FREE BURMA RANGERS
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF MISSION - EASTERN SHAN STATE
June – September, 2003

A Lahu leadership and relief team conducted a mission from 18 August to 17 September, 2003, in Eastern Shan State. This report covers rape, narcotics, forced labor, religious persecution and other human rights violations committed by the Burma Army.

CONTENTS:

(1) Rape By Burma Army
(2) SPDC & UWSA Partnership in Narcotics Production
(3) SPDC & UWSA Meeting about Narcotics Production
(4) The Activities of UWSA and Kokang Chinese
(5) Other Narcotics Information
(6) Forced Labor
(7) Forced Portering and Escape
(8) SPDC District Rule
(9) Religious Persecution and Separation of the Ethnic People
(10) SPDC's Forced Military Training
(11) The SPDC & Cease- Fire groups

(1) Rape By Burma Army
Name of victim - xx xx
Age - 30
Nationality - Lahu
Occupation - Farmer
Date of Incident - 16 Aug 2003
Place of Incident - Nam Yon village, Mong Tong Township.
Rapists: Captain Aung Chan Win and 20 soldiers of the SPDC Troop- LIB-519 based in Mong Tong (Mine Ton).

The Rape: On 16 Aug, Capt Aung Chan Win and his troops (Burma Army LIB-519) came and stayed at Nam Yon village, Mong Tong Township, Shan State. At that time, U xx xx and his wife xx xx were planting rice in their hillside field. Capt Aung Chan Win and his troops went to them and fired a gun. U xx xx was afraid and ran away but his wife could not run because the soldiers caught her hand. Then, Capt Aung Chan Win asked her about her husband and accused her husband of being a soldier of the SSA (Shan State Army). He slapped her face and said "Your husband is a Shan State Army (SSA) soldier, tell us about that". xx xx said to them, "No, my husband is just farmer". Then, he slapped her face and raped her. After he raped her, 20 soldiers raped her one by one. Then, they went back to the village. xx xx was unconscious when other villagers came to care for her. Cpt. Aung Chan Win ordered the village headman, "Nobody must tell about this to other people, if other people know about this I will punish you and your villagers". Thus, the villagers were afraid to report the rape.

Note: FBR - Lahu Relief mission group interviewed a villager Mr. xxx xxx from Nam Yon village about this rape case. He was interviewed at a Lahu village on the Thai- Burma border on 25 August 2003.

(2) SPDC & UWSA Partnership in Narcotics Production
On 19 August 2003, Lt. Col. Kyaw Than, Battalion Commander of IB- 65 and Wei Hsuek Yin (younger brother of Wei Hsuek Kang) began to manufacture heroin and methamphetamine pills in a cave near the Mong Han River, Eastern Shan State. The cave is located four kilometers from Mong Ham village, Mong Tong Township, Shan State.

(3) SPDC & UWSA Meeting about Narcotics Production
On 20 August 2003, the battalion commanders of Burma Army LIB- 519, IB- 225, IB- 277, IB-65, Col. Kyar Law Bon, and Commander Wei Hsuek Yin, Bridge Commander of UWSA Tak Mar and Tak Pin, held a meeting about narcotics production and other local programs. They discussed how to produce more heroin and methamphetamines, how to get more taxes from merchants, and how to increase the trafficking of narcotics in their areas. They also discussed how to get funds for the SPDC's and UWSA's "Yar Gyi Aung" meeting hall at Mong Tong.

(4) The Activities of UWSA and Kokang Chinese
(a) The UWSA and elements of Kokang Chinese are conducting joint narcotics production and trafficking into Thailand and Laos. On 16 August 2003, Kokang Chinese merchants and 26 soldiers of UWSA (with their guns) carried 2 million Methamphetamines pills from Mong Ton, Na Kaw Mu village, Shan State to Naw Uk, Thailand and then it was sent on to Chiang Mai. Mr. Law Yin who is Kokang Chinese was the main operator.
(b) These groups also keep 100 million methamphetamine pills in a cave close to the Thai - Burma border where they arrange trafficking and sales to Thailand.
(c) From 20 August 2003 - 31 August 2003, these same groups sent four million methamphetamine pills to the Thai - Burma border from Hon Pa Hon Yaw, Loi Lang, Shan State to Mae Ai, Thailand and on to Mae Sui, Chiang Rai.

(5) Other Narcotics Information
On 13 August 2003, narcotics traders paid taxes to Lt. Col. Maung Pu of Burma Army LIB-519, based at Mong Tong (Mine Ton), Shan State. The tax rate is as follows:
1.Methamphetamines - 1 tablet - 1 Thai Baht
2.Opium - 1 viss - 500 Thai Baht (1 viss = 1.633 kg)
3.Heroin - 1kg - 2,000 Thai Baht

(6) Forced Labor
a) Burma Army IB- 65, IB- 226, IB- 227 and LIB- 519 based in the Mong Tong Area, took control (by force) of rice fields owned by the villagers. Then the Burma Army forced the villagers to work these lands for them, to plow the wet rice fields and to plant rice. The villagers must work 4 acres (1 acre = 4,840 sq), for each village. For other fields belonging to the people, the BA required that each acre cultivated produce 70 tin (16 pyi) of paddy rice. If 1 acre did not produce 70 tins, the villagers must offset this from other fields. In the past few years, the villagers got 40 tins per acre. Now the villagers must produce 70 tins for each acre. This year, the villagers are worried they will not meet the quota.

(b) Burma Army LIB-519, commanded by Lt. Col. Maung Pu, ordered villagers to send 5- 10 people from each village to the BA camps. The villagers are forced to build fences around each camp, to cut trees for firewood, to repair roads and bridges, and to assist in security for the camps. Each group of villagers was forced to work 15 days. After 15 days, they rotated groups. If the villagers could not come, the village was fined 3,000 Kyat to 5,000 Kyat for each person missing. Some villagers got sick but the BA did not take care of them or give medicine to them. They also did not give any food for the workers. The villagers had to bring their own rice and vegetables.

(7) Forced Portering and Escape
Name - Kya Heh
Age - 40 years
Sex - Male
Village - ****, Mong Tong Area
Place of interview -*****Lahu village, Thai - Burma border.
Date of interview - 25 August 2003

When I was staying in my village the Burma Army ordered 10 villagers to come to LIB- 519. Then, we went to the BA camps. When we reached them, they ordered us to carry rice, oil, bullets, etc. to send to their camps based on the Thai- Burma border. When we reached the jungle, the soldiers beat my friend because he became sick and could not go fast enough for them. Then I helped him and carried his bag. When we reached ### village, I fled from that village to this village. While I fled in the jungle, I got a wound on my foot because it was very dark. I will stay in this village 2 or 3 months and then I will go back to my village because I left my family there, but I am afraid the Burma soldiers will beat me and force me to porter again. Thank you for your medical treatment. I shall never forget your kindness."

(8) SPDC District Rule
The SPDC rules the Eastern Shan State by separating it into 9 districts. For example, in Tachilek district there are the townships of Tachilek, Mong Pyant and Mong Yaw. Tachilek is the capital city for this district. Keng Tung, Mong Khat and Mong Yan are in one district and Keng Tung is capital city of that district. Mong Hsat, Mong Tong and Mong Pin are one district and Mong Hsat is capital city of that district.

The SPDC has appointed one person to manage the political, economic and social affairs for each district. These persons must support all military needs. They must take responsibility for all procurement of porters, to bring stones for road construction, the plowing of wet rice fields, the planting of rice and the sending of the paddy to the Burma Army.

When the Burma Army has need, they also organize motorbikes and cars for transport. Civilians are forced to clean parks, provide free labor for building projects, cut trees for firewood, dig fish ponds, and transport rice and oil.

The Burma Army forces civilians to contribute money whenever they celebrate a birthday for a company commander or battalion commander, and their wives and their children. The military families invite the civilians, especially the rich people (merchants), and the leaders of USDA. Civilians must pay 5,000, 10,000 to 100,000 kyat as a birthday present for their families. If the civilians pay for these birthday presents then they are favored in all business transactions. They also gain protection.

(9) Religious Persecution and Separation of the Ethnic People
The Lahu people in this area used to be primarily animist or Christian. The SPDC started religious persecution in 1993. The SPDC appointed the Buddhist Lahu people as leaders. These people are Kya Saw (Paw Meu) for Mong Hsat district, Kya Mu Kyo and Kya Ca Po for Tachilek and Keng Tung districts. The SPDC supports them with food and money. If they want to celebrate Buddhist religious festivals, the SPDC provides support.

Some Lahu people are forced to become Buddhist. SPDC officers tell them, "if you become Buddhist, you do not need to pay the various taxes and you do not need to be porters". When Lahu people became Buddhist the authorities gave each family a Buddhist idol and force them to worship it. The SPDC has ordered that the Christian, Muslim, Hindu and animist religions should disappear and that all the people in Burma must become Buddhist.

The SPDC do not allow other religious festivals, or the building of new churches for the Christians. In some placers the SPDC has forcefully occupied Christian Churches and built pagodas for Buddhism on those sites. The SPDC gives the important positions of the departments (Immigration dep., Health dep., Education dep., etc.) to Buddhist people. The SPDC also creates conflict among the different religions.

(10) SPDC's Forced Military Training
(a) The SPDC ordered all battalions to do military training, not only the men but also all the available women in each battalion area, from 1 August 2003 to 1 November 2003. The Battalion Commander of IB-43 (based in Mong Pin), ordered all women to attend the training. He also said that "if they cannot attend the military training, don't give rice, oil, etc., to those families." After they are 18 years old, the children of the military (including the girls) are forced to attend training. Some are students but they ordered to train and then go to school at night. While they do the military training, some women get sick but the BA does not give them medicine. If they become too sick to attend, the authorities punish them. Thus, some women have fled to Thailand while some women flee back to their parents.

(b) For example, Burma Army Battalions No. 244, 35, and 409 ordered 10 people from each village to come to the training (Min Kun area). The villagers do not want to attend but they are afraid of the BA. Some villagers are very old and while they are doing the training some get sick but they must still attend.

(11) The SPDC & Cease- Fire groups
After Khin Nyunt became Prime Minister of Burma, he gave a special opportunity to the ceasefire groups to promote their relationship. He said that he wanted to meet and discuss with the ethnic leaders to promote a closer friendship. He also said to the ceasefire groups, "If you can convince the opposition/non-ceasefire ethnic groups, I will give to you more opportunities."

Treatment Report
During this relief mission, 41 patients were treated by the FBR- Lahu team.