Karen News
Benjamin Dunn
KAREN NATIONAL UNION
KNU Press Release No. 44/98
Regarding Human Rights Violation by SPDC and DKBA
December 12,1998
Thaton District
*20-11-98: Mang Win Pe, a troop from DKBA went into Htee-si-baw
village and extorted a writ watch worth 19,000 kyats from Saw Maung
Nyo . On that day troops from SPDC army IB 8 led by commander Min
Naing severely beat Saw Kyaw Thein who was a village headman of
Lah-aw-kher village and also demanded one chicken cach from every
house of that village.
*18-11-98: Troops from SPDC army IB 8 led by
commander Min Naing arrested and severely beat Saw Maung Nu and Saw
Chit Dah from Shwe-yaung-pay village. on 21-11-98, Saw Chit Dah could
escape where Saw Maung Nu was still under arrest. As a result those
troops demanded 2 goats as a ransom for his release. On that day those
troops also went into Kler-kher village and extorted 2 viss of chicken
from Pah Day and half viss of chicken each from every house.
Toungoo District
*11-11-98: Troops from SPDC army IB 35 went into Ho-khee and Sho-hta
villages and saw villagers carrying cardamom seeds. As a result those
troops took away a total of 56 viss of cardamom from the villagers.
*20-11-98: Troops from SPDC army who called them selves as
"Guerrilla Force" went into Lay-thit village and arrested village
headman Saw Seh Boe and until these days nothing is heard a bout him .
*21-11-98: SPDC army southern command head quarter seized (12)
villagers trucks in Tan-ta-bin Township and forcibly used then to
transport food supplies to the army camp at Baw-ga-li village.
*23-11-98: Troops from SPDC army IB 234 shot and killed an
unidentified villager about 25 years old at Kya-soe-khee village.
*24-11-98: Troops from SPDC army IB 39 went into Play-khee village
and burned down all the houses. Gen. Tin Aye who was the southern
commander ordered IB 73 and IB 78 to arrest every village headman in
Taun-ta-bin Township.
*27-11-98: Troops from SPDC army IB 35 went
into Kaw-thay-doe village and forcibly gathered 30 villagers to carry
food supplies to Bu-su-khee and Naw -soe army camps.
Nyang-le-bin District
* 21-11-98: Troops SPDC army went into Htee-nya-pate-khee area,
Kwee-lah village tract, Kyauk-kyi Township and shot at villagers while
they were reaping paddy in their paddy fields. At that incident Saw
Moo waw wounded and Saw Thay Hai, a 10 month old boy was killed on
the spot. Those troops burned down 6 paddy fields and 6 paddy fields
and 6 paddy field huts to gather with 200 baskets of paddy in the
thrashing ground. In addition the troops also collected the paddy
bundles which had been reaped and burned them down.
Words & Abbreviations: Kyat=Name of Burmese currency; SPDC State Peace
and Development Council (Military dictatorship of Burma); DKBA =
Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army ) (Puppet of the SPDC ) LIB= Light
Infantry Battalion; IB = Infantry Battalion.Basket = 8 gallons;
Viss=1.6 kg
(Translated, printed and distributed by Karen Information Center)
OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
KAREN NATIONAL UNION
KNU Press Release No. 45/98
Regarding Human Rights Violation by SPDC and DKBA
December 13,1998
Toun-goo District
*12-11-98 Troops from SPDC army IB 43 column (2)made their activities
in the western part of Day lor area and destroyed 15 paddy fields and
burned down 15 huts which belonged to Ler-gi-kho and Sa-pa-lor
villagers.
*15-11-98: Two companies from SPDC army IB 347 went into
Sa-pa-lor, Nya -thay-doe and Htee-ta-pu villages and burned down and
destroyed all paddy fields and huts found in that area.
Pa-an District
* SPDC army LIB 547, 548 and 549 under the No. 12 strategic command
head quarters which was located at Lay-kaw-hti village, Na-boo
Township confiscated villagers farm land near by and turned them into
military farm lands. According to the No 12 strategic command head
quarters order, each battalion had to plant 1.000 coconut trees for
their battalion farm. Therefore villages in that area were ordered to
give 50 coconuts for seed to be grown in the military farm.
*21-11-98; Troops from DKBA Pan Wa column went into Kon-gyi village,
Pa-ta village tract and shot and killed Daw Tin Aye, 47 without any
reason.
*27-11-98: Troops from DKBA battalion 999 went into
Kho-thow-khee village and took away villagers cattle and demanded
100,000 kyats as ransom for their release. The cattle were released
when the villages implored and gave 50,000 kyats. On that day those
troops went into Plaw-nya-kee village and shot and ate away a
pig weighing 50 viss and paid only200 kyats. At their departure those
troops fired one round of M-97 grenade.
*30-11-98: Troops from DKBA led by Moe Gyo went into
Htee-moo-khee village arrested Pah Nya, 28, Pah Maung Tu, 28, Kaw Wah,
17 and Toe Hoe 28 and severely tortured them by cutting their skin to
bleed. Those troops also went into Maung Poo Loo's shop and took and
ate away commodities worth 8.000 kyats.
* 2-12-98: Troops from SPDC army LIB 547 went into Noe -kay village
and looted 1 cow, 1 goat,5 baskets of rice and other materials from
the villagers.
*4-12-98: Troops from SPDC army LIB 547 went into
Noe-kyaw and Thee-wah villages and extorted 2 goats and all poultry
found in the village.
(Translated, printed and distributed by Karen Information Center)