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Reports

Covering Situations of Mon People in


Monland, Burma (Union of Myanmar)
CATWALK TO THE BARRACKS
&
NO LAND TO FARM

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CATWALK TO THE
BARRACKS
Conscription of women for sexual slavery
and other practices of sexual violence
by troops of the Burmese military regime in Mon areas

by

Woman and Child Rights Project (Southern Burma)

In collaboration with

Human Rights Foundation of Monland (Burma)

July 2005

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Woman and Child Rights Project (Southern Burma)

The Woman and Child Rights Project (WCRP), Southern Burma, was founded in 2000 in
order to monitor and protect the rights of women and children and focus international
attention on Burma in order to pressure Burma's military regime to respect the rights of
women and children.

WCRP's main aim is to promote and protect the rights of women and children according to
CEDAW and CRC. WCRP is implementing various activities to expose how the regime and
its Burmese Army are widely involved in violations of women's rights. It also seeks to
educate and empower women and children to know their rights, so that they can become
involved in the protection of these rights.

Objectives
• To educate women about the rights of women and children.
• To inform international organizations about violations of the rights of women and
children in order to focus international attention on Burma

Activities
• Quarterly publication of The Plight, with news and reports on the rights of women and
children (in English)
• Reports on specific issues related to the rights of women and children (such as education
or health)
• Women's Journal (in Mon and Burmese)
• Women's Empowerment Workshops

Contact Address:
WCRP Southern Burma
P. O. Box 11
Ratchburana Post Office
Bangkok, THAILAND 10140
E-mail: wcrpcontact@yahoo.com

Human Rights Foundation of Monland (Burma)

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) - Burma is a non-governmental local


human rights organization formed in 1995 by Mon students, Mon youth and community
Leaders displaced from Mon areas in the lower part of Burma (or Myanmar). The main aim of
HURFOM is to work for the restoration of human rights, democracy and genuine peace in
Burma.

HURFOM's main activities are human rights advocacy and education to achieve the above-
mentioned aim. The objectives of HURFOM are:
• To monitor the human rights situation in Mon territory and the southern part of Burma
• To protect and promote internationally recognized human rights in Burma

HURFOM produces a monthly publication The Mon Forum, and distributes information on
the human rights situation in Mon areas and the southern part of Burma to the international
community to raise international awareness in order to protect human rights in Burma
according to international human rights principles.

Contact Address:
HURFOM , P. O. Box 11, Ratchburana Post Office, Bangkok, THAILAND 10140
E-mail: hurfomcontact@yahoo.com

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Contents

Executive Summary
Introduction

Background
The Mon in Lower Burma
Five decades of civil war
Role of women in Mon society

Analysis of findings
Context of rape cases
Rape and sexual slavery as punishment for being "rebel supporters"
Rape during conscription of women for "entertainment"
Military "Fashion and Beauty Show"
Conscription of women for sexual slavery in army bases
Rape during porter service
Rape during forced labour
Rape caused by increased military deployment and land confiscation
Continuing impunity for military rapists
What happens to victims?
Community responses to rape
Physiological and psychological effects of rape
Forced to migrate to other areas of Burma
Forced to migrate to Thailand
Conclusion and recommendations

Appendix 1: Summary of cases of sexual violations


Appendix 2: Detailed cases of sexual violations
Appendix 3: Interviews with women who fled from villages where women were
forced to take part in SPDC “Beauty and Fashion Shows”

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Executive Summary

This report exposes the ongoing and increasingly brazen use of sexual violence by Burmese
Army troops in Mon areas of Burma. This is despite the ceasefire between the main Mon
political party, the New Mon State Party, and the Burmese military regime, the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC) since 1995, and despite the regime's repeated denials
during the past few years that its troops are practicing systematic sexual violence.

The report details 37 incidents of sexual violence against 50 women and girls, aged 14 to 50
years old, and reveals evidence of widespread conscription of women into sexual slavery by
Burmese Army troops. Since many women are unwilling to reveal that they have been raped
owing to fear of stigma and reprisals by the army, detailed information has only been
collected about a small portion of the actual number of women who have been raped.

The report corroborates the findings of earlier reports on sexual violence in Shan and Karen
States, showing the use of rape as a strategy of control by the junta’s troops, and revealing a
pattern of abuse that provides strong evidence that rape has become systemic under military
rule in Burma. The lack of rule of law and climate of impunity for military rape have caused
SPDC’s troops to become increasingly emboldened in their acts of sexual violence.

Many rapes took place during military operations against armed groups still active in southern
Burma, such as the Karen National Union and a Mon splinter group; SPDC troops gang-
raped, beat, kicked, slashed and killed women as "punishment" for supporting rebel groups.

However, sexual violence is not only occurring in areas of conflict, but in "peaceful" areas
under full SPDC control. The SPDC has deployed 20 more battalions in the southern Mon
area since 1998; these troops have seized land from local villagers and forced them to work
on military plantations and guard infrastructure projects such as gas pipelines. The increased
troop presence has caused increased incidents of rape of local women.

During operations in 2003-2004 against rebels in southern Ye township, SPDC troops


brazenly conscripted scores of "comfort women" from nearby villages, who were forced to
work for the troops by day and were forced into sexual slavery at night. They also forced
about 30 young women, including schoolgirls, to stay at their base and take part in a military
"fashion and beauty show."

Over half of the documented cases of rape were committed by military officers, often in front
of, or together with their troops. Many of the rapes took place in the women's homes or in
other villagers' houses, frequently in the presence of other family members.

In contrast to the SPDC's claim that "effective action is taken against those who commit rape
according to the existing laws of the Myanmar Armed Forces," in none of the cases in this
report was legal action taken against the perpetrators of sexual violence. In most cases, the
community leaders did not dare to report the incidents of sexual violence to the military
battalion commanders for fear of reprisals. Those that did were scolded, beaten or threatened
to be killed. In one case complainants were forced to sign a written statement pardoning the
rapist.

Significantly, half of the rape cases documented in this report took place after June 2002,
when the Shan report "Licence to Rape" first drew international attention to the Burmese
regime's use of sexual violence, and UNGA resolutions on Burma began highlighting the
issue. Burmese Army troops have therefore continued to flagrantly commit sexual violations

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in Mon areas precisely while the regime has been denying to the world that this practice
exists.

It is evident that political reform is urgently needed to address the problem of military rape in
Burma. Unless the system of impunity for military rape is ended, and the political problems
relating to equal rights for ethnic peoples and the restoration of democracy in Burma are
solved, the culture of violence will continue to escalate, and the suffering of all civilians -
including women and children - will continue.

Recommendations
The (Mon) Woman and Child Rights Project – Southern Burma (Myanmar) in collaboration
with the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) make the following
recommendations:

To the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)

1. To immediately stop its militarization program throughout Burma, implement a nationwide


ceasefire and withdraw all Burma Army troops from the ethnic areas;
2. To fully implement the resolutions on Burma adopted by the UNCHR since 1992.

To the Royal Thai Government

1. To provide protection and allow humanitarian assistance to civilians who have fled from
human rights abuses (and not just "armed conflict") in Burma, and allow UNHCR to extend
its activities for the protection of the refugees from Burma who suffer from systematic
persecution;

2. To continue the RTG's efforts for democratization in Burma by coordinating with Burma's
immediate neighbours and other ASEAN countries, to demand that the SPDC hold genuine
political dialogue with the pro-democracy opposition, including the National League for
Democracy (NLD) and United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), and non-Burman ethnic
nationalities.

To members of ASEAN:

1. To raise the issue of state-sponsored sexual violence in Burma with the SPDC, based on its
obligations under the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the
ASEAN region which was signed by SPDC on June 30, 2004;
2. In order to end state-sponsored sexual violence, to use economic and diplomatic means to
pressure the SPDC to begin a process of meaningful political reform, and to actively support
the efforts of the UN and other key stakeholders to achieve peace, human rights and
democracy in Burma.

To the international community:

1. To call for UN bodies to authorize comprehensive sanctions against the regime including
an arms embargo until genuine democratic reform takes place in Burma
2. To coordinate with Burma's regional neighbours, particularly ASEAN members, to
pressure the SPDC to begin a process of meaningful political reform, which will lead to a
restoration of democracy and the rule of law.

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Introduction

This report was compiled by the ‘documentation program’ of the (Mon) Woman and Child
Rights Project (WCRP) – Southern Burma documentation program, with the help and
collaboration of the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM). Since the WCRP
was set up in 2002, it has constantly monitored the rights of women and children in the
southern part of Burma (Pegu Division, Mon State, Karen State and Tenasserim Division),
with the objective of exposing continuing violation of their rights by the current military
regime in Rangoon (Yangon), the capital of Burma (Myanmar), even after it ratified CEDAW
and CRC.
During the course of five decades of civil war in Burma, the government troops have used
rape as a punishment to stop the ethnic communities from supporting the ethnic rebels.
However, few records of rights violations were kept in the past and the people in the rural
areas had also become accustomed to the violations.
The growth of local human rights groups and civil society organizations along the Thailand-
Burma border after the 1988 pro-democracy uprising in Burma, has led to increased
documentation of human rights violations, including rape. In 2002, the Shan Human Rights
Foundation and Shan Women’s Action Network (SWAN) produced the report ‘Licence to
Report’ that compiled information about rape cases committed by Burmese Army troops
against women in Shan State between 1996-2001.1 In 2004, the Karen Women's Organisation
published "Shattering Silences," documenting incidents of rape by the Burma Army in Karen
areas.2

To provide evidence that similar patterns of sexual violence are occurring in Mon areas of
Burma, the WCRP has during the past few years been compiling cases of rape by the SPDC
military. Some of these have been documented by the HURFOM and included in its monthly
publication, “The Mon Forum”. Some cases have already been released by local Mon media
groups, such as the Independent Mon News Agency and Kao Wao News group, which have
conducted interviews with witnesses, or sometimes directly with rape survivors. Some of the
cases were also included in the report "System of Impunity" by the Women's League of
Burma in 2004, which documents systematic sexual violence perpetrated by the regime's
armed forces and authorities throughout Burma.3
WCRP has verified all the cases of sexual violations which are included in this report,
conducting its own interviews with rape survivors and witnesses, and relying also on written
records from local SPDC authorities and sources close to the New Mon State Party.
WCRP’s and HURFOM’s human rights documentation workers travel not only in Mon areas,
but also often pass through Karen ethnic areas and receive information on sexual violations
against Karen women. Therefore, this report also includes information about rape cases
against Karen women (not included in "Shattering Silences").

WCRP encountered various difficulties in compiling information for the report. Owing to the
strong feelings of shame associated with rape, village leaders, community members and the
rape survivors often try to keep information of sexual violence to themselves. Villagers also

1
The report can be viewed at
http://www.shanland.org/shrf/License_to_Rape/license_to_rape.htm
2
The report can be viewed at
http://www.karenwomen.org/Reports/SHATTERING%20SILENCES.pdf
3
The report can be viewed at
http://www.ibiblio.org/obl/docs3/SYSTEM_OF_IMPUNITY-1.doc

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fear repercussions by the Burmese Army if news of violations in their area is publicized. In
December 2003, local SPDC battalions ordered hundreds of villagers from two Mon villages
to stand in the midday sun for up to 6 hours in punishment for news of forced recruitment of
porters by the Burmese Army being broadcast from the Democratic Voice of Burma on
December 22, 2003. WCRP has therefore not included the real names of women or villages in
the detailed cases of sexual violence, except in cases where the women have been killed.

Background

The Mon in Lower Burma

The Mon, members of the Mon-Khmer language family, were the first people to migrate to
Burma from China, arriving in Burma over 2,500 years ago. Later, as the Burman people
migrated to Upper Burma, the Mon gradually moved down to the southern part of Burma and
reached the Andaman Sea4.
The Mon people had water and inland communication with India for several hundreds of
years and developed close trade links with India. They also had similar links with Sri Lanka.
Thus, the Mons brought culture, customs, administrative systems and other traditions from
India, and they also received Buddhism from Sri Lanka in the 2nd Century BC5.
The Mon people established a kingdom in the southern part of Burma which lasted for several
hundred years. They enjoyed an advanced administration system6, and developed their own
unique culture, literature, agriculture, architecture, etc. Their civilization was based on
Buddhism, and they also spread Buddhism to neighbouring countries.
Five decades of civil war
The start of Mon resistance
In 1947, when the British Government offered independence to Burma after nearly 100 years
of rule in southern Burma, the Mon political leaders demanded ethnic rights for the Mon
people. These demands to the Burman leaders -- to maintain Mon literature and culture, and
to form a ‘Mon Council’ representing the Mon people -- were rejected. After Burma’s
independence on January 4th, the new democratic government of Burma cracked down on
Mon political activities, assassinating Mon leaders, arresting and detaining them, and burning
down their villages7.
As a result, the Mon had no choice but to take up arms like the Karen against the Burman-
dominated government. During the early days of armed resistance, the Mon National Defense

4
The Mon: A People Without A Country by the Mon Unity League: “the Mon people arrived
into Burma probably between 2500 and 1500 BC. They are close cousins of the Khmer in
Cambodia.”
5
The Mon: A People Without A Country by the Mon Unity League: The ancient monastic
settlement near a Mon State town, Thaton, was founded by Indian Emperor Asoka’s
missionaries, which was mentioned in early Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) records as being
represented at a great religious synod held in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
6
The first strong Mon kingdom in Burma was well-known as ‘Suwannabhumi’, The Golden
Land, and it was situated near Thaton, in the northern part of Mon State.
7
Two Mon leaders from Mon Freedom League (MPF): Nai Maung Maung Gyi and Nai San
Thu, were assassinated by the soldiers of Burmese Army, and Nai Shwe Kyin was arrested
by the government and imprisoned for two years. Some Mon villages in Pa-an Township in
Karen State were also burned down by the Burmese Army.

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Organization (MNDO) and Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) were involved in
fighting against the Rangoon government.
Democratically elected governments in Rangoon were also unsupportive of political
negotiations and increased the size of their armed force, the Burmese Army (BA),
intensifying the war against the Mon and Karen ethnic armed resistance groups.
From 1948 until 1962, during the civil war against the Mon and Karen ethnic nationalities,
human rights violations such as forced relocation, destruction of village communities,
assassination of political leaders, summary killing and detention, occurred. Sexual violations
against Mon women in the rural areas of southern Burma by the troops of Burmese Army also
occurred, according to elderly people who had experience of that period.
Intensification of civil war under Burmese military rule
The civil war gave the Burmese Army the opportunity to build up its forces under the
leadership of Gen. Ne Win8. In early March 1962, Gen. Ne Win seized political power from
the democratically elected government, having built up a strong army. The army then
detained hundreds of Burman and non-Burman political leaders in order to abolish democratic
institutions entirely.
The Burmese Army intensified its military offensives after its seizure of political power.
From 1962 until 1970, the Burmese Army continued to expand, adopting a policy to crush all
rebellion in the frontier areas. From the 1970s until 1988, the Burmese Army adopted a
"four-cuts campaign" to cut civilian support (food, funds, intelligence and recruits) to the
rebel armed forces.
Under this ‘four-cuts campaign’ thousands of ethnic civilians in the remote areas or village
communities were forced to move into the Burmese Army’s designated ‘concentration or
relocation camps’ along motor-roads and near military bases, or into villages under firm
Burmese Army control. During this campaign, the troops of the Burmese Army killed large
numbers of civilians, burnt down their villages, forced the villagers to move without warning,
destroyed food belonged to civilians, and ethnic women were raped as ‘punishment’ because
they belonged to the same ethnic group as the rebel organizations.
Post-88 offensives and the Mon ceasefire
In late 1988, after killing thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in cities and towns, the
Burmese Army under the name of the ‘State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)’
reasserted political power. The Burmese Army then carried out a series of major military
offensives against the ethnic armed forces along the borders with neighboring countries. After
the uprising thousands of students, civil servants, Buddhist monks and civilians had fled to
the border areas under the control of ethnic armed groups. The pro-democracy opposition and
ethnic political parties were then able to establish alliances or political fronts. The Burmese
Army's offensives aimed to suppress these political activities.
During these offensives, the troops of the Burmese Army used more terror campaigns against
the ethnic people in the rural areas. In 1995, the Burmese Army had almost completely
seized control of the border bases that had previously been occupied by the ethnic armed
groups.

8
Some Burman dominated political parties during the parliamentary era from 1948 to 1958
had fully supported the Generals in the Burmese Army to increase the number of troops and
crush all armed struggle conducted by non-Burman political armed groups in the border
areas.

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In mid-1995, the main Mon political party, the New Mon State Party (NMSP)9, agreed to a
ceasefire with the SLORC.
Increased Burmese Army deployment, forced labour and land confiscation in Mon areas
After the NMSP ceasefire, the Burmese Army troops took the opportunity to increase military
deployment into Mon areas. Since 1998, the Burmese Army has deployed over 10 Light
Infantry Regiments or Battalions and an additional 10 Artillery Regiments in the southern part
of Mon State especially in Thanbyuzayat and Ye Townships10. The Burmese Army cited ‘the
possibility of foreign invasion’ as the reason for setting up strategic positions along the Thai-
Burma border in defense of its sovereignty11. This has enabled Burmese Army troops to
move closer and closer to NMSP-controlled areas, which had been agreed upon by both
parties as ‘permanent ceasefire zones.’
As more Burmese Army battalions have been established in Mon areas, the troops have
increasingly been forcing local villagers to work without pay on their army bases,
constructing and maintaining the barracks, digging bunkers and trenches and erecting fences.
Villagers have also been conscripted at the bases to make food, and fetch water and firewood
for the troops. On top of this, the Burmese Army has been confiscating land from local
farmers, and forcing villagers to work on these confiscated farms in order to raise income for
their troops. l
During the NMSP’s ceasefire talks in 1995, the military regime promised to discontinue the
use of forced labour, but these promises were not kept. Under the name of its border area
development project, the regime (renamed the State Peace and Development Council of
SPDC in 1997) built the 110-mile-long Ye-Tavoy railway that connected Mon State and
Karen State, and the Burmese Army conscripted hundreds of thousands of local ethnic Mon,
Karen and Tavoyan villagers to contribute their labour until February 199812. Since the
conscription of forced labour was ongoing, local Mon villagers became dissatisfied with the
ceasefire agreement and a new Mon armed group, which did not have a proper political
agenda and structure, rose up to fight against the Burmese Army. The Burmese Army’s
command in southern Burma apparently felt that this small Mon splinter group could obstruct
its military deployment in the area, as well as development projects such as the Yatana gas-
pipeline.13 They therefore carried out military operations against the Mon splinter group
beginning in late 1997.

9
The New Mon State Party (NMSP) began resistance against the Rangoon government in
1958, after the surrender of the initial Mon political party, the Mon People Front (MPF) to the
central government. The NMSP was founded by the prominent Mon leader, Nai Shwe Kyin.
10
NO LAND TO FARM: A comprehensive report on land confiscation in Mon State produced
by the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) describes how the military regime,
SPDC, confiscated about 8,000 acres of land belonging to the Mon people, especially in Ye
Township of Mon State in order to deploy new Burmese Army battalions during the period
1998-2002.
11
After the Depeyin massacre on May 30th 2003, the local Burmese Army commanders in
Mon State gave speeches in the basic military training schools during late 2003 predicting a
possible foreign invasion of Burma like American’s invasion of Iraq.
12
Reports on the conscription of forced labour in construction of the Ye-Tavoy railway have
been published by the Mon Information Service (MIS) and the monthly publication of the
Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM), The Mon Forum, during 1995 to 1998.
13
The multinational oil & gas companies UNOCAL (United States) and Total (France)
constructed the 220-mile-long ‘Yatana Gas Pipeline’ in the area with security and protection
provided by members of the Burmese Army. The gas pipeline crosses from the sea 65 miles
inland through Tenasserim Division to reach the Thai border. By selling gas to Thailand, the
current military regime receives about 400 Million US $ annually.

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Thus, while enforcing restrictions on movement of the NMSP and its armed faction, MNLA,
after the 1995 ceasefire, the Burmese Army carried out full-scale military operations against
the Mon splinter group and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in the southern part
of Burma.
Effects of the civil war and militarization on women and children
In operations by the Burmese Army against resistance forces, the Burmese troops commonly
target non-combat ethnic civilians in rural areas, including women, who they suspect of being
relatives or wives of members of the rebel groups. For five decades, the women have suffered
from summary executions, cruel and inhumane treatment, summary detention, and sexual
violations including rape.
The Burmese Army has deliberately destroyed Mon villages which it suspects of being "rebel
bases", causing women and children to become homeless. Normally, when the troops of
Burmese Army approach an ethnic village, the men flee, leaving only women, elderly people
and children in the villages. When the troops of the Burmese Army shoot into villages with
artillery shells, the victims are more often than not minors. For several decades, the Burmese
Army has also targeted the educational institutions of non-Burman ethnic nationalities; there
has been repeated evidence of burning down of ethnic schools providing education to boys
and girls in the rural areas
Due to the increased Burmese military deployment in the southern part of Mon State during
the past decade, women who live near the newly deployed military bases have suffered
increasingly from sexual violations and many types of harassment. When conscripted to do
forced labour for the troops, they are also particularly vulnerable to abuse.
The ongoing human rights violations have caused many ethnic villagers in rural Mon areas to
become displaced. Displaced women in hiding are vulnerable to killing, rape and torture if the
Burmese Army troops discover them in jungles or forests or other hidden places.
Furthermore, during displacement, the local villagers cannot get easy access to food supplies,
medical care and other necessities.
Many ethnic villagers, including women, have fled to the Thai border to seek refuge.
According to a report produced by an international relief agency, the Thailand Burmese
Border Consortium (TBBC), there are over 150, 000 ethnic refugees in Thailand’s refugee
camps and over 600, 000 people who are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Shan State,
Kayah (Karenni) State, Karen State, Mon State and Tenasserim Division14.

Publicity gained by reports about the Burmese military's systematic use of sexual violence
against women in ethnic areas during the last few years has strengthened demands for
increased international pressure against the regime. Sexual violence has been an issue at all
recent UN forums relating to Burma. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma
has raised the issue in each of his special reports to the UNGA since 2002, and the UNGA
Resolutions since 2002 on the situation of human rights in Burma have also raised the issue.

However, efforts to increase pressure on the regime over the issue of sexual violence have
been undermined by the fact that UN agencies and international organisations based in Burma
have chosen to keep silent on systematic human rights abuses by the junta’s troops, including
sexual violence. Furthermore, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of
which Burma is a member, has also kept silent in the interests of diplomatic and economic
relations, although ASEAN issued a Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against
Women in June 2004.

14
Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) report: “Internal Displacement and Vulnerability
in Eastern Burma, October 2004.

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Role of women in Mon society
Traditionally, Mon society is male-dominated, like other communities in Burma. This is
partly due to the influence of Buddhism, as only men can become monks, who play a leading
role in communities in the maintenance of the religion and also of Mon literature and culture.
At the same time, men were usually the main family breadwinners, working in farms and
orchid plantations, etc. Since all family members mainly relied on the income from crop
production in farms, the heads of the families – men – had the main role in the decision-
making process in families.
It was felt that women’s main responsibilities were in the kitchen and with their families.
Women were expected to respect their husbands and spend most of their time at home. These
centuries-long cultural norms meant that women themselves tended to accept that they should
not play any role in decision-making processes in the community.
However, owing to the deterioration of the economy under military rule, the role of women
has been changing. Nearly all Mon families have their own paddy-growing farms and orchid
plantations and the men take responsibility to produce crops and seek income. However, after
the start of military rule in Burma in 1962, government authorities collected heavy taxes on
crops, causing the majority of Mon people, who are traditional farmers, to face economic
hardship, like many other farmers in the whole country.
Both married and unmarried women in Mon communities have therefore increasingly been
seeking various forms of employment outside their homes in order to earn income and help
their parents and families. Many Mon women who cannot find work in their homes or
villages or towns have been forced to migrate to neighbouring countries for work. Many of
them are working for Thailand’s fishing industries, construction firms, and agriculture
industries where the Thai employers need manual labourers
Even though more women have been working outside their homes and communities, their
increased economic role has not yet been reflected in greater access to decision-making
processes in their communities. Women continue to shun the public sphere, and are reluctant
to raise issues such as sexual violence publicly. Thus, women who have suffered sexual
violence tend to keep silent and feel too ashamed to expose the incidents even to their parents
or other women15. It is thus certain that many sexual violations remain hidden.

Analysis of findings
This report contains documentation of 37 incidents of sexual violence committed by Burmese
Army troops and authorities against at least 50 women and girls in Mon areas between 1995
and 2004. A third of the cases took place recently, in 2004.
The age range of the women suffering sexual violence was from 14 to 50 years old. Eleven
were girls under the age of 18.

The incidents occurred in Ye and Thanbyuzayat townships of Mon State, Kya Inn Sei Kyi and
Pa-an townships of Karen State, Yebyu township of Tenasserim Division and Pegu township
in Pegu Division, involving officers and troops from 20 different battalions. These are mostly
areas where armed resistance groups, such as the KNU and a Mon splinter group have
continued to operate.

15
Sexual violations against women by villagers in rural Mon villages are quite rare.
Traditionally, men consider women in their communities as their ‘sisters’ and if a man is
involved in rape and the case is exposed, the entire family or the relatives of the rapist will
feel great shame.

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The report corroborates the findings of earlier reports on sexual violence in Shan and Karen
States, showing the use of rape as a strategy of control by the junta’s troops, and provides
strong evidence that rape has become systemic under military rule in Burma

In many cases, rape was committed as “punishment” to local women for allegedly supporting
the rebel armies. These incidents of sexual violence frequently involved extreme brutality,
including beating, kicking, slashing with knives and scalding with hot water, sometimes
resulting in death.

Evidence of the Burmese Army’s open endorsement of sexual violence in Mon areas is the
recent trend, during 2003-2004, to recruit scores of “comfort women” from local villages in
southern Ye township for purposes of sexual slavery, and also to openly stage a “fashion and
beauty show” involving sexual molestation of about 30 young women at an army base.

The fact that in over half of the cases the rapes were committed by military officers, often in
front of, or together with, their troops, shows that these officers were confident that they
could get away with their crimes because they are above any existing domestic laws.
Many of the cases of sexual violence occurred in the women’s homes or in other villagers’
houses, frequently in the presence of other family members, again indicating that the troops
have become so emboldened that they feel no fear or shame at being witnessed committing
rape. This is in blatant contradiction to the regime's claims that "From the point of view of
tradition and culture as well as religion rape is totally unpardonable".16
There is continuing impunity for military perpetrators of sexual violence. In only eight cases,
did village headmen and community leaders dare to report the incidents of sexual violence to
the SPDC battalion commanders concerned, but no legal action was taken against
perpetrators. In only one case were the perpetrators (members of the local pro-government
militia) dismissed, but not otherwise punished. Complainants were beaten, threatened to be
killed, and forced to sign written statements retracting the complaints.

Owing to the climate of impunity for military rape, sexual violence is not only taking place in
areas of conflict, but also in "peaceful" areas fully under SPDC control. The SPDC has
deployed 20 more battalions in the southern Mon area since 1998. These troops have
confiscated land from local villagers and forced them to work on military plantations and
guard infrastructure, which has caused increased incidents of rape of local women.

Context of rape cases

Rape and sexual slavery as punishment for being “rebel supporters”


The context of the civil war continues to be used as justification by the Burmese Army troops
for committing gross human violations, including rape, against local villagers as a means of
terrorizing and exerting control over ethnic populations, to prevent them supporting ethnic
resistance groups.
In spite of the fact that the NMSP reached a ceasefire agreement with the regime in 1995, and
only small pockets of armed resistance remained in Mon areas, the SPDC has not desisted in
terrorizing local ethnic peoples it suspects of supporting the resistance. As a result, local
civilians, both men and women, have been arrested and interrogated under torture by Burmese
soldiers about their contacts with the rebels. In the case of women, methods of torture
included rape.
In ten of the cases documented in this report, women or girls were raped by Burmese Army
soldiers who accused them or their family members of giving support to the ethnic rebels

16
Myanmar Information Committee, Information Sheet No. D-3160 (l) September 10, 2004

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An instance of rape being used together with other forms of torture to extract confessions
from two Karen girls, took place in October 1999 in Kya-Inn-Seikyi township.
The Burmese soldiers arrested 12 villagers including two women.(...) Naw B-- B-- (16
years old) and Naw M-- K-- (17 years old). These two women were married and their
husbands had fled from the village to avoid being arrested by the Burmese soldiers.
Thus, the soldiers said their husbands were Karen soldiers… First, after beating
during interrogation, the soldiers raped these two women repeatedly. As the women
denied their husbands, were rebel soldiers, the soldiers also cut Naw B-- B--‘s
breasts with a knife. Because of this serious injury, the woman lost consciousness.
The soldiers also poured hot water into Naw M-- K--‘s nose. Her whole face was
burnt with hot water and her skin was severely damaged. Her face became totally red
and severely painful. Naw M--K-- had a four-month-old baby and although she asked
to feed milk to her baby, the soldiers did not allow her. Her hungry baby cried for the
whole day. (Case no. 7)
In another instance a 50-year-old Karen woman accused of taking rice to rebel soldiers was
killed after being gang-raped by SPDC troops in August 2000:

They accused her of sending food to the rebel soldiers. She denied this and said she
had just got back from her farm, but the soldiers did not believe her. Then, a group of
soldiers raped her one by one. Then, accusing her of being a relative of the rebel
soldiers who made military attacks against them in the area, they killed her by
stabbing her with army knives. (Case no. 11)
In several cases occurring more recently, in 2003 and 2004, after the arrest of women or girls
on the allegation of links to “rebel supporters,” they were kept for periods of days up to
several months for the sexual pleasure of the soldiers.
One 14-year-old girl arrested in September 2004 on the accusation that her father had contact
with Mon rebels was gang-raped for several days (case no. 35). In another incident, four
young women were arrested in October 2004 on suspicion of having contact with rebel
groups, and then gang-raped repeatedly for several days by commanders and soldiers in the
local army base (Case no. 37).
One 20-year-old woman who was 5-6 months’ pregnant, was arrested after her father had
been detained (and later killed) on the accusation of being a rebel agent. She was kept as a
comfort woman by the troops of LIB 586 for two months (Case no. 22):

She was brought by the Burmese soldiers of LIB No. 586 and repeatedly raped by
both officers and soldiers. She was mostly gang-raped by the soldiers when they
launched a military operation. She was brought from one place to another by the
soldiers and they raped her at night time. She was not fed with sufficient food and
could not sleep for several nights… She said that she had asked the soldiers to kill
her instead of raping her, but they continuously raped her. She delivered her baby
prematurely after only eight months when the troops arrived at a Mon village, Yinye,
about 5 kilometers from her village. After she delivered the premature baby, she was
taken care of by the villagers.

Rape during conscription of women for “entertainment”


Recently, during the Burmese Army South-East Command’s military offensives against a
Mon splinter group from December 2003 until May/June 2004, the Burmese Army
systematically conscripted women for entertainment purposes, similar to the Japanese Army’s
practice of conscripting ‘Comfort Women’ during WWII17.

17
The Mon Forum, February 2004, Report: Terror in Southern Part of Ye Township – Part II

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Military “Fashion and Beauty Show”
There is no local tradition of holding fashion shows or beauty contests in Mon areas.
However, in December 2003, the No. 3 Tactical Command led by Brigadier Myo Win
ordered 15 villages in the southern part of Ye township to provide 2 to 4 pretty young
unmarried Mon women to take part in a “Fashion and Beauty Show”, to be held in Khaw-za
village, where the No. 3 Tactical Command was based.
Brigadier Myo Win, recently appointed from the Southeast Command in Moulmein, the
capital of Mon State, organized the fashion show, and said it was to celebrate the 46th
Anniversary of Burma’s “Independence Day” on January 4, 200418.
Selection process
Village headmen were ordered to provide young Mon women aged between 17 and 25 who
were slim and tall (over 5 feet 6 inches) to take part in the show. Schoolgirls were also
ordered to be recruited, if they were in 8th standard or above. Local military personnel were
involved in the selection process, scouting out attractive-looking local girls and instructing the
village headmen to include them in the show. As explained by a 20-year-old woman from
Kyone Kanya village who was chosen to participate:
Because of my appearance (tall with a fair complexion), the Burmese Army
commander and the soldiers, and the headman of the village, ordered me to
participate in the “Beauty and Fashion Show” to be held by the Burmese Army in
Khaw-za village. (Appendix 3, Interview #1)
The villages that were forcibly ordered to send young women to the show are as follows:
1) Khaw-za
2) Toe-tat Ywa-thit
3) Yin-ye
4) Yin-dein
5) Kabya-gyi
6) Kabya-wa
7) The-kon
8) Kyone-kanya
9) Mi-htaw-hla-kalay
10) Mi-htaw-hla-gyi
11) Magyi
12) Kyauk-I
13) Tayoke-taung
14) Shwe-hinda Ywa-thit and
15) Khaw-za Chaung-wa
Villages which failed to provide young women for the Fashion and Beauty Show were liable
to a fine of 150,000 kyat.
Many of the young women ordered to take part in the shows fled from their homes to avoid
having to participate. In cases where the selected women fled from the villages, the village
headmen were fined by the local commanders. The headmen collected money from all the
families in the village, with the parents of the selected women sometimes being forced to pay
more. In some villages, when the headmen could not find enough young women to take part
in the show, they had to hire women from elsewhere to fill their quota.
Another two girls from my village were selected to be involved in the fashion show
against their will. As the Burmese Army commander had requested four girls to be
involved in the fashion contest, the village headmen had to find two girls from town

18
Burma regained her Independence from Britain colony on January 4, 1948.

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(Ye Town) to take part in the fashion show. The villagers had to pay to hire these
women. (Appendix 3, Interview #3)
If the women chosen did not meet the approval of the Burmese Army troops, the village
headmen were forced to choose other women.
During December 2003 and January 2004, out of a total of about 400 displaced Mon villagers
who arrived at Halockani Mon Refugee Resettlement Camp from southern Ye township,
many were young women who had fled with or without their parents to escape from
participating in the Fashion and Beauty Show. About 80% of these displaced villagers then
crossed the border into Thailand to seek work19.
“Catwalk” at the army base
Prior to the actual beauty contest, the selected girls from each village were forced to spend
several days and nights at the SPDC army base near Khaw Za, to practice on a “catwalk” in
front of the army personnel. The girls were ordered to parade in front of the officers and
troops, and some who looked too young were sent back to their villages.
“They were asked to live in the battalion for 3 days and 2 nights. During
these days, the ladies were asked to rehearse on a “Catwalk” in front of them
(the commander and soldiers in the battalion base) and later the commander
released 2 of 4 selected girls because of their ages. These two girls were
between 8th and 10 standard in their high school classes and even though
they were pretty, their physical appearance was still young.” (Appendix 3,
Interview #2)
While on the “catwalk” in front of the soldiers, the young women were sexually
molested:
“According to the selected girls, they had to go on a ‘catwalk’ in front of the army
commanders for hours. If the commanders were not satisfied, they were forced to
keep walking. The commanders also came and touched their bodies and pulled at
their clothes during the rehearsal.” (Appendix 3, Interview #3)
As well as parading in front of the soldiers, the women were forced to do other kinds
of work while staying at the army base, and at night were forced to “entertain” the
officers:
“The young women were forced to do work in the army bases, such as by cooking,
carrying water and finding food for them during these rehearsal days. At night-time,
they were also forced to entertain the officers of the battalion such as by massaging
them, especially the commander of the battalion. Nobody knows exactly who was
raped by the officers and soldiers.” (Appendix 3, Interview #2)

It was reported that about 30 women in total were forced to stay at the army base
prior to the fashion show.

The show itself was held on January 4, 2005 at the Khaw-za Army Base. During the
show, the selected women were made to parade on stage and pose in a number of
ways. Finally the winners were chosen and awarded with small prizes.

Conscription of women for sexual slavery in army bases


During the military operation in southern Ye township, Burmese Army units setting up
temporary bases in villages would request the headmen to provide them with several young

19
Accordingly to the estimation of the village leaders who arrived at the border area, nearly
25% of the total population in the area have left from their native villages and become
displaced.

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women every day for entertainment purposes, as well as to do menial tasks for them. The
villages affected were the same as those from which women were ordered to take part in the
"Fashion and Beauty Show."
According to a village headman from Kyone-kanya village, who fled to a Mon refugee
resettlement camp in the second week of February 2004:
They (the commanders and soldiers) asked for 3 women every day to stay (for 24
hours) at their bases. Their (temporary) bases are normally in a good house in a
village or in a school close to a village. Soon after they set up their base, they asked
for a television, a CD player and a generator. We had to find CDs for them to sing
songs and gasoline for generators.
They took 3 women, married or unmarried, every day. They said they wanted only
women under 30 years old. In their bases, they forced the women to sing songs,
serve liquor to them, feed them with food, give them a massage at nighttime, and at
daytime, they forced them to do work such as cooking food, carrying water, and
finding fire-wood. They also threatened the women that if they fled, they would be
killed.
After one night and one day, we had to send another 3 women. At first, I refused to
send women to them. Then they beat me severely and said that if I didn’t obey their
orders, they would kill me. Therefore, I was afraid and had to approach the
community women to send the women.
… After the (karaoke and drinking) party, the officers took the beautiful women and
raped them
This headman said that about eighteen women from his village alone were forced to go to the
military base to sing karaoke songs during the night with the military officials, while some
village leaders were asked to participate in giving presents to the women. He said he did not
know exactly how many women had been raped, but thought that about sixty percent of the
women who were forced to stay the night in the military bases were probably raped by SPDC
troops.
While serving the troops, the women were forced to drink Black Label whiskey or alcohol
mixed with Star Cola juice, so that they would become drunk and more easily raped.
One of the women, 23 years old, who was raped in this way (case 23) explained that attractive
women were called again and again by the soldiers to sleep in their bases, not on a rotation
basis.
Some of the women who had participated in the January 4 Independence Day ‘Fashion and
Beauty Show’ had then repeatedly been ordered by local officers to stay at their bases at night
time.
Some parents who lied that their daughters were not at home when Burmese Army personnel
arrived to take the women, were forced to buy expensive foreign produced liquor like Black
Label, worth about 25,000 Kyats (25 US dollars) in Burmese currency as a punishment.

Rape during porter service


Several incidents of rape documented in this report took place in the context of the Burmese
Army’s practice of forcible conscription of porters.
During the course of the civil war in Burma, the Burmese Army troops have constantly
recruited local ethnic civilians to carry food supplies and ammunition for them without
payment. In areas where the SPDC and the Burmese Army exert full or partial control,
village headmen are ordered to take responsibility for arranging porter recruits. But in most
‘black areas’, where the Burmese Army has no control, the Burmese Army troops will arrive
without warning in villages and arrest villagers, usually men, as porters. As a result, men in

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such areas often flee in advance when they hear that Burmese Army troops are approaching
their villages. This means that the women remaining in the village are vulnerable to be
conscripted as porters instead, or to suffer violations committed by the Burmese Army troops.
In one case in this report, a woman was killed when resisting attempted rape after most of the
men in her village had fled from a Burmese Army patrol (Case 5).
In June 1999, when IB No. 25 troops entered Maw-khani village, Yebyu Township,
Tenasserim Division, all the men in the village except elderly people fled to escape
being taken as porters. Some soldiers also climbed into many villagers’ houses and
looted belongings and attempted to rape women.
When a low ranking commander, Corporal Myo Myint, tried to rape Mi M-- (25
years old), she refused and fought against him. He lost his temper and killed her by
stabbing her with his army knife. She died on the spot.
When women are taken as porters, they are expected to carry heavy loads during the day like
men, and at night have to fear sexual violence by the Burmese soldiers. In the following case,
4 young Mon women suffered gang-rape while being forced to be porters in April 2000 (Case
no. 9):

The soldiers seized 13 ethnic Mon women in the village…The age range of these
women was between 23 and 60 years old, some married and some unmarried. The
soldiers took these women for porter service in their military patrol for three days
and three nights.

During porter service, the soldiers forced the women porters to carry about 25
kilograms of ammunition or food supplies and forced them to walk for the whole day
with that weight. When the women could not walk as fast as the soldiers, they
shouted, beat and kicked the women porters, treating them like the male porters who
had been seized from another village…

After sunset, the soldiers grouped them in one place and let them sleep. After
midnight, some soldiers came and pointed their guns at some young women and
separated them from the group and some commanders raped them.

Rape during forced labour

Several cases of sexual violence documented in this report took place when women had been
conscripted to do forced labour for Burmese Army troops.
The SPDC has implemented a policy in recent years to create self-reliance in each battalion of
the Burmese Army. Thus, battalions in Mon areas have been confiscating farmlands or taking
possession of wild lands to create their own paddy-farms or rubber plantations or fruit
gardens. In farming or cultivating crops, or planting fruit trees, the Burmese Army battalions
force local villagers to do this work without payment. Women who work in these agricultural
work places are vulnerable to be raped or gang-raped by the soldiers.
In one incident documented in this report, a woman was raped in September 2000 while being
forced with other villagers to work on a palm plantation for the local military battalion (Case
no. 12):
Among the 25 villagers (forced to work), there were 12 men and the remaining 13 were
women. This group of villagers worked together in the plantation for three days.
Their main work was to clear the grass, dig holes and plant small palm trees. On the
evening of September 23, just before the villagers were due to return home, one of the
women was raped.

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In the evening, at about 7 o’clock, after the group of villagers finished having dinner,
the commander, Sergeant San Win told the group leader, Nai Maung Sein, that he
would like to meet with Mi S-- H--, to give some tree plants to her. The leader said that
it was night-time, so it was not good to meet with the woman and he suggested he
should meet her the next day. However, the commander refused, so the group leader
told Mi S-- H-- to meet the Sergeant and suggested that she take another girl to
accompany her.
When she arrived at the barracks, the commander ordered the other girl to stay outside
the barracks, saying he wanted to meet only Mi S-- H--. Then the commander brought
Mi S-- H-- to a kitchen building near the barracks, where he pushed her over and
raped her.

Not only are women being forced to work on military agriculture projects, they are also
sometimes forced to guard railways, motor roads, gas-pipelines, dams and other government
infrastructure projects in order to protect them from sabotage by rebels.
The isolation of the guard outposts means that women conducting such duties are particularly
vulnerable to sexual violence. One incident of sexual violence happened to a 17-year-old
Mon woman forced to take guard duty in Ye Township in February 2003 (Case no 21):

Mi M-- P--’s household was due to take the roster for guarding the railway line and
the Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas pipeline (near the same route), but her husband had
gone fishing late in the evening and he had not returned home. Therefore Mi M-- P--
took the roster on behalf of her husband. At about 12 pm, the Sergeant and one of his
privates came to the hut where she was on duty.
He said: “Women don’t have to perform this duty, so go home.” Then Mi M-- P--
was taken along with them to return home. On the way, at Kyauk–tan village, the
private walked ahead and the boss put his hand on her mouth, pushed her down and
raped her.
Rape caused by Increased Military Deployment and Land Confiscation
“When there are more and more Burmese soldiers arriving into our areas, we feel
this is more and more dangerous for our daughters and women”
(Mon villager from Aru-taung village, Ye Township, Mon State)
The increased deployment of Burmese Army troops in Mon areas since 1998, and the
subsequent large scale confiscation of farmland by the military, has meant an increased risk of
sexual violence for local women. This is because more Burmese troops have been deployed
close to local communities in order to guard the confiscated farmlands.
For example, in October 2001, after the Burmese Army’s South-East Command had recently
confiscated lands in the northern part of Ye Township, Burmese troops from IB No. 61 in Ye
town were deployed for a while in the area in order to guard the confiscated lands. One of the
low-ranking commanders of these troops raped a local woman while returning drunk to his
outpost one night (Case no. 14).
Another incident of sexual violence took place after the deployment of new troops from LIB
No. 587 near Kun-doo village in the northern part of Ye township, where many hundreds of
acres of land have been confiscated from local villagers (Case No. 19):

On July 8, 2002, three soldiers from LIB No. 587 arrested an 18-year-old Mon girl
near Kun–doo village, and gang-raped her. (...)

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She and her two friends (a boy and a girl) had been paying a visit to Kun–doo
village. When they returned to their home in XX village, in the evening at about 4
o’clock, they met those 3 soldiers. Fearing the soldiers, they turned back to Kun-doo
village. However, the soldiers followed them and dragged Mi K-- H-- into a rubber
plantation. Although the boy who was with her tried to stop them, the soldiers pointed
their guns at him and threatened to kill him. Then the boy ran to XX village to ask for
help from the villagers.

The soldiers repeatedly raped Mi K-- H-- in the rubber plantation until she lost
consciousness. When a group of villagers arrived at the scene, the soldiers had
already left and they found only the unconscious and injured girl lying near a rubber
tree. They then carried her back to the village.
The threat of sexual violence has been one of the means used by local Burmese Army
battalions to prevent villagers from harvesting rubber or fruit from the local plantations which
have been confiscated from them.
Following the confiscation by SPDC of thousands of acres of plantation land from Mon
villagers during 1998-2003, some farmers and the New Mon State Party complained to the
South East Command, and requested the return of the land or suitable compensation. The
South East Command then agreed that the land owners would be allowed to collect fruit or
tap rubber sap from their lands for three years as compensation. However, in reality, the land
owners who are returning to their lands to harvest their crops are being faced by threats from
the local soldiers. Some women or girls who tried to tap rubber sap early in the morning
(from 1:00 a.m to 6:00 a.m.) have also faced sexual assault by the soldiers. Thus, the land
owners are being denied even the concession to harvest the crops from their confiscated lands.
Continuing impunity for military rapists
In contrast to the SPDC's claim that "effective action is taken against those who commit rape
according to the existing laws of the Myanmar Armed Forces,"20 in none of the cases in this
report was legal action taken against the perpetrators of sexual violence.
In most of the cases documented in this report, community members or village headmen did
not dare to complain to the local military authorities for fear of punishment.
In only eight cases were the incidents of sexual violence reported to the SPDC military
authorities, and in only one case was action taken against the perpetrators (members of the
local pro-government militia), who were dismissed, but not otherwise punished. This shows
clearly that the military authorities do not regard sexual violence committed by their troops as
a serious crime.
Instead of seeking to ascertain the facts surrounding reported incidents of rape, the military
authorities in some cases scolded family members or community leaders who had reported the
incidents and warned them not to pursue the cases (Cases no 2 and no 33).
In one case the complainants were beaten (Case no. 4), and in another case, after the woman’s
relatives and the village chairman had complained to the local battalion commanders, they
threatened to kill her (Case no. 16).
In one incident, the battalion commander gave a small amount of cash to the girl who had
been raped, and then ordered her to keep silent about the case (Case no. 21).
In a recent case, in early 2004, when the parents of a girl who had been raped complained to
the local army commanders for legal action against the rapist, the commanders forced the
girl's father and the village headmen to sign a document pardoning the rapist instead (Case no
25).

20
Myanmar Information Committee, Information Sheet No. D-3160 (l) September 10, 2004

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It is thus evident that, despite the international publicity surrounding the report Licence to
Rape in 2002, which exposed the climate of impunity for military rapists, there has been no
change in policy by the SPDC to ensure punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence within
their ranks.

What happens to victims?


Community responses to rape
In several of the interviews conducted for this report, family and community members
actively assisted rape victims, in some cases physically intervening to stop the rape occurring.
For example, villagers rushed to assist a woman raped in her house by a soldier (Case no. 2):
As she shouted for help, the villagers nearby altogether ran to help her, holding
sticks, swords and spears. Sergeant Than Sein, the rapist, ran away, leaving his
jungle hat and military trousers behind.
However, if many soldiers were involved, villagers would be too intimidated to intervene
(Case no. 10):
Even though many villagers and the village headman knew she was being raped,
nobody dared to help her because many soldiers were guarding her house compound.
Generally speaking, families and community members provided sympathy and support to
rape victims, but in some cases, the survivors faced censure from their communities, who
blamed the women for being raped.
For example, in the case of three young women raped by troops of LIB 586 in separate
incidents in villages in Ye township in early 2004 (Cases 28-30), all three decided to flee
from their villages after the incidents because they felt “blamed and despised” by local
villagers. One of the women, a 17-year-old, stated that she felt too “ashamed” to cry out for
help while being sexually assaulted.
Some community members accuse the women of having behaved or dressed improperly,
thereby provoking the sexual abuse. Even the wife of a local village headman in southern Ye
was quoted as saying that rape cases happened because the women “did not behave properly
and dressed up to attract men.”
Physiological and psychological effects of rape
WCRP experienced many difficulties in conducting interviews with the rape survivors in
order to identify physiological or psychological problems they were facing. Some women had
been so psychologically scarred that it was impossible to talk about their ordeal.
In many cases, the pain of sexual assault had been so great that the victims lost consciousness
and had to be carried, as they could not even walk.
In some cases, the victims of rape were also beaten and slashed with knives, particularly when
resisting rape. One victim fainted from severe bleeding after being slashed, and had to be
hospitalized (case no 13).
In one case (case no. 22), a pregnant woman who had been repeatedly gang-raped by soldiers
for a period of 2 months, gave birth prematurely.
It is not common for women who have been raped to go to hospitals to take pregnancy tests or
to receive medical treatment for their wounds as they are ashamed and fear stigma. They do
not even dare disclose that they were raped.
Physiological symptoms following rape which victims revealed included insomnia, loss of
appetite, loss of weight, and extreme fatigue.

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Most of them not only suffered from depression, sadness and fear, but also no longer dared to
participate in their social surroundings or community gatherings. A woman who was
repeatedly raped by a group of men said that she had told them: “Kill me right away.”
In some cases the survivors of rape tried to appeal to the rapist military officers to marry
them. Some women wanted to commit suicide.
Most of the raped women wanted to bring legal action against the rapists for the crimes they
had committed. The lack of legal action caused increased distress and anger for the women.
One woman said she felt ashamed and outraged when the military authorities not only failed
to put the offender in court, but actually punished the people who had complained about the
offence. In this way, the victims are doubly punished.
Some women revealed that their families and other community members had provided them
with care and counseling, which helped them cope with their ordeal. However, some suffered
from stigmatization following rape.
Forced to migrate to other areas of Burma
Owing to stigmatization, some women decide to leave their homes after suffering rape,
moving to other villages or nearby towns where people do not know what has happened to
them. During 2004, several rape victims from the southern part of Ye Township moved to Ye
Town or other towns or Halockhani, the Mon refugee resettlement camp on the Thailand-
Burma border.
Some women also flee their homes to prevent possible sexual abuse. When Burmese Army
commanders took girls to be ‘comfort women’ at their military bases in the southern part of
Ye Township during 2003-2004, many parents in villages such as Khaw-zar and Kaw-hlaing
in Southern Ye Township sent their unmarried daughters away to Ye Town in order to
prevent possible rape.
However, as this was the time when the Burmese Army was conducting an offensive against a
Mon splinter group, there were also widespread restrictions on movement of local civilians in
the southern part of Ye Township. This made it much more difficult for women to leave their
villages.
According to a woman who arrived at a Mon refugee resettlement camp with her sick mother
in March 2004:
We were prohibited from going out from the village. If we wanted to go out, we had to
get a permission paper. As my mother was seriously ill, I had sent her to the hospital
for medical treatment. I left my village saying that I had to look after my mother.
The same woman revealed that she and her mother did not dare go home for fear of arrest
after leaving her village. Other families who had fled from their native villages also testified
that they had to provide a very strong reason to the military authorities in order to leave their
villages.
Forced to migrate to Thailand
The anti-insurgency measures conducted by the military regime and its army in Mon State,
involving gross human rights violations including rape, have caused many villagers to flee
their homes and head for the Thai-Burmese border.
However, travelling to the border also places women at risk of sexual violence. In one
incident documented in this report (case 18), a woman who was arrested with other villagers
for travelling illegally to Thailand was detained and raped by an SPDC township immigration
official.
At the border, displaced villagers have sought refuge in the refugee resettlement camps or
displaced villages set up by a local relief organization and a resistance group on the Thai-

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Burmese border21. However, people living in the refugee camps face a various difficulties,
including a lack of sufficient food or other supplies such as blankets, mosquito nets, etc. As a
result, many Mon displaced persons migrate across the border into Thailand to seek jobs,
often illegally.
Displaced women, including victims of rape, who travel to Thailand to work as illegal
migrant workers, are vulnerable to arrest by Thai authorities and exploitation and sexual
abuse by their employers22.
For example, a 15-year-old Mon girl working as a migrant worker in a fish and prawn
processing factory in the Mahachai area of Samut Sakhon province was raped by her
employer on July 23, 2004. She was staying in a rented apartment with her elder sister. Her
employer broke into her locked room, beat her elder sister and raped her.
Similar cases of rape have happened to women working as housemaids, who have been
sexually abused by the household heads or their sons. In some cases, even though the wives
knew their husbands had raped their housemaids from Burma, they kept silent, believing it
preferable to having their husbands visit brothels outside their homes.
Some women have been tricked by human traffickers into prostitution, and some raped by
soldiers or police at the border checkpoints which they pass on the way to Thailand23. In one
of the cases in this report, (case 32), a young woman travelling with her husband to Thailand
was raped by two former Burmese Army soldiers before crossing over at the Three Pagoda
Pass border point.

Conclusion

Testimonies in this and other reports by women's groups of Burma provide strong evidence
that sexual violence has become systemic under military rule in Burma. Lack of rule of law
and the climate of impunity for military rape has caused SPDC’s troops to become
increasingly emboldened in their acts of sexual violence, to the extent that have been brazenly
conscripting scores of women for purposes of sexual slavery.

It is clear that under the current system, no woman or girl is safe from rape and sexual
slavery, regardless of their location, whether in the civil war zones, the ceasefire areas or
“non-conflict” areas.

Women’s groups have been reiterating that there can be no other solution to the problem of
systemic sexual violence in Burma than an end to military rule. Unless the system of impunity

21
The local Mon relief organization, Mon Relief and Development Committee (MRDC) set up
three Mon refugee resettlement camps along Thailand-Burma border after the 1995 NMSP-
SPDC ceasefire in order to resettle the Mon refugees from Thailand who were spontaneously
repatriated due to pressure from the Thai authorities’ pressure and without international
monitoring. MRDC also set up over 10 villages in NMSP controlled areas, to settle the
families of Internally Displaced Persons who fled from conflict zones into NMSP areas.
According to MRDC, there are about 40,000 IDPs in the NMSP areas.
22
Thousands of ethnic Mon migrant workers, including many women, are working in fishing
industries in Thailand’s Samutsakorn, Samutprakan and Ranong Provinces and in
agricultures and rubber plantations in the southern part of Thailand. Additionally, many
women are also employed as housemaids in many Thai families’ households.
23
Although the SPDC’s GONGO the Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation has claimed that
it is fighting against human trafficking, corrupt local SPDC authorities in border areas are
routinely collaborating with human traffickers and profiting from taxes collected from migrant
workers passing through their checkpoints.

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for military rape is ended, and the political problems relating to equal rights for ethnic peoples
and the restoration of democracy in Burma are solved, the culture of violence will continue to
escalate, and the suffering of all civilians - including women and children - will continue.

Recommendations
The (Mon) Woman and Child Rights Project – Southern Burma (Myanmar) in collaboration
with the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) make the following
recommendations:

To the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)

1. To immediately stop its militarization program throughout Burma, implement a nationwide


ceasefire and withdraw all Burma Army troops from the ethnic areas;
2. To fully implement the resolutions on Burma adopted by the UNCHR since 1992.

To the Royal Thai Government

1. To provide protection and allow humanitarian assistance to civilians who have fled from
human rights abuses (and not just "armed conflict") in Burma, and allow UNHCR to extend
its activities for the protection of the refugees from Burma who suffer from systematic
persecution;

2. To continue the RTG's efforts for democratization in Burma by coordinating with Burma's
immediate neighbours and other ASEAN countries, to demand that the SPDC hold genuine
political dialogue with the pro-democracy opposition, including the National League for
Democracy (NLD) and United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), and non-Burman ethnic
nationalities.

To members of ASEAN:
1. To raise the issue of state-sponsored sexual violence in Burma with the SPDC, based on its
obligations under the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the
ASEAN region which was signed by SPDC on June 30, 2004;
2. In order to end state-sponsored sexual violence, to use economic and diplomatic means to
pressure the SPDC to begin a process of meaningful political reform, and to actively support
the efforts of the UN and other key stakeholders to achieve peace, human rights and
democracy in Burma.

To the international community:


1. To call for UN bodies to authorize comprehensive sanctions against the regime including
an arms embargo until genuine democratic reform takes place in Burma
2. To coordinate with Burma's regional neighbours, particularly ASEAN members, to
pressure the SPDC to begin a process of meaningful political reform, which will lead to a
restoration of democracy and the rule of law.

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Appendix 1
Date of Age of Type of Perpetrator Circumstance Details Action
no abuse woman, abuse of abuse taken
Ethnicity
Township
of origin
1 Dec 3 17 Rape SPDC Capt She was The commander -
1995 Karen Thein Soe, returning accused her of
LIB 407 with other being linked to
villagers Karen insurgents,
from a Mon then demanded she
refugee become his wife.
Yebyu
camp, when When she refused,
a group of he threatened to
soldiers kill her and raped
blocked their her.
path
2 June 15 27 Rape SPDC Sgt. She was at He climbed into When
1997 Mon Than Sein, home when a her house and villagers
LIB 403 group of raped her. When complained
soldiers other villagers to the
arrived at her intervened, he ran company
village away leaving his officer, he
Kya-inn- hat and trousers. just scolded
seikyi them and
warned
them not to
tell anyone.
3 Aug 27 19 Rape SPDC Maj She was at The troops -
1997 Mon Lin Maung, home with arrested her father
LIB 273 her father and beat him,
when a accusing him of
column of contacting Karen
Eastern Ye troops came soldiers. The
to her village commander then
pointed a gun at
her and raped her
in the house.
4 July 26 21,26 Gang- SPDC The women While the troops The
1998 Karen rape troops from were at home were interrogating headmen
(sisters) IB 61, led when troops villagers about complained
by Col. entered their Karen troops, a to the
Than Win village squad of soldiers commander
arrested the two Col. Than
Yebyu
sisters and raped Win, but he
them repeatedly. ignored
them and
had them
beaten
5 June 99 25 Attem- SPDC She was at When Corporal Although
Mon pted Corporal home when Myo Myint tried this case
rape, Myo Myint, 25 SPDC to rape her, she was well-
killed IB 25 troops came fought back, so he known, no
Yebyu and looted stabbed her with action was
her village his army knife, taken
killing her on the against the
spot. rapist.

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6 Sept 99 16 Gang- SPDC She was at They pointed their The
Mon rape troops from home when a gun and tied her headmen
IB 103 patrol came up then raped her were too
to her house. one by one. afraid to
Yebyu
complain to
the
commander
7 Oct 3 16, 17 Gang- SPDC They were in The girls were -
1999 Karen rape, troops from their village beaten and raped
torture LIB 120, led when SPDC repeatedly. The
by Lt. Col troops came troops cut 1 girl’s
Maung and accused breasts with a
Kya-inn-
Maung Oo them of knife. They poured
seikyi
being wives hot water into the
of rebel other girl’s nose.
soldiers
8 Oct 15 24 Rape, SPDC She was The soldier raped -
1999 Mon killed Private returning the girl and then
Aung Win, from killed her.
Pegu
IB 77 meditating at
a pagoda
9 April n.a. (4 Mon Gang- SPDC They were The women were -
2000 women) rape troops from arrested as made to carry
while LIB 104 porters from heavy loads and
being their village were beaten and
Yebyu
porters kicked. For 3
nights, they were
repeatedly raped.
10 June 29 Rape SPDC Maj. She was at The commander -
2000 Mon Khin Soe, home when raped her while
LIB 273 troops came many soldiers
Ye
to her village guarded the
compound
11 August 50 Gang- SPDC She was A group of -
2000 Karen rape, troops from carrying rice soldiers raped her
killed IB 31 from her one by one and
farm. The then stabbed her to
Kya-inn- troops death with army
seikyi accused her knives.
of taking it to
the rebels.
12 Sept 23 28 Rape SPDC Sgt She was The Sgt ordered -
2000 Mon San Win, doing forced her to come to his
Yebyu LIB 282 labour for the barracks at night
troops. and then raped her.
13 July 28 40,50,20 Rape, Village The women The men climbed The
2001 Mon Attem- militia were in their into the houses villagers
pted commander houses at and raped two arrested the
rape U Aung Win night. women, slashing men, and
and one of them with their reported
his men knives. They the case to
attempted to rape the SPDC
Yebyu
another woman. military,
but the men
were only
dismissed
from the
militia.
14 Oct 8 30 Rape SPDC Sgt The woman The soldier seized -
2001 Mon Kyaw Myint was in her her, holding a
farm-hut knife at her throat,
Ye with her then raped her. He
husband and beat her and
baby. almost killed her.

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15 Jan 5 20 Attem- SPDC Sgt She was in He sneaked into -
2002 Mon pted from LIB her house. her house and tried
rape 343 to rape her, but she
called for help and
Thanbyu-
other villagers
zayat
came and stopped
him.
16 Jan 17 30 Rape SPDC Sgt. She was He threatened her Her
2002 Mon Zaw Moe, coming back with his gun, and relatives
LIB 851 to her house raped her. took the
with her son case to the
after battalion
Pa-an watching TV. com-
manders
but they
threatened
to kill her.
17 June 7 27 Rape SPDC She was He came into her The family
2002 Karen officer U sleeping in bedroom and took the
Aung her house; raped her. case to the
Khaing, LIB her husband village
343 was out chairman,
fishing but he did
Kya-inn- not dare
seikyi report it to
the
battalion
commander
18 June 14 22 Rape SPDC She was She was arrested Her parents
2002 Mon township traveling to with other informed
authority U the Thai travelers for illegal intelligence
Than Win border. migration. U Than officers but
Ye Win detained her no news of
in a house and action
raped her. taken
19 July 8 18 Gang- 3 SPDC She was The soldiers The
2002 Mon rape soldiers walking dragged her into a villagers
from LIB home with rubber plantation did not dare
587 friends. and gang raped her complain to
till she lost the
Ye consciousness. battalion
commander
because
they were
afraid.
20 July 22 16 Rape, SPDC She was The soldier raped IB 62
2002 Mon killed soldier preparing a her in the house. released the
Thein meal for When her father news that
Naing, IB Buddhist tried to call for the
62 monks at her help, he was killed villagers
(no. Ta- grandparents’ by the soldier. had been
176399) house. Other soldiers killed in
joined in the fighting
Thanbyu- fighting, killing with
zayat the girl and 3 insurgents.
others. NMSP
lodged a
complaint
but to no
avail.

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21 Feb 26 17 Rape SPDC Sgt. She was She was told she Her
2003 Mon Than Hlaing forced to take could go home, relatives
of LIB 587 guard duty of but was raped by complained
the railway Sgt Than Hlaing to the
and pipeline on the way. SPDC Batt.
route at night commander
but he told
Ye both sides
to keep the
case quiet
and gave
her a small
amount of
cash.
22 Dec 9 20 Gang- SPDC Capt. She was She was taken
2003 Mon rape, Hla Khaing arrested after with the troops
sexual and his her father and gang-raped
slavery troops, LIB was arrested repeatedly for 2
586 on suspicion months. She was
Ye
of being a 5-6 months
rebel agent. pregnant and gave
birth prematurely
after the ordeal.
23 end of 23 Rape, SPDC IB She was After making
Dec Mon sexual 299 officers ordered with dinner for the
2003 slavery other women officers, she (and
to do forced other women)
labour at the were made to
Ye
army camp. massage the
officers and then
raped by them.

24 Jan 1 38 Gang- SPDC Lt She and her She was detained


2004 Mon rape, Ngwe Soe father were for over 3 months
Ye sexual and troops detained for and raped
slavery of LIB 586 interrogation repeatedly. She
about Mon and her father had
rebels. to pay 250,000
kyats for their
release.
25 Jan 3 17 Rape SPDC She went to He raped her, then Her father
2004 Mon Corporal meet the threatened her and and village
Naing Naing Corporal left her. headman
of 4th believing he complained
military was in love to the
training with her. commander
centre of of the
S.E. training
command centre, but
Thanbyu-
they were
zayat
forced to
sign a
document
pardoning
the rapist.

26 Jan 15 n.a. (2 Mon Rape SPDC Lt. Their house They were taken
2004 women) Thi Min was looted to the head office
Hteike, IB by SPDC of LIB 586 and
Ye 61 troops and then raped by Lt.
they were Thi Min Hteike.
arrested.

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27 Jan 17 21 Gang- SPDC Capt. She was She was raped by
2004 Mon rape Hla Khaing arrested after the commander
and his her and then raped by
troops, grandparents his troops.
LIB 586 were beaten
Ye
up and
accused of
being rebel
supporters
28 Jan 19. 20 Rape, SPDC Capt Her father Capt Hla Khaing
2004 Mon sexual Hla Khaing, was arrested took her into a
slavery LIB 586 and accused house, drove out
of having the owner and
contact with raped her. He
Mon rebels; raped her
Ye
she was then repeatedly for 2
called to days.
negotiate the
release of her
father.
29 Feb 14 25 Gang SPDC The soldier
2004 Mon rape soldiers threatened her
under with a knife gang-
command of raped her. When
Ye Capt Hla she shouted for
Khaing LIB help other
586 villagers came and
rescued her.
30 Feb 17 17 Rape SPDC The soldier raped
2004 Mon soldier her in her house.
under
command of
Capt Hla
Khaing LIB
586

Ye

31 May 11 20,22 Rape SPDC Capt They were in The soldiers Nobody
2004 Mon Nyi Nyi their houses. forced their dared
Lwin, LIB parents out of their complain
586 houses, then Capt about the
Ye
Nyi Nyi Lwin cases.
raped their
daughters.
32 Aug 10 18 Rape SPDC Sgt She was He robbed the Villagers
2004 Mon Tin Oo from travelling by other passengers, arrested
LIB 406 boat near her seized her and him and
Yebyu village raped her for a day tied him
and night; she had up.
to be hospitalized
33 Sept 18,24 Rape SPDC They were at In one case, the One mother
2004 Mon troops from home, one soldier raped the and the
LIB 282 was bathing girl in her home, village
in the river after threatening to headman
kill the family if went to
they shouted. In meet the

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Yebyu the other case, the LIB 282
soldier raped the commander
woman when she but he
was bathing, denied the
threatening to kill incident
her. and even
shouted at
them.
34 Sept 15 19 Gang- Ex SPDC She was her They beat her She took
2004 Mon rape soldiers U husband husband the case to
Soe Aung were trying unconscious then NMSP
and Maung to enter raped her. officers,
Yangon Thailand to who tried
Kya-inn-
find work. to arrest the
seikyi
rapists but
they
escaped.
35 Sept 04 14 Gang- SPDC She was She was taken by
Mon rape, troops from arrested as the soldiers and
sexual LIB 282 and her father gang-raped for
Ye slavery 401 was accused several days.
of contact
with Mon
rebels
36 Sept 19 14 Rape SPDC Capt She was at He and his troops
2004 Mon Nay Lin of home with arrived in her
LIB 409 her mother. house. He raped
her, threatening
her & her mother
Yebyu with a knife. Her
hand was cut.

37 Oct 23 16,18,18,22 Gang- SPDC They were They were gang


2004- Mon rape, troops from taken as raped for several
Nov 2 sexual IB61 "comfort days. The
2004 slavery women" for commander
the troops claimed the young
who had set women had some
Ye up base in contact with the
their village rebel group, but in
fact did not
question them,
only raped them.

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Appendix 2
Detailed Cases of Sexual Violations

Case 1

Name: Naw M-- N--


Age: 17 years
Marital status: Single
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (to parents)
Location: XX village, Yebyu township
Date of incident: December 3,1995
Perpetrator: Captain Thein Soe, SPDC LIB 407

When a group of displaced villagers went back to their village from a Mon border
refugee camp, they met a group of Burmese soldiers. They were blocked by the
soldiers and questioned by the commander. While the commander was interrogating
the displaced persons, he also raped a young woman in the group. The victim, Naw
M-- N--, told her story as follows:
“When I responded to the Captain that I could not speak Burmese, he said he also was
a Karen and interrogated me in Karen.
“He asked me how I was related to that old woman and the man. I answered that she
was my grandmother and the man my cousin. Asked whether I knew Dah Leih (the
name of a Karen commander) and his (armed) group, my answer was “no,” but he
said I was a Karen and so must have known them, the Karen insurgents.
“He asked me why I had gone to live in the refugee camp, rather than in my own
village. To this question, I explained that I did so because I no longer had my parents
to rely on, and could not earn my own livelihood and so I had no other means except
to follow my grandmother to live in the refugee camp. When the Captain asked what
we were provided with in the refugee village, I answered that we got rice, prawn
paste and salt. Asked what was my job, I replied slash-and-burn farming. He then said
it was very tiresome work and I should live together with him, as he pitied me. Also,
he continued that if I did so, I would not be in trouble and need to do such hard work
and for this he would take me as a wife.
“When I responded that it would not be possible, the Captain forcefully drew me
close to him and embraced me. When I struggled out from him and shouted to my
grandmother for help, he said I must be killed and buried, pointing to a mattock
nearby.
“Scolding me sharply that I must be quiet and not make him become bad-tempered,
the Captain forcibly raped me.”

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Case 2

Name: Ma T-- N--


Age: 27 years
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: XX Village, Kya-inn-seikyi Township, Karen State
Date of incident: June 15, 1997
Perpetrator: Sergeant Than Sein, SPDC LIB 403

On 15th June, 1997, no sooner had a company including about 30 men of LIB No. 403
arrived at XX Village, Taung-bauk Village Tract, Kya-inn-seikyi Township, Karen
State, when a 27-year-old Mon woman Mi T-- N--, 27, was raped. She was a mother
of 2 children.
The company’s Sergeant Than Sein climbed up to her house. When he found there
were no men in the house, he raped her. The incident occurred even though it was
day-time.
When she shouted for help, all the villagers nearby ran to help her, holding sticks,
swords and spears. The rapist, Sergeant Than Sein, then ran away, leaving his jungle
hat and military trousers behind.
Although the villagers submitted the case together with the items of evidence to the
company officer, he just scolded them and gave them a warning not to expose the
case to other people.

Case 3

Name: Mi H--
Age: 19 years
Marital status: Single
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (to parents)
Location: XX Village, (Eastern part of) Ye township
Date of incident: August 27, 1997
Perpetrator: Commander Maj. Lin Maung, SPDC LIB 273

On August 27, 1997, a column of Burmese Army troops from LIB No. 273 led by
Maj. Lin Maung came into a Mon village, XX, in the eastern part of Ye township.
The commander of the troops himself raped a girl Mi H--- (19 years old) to punish
her father who was accused of contacting the KNLA’s local battalion.
Soon after the troops arrived in the village, they arrested the victim’s father, Nai P--
(53 years old) and tied him up in the outer open room of his house. During the
interrogation, the soldiers beat him and asked him how often he had gone to meet the
KNLA soldiers. The soldiers also gathered other village leaders in front of Nai P--’s
house during the interrogation. While the soldiers were torturing the man, the
commander, Maj. Lin Maung, went into the inner room of the house and pointed a
gun at his daughter to rape her. The girl resisted and asked for help from her father,

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but the commander carried on and raped her. Although the father heard the suffering
of his daughter, he could not help because of the gun pointed at him.
Other village headmen also heard the cries of the girl, but they could not help. After
the rape, the commander came out from the inner room and said to the man that if he
continued contacting KNLA soldiers, he would again be punished and his daughter
would be raped.

Case 4

Name: Naw M-- T-- & Naw M-- N--


Age: 21 & 26 years old
Marital status: Unmarried (both)
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependents (on parents)
Location: XX village, Kya-inn-seikyi Township, Karen State.
Date of incident: July 26,1998
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from IB No. 61 led by Col. Than Win

On July 26, 1998, when the troops of IB No. 61 led by Col. Than Win moved from
Mon State to Three Pagodas pass, a border town with Thailand, they went into a
Karen village called XX on the Zami river bank and a group of soldier raped two
Karen sisters.
Before the soldiers arrived at the village, they were attacked by KNLA soldiers and
believed that the villagers from XX supported these rebel soldiers. They quickly
entered the village and arrested all the headmen and interrogated them about why the
rebel soldiers had arrived so close to their village. While the commander and some of
his soldiers were interrogating the village headmen, another squad of soldiers went
into a house and arrested two sisters, Naw M-- T-- (21 years old) and Naw M-- N--
(26 years old) and took them to another place. Then the group of soldiers raped them
repeatedly.

The headmen also knew about the rape and complained to the commander, Col. Than
Win. But he ignored the headmen and the soldiers also beat them again.

Case 5

Name: Mi Myaing
Age: 25 years
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewife
Location: Maw-khani village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: June 1999
Perpetrator: Corporal Myo Myint, SPDC IB No. 25

In June 1999, when IB No. 25 troops entered Maw-khani village, Yebyu Township,
Tenasserim Division, all the men in the village except elderly people fled to escape
being taken as porters. Some soldiers also climbed into many villagers’ houses and
looted belongings and attempted to rape women.

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When a low ranking officer, Corporal Myo Myint, tried to rape Mi Myaing (25 years
old), she refused and fought against him. He lost his temper and killed her by
stabbing her with his army knife. She died on the spot.
This incident of attempted rape and murder was well-known to the commander of IB
No. 25, but no action was taken against Corporal Myo Myint.

Case 6

Name: Mi T-- A--


Age: 16 years
Marital status: Single
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: September 1999
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from IB No. 103

In September 1999, when troops of IB No. 103 went into XX village, Yebyu
Township, Tenasserim Division, during their military patrol, some soldiers tried to
rape a young girl. The young girl, Mi T-- A-- (only 16 years old) was very beautiful
and the soldiers noticed her during the daytime.
In the evening, a group of soldiers discussed raping her. After sunset, the soldiers
went to her house and some soldiers took her parents away at gunpoint. They then
aimed their guns at her and tied her up. They raped her one by one until she lost
consciousness.
As the village headmen were afraid of the battalion commander, they did not report
the case to him. Therefore, the soldiers who were involved in this gang-rape were not
punished.

Case 7

Name: Naw B-- B-- & Naw M-- K--


Ages: 16 & 17 years
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewives
Location: XX village, Kya-inn-seikyi Township, Karen State
Date of incident: October 3 1999
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from LIB No. 120, led by Lt. Col. Maung Maung Oo

On October 3, 1999, SPDC troops from LIB No. 120 led by Lt. Col Maung Maung
Oo went into XX village and stayed there for one week to check who were the
supporters of KNLA soldiers and wives of rebel soldiers. The Burmese soldiers
arrested 12 villagers including two women.
The soldiers tortured 10 men by cutting off some of their ears, as well as beating,
kicking and burning them with fire. The soldiers also tortured two women, Naw B--
B-- (16 years old) and Naw M-- K-- (17 years old). These two women were married
women and their husbands had fled from the village to avoid being arrested by
Burmese soldiers. Thus, the soldier said their husband were Karen soldiers. They
tortured the two women cruelly.

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First, after beating the two women during interrogation, the soldiers raped them
repeatedly. As the women denied their husbands were rebel soldiers, the soldiers also
cut Naw B-- B--‘s breasts with a knife. Because of this serious injury, the woman lost
consciousness. Then the soldiers also poured hot water into Naw M-- K--‘s nose. Her
whole face was burnt with hot water and her skin was severely damaged. Her face
became totally red and severely painful. Naw M-- K-- had a four-month-old baby and
although she asked to feed milk to her baby, the soldiers did not allow her. Her
hungry baby cried for the whole day.
This rape and accompanying torture by the Burmese Army were apparently intended
to instill fear into Karen villagers so that they would not contact KNLA troops.

Case 8

Name: Ma Kwar Nyo Thin


Age: 24 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: Pegu Town, Pegu Division
Date of incident: October 15, 1999
Perpetrator: Private Soldier Aung Win, SPDC IB No. 77

In October, 1999, during the period of communal violence between Buddhist monks
and Muslims (then between Buddhist monks and SPDC authorities), SPDC put many
hundreds of troops in Pegu Town, the capital of Pegu Division, surrounding many
monasteries.
While the soldiers were guarding Pegu town to stop the potential riot, some soldiers
also tried to rape women who worshipped at the pagodas. On October 15, a soldier,
Aung Win, from IB No. 77 raped and then killed a girl, Ma Kwar Nyo Thin (24 years
old), when she returned home after meditation in Shwe Kyet Yet pagoda. The soldier
had apparently looked for an opportunity to rape the girl for several days, and had
studied the time that the girl went to pagoda and returned.
It is speculated that the soldier killed the girl to prevent her from identifying him,
because he was worried the case could be brought against him.

Case 9

Name: 4 women (names unknown)


Age range: ~ 25 to 60 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmers
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident – April 2000
Perpetrator – SPDC troops from LIB No. 104

In April 2000, when LIB 104 led by Lt. Col Yatkha went into XX village, Yebyu
Township, the soldiers tried to arrest all the men as porters. This village is a Mon
village with over 500 households. However, the men, who had received advance
information about the arrest, fled outside of the village and hid in forests and their

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plantations. Therefore the soldiers were quite angry and seized some women instead
as porters from their houses.

The soldiers seized 13 ethnic Mon women in the village: Mi K-- Y--, Mi Y-- O--, Mi
N--, Mi M-- T--, Mi S--, Mi T-- O--, Mi K--, Mi C--. Mi S--, Mi K--, Mi S-- and two
others. The age range of these women was between 23 and 60 years old, some
married and some unmarried. The soldiers took these women for porter service in
their military patrol for three days and three nights.

During porter service, the soldiers forced the women porters to carry about 25
kilograms of ammunition or food supplies and forced them to walk for the whole day
with that weight. When the women could not walk as fast as the soldiers, they shout,
beat and kicked the women porters, treating them like the male porters who had been
seized from another village. During porter service, two women, Mi K-- Y-- and Mi T-
- O--, who could not manage to keep up with the soldiers, were kicked by a Sergeant.

After sunset, the soldiers grouped them in one place and let them sleep. After
midnight, some soldiers came and pointed their guns at some young women and
separated them from the group and some commanders raped them. About 4 women
(the witness did not identify their names) were separated from the group during three
nights and were repeatedly raped.

Case 10

Name: Mi K-- H--


Age: 29 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Location: XX, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: June, 2000
Perpetrator: Maj Khin Soe, SPDC LIB 273

In June 2000, when the troops from LIB No. 273 went into XX village, the column
commander, Maj. Khin Soe, raped a Mon women, Mi K-- H-- (about 29 years old)
when her husband was away. When the troops arrived in the village, the commander
found her house and thought Mi K-- H-- was a widow. At night time, although the
woman resisted and explained she had a husband, the commander did not listen and
raped her. Even though many villagers and the village headman knew the woman was
being raped, nobody dared to help her because there were many soldiers guarding her
house compound.

Case 11

Name: Naw Laung


Age: 50 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: Win-laung village, Kya-Inn-Seikyi Township, Karen State
Date of incident: August 2000
Perpetrator: Troops from SPDC IB No.31

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In August, 2000, when about 60 troops of IB No. 31 launched military activities
against KNLA along the Zami river in Kya-Inn-Seikyi township, Karen State, the
soldiers arrested one woman, Naw Laung (50 years old) in Win-laung village. She
was accused of being a rebel supporter when the soldier found her carrying rice, and
they accused her of sending food to the rebel soldiers.

She denied this and said she had just got back from her farm, but the soldiers did not
believe her. Then, a group of soldiers raped her one by one. Then, accusing her of
being a relative of the rebel soldiers who made military attacks against them in the
area, they killed her by stabbing her with army knives.

Case 12

Name: Mi S-- H--


Age: 28 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: XX Village, Yebyu township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: September 23, 2000
Perpetrator: Sergeant San Win, SPDC LIB No. 282

On September 20, the army commander from LIB No. 282 asked XX village headmen
to provide 25 villagers from the village to contribute free labour in growing palm trees
in the plantation. The commander also instructed the village headmen that the
villagers had to contribute their labour for three days from 21st to 23rd September, and
they could return on 24th September. He also ordered the villagers to carry their own
food. The village headmen had to send the requested villager labourers on the evening
of the 20th.
Among the 25 villagers, there were 12 men and the remaining 13 were women. This
group of villagers worked together in the plantation for three days. Their main work
was to clear the grass, dig holes and plant small palm trees. On the evening of
September 23, just before the villagers were due to return home, one of the women was
raped.
In the evening, at about 7 o’clock, after the group of villagers finished having dinner,
the commander, Sergeant San Win told the group leader, Nai Maung Sein, that he
would like to meet with Mi S-- H--, to give some tree plants to her. The leader said that
it was night-time, so it was not good to meet with the woman and he suggested he
should meet her the next day. However, the commander refused, so the group leader
told Mi S-- H-- to meet the Sergeant and suggested that she take another girl to
accompany her.
When she arrived at the barracks, the commander ordered the other girl to stay outside
the barracks, saying he wanted to meet only Mi S-- H--. Then the commander brought
Mi S-- H-- to a kitchen building near the barracks, where he pushed her over and raped
her.

Case 13

Name: Mi P--
Age: 40 years old

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Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewife
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: July 28, 2001
Perpetrator: Pro-SPDC village militia commander U Aung Win & one of his militiamen

Name: Ma M-
Age: 50 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewife
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: July 28, 2001
Perpetrator: Pro-SPDC village militia commander U Aung Win & one of his militiamen

Name: Mi K-- L--


Age: 20
Marital status: Uunmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: July 28, 2001
Perpetrator: Pro-SPDC village militia commander U Aung Win & one of his militiamen

On July 28, 2001, two members of the Yapu village militia force raped two women and
attempted to rape a woman in XX village, Yebyu township of Tenasserim Division,
when they were drunk.

In the evening of July 28, the deputy-commander of the Yapu militia force, U Aung
Win and one of his followers, went and visited their friends in XX village, which is
about 10 miles away from their village. While they were with their friends, they drank
a lot of local alcohol and by midnight had become drunk, so their friends kept their
guns and said they would give them back in the morning.
The two militiamen left their friends’ house and tried to climb into other villagers’
houses where there were only women because their husbands were away in farms or
working in fruit plantations. When they climbed into these houses, they took their
knives along with them.

U Aung Win’s follower climbed into the house of a woman called Ma M-. He tried to
rape her by pointing his sharp knife at her. When the woman refused, he cut her hands
with the knife, and pointed his knife at her throat and other body parts and then raped
her. She dared not cry for help for fear of being killed.

U Aung Win climbed into another house where there was only one women, Mi P--
(about 40 years old) and tried to rape her. When she resisted the rape, he cut Mi P--’s
hands, then pointed his knife at her and raped her, After the rape, she lost
consciousness due to heavy blood loss. Then U Aung Win climbed into another house
nearby, where there was only a young lady, Mi K-- L-- (about 20 years old) and tried to
rape her. When she realized the man was trying to rape her, she cried for help urgently.
When he tried to stab her with the knife, she ran out of her house and escaped.

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After hearing her cries, the other villagers came to help her. When they found out that
the two militiamen had raped some women in the village, they went to help the other
two women, Mi P-- and Ma M--. When the villagers arrived, Mi P-- had lost a lot of
blood and was in a serious condition. The villagers could not stop the blood flow and
they sent her urgently by truck to Yapu village for treatment.

As Ma M-- did not have serious injuries, the villagers did not take her to the medic for
treatment. Then the XX villagers arrested the two rapists and sent them to Yapu village
and told the military commanders about the rape cases and violence. However, the
rapists did not receive any serious punishment and were simply dismissed from the
militia.

Case 14

Name: Mi H-- Y--


Age: 30 years
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: near XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: October 8, 2001
Perpetrator: Sergeant Kyaw Myint, SPDC IB No. 61

On October 8, 2001, a low ranking commander of IB No. 61, Sergeant Kyaw Myint,
who was responsible for the security of a bridge near XX village, about 10 miles from
Ye town in the north, went to the village drunk with liquor he had looted from a shop
in a village that evening.

When he returned to his temporary outpost by the bridge, he was alone and walked
back in the dark. He entered a hut owned by Nai Htai on a plantation on his return
journey and asked the farmers to give him 100,000 Kyat as a ransom. He said he was
from a rebel group. The farmers did not believe him because of his fluent Burmese
and told him that they had no money and begged him to forgive them. The Sergeant
also threatened to kill them, but in the end, he agreed that the farmers had no money
and told them to show him how to get to his outpost.

The farmer took him part of the way until they came to another farm-hut owned by a
villager called Nai M--. The Sergeant then allowed the farmer to return home, and
went into the second farm-hut, where he met Nai M--, his daughter Mi H-- Y-- and
her husband Nai M-- D--. Mi H-- Y-- was about 30 years old and she had a small
baby with her. The Sergeant told them the same story, that he had been sent by a rebel
group and he needed 100,000 Kyat ransom from them. The farmer pleaded with him,
saying they had no money on the farm to pay him. But this time, Kyaw Myint took a
long knife from the farm-hut and kidnapped the woman. He added that if they didn’t
give him a ransom of 100,000 Kyat, he would take the woman away. He put his knife
to the woman’s throat and threatened to burn down their farm-hut. When he realized
that he could not get the money, he took the woman with him.

About 15 minutes after leaving the farm-hut, he shoved her down onto the ground and
he demanded sex from her. The woman begged him not to rape her and explained she
was the mother of a baby. But the Sergeant ignored her and punched her in the
stomach once and then raped her.

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After the rape, he took the woman along with him down the slippery road in the dark.
Whenever she could not keep her footing and fell down, the Sergeant beat her. Then,
when they got near to the village cemetery, he took her in there, apparently intending
to kill her. She cried and said that she would not tell anyone about the rape. He then
changed his mind and took her to a deserted farm-hut.

He warned her that there were land mines in the surrounding area, and if she tried to
run, she would be blown up by a mine. The woman was too frightened to run away.
In the hut, he tried to rape the woman again. But the woman pretended she had a
stomachache and appealed to him not to rape her again.

The hut was close to a soldiers’ outpost for the security of the bridge and the Sergeant
said he would go there to speak to his friends. He warned her again not to run away,
saying that if she ran she would be killed by the land mines in the area. Then he left.
The woman thought that if a group of soldiers came and raped her, she would also be
killed so she decided to run in spite of her fear of the landmines. She was also
worried about her small baby and hurried back to her farm-hut. She arrived back at
her hut at about midnight.

Case 15

Name: Mi A-- C--


Age: ~ 20 years
Marital status: Single
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Mon teacher
Location: XX village, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State
Date of incident: January 5, 2002
Perpetrator: a Sergeant from SPDC LIB No. 343 (name unknown)

On January 5, 2002, a Sergeant from LIB No. 343 attempted to rape a Mon teacher,
Mi A-- C--, at about 7 o’clock in the evening at XX village.

LIB No. 343 was based in XX and that evening, the army sergeant sneaked into the
teacher’s house while she was alone and tried to rape her. She immediately called
for help, and the villagers in the surrounding area arrived in time to prevent him from
committing the rape. The villagers knew that the Sergeant had been planning to rape
the teacher for some days already, and so they were quick to stop his attempt.
However, they did not dare to arrest him.

Case 16

Name: Mi S-- H--


Age: 30 years
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewife
Location: XX village, Pa-an Township, Karen State
Date of incident: January 17, 2002
Perpetrator: Sergeant Zaw Moe, SPDC LIB 851

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On January 17, 2002, Sergeant Zaw Moe of LIB No. 851 raped a Mon women Mi S--
H--, when she came back from watching TV at 10:30 pm.

She was living in XX village in Pa-an Township of Karen State. When she came back
after watching TV with her 7-year-old son, Sergeant Zaw Moe seized her and
attempted to rape her.

Mi S-- H-- said: “Release me, or I will scream!” He said: “If you scream, I will kill
you,’ and he showed his gun to her. She was so afraid, she did not dare scream.

People passing by were alerted by Mi S-- H--’s child, who had been left out on the
road and was crying. When they stopped to ask the child what was wrong, they saw
the rapist.

Mi S-- H--’s relatives reported the rape to the village chairman and then to the
battalion commanders. However, when the LIB No. 851 commanders learned about
the case, they threatened to kill Mi S-- H--. She therefore did not dare pursue the
case.

Case 17

Name: Naw W-- Y--


Age: 27 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: XX Village, Kya-inn-seikyi Township, Karen State
Date of incident: June 7, 2002
Perpetrator: U Aung Khaing (a low-ranking officer), SPDC IB 24

On June 7, 2002, Aung Khaing, an officer from LIB 343, attempted to rape Naw W--
Y-- (27 years old) from XX village, when her husband went fishing at night.

At 10 pm, when she was sleeping in her house, the officer came into the bedroom and
raped her. She was afraid and did not dare to scream.

After he raped the woman, the officer Aung Khaing went back to his sleeping
quarters. He did not think the woman would speak out about what happened. The
family took the case to the village chairman, but the village chairman did not dare to
report the case to the battalion commander.

Case 18

Name: Mi K-- H--


Age: 22 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: June 14,2002
Perpetrator: SPDC township authority U Than Win

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On June 14, 2002, an official of Ye Township’s SPDC immigration department raped
a 22-year-old Mon woman after she was arrested by officials for illegally migrating to
Thailand.

On that day, the Deputy Chief of the township immigration department, U Than Win
(about 40 years old), was checking the passengers on all the trucks passing over Ye
river bridge, a large bridge in the town, and arrested 23 Mon villagers who were
suspected of migrating to Thailand to seek work, including 22-year-old Mi K— H—,
an unmarried woman from XX village, Ye Township, Mon State.

The group of villagers, including 2 alleged traffickers, were brought by the officials
and policemen to the police station to face trial. The officials also took 700,000 kyat
from those traffickers and villagers. They put the 2 traffickers on trial, and the
migrant villagers also needed to have their cases processed by the court.

The officials requested money for the release of these villagers. Some villagers paid
bribes to the officials and then they were released. However, Mi K-- H-- could not
pay in advance and appealed to pay later. But U Than Win did not accept this and
brought the young women to a house and raped her for the whole night.

The next day, he released the woman and let her return her home. The woman
informed her parents about the rape case and they also informed SPDC military
intelligence officers based in Ye township. The MI officers then reported the case to
township officials, but there has been no news of action taken against the perpetrator.

Case 19

Name: Mi K-- H--


Age: 18 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: July 8, 2002
Perpetrators: Three SPDC soldiers from LIB No. 587

On July 8, 2002, three soldiers from LIB No. 587 arrested an 18-year-old Mon girl
near Kun–doo village, in the northern part of Ye township, and gang-raped her.

The soldiers repeatedly raped the young girl, Mi K-- H--, until she lost consciousness.
The rape incident occurred half-way between the two Mon villages, XX and Kun-
doo, in the northern part of Ye Township. The native village of Mi K-- H-- is XX
village.

She and her two friends (a boy and a girl) had been paying a visit to Kun–doo village.
When they returned to their home in XX village, in the evening at about 4 o’clock,
they met those 3 soldiers. Fearing the soldiers, they turned back to Kun-doo village.

However, the soldiers followed them and dragged Mi K-- H-- into a rubber
plantation. Although the boy who was with her tried to stop them, the soldiers pointed
their guns at him and threatened to kill him. Then the boy ran to XX village to ask for
help from the villagers.

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The soldiers repeatedly raped Mi K-- H-- in the rubber plantation until she lost
consciousness. When a group of villagers arrived at the scene, the soldiers had
already left and they found only the unconscious and injured girl lying near a rubber
tree. They then carried her back to the village.

The villagers and the headman did not dare to inform the battalion commander,
because they were afraid. They kept quiet about what had happened. Among the three
soldiers, one soldier was a medic in the battalion and he was easily recognized by the
boy, who reported that the other two soldiers were ordinary soldiers. LIB No. 587 had
been based near that village since 2001 and it had confiscated many hundred acres of
land from the Kun-doo and XX villagers.

Case 20

Name: Mi Thu Zar


Age: 16 years old
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Student
Location: Kalein-pa-daw village, Thanbyuzayat
Date of incident: July 22, 2002
Perpetrator: Thein Naing (soldier), SPDC IB No. 62

Mi Thu Zar, aged 16, was raped by Thein Naing (Army No Ta-176399) at her
grandparents’ house on July 22, 2002 at 4.00 a.m. local time at Kalein-pa-daw village,
in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State while she was preparing a meal for the Buddhist
monks in the morning. Her father, Nai Kun Kyit, secretary of the village, went to call
for help from the neighbors, but was shot and killed by the soldier. When they heard
the gunshot, other SPDC soldiers outside the house began shooting into the house.
They killed Mi Thu Zar (16), Daw Kun Boh (65), wife of Nai Kun Kyit, Mr Wet Tey
(41), a hired worker, and Min Chit Thau (10), the grandchild of Nai Kun Kyit. The
rapist, Private Thein Naing (18), was also injured.
After the incident, the local Burmese Army IB No. 62 based in Thanbyuzayat released
the news that the fighting was between an insurgent group and the Burmese army.
Local members of the New Mon State Party then lodged a complaint in order that
formal legal action could be taken against the criminals, but there has been no
confirmed information about any legal proceedings against the soldiers who committed
the violations.

Case 21

Name: Mi M-- P--


Age: 17 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Taung-bone village tract, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: February 26, 2003
Perpetrator: Sergeant Than Hlaing, SPDC LIB No. 587

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The incident occurred on February 26, 2003, at night. Mi M-- P--’s household was
due to take the roster for guarding the railway line and the Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas
pipeline (near the same route), but her husband had gone fishing late in the evening
and he had not returned home. Therefore Mi M-- P-- took the roster on behalf of her
husband. At about 12 pm, the Sergeant and one of his privates came to the hut where
she was on duty.
He said: “Women don’t have to perform this duty, so go home.” Then Mi M-- P--
was taken along with them to return home. On the way, at XX village, the private
walked ahead and the boss put his hand on her mouth, pushed her down and raped
her.
After this rape, the relatives of the victim reported the case to the battalion
commander. The commander questioned both sides, Sergeant Than Hlaing and the
victim, Mi M-- P--, and he then ordered that the case be kept silent after giving a
small amount of cash to her.

Case 22

Name: Mi A-- L--


Age: 20 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Ye township
Date of incident: December 9, 2003
Perpetrator: Captain Hla Khaing & his troops, SPDC LIB No. 586

In the second week of December, a woman called Mi A-- L--, 20 years old, from XX
village was arrested by troops of Burmese Army’s LIB No. 586 soon after her father
was arrested on the accusation of being a rebel agent. Her father, Nai W--, had been
arrested by the commander of LIB No. 586, Captain Hla Khaing.

She was brought by the Burmese soldiers of LIB No. 586 and repeatedly raped by
both officers and soldiers. She was mostly gang-raped by the soldiers when they
launched a military operation. She was brought from one place to another or one
village to another by the soldiers and they raped her at night time. She was not fed
with sufficient food and could not sleep for several nights.

Her father disappeared and she never found him. She believed he was killed by the
soldiers.

When she arrived back at her home, she was extremely weak and ill. She said that she
had asked the soldier to kill her instead of raping her, but they continuously raped her.
When the soldiers arrived at her home village, they let her stay at her home for a
while and then when they left for military operations, they brought her along with
them again. Therefore, she was raped for over two months in total.

When she was arrested and gang-raped by the Burmese soldiers from LIB No. 586
soldiers, she was about 5-6 months pregnant. Her husband had fled to escape arrest
and killing by the Burmese soldiers.

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According to the latest information, she delivered a baby prematurely after only eight
months when the troops arrived at a Mon village, XX, about 5 kilometers from her
village. After she delivered the premature baby, she was taken care of by the
villagers.

Case 23

Name: Mi K-- H--


Age: 23 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Farmer
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: end of December 2003
Perpetrators: Soldiers from SPDC IB 299

At the end of December 2003, SPDC No. 3 Tactical Command, which was
conducting a military campaign in Southern Ye Township, Mon state, ordered the
village headmen to send three women daily in rotation to do basic work such as
cooking, carrying water, finding firewood, etc. for the military in the daytime and to
be raped during the nighttime. The women from many households in XX village and
six villages nearby were forced to send three women every day to the army
encampment, where IB No. 299 were temporarily based.
Mi K-- H--, 23, a woman who was raped said that women were forced to do the
cooking and the officers raped them during the night-time.
In the daytime they had to cook meals for them and carry water for their shower (for
the officers including even low ranking officers). After having dinner, they
demanded to have a massage, and when night fell, they raped the women. As the
rapes happened at their bases, the women could not resist at all.
The women were changed with another 3 women on a rotation basis the next day.
This conscription of ‘comfort women’ lasted nearly two months, during December
2003 and January 2004.
Only this woman, Mi K-- H--, confessed that she was raped while many women kept
silent about what happened to them during night-time at the military base.

Case 24

Name: (not known)


Age: 38 years
Marital status: Married with one child
Ethnicity: Mon
Location: XX, Yetaungshe, Ye Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: Jan 1, 2004
Perpetrators: Lt-Ngwe Soe & his soldiers from LIB 586

On the night of January 1, 2004, the 38-year-old woman and her father were taken by the
army to Yaung Yae Village to be interrogated about where the Mon splinter group was.
They were detained for over 3 months. While in detention, she was taken out by the soldiers
during the nights, on the pretext of being interrogated, but instead she was repeatedly raped.

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Both were released on April 3, 2004. They had to pay 250,000 Kyats to Lt. Ngwe Soe for
their release.

Case 25

Name: Mi M-- H--


Age: 17 years old
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State
Date of incident: January 3, 2004
Perpetrator: SPDC Corporal Naing Naing

On January 3, 2004, at night, a Corporal from the 4th military Training Center of
SPDC’s South-East Command raped a 17-year-old girl from XX village,
Thanbyuzayat Township.

Corporal Naing Naing of the Military Training Center stationed at Wae-ka-li village,
Thanbyuzayat Township, pretended that he was in love with Mi M-- H-- and invited
her to meet him. Mi M-- H-- unsuspectingly went to the appointed place, and was
raped by him.

After having been raped, Mi M-- H-- begged Corporal Naing Naing to marry her.
He not only refused to marry her, but also threatened her and then left her. Some
villagers who went to the rubber plantation after midnight to collect rubber sap found
her crying, and took her back home.

Mi M-- H--’s father and the village headman complained to the commander of the
Military Training Center about the rape, and demanded that action should be taken
against Corporal Naing Naing. However, without taking any action against the rapist,
the military authorities forced Mi M—H--’s father and the village headman to sign a
document retracting the accusation.
Several women in the area have been forced to run away from their work-place
because the soldiers from the artillery battalion near the 4th Military Training Centre
of South-East command have been attempting to rape the women workers on rubber
plantations.

Case 26

Name: Mi S-- & Mi K--


Age: n. a.
Ethnicity: Mon
Location: XX Village, Ye Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: Jan 15 2004
Perpetrators: Lt. Thi Min Hteike from SPDC IB 61

The soldiers from IB 61 destroyed their house, robbing 6 baskets of paddy, 2 baskets of rice,
& household possessions, altogether about 5 cartloads. They were taken to the head office of
LIB 586. The officer took the two girls to Nai Yun & Mi Noon's house and raped them.

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Case 27

Name: Mi M-- A--


Age: 21
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: 17 January 2004
Perpetrator: Captain Hla Khaing and his troops, SPDC LIB No. 586

On January 17, 2004, a woman called Mi M-- A-- (21 years old) from XX village was
arrested by troops of Burmese Army LIB No. 586 soon after her grandmother and
grandfather were beaten up by these soldiers who accused them of being rebel-
supporters. She was arrested by the Burmese soldiers of LIB No. 586 and was raped
by the commander Captain Hla Khaing.
When the soldiers arrested her, they said they were going to interrogate her about the
rebel group. They accused her of contacting the rebel group and then raped her in Nai
B-- T--’s house at 9 pm in the village. Then they released her the next morning.

Case 28

Name: Mi M-- H--


Age: 20 years old
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: 19 January 2004
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from LIB No. 586 led by Captain Hla Khaing

Case 29

Name: Mi S-- W--


Age: 25 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewife
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: 14 February 2004
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from LIB No. 586 led by Captain Hla Khaing

Case 30

Name: Mi Z-- T--


Age: 17 years old
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)

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Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: 17 February 2004
Perpetrator: SPDC troops from LIB No. 586 led by Captain Hla Khaing

Captain Hla Khaing of SPDC’s 58th IB and his troops who were fighting against a
Mon splinter group raped Mi M-- H--, 20, daughter of Nai S--, from XX village.
Soldiers under the Captain’s command also gang-raped Mi S-- W--, 25 from XX
Village and Mi Z-- T--, 17, from XX village.

Other villagers who were aware of the cases have blamed the raped women. Because
of this, the raped women no longer dare live in their villages and have run away to
other villages. Mi M-- H--’s niece said she was taking refuge in Ye Town. People
who are close to Mi S-- W-- and Mi Z-- T-- said they also were hiding in other
villages in the Northern Ye area.

Captain Hla Khine arrested Mi M-- H--’s father, accusing him of having contact with
the splinter Mon armed group. While the accused was being beaten in custody, the
captain called Mi M-- H-- to negotiate with her about the release of her father. At
night Captain Hla Khine took Mi M-- H--, who had come to meet him in the hope of
helping her father, to a house, drove out the owner of the house and then raped her.
He detained her for two days and raped her repeatedly.

In the case of Mi S-- W--, soldiers gang-raped her by threatening her with a knife.
When she shouted for help, other villagers came to her rescue. However, the villagers
who had saved her, then started blaming her, causing her to run away.

Mi Z-- T-- said she felt too ashamed to cry out for help while she was being assaulted
by soldiers in her house.

Case 31

Name: Mi S--, Mi K--


Age: 20 years & 22 years old
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: 11 May 2004
Perpetrator: Captain Nyi Nyi Lwin, SPDC LIB No. 586

During the military offensives against the Mon splinter group in the southern part of
Ye Township, Captain Nyi Nyi Lwin of LIB 586 also led a military column and went
into one village after another.
On May 11, 2004, when his troops arrived at XX village, southern Ye township, he
raped two women from the village. After arriving at the village, he said he needed
women and then climbed into two houses belonging to the parents of Mi S-- and Mi
K-- on the same night. He and his soldiers forced the parents out of their homes and
he then raped the two women.
As the villagers and village headmen in the area were already afraid of the Burmese
Army, nobody complained about the cases.

Case 32

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Name: Mi A-- M--
Age: 18 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: August 10, 2004
Perpetrator: Sergeant (Tin Oo) from SPDC LIB No. 406

On August 10, 2004 when a young Mon woman was traveling near her village, in
Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division, she was repeatedly raped by a Sergeant from
the Burmese Army’s LIB No, 406, according to a source close to woman.

Mi A-- M-- an 18-year-old woman was from XX village, Yebyu Township. She was
travelling with a group of 5 male villagers from her village to Mae-than-taung village
by boat in the morning of August 10.

On the way, an SPDC army sergeant stopped their boat and asked them to approach
the river bank. When the boat stopped, he robbed the passengers and took all their
belongings. The passengers had to give him all their valuables, including gold and
silver.

After the robbery, the Sergeant also took the woman, Mi A-- M-- along with him and
let the boat and passengers continue on. Then he raped the woman for one day and
one night. The next morning at about 10 am, he brought the young woman to the
village.

The young woman was immediately brought to the clinic in the village for treatment
of injuries. She was hospitalized for 3 days.

On August 12, the Sergeant came back to the village and as the villagers recognized
him, they tried to arrest him. He then shot at them, injuring some of them. However,
the villagers were able to arrest him and tied him up.
The incident happened near the Kanbauk area, where the US company Unocal and
the French company Total are involved in exploitation of gas from the offshore
‘Yadana’ gas field. LIB No.406 and LIB No, 273 battalions are mainly taking
responsibility for the security of the Yadana gas-pipeline area in order to prevent
attacks from rebels.

Case 33

Name: Mi Y-- and Mi K-- Y--


Age: 18 & 24 years old
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependents (on parents)
Location: XX village Yepyu township
Date of incident: 1st Week September 2004
Perpetrator: SPDC troops from LIB No.282

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Two young women from XX village, Yepyu Township of Tenasserim Division in
southern Burma were raped by Burmese Army soldiers, while the troops of LIB No.
282 were temporarily based in their village. Although the villagers complained about
the rapes, the LIB 282 commander denied that the incidents had occurred.
“Mi Y--, 18 years old, daughter of Daw T-- M--, was raped by a Burmese Army
soldier from LIB No.282 on the night of September 3 at her house after her family
was threatened to be killed if they called for help,” said a witness, a local medic who
had treated the victim.

“Mi K-- Y--, a 24-year-old married woman was also raped by a soldier from the same
battalion from LIB No.282 when she went to the river to bathe. She was also
threatened to be killed if she called for help when the soldier raped her,” said the
same witness.

“In the case of Ms M-- Y--, her mother told me a (low-ranking) officer of the
Burmese Army climbed up to her house and told her he would like to have sex with
her daughter. He offered her some money but she refused. The commander then
warned that if anyone from her family shouted for help, all of her family would be
killed. The army commander then raped her daughter that night in the presence of the
parents and other family members,” added the witness.

The next morning Mi Y--’s mother, Daw T-- M-- and the XX village headmen went
to meet the LIB No.282 commander and complained about the rape case to him. But
the commander denied that the incident had occurred. The commander also shouted at
them, saying it was impossible that any of his soldiers had acted like this, said the
witness.

“Even in Mi K-- Y--’s case, nobody has been able to take any action. Her family has
kept silent. However if the Burmese Army does not stop its military operation against
the Mon splinter groups such violations against women will not stop in this village,”
said the witness. The local village has about 300 households, where the medic had
set up a clinic. However, the SPDC soldiers accused the clinic of assisting the
rebels, and then seized the clinic and all the supplies, worth about 800,000 Kyat.

Case 34

Name: Mi M-- M-- A--


Age: 19 years old
Marital status: Married
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Housewife
Location: Pa-laing Japan Village, Three Pagoda Pass Sub-Township, Kya-inn-seikyi
Township, Karen State
Date of incident – September 15, 2004
Perpetrator – (Former) SPDC Soldiers U Soe Aung & Maung Yangon

On September 14, 2004, two former soldiers of the Burmese Army U Soe Aung (54
years old) and Maung Yangon, who had settled in a Mon village, Palaing-Japan, near
the border with Thailand, raped a 19-year-old woman, Mi M-- M-- A-- from XX
village of Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, while she and her friends were trying
to enter into Thailand to seek work.

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She and her husband Nai M-- M-- H-- (22 years old) arrived at Pa-laing Japan village
in the second week of September and they found shelter at the former soldier’s house,
U Soe Aung, who worked as human-trafficker.

At night, U Soe Aung and Maung Yangon let her husband drink a lot of alcohol.
When M-- M-- H-- was drunk, they threatened him with a knife and beat him until he
lost consciousness.

Then the two men called her out of the house and raped her. “They took me into a
hut and raped me,” she said.

The wife of U Soe Aung was against this rape and explained that the men had also
raped recently raped some other women who were trying to go to Thailand. Maung
Yangon (not his real name, but the name given during his stay at the village) was an
assistant to U Soe Aung in human trafficking deals.

After the rape, the victim took the cases to the New Mon State Party officers in the
area and the NMSP soldiers also provided them with protection. Then the NMSP
officers tried to arrest the two rapists but they managed to escape.

Case 35

Name: Mi C-- O--


Age: 14 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX Village, Ye Township, Mon State
Date of incident: 2nd Week of September 2004
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from LIB No. 282 and No. 401

In September 2004, there was a Joint Military Operation held by SPDC battalions
from the South-East Command, based in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, and the
Coastal Region Command in Tenasserim Division. Under this operation, LIB No.
282 and No. 104 under the command of the Coastal Region Command were allowed
to launch military activities in Ye Township.
Troops from the two battalions went into one Mon village after another in order to
check the activities of the Mon rebels. In the 2nd week of September 2004, the SPDC
troops from LIB No. 282 and 401 arrested and raped Mi C-- O--, a 14-year-old girl,
from XX village, in the southern part of Ye township. They accused her father of
having contact with the Mon rebels and also accused her of knowing about this
contact with the Mon rebel group.
After the arrest, the soldiers gang-raped her. The villagers could not help her
because they were afraid of the SPDC soldiers. She was arrested and taken by the
soldiers for several days.

Case 36

Name: Mi M--
Age: 14 years
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon

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Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependent (on parents)
Location: XX village, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division
Date of incident: September 19, 2004
Perpetrators: Troops from SPDC LIB No.409 led by Captain Nay Lin

On September 19, 2004, Mi M--, a 14-year-old girl from XX village, in the southern
part of Ye township, was raped by a commander from LIB No. 409, Captain Nay Lin.
The rape happened when his troops were in the village in order to check the activities
of a Mon splinter group in the area.
At about 10 pm on September 19, the soldiers from that battalion went into the
village and the commander and some of his soldiers arrived at Mi M--’s house and
threatened her and her mother with a knife. The commander then raped Mi M--.
When she tried to resist, she received knife cuts in her hand.

Case 37

Name: Mi M--, Mi K-- S--, Mi T--, Mi M--


Age: 16 years, 18 years, 18 years and 22 years old respectively
Marital status: Unmarried
Ethnicity: Mon
Religion: Buddhist
Occupation: Dependents (on parents)
Location: XX village, Ye township, Mon State
Date of incident: October 23 to November 2, 2004
Perpetrators: SPDC troops from IB No.61

From October 23 to November 2, 2004, SPDC troops from IB No. 61 raped 4 Mon
women in XX village, in the southern part of Ye township in Mon State when the
troops were based at the village.
The soldiers stayed at the village for over one week. During this time, the officers and
the soldiers asked the four girls (who were unmarried) to go and stay at their
temporary base. Those women were gang-raped by the soldiers.
Every villager in the village knew that the young women had been raped, but no one
dared complain.
However, the commander and the soldiers said to the village headmen and villagers
that they suspected those girls of having contacts with the rebel group.
According to one of the victims, Mi M--, ‘All of us were repeatedly raped by the
commander and soldiers in the base. They didn’t let us go home.” The soldiers took
them for several days without questioning them about the rebels but just repeatedly
gang-raped them.

Appendix 3

Interviews with women who fled from villages where women were forced to take
part in SPDC “Beauty and Fashion Shows”

Interview# 1
Name: Ms. Mi H-- W--
Age: 20 years old
Native village: Kyone-kanya village, southern Ye Township, Mon State

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My name is Mi H-- W-- and I live in Kyone-kanya village of Ye Township.
Because of my appearance (tall with a fair complexion), they (the Burmese
Army commander and the soldiers including the headman of the village)
ordered me to participate in the “Beauty and Fashion Show”, which was to be
held by the Burmese Army in Khaw-za village via our headman.
As soon as I heard that I had been selected to be involved in the show, my
parents started to worry about me and they didn’t want me to be involved in
that show. So I fled from my village to the current place, here. For my
village, the headman selected 2 of my friends, who are aged 18 and 22 years
old. Since l had fled here, I didn’t hear about what happened later. I am also
not sure whether they were involved in the show or not.

Interview #2

Name: Mi H-- L--


Age: 19 years old
Native village: Yain-dein Village, Ye Township, Mon State

I’m H—L--- from Yin Dein village of southern Ye Township, Mon State. In
order to join in the “Fashion and Beauty Show” in Khaw-za village in the
evening of Independence day, which was managed by the local Burmese
battalion, our village headman selected 4 young Mon ladies who were tall
and slim from our village to participate in the Show.
According to the order of the commander of the Burmese Army battalion, the
selected girls were Mi S--, Mi T-- C--, Mi A-- T-- and Mi S-- N--. They
were asked to stay in the battalion for 3 days and 2 nights. During these
days, the ladies were asked to rehearse a “Cat Walk” in front of them (the
commander and soldiers in the battalion base) and later the commander
released 2 of the 4 selected girls because of their ages. These two girls were
between 8th and 10th standard in their high school classes and even though
they were pretty, their physical appearance was still young.
The young women were also forced to do work in the army bases, such as cooking,
carrying water and finding food for them during these rehearsal days. At night-time,
they were forced to entertain the battalion officers such as by massaging them,
especially the commander of the battalion. But nobody knows who were raped by the
soldiers and officers of the local Burmese Army battalion in the fashion and beauty
show.

Interview #3
Name: Mi E-- W--
Age: 19 years old
Native village: Khaw-za Village,
Ye Township, Mon State
My name is Mi E-- W--- from Khaw-za village (southern part of Ye Township). As
the local Burmese Army commander saw that I was tall and slim, he ordered our
village headmen to include me in the “Fashion & Beauty Show”. The commander
ordered all unmarried women, who were over 5 feet and 6 inches tall to be involved
in the fashion show.
I did not want to be involved in the fashion show and so I fled from my village.
Another two girls from my village were selected to be involved in the fashion show

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against their will. As the Burmese Army commander requested four girls to be
involved in the fashion contest, the village headmen had to find two girls from town
(Ye Town) to be involved in the fashion show. The villagers had to pay for these
hired women.
It was not only women from our village, but they also asked 10 other villages to send
1 to 4 girls to the fashion show to be involved in the contest. They also told the
village headmen to select even schoolgirls, but they had to be in Grades 8 to 10. I
heard they selected four girls from Yin-dein village.
If the selected girls were not beautiful and too young (if they looked like children),
they rejected them and forced the village headmen to select again.
Those selected girls had to go to the army base (near Khaw-za village) and stay in
the base for two days and two nights for rehearsal before the fashion show actually
took place.
During these days and nights, we didn’t know how the commanders and soldiers
treated those girls.
According to the selected girls, they had to do a ‘catwalk’ in front of the army
commanders for hours. If the commanders were not satisfied, they were forced to
keep walking. The commanders also came and touched their bodies and pulled at
their clothes during the rehearsal.
There were about 30 girls in the whole area who were forced to be in army bases for
several days for the rehearsal of the ‘catwalk’ for the fashion show. Then, (in the
second week of December 2003) the commanders held a ‘fashion show’ contest in
Khaw-za village. Girls were asked to do the ‘catwalk’ and posed in different styles
on the stage and the commanders selected the most beautiful girl and gave them small
prizes.
Besides this fashion show, the young women in many villages have been constantly
forced to do work in the army bases and to entertain the commanders of Burmese
Army. They asked at least three women from one village to stay at their bases for 24
hours. Those women had to do cooking, carry water and find food for them.
At night-time, the commanders forced the women to sing ‘karaoke’ songs together
with them to entertain them. The women had to serve liquor and food for them.
They also had to do massage them. Many women were raped, but I don’t know the
details.

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NO LAND TO FARM
A Comprehensive Report
On Land and Real Estates Confiscation
By Burmese military regime
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)

REPORTED BY
Human Rights Foundation of Monland
P. O. Box 35
Sangkhlaburi
Kanchanaburi
Thailand 71240

E-mail:hurfomcontact@yahoo.com

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NO LAND TO FARM
BY

HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF MONLAND

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) – Burma, and members
of Monthly Publication “The Mon Forum” greatly thank to the volunteers who
contribute their precious times and skills to complete this “NO LAND TO FARM”
report during the previous six months.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to:

· Ponnya Mon, Monland Restoration Council (USA) for his time and energy in putting
the categories of the report and filling reliable information with the facts that he
received from HURFOM ;

· Jarai Mon, Monland Restoration Council (USA) for her time for the proof reading of
all through of the report ;

· Banya Honga, Managing Editor, Independent Mon News Agency – IMNA


(Australia) for his enthusiastic help, valuable time and energy in managing the land
confiscation data in this report;

· Ashley South, the author of Mon Nationalism and Civil War in Burma, for his
checking English language in some parts of this report ;

We are grateful to the National Endowment for Democracy (USA) and Norwegian
Burma Council (NBC) for providing fund to make this report.

We also acknowledged that without the information, facts, and help assisted by
community leaders and people, land-loss victims and the political leaders, we would
not have this concrete and comprehensive report. Therefore, we express our gracious
thanks to them for their collaboration.

Director
Human Rights Foundation of Monland - Burma
Date : September 20,2003

I. Introduction

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Among the current inhabitants, the Mon is the first arrivals in Burma. The Mon had
been living with its own kingdom until 1757, when the Burman occupied and
destroyed their last kingdom Hongsawatoi.1 After Burma gained her independence
from British in 1948, like other ethnic groups in Burma, Mon people demanded the
central government to grand the ethnic rights they deserve. The Mon was working
hard to gain their rights by peaceful means. However, the government rejected their
demands. Finally, a group of Mon youth took up arms and began the armed struggle
to fight for their rights.2 The group later formed the Mon People’s Front (MPF) and
fought against the Burmese government until 1958. In 1958, MPF accepted the
invitation from the government and agreed to exchange their arms for democracy.3
However, the Burmese government betrayed Mon leaders, who exchanged their arms
for peace and democracy. Most of the MPF’s leaders were arrested and jailed in 1962,
when General Ne Win’s Revolution Council came to power. Nai Shwe Kyin who
refused to participate in exchanging arms for democracy left in the jungle formed the
New Mon State Party (NMSP) to continue armed struggle for the rights of Mon
people.4 In order to appease the Mon’s armed struggle, the Ne Win’s (Burmese
Socialist Programme Party – BSPP) government created the current Mon State, which
covered a small part of the original Mon State “Ryamonyadesa”, in 1974. (Note:
Ryamonyadesa covered almost a whole of today’s lower Burma). However, the
creation of new Mon State did not appease the Mon armed struggle. The NMSP
continued fighting against the central government till 1995 when it reached cease-fire
agreement with the SLORC.

The current Mon State includes 10 Townships which are divided into two Districts,
Moulmein District (or Mawlamyaing District) and Thaton District.5 Mon State has
about 4747 Square miles and the population in the State is over 2 millions
(unofficial). The residents in Mon State are the majority Mon people, but also ethnic
nationalities, Karen and Pa-oh and Burman. Mon people also living in Pa-an,
Kawkareik and Kya-inn-seikyi Townships in Karen State. In those Townships, the
Mon people are living along the rivers and streams, because they are the inhabitants
of the lowland paddy cultivators. It is also known that there are a few numbers of
Mon people in Pegu Division, which is not far from Rangoon (or Yangon), the capital
of Burma.6 Additionally, there are many Mon people living in Yebyu Township of
Tenasserim Division, the southernmost area of Burma.

Almost all of the Mon people are Buddhists (except a few Christians). Traditionally,
95% of Mon people earn their livelihood by growing paddy rice and other crops.
Therefore, they normally grow paddy crop along the coastal area of southern Burma,
as well as planting durian, mangosteen, lime, sweet lemon, pomelo, pepper and betel-
nut trees etc. along the eastern part of the Mon State, especially in Ye Township.
During the BSPP era (the socialist government led by Gen. Ne Win), thousands of
acres of rubber plantation were planted in Mon State, under a government-run project,
and consequently Mon State has become the main producer of raw rubber in Burma.

As the population has increased, the cultivable lands have decreased. Formerly vacant
and uncultivated plots of land have been turned into cultivated ones; paddy-growing
farms and especially plantations. Most uncultivated lands were confiscated by the
BSPP government to deploy troops or create government-owned rubber and other
fruit plantations between 1962-1988.7

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But, betel nut, coconut plantations or small orchards are important to local economy
in Mon’s areas.
In Mon custom, the parents divided their lands into equal shares of ‘legacy’ and
distribute them among their children. After a few generations have passed, they no
longer have enough land to be divided into equal shares for all of their successors.
This has lead many young Mon people to seek for livelihood as migrant workers in
the neighboring countries including Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, rather than
relying on lands.

In the last four years, the Burmese army based in Mon State has confiscated
thousands acres of farmland. The farmers whose land had been confiscated were not
given any compensation. They have no opportunity to take legal actions against the
army. As a result, many farmers who lost their lands left to Thailand to seek
employment. Those who stayed in villages and towns became landless and jobless.

Human rights violations in the Mon’s areas have increased with the military
deployments. Since 1995, thousands of additional Burmese troops have been
deployed in Mon State. Even though the present military regime reached cease-fire
agreement with the NMSP, the Burmese military authority failed to live up by the
agreements. After the cease-fire, taking advantage on the withdrawals of NMSP’s
troops, the government has increased its military deployment in the area.

As the proverb by the Mon states: ‘misfortune never comes alone’, successive
military governments in Rangoon have confiscated the Mon people’s private plots of
lands while cultivated lands become scarce due to the increasing population. This
situation has caused tremendous difficulties for Mon people who lives by means of
agriculture.

Thousands of Mon civilians were killed as a result of decades long Burmese military
operations against Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA)8 and other armed groups
are operating in the Mon’s areas. Until now, the military personnel have been
inconsiderately abusing the basic rights of the local people. The army often accuses
local civilians as rebel sympathizers. Killings, rapes, forced labors, and lands
confiscating by the army are widespread in the areas.9

Despite the cease-fire agreement between the Burmese military regime and the New
Mon State Party over the seven years, human rights violations in Mon territory has
not yet stopped or decreased. The plight of Mon people has not yet brought to the
attention of international community. The report is composed of 21 case studies
conducted by the Mon Forum, the monthly publication of Human Rights Foundation
of Monland (HURFOM), which has formally monitored the human rights situation in
southern part of Burma. The Mon Forum has been reported on human rights violation
in Mon State and southern Burma for many years to raise international awareness.
The purpose of this report is to raise awareness on human rights abuses in Mon’s
areas and to help bring the plight of Mon people to the attention of international
community.

II. Data Collection

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The data were collected by interviewing the land-loss victims those are inside Burma
and who fled to the Thai-Burma border area. The studies covered Mon State and some
parts of Karen State and Tenasserim Division inside Burma. We, trained Human
Rights Workers, visited confiscated land sites and interviewed many victims, Mon
elders, and community members in order to obtain accurate numbers on confiscated
land area, crop coverage, and their market values. We also interviewed the victims
who fled to the Thai-Burma border and compiled the records on their losses. In case
of exact numbers for the values of the land, crops or plantations were not available,
estimated values, which were adjusted with the average market prices of the years that
land was confiscated, were used. However, there are a few cases that we were not able
to provide the estimate values due to very limited access to the sites or/and the
owners. Although this report concentrates on land confiscation, we also documented
other abuses such as forced labor, tax extortion, movement restriction, sexual
violations, taken place in the area of studies.

Since 1997/1998, HURFOM’s Human Rights Workers noticed about the land
confiscation as the violations of ‘Economic Rights’ of the people in Burma, according
to Article 17 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which described as: (1)
Everyone has the rights to own property alone as well as in association with others;
and (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.10

Since 1999, HR workers conducted interviews and collected information about land
confiscation to the land-loss victims. In 2001 and 2002, when there were more land
confiscation occurred in southernmost part of Mon State, HURFOM found it was a
regime policy, ‘militarization’ in Mon State.

HURFOM conducted interviews over 30 land-loss victims at their native area; 7 land-
loss victims who fled to border areas; 8 community leaders; and 3 Mon political
leaders. We also examined some community records from Heads of Villages (HoV);
local competent authorities; and even (secretly) with government servants. Some
information are filed for years and kept as records to especially include in this report.

III. Military Development and Land Confiscation

III. A. Burmese military deployment in Mon State

SPDC (the then State Law and Order Restoration Council – SLORC) has increased its
troops from about 190,000 to 400,000 as a part of strategy to be able to stay in power
in late 1988. The SPDC has not shown any intention to solve political problems by
political means although many of the armed groups have agreed to ceasefire with the
SPDC for a political change in Burma. The NMSP signed the ceasefire agreement
with the SPDC seven years ago hoping to reach a political solution by peaceful
means.11 However, the SPDC has expanded military deployment in Mon’s areas and
confiscated thousands acres of land from Mon civilians over these years.
Accompanying with the military deployments, various kinds of human rights abuses
such rape, killing, forced portering, looting, and illegal taxation are widespread in
Mon areas.
Taking advantages on the ceasefire agreement with the NMSP, the SPDC has been
increasing deploying army, police and militia forces in Mon State. According to the
cease-fire agreement, the NMSP was allowed to choose twelve zones, which were

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approved by the Burmese military regime to locate its troops; these twelve zones are
also called “permanent cease-fire zones”. The NMSP must keep all it troops (MNLA)
within these zones.12 About half of the 12 zones are located in eastern part of Ye
township, along Ye river. The remaining zones are located in the Three Pagoda Pass,
Kya-inn-seikyi and Kawkareik townships. The NMSP has moved all its troops
(MNLA) from various parts of Mon State, Karen State, and Yebyu Township of
Tenasserim Division into the designated permanent ceasefire zones during 1995 and
1996. The NMSP was allowed to open liaison office outside in cities and towns in
Mon State to communicate between the party and the military regime during ceasefire
period.

After the withdrawal of MNLA, the SPDC planned to deploy 10 additional Light
Infantry Battalions (LIB) under the command of Military Operation Management
Command (MOMC) No. 19. By 2001, nine of out ten battalions have already been
deployed in Ye Township in Mon State. The nine battalions are Burmese LIB No.
583, No. 584, No. 585, No. 586, No. 587, No. 588, No. 589, No. 590, and No. 591.
The SPDC sets up the headquarters of MOMC No. 19 in Ye and deployed its
battalions in various parts of Ye Township. Thousands acres of land were needed for
construction of military barracks and battalions, so that the military confiscated those
land from the civilians in Ye Township, southern Mon State.

The main purpose of increasing military deployment in Mon State is that SPDC tries
to gain control of the areas, which had been controlled by the NMSP before the cease-
fire agreement.13 Although the SPDC claims that expansion of its troops in Mon
areas is to prevent external enemy14 or internal enemy such as Karen National Union,
its real intention is to weaken the MNLA and to prevent the expansion of MNLA in
the future. By expending Burmese troops near the ceasefire zones, which is close to
the MNSP’s base, Burmese army could easily occupy the MNSP’s base if there were
be a case that the NMSP resumes fighting against the government in the future. In
other words, the Burmese army could pressure the NMSP if the NMSP would refuse
to surrender when the government requires them to do so.15 Another purpose is to
security of the area for both foreign and domestic investment sites, especially Unocal
and Total, natural gas companies that have made economic deals with the SPDC.16
These investment sites are located in Tenasserim Division, Mon State and Karen State
and the SPDC is trying to provide security to them as part of the deals. Therefore, the
SPDC is increasing military deployments in the areas to protect a gas pipeline that
provides gas to a cement factory17 , Yatana gas-pipelines and other investments.

III. B. Background of Ye Township18

Ye Township is situated in southern part of Mon State. The majority of its inhabitants
are the Mon, but some Karen people live in eastern part of the township. Ye
Township, except the Ye city area, was under the control of NMSP from the
beginning of civil war in late 1940s until the cease-fire between the Burmese military
regime and the NMSP in 1995. The eastern part of Ye township borders with
Thailand, while the western part borders with a long seacoast of Andaman Sea. Most
of the Ye inhabitants are farmers. They grow paddy, vegetables, rubber plantations,
and orchards. Some villagers who live along the coastal line are fishermen. ( See the
map of Ye Township, Page # 102)

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Ye township is included in Moulmein district and it occupies an area of about 1085
square miles, the largest one among the 10 townships in Mon State. In term of
communication and infrastructure, the township is accessible by motor road and
railway. The township is covered with rubber, orchard, and betel nut19 plantation in
eastern part and with paddy fields in western part. There are also mountainous area
covered with thousands acres of monsoon rain forests. Geographically, therefore, it is
attracted by both Mon and Karen armed groups to set bases and launch their military
activities against the Burmese Army. Due to this strategically unique location, the
Burmese Army could not suppress the rebellions for many decades.

Since most of the inhabitants are Mon and Karen, the villagers in the area were
constantly accused by the Burmese army as rebel-supporters. With this accusation,
many Mon civilians from this township had been killed, tortured and raped during the
armed conflict between the NMSP and successive Burmese military regime. After the
ceasefire between the NMSP and the SLORC, the abuses related to suspicion of rebel-
supporters seemed to be reduced in the NMSP controlled areas, eastern part of
Township area and along Ye river area.20 But, a Mon splinter armed group is still
operating military activities against the Burmese Army in both southern and northern
parts of Ye Township.21 Thus, the civilians outside of NMSP control area have been
still suffering from human rights violations that related to suspicion of rebel-
supporters. In addition, the civilians in Ye township have been illegally taxed,
required to serve as unpaid labor, and needed to provide food supplies at free of
charge for the military battalions.

Before deploying of the MOMC No. 19, there were four Burmese Army battalions, IB
No. 61, IB No. 106, LIB No. 343 and LIB No. 299, based in the area.22 When these
military battalions operated military activities against the rebels, soldiers usually took
foods and livestocks from villagers and conscripted the villagers to be porters to carry
their ammunitions and foods supplies. These battalions also took charge in land
confiscation for new military deployment in the areas. Moreover, they forced civilians
in the area to be unpaid labors whenever the army or township authorities
implemented road construction and other development projects.

III. C. Land confiscation

The main cause of land confiscating is the expansion of Burmese troop deployments
in the Mon areas since 1998. As the number of military battalions increase, land
confiscating and other human rights abuses were also increased in Mon areas. The
numbers of Burmese troops has been double since 1998. As number of armed forces
increase, the government does not have enough budgets to contribute food ration to
their army and to pay for new constructing of army barracks. The government also
has been facing shortage of rice, main food ration for the army, in recent years. In
1997, due to difficulties in collecting yearly paddy tax from the farmers and the
decreases in paddy production in the country,23 the government received less and less
paddy tax from the farmers. Moreover, the decreases in paddy production with the
combination of market control by rice traders caused the price increases in local rice
markets. As the prices increase, the regime is not able to buy enough rice to feed their
soldiers. The regime was not able to provide sufficient food rations to some their local
military commands including Southeast Region Military Command (also known as

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Southeast Command) based in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State. The Southeast
Command controlled many battalions in both Mon and Karen State.

Since the government could not to provide sufficient food supplies to the local
military battalions, the local battalions were ordered to support themselves or “self-
reliance” for food supplies and battalions operating expenses.24 But, the government
provides salaries for all soldiers. As a result, the army and police confiscated
thousands acres of land in Mon State to support themselves for food productions and
battalions operation funds. Some lands owned by Mon villagers in Karen State and
Tenasserim Division were also confiscated by the Burmese army. Since the beginning
of 1998, the local military battalions have confiscated nearly 8,000 acres of
agricultural lands in Mon State, Karen State and Tenasserim Division. Along with the
farmland, hundreds million Kyats worth of plantations were confiscated and
destroyed. Farmers from these areas have suffered from losses of their land,
joblessness, and conscription of forced labor.

The SPDC township authorities or local military battalions have directly participated
in land confiscation. They use the confiscated land to grow paddy for local military
battalions food supplies and for constructions of new barracks. To grow the paddy and
to construct the barracks, the army also conscripted the local villagers as unpaid
labors.25 In some cases, families were forced to work as unpaid labors on the land
that they have lost to the army. This act was very inconsiderate of the army and
created more hardships and pains to those families.26 Although SPDC issued the
order to stop forced labour practices but the Burmese Army has not cared the order (
See the order in Appendix C; Page 74)

Besides farmlands, some battalions and township authorities also confiscated


orchards, rubber plantations, salt production fields, and pasture lands. In some cases,
the lands were confiscated for the government so-called development projects and
population transfer projects. In these projects, the local authorities confiscated lands
for road, military housing, business buildings and other constructions. The army,
police, or local authorities also confiscated some land when farmers could not afford
to pay heavy land taxes.27

In fact, there are many thousands acres of uncultivated lands in Ye township. If the
Burmese Army used those lands for construction of their battalions, it might not affect
the traditional livelihoods of the local communities. However, the army did not use
those lands for building their military barracks and other military purposes. The army
chose to confiscate valuable farm and plantations, so that the army could own some
parts of the farms and plantations that are not needed for building new barracks. The
army can harvest the crops and earn money for use by their battalions. For example,
LIB No. 343 confiscated many hundreds acres of rubber and betel nut plantations to
construct 9 military barracks in late 1999 and early 2000. However, they did not need
all those lands to build those 9 barracks. They cut down a part of the plantations for
the space needed for the buildings. The rest of plantations were taken to the
ownership of the battalions, and the army harvests crops and sells them in markets to
earn income for the battalions.28

The land confiscating in Mon State was begun in early 1997. But, the major land
confiscation occurred between 1998 and 2002 and still continues in 2003. In 1998

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alone, the Burmese army confiscated over 3,000 acres of land. Most of these lands are
paddy farms and rubber plantation. These confiscated lands are located Kyaikmayaw,
Thanphyuzayat, Ye townships of Mon state and Kawkareik and Pa-an townships in
Karen State. Most of these land confiscations were not for building military barracks.
They were used for food production for local military battalions. In some cases, the
farmlands were confiscated for local military commanders and police officers’ own
benefits (see case # 4). In the case of Thanphyuzayat Township, the local authorities
confiscated land for the government so-called development projects.

However, many areas confiscated in 1999 were for new military deployments in Ye
township, Mon State. In order to deploy more army regiments in Mon State, the
Burmese Army confiscated over 1, 000 acres of land from Mon civilians in Ye
Township in 1999. In March 1999, a local SPDC battalion IB No. 61 confiscated
about 300 acres of land from the local villagers in southern parts of Ye Town for
deploying a new battalion, LIB No. 299. The lands were rubber, betel nut, cashew nut
plantations and orchards. Most of these orchards and plantations were owned by Mon
villagers from Hangan and Koe-mile villages. About the same time, another 200 acres
near Koe-mile village, and 800 acres of land near Aru-taung village were confiscated.
The sites of these confiscated lands are located along Moulmein-Tavoy motor road.
About 70 percent of the lands are owned by the local Mon civilians. Most of these
lands were covered with rubber, durian, betel nut, lime, and citrus crops, which are
the main income sources for the local people. The local people had been farming on
these lands for nearly 80 years (see case #7).

The land and other properties owned by local civilians were also confiscated for Total
and Unocal’s regional development project in 1999. In order to provide electricity
from the Unocal and Total gas pipeline areas to Ye town, the local authorities also
confiscated lands and destroyed local civilians properties which were worth about 10
millions Kyats. Although Unocal and Total’s regional development project benefits
some villages in the gas pipeline areas, many villages suffered from Unocal and
Total’s business activities due to increasing Burmese army deployment to secure its
business interests in the area. (See Case # 6)

Although thousands acres of land were confiscated in 1998 and 1999, only 100 acres
were confiscated for military deployment in 2000. In this case, the landowner lost
aproximate 8 millions kyats on their lands and plantations. Morover, 20 houses had
also to be removed in a construction of gas pipeline from Tenasserim to Karen State
because the those properties were on the way of the pipeline. None of these villagers
received compensation for the loss of their properties.

Land confiscations increased again in 2001 due to increasing military deployment in


the area. Over 2,000 acres of lands were confiscated in 2001. The major purpose of
land confiscating in 2001 was repairing an old Japense air base and deploying more
battallions in Ye township. Burmese Army repaired an old Japanese air base, used
during the WWII, to deploy a new air-forces base in the area. To secure the air base,
the Burmese army requires more ground troops and artillery forces in the surrounding
areas. As a result, hundreds acres of land and plantations owned by the villagers were
confiscated for the military uses. The owners were not allowed to harvest their crops
and did not receive any compensation for their losses.

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Some commanders from the Burmese Army said,29

“The main aim for the deployment of the air base, ground base and artillery forces in
the area is to protect the area from KNU/KNLA’s activities.”

However, it does not seem to be the only reason. The other reason is to keep the
NMSP and its army at bay if they would resume the fighting against the government.
The Burmese army also intends to push the Mon arm forces to the Thai-Burma border
to cut off any supports from local Mon people.

More than one thousand acres of land including plantations were also confiscated in
other part of the Ye township. The LIB No. 588 and 587 confiscated more than one
thousand acres of land in Tamort-kanin, Kun-du, San-kha-le, San-pya, and Done-phi
villages. The LIB No. 61 confiscated 153 acres of lands covered with various types of
plantation crops. The value of the lands plus crops were about 81 millions Kyats.
None of these farmers and villagers received any compensation from the government.

As military deployment continued, the confiscation also continued in 2002. Over one
thousand of lands were confiscated in 2002. The LIB No. 586 confiscated 500 acres
of lands belong to Thu-myaing and San-hnit-thar villagers of Ye township. Moreover,
MOMC No. 19 confiscated 300 acres of land belong to San-pya and Done-phi
villagers. The lands were used for building military battalions and for other military
purposes. Over two hundreds of lands were also confiscated by other military
battalions in the areas.

IV. Analysis of Land Confiscation

Although land confiscation occurred in Mon State and other parts of Burma for many
years during the BSPP era and early SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration
Council) period, it had not been known. In those days, a few plots of land were
confiscated, but no massive force of the Burmese Army was deployed; and no
accurate records were kept; therefore, the real loss of the Mon people is not known.

Moreover, the rate of population increase at that time was not so much yet, and there
still remained a lot of vacant and uncultivated land in Mon State. During the BSPP
era, the Burmese Army and the government authorities confiscated virgin soil and
vacant plots of land for military deployment so that there were not so much loss for
the people.

In comparison with BSPP era, more and more confiscation of lands have been seen in
the latter military rules by the SLORC and SPDC since 1988. Mon State, and other
areas where the majority Mon people live, are situated close to ‘Andaman Sea’ and
the soil is fertile for seasonal crops and fruit trees and there are not much mountainous
areas. Because they are easily accessible, the military government can confiscate
more lands in Mon State because they can easily control most areas.

The scale of land confiscation in Mon State has increased greatly since 1998. Since
then, more lands have been confiscated, including many rubber and other orchard
plantations. The Mon people have suffered great loss and the value of lost lands is
enormous.

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In discussion about the confiscation of thousands of acres of land, with Mon political
leaders, the reverend Mon monks, local Mon civilians, village headmen and Mon
nationalists, the following comments emerged:

1. Armed Force Deployment: The present land confiscation is intended by the SPDC
and Burmese Army to ensure that the armed force are deployed in the best places of
land due to the increased army battalions and divisions. Simultaneously, they
proposed to distribute the confiscated land among the families of the army personnel
deployed in the area in order for these families to earn a livelihood.

2. Armed Force Stabilization: The present land confiscation program is connected to


the stabilization and expansion of the SPDC’s armed force, the Burmese Army. In the
Burmese Army, because of the hardship of day-to-day living and terribly low salary,
many married soldiers abandon their armed units to earn enough money for their
families. Hence, the desertion rates among the battalions and divisions in the Burmese
Army is increasing and more and more married soldiers have abandoned their armed
units. In order to solve this problem, the Burmese Army commands provide lands for
married soldiers’ families so that the soldiers’ concerns for their families diminish,
and they would be able to serve longer in the army. On the other hand, when they go
to the frontline, they no longer need to worry about the survival of their families left
in the battalion bases.30

Solving the main problem of soldiers would probably lessen the desertion rate, so that
the numbers of soldiers in the armed force could be maintained consistently.
Moreover, the soldiers’ families can be settled around the military bases so that when
the soldiers come back from front-line, they do not need to go away from the bases in
order to take part in agriculture and poultry and other money-earning activities.

3. Implementation of ‘Assimilation’ Policy: The confiscation of many thousands acres


of lands and deployment of many thousand troops in Mon State is intended to
promote a policy of ‘Assimilation’ or ‘Burmanization’ that the successive military
governments in Rangoon have applied to the other non-Burman ethnic groups. The
local military commanders encourage their soldiers to get married to the local ethnic
women. After their soldiers have got married to those women, the commanders
persuade the in-laws of those soldiers to act as army supporters or informers by giving
privileges in the economics and social spheres.

By urging local women who to get to the soldiers, and their relatives to speak
Burmese language, the Assimilation policy could be implemented in long-term
situation. The schools teaching native Mon language are threatened to be closed and
replaced ones teaching the Burmese language. The Burmese Army’s bases in the
areas will use their influence to use Burmese language as the main language in all
schools, including the government schools, the battalions’ schools and the community
established Mon national schools. The increasing use of Burmese language in the
community and in the surrounding areas indicates the success of the government’s
plan.

According to the experience in Mon State and other ethnic regions, after the Burmese
Army deployed their troops within 10 to 15 years the proportion of the population
speaking the Burmese language has increased and consequently some villages and in

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some town wards no longer speak their native language, and instead speak Burmese
language as their main language. Besides this, the villagers even teach their children
to speak mainly Burmese language at home. In this way, in any area, where Burmese
armed force are massively deployed, the successive military governments in Rangoon
have systematically implemented their assimilation polity to ethnic communities.

4. Population Transfer Project: One other reason for land confiscating was for
population transferring program. The SPDC, like the previous racist military regimes,
has implemented “population transfer” programs in order to transfer Burman people
from their native to the areas crowded with non-Burman ethnic people in order to
convert these ethnic nationalities to Burman. Such practices is part of the government
“Burmanization policy” to assimilate non-Burman ethnic to be Burmans.
Furthermore, the regime also resettled their soldiers, retired and disables soldiers’
families by providing them land that was confiscated from the local civilians. The
regime uses these resettles as its supporters. Most of those soldiers came from various
parts of poor areas or central part of Burma and had never owned any pieces of land.
The soldiers are happy to own the valuable lands given by the government and blindly
turn to government supporters. This implementation creates conflicts between the
local community whose lands were confiscated without any compensation and
regime-supporters, who received valuable lands for free. The confiscation of many
thousand acres of land and systematically bringing in the soldiers’ families are
directly connected with the ‘population transfer’ scheme implemented by the military
government. There are few opportunities for the officers and other members of the
Burmese Army to go homes and make their livelihoods in their native Upper Burma
or other parts of Burma after their retirement, because the population density there
and the agricultural lands are scarce. If they are given possession of a considerable
amount of land in the ethnic areas while they are in the army service, they would
settle down there and decide to not return to their native homes. Then, Burman ethnic
soldiers who settle in ethnic areas could also bring their relatives and help them seek
jobs and find plots of agricultural lands.

5. Future Political Agenda: An experienced politician commented that the military’s


stationing of its soldiers in the ethnic areas might link to the current regime’s
foresighted political agenda. He explained that whenever there is an election in the
future, the current regime will use the USDA31 or create a new political party, and
therefore they will need voters in each constituency. In order to protect the Burmese
Army for their past guilt and human rights violations, they need some of their
representatives in parliament. For this political agenda, he said, now the regime is
preparing their supporters for future elections. Currently the concerned military
commanders in various bases in Mon State are also giving the political instructions to
the USDA members to strengthen their organization as preparation for a future
political party. They also force all government servants to attend the training that
provides lecture about ‘the important role of the Burmese Army in Burma’s politics’.

It is observed that the above-mentioned policy implementations are now more


frequent than ever before. Usually, the ex-servicemen, who came from other parts of
Burma, have been settled down more in Mon State, and are provided with important
positions in every Township, Town Ward, Village Tract and Village level
administrative body. Those ex-servicemen also receive special opportunities in

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economic activities, land management and income-generating projects provided by
the SPDC.

In the long-term, these ex-servicemen of Burmese Army would stand for the regime’s
sponsored political party and support full implementation of the assimilation and
population transfer project. Obviously, the military regime, in turn, provided their
families and the relatives with land and economics privileges with an expectation that
they would get support for the long-term. Similarly to soldier families and the ex-
servicemen’s families, the in-laws of ex-servicemen and USDA families are also
provided with many privileges during the SLORC and SPDC era.

V. Land Act

Burma’s first 1947 Constitution that guaranteed for Burma’s Independence in 1948
protected the rights to private property and the people enjoyed under the Article 23 –
Economic Rights. This Article also protected the small farmers to not lose their lands
and properties due to the exploitation of monopolist organizations such as cartel,
syndicates and trusts. (See the Article 23 – Economic Rights of 1947 State
Constitution on Page - 72, APPENDIX : A)
The farmland in Burma was nationalized under the Agricultural Land Nationalization
Act during the U Nu led parliamentary democratic government in 1953. Under this
Act, the government confiscated all the lands from foreigners and landlords and
distributed freely to peasants who had worked on the farms for a long period. The
farmers, who were under the protection of the “Rights of Exemption”, should not
need to lose their land unless they violated the article 11 of the Act. However,
peasants must meet qualifications described in the Article 6 of the Act in order to be
granted the “rights of exemption” from the government.32

During BSPP era 1962-1988, the government did not take the lands from farmers
unless the farmers break the land laws, but the farmers had to register their lands in
order to access them. The Burmese Army under the leadership of Gen. Ne Win seized
the political power in 1962 and drew a new constitution based on Socialism in 1974 to
permanently rule the country. The new Constitution rejected the ‘Economic Rights’ of
1947 Constitution and the farmers lost even to own their lands. The 1974 clearly
states that the State or Government has ultimate power to own all natural resources
including lands. State shall develop, extract, exploit and utilize the lands under the
collective farming policy.
Accordingly to this 1974 Constitution, the farmers were ordered by the State
authorities what types of seeds or plants they need to grow in their lands, provide
yearly tax to government and encourage the collective farming. When the authorities
dissatisfied to farmers they have rights to confiscate any lands. During 1962-1988, the
farmers have the rights only to work in the lands, but they never belonged the lands.
Nevertheless, during the rule of SLORC and SPDC era, there are no rules of law. The
government can confiscate the land anytime. There is no due process. Therefore,
farmers feel lack of security. They fear that the army would confiscate their land that
they have been working on for many decades even though they do not violate any
land laws and regulations. Due to lawlessness under the current military regime, the
farmers have no rights to complain for the loss of their land. They are no longer
protected by the 1953’s Land Act. This land confiscation also violates political, social
and economic rights of the ethnic Mon people (see the Appendix B, on page 73)

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VI. Burmese Army’s Responses

Although there are no legal rights for farmers to file lawsuit against local army for
confiscating their lands, the farmers did appeal to the regional military commanders
for compensation. The farmers also requested NMSP leaders to ask the local SPDC
for compensation agreed with market values or for land substitutions.33 Since the
villagers have some protection under the cease-fire agreement between the NMSP and
the government, the villagers were not punished for appealing to local authorities. In
the past, the Burmese authorities usually punished villagers if they appeal or complain
for their properties taken by the army.

Due to the appeals, in some cases, the local authorities paid a small amount of
compensation to the farmers or allow the farmers to continue to harvest their crops in
the confiscated land. The landowners took various steps in appealing to the SPDC
authorities.

First, before the lands were confiscated, the villagers wrote letters and appealed to the
concerned battalion not to take their lands, and to take uncultivated or unused lands
instead. However, the battalions and the Southeast Command rejected the appeals.

Second, after the land was confiscated, the villagers asked for the values of land and
crops to be compensated at market price, but the army refused.

Third, the villagers requested the commanders of the Southeast Command that they
would like to harvest their fruits and rubber until the plantations became aging or less
productive. The army again rejected the request.

Finally, after a huge land confiscation occurred in Ye Township, Southeast Command


agreed to negotiate with the villagers after many appeals by the villagers and requests
by the NMSP. The Tactical Command No. 3 and LIB No. 343 called a meeting with
villagers who lost their lands and village headmen. The meeting was held on January
30, 2001 at a monastery in Kun-du village. The Tactical command No.3’s
Commander Col. Cho Htun Aung and LIB No. 343’s a commander, Maj. Lin Oo34
attended the meeting. Col. Cho Htun Aung explained that the purpose of deploying
troops in the areas was to secure the areas, and the army took the land under the
national security act, which means that the army has the rights to confiscate the land
for national security purpose without any compensation. However, due to serial
requests by the villagers, he said that he was given responsibility by Southeast
Command to explain the villagers about the land confiscation. He said that he could
not follow the villagers’ requests. But he decided to give permission to villagers to
harvest their crops and collected latex from rubber plantation for three years under
restricted conditions.35

The villagers required recommendation letters from village headmen every time they
harvest their crops in the confiscated plantations that were in the military compound.
The villagers need to take responsibilities for incidents such as bomb explosion and
finding hidden weapons occurs in the compound and they would immediately be
prohibited from harvesting their crops in that situation. Such restrictions put a lot of
burden on villagers to harvest their crops in the military compound. For example,
every time they harvested their crops or collected latex from rubber plantations, they

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have to pay or bribe the village headmen to get recommendation letters from them.36
The villagers were also afraid of stepping on land mines set by the army in the
compound and fear of being unfair accusation by the army if anything happens in the
compound. Because of these harsh conditions, some villagers abandon their
plantations and decide not to harvest to their crops in the compound.

After official meeting with villagers and most explanations were made by Col. Cho
Htun Aung, Maj. Lin Oo of LIB No. 343 also called another unofficial meeting with
villagers in a different place, in a monastery of Aru-taung village. He told the
villagers that they were so lucky that the army still allowed them to harvest their crops
and collecting latex in the confiscated plantations for three years. He admitted that,

“Army had to confiscate these lands and plantations because it could sell the crops
and latex from the confiscated lands and plantations for battalion operation funds.”37

Nevertheless, he said that those who harvested their crops in the compound must pay
the 25% of their harvested crops to the battalions in kind or in cash. He warned the
villagers that after three years of harvesting the crops, the army would completely
own the lands and plantations. He said that hopefully the crops produced from the
plantations could provide enough income for 700 Burmese troops including their
families. The villagers were so disappointed his decisions, and more farmers decided
to abandon their plantations.

The army paid a small amount of compensation to the farmers when IB No. 61
confiscated lands for deployment of LIB No. 299 in southern Ye township (See Case
# 7). The battalions paid a small amount of compensation for crops, not for the lands.
The compensation was 7 Kyats for a rubber tree or a betel nut plant and it was much
lower than the market value. The owners received only 2,000 to 3,000 Kyats per
plantation that should be worth 200, 000 to 500, 000 Kyats in market price, depending
on the ages of the trees and number of plants per acres. After the villagers received
the compensation, they were not allowed to harvest their crops. The battalion
harvested all the crops and sold them in the markets for their battalions’ fund.

VII. Losses Caused by Land Confiscation: The Suffering of Landowners

Mon civilians lost over 7000 acres of land and hundreds of millions Kyats in values of
crops and plantations between 1998 and 2002 as a result of land confiscation by the
government. Many people lost their jobs because their employment are based on those
land and farms. Thus, land confiscation by the regime greatly affected the local
economy. A lot of people lost not only their land but also all the money they have
invested in their plantations. For example, a rubber grower needs to spend at least 20,
000 Kyats/acre in the first year of establishment and need to spend a lot on fertilizers,
weed control, and fire protection until the plants reach the economically productive
age, which usually takes 7 to 8 years.38 Betel nut and durian plantations may take
longer than this time period to reach productive age. By nature, these perennial crop
plantations could only be established after investing a large amount of money, time,
and hard works. Some farmers or growers spend their life-time saving to establish a
plantation. Without any consideration, the army confiscated those plantations from the
farmers and harvest crops for its own benefits. Every normal person could imagine the
losses and the pains those farmers needed to take. Besides the losses of properties,

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those farmers also suffer from severe depressions and helplessness. In addition to the
losses of properties and jobs, the local civilians are also suffering from different of
kinds of human rights abuses and taxes extortion by the army. Therefore, many
civilians in the area have left their homeland for Thailand to find jobs to be able to
feed their families and to escape from suppression and injustice.39 But, many of them
could not afford to move and remain unemployed in town and villages. The high
unemployment rate, helplessness, and depression create many social problems in the
areas. The crime rate has increased considerably.

The following are some detailed information on the land and properties confiscated,
their locations and approximate market values, and battalions that are responsible for
those confiscation.

Land confiscation for the deployment of the LIB No. 299 in the southern part of Ye
township, caused 17 families lost their lands and plantations, an estimate values of 20
million Kyats. Betel nut, cashew nuts and rubber plantations covered most of the
lands. The biggest plantation included 2000 trees, and it was worth about 1.5 million
Kyats in market prices. However, as previously mentioned, the army paid 7 Kyats per
trees regardless of the types of plantations. With that compensation, the villagers
could not buy new land or could not hire labor to clear uncultivated land. The
battalion also confiscated many acres of farmlands and forced the villagers to
cultivate paddy for them.

LIB No. 343 and Tactical Command No. 3 confiscated 800 acres of land from Kun-
duu and Aru-taung villagers, and left 85 families land-less, jobless (See Case # 7).
Most of these confiscated lands were planted with durian, betel nut, citrus and rubber
trees. Growers who owned more than 10 acres of rubber plantations lost an estimated
value of 2 million Kyats, while those who owned the same area of betel nuts
plantation lost about 1.5 million Kyats. The total losses of the civilians from these two
villages were about 98 million Kyats. (Note: Unofficial exchange rate during this land
confiscation was 350 Kyats = 1 US Dollar)40

A villager who lost a large plantation said,41

“From these confiscated plantations, the growers could produce many thousands
pounds of latex and many hundreds of thousands of betel-nut and many thousands of
durian fruits. I estimate, rubber plantations could produce about 10, 000 pounds of
latex per day, and betel-nut plantations could produce about 1.5 million nut per year,
while durian plantations could produce about 120,000-180,000 fruits per season. So,
this was a huge loss.”
The growers produce the rubber latex from their plantations for 4-5 months per year,
and betel nuts and orchard growers could harvest their crops once a year.
Under the military dictatorship, there are no property rights. The civilians have no
rights for the ownership of their lands. The government can confiscate land and
properties whenever they want. Although heritage the land from their ancestors, they
do not have the rights to own the land.

Further, over 77 families lost their lands and plantations which were worth 170.2
millions Kyats when military battalions LIB No. 586, No. 587 and No. 588
spontaneously confiscated 1134 acres of lands in eastern Ye township. The ages of

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these plantations ranged from 3 years to 40 years. These 77 families include 305
adults (over 18 years old) and 392 children (under 18). They have totally relied on the
plantations for their living. Many local people who worked as labors in the plantations
also lost their employment. As the owner lost their lands, the workers lost their jobs.
According to the landowners, nearly 100 permanent laborers and about 200 seasonal
laborers lost their jobs due to this land confiscation. About 1000 adults and children
who had relied on those plantations have to find new jobs for their food and
shelters.42

Similarly, 8 families from Kaw-plaing village near Ye town also lost about 31 acres
of their lands and properties because of the confiscation by the MOMC No. 19. These
families lost about 4.25 million Kyats in values. The ages of the plantations are
approximately 30-40 years. (See Care # 17)

The main sources of incomes for Ye township’s inhabitants are producing paddy,
rubber, betel nuts, and orchards which exports to other parts of Burma. If there were
no illegal taxations on these products, local farmers would be able to make good
profits from farming. However, because of heavy land taxes, extortion taxes, and land
confiscation by local authorities, many local farmers could not afford to fulfill the
required taxes. Whenever farmers were not able to pay the taxes, the government
confiscated their lands.

After the army confiscated farms and plantations, farmers need to find new cultivable
lands to farm or to start new plantations because farming is, for them, the only way to
make a living. Since they spend most of their life as traditional farmers, it is almost
impossible for them to get a job in other professional areas that they are not trained
for. Even if they have other professional training, it is still very highly competitive to
get a job in Burma. Because, the military regime did not make any efforts for creation
of jobs for the people. Finding a new land to farm is not an easy task. Most of the
lands closed to their villages are already occupied. In other words, they have to move
out of their native villages to where the cultivable lands are available. Since they had
lost almost everything they own to the army, it is very difficult for them to move a
way from the village or to buy lands that are near by their villages. In addition,
civilians are not safe to work in places that are far from their native villages. Many
parts of the Ye Township are armed conflict zones. Burmese Army could accuse them
of rebel-supporters. Hence, many of these villagers had no other choices than to leave
their homes for Thai-Burma border areas or work as illegal immigrants in Thailand
for their own survivals and to help feed their families.

VIII. Impacts Assessment after Land Confiscation

As 90% of the local Mon people rely on their paddy-growing lands, rubber plantations
and fruit gardens for their livelihoods (and have done since the time of their
ancestors), it is not easy for find alternative means for their livelihoods. After land
confiscation, the Mon farmers and the civilians in the surrounding areas greatly
suffered as below:

1. Suddenly being deprived of employment: When plots of paddy-growing lands or


rubber plantations or fruit gardens are once confiscated it affects not only the owners

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of the properties and their families, but also the labourers and their families who live
and work there, who became homeless and jobless. Generally, the owner of a rubber
plantation has one to three hired labourers to collect the rubber sap. The number of
labourers also depends on their sizes of plantation. The owners also hire another
number of labourers for weeding of grasses naturally grown in the plantations.

Like rubber plantations, the owners of other fruit gardens also need labourers to work
in the gardens. Daily-waged or permanent full-time labourers are hired to works in the
gardens not only for collecting and processing fruits (e. g. peeling betel-nuts), but also
for weeding and cultivating in the plantations.

Also in the paddy farms, during the whole year from the time before plowing starts
until the harvesting, threshing and winnowing season, the farmers have to hire full-
time laborers. Seasonally, many day waged-laborers are needed for harvesting in the
rainy season as well as for harvesting in the dry season.

Therefore, when the rice farms or plantations of rubber and other fruit trees are
confiscated, firstly the farmers or planters lose their properties and simultaneously
many laborers who live or work on those farms (of which there are more than three
times as many as farmers and planters), become unemployed.

Accordingly to the employment situation in Burma, all of the members in a family are
not usually employed. Generally, the heads of the families, men or women, seek to
earn money to feed their whole families. Those day-laborers or full-time laborers
working in the rice farms, rubber plantations and fruit gardens are working for their
families’ income. Soon after they face unemployment, their families suffer from lack
of income and hunger.

In Mon areas, from 1988 to 2002, when over 1000 families of farmers and ganders
were deprived of their lands due to land confiscation, over 2500 families of labourers
who lived on those lands became unemployed.

2. Deterioration in social life: When the farmers, gardeners and workers, as well as all
those who depended on those farm lands and plantations no longer have regular
incomes, it also affects to their children’s education, primary health care, food and
clothing insufficiency and other social matters. A man from Aru-taung Township, Ye
Township, explained that, after his land confiscation:
“Formally, my family could have 3 children attending school. My family had enough
to provide them with sufficient education. I also enrolled one of my sons at Ye Town
school for higher education. Although it costs very much for his schooling, private
tuition and living, I could afford to pay. After my plantation was confiscated, I made
him drop out of school and seek income as an occasional day-laborer in Ye.”43

There are some families whose lands were confiscated and who depended on those
lands, who could no longer support their children at the appropriate level of education
with their much reduced income.

In Burma, the health care is seriously bad, even in the government’s hospitals and
clinics. When the civilians need treatment in the hospital, they have to buy all their
medicines and other necessary medical substances from private medicine shops. The

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number of private clinics has mushroomed in cities and towns, and these also provide
medical service to the civilians but they have to pay a lot for the health care. Many
families who had been deprived of their land and made jobless with no longer regular
income cannot afford to pay medical bill when their families were sick.

It is observed that most of the people whose lands had been confiscated have
gradually deteriorated in living standard due to economic bankruptcy.

3. Population Displacement and Flux of Refugees: When most of local farmers or


inhabitants’ rice farms, rubber plantations and fruit gardens had been confiscated,
they were left with nothing to continue their usual works and on the other hand, they
had difficulty making other livelihoods which are not related to agriculture. Some
families moved to other places to seek vacant lands in order to replace their lost lands.
However, in most cases, it is not easy to find an uncultivated or vacant plot of land, as
almost all of the lands in Mon State is already possessed by the local people.

Most families, who lost the lands could not find new lands, as most land belongs to
the other people and because of security conditions. Even if there is land that is far
from the local communities, there are threats from unknown robbers and armed
groups, so that the land-loss families do not dare to seek lands in insecure areas. Most
families who have left for other areas to seek uncultivated lands have become day-
labourers for other land-owners after they could not find any land. In most situations,
when they arrive to other places, they could not get jobs and then decided to move on
to yet another place.

Additionally, the families who left their homes always suffer from various human
rights violations committed by the members of Burmese Army because of movement
restriction in most ‘Black Area’44 by the regime. When the land-loss families stay in
other areas, they are strangers and also suspected as ‘rebel-supporters’, so that they
suffer from inhumane treatment by the soldiers of Burmese Army.

Due to the above-mentioned situation, the land-loss families cannot stay in one place,
but have to move from one place to another. Some of them went into New Mon State
Party-controlled areas and tried to grow paddy, using in ‘slash and burn’ methods in
limited agricultural lands in hilly areas. However, those people are mostly from low-
land areas and they do not have much skill in to grow paddy in the hills, and their new
lives in NMSP areas are very hard. They also have difficulty getting agriculture tools,
seeds, seedlings, etc.

The Mon Relief and Development Committee, a local relief and development
organization for the displaced Mon people, has stated that the Mon people became
displaced persons not only because of armed fighting between the Burmese Army and
ethnic armed groups, but also because of human rights violations, land confiscation
and unemployment. Almost all the displaced persons are hungry and in serious
poverty. This committee also provides some emergency food assistance to those who
lost agricultural lands after enormous land confiscation and displacement. The
committee found most land loss displaced persons come from Ye Township.

As well as in the NMSP-controlled zones, there are many unknown ‘Mon refugees’ in
Thailand, but they are considered ‘economic migrants’, who seek work and income in

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Thailand, after the Mon refugee camps were closed after NMSP-SPDC ceasefire in
1995. Even after the ceasefire, the Mon people in the southern part of Ye Township
and Yebyu Township have suffered from inhumane treatment by the Burmese Army
with suspicion of being supporters of a non-ceasefire, rebel Mon group. Therefore the
inhabitants in the north of these townships have suffered due to land confiscation.
Although many families fled to Thailand after they found systematic persecution in
the native villages, they could not find any Mon refugee camp in Thailand, to take
refuge for the Mon people.

4. Migrating into Thailand: After being deprived of land, some family members of
farmers and gardeners migrated Thailand to earn their livelihoods. There are many
migrant workers in Thailand and they are defined as ‘illegal workers’ by the Thai
government.

Many percentages of migrant workers in the fishing industry and construction sites
are Mon laborers as many of them migrated into Thailand to seek income. It is
observed that the members of families who lost the lands have contacted their
relatives or friends who were already working illegally in Thailand, and then they also
went to those work sites as Thai employers demanded cheap labour from Burma.

A man who was deprived of land and went to Thailand as illegal worker said:

“When I was living in my village, I had no other job except working in my father’s
rubber plantations. After my father’s rubber plantation was confiscated, I didn’t dare
to go to the plantation. First they allowed us to go, but later the soldiers threatened us
that saying that if they found some demolished things in our plantation, they would
punish us. This was the way how they forced us to abandon our properties. Therefore,
I communicated to my brother (my uncle’s son), who was working in Thailand, and as
you see I had flee the village to seek works in Thailand.”

Most of the workers who have illegally migrated to Thailand send their wages back to
their families in Burma for their survival. However, to get into Thailand to reach
fishing industries and construction site is not easy, due to the Thai government’s
policy to arrest and deport all illegal workers from neighboring countries.

Many migrant workers from Burma go into Thailand every day for various reasons
due to deep poverty, human rights violations, forced population displacement, land
confiscation and others. Migrant workers use all border points and try to get into
Thailand by walking and by other means.

4. Worsening security conditions: When large numbers of troops enter an area, the
level of danger to the local people in the area always rises. As soon as a military
column encamps near or in the village, the local people no longer have security when
they go to their workplaces - i.e, rice farms or plantations. Because of the military
patrols on jungle roads, and check-points in various places, the local people suffer
inhumane treatments, such as beating, looting and rape by the soldiers.

Whenever the patrolling soldiers arrived to rice-farms or plantations in the ‘black’ or


‘grey’ areasthey always ask the farmers to get information about the rebels’ activities.
If the farmers could not answer in a correct way, they are accused of being rebel-

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supporters or sympathizers and must face torture. The soldiers frequently accuse the
farmers or gardeners of providing foods for rebel soldiers, providing information to
them, and so on.

Before the massive military deployment in Ye Township, the farmers who worked
along Moulmein-Ye motor road could safely go back and forth to their farms or
plantations. However since 2000, the situation has changed and most farmers in the
area feel unsafe when they travel to their farms because of the regular military patrols
and operations launched by the Burmese Army. Most farmers fear of being beaten or
tortured by the soldiers and some do not dare to go to their farms.

In 2002, the local battalions in Ye Township intensified their security arrangement.


The farmers and gardeners were forced to hold traveling documents, issued by an
army commander or a village headman, whenever they went to their farms or
workplaces. If the farmers did not bring that traveling document, they could be
accused of being rebel-supporters.

Since then, the orders issued by the local army commanders have obviously become
more and more harsh. In late 2002, the farmers and gardeners have been allowed to
stay at their farms or workplaces only between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. They can only
take only one (lunch) meal with them when they go to their farms. If anyone takes
more foods the amount allowed, he is severely punished. The local people stated that
their security and livelihoods have been declined greatly since the military
deployment in their areas.

IX. Troop Deployments and Human Rights Violations

Land confiscation is not the only abuse that Mon civilians are facing. Other human
rights abuses such as forced labors and taxes extortion were also widespread in the
areas. Human rights violations increased with the military deployment in Mon State
since the army is the most serious abuser. After the MNLA moved to its designated
zones, the Burmese army moved into the former MNLA controlled areas. Due to
withdrawal Mon troops from outside cease-fire zones, the local civilians lost
protection from Mon army. As a result, the Burmese Army has more opportunity to
conscript forced labor, arresting villagers for porter service, extorting various types of
taxes from villagers, and looting villagers’ belongings.

The local civilians in Ye Township were among the most sufferers of such abuses.
The army has constantly conscripted unpaid labor for government development
projects, mainly in the construction of the Ye-Tavoy railway. Since the rural areas in
Ye Township has been recognized as “Black Area”, the arrest of porters for the
military operations occurred very often as well. In other words, the local civilians
have to bear all cost for additional Burmese military developments in their areas. In
some incidents, the army forced villagers to work in the lands that were confiscated
for the benefits of soldiers and their families. The army also has increased checkpoints
in Ye Township and other parts of the Mon State in order to collect illegal taxes from
local civilians, who trade commodities in the areas.

The following are some case studies of gross human rights violations committed by
Burmese Army.

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A. Case Study of The Conscription of Forced Labor

The conscription of forced labor had been constantly used in building the military
camps for LIB No. 299. Since July of 2001, the villagers from Hangan, Kalort, Koe-
mile and Mun-aung villages have been forced to contribute unpaid labor in building
the military camps. First, the villagers were forced to cut down all big trees and clear
grounds where the army needed to build the military barracks. The villagers had to cut
down many betel nuts and rubber trees and gathered them in one place. They also had
to dig the roots of the trees. Digging roots of big trees was a harsh job for villagers
because they had to dig them by their hands. They were also ordered to level the
ground.

After the grounds were level, the soldiers forced the villagers to dig long trenches and
bankers, and build fences. Not only human beings were forced to work in military
barracks construction, two elephants from Mun-aung village were also forced to work
in the construction. The elephants were forced to pull big logs to sawing site for
processing lumber for the construction.

Both chain saw and hand saw owners from these four villages were also conscripted
to work in the construction site. The hand saw owners were forced to build sawpits
and sawing logs to produce the required lumbers for the construction. The chain saw
owners had to cut trees into logs. In July and August, about 50 villagers including
elephant handlers and saw owners are forced to work in the construction every day.

Then, in September and October, about 50-100 villagers have been forced to build the
military barracks. Some skill carpenters from the villages were also forced to work in
assigned construction sites.

Although the use of forced labor in the southern part of Ye township for constructing
military camps is widespread, in the southern part, it has not yet widespread because
by the time conducting research of this report, the constructing the military camp has
not yet started. The army just kept confiscating land and harvesting crops from the
confiscated plantations. However, battalions were preparing for barracks construction.
They ordered villagers to gather building materials and brought them to the battalion
constructing sites for new battalions construction. For example, IB No. 61 ordered to
the village headmen to provide bamboos and hardwoods to reconstruct and repair old
Japanese air base. Every village with 200 households and above, near the base, had to
provide 1,000 bamboos, 10, 000 roofing thatches, and 500 pieces of wooden poles to
the battalion, and the headmen were instructed that all building materials should have
collected before the end of October.

B. Case Study for Collecting Fund for Construction of the Military Camps

Moreover, the IB No. 61 and LIB No. 343 also requested cash from the villagers to
buy planks and woods for new battalion.

To provide necessary fund to complete deployment of a new military battalions, IB


No. 61 also took responsibility in collecting cash from every village in southern part
of Ye town and villages along Ye river bank. The IB No. 61 instructed the village

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headmen to collect fund from households in these villages ranged from 3,000 Kyat to
20,000 Kyat per household.

Moreover, IB No. 61 troops also extorted other types of taxes from the local civilians.
Whenever the troops launched the military operations, they arrested more civilian
porters than required in order to ask ransoms for the release of unwanted porters. In
addition, the troops set up many checkpoints on both land and water routes to extort
commodity taxes from local traders, passengers, farmers, and fishermen.

For example:

IB No. 61 set up a checkpoint on the Ye riverbank in Kyaung-ywa village. They


stopped every boat that travels in river and collected tax from passengers.
Checkpoint Warrant Officer Aung Khin has collected tax 2,000 Kyat for one ton of
logs, 200 Kyat for one sack of paddy, 50 Kyat for one sack of betel nut, and 500 Kyat
for a big bamboo raft.

Similarly, IB No. 61 also set up checkpoint in the mouth of Ye river Zeetaw village to
collect tax or took fishes from the fishermen. Tax payment per boat is ranged from
500 Kyat to 2,000, depending on the size of the boats. If the boats could not pay tax,
the army took gasoline or fish from the boats.

Such abuses have greatly affects local civilians livelihoods. Everything they have
earned, the local Burmese army took them all.

C. Case Study of Sexual Violation

Sexual violation against women or rape is the common practice among the members
of Burmese Army and soon after the deployment of any ethnic area, the local women
were raped or gang-raped by the soldiers of Burmese Army. LIB No. 587 confiscated
lands in the northern part of Ye Township in 2001 and deployed its base between
Aru-taung and Kun-duu villages and the local women were also raped by the soldiers.
( See the map of Ye Township, on Page 102)

On July 8, 2002, three soldiers from LIB No. 587 arrested a 18 years old Mon girl
near Kun-duu village, northern part of Ye Township and they as a gang-raped her.

The soldiers repeatedly raped the young girl, Mi Khin Htwe (the daughter of Nai At)
until she lost consciousness. The rape incident occurred in a half way between the two
Mon villages, Aru-taung and Kun-duu, in the northern part of Ye Township. The
native village of Mi Khin Htwe is from Aru-taung village.

She and her two friends (a boy and a girl) paid a visit to Kun-duu village and when
they returned to their homes in Aru-taung village, in evening about 4 o’clock, they
met those 3 soldiers. As they knew the soldiers could make problem to them, and they
also decided to return to Kun-duu village again.

But the soldiers followed and dragged Mi Khin Htwe into a rubber plantation.
Although the boy who came along with her tried to stop, but the soldiers pointed the
guns at him and threatened to kill him. Then the boy ran to Aru-taung village, to ask

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for the help from the villagers.

In rubber plantation, the soldiers repeatedly raped her until she lost consciousness.
When a group of villagers arrived to incident place, the soldiers already left and they
found only unconscious and injured girl laid down near a rubber tree. Then they
carried her back to the village.

Although the villagers and the headmen knew the case, they did not dare to inform to
the battalion commander, because they were afraid. They only kept a silence for the
case. Among three soldiers, one soldier was a medic in the battalion and he could
recognized him very well, said by the boy. He added the other two soldiers were
ordinary soldiers.

There are many hidden cases of rapes near the newly deployed battalion while the
local kept silence for almost cases as they have no place to take legal against these
cases.

D. Case Study of Killing

In Thanbyuzayat and Ye Townships of Mon State, the soldiers in the area have
responsibility to guard the motor road, railway and a Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas
pipeline. They always launched the military patrol in the area and went around at
night time along the main roads and into villages to check the activities of rebel armed
force. During their military patrol in the area, some rape against women and killing
the innocent villages also happened.

On July 21, there was an incident of killing and rape happened in a village in
Thanbyuzayat Township. A group of soldiers from Burmese Army’s Infantry
Battalion (IB) No. 61 killed 5 villagers in ‘Galaing-padaw’ village after the soldier
raped a young girl.

Four soldiers of IB No. 62, which base in Thanbyuzayat town, took military patrol in
area along the Thanbyuzayat - Ye motor road and a gas-pipeline nearby and they went
into a Mon village called “Ganaing-padaw” in early morning about 4 o’clock.
Ganaing-padaw village is situating about 9 kilometers far in southeastern part of
Thanbyuzayat Town. (See Thanbyuzayat Township, page # 101)

When they arrived into village, they entered into village secretary, Nai Kun Tit’s
house. Nai Kun Tit did not wake up and they met his grand-daughter, Mi Eat Sar (16
years old and a school girl from a middle level school in a village nearby), who was
cooking rice to give food donation to the monks in the dawn accordingly to Buddhist
traditions.

Four soldiers including a soldier, Thein Naing (Burmese Army’s ID Number 176399)
climbed onto the house and raped the girl. While the soldiers were raping the girl, Nai
Kun Tit waked up and tried to help her. But as he knew the soldiers had the guns and
he run down from his house to garden’s entrance and shout to the villagers for help.

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Because of his shouting, one soldier shot at him. He lied down in the entrance of the
garden and died on spot. And, the soldiers had quarrel each other as some of them
disagreed shooting to the man. Then, they shot each other again.

After several shooting on the house, other family members waked up and run around
in the house while the shooting between the soldiers occurred. Then another four
villagers, including Mi Eat Sar, the rape victim, was shot down by soldiers. They also
died on spot with many injuries.

The villagers who were killed in this incident are:

(1) Nai Kun Tit (66 years old), the secretary of the village,
(2) Mi Kun Bae (60 years old), wife of Nai Kun Tit,
(3) Mi Eat Sar (16 years old), raped victim and grand-daughter of Nai Kun Tit,
(4) Min Chit Ko (20 years old), grandson of Nai Kun Tit, and
(5) Nai Wet Tae (42 years old), labourer for Nai Kun Tit’s farm.

Because of shooting, a IB No. 62 soldier, Thein Naing, received serious injuries and
lied down in the kitchen of the house. In the morning, the army officers from
Thanbyuzayat’s IB No. 62 headquarters came and inquired the incident. And, when
they found their men really involved shooting against the innocent villagers, they told
the villagers to separate the news that the villagers were killed in the middle of
fighting that happened between rebels and their battalions.

IB No. 62 bases in Thanbyuzayat Town, which is about 80 miles far in the south from
Moulmein, the capital of Mon State. It has main responsibility to take security of the
area and Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas-pipeline.

In some areas, especially, in Ye and Yebyu Townships, the soldiers sometimes shot
into the villages wth motor shells if they suspected the villagers were keeping the
rebel soldiers. Villagers were killed and injured when the shells exploded in the
villages and hit them. On November 6, 2002, when the soldiers from a joint military
operation (that includes LIB No. 273, LIB No. 282 and LIB No. 267) shot motor
shells into a Mon village, Khaw-za, in southern part of Ye Township, about 4:00 p.m.
in the evening without notices, pieces of shell hit to three villages. Luckily, no one
died but all of them got serious injuries.

X. The Burmese Army and Local Businesses

Since the military regime came to power, the regime has adopted a policy that every
military command must involve in local business activities to raise fund for the
welfare of their battalions. In practicing that policy, the Southeast Command ordered
its local battalions (IB Battalions) to raise fund for their battalion budgets. Following
the order, many battalions in Mon State collected various types of taxes from the
civilians. Moreover, the battalions have engaged in local businesses such as logging
concessions, transportation, fishing concessions, and trading. Some military officers
joined venture with local transportation businesses. Some battalions have cooperated
with officials from the Department of Forestry for logging and lumber businesses. By
these engagements, the army exploited the local business groups.

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Some battalions, especially light infantry, whose bases are located in rural area
complained that they have less chances to get involved in business activities.
Therefore, in 1998, the Southeast Command authorized the local battalions to
confiscate farms, orchards and rubber plantations. If a battalion does not have enough
funds to operate its business, it collects money from the local civilians.

Some local business groups do not like to joint venture with the local military
battalion, but they usually do not have a choice. The army often disturbed or harassed
such business groups. In some cases, business groups needed to provide funding on
the request of the local battalions regardless of the performance of their businesses. In
some occasions, the army threatened, harassed, or shut down other business groups
that were considered to be competitors to the businesses owned by the battalions.

XI. Conclusion and Recommendations

Increasing military deployment in Mon State has caused tremendous problems and
sufferings to local civilians. Thousands of acres of land have been confiscated and
hundreds of millions Kyats worth plantations have been destroyed or confiscated by
the Burmese army between 1998 and 2002.

As a result, thousands of villagers lost their lands, and plantations and jobs. Many of
them had to leave for Thailand to seek employments. In addition to land
confiscations, the army forced local villagers to work on those lands as unpaid labors.
The local army not only confiscated the lands and forced local villagers to build
military barracks but the army also extorts different types of taxes from villagers to
cover the cost of constructing new military barracks.

The army confiscated farms and plantations and forced the owners to work on those
lands without any pays or benefits. This act is very inhumane and causes tremendous
hardship to the villagers. While some villagers, who had the opportunity, left for Mon
refugee camps in the Thai-Burma border or for Thailand to seek jobs, others had no
choices and worked on the farms in fear.

Although the landowners and the NMSP urgently appealed to the SPDC for full
compensations or land substitutions, the authorities ignored their appeals. In a few
cases, in order to appease farmers and growers, the army granted them permissions to
continue harvesting their crops or paid small compensation. But those compensations
were very insignificant compared to market values of the lands and plantations.

The Burmese army often accused villagers of rebel supporters and has inhumanely
abused local civilians. Accompany with increasing military deployments, human
rights violations such as tax extortions, forced labors, rapes, and killing have
significantly increased in the areas.

In addition to many types of human rights violations, the local authorities, SPDC’s
officers, have practiced the government’s assimilation policy and have violated the
basic ethnic rights of the Mon. They have shut down several Mon national schools,
Mon literacy training camps and banned the celebrations of important occasions for
Mon people such as the celebration of Mon National Day. They have set up
population transfer projects and forcibly transferred non-Burman ethnic nationals

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from their native villages to Burman dominant areas. On the other hand, they have
brought in retired Burmese soldiers, military personnel, and their families and
arranged their resettlements on the lands confiscated from local ethnic.

In summary, there has been lack of rules of laws under the current military regimes.
Land and properties of civilians in Mon’s areas have been confiscated, and those poor
farmers have not received just compensation. They have been forced to work without
any wages, illegally taxed, and forced to relocate against their will. They have
suffered from more severe human rights violations such as arrest, torture, rape, and
killing. However, they have found are no places inside Burma to seek legal actions
against the Burmese army. While poor farmers are painfully struggling for their
survivals, families of the military regime have enjoyed all the best in life. The land
that used to feed the nation has become Burmese army’s camps. Therefore, we see
that it is a moral obligation for international community to stand by helpless ethnic
farmers and civilians in Mon’s areas.

A. Recommendations to the SPDC

· To create social, political, and economic development in the country;


· To comply with the obligations under UN’s declaration of human rights;
· To restraint further military expansion in ethnic areas in order to maintain peace and
stability in the country;
· To ensure that citizens, especially who live in rural areas, are not abused by
undisciplined military personnel and soldiers;
· To grant landowners the rights to file legal actions against local army, authorities,
and police who confiscated their lands;
· To end all land confiscations and other human rights abuses in Mon areas and grant
fair compensation to farmers for their losses caused by land confiscations.
· To commit to the establishment of a democratic parliamentary government in
Burma;

B. Recommendations to the NMSP and Other Armed Forces

· To protect local people who fled to the Thai-Burma border areas while they are
seeking for temporary sanctuary;
· To develop a new mechanism to give protection to local people from various types
of abuses committed by the military regime;
· To respect, protect, and to fight for the rights of farmers and local people;

C. Recommendations to the Royal Thai Government

· To provide humanitarian helps to the victims who fled to Thai-Burma border and
who are seeking for temporary sanctuary in the Kingdom;
· To carefully observe the nature of conflicts in Burma, that is, to listen to or hear
from both sides, Burmese military regime and the people of Burma
· To adopt a new pragmatic diplomacy with the government of Union of Burma for
maintaining peace and stability in the region;
· To actively involve in solving political and economic crises in Burma;

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D. Recommendations to United Nations and International Community

· To help stop human rights violations in Burma via its representatives and local
offices;
· To increase human rights violations monitoring programs in rural areas, especially in
black and gray areas in cooperating with local human rights organizations, community
groups as well as religious associations in the country;
· To expend development programs in the rural areas, where there are very limited
health care, education and employment opportunity;
· To help transfer skills, technology, and resources to local people, especially for
agricultural developments in the country.

CASE STUDIES:
CASE 1:

Land Confiscation in Kyaikmayaw Township, 1998

Confiscated by: Township Authorities/ Military Intelligence (MI)


Location: Kha-yonegu, Kaw-swe Villages, Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Farmers are forced to work in their own farms, but had to give all
crops produced to authorities or MI. They received some amount of paddy as rent
cost.
Location map: Kyaikmayaw Township Map, on Page 104.

In October 1998, Kyaikmayaw Township PDC authorities confiscated about 50 acres


of paddy growing farmland near Khayonegu village. After the land was confiscated, it
distributed among township PDC authorities, police and armies. The authorities
preferred to confiscate the land in October because they could harvest the crops on
confiscated land as well. In October, crops are ready to harvest. However, the main
reason confiscating the land was it located near a river which could provide water to
the land for double crops farming. Due to this land confiscation, seven families lost
their lands and jobs, and some of them migrate to Thailand to seek for employment.
None of these families received compensation from the authorities.

Similarly, Military Intelligence officer, Lt. Col. Mya Kyin Sein, from No. 5
Intelligence Battalion, based in Moulmein, confiscated another 100 acres of land from
another seven Mon farmers of Kawswe Village, Kyaikmayaw Township in June
1998.

The seven Mon farmers who lost the lands were:

1. Nai Hawar
2. Nai Kwat
3. Nai Hadoe
4. Nai Paw
5. Nai Zot
6. Nai Klaik
7. Nai Taing

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In this case, the military intelligence officer confiscated the land for his own profit,
not for his troops. These farmers have not received any compensation for the cost of
their lands. Although they rapidly appeal to him to return their lands, the appeals were
rejected. However, finally he rented the land to the owners instead of return it to them.
The owners have to pay rents 4 baskets of paddy per acre to him. In addition, the
farmers also have to pay paddy taxes (12 baskets per acre) to the government. The
intelligence officer did not help them with any farming equipment to farm on the land.

Under the claim of making donation to the government sponsored State Buddhist
Monks Association, the local authorities also confiscated land from local farmers
Kyaikmayaw Township. By claiming to donate land to seven senior monks who are
the heads of Mon State Buddhist Monks Association in Mon State, local authorities
confiscated about 365 acres of farmland in Kyaikmayaw Township. Although the
authorities claimed that the land and all paddy produced from the land would be
donated to the monks, in fact, the monks have never received the land but only some
paddy produced from land. The authorities took the land and the rest of the crops.

CASE (2):

Land Confiscation in Ye Township, 1998

Confiscated by: IB No. 61, LIB No. 343, and IB No. 106
Location: Tamort-kanin and Taung-bon Villages, Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour
Location map: Ye Township Map, Page 102.

The land confiscation of paddy-growing farmland and other land such as salt fields
and rubber plantation land also happened in other township areas.

In June 1998, after local battalions in Ye Townships were ordered to support


themselves for food supplies and for battalions expenses, Ye Township based
Burmese military battalions, IB No. 61, LIB No. 343 and IB No. 106 confiscated
about 150 acres of farmland without compensation. The land is situated about 20
kilometers in the northern part of Ye town between the Tamort-kanin village and
Taung-bon village. After confiscating the land, local Burmese armies have constantly
forced farmers from Tamort-kanin, Taung-bon, and Aru-taung villages to farm in the
land without pay during 1998 and 1999 rainy seasons.

The farmers were forced to work in the land with rotation basis. There were thirty
farmers per rotation. The farmers were not only forced to work in the farms without
pay, but also have to provide farming equipments to cultivate the land. For example
the farmers have to bring oxen and farm equipments to plow the land.

In August 1998, with a plan to extend a new town section in outskirt of Ye town, Ye
Township PDC authorities, No. 5 Intelligence Unit, IB No. 61 and LIB No. 343
confiscated about 100 acres of land grown with palm trees and paddies to build
houses for government servants and military personnel. As a result, about 15 farmers
from Ye town lost their land. These farmers’ incomes mainly depended crops
produced from the land.

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After the land was equally divided into 268 plots, they (the plots) were distributed to
the government servants and military and intelligence officers to build their houses.
Some government servants also made profit from selling their newly built houses in
the market.

In September, 1998, IB No. 61 and LIB No. 343, also confiscated another 40 acres of
salt fields (salt produced land) in the west of Ye town. Owners of the salt fields were
not notified by the battalions in advance before the fields were confiscated. After the
fields were confiscated, the armies went to the owners and notified them about
confiscation and ordered them to keep working on the fields as unpaid labors. In other
words, the owners not only lost their properties, but also were forced to work on their
lands for the army without pay.

CASE (3)

Land Confiscation in other Townships in Mon State, 1998

Confiscated by: Thanbyuzayat Township Authorities and LIB No. 209; LID No. 44
Location: Mudon Township, and Taton Township in Mon State
Related abuses: Farmers were demanded by soldiers to provide free seeds and
germinated paddy plants
Location map: Mudon Township Map on Page 100, and Thanbyuzayat Township
Map on Page 101.

In May 1998, about 100 acres of rubber plantations outside of Thanphyuzayat town
were also confiscated to construct a new railway station. The plantations were owned
by Nai Aung Ba and Nai Ain Wet. Both of them did not receive any compensation for
value of the land and plantations from Thanphyuzayat Township PDC authorities.

At the same time, another 300 acres rubber plantations in east side of the town were
also confiscated by local authorities in order to resettle 150 families of town residents.
These families were forced to move from other parts of the town, where the
authorities confiscated their houses and lands to construct a telephone exchange office
and to share the lands among Township government servants and authorities.

Similarly, LIB No. 209 based near Kamawet village of Mudon Township confiscated
50 acres of pasture land in the west of the village. The land was used for raising cattle
before it was confiscated. Although the battalion did not force the farmers to work on
the farms, it asked farmers nearby to contribute free seeds and germinated paddy
plants to its farm. The similar land confiscation was also taken place in other parts of
Mon State, such as in Thaton, Chaungzon, Beelin, and Paung township areas during
1998.

SPDC Light Infantry Division No. 44 based in Thaton Township also confiscated
about 400 acres of uncultivated land, orchard plantation land, and rice farmland in the
township areas.

CASE (4)

Land Confiscation in Karen State, where Mon People Live, 1998

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Confiscated by: Pa-an Township Authorities; LIB No. 547; LIB No. 548; and LIB
No. 549
Location: Pa-an Township, Kawkareik Township, and Kya-inn-seikyi Township,
Karen State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour
Location map: Kawkareik Township Map, on Page 105.

As results of self-reliance programs of the SDPC, the Burmese military battalions in


Karen State were also ordered to confiscate local farmland to grow paddy for
battalions’ food supplies. Thus, the local military battalions in Pa-an, Kya Inn Seikyi,
Kawkareik and Myawaddy townships of Karen State also confiscated hundreds acres
of farmland and forced local villagers to cultivate the land to grow paddy.

For example, in June 1998, Pa-an Township PDC authorities, Karen State, confiscated
about 200 acres of land from 20 farmers of Than-hlae and Krone-sot villages. The
lands were used to grow two seasonal crops to provide food supplies for local military
battalions. The owners have not received any compensation. The local villagers,
especially from the two villages, have been used as forced labors to work in the farms
without pay. Light Infantry Division No. 22 based in Pa-an town and Township PDC
authorities were responsible for confiscating the land and conscripting the villagers.
The villagers from the two villages have been forced to work on confiscated farms
with rotating basis.

Similarly, in June 1998, the local battalions based in Kawkareik Township, LIB No.
547, LIB No. 548 and LIB No. 549 also confiscated another 500 acres of farmland
from 40 farmers near Nabu village. The owners were also forced to work on the
confiscated land. However, the farmers received paid to work on the farms. At the end
of the season, each farmer received 100 baskets of paddy from the battalions for labor
wages. But they did not received rents for the land and farm equipments or oxen. The
farmers also have to pay for fertilizers and for hiring an additional worker. Hiring an
additional worker cost farmers 75-100 baskets of paddy for the whole season. So in
this case, the farmers received 100 basket of paddy at the end of the season for his or
her labor but not for fertilizers and additional hiring labor costs and oxen and farm
equipment rents. After subtracting all these costs, the farmers left nothing at the end
of season. It ended up similar to unpaid labor. However, the farmers did not have to
pay paddy tax to the government. Because of this forced conscription to work on their
farms for the battalions, some farmers decided to abandon their lands and fled to other
areas.

Similarly, these three battalions also confiscated another 200 acres of villagers’
farmland and 250 acres of uncultivated lands along the Kawkareik-Myawaddy motor
road between Kyonedoe and Thingan-nyinaung village tracts. The battalions grew
paddy in the 200 acres of farmland while they grew rubber plants in the 250 acres of
unculitivated land. The local villagers from Kyonedoe, Kanni, and Thingan-nyinaung
village tracts were forced to work in both paddy cultivation and rubber planting
without pay.

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Burmese local battalions, local police also confiscated some acres of land from local
Mon villagers in Kawkareik Township and forced the farmers to grow paddy in the
land.

During the first and second weeks of July 1998, under instruction of Township police
in Kawkareik town, local police who were policing around many Mon villages in the
township areas had confiscated some acres of lands from local Mon villagers and
forced them to work in the land. For example, a police officer, 2nd Class Warrant
Officer, Than Hteik Shein, confiscated 5 acres of land from Kaw-bein village; Pol.
Sergeant Ba Thein confiscated 5 acres of land from Kaw-go village; and another 2nd
Class Warrant Officer Min Thu confiscated 5 acres of land from Kharit-kyauktan
village in Kawkareik township. The police ordered the village headmen to force
farmers to grow paddy on the confiscated land right after the land was confiscated.
The villagers had been forced to grow and harvest paddy on the land for 1998 and
1999.

Burmese military battalion, LIB No. 284 based in the township area also confiscated
100 acres of land along the Zami riverbank in Kya-inn-seikyi Township and forced
villagers nearby to contribute unpaid labor. The confiscated land was situated near
Warbogone village. Villagers from Wabogone, Kyotan, Thaketchaung, Natchaung
and Kasat villages were forced to work on the farms. About 5-10 villagers per village
were ordered to work on rotation basis. The village headmen were forced to take
responsible for rotating the villagers to work in the farm.

As the battalion wanted to cultivate two seasonal crops per year, the villagers were
forced to work on the farm for both seasons. In dry season, in order to store water for
farming, the villagers were forced to build embankment on the farms. Besides
growing paddy, the battalion also forced the villagers to clear forest to grow rubber
plantations.

Case (5)

The Dams Construction and Land Development, 1998

Confiscated by: LIB No. 406, LIB No. 410, LIB No. 273
Location: Yebyu Township area, Tenasserim Division
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour; tax extortion
Location map: Yebyu Township Map, on Page 103.

Although majority of Mon people in Mon State are paddy growers, less than 50% of
inhabitants in Yebyu Township of Tenasserim Division are paddy farmers. Most of
them are orchard and perennial crops growers and fishermen. The township has
thousands acres of uncultivated land or cultivable wasteland. So Burmese local
military battalions are instructed to develop new land for cultivating paddy.

However, the local military battalions had already confiscated many acres of farmland
before the land development project was started. There are about 10 SPDC military
battalions in Yebyu township area. Some battalions confiscated farmland from
farmers while the others developed cultivable wasteland for paddy production. For

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example, LIB No. 410 confiscated 50 acres of farmland owned by Singu villagers in
1998. After confiscation the land, Singu villagers were forced to work in the farms
without pay. Similarly, LIB No. 406 confiscated another 60 acres of farmland near
Yapu village and forced villagers from the village to work on the land as well.

Thus, in August 1998, before beginning to develop uncultivated or wasteland land in


the area, the local battalions decided to build dams or embarkment first around the
area where the land would be developed for irrigation systems. The local military
battalions have built four dams in the township. These dams are located in Singu,
Hmaw-gyi, Kywethonyima, and Mintha.

The local battalions have conscripted hundreds of local villagers as forced labors from
over 20 villages, mostly from Mintha, Eindayaza, Kywethonyima and Natkyisin
village tracts to work on the dam constructions without pay. The villagers were forced
to clear bushes, cut small trees, and construct over 7, 700 feet long embankment to
irrigate 400 acres of land. The constructions lasted from August 1998 to April 1999.
After the dams’ constructions have completed, most villagers return to their daily
works for three months from May to July of 1999; however, the villagers from
Natkyisin village tracts were forced to work on the Ye-Tavoy motor road construction
instead. Starting August 1999, the villagers from above 20 villages were again forced
to work on land clearing to grow paddy for battalions. The villagers were instructed to
complete land clearing by the rainy season which was started in the month of May so
that the battalions could start growing paddy. The villagers were assigned to clear
land for 4675 square feet (85 feet in length and 55 feet in width) per household. They
had to clear all trees, bushes, and grasses as well as to level the fields.

After the villagers have completed clearing lands, the villagers were ordered to throw
the wastes in rivers because during the rainy season, the villagers could not burn these
wastes. It took villagers’ times and energy to throw all wastes in the rivers. This also
caused environmental demages by pullating water in the river.

After the land development have completed, the battalions hired the local villagers to
work in the land. The battalions paid half of crop produced from the land to farmers
after harvesting. However, the villagers were reluctant to work in the battalions’ farms
for fear of being punished if they could not produce higher yield from the land. The
land was also not good for growing paddy because it was flood during the rainy
seasons. The farmers were also fear that they would not get full amount of rents at the
end of reasons as the battalions have never kept their promises to the villagers.
However, the villagers have no choice. Those who did not want to work in the land
fled to the Thai-Burma border.

Tax Extortions and Forced Labors : The following information shows how LIB No.
273 collected taxes and conscripted forced labour from the local villagers to clear land
and grow paddy around Kywethonyima dams.

In order to develop these uncultivated lands for paddy production and to install
irrigation systems, LIB No. 273 was provided 6 millions Kyats from the Border Area
Development Program. However, these budgets were not enough to construct 4 dams
and clear 400 acres of land. Therefore, the battalions had to conscript hundreds of
forced labors and collected additional taxes from local villagers. The battalions

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ordered village headmen to collect 3.5 millions Kyats taxes from the local villagers.
The tax had been collected at four different times. The tax payment ranged from 500
to 10,000 Kyats per household.

Land confiscation for new settlement or new town section: In the previous years, the
Burmese Army has confiscated many acres of land to construct a new section of
towns or cities for resettlement villagers who were forced to relocate from their
villages. In recent years, the Burmese Army has relocated hundreds of villagers from
the rebel-controlled areas into the government-controlled areas in order to cut off
communication between rebels and civilians. As a result, the local Burmese army
confiscated land from civilians under the government controlled-areas to resettle these
forced located villagers. Moreover, land in outskirts of a town was always targeted for
confiscation whenever the government planned to extend a new section of the town or
construct a new satellite town. Such confiscation of land happened in most of towns
or cities in Mon State. Sometimes, whenever the government constructs a new
building such as prison, factory for foreign companies, and housing for surrendered
rebel groups, land owned by the civilians in the outskirt of a town was always targeted
for confiscation by local authorities.

So far, the government has built many roads and bridges by confiscating land from
local villagers. When the government built Ye-Tavoy motor road, many acres of
private properties such as houses, plantations, and farmland owned by Mon villagers
in Ye and Yebyu township area were confiscated. When the route passed into a
village, villagers were forced to move out of their properties immediately.

Case (6)

Land Confiscation by SPDC Troops for Constructing Power Lines from Gas-
Pipeline Area to Ye Town, 1999

Confiscated by: MOMC No. 8


Location: Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division and Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Forced relocation, conscription of forced labour, forced to
population displacement
Location Map: Ye Township Map on Page 102, and Yebyu Township Map, on Page
103

During 1999, local Burmese troops from military operational Management command
(MOMC) No. (8) under command of Coastal Region Military Command has
confiscated many acres of civilians’ land in Yebyu township area for power lines
construction in order to transport electiricity from Unocal and Total gas-pipeline area
to Ye town.

Under the development program of TOTAL and Unocal, the companies have been
providing electricity to Ye town and villages near the town. To transport electricity
from the gas pipeline area to Ye town, local the Burmese army has taken
responsibility in clearing routes in order to construct power lines along Ye-Tavoy
motor road.

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Therefore, local authorities have confiscated many acres of land from local civilians
to construct the power lines. If the power lines cross through private properties, the
properties were confiscated without compensation. Amount of properties were
different from one family to another. In some cases, both houses and plantations were
confiscated while, in other cases, only houses or plantations were confiscated. For
example, when local Burmese army installed the electric poles near Kyaukadin
village, the poles passed through a house of a Mon family, Nai Daing and Mi Hla.
The whole of Nai Daing’s house was confiscated or destroyed without compensation.
The army ordered his family to move out of the properties immediately. According to
the family, they lost about 1 million Kyats for property damage. They did not receive
any compensation from the army or local authorities.

Similarly, when the poles passed near Kwe-tha-lin village in Yebyu Township, it
passed through Nai Char-Mi Hla Kyi betel-nut plantation, and the whole plantation
was confiscated. After the army harvested all betel nuts from the plantation, it cut
down all betel nut trees. This family lost about 600 betel-nut trees which were worth
about 2 millions Kyats. The family did not receive any compensation for both land
and plantation.

The following are family victims who lost their properties including houses,
plantations, and farmland from Kwe-tha-lin village due to power lines construction.

(1) Mr. Nai Lain & Ms. Mi Hla Din


(2) Mr. Nai Pho Sein & Ms. Mi Khin Nyunt
(3) Mr. Nai Pha & Ms. Mi Nyi Ma Lay
(4) Mr. Nai Thaung Nyein & Ms. Mi Khin Myint
(5) Mr. Nai Myint & Ms. Mi Khin Aye
(6) Mr. Nai Kit & Ms. Mi Khin Nu.

None of these families receive any compensation from local authorities or gas and oil
companies.

Not only Kwe-tha-lin villagers lost their lands, other villagers who were living along
Ye-Tavoy motor road also lost their land and other types of properties. Under the so-
called development program of Unocal and Total and the SPDC, the villagers in the
area were often conscripted as forced labor for constructing military encampments,
roads, and other projects that provide security for gas pipeline projects and
infrastructure for both SPDC troops and companies’ field personnel.

Under the development projects, only thirteen villages around Kanbauk area benefit
from the projects such as building schools and clinics, the rest of villages in the areas
greatly suffer from human rights violations as result of companies’ businesses
activities in the area.

Case (7)

New Military Battalion Deployment and Land Confiscation 1999

Confiscated by: IB No. 61, LIB No. 299, LIB No. 343

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Location: Hangan and Koe-mile Villages, Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour; Tax extortion
Location Map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102 .
Related table: Appendix D: Table 1(page 75) and Table 2 (page 76)

During 1999, in order to deploy more Burmese army regiments in Mon State, the
Burmese Army’s Southeast Region Military Command (Southeast Command)
confiscated over 1, 000 acres of land from Mon civilians in Ye Township.

In March 1999, in order to deploy a new military battalion of LIB No. 299, 300
hundreds acres of orchards and rubber plantations from local villagers in northern part
of Ye Township were confiscated by IB No. 61 without compensation. The land was
grown with rubber, betel nut, cashew nut and orchards. Most these plantations were
owned by Mon villagers from Hangan and Koe-Mile villages. As a result of this land
confiscating, about 100 families from these two villages lost their plantations and
land. In this case, the owners received a small amount of compensation from IB No.
61 which took responsibility in confiscating the land. The battalion paid 7 Kyats per
plants or tree which was much lower than market prices. According to the villagers
who lost the land said that they have planted these plantations about 10-15 years and
invested a lot of times and money. With the market prices, a plantation with 100
betel-nuts trees could be worth about 300, 000 Kyats.

Such land confiscation resulted in great hardship for villagers whose their incomes
mostly depend on the land. Some of them have to find daily labors which they are not
experienced, and others send their sons and daughters to Thailand to sought jobs in
order to support their families’ hardship back home.

Although Ye township has thousand acres of unused land or uncultivated land, the
SPDC did not take these land for its military purpose. Instead the SPDC took the land
that has been planted rubber trees and orchards.

Build the Barracks: After land was confiscated, the local villagers from Hangan and
Koe-Mile villages were forced to work on the confiscated land to build military
camps for LIB No. 299 in April 1999. In May and June of 1999, the battalions also
forced villagers from other villages in southern Ye Township to clear the ground,
build fences, dig trenches and bunkers, and build the barracks.

According to a Kalort villager who was conscripted to work in the building of the
military camps explained:

“When we arrived to the new battalion site, the soldiers told us to cut down the trees
and clear the ground. We had to cut many young betel-nut trees and gathered them to
one place. The soldiers also sold the trees in the market to earn extra income for their
battalions. Then we were instructed to clear the ground. We had to dig the roots of the
betel-nut trees and filled the holes with dirt, and level the ground to construct the
barracks. And one sergeant ordered us to dig trenches. While we were digging
trenches, the army officers were gathering planks and woods to build the military
barracks. I was forced two work there for five days without pay.”

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Besides the conscription of forced labor, the battalions in Ye Township, IB No. 61
and LIB No. 343 which were in charge of constructing new battalions also collected
cashes from villagers in Ye town and villages along Ye river bank to buy planks,
woods and other building materials. Burmese military IB No. 61 instructed the village
headmen to collect fund ranged from 3,000 Kyats to 20,000 Kyats per household
depending on the size of the villages and population in the villages.

Checkpoint business and tax extortion: Moreover, to support for the deployment of
this new battalion, IB No. 61 troops also collected various types of taxes from the
local civilians. For example, whenever the troops launched the military operations,
they arrested more porters than they required. Then they asked a ransom for surplus
(unwanted) porters in order to release them. Furthermore, the troops also set up
checkpoints on the main motor and water routes to collect taxes from passengers who
are trading commodities along the routes.

For example

Burmese IB No. 61 set up a checkpoint in Kyaung-ywa village to tax commodities


that were trading along the Ye river route. The checkpoint officer Warrant Officer
Aung Khin has collected tax 2,000 Kyats for one ton of logs, 200 Kyats for one sack
of paddy, 50 Kyats for one sack of betel nut, and 500 Kyats for a big bamboo raft.

Similarly, IB No. 61 set up checkpoints in the mount and other part of the Ye river
and taxed fishermen. It also set a checkpoint in Zeetaw village to tax fishing boats.
The tax payment ranges from 500 Kyats to 2000 Kyats per boat depending on the size
of the boats. If boats could not pay the taxes, the army took gasoline or fishes from
the boats. The taxes are funds for IB No. 61 battalion’s expenses and for construction
of the new battalion.

While about 200 acres of farmlands were confiscated in southern part of the township,
near Koe-mile village, and another 800 acres of land were confiscated by in the
northern part of the township near Aru-taung and Kun-duu village in April 1999. The
sites of these confiscated land was located along Moulmein-Tavoy motor road. Most
of these lands (about 70%) are owned by the local Mon civilians. The land was grown
with rubber, durian, betel nut, lime, and orange plantations which were main income
of local people. The local people had been farming on these lands for nearly 80 years.
However, as a result of the land confiscation by the army, local civilians have suffered
great loss of their properties which they had been depending on for their incomes.
They became helpless since they could not complain their causes to the Burmese
military regime.
The purpose of this confiscating land was to deploy an army battalion, LIB No. 343
and an artillery regiment (Tactical Command No. 3) in the area. LIB No. 343 was
originally based in Ye town. According to sources close to Southeast Command, the
purpose of deployment of the battalion and artillery regiment is to protect or secure a
Burmese air base in the area. The air base was an old Japanese air base during World
War II. So the SPDC repairs the base to deploy more air forces in the area.
Because of this land confiscation, about 83 families of villagers from Aru-taung and
Kun-du villages lost about 600 acres of lands grown with rubber and various kinds of
fruit plantations which were worth about 98 millions Kyats. (Note: Unofficial

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exchange rate is about 1 US D = 350 Kyats in estimation during this land
confiscation.)

Case (8)

More Land Confiscation for Military Deployment, 2000

Confiscated by: LIB No. 343


Location: Northern Part of Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour

In February, 2000, SPDC’s LIB No. 343 confiscated another 100 acres of land from
13 Mon farmers in northern Ye Township for new military deployment.

The following are landowners whose their lands have been confiscated by the
Burmese Army without compensation.

(1) Nai Myo Lwin


(2) Nai Nyan Thein
(3) Nai Na
(4) Nai Dar
(5) Nai Thar
(6) Nai Aung Shein
(7) Nai Taung Aye
(8) Mi Kin
(9) Nai Tee
(10) Nai Pan Tin
(11) Nai Khin Aung
(12) Nai Yeah.
(13) Nai Kun Ba

Of these farmers, 8 farmers owned both betel nut and rubber plantations while 3
farmers owned only betel-nut plantations, and the remaining 2 owned rubber
plantations. The estimated values of these plantations were approximately 9.75
million Kyats.

The land confiscation was ordered by the Southeast Command based in Moulmein,
the capital of Mon State, and the LIB No. 343 carried out the confiscation. After
confiscating the land, the battalion forced villagers to cut and clear part of plantations
to build military barrack and other military facilities. The rest of the plantations were
used for the battalion’s incomes.

Appealing to Military Commanders: After Burmese army has confiscated hundreds


acres of farmland along with plantations in northern part of Ye township, 97 farmers,
who lost the land in the areas, wrote a letter to Southeast Military Command and
requested the military commanders three points: first, they requested for
compensation of the land, second if the army would not pay them compensation, they
requested for land substitution in order for them to continue to grow fruits and

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rubbers, and third, if the army would not allow the above two requests, they requested
to harvest their crops in the confiscated lands for three years.

A Meeting with Farmers and Burmese Army, January 2000: After the farmers
appealed to Southeast Command in Moulmein, strategic commander, Col. Cho Tun
Aung, called a meeting with the farmers on January 31, 2000. In the meeting, the
commander explained that due to urgent requirement by the army, they have no
choice but to confiscate these lands. However, he said the army would allow the
farmers to harvest their crops for three years. Of course, the owners whose their
plantations had already been cut down to build barracks were not able to harvest their
crops. They lost land, plantations, and lost chance of three years harvesting crops.

But the commanders instructed and warned the farmers that when farmers enter to
their plantations, they must have permission letters from village headmen. Only the
owners of plantation can harvest the crops. If something happens in the plantations
that would harms the army, the plantation owners must be arrested and punished. The
harvesting must be immediately stopped.

After the strategic commanders explanation and threatening the farmers, commander
of LIB No. 343, Maj. Lin Oo, ordered the farmers to give 25 percent of their
harvested crops to the army. If the farmers could not pay in kinds, they could pay in
cash. However, the army prefer in cash since they (army) do not want to take
responsibility to sell these crops in the market.

Because of this restriction from the battalion, most farmers decided not harvest to
their crops. Some who harvested the crops also faced various restrictions imposed by
the army which delayed the harvesting of their crops. As a result, some farmers have
abandoned their land.

Case (9)

Confiscating Properties to Construct a Gas-pipeline, 2000

Confiscated by: Nationality Race and Border Area Development Ministry and
Southeast Command
Location: Tenasserim Division, & Mon State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour; forced relocation
Location Map: Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas pipeline in Southern Burma Map, on
Page 106

In November 19, 2000, local SPDC authorities have planned to construct a gas-
pipeline to transport natural gas from Yadana gas field to Pa-an township of Karen
State in order to operate a cement production factory in Myaingkalay. The gas
pipeline construction passes through Mon State to Karen State.

The SPDC’s Nationality Race and Border Area Development Ministry and
Construction Ministry (NRBADM) and Southeast Command have taken
responsibility to construct the pipeline. The pipeline was constructed along Yebyu-Ye

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motor road, Ye and Moulmein motor and railways roads, Moulmein-Kyaikmayaw
motor road.

The construction has caused hundreds acres of land to be confiscated by the local
authorities. For example, the local authorities confiscated land and plantations owned
by villagers from Yapu village tracts when the construction passed through these
lands and plantations along the Yebyu-Ye motor road. Moreover, the owners and
other villagers from the areas were also forced clear the pipeline construction route.
Some villagers not only their lands were confiscated, but also were forced to clear
their plantations for the construction. When the route passed through Ye–Moulmein
motor road, some paddy farmland in the area had been confiscated as well.

On November 27, 2000, when the route passed through a Mon village near
Thanphyuzayat town, called Wae-ka-rat, about 20 houses were destroyed. The owners
of the houses were ordered to destroy their houses, cut any trees in their yards, and
leave their houses within three days. Because of such orders, these villagers became
homeless and landless within 3 days.

Similarly, on November 29, 2000 when the route passed Wae-thun-chaung village,
near Thanphyuzayat town, about 10 houses were destroyed, and many acres of land
were confiscated. The villagers were also ordered to destroy their houses, cut their
trees and leave their houses within three days as well.

Some of the victims (land owners from that area) are as follow:

(1) Nai Mun Tin


(2) Nai Nyan Sein
(3) Nai Ai
(4) Nai Pyin
(5) Nai Kyaw Aye
(6) Nai Ohn
(7) Nai Sein

None of these families received any compensation from the authorities. The
authorities also did not provide place, shelters or land for the families. So they
suddenly became homeless, landless, and displaced person due to this government
development project. These families had been living on these land for hundreds years.
Because of the current military regime, they became homeless, landless, and displaced
person within three days. Based on land and housing market price of 2000, the values
of these houses would cost from 0.5 million Kyats to 2 millions Kyats.

Moreover, when the route passed through Kyaikmayaw Township, about 200 acres of
land grown with orchard and paddy owned by villagers in Kyaikmayaw Township
were also confiscated. None of these farmers received any compensation.

Before the pipeline was constructed, the local authorities said to the local villagers
that the pipeline construction would provide electricity for people in the area. When
the construction was completed, it did not turn out what the local authorities said to
local villagers. In fact, the gas pipeline is for transporting gas for a cement factory, not
for providing electricity for the local villagers. The local villagers did not only receive

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electricity, but also lost their lands and houses. Moreover, they were also forced to
work in the construction without pay.

Therefore, due to the pipeline construction, hundreds of civilians in Tenasserim


Division, Mon State, and Karen State have lost their lands, plantations and houses.
The government officials have never compensated for the loss of the properties to the
villagers because the government claimed that all land in Burma are owned by the
State. So the state can take it whenever they want to.

Case (10)

Land confiscation and tax extortion for development projects

Confiscated by: Township authorities from Chaung-zon Township, Thanbyuzayat


Township and Mudon Township
Location: Chaung-zon Township, Thanbyuzayat Township and Mudon Township,
Mon State
Related abuses: Illegal Cash Collection
Location map: Mon State Map, Page 99

Besides land confiscation for constructing gas-pipeline project, the local authorities
also confiscated land and extorted money from local villagers for development
projects, especially for road construction.

On November 10, 2000, Southern part of Chaung-zon Township PDC township


authorities instructed Kwan-Hlar village headman U Maung Than to confiscate 200
acres of paddy fields and 100 acres of toddy plantations. The local authorities, who
ordered to confiscate the land, claimed that the land confiscation was for constructing
of a new village. But, according the local villagers, who lost their lands, said that that
the land confiscation was neither for constructing a new village nor from the higher
authorities order. The land confiscation was only for the local authorities personal
benefits. The local authorities sold these lands to other villagers for their benefits.

On November 27, 2000, the government ordered to stop using forced labor. However,
local governments used alternative method to use forced labor. The local government
collected taxes from the local villages to hire labor and to pay for development
projects. (See Appendix C, Page 74)

Example : one

In Thanphyuzayat township of Mon State, when the authorities built 15 miles of


motor road, which passed through Karote-pi, Wae-galaung, Kaw-lay, An-kae, Htinn-
yu and Ah-nin villages, the local authorities ordered civilians in these villages to pay
for all cost of road constructing. As a result, the villagers from these villages have to
pay 3000- 7000 Kyats per household depending on household incomes for the road
construction.

Example : two

Similarly, local authorities in Ye Township have also collected millions of Kyats from

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the villagers in eastern part of Ye Township area to build a 10 mile-long motor road
from Ye to Kyaung-ywa village road in August 2000.

From this road construction, the authorities requested about 7.9 million Kyats from 17
villages, which are located near the construction. The village headmen from these
villages have to complete collecting money and sent it to the authorities in Ye before
the road constructing began. Therefore, villages with 200 households had to pay about
700,000 Kyats while village with 30 households have to pay about 150, 000 Kyats.
Thus, the smaller and poorer villages had to pay more tax than richer or more
populated villages for the road construction.

Moreover, when the authorities tried to build a new bridge in Ah-zin village, near
Andaman Sea, Township authorities instructed village headmen to collect taxes 1000
Kyats per low-income household and about 3000-4000 Kyats per higher income
household.

Example : Three

On December 18, 2000, Mudon Township authorities called a meeting with six ferry
teams that based in town and instructed them that each ferry team must provide 150,
000 Kyats funds for authorities to repair a road from Mudon to Chaung-htit-kwa
village, a border village with Karen State. If a team refused to provide the fund, the
team would not be allowed to use the road. Moreover, the authorities also forced local
motor vehicle owners in town to transport constructing materials to the constructing
site.

In conclusion, although SPDC ordered to stop use of forced labor, they used it in
alternative way. They have collected taxes, so-called development funds, hundred
millions Kyats from villagers. The present military regime has repeatedly claims that
regional development projects are to develop rural areas of Burma. In fact, the local
villagers have suffered various types of abuses from the projects.

Case (11)

New Land Confiscation for Battalion Relocation, 2001

Confiscated by: IB No. 61 and Southeast Command


Location: Eastern Part of Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Tax extortion
Location map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102

In second week of April 2002, in order to relocate IB No. 61, and deployed two new
battalions, LIB No. 591 and IB No. 583 which then based in Ye Town of Mon State to
eastern part of Ye township, SPDC’s Southeast Region Military Command (Southeast
Command), confiscated about 153 acres of land grown with various types of
plantations in eastern part of Ye Township without compensation. As a result, about
27 villagers from Kyaungywa and Ah-dein villages lost their lands and plantations
which cost them an estimate of 80 millions Kyat.

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In eastern part of Ye township, there is a river, called Ye river. It flows from Thai-
Burma border into Andaman Sea which meets in Ye town. Before this river reaches to
Ye town, there are many small streams or brooks flows into the river. Near Kyaung-
ywa village, two small brooks, called Ah-dein and Ah-kan brooks, also flow into Ye
river from the south (Map on page 102). Between these two brooks, various types of
plantations such as betel nut, lemon, lime, durian, and rubbers have been grown. So
army from IB No. 61 with the order of Southeast Command confiscated the
plantations and land between the two brooks without compensation. The purpose of
the confiscation was to relocate IB. No. 61 in the area.

On January 15, Southeast Command’s Command-in-Chief, Maj. Gen. Sit Maung


came to Ye and held a meeting with commanders from IB No. 61 in order to relocate
IB No. 61 to eastern part of Ye Township. Therefore, SPDC township authorities
were instructed to confiscate the land and plantations between these two streams to
build a new army base for IB No. 61, LIB No. 591 and LIB No.583. The army chose
that area because by confiscating the land in the area, they also received valuable
plantations which they could harvest and sell them in the market for their battalion’s
funds. Since the area is also close to NMSP’s control area, it is also part of the
Burmese military strategy to get closer to NMSP’s control areas in order to prevent
the NMSP resumption fight against the SPDC. However, the decision of confiscation
the land was postponed till April 2001 because of the death of Maj. Gen. Sit Maung as
result of a helicopter crashed.

On April 8, the second commander of Southeast Command, Brigadier Myo Hla went
to Kyaungywa and ordered to inspect the land. After the land was inspected, he
ordered the local authorities to confiscate the land including plantations to deploy IB
No. 61 in the area. The villagers who lost both land and plantations have no rights to
complain their causes to higher authorities and became helpless.

In conclusion, the pattern of land confiscating by the army showed that whenever
Southeast Command selected a place to deploy a new military battalion, it did not
take unused land or uncultivated lands which have thousands of acres in Mon State.
Instead, the army confiscated land grown with valuable plantations owned by the
local people in order the army to sell crops from the plantations for their battalions’
funds or for their families’ incomes.

According to an instruction from Burmese Army, which was issued in 1997 stated
that the battalion commanders must take responsibility to seek fund for their own
battalions. If a commander could not seek fund for their battalions, he would be
forced to resign or fired.

Therefore, because of this instruction, whenever the army confiscated land, they chose
land with full of plantation.

Case (12)

Land Confiscation for Naval Base, 2001

Confiscated by: LIB No. 343 and MOMC No. 19


Location: Kalar-gote Island, Ye Township

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Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour
Location map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102

On August 15, 2001, SPDC’s Southeast Command that based in Moulmein, the
capital of Mon State, ordered the local military commanders to confiscate 300 acres of
Mon civilian land in Kalar-gote Island, west of Ye town in order to deploy
Mawrawaddy naval base in the area.

Ye township based military battalion, LIB No. 343 and a military command MOMC
No. 19, confiscated 300 acres of lands owned by villagers from three villages in the
Island, namely, Upper Kalar-gote, Middle Kalar-gote and Lower Kalar-gote villages.
The civilians in this Island are mainly farmers who grow fruit plantations. But some
of them are fishermen.

Maj. Aye Thein from LIB No. 343 and Maj. Min Ko from artillery regiment of
Mawrawaddy naval base were in charge of the confiscation. They said to land owners
that they confiscated the land for deployment of their troops in order to secure the
area and southern part of Burma. No villagers dare to complain as afraid of being
arrested and punished by the commanders. As a result of the land confiscation, 24
families lost their valuable lands and plantations.

After confiscating the land, the commanders forced villagers from three villages to
clear bushes and small trees and build military barracks on the confiscated land. They
were also forced to work on digging trenches and canals and clearing fields for
helicopters landing.

The three villages must provide 50 workers per day to work on the confiscated land
for August and September. The village headmen were forced to send the required
number of villagers to the construction site on rotating basis. After the September, the
required forced laborers reduced from 50 to 20 per day.

Five of 24 families who lost their lands and plantations are as follow.

(1) Mr. Nai Min & Ms. Mi Than Ye


(2) Mr. Nai Shwe Tun & Ms. Mi Kyae
(3) Mr. Nai Gled & Ms. Mi Kyuu
(4) Mr. Nai Shwe & Ms. Mi Shwe Mi
(5) Mr. Nai Kalar Htee & Ms. Mi Pyar Shin.

These five families lost about 54.5 acres of betel-nut, Durian, Coconut and Rubber
plantations. The estimated costs for land and plantations were about 8.6 millions
Kyats. But LIB No. 343 does not clear the remaining lands.

Case (13)

Land Confiscation by LIB No. 591 and No. 583, 2001

Confiscated by: MOMC No. 19, LIB No. 591 and LIB No. 583
Location: Kyaung-ywa village, Eastern Part of Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Movement restriction, tax extortion

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Location Map: Ye Township Map, on Page
Related Tabel : Appendix D; Table 6 : Page 85

On April 8, 2001, Burmese military battalions, LIB No. 591 and No. 583 confiscated
another 270 acres of land near Kyaung-ywa village to deploy two new military
battalions which are under the command of MOMC No. 19.

The confiscated land is located in eastern part of Ye Township area, along Ye river
that flows from Thailand-Burma border. Because of this land confiscation, about 27
landowners of Kyaung-ywa village lost their lands and plantations, which cost them
about 81.6 million Kyats.

The land was grown with orchards and rubber plantations. The villagers have been
relied on these lands and plantations for their regular incomes and survival of their
families. The army did not pay them any compensation for cost of the land and
plantations.

Like other villagers in northern part of Ye Township area, Kyaung-ywa villagers, who
lost their lands and plantations, have not received any compensation from the local
authorities or army commanders. Soon after the lands were confiscated, they were not
permitted to go to their plantations for harvesting vegetables and fruits and cutting
bamboo for home uses.

Although some villagers who lost the lands complained to their village headmen no
village headmen dared to report the cases to the higher authorities.

Case (14)

Land Confiscation by MOMC No. 19 for Artillery Regiment, 2002

Confiscated by: MOMC No. 19


Location: San-Pya and Done-phi villages, Northern Part of Ye Township, Mon
State
Related abuses: Movement restriction, forced signed for agreement to abandon the
lands
Related Map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102 .

In April 2002, in order to deploy a new artillery regiment (probably LIB No. 316) in
the northern part of Ye Township, SPDC’s MOMC No. 19 commander, Brigadier Ye
Win, confiscated another 300 acres of land between San-pya and Done-phi villages.

These lands were owned by 30 families of the two villages, and most of landowners
were Karen from San-pya village, and some of them were Mon from Done-phi
village. Most of the lands are grown with rubber, betel nut and orchard plantations.
The estimation cost of the land and plantations were about 30 millions Kyat.

In second week of April, Brigadier Ye Win, the commander of MOMC No. 19 came
to San-pya village and held a meeting with villagers who owned the land between
these two villages along the motor road. The commander explained to the villagers

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that he needed hundreds acres of land between the villages for new artillery regiments
deployment in the area. Thus, he forced all landowners in the two villages to sign a
promissory document, which said that the land between the two the villages was not
owned by any villagers. So the commanders could take the land by not being accused
of confiscating land from the villagers.

“As I know, the MOC No. 19 has already deployed 10 military battalion in Ye
Township. They have already confiscated many acres of land. Now, they claimed that
they confiscated land for new artillery regiments again. Most land in this area is
owned by our Karen villagers. My land and plantations costs about 4 million Kyats.
They took it without paying me one Kyat. Many other plantations cost more than
mine. Nobody received any compensation,” said a Karen villager from San-pya.

“The commander told us the land is owned by the government. We only own
plantations on the land. We do not own the land at all. Not only we lost our land, we
also lost our rights to harvest our crops in there,” added the villager.
A 60-years old Karen villager said, “I own two plots of land in the area. Now, the
Burmese Army confiscated both plots. I have nothing to eat. My children cried when
they heard that the army confiscating our land. We had no more food. Only my son,
who is a (Buddhist) monk, shared some foods to our family.”

Most of the lands were registered by the Township Land Registration Department.
“They (the commanders) said the land is theirs. I am surprised. We paid tax to the
Township office every year. The land is registered with our names. They always have
good reasons when they like to take the land anyway,” added a dissatisfied villager.

Case (15)

Land confiscation for Artillery Regiment, 2002

Confiscated by: Southeast Command, Artillery Regiment No. 318


Location: Southern part of Mudon Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Cash extortion for ransom, movement restriction
Location map: Mudon Township Map, on Page 100.
Related Table; Appendix D; Table 12 ; page 96

With a purpose to build an Artillery Regiment of No. 318 in the southern part of
Mudon Township, SPDC’s Southeast Command confiscated approximately 200 acres
of land from 49 Mon farmers on November 5, 2002.

Most lands were grown with rubber plantations, and the plantations had been planted
there for several years. The owners of land were Mon villagers from Set-thawe, De-
Mai, Kalort-tort and Ah-bit villages. The army did not pay any compensation to the
farmers.

The Army claimed that the area was a military strategic area. Therefore, they needed
to confiscate the land for an artillery regiment deployment. Since most rubber
plantations were planted in near hilly sites, the army needed the sites to deploy their
artillery weapons on the hill. Another reason was that they confiscated land grown

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with plantations was they could harvest crops from the plantations to support
themselves for foods supplies and incomes.

At the same time, some authorities from forestry department also lied to some
farmers. They told to the farmers that if farmers did not want to lose their lands, they
had to bribe the forestry officers. Thus, some farmers bribed the officers to avoid
confiscating their lands. However, even they bribed the forestry officers, their land
were still being confiscated.

In Mudon Township, the local Mon civilians are traditionally paddy and rubber
growers. They grow paddy in the western part of the township and rubber in the
eastern part of Township.

Case (16)

Land Confiscation for Shrimp Farms, December 2002

Confiscated by: IB No. 210


Location: Yaung-daung and Kwan-hlar villages, Mudon Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Movement restriction
Location map: Mudon Township Map, on Page 100

In late December 2002, Burmese Army’s IB No. 210 bases in Mudon Township
confiscated 64 acres of lands belonged to Mon farmers to construct shrimp farms and
grow paddy under the battalion’s ‘self-reliance’ program.

The confiscated land is situated in southern part of Mudon Township. The land is
belonged to 9 Mon farmers from Yaung-daung and Kwan-hlar villages. In October,
just before farmers began harvesting their crops, the Burmese Army and Township
came and informed village headmen that they would confiscate these lands after
harvesting. However, the authorities did not notify the farmers that they would
confiscate the land after harvesting. After the harvesting, the army went to the farms
and confiscated the lands from the farmers without acknowledging them. The
authorities selected most productive land in the area. Although the farmers regularly
paid their land taxes and sold required paddy quota to the government’s paddy-buying
center with low prices every year, their lands could be confiscated any times.

The farmers who lost the land and amount of land are:

1. Mr. Nai Aunt Yein (8 acres)


2. Mr. Nai Lun Aung (5 acres)
3. Ms. Mi Own Kyi (12 acres)
4. Ms. Mi Shwe Uu (6 acres)
5. Mr. Nai Maung Kyi (1.5 acres)
6. Mr. Nai San Hlaing (3 acres)
7. Mr. Nai Pan Taung (5. 5 acres),
8. Mr. Nai Dout (10. 5 acres)
9. Mr. Nai Tun Shinn (3 acres)

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Shrimp farms are very profitable business. Farmers in the lower part of Burma export
tons of shrimps every year to Thailand with higher prices. Since the business is so
profitable, Army also would like to get into the business. Therefore, the army
confiscated land from local villagers to construct ponds for shrimp farms throughout
Mon State.

The land confiscating has been increasing in Mudon Township for new troop
deployment and creation of shrimp farms.

Township authorities in Mon State has issued orders to farmers many part of Mon
State that if farmers could no longer work in their farms and could not sell the
required amount of paddy to the government paddy-buying center, they must give or
return their lands to authorities. In 2002, because of flooding during rainy season,
many farmers lost their crops and could not sell required paddy to the governments.
As a result, their lands were confiscated by the government.

Case (17)

The Serial Land Confiscation by MOMC No. 19, 2001

Confiscated by: MOMC No. 19


Location: Kaw-palaing village near Ye Town, Mon State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour, movement restriction
Location map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102 .
Related Table; Appendix D: Table 7 ; Page 87.

Military Operation Management Command (MOMC) No. 19 commands and


administrates all military activities of military battalions in Ye Township. Its
headquarter based in Ye town. In 1999, when it moved into Ye town, it has
confiscated many acres of land from civilians in Ye town. It is usual for Burmese
army to establish its miliatary commands base in populated town. By setting their
bases in populated town or cities, they could use civilians as human shields when they
would be attacked by the rebels. Ye town has been established for many hundreds
years. It is sorrounding with orchards and rubber plantations.

After the LIB No. 343 moved its military barracks from the heart of Ye town to
eastern part of the town, the MOC No. 19 moved in LIB No. 343 former base in Ye
town in April of 2001. However, after the MOC No. 19 has moved in, it complained
that the area of the old military base was too small to set up its headquarters. So it
confiscated more lands near the old military base. The following table shows the list
of civilians who lost their properties as result the military base expansions. They did
not receive any compensation from SPDC or the concerned military battalions.

As the result of this land confiscation, 8 families became landless and jobless. Most
Mon inhabitants in Ye town are mainly farmers. Since most farms in Burma are
mainly family farms, not commercial farms, it was difficult for these families to look
for jobs in agricultural sector. Since they did not have skills other than agricultural
works, they also found difficulties to look for jobs in other sectors.

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Case (18)

Land Confiscation by LIB No. 588, 2001

Confiscated by: MOMC No. 19 ; LIB No. 588


Location: Tamort-kanin village, Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Forced to provide building materials, conscription of forced labour,
and movement restriction
Location map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102.
Related Table; Appendix D : Table 5; page 84.

In March 2001, LIB No. 588 under the command of MOMC No. 19 confiscated 329
acres of lands from 21 families in Tamort-Kanin village, Ye Township for new
military deployment in the area . The confiscated land was located along the
Moulmein-Ye motor road. Like other parts of Ye Township, Mon villagers from
Tamort-kanin village grow rubber and various types of orchard plantations.

Since these families have invested in their lands and plantations for many years, their
lands and plantations were very valuable at the market. Most these lands were
inherited from their ancestors.

In this case, LIB No. 588 confiscated these lands because they could sell rubber latex
and rice from the land for the battalion incomes. Soon after the land had been
confiscated, the soldiers have completely banned the owners to go into their
plantations. If the owners tried to get into their plantations, they would be arrested.

Although some owners appealed to the battalion commander to allow them to harvest
their crops for couple months, the commander rejected their appeals. The battalion not
only harvested the latex from the rubber trees, they also cut the aged trees and sold
them to the local villagers for firewood. Moreover, LIB No. 588 had also conscripted
villagers nearby as forced labor to build military barracks in the confiscated land.
Furthermore, the battalion also forced villagers to provide lumbers, thatches, and
bamboo for battalions’ construction.

For example, on June 6, 2001, the battalion commander ordered villagers from
Tamort-kanin, Bay-ka-lawe, Done-phi, San-pya, Hnin-son, Bay-lamu, and Wet-sut-
phu villages to provide lumbers, thatches, and bamboo for military barrack
constructions.

The battalions did not pay any penny for labor and material costs. For the villagers
who could not provide the required building materials, they were forced to pay money
instead. Therefore, the village headmen collected 100 Kyat from each household who
could not provide the materials.

Case (19)

Land Confiscation by LIB No. 587

Confiscated by: MOMC No. 19 and LIB No. 587


Location: Kun-duu and Aru-taung village, Northern Part of Ye Township, Mon

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State,
Related abuses: Movement restriction, tax extortion
Location map: Ye Township Map, on Page 102
Related Table; Appendix D : Table 4 ; Page 82.

Like other military battalions under MOMC No. 19 commands, military battalion,
LIB No. 587, also confiscated 500 acres of farmlands in area between Kun-duu and
San-kha-le village in June, 2002. About 28 families of Kun-duu and San-kha-lae
villagers lost their lands and plantations. Due to this land confiscation, some villagers
lost up to 5 million Kyat values of their properties. Such confiscations of land has
greatly impacted the livelihoods of the rural villagers.

LIB No. 587 and No. 588 confiscated another 400 acres of land between San-pya and
Don-phee villages to settle retired and disabled soldiers from various battalions under
the Southeast Military Command. Some of these lands are forestlands, and the
remaining are plantation lands owned by villagers from both San-pya and Cone-phae.

Case (20)

Land Confiscation by LIB No. 586, 2002

Confiscated by: LIB No. 586


Location: Kyone-paw village, Ye Township, Mon State
Related abuses: Conscription of forced labour, tax extortion
Location map: Ye Township, Map on Page 102.
Related Table; Appendix D; Table 3; Page 80.

In June 2002, LIB No. 586 also confiscated another 500 acres of land in areas
between Ye Town and Son-hnit-thar village in northern part of Township. This
battalion confiscated about 500 acres of land, which included about 120 acres of
villagers’ plantation lands. The remaining are uncultivated forest lands.

After land confiscation, on June 14, the battalion commanders planned to build some
military barracks and ordered Son-hnit-thar villagers to provide bamboo, thatches and
other building materials.

Note: the name of villagers who lost the land, plantations grown in the lands, and the
estimation values of lands and plantations in Table , on Page .

Case (21)

More deployment of Artillery Regiment and Land Confiscation

Confiscated by: LIB No. 343; Artillery Battalion No. 311; Artillery Battalion No.
315; Artillery Battalion No. 317
Location: Ye Township and Thanbyuzayat Township
Related Abuses: Movement restriction
Location Map: Ye Township map on Page 102, and Thanbyuzayat Township Map
on Page 101 .

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Related Table: Appendix D : Table 9 (Page 89) ; Table 10 (Page 91) and Table 11
(Page 94).

Burmese Army’s Southeast Command planned to deploy about Artillery Regiment


(AR) in Mon State and they also chose the places in the different places and deployed
the new Artillery Battalions. Southeast Command also planned to deploy more
regiments in Ye Township and expect it could help the previous deployed Light
Infantry Battalion when there is military operations or offensives.

In June 2002, the AR No. 311 confiscated about 205 acres of land near Ka-lort
village, southern part of Ye Township to deploy the Artillery base. About 28 families
from Kalort village lost their lands suddenly. They confiscated most lands which were
with rubber trees and prohibited the local villagers to not go and work in their
plantations. This AR No. 311 is close to LIB No. 299 and MO
MC No. 19 headquarters in Ye Town, and so that it could help the battalion when
there is war.

At the same time, the AR No. 315 also confiscated about 203 acres of lands near Pa-
nga village, Thanbyuzayat Township and most lands belonged to Pa-nga village.
There were almost all rubber plantations. About 51 families from Pa-nga village lost
their plantations. Among 10 Townships in Mon State, even in Burma, Thanbyuzayat
Township could produce enormous rubber latex.

Similarly, the AR No. 317 also confiscated about acres of lands that are close to
Tamort-kanin Ywa-thit (new village). 32 families of villagers from Tamort-kanin
Ywa-thit lost 244 acres of their lands which costed about 46.6 million Kyat according
to the price at that time.

After land confiscation, the local farmers were restricted to not go into these areas and
could not collect any latex from their plantations. Some farmers created the rubber
plantation near 30 years since BSPP after receiving technique from BSPP’s
Agriculture Department.

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Directory: C:\Documents and Settings\Nanda\My Documents
Template: C:\Documents and Settings\Nanda\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates\Normal.dot
Title: Report
Subject:
Author: NANDA
Keywords:
Comments:
Creation Date: 5/5/2007 3:33:00 AM
Change Number: 2
Last Saved On: 5/5/2007 3:33:00 AM
Last Saved By: NANDA
Total Editing Time: 0 Minutes
Last Printed On: 5/5/2007 3:34:00 AM
As of Last Complete Printing
Number of Pages: 105
Number of Words: 42,616 (approx.)
Number of Characters: 242,912 (approx.)

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