 September 2004, Column Commander Saw Myeint of IB 73 and his troops based in Lay Maing ate 2 ducks and 3 chickens and forced 6 villagers from Ka Ser Doh village to be porters. The next day, the troops ate 2 more chickens and the 6 porters were forced to carry loads for the Burma Army troops. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 18 September 2004, Captain Lwin Oo of IB 73 based out of Klaw Me Do sent for the village headman, pastor, and teacher of Hum Mu Do. The Burma Army soldiers took the villagers' names and told them that each month each villager would have to send meat to the Burma Army camp and that they would have to send information to the camp each week. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 18 September 2004, troops from SPDC IB 124 based at Tha Aye Hta camp ordered Gar Mu Doe villagers, 1 woman and 3 men, to carry military supplies from Baw Gali village to Tha Aye Hta village. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 20 September 2004, Captain Lwin Oo of IB 73 based in Klaw Me Do forced 5 villagers from Klaw Me Do to carry food for Col. Saw Myeint from Klaw Me Do to Mwe Lo village. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 23 September 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 590 based at Kaw
Thay Doe camp forcibly collected villagers from Kaw Thay Doe village, Tan Ta Bin
Township, to carry rations for the army from Kaw Thay Doe camp to Naw Soe camp.
The following villages were affected:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 24 September 2004, SPDC IB 124 from The Aye Ta Infantry ordered 2 villagers from Mu Ga Dur to carry things from Kler Lar military camp to The Aye Ta military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 25 September 2004, SPDC IB 124 from The Aye Ta Infantry ordered 5 villagers, 3 females and 2 males, from Mu Ga Dur to carry things from Kler Lar military camp to The Aye Ta military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 5 October 2004, Major Maung Maung So of IB 73 based in Lay Maing forced 4 female and 3 male villagers from Klaw Ma Do and 4 female and 6 male villagers from Hu Mu Do to carry food from Soil Lo to Klaw Ma Do. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 6 October 2004, IB 73 based in Klaw Me Do forced 75 female and 85 male civilians from Klaw Me Do to carry food from Soil Lo to Klaw Ma Do. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 11 October 2004, Saw Myeint of IB 73 forced 8 civilians from Klaw Ma Do to be porters. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 12 Oct 2004, Captain Aung Gyi of LIB 590 based in Kaw Thay Do forced 3 female villagers from Kaw Thay Do to carry loads. (Source: FBR, 2004)
On 23 October 2004, SPDC LIB 590 forced 6 villagers from Kaw Thay Dur village, Taw Ta Tu Township, to carry food supplies from Kaw Thay Dur Infantry to Naw Soe and Maung Tan Kyi Infantry. The 6 villagers were:
(Source: BI, 2004)
On 23 November 2004, Bo Tint Lwin Oo of SPDC IB 73 based at Klaw Mee Doe camp ordered 38 villagers (18 men and 20 women) from Klaw Mee Doe village, Tan Ta Bin Township, to carry food supplies for the army from Pet Let Wa to Klaw Mee Doe village. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 5 December 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 590, based at Kaw Thay Doe camp and led by Bo Aung Gyi, forced 6 female villagers from Kaw Thay Doe village, Tan Ta Bin Township, to carry food supplies to Naw Soe camp for the army. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 13 December 2004 at 5:00 am, troops from SPDC LIB 590 led by Bo Aung Gyi forcibly gathered villagers of Kaw Thay Doe village, Tan Ta Bin Township. The group consisted of 7 women and 4 men. The 7 women were:
The men were:
They were forced to carry food supplies. In order to threaten Naw Ma Mar Lay, Bo Aung Gyi slapped her on the face once and fired 2 gunshots. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 27 December 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 led by Bo Lwin Oo ordered 5 women and 1 man from Kaw Thay Doe village, Tan Ta Bin Township, to carry military supplies to Naw Soe camp. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 27 December 2004, troops from SPDC IB 26 based at Hu Maw Kyaw camp, led by Bo Ye Aung Soe, ordered villagers in Than Duang Township to carry food supplies for the army from Than Daung to Hu Maw Kyaw camp. The affected villages and number of persons were:
(Source: KIC, 2005)
On 27 December 2004, Company Commander San Htoo of SPDC IB 60 demanded 5 villagers from Klaw Mee Doe village, Tan Ta Bin Township, to be porters. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 28 December 2004, troops from SPDC IB 26 based at Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka camp, led by Bo Ye Aung Soe, ordered villages in Than Daung Township to carry food supplies for the army from Than Daung town to Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka camp. The affected villages and number of persons were:
(Source: KIC, 2005)
Sagaing Division
On 22 July 2004, IB 50 ordered 15 villagers to carry army supplies and equipment for 3 days. They were not paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 23 July 2004, 67 villagers were used as forced laborers by IB 274 Captain Myo Min Wine, who made them carry heavy military rations for 24 hours. Many of them were scolded, beaten and ill-treated along the way. None of them was fed nor paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 24 July 2004, IB 274 Captain Myo Min Wine ordered 70 villagers and an additional 21 young male and female students to carry heavy loads of ammunition and military rations for 1 whole day, during which several of the female students became ill. None of the porters were paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 7 August 2004, Major Thein Win ordered 10 villagers to carry heavy army rations; as there were only 6 men present at the time, he also ordered 4 women, of which 1 was only 14 years old. They were all treated very rudely, and none of them were paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 18 August 2004, IB 274 Lieutenant Commander Major Thein Win and Captain Myo Min Wine forced 4 little boys to carry heavy loads of army supplies for 13 km. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 14 September 2004, IB 266 Lieutenant Aung San forced 2 villagers to carry very heavy military rations. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 15 September 2004, while IB 274 Captain Ko Ko Win was temporarily in charge of a 30 soldier unit in Lane Pi Lin military camp, he ordered 50 civilians to carry 25 kg of military rations each for as much as 60 km in 2 days. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Shan State
Kae-See Township
In July 2004, 5 motorcycle drivers per day were required to be on stand by to serve troops of IB 2 86, based at Murng Nawng village in Murng Nawng village tract, Kae See Township. The motorcycle drivers were required to run errands for the SPDC troops such as sending letters, buying things and taking them to markets for shopping etc. However, sometimes the motorcycle drivers were required to transport troops long distances, such as to Kun Hing town or Tawng gi (Taunggyi). (Source: SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Kun-Hing Township
In August 2004, SPDC troops from IB 296 robbed the villagers of Naa Keng and Nam Paa Man villages in Kaeng Lom village tract, Kun Hing Township, of their property and forced Lung Ti (male, age 44) and Lung Kum-Ma (male, age 45) to accompany them as guides/porters. The troops looted 10 chickens, 2 viss of cooking oil (1 viss = 1.6 kg) and 1/2 basket of husked peanut from the house of a villager named Lung Saw. They then forced Lung Ti and Lung Kum-Ma to guide them to Nam Paa Man village, in the same village tract. They arrived at Nam Paa Man village after 6:00 pm and ordered the village headman to provide them with a pig and ½ a basket of husked rice. The troops also went into a shop belonging to Lung Ta and Pa Suay and looted 10 bottles of whiskey, a box of canned beer and other small items of food. The troops threatened the store owners, saying “We know you open this shop to support the Shan rebels, and you trade in opium and methamphetamine. This is better than arresting you and putting you in jail. Thank us for that”. The SPDC troops left Nam Paa Man village on the same night, forcing the guides/porters they conscripted from Naa Keng to carry their loot for several miles during the night. The porters were only released when the troops reached the main road leading to their camp, a short distance to the east, at Ta Kaw village. (Source: SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, November 2004)
In September 2004, a patrol of about 35 SPDC troops from IB 296 led by Captain Maung Win came to Saai Leng village in Kaeng Lom village tract, Kun Hing Township, and forced 2 villagers to serve as guides/porters. They also looted 15 chickens, weighing about 7 viss (1 viss = 1.6 kg), from the villagers. The chickens belong to 5 of the villagers, each of whom lost 3 chickens. (SHRF, SHRF Monthly Report, November 2004)
Murng-Kerng Township
On 11 April 2004, Lung Mu Lin (male, age 41) from Naa Ti village was ordered by Commander Tin Win, Company No. 3 LIB 514, based in Murng Kerng Township, to transport him to a military outpost 4 miles northeast of the town on his motorcycle. Lung Mu Lin has disappeared since this time. Relatives, who enquired about him were told that Commander Tin Win had dismissed Lung Mu Lin as soon as they had reached the outpost and that they did not know where he had gone after that, although they assumed that he had gone home. Some time later, there were rumours that low ranking SPDC soldiers from LIB 514 had talked about having killed a motorcycle owner who supported the Shan resistance and dumped his body in the forest. (Source: SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Sen-Wi Township
Between 22 and 24 April 2004, SPDC troops from LIB 568 ordered the villagers of Kawng Pha, Naa Kong and Tang Saw villages in Nam Salaab village tract to transport logs from Maan He village to Naa Kong village. As the villagers did not have any means to transport the logs, they were required to pay 50,000 kyat to hire a tractor to transport the logs. (Source: SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Tenasserim Division
Note: Mergui-Tavoy District is an area demarcated by the KNU as part of Karen territory. Mergui-Tavoy falls into SPDC demarcated Tenasserim Division and is under the patrol of the 4th Brigade of the KNLA. The SPDC does not recognize Mergui-Tavoy as an official district.
Mergui/Tavoy District
On 13 January 2004, villagers from Kyet, Pawa and Kyein Chaung village tracts, Tenasserim Township, Mergui, were ordered by Commander Col. Myo Thein of the Coastal Region Military Command's (CRMC) No.2 Strategy to carry food supplies to the military camps along the Thai border, opposite Prachuap Khiri Khan province (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, January 2004).
On 14 January 2004, Commander Col. Myo Thein of the Coastal Region Military Command's (CRMC) No.2 Strategy demanded 5 boats from the Baw Leik village, 50 miles southeast of Mergui, to transport military supplies to Thein Daw, about 30 miles north of that village. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, January 2004)
On 7 March 2004, officers from No.12 Divisional Military Training Center, based near Pyicha village in Palaw Township, Mergui District, forced the villagers to carry food supplies to their frontline camp Waytoray (Aungthawara), in Tenasserim Riverside. Many people from several villages were forced to carry supplies and every household who did not pay 10,000 kyat had to send a family member. The villages and number of persons from each village were:
1. Pyicha village, 70 persons;
2. Nya Htaw (Ngadet) village, 12 persons;
3. Pyicha Maw village, 4 persons;
4. Kamah Ler, 12 persons;
5. Lerpahdoh village, 20 persons;
6. Wahgon village, 20 persons;
7. Kataunni-Mawkakleh village, 20 persons;
8. Panwe Poe Klo village, 4 persons;
9. Pasawoak (Wanzawoak) village, 42 persons;
10. Mhyitchinsu village, 35 persons; and
11. Kaneh They Lah village, 80 persons.
(Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, March 2004)
On 13 March 2004, the Commander of No.3 Tactical Command based in Lerhpadoh village in Tenasserim Riverside area, northeast of Mergui, forced 17 long-tail engine boats from the local villages of Lerhpadoh, Buthawplaw, Pahtoo Klo and Tarwahta village to transport food supplies to their military camp in Waytoray (Aungthawara). (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, March 2004)
On 18 March 2004, No.12 Divisional Military Training Center (DMTC) Hq. demanded 144 villagers for portering. The affected villages and number of persons per village were:
1. Lerhpado village, 28 persons;
2. Wahgon village, 28 persons;
3. Kataungni village, 18 persons;
4. Mawkakle village, 18 persons; and
5. Palauk area, 70 persons.
(Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, March 2004)
On 2 May 2004, officers from SPDC LIB 431 led by Lt. Col. Thein Htaik Oo summoned 50 villagers from Mandain village and 60 villagers from Le Nya village in Tenasserim Township, Mergui District, and ordered them to carry food to the Thai-Burma border military base. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, May 2004)
On 5 May 2004, Commander of Coastal Region Military Command ordered his troops from the frontline to conscript villagers to carry food and to report the population of the villages to Headquarters. The villages and number of persons affected were:
1. Theindaw village, 30 persons;
2. Yebu village 25 persons;
3. Kawmabyin village, 40 persons;
4. Tharabwin village, 35 persons;
5. Tatmoo village, 25 persons;
6. Tagoo village, 30 persons;
7. Pawetchaung village 20 persons; and
8. Kyauklongvi village, 30 persons.
(Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, May 2004)
On 18 May 2004, the No.3 Strategic Command led by Colonel Soe Thet based in Tenasserim Township ordered villagers from Chaung La Mu village to carry food for the No.101 Infantry Battalion's No.1 Column, led by Kyaw Min Hlaing. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, May 2004)
On 20 May 2004, No. 1 Strategic Command led by Colonel Kyaw Aung based in Myitta village, east of Tavoy, demanded 7 boats from Myitta village to deliver military ammunition to Htee Hta village. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, May 2004)
On 5 November 2004 at 9:00 am, the SPDC Frontline Operation Command 3 based in Ye-pyu village, Tenasserim Township, ordered villagers to serve as porters transporting rations for the border military camps. The affected villages and number of persons were:
1. Thein Daw village, 100 persons;
2. Ta Gu village, 100 persons; and
3. The Ra Bwin village, 50 persons.
(Source: ABSDF, 2004)
On 8 December 2004, troops from Costal Region Command Headquarter forced village tracts in Tenasserim Township to supply a fixed number of persons for portering duty. The porters were required to transport rations for troops based in frontline military camp no. 2165, 3000. The village tracts forced to provide porters were:
(Source: ABSDF, 2004)
1.5 Forced Labor for Infrastructure Projects - Partial List of Incidents for 2004
Arakan State
Akyab Township
From July 2004, residents of
Akyab, including children, were ordered to clean the streets and drains around
their houses each Saturday. Anyone who failed to do so was fined 500 kyat.
Government officials were also ordered to participate in cleaning around their
office buildings. Failure to do so resulted in salary cuts. (Source: "Forced
Labor in Arakan Capital Increases Agony," Narinjara News, 6 July 2004)
Maungdaw Township
From the end of May 2004, the Nasaka (Border Security Force) Director Lt. Col. Myint Oo ordered the evacuation of 130 Rohingya houses from Myaw Taung (Wa-beg) and Kyi Kan Pyin (Kawa Bil) villages in Maungdaw Township and the construction of a "model" village. Rohingya villagers were ordered to build houses for newly arriving settlers from central Burma. Rohingya villagers from nearby villages were forced to work on the "settlement program" while no alternative arrangements were made for the evacuated Rohingya families, who were living in harsh conditions in nearby villages. Under the construction scheme, the villagers build 120 houses, a monastery, a school, a health center, several ponds and wells. The nearby villagers were compelled to abandon their agricultural work in order to undertake the construction works demanded by the Nasaka authorities. The villagers were not paid and in addition to labor, were required to provide house-building materials including pillars, bamboo etc. and to pay 3,000 to 6,000 kyat per family according to their financial status. The Nasaka authorities also confiscated 260 acres of land from surrounding Rohingya villages in order to provide the newcomers with farmland. As a result of the measures imposed, some villagers’ family members have been facing starvation. (Source: "Forced Labor for Newcomers and Relocated the Rohingya Villagers in Northern Arakan," Kaladan News, 23 June 2004)
Chin State
From November 2003 to the time of this report, November 2004, IB 304 Commander Aung Kyaw ordered 200 villagers to work on the construction of a highway. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
From 8 March 2004, Major Thant Zin Oo, deputy battalion commander of LIB 268, ordered over 200 villagers to work on the construction of a 37 mile road between Sabawgte army camp and Darling village. Villages affected and the number of persons from each village were:
There were also 27 women among the villagers forced to work on the road. Villagers were required to bring their own tools and food supplies. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. II., CHRO, March-April 2004)
Matupi Township
On 22 March 2004, IB 266 Captain Tint Swe ordered 1 person out of every 45 households from a village in Matupi Township to work 7 days a week repairing roads. The workers, who weren't paid, were often ill-treated. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
In April 2004, Lesien village middle school headmaster, U Cang Toi, with the approval of Colonel San Aung, commander of SPDC Tactical Command No.2 based in Matupi Town, ordered 17 villages in Matupi Township to provide 200 cubic wood planks per village to build the school's teachers quarters. The order stated that every village must submit their quota to Leisen middle school before the end of July 2004 and that those who failed to comply with the order would face severe punishment from the authorities. The villagers were also routinely summoned to work at the farm of the Leisen government middle school headmaster without sufficient pay. There are 7 teachers and more than 100 students at Leisen government middle school. The following villages are covered by Leisen government middle school:
(Source: Rhododendron News, Vol. VII. No. V., CHRO, September-October 2004)
On 17 July 2004, IB 140 Commander Major Hla Shwe ordered all the government servants of a town in Matupi Township to repair ruined roads. They were threatened with reprisals if they did not comply within 3 days. As a result of working too hard, many young girls had to be hospitalized. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Rezua Township
From March 2004 to the time of this report, June 2004, Major Kyaw Sein Win of LIB 50, based in Kangaw, Sagaing Division, ordered 45 villages in Rezua Township to work on the construction of a road between Kangaw and Matupi Township. Major Kyaw Sein Win placed Captain Win Hlaing in charge of supervising the construction of the road, which he ordered to be completed by June 2004. Thirty villagers from each of the 45 villages were required to work on the road construction. They were also required to bring their own tools and provide their own food supply. Captain Win Hlaing fined Lungrang, Sawthing and Resa village 80,000 kyat each for not working at a satisfactory level. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. III, CHRO, May-June 2004)
Rih Township
On 3 July 2004, Colonel Tin Hla, commander of the first tactical command, ordered residences of Rih town to construct concrete streets along the town's major pathways. The work was implemented by the Township administrator U Mya Win's office. Each household was given a quota to fulfill before 10 August 2004. The streets had to be laid 10 foot wide and 6 foot long. The villagers were responsible for providing their own materials, such as stones, gravel and concrete. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. IV, CHRO, July-August 2004)
From 12 July 2004 to 18 July 2004, Major Maung Myint of LIB 269 ordered 15 villages to contribute 1 person from each household in order to repair the India-Burma boarder trade road between Haimual and Lentlang village. The villages affected were:
The villagers who worked on the road were not allowed to attend Church on Sunday 18 July. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. IV., CHRO, July-August 2004 )
From mid August 2003 to the time of this report, August 2004, U Mya Win, the Rih Township Administrator in Northern Chin State, ordered villages in the Rih Township area to work on numerous government projects, including roads, a hospital and schools. Whenever work was demanded, 1 person from each household was forced to attend. The villagers were required to provide their own tools and food supply. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. IV., CHRO, July-August 2004 )
From 22 November 2004 to 10 December 2004, Colonel Tin Hla of Burma Army Chin State Tactical No. 1 ordered 17 villages from Rih Township to work on the construction of Rih Hospital quarters. The villages affected were:
One person from every household was ordered to dig the ground and produce bricks for the construction of buildings. The villagers had to provide their own tools and food supplies. A Lieutenant from the Burmese army was assigned to supervisor the laborers and constantly yelled at the villagers throughout the course of their work. (Source: “Forced Labor: Construction of Rih Hospital Quarter,” Rhododendron News, Volume V111, CHRO, January – February 2005)
Teddim Township
From late March 2004, 30 villages from the India-Burma border area were ordered to repair the border trade road between Haimual and Tiddim Township. The village headman of Kaptel village and a village council member, Pu Lacob, were arrested and detained at Kaptel police station when they failed to meet their imposed quota of work within the specified time. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. III., CHRO, May-June 2004)
On 2 May 2004, U Sai Maung Luu, Chairman of the Township Peace and Development Council of Teddim Township, ordered residences of Teddim Township to construct concrete streets and extend the town's major pathways. Each household was given a quota to fulfill by the end of August. The order specified that those that failed to achieve their quota would be punished. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. IV., CHRO, July-August 2004 )
Thantlang Township
In March 2004, Thantlang Township Peace and Development Council Chairman U Luu Tin ordered the town residents to construct a sidewalk for the town's main street. Any household which did not complete their quota of work within the specified time, or whose work fell below the standard set by Township landscaping office, was subject to punishment. Furthermore, residents were required to pay for the materials required, including bricks, stone, cement etc. The costs of materials ranged between 100,000 – 200,000 kyat. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. II., CHRO, March-April 2004)
Kachin State
Boma District
On 8 March, U Tin Win, Chairman of Myo Thit Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC), a town located in Bamo District, ordered locals in 4 quarters of Myo Thit town to provide 1 person per household to dig a pool for a hydro-electricity project. The villagers were required to bring their own food supplies. Households who did not provide a person for the work were fined up to 1,000 kyat. Finances to dig the pool were reportedly provided to the military unit by LIB 239. However, no monetary payment was made to the villagers who were forced to work on the project. (Source: “Forced Labor Still Continues in Kachin State,” Mizzima, 16 March 2004)
Karen State
(See note above about Pa-an and Papun Districts in section 1.4)
Between May 2004 and October 2004, SPDC troops from Division 77 ordered the inhabitants of 10 villages to repair the road from Mae Plet to Shwe Koak Ko (about 16 km). There were about 30 to 40 people performing forced labor on this road on a daily basis, including women and children, who had to clear the road because the rest of the work was too hard for them. The villagers had to provide their own food supplies and working equipment, and were not paid. Furthermore, they had no time left to work on their own paddy plantations, which will cause them food shortages next year. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Pa-an District
From 31 December 2003 to the time of this report, there were more activities of the SPDC and DKBA troops in the Paing Kyon, Na Boo, Don Yin and Hti Lon areas in Pa-an District. A column from SPDC LIB 548, under Military Operation Command 12, a column under SPDC LIB 202, under SPDC Southeast Command and troops from DKBA 999 Battalions 2 and 3 based at "A Paung Yebu" forcibly gathered villagers to construct a motor road. Villages affected were:
Villages affected in Na Boo Township were Keh Kah and Noh Pyu villages. The villagers were forced to construct the road every day. Thus, they were left with no time to do their own work and no time to rest. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Since 7 May 2004, Colonel Maung Chit Thu, the commander of 999 Brigade Special Battalion, ordered villagers to work on a road between Meh Pleh and Kway Shan villages. The affected villages were from the following village tracts:
Six villagers from each of the villages in the 9 village tracts had to go and work on the road 3 times each month. Villagers who did not want to go to work on the road could pay 1,000 kyat to get out of the labor. (Source: Forced Labour and the DKBA in T’Nay Hsah Township, Pa’an District, KHRG, 21 February 2005)
In early June 2004, 3 people from every village in the Mae Plat Toe area were order to provide forced labor for the construction of a road in 5 days between Tee Sa Ra village and Koe Ko village. The order was given by DKBA Special Battalion 999 Battalion Commander Bo Mu Chit Thu, who is based in Koe Ko. (Source: BI, 2004)
In June 2004, Company Commander Saw Ta Tu from Battalion 3 of DKBA 999 demanded 20 bullock carts to transport wood. He also demanded Ker Pu (Tha-yet-taw) and Kaw Pya (Kaw-law) village tracts to each give 250,000 kyat (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Karenni State
On 21 January 2004, SPDC Commander Major Kyit Shwe from LIB 568 issued an order to the villagers situated in Kelya, Dopreh and Markrawshe village tracts to clear the verges of the Loikaw - Mawchi road without fail within only a matter of days. Each family member had to bring his or her own equipment and food to the road. The troop assigned each village to clear a 4 furlong length of road. Those who failed to show up had to pay a fine in cash. (Source: KNAHR, 2004)
On 2 October 2004, SPDC LIB 199, based at Kardu, in southern Shan State, is scheduled to establish its new military camp near the market, 3 miles north of Kardu. To be able to establish this new military camp, 14 villages situated in the Shan - Karenni border areas were ordered by the commander of LIB 199 to send 50 poles of bamboo each without fail. They were told to send the assigned bamboo on 15 October at the latest. Similarly, the SPDC troops from LIB 530 are also scheduling to build their new camp in Daw Muleh, Hsomoe Township, in an attempt to control the movement of people in the border area. People living in this border area were threatened by SPDC troops that action would be taken if they provided food to the KNPP forces. (Source: KNAHR, 2004)
Between December 2004 and January 2005, villagers living in Shadaw forced relocation camp were forced by SPDC-backed ceasefire armed group KNPLF commander and chief of Shadaw Union Solidarity and Development Association, or USDA, to build a new car road from Shadaw to Daw Lyakhu village. A member of each family was ordered to participate in the road construction project. Villagers were required to bring their own tools and food supply. At the road construction site, Pray Reh (age 15) from Shadaw relocation camp stepped on a landmine between Daw Eitaw and Daw Lyakhu and died. His wife and 3 children were left behind and the KNPLF provide them with a sack of rice as compensation. Eleven villages on the north of Shadaw Town were ordered to relocate their villages last year and are now displaced persons. The SPDC local troops and the KNPLF ceasefire group are jointly operating a logging business in the area, from which both profit. (Source: Kantarawaddy Times, 2004)
Mon State
(See note above about Thaton District in section 1.4)
Thaton District
In 2004, SPDC IB 8 led by Captain Thet Kaing built a road in Thaton Township between Kyaik Tu and Keh Maw villages and the villagers near the road had to work for the SPDC every day. LIB 3 Commander Tin Aye forced 1 person from each house in Th’Raw Meh village to cut and clear the brush from the side of the road. He also demanded 2 pieces of big bamboo from each house in the village. If the villagers did not work for them, they would have punished them by making the villagers jump like frogs. IB 8 Battalion Commander Myint Naing of LID 44 demanded 800 kyat from each house in Shwe Yaung Pya village for a total of 80,000 kyat; 700 kyat from each house in Ka Law Kher village for a total of 70,000 kyat; 800 kyat from each house in La Aw Kher village for a total of 80,000 kyat; and 700 kyat from each house in Kya T’Raw village for a total of 70,000 kyat. The total was 300,000 kyat from those villages for the construction of the road. The SPDC said this money was for petrol for the trucks used in the construction. (Source: KHRG, February 2005)
From January 2004, after the ceasefire between the SPDC and the KNU began, the SPDC from Military Operations Command 9 commanded by Brigadier General Myint Aung from Kyauk Taw town, Arakan State, came to replace the soldiers from LID 66 who had previously been stationed in the area. They set up their headquarters at Lay Kay Army camp and forced the villagers to collect stones to repair a car road. Each village had to collect 300 piles of stone. Each of the piles of stone had to be 1 foot high and 10 feet around and it took 10 bullock cart loads to make 1 pile of stone. The villages to the west of the car road are:
The villages to the east of the car road are:
All these villages had to collect 300 piles of stone per village. In addition to this, the soldiers from the army camp also demanded thatch, bamboo and posts during this same time period. (Source: KHRG, February 2005)
From 4 January 2004 to 4 July 2004, SPDC LIB 3 led by Commander Myo Win forced villagers from Kanae Pu area, Du The Htoo Township, to build 100 ft of road. The villagers were required to provide 53 laborers each day. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 7 January 2004, Battalion Commander Myo Myint of SPDC LIB 9 ordered Ma Aye Hsa and Htee Nya Paw villages to send a person from each household, with food supply, to construct a motor road at Win Yaw. On that day, Battalion Commander Kyaw Than of SPDC Artillery Battalion 314 ordered villagers from Kya Ta Raw village to plough a paddy field that could yield 70 baskets of paddy. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 12 January 2004, Operations Commander Khin Soe ordered villagers in the Kler Lah area to clear the Toungoo-Mawchi road from Tha Aye Hta to Pi Mu Koh for 7 days. Altogether, 176 villagers from the following villagers had to go:
On the same day, SPDC soldiers from IB 124 went to Der Doh village and ordered 12 villagers to clear the road between Tha Aye Hta and Pi Mu Koh. The soldiers threatened to burn down the village and behead the villagers if they did not go. The troops then went to Maw Ko Der and Peh Kaw Der villages and repeated the order. (Source, Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004)
On 17 February 2004, DKBA soldiers ordered 10 people from each of 3 different villages to build a monastery and a wall between Ko Kya and Noh Pa Lae villages. The villagers were required to work everyday. The 3 villages were:
(Source: BI, 2004)
On 26 February 2004, SPDC IB 3 led by Commander Tin Myit ordered 4 villagers from Ta Raw Mae village to load timber onto bullock carts. The villagers were unable to complete the task because the timber was too large. As a result, the villagers were tied up and beaten in the cemetery for 2 hours. The victims were:
(Source: BI, 2004)
On 10 March 2004, Major Mya Soe of SPDC LIB 9, who was responsible for the motor road construction with a bulldozer linking Mi Chaung Aing, Ta Maw Daw and Naung Ka Dok villages in Thaton Township, ordered 1 person per household from several villages to clear the bushes along the road that was to be paved. The villagers had to bring their own food supply. The affected villages were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 12 March 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 7 forced villagers from Tha Tan Township to clear a place to construct an irrigation dam at Kyauk Sa Yit. The affected villages were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 15 March 2004, 150 villagers were rounded up in Kler Lah and forced by the operations commander in Kler Lah to clear the brush and any landmines along the Kler Lah Bu Sah Kee road. The villagers had to bring their own tools and food. Luckily, on this occasion no one was killed or injured. (Source, Enduring Hunger and Repression Food Scarcity, Internal Displacement, and the Continued Use of Forced Labour in Toungoo District, KHRG, September 2004)
In April 2004, the DKBA forced villagers from Pa'an Township to begin constructing a road to a DKBA pagoda on Meh Si Mountain. When the villagers didn’t go, they came to chase them with guns and said that they would shoot all of the villagers dead. The villagers had to start constructing the new road from the Ka Ma Maung to Papun road in Papun District to Wa Ta Moh, P’Hi Kla and Meh Si Kaw Hti villages at the foot of Meh Si Mountain. Part of this road runs through Thaton District so villagers from Bilin Township also had to contribute labor. The affected villages in Thaton District were:
Each person had to go to work on the road for 5 days. They were not able to come back before 5 days because no one would go to replace them until their 5 days were finished. Some of the villagers came back before the 5 days because they did not bring enough clothes and there was no more medicine or tobacco. The DKBA accused them of fleeing and forced them to go back and work for another 15 days. The villagers were afraid of the DKBA’s guns, so they went to do it. (Source: KHRG, February 2005)
On 1 April 2004, assistant Abbot of Myaing Gyi Ngu demanded villagers in village tracts in Pa'an and Bilin Township to provide 1 person from each household to construct a motor way from the foot of Mae Kyi up to Mae Kye pagoda. The villagers had to supply their own hoes, pick axes and machetes and complete the motor way in 3 days. The affected villages were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 16 April 2004, Township Peace and Development Committee Chairman Htun Oo of Bilin Township summoned the village heads of Kho Tha Nya, Ka Di Pu, Shwe Yaung Pya and Ya villages to come and see him. He ordered them to tell their villagers to cut wood and bamboo for construction of a motor road from Mi Chaung Aing to Kho Tha Nay. He told the villagers to sell the bamboo and wood they cut if they could not transport it and buy bricks and cement in place of them. He threatened the villagers with punishment if they did not obey. On that day, Bo Tin Myint of SPDC LIB 3 demanded from the following villages the following items:
(Source: KHRG, February 2004)
On 17 May 2004, Battalion Second in Command Myint Naing of SPDC IB 8 forced villagers of Shwe Yaung Pya village, Thaton Township, to pave a new road. As the villagers were left with no time to do their own work, many plantations of Ka Law Hker villagers were destroyed and they were faced with various difficulties. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
In September 2004, LIB 9 soldiers led by Major Mya Soe forced the villagers from Ma Yan Gone, Mi Chaung Aing, Htee Nya Paw and Ma Ei Cha villages to build bridges across the Htee Pa Doh, Ka Meh and Htee Htaw La Rivers for the vehicles to use. The villagers themselves had to find the wood needed to build the bridges. (KHRG, February 2005)
On 4 September 2004, troops from SPDC IB led by Captain Thet Khaing demanded villagers from Daw Ya village tract and Ka Di Pu village tract to work on the construction of a road between Kyaik Tu Gon and Keh Maw. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 23 September 2004, Mae Prae Khee camp commander of SPDC LIB 375 demanded 1 person from each household from Ka Ser Po village and lower Mae Prae Khee village, Bilin Township, to build a Zebra bridge across Aye Nay Lor river between Mae Prae Khee village and Ka Ser Po village. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 24 September 2004, Major Myint Soe of SPDC LIB 9 demanded villagers from Ma Yan Gon, Mi Chaung Aing, Htee Nya Paw and Ma Ei Sa villages in Thaton Township to construct a bridge for motor vehicles between Htee Nya Paw and Ma Yan Gon village. The villagers were ordered to find the needed material to construct the bridge and were also ordered to dig drainage canals on each side of the road. Moreover, the troops demanded villagers from Ka Law Kher, Shew Yaung Pya, Lah Aw Hker and Kya Ta Raw villages to construct a further 3 bridges, 1 across Htee Law Lah river, 1 across Hsaw Ni river and 1 across Lah Ta Po river. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
In October 2004, villagers were forced to cut the brush along the sides of the road between Nga Pyaw Daw and Kru Kay villages by LID 44, LIB 2 led by Battalion Commander Aung Soe and Deputy Battalion Commander Aung Moo Htoo. The villagers did not go to do the work, so the soldiers demanded money instead; 12,000 kyat from Kho Poe; 24,000 kyat from Htee Nu Pu; and 2,000 kyat from Paw Paw Pu villages. (Source: KHRG, February 2005)
Ye Township
From December 2003 to the date of this report, 22 August 2004, villagers from Khaw Zar village and the surrounding villagers were forced to work on road construction and repair projects. The laborers were recruited by Colonel Nyi Nyi of the No. 3 Tactical Command and the road projects are part of the Sub-Town and Transport project, which aims to link Khaw Zar village to other Mon villages in the area. Ten villagers from a quarter (bloc) of Khaw Zar village, 15 villagers from Hangan village and 10 villagers from the surrounding area were forced to work on the road project daily. Villagers were required to provide their own tools and food supplies. The army also collected money from the villagers 2-3 times a week. The army collected approximately 30,000 kyat from well off families and 3,000 kyat from poorer families each time. (Source: "Forced Labour after General Maung Bo's Visit," Kao Wao News, 22 August 2004)
From early 2004, Tactical Commander Colonel Nyi Nyi ordered villagers from Ywa Thit, Singu and Hangan village to build a new road connecting the 3 villages. One person from each household was ordered to participate in the road construction project each day, between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm. As men needed to work to raise money for the family, woman and children were often sent to work on the road. Villagers were ordered to bring whatever materials they had, including mattock, soil, stone carriers, cow carts and cars. They were also ordered to provide their own tools and food supply. Soldiers under the Tactical Command guarded the road construction sight and kept watch over the forced laborers. Villagers who took a rest or were ill during their work time were often seriously beaten by the soldiers. On 8 September 2004, after villagers arrived late at the work sight, the commander fired 3 gun shots to frighten the villagers. The commander then collected 21,000 kyat from the villagers as payment for the bullets fired. (Source: “Non-Stop Forced Labor on Road Construction,” IMNA, 1 October 2004)
Between January and June 2004, Southeast Command's Tactical Command No. 3 led by Col. Myo Winn (and later Col. Nyi Nyi) ordered the construction of 2 roads linking Ye and Magyi Townships. For the construction of the Khawza – Magyi Motor Road, 8 Mon villages were forced to construct a 10 mile long all sessions motor road connecting Khawza and Magyi villages. The affected villages were:
There are 1800 families in these villages and the SPDC ordered the villagers, on a rotational basis, to provide at least 1 person per family to work on the road. A member of the family was required to go and work in a set workplace for 3-7 days at a time, depending on the work under the guard of the soldiers. Villagers who failed to attend on set dates and at set workplaces were fined between 800 – 1,000 kyat for each day they failed to work. The road had previously been an old oxen-track route and the Burmese Army commanders ordered the villagers to build a higher embankment and to widen the road. The Burmese Army commanders required the local villagers to build the road at 12 feet in width and 3 feet in height. Besides the road construction, the local military commanders also requested approximately 0.16 -0.2 tons of wooden lumber from each household for the construction of bridges along the motor road.
For the construction of the Ye-Khawza Motor Road, the No. 3 Tactical Command ordered villages to contribute labor for the re-construction of the former Ye-Zhawza Motor Road. The motor road needed to be re-constructed in order to match the width and height of the Khawza – Magyi Motor Road, to which it would join. The affected villagers were:
There are 6000 households in these villages and the SPDC ordered the villagers, on a rotational basis, to provide 1 person per household to work on the motor way. Depending on the size of the village, between 10 to 20 villagers, including woman and children, from each village worked on the motor road daily. Furthermore, as the new motor way did not always follow that of the old motor way, many farmlands were divided when the road was built through existing paddy fields. (Source: The Mon Forum, Issue No. 8/2004, 31 August, 2004)
From August 2004 to the time of this report, 17 October 2004, LIB 568 led by Captain Ngwe Soe ordered every household in Yong Reah and Kwan Tamoi Taotak village to collect logs and bamboo in the forest for the construction of 2 militia police stations, 1 in each town. Kwan Tamoi Taotak village is divided into 4 tracks and 1 track must build the station everyday (Source: "Forced Labour and Abuses in Ye Rural Area," Kao Wao News, 17 October 2004)
In December 2004, the local based Burmese army forced villagers from Khawzar village and nearby villagers to build 90 houses for government employees. Each village was responsible for the construction of 10 houses each and had to provide their own building materials. Local village headmen collected money from the villagers in order to pay for the materials needed for the construction of the houses, such as wood, nails, sand and cement. Villagers were unable to return home until they had fulfilled their quota of houses. A villager from Sa Khorm village died from food shortage while working on the houses. Some residents from Khawzar village were forced to relocate their houses in order to make way for Township administration buildings. (Source: “Villagers Forced to Build 90 Houses for Government Employees in New Town,” IMNA, 9 December 2004)
Pegu Division
(See note above about Nyaunglebin and Toungoo Districts in section 1.4)
Nyaunglebin District
In early 2004, the SPDC ordered villagers from Ko Nee and T’Kaw Pwa village tracts in Mu Township to repair the road between Ler Doh and Mu village. Eight villages in Ko Nee and T’Kaw Pwa village tracts in Mu Township were also ordered to stand sentry along the Ler Doh to Mu road. The SPDC ordered that 2 people had to stand sentry at each sentry hut along the road. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
In March 2004, units from LID 66 confiscated flat fields of villagers along a proposed road route and then forced the villagers to dig up the fields, knock down the dikes separating them and dig ditches along the new road. The villagers were also forced to build bridges for the road and to cut and clear the brush from along the sides of it. Some of these fields had already been ploughed in preparation for planting. At least 13 fields were confiscated and destroyed in Ta Ku Der village and another 12 fields in Oh Kee village. The SPDC paid nothing for the value of the villagers’ land and did not repair what was left of the fields which they had partially destroyed. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
On 15 March 2004, SPDC LIB 590 and LIB 599 ordered 11 groups of villagers from village tracts in Mone Township to construct a motor road at the width of 20 feet from the Battalion Headquarters of LIB 590 passing Mone Nat Tha, Htone Daw to the Headquarters of LIB 599. The villagers were ordered to bring with them their own food and tools for road construction. Each group had to construct at the length of 200 cubits and the work, which began on 20 March, had to be completed by 22 March. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 1 April 2004, 3 SPDC army commanders demanded 170 villagers from Plaw Lah Hay village and 180 villagers from Htong Gyi village, both in Mone Township, to construct a motor road from Than Po to Kyauk Kyi. A villager had to pay 3,000 kyat if he failed to go. The SPDC army commanders were Commander Khin Maung Oo of No.3 Operation Command, Battalion Commander Win Bo Shwe of SPDC IB 60 and Battalion Commander Thet Htun of SPDC LIB 351. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 19 September 2004, the SPDC Operation Command 2 Commander Colonel Khin Maung Oo demanded 1 person from each household from Kho Pu village tract, Hsaw Mi Lu village tract and 7 sections of Kyauk Kyi town to work on the construction of a motor road from Kyauk Kyi town to Than Bo. Anyone who failed to go had to pay a 3,000 kyat fine. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 30 November 2004, Camp Commander Sergeant Khin Maung Kyi of SPDC LIB 381, based at Aung Soe Moe, Mone Township, ordered 110 villagers from Aung Soe Moe village to construct a clinic. He also collected 500 kyat from each household in Aung- Soe Moe village, amounting to 120,000 kyat. (Source: KIC, 2005)
Toungoo District
From 9 January 2004 until the time this incident was reported, troops from SPDC LID 55, led by Tactical Command No.2 Commander Nyi Lin, G-2 Kyaw Thura, G-3 Kyaw Moe, SPDC LID 511 Battalion Commander Aung Kyaw Moe, SPDC LIB 508 Battalion Commander Aung Moe Naing and SPDC IB 94 Battalion Commander Aung Moe Naing came and set up base at the Karenni State border and demanded 70 villagers each from 2 townships of Toungoo District to construct 2 motor roads, 1 from Baw Gali to Mawchi and the other from Kaw Thay Doe to Bu Sa Khee. The villagers were also forced to carry food supplies and clear landmine. The villagers had to bring with them their own food supplies. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 12 January 2004, troops from SPDC IB 124 led by Bo Aung Ko Ko came to Der Doe village, Than Daung Township, and seized 12 villagers and made them clear the motor road from Tha Aye Hta to Pi Mu Kho. The troops threatened to burn down the village and behead the villagers if they failed to go. On that day, these troops also went into Maw Koe Doe village and Peh Kaw Doe village and seized many villagers. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 12 January 2004, SPDC troops from Northern Command Tactical 1 led by Commander Khin Soe ordered the villagers in the area of Baw Gali to clear mines and construct a road within 7 days. Villagers were required to bring their own tools and food supplies. The villages and number of persons affected were:
(Source: FTUK, 2004)
On 13 January 2004, troops from SPDC IB 53 and IB 73 ordered villages in Than Daung Township to clear and repair a motor road from Mine Lun to Kyauk Lone Gyi. The villagers had to bring with them their own food supplies. The affected villages were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 12 March 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters demanded villagers to carry steel for bridge construction from Tha Aye Hta to Klay Soe Khee. Kaw Tay Doe villagers' trucks were ordered to transport the steel for the bridge from Kla Soe Khee to Baw Gali. The affected villages and number of persons from each village were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 14 March 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters put under duress Baw Gali village head Saw Maung Kay and demanded 150 villagers to go and work at the motor road construction site from Na Soe to Bu Sa Khe, beginning from 26 March 2004. Villagers' trucks in Baw Gali and Kaw Thay Doe area, travelling to Toungoo, had to give various items to the troops of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters as demanded. The affected villages in the Baw Gali area were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 15 March 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters based at Baw Gali forcibly gathered 150 villagers in the Baw Gali area and forced them to clear bushes and landmines along the Kaw Thay Doe and Ba Hsa Khe motor road. The villagers had to bring with them their own food supplies. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 15 December 2004, Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters, Battalion Commander San Myint, Battalion Second in Command Maung Maung Soe, of SPDC IB 73, and their troops ordered 20 villagers daily from Kaw Thay Doe village to clear the road from Kaw Thay Doe to Naw Soe village. These troops also ordered 1 person from each household of Klay Soe Khee village to clear the road from Naw Soe to Si Hkeh Doe village in Ka Mu Lor place. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 16 December 2004, the SPDC troops led by Operation Command 1 Commander Khin Soe, Battalion Commander San Myint and Battalion Second in Command of SPDC IB 73 ordered 20 villagers from Kaw Thay Doe village to clear the motor road from Kaw Thay Doe to Ku Ler Doe. (Source: KIC, 2005)
Rangoon Division
Kawmhu Township
On 29 March 2004, SPDC Chairman of Tanmanaing Village Tract, U Sein Paw, ordered villagers to construct a road from Tanmanaing village to Kanthonekan village and other nearby villages. Each household was instructed to dig and pile up earth for a stretch of road embankment equivalent to 25 feet long and 5 feet high, measuring 25 feet across at the base and 15 feet at the apex, over a five-day period. For those persons without a family, 3 persons would be combined and treated as a household. Villagers that failed to comply incurred a 6,000 kyat fine. (Source: "BURMA: Complaints Against Forced Labor Blocked and Victims Punished," Asian Human Rights Commission, 3 September 2004)
Sagaing Division
From late 2003 to as recently as mid-October 2004, U Hla Tun, Chairman of the Township Peace and Development Council ordered government employees to work on the construction of a circular road in Lashee Township. They had to work every Friday from 9 am to 3 pm without being paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
From 9 February 2004 to 20 February 2004, U Kyaw Nyunt, from the office of the Director of Forestry Department, ordered 200 villagers from 2 villages to work 9 hours per day on a teak plantation. One person from every household had to go and work. If they did not go to work they had to pay a 5,000 kyat fine ($USD 6). (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Between 15 July 2004 and 31 August 2004, the SPDC divisional military commander ordered villagers in Kalay Township, Sagaing Division, to clear an area for an airport. Each family was ordered to send 1 person. If they could not, they were fined 500 kyat. Furthermore, some villagers in Talay Township were also ordered to work on the construction of a USDA office. Villagers were also ordered to contribute 200 kyat for the opening of the USDA office. (Source: "Forced labor at Kalay airport," DVB, 25 September 2004)
Shan State
Lai-Kha Township
From mid 2004, SPDC troops from LIB 515 based in Lai-Kha ordered villagers from Lai-Kha, Kae-See and Murng-Kerng Townships to repair the road which joins the 3 Townships. The SPDC troops moved along the road ordering villagers from the village nearest the section of the road being rebuilt to work on the road. The SPDC troops said that they would pay a daily wage of 500 kyat per person. However, the villagers were not paid for their labor and no one dared to ask the troops for it. Some villagers, who had little work to do, continued to work on the roads for 2-3 months anticipating a wage. When they approached the SPDC troops for their wages, in order to buy daily necessities, they were scolded and told "We can't give you your wages until the government issues money. So shut up!" Some villagers were kicked when they asked for their wages. (Source: "People Forced to Fix Roads in Lai-Kha, Kae-See and Murng-Kerng," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, January 2005)
Murng-Paeng Township
In early 2004, SPDC troops stationed at Murng Pu Long village ordered villages from Murng Pu Long village tract, Murng-Paeng Township, to work on the construction of a road. Each village in the Murng Pu Long village tract area was required to supply 30 laborers to work on an 8 day rotational bases. The road led from Murng Pu Long village to the main motor road near Murng Pu Awn village. The area where the road was constructed is extremely mountainous and rugged and had only previously been accessible on foot or on horse. The road was therefore a long and narrow one and took more than 2 months to construct. Villagers were required to provide their own tools and food supply. (Source: "Forced Labour in Murng-Paeng," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, January 2005)
Murng-Pan Township
From January 2004 to the date of this report, July 2004, SPDC troops from LIB 520 forced villages in Murng-Pan Township to guard a pagoda construction sight on Loi Noi hill. Five villagers a night were required to sleep at the sight and take it in turns to provide the guard duty. If villagers could not or did not have time to attend for guard duty, they could hire SPDC soldiers to do it on their behalf, at a rate of 1,000 kyat per person per night. In July 2004, it was reported that although construction of the pagoda had been completed in April 2004, compulsory guard duty continued at the pagoda. (Source: "Forced Labour and Extortion in Murng-Pan," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Nam-Zarng Township
In early 2004 to the time of this report, May 2004, SPDC IB 9 forced villagers in Nam-Zarng Township to construct a road between Kho Lam village, in Nam-Zarng Township, and Wan Zing village, in Kae-See Township. Approximately 30 to 50 people from each village had to go to work for 15 days at a time on a rotational basis. Cumulatively, between 250 and 300 people were forced to work on the road at any one time. Villagers were required to provide their own tools and food supplies. Villagers who the SPDC troops did not think were working hard enough or fast enough were scolded and/or beaten. Zaai Mawng, a displaced person originally from Kaad Yaang village, Lai-Kha Township, was shot dead in front of the other laborers. The SPDC then threatened other laborers with a similar fate if they refused to work on the road. Laborers were ordered to bury Zaai Mawng's body at some distance from the raod. (Source: "A Forced Labourer Shot Dead in Front of Others During Forced Labour in Name-Zarng," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
On 23 August 2004, the SPDC troops stationed at the outpost camp, called "4-mile-camp", in Kho Lam village tract, Nam-Zarng Township, burned down 2 farm huts, with the owners possessions inside, in Haang Naa village and forced the 2 house owners, Wi-Zin-Ta (age 45) and Kawn Zing (age 40) to clear the sides of the road between Haang Naa and Kho Lam village, a distance of 4 miles. (Source: SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Tenasserim Division
(See note above about Mergui/Tavoy District in section 1.4)
Mergui/Tavoy District
On 5 February 2004, the leaders of the People's Militia, or Mammasa Pyithusit, forced villagers from Mammasa and Mamasa Hkee village in Palaw Township, Mergui District, to build a road from Mammasa to Mammasa Hkee village. The villagers had to collect sand and stones for the road's construction. Saw San Sih who did not follow the order was arrested by Pyithusit. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, February 2004)
On 31 March 2003, SPDC IB 224 summoned 50 villagers to clear the forest for a helicopter landing strip beside Wa blaw kye in Taket village tract area, approximately 37 miles southwest of Mergui. The SPDC had intention to build a dam in that area. For that purpose the military banned all villagers from traveling outside of their villages and summoned all the village elders to stay close to them. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, March 2004)
On 22 May 2004, No. 2 Tactical Command led by Colonel Kyi Sein based in Htee Hta in Tenasserim Riverside demanded 9 people from Kawsawah village to cut down and refine wood for the construction of a school. Twenty two people from Myitta village and 10 people from Mawta village were forced to build the primary school in Htee Hta village. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, May 2004)
In June 2004, Infantry Battalion No. 410 led by Sergeant Nyi Nyi Aung ordered villages from Ye Byu Township to collect approximately 10 tons of wood for the construction of a primary school. Seven villagers per day worked for approximately half the day cutting trees in the forest. The logs were then transported to the village by a 2 cow wheel wagon. Each household was ordered to contribute 1 person for the project. Households who could not provide a person were required to hire other villagers, at 1,000 kyat per day. The laborers had to provide their own equipment, engine oil, food and water supplies. (Source: “Conscripted Volunteer for School,” Kao Wao News, 14 June 2004)
From June 2004 until the time of this report, November 2004, Colonel Soe Thet of Center of Strategic Command 4 ordered 295 people from 10 different villages to work in the construction of a paved road, for which the Italian-Thai Development PLC (ITD) has been awarded a contract. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
On 18 November 2004, the Operation Command 13 Headquarters sent information to the Coastal Command about 400 forced laborers which had originally come from there. Among them, 6 people were killed by landmines, 32 people sustained injuries, 198 people ran away and only 164 people were left. (Source: ABSDF, 2004)
From 19 November 2004, Myeik District authorities gave the Tenasserim Township authorities the responsibility to collect all the residents from the villages along the car-road through to Thein-daw village to serve as laborers. The residents were required to reconstruct the parts of the road connected to their villages and in the township which were damaged in the rainy season. The residents were required to be collected until the road construction was completed. One representative from the Tenasserim Township authority was to take responsibility to lead the road construction project. The representative was to ask 1 of the village authority members to manage the daily construction status reports and send them to the Tenasserim Township authorities in Myeik (Mergui) District by telephone. The villages subject to this order from Tenasserim Division along the Thein-daw village car road construction site were:
1. Tenasserim Township,
2. Ban Law village,
3. Tha Kyet village,
4. Ye Paw village,
5. Ban Yauk village,
6. Tha Mee Hla village,
7. Wan Na village,
8. Kyauk Ze Ya village,
9. Ta Ku village,
10. Tha Ra Bwin village,
11. Kya Kyaw village,
12. Ta Pi village, and
13. Thein Daw village.
The Tenasserim Township authorities ordered the village development council (VPDC) to collect 1 person per family to construct the road starting from 19 November 2004. The road construction was supposed to be completed within a week. (Source: ABSDF, 2004)
1.6 Forced Labor for Military Camps, Military Income Generation, and Guide Services - Partial List of Incidents for 2004
Arakan State
Between 2 September 2004 and 5 September 2004, Border Area Control Department's Captain Khin Sein ordered 10 villagers to weed rice fields, during which they had to leave their family behind. They were neither fed nor paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Buthidaung Township
From 15 May 2004 to the time of this report, 9 June 2004, the Military Operation Command 15 (MOC 15) Commander of Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, ordered villagers from Quan Dine, Tharakani, Dabru Chaung, Sinyan Way and Nanragong villages in Buthidaung Township to provide forced labor to army battalions No.551, 556, 564 and MOC 15 Headquarters, which have been established at Koya Sori, Krakma Taung, Palay Daung and Dabru Chaung villages respectively. According to the MOC 15 command commander’s verbal order, Rakhainga and Kami ethnic groups were exempt from participating in the forced labor. Fifty villagers from each village, totaling 250 people, were ordered to work at the camps without pay. The work demanded included: construction work, carrying rations, road construction, collecting firewood for baking bricks in kilns, carrying water, fencing the army camp, cleaning the army camp, making bricks in brick fields and carrying the bricks from brick field to the army camps. The villagers were required to provide their own food supplies. Kalu (age 55) fell while carrying bricks from the brick field and some of the bricks broke during his fall. The Nasaka authorities then fined Kalu 60,000 kyat as a punishment for his negligence. Unable to pay the money and fearing arrest, Kalu fled to the Bangladesh border area where he worked as a laborer at the time of this report. (Source: "Forced Labor Still Exists in Arakan, Western Burma," Kaladan News, 8 June 2004)
Maungdaw Township
From August 2004 to the date of this report, 13 September 2004, the Western Command Commander of the Nasaka (Border Security Force) ordered 20 villagers to provide sentry duty at sentry posts in every village of Maungdaw Township. Ten villagers were responsible for the daytime watch and 10 villagers were responsible for the nighttime watch. Nasaka military patrolled and checked the sentries in every village at night and the villagers were responsible for providing the patrolling soldiers with food.
It was reported that the order came as a result of a robbery that took place on 4 August 2004 at Dar Bine Sara (Dawin Sarah) village in Buthidaung North. A gang of robbers, consisting of 12 persons from bordering Bangladesh, robbed the house of Khalu, Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman of Dar Bine Sara. Cash and valuables to the value of 11,47,000 kyat were taken. The offenders crossed the Naf River and the Mayu Mountain forest, between Buthidaung and Maungdaw Townships. (Source: "Sentry Imposed in Northern Arakan for SPDC Authorities," Kaladan News, 13 September 2004)
Chin State
On 23 January 2004, Major Thant Zin Oo, deputy battalion commander of LIB 268, ordered villagers from 11 villages in southern Chin State to work on the army tea plantation. The affected villages were:
Each village had to provide 6 people per week to work on the tea plantation. The journey to the tea plantation took approximately 1 week and villagers were required to arrange their own travel, provide their own tools and food supply. The work involved at the tea plantation included carrying water from a stream approximately half a mile away to water the tea plantation. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. II., CHRO, March-April 2004)
On 16 February 2004, Captain Aung Naing Oo of Sabawngte army camp ordered villagers from Phaphe, Hloma and Meisakotlah village to repair the fence at Sabawngte army camp. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. I., CHRO, January-February 2004)
On 10 April 2004, Sergeant Major Maung Myint of Burma Army LIB 55 based at Sinletwa army camp ordered Sinletwa village tract and a further 4 surrounding village tracks to provide 12 villagers each to work on the repair the army camp fences. The villagers were required to provide their own tools and food supplies. The villagers were ordered to work at the camp for 7 days and to work from 5 am until dark. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. III., CHRO, May-June 2004)
On 10 August 2004, Major Khin Maung Cho of LIB 274 ordered 1 person from each household from 15 villages in Rezua Township to construct a new army camp at Rezua town. Villagers bought bamboo pools and chickens for the army officers when they arrived and were required to dig trench, build barracks and sharpen bamboo for the construction of the army camp. They were also required to provide their own tools and food. Several women were among the laborers. (Source: Rhododendron News, Vol. VII. No. V., CHRO, September-October 2004)
Between 24 August 2004 and 26 August 2004, 2nd Lieutenant Htun Kyaw of LIB 274 and company commander in-charge of Sabawngte army camp, ordered 11 villages in the surrounding Sabawngte area to repair the army camp. The affected villages were:
Every village was ordered to provide 1000 bamboo poles and chickens. The villagers were required to provide their own tools and to cut 1000 poles of bamboo from the forest. They were also required to provide their own food. (Source: Rhododendron News, Vol. VII. No. V., CHRO, September-October 2004)
Irrawaddy Division
On 5 July 2004, a court trail, under Act (374), began to investigate allegations by U Khin Zaw and U Ohn Myint that they were imprisoned by VPDC chairpersons, including nine members in Ka-nyin-ngu village tract, Hin-tha-da Township, Irrawaddy Division, for failure to perform forced labor. They claimed that following the death of a presiding monk at Yadanathirit monastery in Auk-pon village, Ka-nyin-ngu village tract, in June 2003 there were arguments between residents and the authorities about who would be the new presiding monk. Consequently, the Township authorities closed the monastery by hanging up a signboard. Villagers were forced to perform sentry duty around the monastery, including 5 people in the night time and 3 people in the day time. U Khin Zaw was 1 of the people forced to engage in sentry duty. When he refused to do it because he had problems, the authorities sentenced him to prison for a month, starting on 15 October 2003 to 14 November 2003. During November 2003, U Ohn Myint, who was a friend of U Khin Zaw, was also sentenced to 6 months in prison under Act 187/189 for failure to perform sentry duty and for encouraging U Khin Zaw not to do the sentry duty. Approximately 1 week after Ka-nyin-ngu villagers U Khin Zaw and U Ohn Myint were released from Tenasserim prison, they complained to the International Labor Organization (ILO) about being forced to serve as sentry guards and being sentenced to prison. The authorities from Ka-nyin village tract implicated for forcing villagers to perform labor and sending villagers to prison are:
(Source:"Authorities Being Prosecution After Prisoners Complain to the ILO,” Yoma3, 5 July 2004)
Karen State
(See note above about Dooplaya, Pa-an and Papun Districts in section 1.4)
Dooplaya District
On 7 January 2004, Htee Po Than Camp Commander Aung Myint Myat of SPDC LIB 591 demanded that 5 sections of Htee Po Than village each provide 100 poles of bamboo and 6 wooden poles to the army camp no later than 9 January 2004. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 13 January 2004, Htee Po Than Camp Commander Aung Myint Myat ordered Tha Mein Dok village to provide 300 poles of bamboo. The cutting of the bamboo was to be finished 14 January 2004. The ordered bamboo was required to be sent by 10 bullock carts to the army camp no later than 18 January 2004. These troops also demanded the following bamboo poles from the following villages to be sent to the army camp by 18 January 2004:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 21 January 2004, Camp Commander Aung Myint Myat of SPDC LIB 591 based at Htee Po Than camp ordered 5 sections of Htee Po Than village to each cut 20 poles of bamboo for the construction of a warehouse for the army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 25 January 2004, DKBA troops led by Company 2 Commander Htun Sein of Battalion 906 ordered Htee Po Than villagers to cut down 2 Inn trees, which they then took away with them. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 7 July 2004, the army camp commander of SPDC IB 230, based at Htee Po Than village, Kyon Doe Township, ordered Htee Po Than villager, Saw Nyo Nyein (age 33) to go and collect information at Win Kat village. As he was a little late in returning, the camp commander put Saw Nyo Nyein in stock for 2 days. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 10 July 2004, Wah Boe Gon Camp Commander Maung Maung of SPDC IB 254 based at Wah Boe Gon ordered villagers from Ta Khat Klo village, Kya In Township, to plant rice in the army rice field. The victims were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 13 July 2004, Wah Boe Gon Camp Commander Maung Maung, of SPDC IB 254 based at Wah Boe Gon ordered villagers of Ko Khat Klo village, Kya In Township, to plant rice in the army rice field. The victims were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 14 July 2004, SPDC IB 284 Camp Commander Maung Maung forced villagers of Ta Khat Khee (Tu Lay Gon) village to plough the army rice field with their own bullocks and carts. The victims were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 14 June 2004, Infantry Commander Aung Soe Oo of SPDC IB 230 based in Tee Gu Thaw village, Kyo Doe Township, demand the villagers bring him 24 bullock carts and 600 pieces of bamboo. Moreover, he demanded that every section of the village send 4 people each to build the military camp until it was finished. The owners of the bullock carts were:
(Source: BI, 2004)
On 6 July 2004, SPDC IB 284 ordered 20 villagers from Ta Khat Khee (Tu Lay Gon) village, Kya In Township, to plough the army owned rice fields for growing rice. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 13 July 2004, SPDC LIB 588 Commander Myint Zaw ordered villages in Ka Maw Ka Nin village tract, Win Yae Township, to provide 15 villagers each. They also ordered each household to give 200 kyat, 5 bamboo poles 10-cubits long, and 3 wooden poles 4-cubits long. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 20 July 2004, Htee Po Than, camp commander of SPDC IB 230, demanded 200 bamboo poles for camp repairs and each household had to give a bamboo pole. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 23 July 2004, Po Tha Htoo from the so-called Thu Mu Heh Peace Unit cut down teak and Pa dauk wood near Aung Chan Tha village in Kyone Doe Township and transported them back to Mu Don in 15 bullock carts. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 1 August 2004, Camp Commander Maung Maung Kyi of SPDC IB 284 Battalion Headquarters based at Wah Bo Gon village ordered villagers from Ta Khat Klo village, Kya In Township, to plough a plot of land and to plant rice in the army owned rice field. The victims who were forced to plough the land were:
The victims who were forced to plant rice were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 9 September 2004, Camp Commander Ye Naing Htun in the rank of Company Second in Command, based at the camp of Ta Maing Gon village, Kaw Ka Reik Township, from SPDC IB 231 under No. 12 Military Operation Command Headquarters, demanded each section of Ta Maing Gon village to deliver 3 baskets to the army camp. On that day, the municipal of Kaw Ka Reik Township demanded 1 person from each section to dig a mechanically powered well. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Papun District
On 12 January 2004, Battalion Commander Myo Min Hlaing and Battalion Second in Command Htun Oo of SPDC LIB 434 forcibly used villagers from Dwe Lo Township to do work for the army. The affected villages were:
Similarly, Battalion Commander Aung Min and Battalion Second in Command Saw Mya Oo of SPDC IB 1 forcibly used villagers to do work for the army. The affected villages were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 15 February 2004, SPDC LIB 350 Battalion Commander Kyaw Thu ordered 2 people each from villages in Mae Waing village tract to reconstruct the army camp. The villagers were from the following villages:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Karenni State
On 2 October 2004, the Kardu base of SPDC LIB 199 in southern Shan State was scheduled to establish its new military camp near the market, 3 miles north of Kardu. To be able to establish this new military camp, 14 villages situated in the Shan - Karenni border areas were ordered by the LIB 199 commander to send 50 poles of bamboo each without fail. They were told to send the assigned bamboo on 15 October, at the latest. Similarly, the SPDC troops from LIB 530 were also scheduling to build their new camp in Daw Muleh, Hsomoe Township, in an attempt to control the movement of people in the border area. People living in this border area were threatened by SPDC troops not to provide food to the KNPP's forces. (Source: KNAHR, 2004)
Mon State
(See note above about Thaton District in section 1.4)
Thaton District
On 8 March 2004, troops from SPDC No.314 artillery unit led by Sergeant Major Maung Aye ordered 8 persons from Kya Ta Raw village, Thaton Township, to come and work voluntarily at the army camp, bringing with them their own food supplies. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
In September 2004, LIB 375 Camp Commander Kyaw Naing Lwin from Meh Pray Kee army camp in Bilin Township forced the villagers from Zee Gone village to roof the soldiers’ video house [a hut where people are charged to watch videos]. When no one went to do the roofing work, the villagers were fined. (Source: KHRG, February 2005)
Between September and October 2004, SPDC IB 96 officer Tin Maung Win from Kyaikto army camp in Kyaikto Township demanded 300 pieces of wa may [a type of bamboo] from Pi Ti Kee village, 200 pieces of wa may from Kler Law Seh village and 300 pieces of bamboo from Moh Klaw Law village. The villagers had to send them to the army camp by 23 September 2004. (Source: KHRG, February 2005)
On 28 September 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 357 led by Major Aung Htun Zan came to Mae Naw Theh Khee village tract in Bilin Township. They demanded 2 villagers from Per Wah Hta village to work, each day, as firewood cutters, water carriers and cooks at their army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Ye Township
In December 2004, IB 31 forced villagers from Khaw Zar village to work on the construction of a military base for the battalion. Money was also collected from the villages to fund the construction of the military base. (Source: "Villagers Forced to Build 90 Houses for Government Employees in New Town," Independent Mon News Agency, 9 December 2004)
Pegu Division
(See note above on Toungoo District in Section 1.4)
Nyaunglebin District
On 6 March 2004, SPDC LIB 590 ordered villagers from Pin Seik, Ko Ni, Ta Kot Pwa and Mee Daing Taw villages, Mone Township, to bring their own wood, bamboo and food to construct 3 layers of fence around their army camp at the length of 956 feet. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 8 March 2004, Bo Sai Win Kyaw of SPDC LIB 439 based at Ta Ler Day camp ordered 6 villages from Mar Lar Daw village, Mone Township, to construct a warehouse to store rice at Ta Ler Day camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 15 March 2004, Bo Sai Win Kyaw of SPDC LIB 439 based at Ta Ler Day camp ordered 5 female villagers and 11 male villagers from Mar Lar Daw village, Mone Township, to repair a warehouse for storing army rations at Ta Ler Day camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 9 September 2004, about 30 troops from SPDC LIB 599 column 2 led by the battalion second in command came to Aung Chan Tha village and took villager Ko Htun Htun as a guide. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 12 September 2004, a column of 50 troops from SPDC LIB 599 came to Myaung Oo village, Mone Township, and took 2 villagers as guides. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
From 21 November 2004 to 27 November 2004, troops from SPDC LIB 381 based at Aung Soe Moe camp, Mone Township, ordered villagers from nearby villages to act as night watchers for the army and demanded 16,000 kyat from other villagers to pay for their wages. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 20 December 2004, Company Commander Yan Naing Soe and Bo Ko Lay of SPDC LIB 599 ordered 1 person from each household of Mar Lar Daw village, Mone Township, to clear their military compound at Wah Mi Soe. At 1:30 pm, a villager named Saw Paw Baw stepped on a landmine and was severely wounded. (Source: KIC, 2005)
From 20 December 2004 up to the time of this report, February 2005, a unit of SPDC troops ordered 7 families from Mar Lar Daw village to relocate and demanded 1 person from each household to work daily without pay for the construction of Maw Lar Daw army camp. (Source: KIC, 2005)
Toungoo District
In early 2004, Major Aye Kyaw of IB 10 at Twee Thee Oo army camp in Dwek Loh Township ordered villagers from to make thatch. The bigger villages had to give 3,500 shingles and the smaller villages had to give 3,000 shingles. Some of the villages were still making the shingles in April 2004 even though the SPDC had ordered that all the shingles should have arrived at the camp by 25 February 2004. The affected villages were:
(Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
On 12 January 2004, troops from SPDC IB 92 led by Bo Kyaw Ngwe forced villagers from Ler Gi Kho Doe Ka area in Than Daung Township to bring with them their own food supplies and fence their army camp. The villages and number of persons affected were:
Moreover, these troops ordered 2 villagers from Ler Gi Kho Doe Kah village to come and stay in their army camp each day with responsibility for security, carrying water and collecting firewood. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 10 February 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 demanded villagers for forced volunteer work. The affected villages and number of persons demanded were:
1. Sha Zee Po village, 8 persons;
2. Zee Pyu Gon village 5 persons;
3. Ye Shan village, 5 persons; and
4. Taw Gon village, 5 persons.
(Source: CIDKP, 2004).
On 27 April 2004, troops from SPDC IB 726 demanded 15 Maw Pa Doe villagers daily to construct a new army camp near the Maw Pa Doe village motor road. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 13 May 2004, Operation Command 1 acting Commander Aung Kyaw Htay of the SPDC Southern Command Headquarters demanded villages from Baw Gali area to provide 150 villagers. The villagers were ordered to bring with them their own food supply for 2 days and work voluntarily to rebuild the infantry camp at Baw Gali. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 18 May 2004, Bo Hlaing Win Tint of Klaw Mee Doe camp and Klaw Mee Doe Camp Commander Yin Soe ordered 20 villagers from Hkeh Doe village, Tan Da Bin Township, to construct Klaw Mee Doe army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 18 May 2004, SPDC IB 60 ordered 20 people from Kae Dur village to repair the military camp. Most of the villagers brought their babies with them as they worked. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 31 May 2004, SPCD IB 60 Operation Commander Hlaing Win Tint and Infantry Commander Yea Soe forced 2 females and 9 males from Kae Dur village to build a hut in the military camp in Kae Dur village. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 3 June 2004, IB 19 demanded 100 shingles of thatch from Klaw Pa village in Bu Tho Township to roof the buildings in their camp. Nothing was paid for the shingles. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
On 7 June 2004, IB 19 demanded another 100 shingles from Baw Hta village. Nothing was paid for the shingles. (Source: Papun and Nyaunglebin Districts: Continued Oppression During the Ceasefire, KHRG, 9 September 2004)
On 16 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 Commander Myo Zaw forced 25 villagers of Sha Zee Bo village, Tan Ta Bin Township, to build a warehouse and barracks for the troops. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 led by Bo Myo Zaw forced villagers from Zee Pyu Gon and Taw Gon villages in Tan Ta Bin Township to dig communication trenches and set up a fence around the army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 July 2004, about 30 troops from SPDC IB 73 led by Bo Myo Naing forced 20 villagers from Sha Zee Bo and 6 villagers of Ye Shan, Tan Ta Bin Township, to build an army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 Commander Myo Zaw forced 14 males and 3 females from Sa Si Boe village, as well as 13 males and 5 females from Taw Ku village, to repair the military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 19 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 Commander Myo Zaw forced 20 Sa Si Boe villagers, 12 Yin Sha villagers, 12 Taw Ku villagers and 15 Si Pyu Goe villagers to repair the military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 19 July 2004, about 30 troops from SPDC IB 73 led by Bo Myo Naing forced villagers in Tan Da Bin Township to construct an army camp. The following villages and number of persons were affected:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 20 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 troops based at Sha Zee Bo demanded villagers in Tan Ta Bin Township to construct an army camp. The following villages and number of persons were affected:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 21 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 Commander Myo Zaw forced 25 males and 6 females from Taw Ku villagers to repair the military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 22 July 2004, SPDC IB 26 forced 6 villagers from Sa Si Boe village to repair the military camp. In addition, they ordered each villager in the camp to cut 1 bamboo and bring it to the infantry camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 23 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 Commander Thaing Myint and Battalion Commander Mg Mg Soe forced 7 females and 17 males from Si Pyu Goe village, as well as 7 males from Sa Si Boe village, to repair the buildings in the military camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 24 July 2004, SPDC IB 73 forced 14 villagers from Sa Si Boe village to repair the army camp. (Source: BI, 2004)
On 24 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 forced villagers in Tan Ta Bin Township to build the army camp. Villages and the number of villagers forced to work were: Zee Pyu Gon village, 7 women and 17 men and Sha Zee Bo village, 7 men. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 24 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 based in Sha Zee Bo area forced 4 Sha Zee Po villagers to construct their army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 29 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 48 led by Bo Zaw Myo Naung based at Ler Gi Kho Doe Kah ordered villagers from Than Daung Township to Ler Gi Kho Doe Kah camp. The villages and number of persons affected were:
(Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 29 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 led by Bo Myo Naing based at Sha Zee Bo village forcibly used 11 villagers from Ye Shan village to construct the army camp. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 30 July 2004, troops from SPDC IB 73 based in Sha Zee Bo area ordered 4 villagers per day in Sha Zee Bo village tract to come and stand sentinel for the army. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 6 November 2004, troops from SPDC IB 57, based at Leik Tho, demanded 20 villagers from each village of Thik Kwa Taung, Kyaung Gon and Mahn Tin villages in Than Daung Township to dig communication trenches for their army camp. (Source: KIC, 2005)
On 6 November 2004, Camp Commander Htun Hla Oo of SPDC IB 73 based at Sha Zee Po village ordered villagers in Tan Ta Bin Township to come and work in the army camp. Sha Zee Po village had to provide 27 men and 6 women while Ye Shan village had to provide 11 men and 14 women. (Source: KIC, 2005)
Sagaing Division
Tamu Township
From 12 August 2004, Tamu Township police officer U Pyone Cho ordered 7 villagers to stand guard for 6 consecutive nights. Those who couldn't had to hire someone else at 1,000 kyat ($USD 1.2) per night. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Ye Zwa Township
On 13 August 2004, IB 274 Commander Major Kin Maung Cho ordered 30 people from 4 different villages to build fences and dig trenches for his Ye Zwa Township based military camp. The villagers had to work for 3 consecutive days and were not paid. (Source: Report for ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations: Burma: Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (nr. 29), ICFTU, 10 November 2004)
Shan State
Kae-See Township
From 1999 to the time of this report, July 2004, SPDC troops from IB 286, based at Murng-Nawng village in Murng-Nawng village tract, Kae-See Township, have forced villagers to work on the construction and maintenance of a military camp. The work includes digging trenches, building fences, barracks and bunkers. The villagers are also responsible for the maintenance of the camp and the rebuilding of any damaged fences or buildings. The responsibility for cultivating a military corn field has also been assigned to the villagers from beginning to end. The villagers are required to plant and harvest the corn using their own tools and buffalos. The villagers are required to also provide their own food supply. (Source: "Forced Labour in Kae-See," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Kun-Hing Township
In mid 2004, SPDC troops of IB 246 ordered villagers from Wan Paang and Naa Sae villages, near Kun-Hing Township, to plant a certain kind of rice bought from lowland Burma. When the rice seedlings were ready for planting, the villagers planted them in the field. However, some 10 days later, the SPDC troops inspected the fields and complained that the rice seedlings had not been planted in straight rows. The SPDC troops then ordered the villagers to pull out the seedlings and plant them again, using ropes as guidelines. As the villagers had had to hire several workers to help plant the rice seedlings, they were required to again pay for extra workers. There were approximately 10 plots of rice fields which had to be planted again. The cost of the initial planting was approximately 30,000 kyat. Therefore, the villagers paid approximately 60,000 kyat to twice plant the same fields. (Source: "Farmers Forced to Replant Rice in Kun-Hing," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, January 2005)
Lo-Sio Township
On 20 April 2004, SPDC troops from IB 41 led by Commander Aye Lwin and stationed at Murng Ked village, La-Sio Township, ordered 1 person from each household in Murng Ked village tract to come and weed the army corn field. In total, 250 villagers from 15 villages in Murng Ked village tract attended on the day to provide the labor. (Source: "Forced Labour in La-Sio," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Mu-Se Township
On 13 February 2004, SPDC troops forced villagers to plant rice in Kaeng Yaang village, Paang Saai village tract, Mu-Se Township. During the forced planting of rice, Lung Suay Kyawng, the field owner, and his assistant, Ai Thun, were beaten by members of the USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) who accused them of being unwilling to work and of defying orders. Lung Suay Kyawng was beaten 5 times and Ai Thun was beaten 3 times with a bamboo-split stick by Win Mayng, member of Paang Saai village tract USDA. On 27 February 2004, during the same rice planting order (Sin-Shweli-527), Win Mayng beat a further 7 villagers with a stick. Among them was a pregnant woman who suffered a miscarriage from the beating a week. The victims were:
(Source: "Beating During Forced Labour in Mu-Se," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Murng-Nai Township
Between June 2004 and October 2004, SPDC military authorities ordered every able bodied male from every household in the Kaeng Tawng area (sub-township) in Murng-Nai Township to build another layer of fences and trenches around the 5 military camps based in Kaeng Tawny area. The order came after the military camps of LIB 569 and LIB 574 were attacked by Shan resistance forces, in which a number of SPDC troops were killed and wounded. The SPDC troops ordered another layer of fences and trenches to be built some distance from the existing ones around the 5 military camps. The fences, made of bamboo, had to be thick and firm and the trenches dug 2 elbows wide and 3 elbows deep. The villagers, mostly farmers, were ordered to work everyday until the fences and trenches were complete. As the order coincided with the rice cultivation period many households were unable to cultivate their rice fields. (Source: "Long-Period Mass Forced Labour in Building Military Facilities in Murng-Nai," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, January 2005)
Murng-Pan Township
From January 2004 to the date of SHRF's last visit to the area prior the writing of this report, April 2004, SPDC troops from LIB 520 forced villages in Murng-Pan Township to provide free labor. Villagers from all quarters of Murng-Pan town and its vicinity were first ordered to build fences at LIB 520 military base. After the fences were completed, people were forced to build a 3 mile long road from the military base to the main road. The villagers had to provide their own tools and food supplies. (Source: "Forced Labour and Extortion in Murng-Pan," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Murng-Su Township
On 11 March 2004, SPDC troops from LIB 326 based in Tang-Yam forced 15 villagers from Paang Kham Saai, Luk Niu and Nam Aang villages in Nawng Ep village tract, Murng-Su Township, to build fences at an outpost camp in Murng-Su Township. Three men from this group were singled out and taken away by soldiers from LIB 326. Relatives and community leaders, who made inquiries about the 3 men, were told that they had been dismissed along with the other laborers at 4:00 pm on the same day. A few weeks later, villagers saw 3 new graves some distance from the military camp. The villagers dug the graves up and although the bodies were beyond recognition, the clothes were identified as those worn by the 3 villagers who disappeared. One of the victims was Zaai-Pan-Ta (male, age 28) from Paang Kham Saai village, Murng-Su Township. The names of the other two villagers were not known at the time of this report. (Source: "Disappearance and Killings During Forced Labour in Murng-Su," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Murng-Ton Township
From November 2003 to early 2004, SPDC troops from IB 277, stationed at the outpost camp at Naa Kawng Mu village, forced 15 villagers a day from Naa Kawng Mu village in Murng Haang village tract, Murng-Ton Township, to build fences, barracks and provide lamp posts for the military camp. This required the villagers to cut bamboo for several days. The villagers were then required to transport the bamboo to the military camp by trucks and mini-tractors. Villagers who did not have a truck or tractor were required to build 3 layers of bamboo fence around the camp. After the fences were complete, villagers were required to build barracks within the camp. Villagers of Naa Kawng Mu were also ordered to provide 100 pieces of hardwood for lamp posts. This required villagers to cut straight hardwood trees and make them into approximately 7-yard long pieces. They were also required to transport the lamp posts to the military camp. (Source: "Forced Labour in Murng-Ton," SHRF Monthly Report, SHRF, July 2004)
Tenasserim Division
(See note above on Mergui/Tavoy District in Section 1.4)
Mergui/Tavoy District
On 21 February 2004, Major Aye Myint, commander of No.3 Tactical Command based in Lerpaadoh village, northeast of Mergui, summoned the village headmen from Dih Plaw, Te Hta and P'rut Khu villages and ordered them to send 50 posts of wood and 250 pieces of bamboo. The commander also demanded 500 roofing leaves from each village. The villagers were ordered to send the items by 27 February 2004. The affected villages were:
1. Buthawplaw village,
2. Tarwahta (Sarawa) village,
3. Pahtooklo village,
4. Lerpaadoh village,
5. Kyauk Peik village and
6. Dahbawko (Kinnigyum) village.
(Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, February 2004)
On 24 February 2004, officers of the Burmese army's No.2 Tactical Command ordered villagers from Mergui District, Tenasserim Township, to work on the army's rice field. The affected villages and the number of acres were as follows:
(Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, February 2004)
On 26 February 2004, officers of the Burmese army's No.309 Artillery Battalion, led by Mah Yan Zan, ordered villagers from Wahtho (Wahchaung) village in Palaw Township, Mergui District, to clean the place for the army in Ahzannigone. Troops took cashew nuts from the village of Pyicha. Pyicha was deserted because villagers were forcibly relocated by Burmese troops and had therefore abandoned their plantations. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, February 2004)
From April to May 2004, Commander of Coastal Region Military Command Brigadier General Ohn Myint ordered Artillery Division 505, headed by Colonel Khin Maung Ye, based in Mergui Town, to clear the mountain in order to set up artillery bases. To achieve this, the Colonel ordered 8 villages in Tenasserim Division to cut down the trees on the mountain. Each village was ordered to work in a different place along border area. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report; Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, May 2004)
On 23 June
2004, the People's Militia from Mhyitchinsu in Palaw Township, Mergui District,
led by Maung K'Lu, went to Wathoh Payo Kwee village and demanded each house in
the village to make 150 strips of bamboo and stipulated that the bamboo strips
must be 3 feet long. The villagers had to deliver the bamboo strips to Maung
K'Lu's house on 26 June 2004. (Source: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report;
Tenasserim Division, Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, KNU, June
2004)
1.7 Forced Prison Labor - Partial List of Incidents for 2004
Chin State
In March 2004, 30 prisoners from Kalaymyo prison were forced to work on the construction of a hospital at Rih Township and a further 50 prisoners from Kalaymyo prison were forced to work on the construction of a road between Tiddim village and Rih village. The prisoners were strictly guarded by both Burmese police and army officers. Villagers were not allowed contact with the prisoners. (Source: Rhododendron News, Volume VII. No. III., CHRO, May-June 2004)
Tenasserim Division
(See note above on Mergui/Tavoy District in Section 1.4)
On 9 November 2004 at 9:00 am, 250 prisoner laborers from Myeik prison were withdrawn from the prison by the prison charge unit. The prisoner labors were expected to be sent to frontline forces under Military Operation Command 13, LIB 555, LIB 560 and LIB 432 under Tactical Command 2. These troops are under the Costal Command in the eastern part of Tenasserim Township. (Source: ABSDF, 2004)
On 15 November 2004, the Coastal Command took 400 prisoners from Tavoy prison to serve as porters. The prisoner porters were sent to the Tactical Command 2 office based in Mit Ta village. The prisoner porters were expected to be sent to battalions and units under Tactical Command 2 and Operation Command 13, who campaigned in the eastern part of Tavoy District. (Source: ABSDF, 2004) (For more information on prisoners involved in forced military conscription please see section 1.8, below.)
1.8 Forced Conscription and Forced Military Training - Partial List of Incidents for 2004
Karen State
(See note above about Pa-an and Papun Districts in section 1.4)
Pa-an District
On 23 May 2004, Saw Pan Wah from DKBA 999 demanded 10 villagers from each of the 12 village tracts in Ta Nay Cha (Na Boo) Township to attend military training for forming a people's militia units. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
Mon State
Since June 2003 to the time of this report, August 2004, the SPDC forced thousands of villagers, USDA members, government servants, and village headmen in Mon State to attend basic military training, which takes 2 weeks to 4 weeks. All men between 18 and 50 years in villages, town wards and city quarters were registered by the SPDC and ordered, via village headmen, to attend the training in groups. USDA members, government servants, including teachers, health workers, post office workers, members of fire brigades and others, including women, were also ordered to attend the training. The training was generally arranged by army battalions and low ranking commanders acted as trainers. Military training was an on-going process and the trainees were ordered to attend the advanced training course after 3 months or 6 months. No payment was given during the training period and villagers were required to pay food costs to the SPDC. (Source: The Mon Forum, Issue No. 8/2004, HURFOM, 31 August 2004)
Pegu Division
(See note above on Toungoo District in Section 1.4)
Toungoo District
In March 2004, at the time of this report, troops from Operation Command 1 of SPDC Southern Command Headquarters demanded 30 villagers from Twenty Miles village, 25 villagers from Thu Ger Doe village and 30 villagers from Htee Ta Pu village in Twenty Miles village area to serve in the people's militia. (Source: CIDKP, 2004)
On 17 October 2004, Tint Naing, Maung Maung So and Mi Thet Lwin from IB 73 forced 120 civilians from Htaw Ta Htu village to be responsible for providing food for military training taking place in the area. After the training, the civilians were forced to cooperate with the Burma Army by serving at the following outposts; Shar Si Bo, Pyin Kha, Tha Byaw Hyo, Kay Daw, and IB 73 Headquarters. The villagers were also responsible for the monthly salaries of the militia soldiers who were to be paid 23,000 kyat a month each. (Source: FBR, 2004)
Shan State
On 22 October 2004, the Mong-Pan based LIB 520 issued a directive to townships in southern Shan State to select male youths between 18 and 35 to be trained as paramilitaries. Fifty eight trainees were collected and sent to the battalion. On their arrival, the "trainees" were ordered to change into army uniforms and taken out on a patrolling mission. Reports regarding charges imposed vary slightly. Some villagers have reported that those who wished to have their male family members returned were charged 10,000 kyat for each person released. On the other hand, villagers from Kengtawng, Mongnai, Langkher and Kunhing Townships reported that eligible youths were called forth by the SPDC and those that wished to attend the "training" were charged 10,000 kyat. (Source, "Youths for Ransom in Shan State," Shan Herald Agency for News, 3 November 2004)
1.9 Documents and Sample Forced Labor Orders
Order #1:
Number 391 Light Infantry
Battalion
No. 3 Company
To: Village Head
________________Village
Date: 17 March 2004
Subject: Inform about leaves for roofing
As regards the matter above, your two villages must send 1000 sheets of leaves for roofing for the strategic post, which is located in 1450 camp, to the Htichara monastery on 20 March 2004. The village leaders must take responsibility for this if the leaves do not arrive.
By the instruction of Strategic
Camp
(Commander, No 3 Company, No 391 Light Infantry Battalion, Mobile Column,
Htichara)
1.10 Interviews and Personal Accounts
Interview #1:
Source: Free Burma Rangers
Date of Interview: May 2004
Name: Saw Nyoe
Oo (not real name)
Age: 40 years old
Address: X Xx, Pa'an District, Karen State
Religion:
Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Q. Please tell me about the human rights abuses that have been committed by the DKBA/Burma Army.
A. Yes, regarding the DKBA, they ordered us to send them recruits at a meeting held on 25 April 2004 at Kokko (DKBA Special Battalion Headquarters). They ordered seven people as the quota from Htiwablaw village group, but they agreed to six people because all of the village heads requested it. Then, we divided the quota as follows; three people from Htiwablaw village, one and a half people from Htilawthi village and one person from Pawbaw Kho village. Panawkle Khi village was to be responsible for half of the salary of the recruits (7500 Baht per person per year). They (DKBA) arrested X X and X XX from Htiwablaw village and X XXX and X XXXX from Htilawthi village because they could not give any recruits to the DKBA within the time limit. Although he was released after being redeemed by the villagers, he was still given the responsibility for recruiting more soldiers for them.
Our villagers did not dare to deny them anything and managed as best as we could. We have to pay 15,000 baht to hire a soldier for seven years. If he retires, we have to replace him or hire another soldier in his place. If he deserts, we will be fined the equivalent of his hiring cost. At Htilawthi village, the costs of hiring a soldier who has served seven years is the same as a new recruit so it was difficult for the villagers because they have to pay the recruiting costs of both old and new soldiers. A person from Maepalae village and two other villagers from Hwe Shan participated in the recruiting of soldiers for the DKBA. The whole Maepalae Valley area was required to provide 35 people as soldiers for the DKBA.
Since 1993, Burma Army LIB 356, based in Sukali village, has confiscated
approximately 74 acres of farmland located near their army base. There were 18.5
acres taken from farmers at Hwe Shan village, 58.75 acres taken from 15 farmers
at Pawbaw Kho village. The villagers objected to the confiscation of their land
but the troops told them that all of the land is owned by the government. The
Burma Army troops said that the farmers must pay 100 million kyat in order to
have their land returned to them. No one has that much money. At present, the
Burma Army LIB 356 has commanded the farmers to plow their own land and pay 14
baskets of rice per acre to the troops. Essentially the farmers are renting
their own farms from the Burma Army.
We have served as watchmen and delivered anything that they want us to between
the Burma Army camp and another. Every day, one person from Panawkle Khi and
Pawbaw Kho village has to contribute their labor to them. Panawkle Khi had to
serve for the Kholaywah Burma Army camp and Pawbaw Kho had to contribute their
labor to Burma Army LIB 356 Battalion Headquarters. We carried our own food and
have done everything they wanted us to. The labor we did for them includes
cutting bamboo poles, carrying water, cooking and every type of basic work.
Sometimes we have to pay 500-1000 kyat to the camp commander (name unknown).
Sometimes, during periods of time when they are issuing military provisions at
Sukaki Burma Army LIB 356 Headquarters, we serve as porters for the troops. Men
and women must carry rice, oil, salt, condensed milk and other items. The loads
weigh approximately 35 kilograms (over 70 pounds).
When the repairs on the road connecting Maepalae and Thingannyinaung were finished, the troops collected five million kyat from Maepalae and Hwe Shan villagers. The person responsible for the collection of money was Hla Po. He is the superintendent of administration in Myawaddy Township. On 10 April 2004, the head of Maepalae village area, X X, was tortured badly because he refused when Hla Poh asked for money from him. He was treated badly and wants the media to know about this.
Interview #2:
Source: Free Burma Rangers
Date of Interview: May 2004
Name: Saw Aung
Win (not real name)
Age: 28 years old
Address: X Xx, Pa'an District, Karen State
Religion:
Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Q. Please tell me about the experience you had with forced labor.
A. I was forced to work at the Burma Army camp called Kholay Wah, which
is located near our village. I was sent to the Burma Army camp at their command
through a village leader's order. Early in the morning after finishing my
breakfast, I worked the whole day and returned to my village very late in the
evening. I carried water, cut bamboo poles, cooked and collected news about the
KNLA (Karen National Liberation Army) soldier's activities. One person every day
had to do the same thing I did. They scolded me when I was late for work. We had
to pay 500 kyat per day if we couldn't go and work at the camp. I served two
times per month because our village is small. We heard about the labor acts,
like 1/99 issued by the military regime, and know we do not need to work like
this. However, reality is different. We had to carry the Burma Army provisions
form the Battalion Headquarters at Sukali to Kholay Wah camp. Pawbaw Kho
villagers also were forced to work for the troops. I worked with six people at a
time. I can't count the number of times that I had to do forced labor from my
childhood until now.
Interview #3:
Source: Free Burma Rangers
Date of Interview: May 2004
Name: Saw Sah
Loh (not real name)
Age: 41 years old
Address: X Xx (address withheld)
Family Members: 8 persons
Religion:
Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Q. Please tell me how the DKBA murdered a couple.
A. DKBA security officer of #999 brigade, Tun Heh, sent May Ko Baw and Kar Su to murder a couple (Naw Bleh, 35, and Pa Thung Tint, 45). At 8:00 am on that day in April, they fired a bullet at Naw Bleh and two bullets into her husband near the hut of Kho Thay Lu.
Q. Why did they kill these people?
A. They said they were witches.
Q.
Where did they live?
A.
In Waw Kyeh Koh, Hto Kaw Ko.
Q.
How many soldiers were there at the place where they were murdered?
A. 8 soldiers.
Q.
Did you have to go for forced labor?
A.Yes, on April 26th, our two villages, X XXXx and X Xx, villagers had to
build them three rows of fences to be finished between two days.
Q.
If they weren't finished, what would they do to you?
A. They will torture us or force us or ask for our pigs or chickens.
Q.
Have you served as a porter before?
A. Yes, we have served every month. We have carried rice, salt, chilies,
twice a month from Hpa Le to Waw Kyeh Koh, which is a two hour walk.
Interview #4:
Source: Free Burma Rangers
Date of Interview: May 2004
Name: Saw Maung
Tway (not real name)
Age: 41 years old
Address: X Xx, Pa'an District, Karen State
Religion:
Animist
Marital status: 5 persons
Occupation: Farmer/Elephant boy
Q. Tell me about the DKBA's logging business.
A. Bo Kya Inn (second brigadier of DKBA
#999) contracted the logging.
Q.
Where do they work?
A. From Klehka to Maeme Plaw.
Q. How many elephants did they use in the logging?
A. There are 11 elephants in their logging. There's an elephant from Ler
Ser Day, two from Thimawku, an elephant from Maeprahta, an elephant of Maung Aye
Thaung, an elephant from Tamoklo, Poe Hser Toe's elephant, two elephants of Kyaw
Poe Ro and two elephants from Pwehatw Roe village.
Q. What would be his objective for that logging business?
A. What he said was that he would build a bridge.
Q. How many logs did he gather?
A. Maybe 1,000 or 2,000 logs.
Q.Did
he pay you anything for the elephant charges?
A. No, he didn't
Q.
Did he pay other people?
A. Yes, he did pay 100,000 kyat for the elephants from Thitmawku, 100,000
kyat for two elephants from Maeprahta, and 150,000 kyat for Pwe taw roe's three
elephants. The first grade of logs was sent to Hlaing Bwe.
Q.
What kind of logs?
A. All kinds of hard and soft wood
Q.
How often did your elephants pull the logs?
A. The elephants pulled two times a day and were only able to pull two
logs per day. They scolded us when the elephants couldn't pull the logs because
of the hot weather. And they gave us bad rice of cheap quality which was turning
yellow.
Q.
When did you start to pull the logs?
A. We started from December 2003 and went until the beginning of the
rainy season (2004).
Interview #5:
Source: Karenni News Agency for Human Rights
Date of Interview: 12 May 2004
Name: Narng
Aung Oo (not real name)
Age: 29 years old
Nationality: Shan
Address: Muse Town, northern Shan State
Education: Primary
Marital status: Single
Occupation: Car Driver
I was arrested by Burmese troops with the accusation of using drugs in 2001. On 4 March 2001, I was sentenced to serve 11 years imprisonment at Lasho prison. On 6 February 2004 we were taken away by SPDC troops from LIB 502 to serve as military porters. We were forced to carry military rations and ammunition to Lamlan, Loilin and Shewnyaung for several days. The troops then loaded us onto trucks and headed to Karenni State and three days later we arrived at the military service center. We were allowed to rest for two days and then the troops from the same battalion took us to the frontline to serve as military porters for three months.
Both in prison and on the frontline, we weren't fed enough and were badly
treated by troops. Many porters were weak and got sick. They didn't receive
medical treatment. We tried to escape several times, but there was no
opportunity for us to run away. On 12 May 2004, I decided to run away without
knowing the way. I ran into the jungle and was luckily found by Karenni forces.
They took me to their camp and then sent me to the refugee camp for medical
care.
Interview #6:
Source: Free Burma Rangers
Date of Interview: 20 May 2004
Name: Saw Gay Moo (not real name)
Age: 46 years old
Nationality:
Karen
Address: X Xx, Nyaunglebin
District
Religion: Christian
Marital status: 6 persons
Occupation:
Farmer
Saw Gay Moo was a chief of X X village, with 219 villagers. His village is under the control of Burma Army IB 60 based at Aung Soe Moe camp, led by Camp Commander Mo Kyaw (sergeant). This company often demands that villagers build the car road, cut clearings on both sides of the car road, and provide security for a bridge close to the village. Every day, two villagers are responsible for bridge security. If they do not provide it, they must hire two Burma Army soldiers for 1400 kyat per day. Moreover, he said the camp commander demands that two villagers go to the Burma Army office each day. He also said the Burma Army organizes villagers into women's affairs groups and has them fill out an application form and pay 300 kyat. He took some villagers to be SDA (Security Development Association) members. If a villager works as SDA staff, they are free from all demands by the Burma Army. In 2004, one village was responsible for building 100 yards of car road fit for two cars to drive. These villagers face many problems.
Interview #7:
Source: Karenni News Agency for Human Rights
Date of Interview: 27 May 2004
Name: Thu Ra Hlaing (not real name)
Age: 45 years old
Address: Muse Town, Shan State
Nationality: Shan
Education: 10th Standard
Marital Status: Married, 3 children
Current
Occupation: Trader
I worked as a Baptist pastor for 10 years and because of my family difficulties,
I tried to engage in business. On 12 July 2001, the SPDC troops came to my house
and arrested me under Drugs Trafficking Act-16. I was detained at Muse military
service center and then transferred to Lasho's prison to serve 11 years
imprisonment. There were about 305 prisoners at the Lasho prison and from 2001
to 2004, about 47 prisoners died from poor health conditions. In prison, we were
only served one meal per day. We were assigned to do hard labor for two days per
week. On 1 February 2004, the SPDC troops from LIB 502 led by Khin Maung Yi came
and brought us to Loikaw military service center. We were then taken to Ywathit
on 4 February2004 by the same troops. On 4 March 2004, we continued to Sayun
camp. There were 40 prisoners together with troops in the column. We then
proceeded to Nohtayoh camp on the same day. On the way, 8 prisoners were sick
and died and 5 prisoners tried to escape, but were shot dead by troops. Another
two were missing in the jungle. Most of the prisoners (porters) were infected
with malaria, flu and dyspepsia. We were normally forced to carry ammunition and
military rations. The relationship between the commander and the privates was
very rude and cruel; they treated the porters inhumanly. We were beaten and
kicked by troops if we weren't able to carry the load. On 4 April 2004, 12
porters were forced by the commander to take sentry duty on behalf of soldiers;
we heard a rumor that Karenni forces would attack the camp. However, nothing
happened on that day. On 4 May 2004, we five porters were forced to go and fetch
water from a stream. On the way back from the stream with the water, Kham Moe,
49, was badly beaten and kicked down from the mountain by troops when he was
unable to walk anymore. He definitely died because the mountain is so steep. We
couldn't help each other at all. After seeing this, I managed to escape on 26
May 2004 from Nohtayoh camp. I was found by Karenni forces and sent to the
refugee camp on 27 May 2004.
Interview #8:
Source: Karenni News Agency for Human Rights
Date of Interview: 28 May 2004 at 11:00 am
Name: Win Maung
Kyi (not real name)
Age: 32 years old
Address: Bokalay
Education: Buddhism monastery school
Marital status: Single
Occupation: Farmer/former SPDC soldier
I joined the
SPDC army on 15 April 1991. My personnel number was (number omitted to protect
the identity of the interviewee). We were always badly treated by our company
commander, Captain Htanya Naing. I hated him a lot. I looked for an opportunity
to kill him. On 31 July 1999 we were patrolling and I took this opportunity and
killed him with my gun. I then ran away and hid in several places.
Some months later, I killed one of the villagers where I hid. We drank together
and when we got drunk we fought each other. I accidentally killed him. Due to
his relatives' report to the troops, I was arrested on 30 April 2001. The troops
didn't know I was a former soldier and had run away from the army. I was
sentenced to seven years and six months imprisonment. On 6 February 2004 we were
taken to Ngwedaung military service centre by SPDC LIB 502 to be military
porters. In my group, there were about 40 persons total. As far as I can recall,
15 porters died for several reasons, especially because of bad treatment by
soldiers and illnesses, and about 10 ran away.
On 9 May 2004, we were ordered to cut bamboo in the jungle while we were in a
frontline remote camp. Two soldiers came along with us. When we arrived at a
place probably 3 furlongs away from camp, one of the soldiers stepped on a
landmine, which was laid by Karenni forces. One of them was hit in both his legs
and another soldier was hit in his hand. We took them back to the camp for
medical treatment. After that, we didn't know their exact condition, as we
weren't allowed to stay together with troops. On 10 May at about 9:00 am one of
the military porters ran away. On 11 May at 1:00 pm my friend and I managed to
escape from camp. Unexpectedly, we were found by Karenni forces and they sent us
to the refugee camp.
Interview #9:
Source: Human Rights Documentation Unit
Date of Interview: 28 April 2004
Name: Naw Mu Wa (not real name)
Age: 50s
Address: Pa-an District, Karen State
Sex: Female
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Muslim
Occupation: Market seller
In our area, we were forced to do labor. The village headman told us not to say that the military was forcing us to do labor, which means he is afraid too.
We had to build the road and carry stones from other areas to our area in order to build the road. We had to bring our own food and if we didn’t, we had to pay a 4,000 kyat tax to get food. It is not easy to live without our daily work because 1 pyi of rice costs 300 to 400 kyat. When we do forced labor, we have no time to work for ourselves.
My granddaughter fell down because had to carry stones in a basin for this forced labor. Now, her elbow is not right. She is 14 years old. She has not been able to go to school because she has to do forced labor and because I am old and I need help so, she left school to help me.
So many old and young people are forced to labor because they don’t have money to pay instead. The local DKBA military told us to do this but the order came from the SPDC authorities. Our area changes all the time, troops always change, some times the DKBA are in charge and other times the SPDC.
The authorities come with a stick and if you don’t go they hit you or they shoot a gun to scare you. If we don’t go they tell us that we are being difficult about work and so, they scare us with a gun. They don’t understand that we have no food to eat. Also, my granddaughter needs to make money for school fees. But, if we have to do forced labor, we cannot make money.
The time when the ICRC came to our area, the authorities did not force people to do labor. But, after the ICRC people left, the authorities forced us to do the same as before. The village headman told us not to say that we had to do forced labor. But, the ICRC came and asked. We already knew we shouldn’t say anything about it. So we didn’t because we were afraid.
My whole life I have had to do forced labor. If the authorities don’t force us to do labor on the roads, the troops have problems transporting their food. Every year, we have to build 9 miles of road. Since the end of last rainy season, we have had to do labor but not always in the same place. The road goes from Kyautang to Teelow.
The military officials ordered us to work everyday but some times we pretend not to know so that we can work for ourselves. Before [time of interview], I had to go do forced labor continuously for one month. But, at other times, I have to go occasionally as my duty.
Somebody died while we were doing this labor because it was too hot and the work was too hard. When the woman left the area and arrived home, she died.
Usually, DKBA soldiers come and give us orders for forced labor. How many people must go from each family depends on how many people are in the family. People who have money can pay instead of going. But, for us, it is not easy to get 4,000 kyat to pay instead of going.
We go to do the labor at 7:00 am and leave at 6:00 pm. Sometimes we can leave at 5:00 pm. We take a break for lunchtime. Some times we can take a break for more than one hour and some times we have a time limit.
Before we go to work, the soldiers check the people. Sometimes we have more freedom while we are working and other times, the soldiers guard us the whole time. If you stop to take a break, the village headman will beat you. Sometimes the soldiers guard us and other times, the village headman is responsible for guarding us.
The oldest people who are forced to do labor are in their 50s or 60s. The youngest are not younger than 14 years old. If children younger than 14 go to do the work, the soldiers tell them that they can not do it. The soldiers send them back to find someone who is older to come and do the work.
We have had to chop earth and old people cannot do that. Only young people can do that kind of work. We must also carry the earth. We don’t have to carry it too far but when you chop a lot of earth, the pile starts to get very high. People don’t get hurt so much. When my granddaughter got hurt, the soldiers didn’t provide any medical care.
We are very afraid of the guards. So, if we take a rest and they yell at us, we go back to work because we are afraid of them. The work area is nearly 2 kilometers from our village. The soldiers go there by car and we go there by foot. We have to wake up very early to prepare food to bring with us. We get up around maybe 3:00 am.
SPDC LIB 28 is in charge of our area. The leader of LIB 28 is Bo Moo Soe Hla. But, the order to do the labor came from the DKBA. The local captain who gives us the orders to do forced labor is DKBA and named Bo Win Naing. First, the headman comes by himself to tell us to do forced labor. Later, if we didn’t go, the village security group comes around. The security group is all young people. If we didn’t go to do the labor, we would be locked in stocks and forced to pay a fine.
My granddaughter and I live together, just the two of us. We both have to go to do labor, but at different times. Many young people have not gone to school because they frequently have to do forced labor. I think there are 2000 people in my village. My granddaughter lied about her age to do the labor. The other workers understand why she lies. Workers try to help each other.
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