CHRO

Interview with a Chin villager in Sagain Division, Burma
Source:The Rangoon Post

I left because there were so many problems in Burma. I had problems with the army because when I was doing forced labor in January this year, I heard about the killing of a soldier on the railway construction so I was worried about my cousin’s sister. She was also working on the railway with her baby but she was working at a different place than me. I was so worried about her that during rest time I asked a soldier if I could go there but he wouldn’t allow it. When I had to start work again, I couldn’t do it and I just stood there. That soldier ordered me to work but as I didn’t do it, he beat me. Then I left the work.

My quarter is part of Kalemyo town. For workers, SLORC gave an order to the town council and the town council ordered the people. They tell how many people have to come from each quarter. The town council must get the quota of people they ask for. The people of Storm quarter were divided into 6 groups. Each of these groups was divided in two: A and B. At any one time, all 6 groups had to go. When they first started, everyone had to go. But later, they called only A and then B could rest. When A finished, then they called B and A could rest. About 160 people from our quarter had to go at a time, in all 6 groups. We had to work about 20 miles away from Storm, near Nat Chaung. It was according to their orders. The first time it was in Tang Go, near Nat Chaung, about 22 miles away, and then in Zing Gelin, near to Kalemyo. Different places each time. It was always according to their orders. I had to go with my own bicycle. At night we couldn’t go back home. We were kept near the river because we had to cook for ourselves. So that place was a little far from the worksite, about 2 falongs [1 falong = 220 yards, so the distance was 440 yards]. The women stayed together at another place. We had a large roof covered with a plastic for all of us. There were three elderly men among us and they arranged everything for us. For the women, they built some huts with bamboo and branches. There were no guards at night. For work, the men between 20 and 30 years old had to dig the ground. The teenagers, and there were many of them, had to carry the ground. It was hard work, especially digging. I had to carry the ground, but not only that. It depended on the situation. I also had to load the ground into baskets.

Most of the workers were young, mainly teenagers. One girl was only 10 years old. No one else from her family could go. There were old people about 50 years old. They were working as cooks for the other people. There were many women there, and most of them were old women. Some babies were brought along with their mothers. The women did the same work as the men, but everyone was always changing duties with each other. We had to bring our own food. The people had to bring their own tools. No salary. It was a must for each family to go. But the rich people hire someone else to go for them. So for them, there is no problem. But for those who cannot pay, they must go. That’s why sometimes young children and old women have to go. If you couldn’t go, some people had to pay 1,200 Kyats, some 1,500 Kyats. It depended on the villager. I think it depended on their family conditions. [These are fines paid to SLORC if a family cannot go or hire a replacement.]

At work, some groups had 20 people, others 30 people. It varied according to the group. There were soldiers around. They didn’t do anything. Just walking here and there to watch us. If people weren’t working, they hit them. Sometimes on the back, sometimes on the head. There was a boy who was very young. The soldier was also very young. About 20. They started quarrelling, the soldier called another soldier and they hit the boy badly. He was badly injured on his head and he was hospitalised in Kalemyo. The leader of the B group sent him to hospital. He was in hospital for about 1 week. Problems between soldiers and villagers happened all the time. Most of the workers were young and it was very hot. Many wanted to go and swim in the river after their work and also during the work time. That was not allowed. Some young soldiers had problems with those from B group who were swimming and they started quarrelling. Then, a senior officer came and called all of the young villagers to their camp. They never came back. Maybe they were killed.

As far as I know, 6 people died on this railroad while I was working there. Some died in the river. It was very hot and the river was very big. Two boys went to swim and drowned. The others died because of malaria. Most of the people got sick, but it was a must to keep working. Even in the rainy season, if the weather was fine, they were calling the people. It depended on the weather. Each group had to do a stretch of embankment: the height was 30 feet, the length 40 feet and the width about 15 feet. Also, my younger brothers and sisters had to crush gravel at home, in the town. They had to do this three times. The first time, they had to make 1 foot X 10 feet X 10 feet of gravel. The second time, SLORC demanded 60 cooking-oil tins of gravel [big tins, about 15 litres each]. They had to send the gravel to the railway by themselves.

The last time I worked on the railway was in March 1995. Some of the villagers were called after March, but mostly before March. By March, the construction was over. But afterwards, they were still calling villagers to pour water on the tracks to harden the ground. Now they also call people to guard the railway, not all the time, but it happens sometimes when an important person comes. Most of the troops on the railway were not from Kalemyo. They were from Gangaw [most likely Infantry Battalion #50]. There are many Battalions around Kalemyo, #87, #88, #89, also Military Intelligence. There is a quarter called San Piang very close to the army camp. Many soldiers are staying around Kalemyo. So there are many problems with the villagers. Mostly the junior soldiers are causing troubles to the villagers. Sometimes they take their bicycles. They don’t ask, they just use them. The women don’t dare go out in the streets, only in groups of two or three. They are so afraid of being raped by the soldiers. They call people to the army camps for cooking. They don’t call only the people, but also their vehicles. Whenever they need them, they order them to come to carry all the army things.

These camps have been there since 1989. The soldiers occupied the graveyard. They also called local people for loke-ar-pay [‘volunteer’, but actually forced] work. The graveyard was from the Roman Catholic Church. They announced that the tombs must be taken away within three days, otherwise they will be destroyed. So the people had to take their bones. But most of them couldn’t. Then the bulldozer came to destroy. This order was given by Major Aung Khin. While the bulldozer was destroying and crushing the tombs, one of the crosses stood up again after the bulldozer passed over it. The bulldozer passed again over that cross but again the cross stood back up. So the bulldozer driver was freaked out and did not dare pass over again. But Major Aung Khin ordered him to pass over again. The driver refused and wouldn’t dare destroy the cross. He was dismissed on the spot and Major Aung Khin drove the bulldozer himself and destroyed all the graveyard. The stronger people are called as porters. Not many from my quarter, but I know of two boys from Storm who had to go as porters for up to two months before they were released, in December 1994. There are so many taxes: house taxes, bicycle taxes 25 Kyats per year, TV taxes 150 Kyats a year, even if you have a tape recorder it is 60 Kyats per year.

There was a USDA rally held in February 1995 [Union Solidarity Development Association, SLORC’s attempt to establish a ‘mass support’ organisation – people nationwide are forced or threatened into joining and attending rallies, which are then shown in the media by SLORC as signs of popular support]. The government occupied one of the female high schools to organise it and it was attended by General Khin Nyunt himself [Secretary-1 of SLORC and head of Military Intelligence]. A group was formed in the school of each quarter of town, and the USDA members also went. [Note: those who fail to attend USDA rallies face possible expulsion from school, loss of their jobs, having their water or power cut off, or beatings and fines.] I left and arrived at Moreh, at the Manipur [India] border on 17 March 1995. I know nothing about how my family is doing now. [Note: Moreh is on the Manipur side opposite Tamu. Chin refugees get no assistance in Manipur, so some try to get to Delhi and register as ‘persons of concern’ with UNHCR to receive 1,200 rupees (US$35) per month – however, UNHCR is now rejecting many people who apply for this. India has never signed the international conventions on protection of refugees.]
Source: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)

LAND CONFISCATION USING FOR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
(The following interview is conducted on Jan.9.1999 in New Delhi, India)

Name : Thangkhanpau ( name changed )
Age : 48
Sex : Male
Nationality : Chin
Religion : Christian
Marital Status : Married with 8 children aged between 23 and 6
Occupation : Farmer
Political affiliation : NLD organiser for Pyin GoneGyi Village Tract, Kaleymyo township

I am a farmer. I used to have some land in Pyin Gone Gyi village [near Kaleymyo], but I sold it in 1994, because it was too far from our house, about 8 miles, and also because all my children were at school, so they could not help in the farm work.

Then in December 1996, I left Pyin Gone Gyi because I no longer felt safe as an NLD organiser. I moved to Aung Chan Tha, a remote village along the road between Kalewa and Monywa. Aung Chan Tha is a Burman village in Kalewa township [Kalewa township is mostly Burman]. It has about 160 houses, and is located in a malaria-infested jungle about 24 miles from Kalewa. Back in 1995, my eldest son had stayed with the headman in that village, and found some land to clear for cultivation. I paid 50,000 Kyats for over 20 acres. This was quite cheap. Of course, the area had no irrigation system, and the harvest would depend on the rains. I moved in Aung Chan Tha with 8 other Chin families. We created a new ward in the village and cleared the land.

Q. To whom did you pay that money?
A. To the villagers who owned that land. In Burma the land belonged to the government, but people can registered it and used it. The previous owners had registered that land, and it was recognised by the village head, who is the Village Tract PDC Chairman. The transaction was signed in front of the headman [a perfectly legal transaction].

However, we could only get one harvest of paddy. On 2.8.1997, the SLORC Township Secretary, Major Khin Maung Than, came to the village for the school opening ceremony. Without inspection, he called the 9 Chin families, including mine. Immigration and Forestry officials came along with him. He requested us to sit in one line in front of him. He took photographs of us, and ordered: “You, Chin people, you must go back to your native land in the Chin Hills! This is not your land!” He ordered us to leave by the end of December 1997. I pleaded him: “We have already planted our paddy. Please let us harvest it, and allow us to stay until the month of March!” In the end, the Major forced us to sign a document that we agreed to leave the land before the end of February 1998. The Major then returned to Kalewa, and never reappeared after that. We went to Kaleymyo and left a letter of complaints to the District PDC [Kalewa Township is under Kaleymyo District].

We broke the agreement, and in April 1998, we were still using our land. Then, during the first week of May, the head of the Forestry Department from Kalewa Township, U Tun Than Oo, came to order us to vacate the land and leave the village immediately. He ordered the village head to call ‘volunteer labourers’ [forced labour] from each family, and plant teak seedlings on our land. Even in our house compound. They didn’t order us to demolish our house, but they ordered the villagers to destroy our vegetable garden and plant teak saplings in it. Even to put saplings under our house! My sugar canes besides my house were cut down, and left lying there. We were even ordered to participate in this labour on our own land, but we refused. They never took action for that. The other villagers had a lot of pity on us.

Q. Did the order come from the Forest Department?
A. Yes, but Tun Than Oo was given all authority by Major Khin Maung Than, the Secretary of the Kalewa Township PDC.

Q. What happened after they confiscated your land?
A. We had no money to move back to Pyin Gone Gyi. One family left for the Chin hills, and we finally managed to go back to Pyin Gone Gyi in September 1998. At that time, the political situation was very tense in Kaleymyo, and many NLD members were arrested. My party advised me not to go back to Pyin Gone Gyi village with my large family and no money, but rather leave the country. I borrowed money for the transportation costs and I arrived in Mizoram in October 1998 with my whole family.

Q. You said Aung Chan Tha is a Burman village. Was there any local tension when the 9 Chin families moved there?
A. Not at all. We had absolutely no problem with the Burman villagers. My son was even chosen as a Village PDC Chairman for a while. Our 9 Chin families being all Christian decided to build one church in our ward. The Burman villagers, all Buddhist, even helped us to build our Church and lend us their bullock cart to carry the building material. At the church opening ceremony, a pastor from Kalewa was invited, and all the Burman villagers came. We shared a meal together. We never had any problems with the Burman villagers. It was all created by the SPDC authorities. Tun Than Oo also complained about the Church because it was not registered at the Ministry, but our headman had recognised it.

INTERVIEW WITH A COLLEGE STUDENT
(Source: Chin Student Union, Delhi)
It was since during the Ne win’s regime that Burma had claimed total primary literacy in its 45 million population. However, its subsequent enlistment in the world’s least developed counry had proved totally different. Again in the areas of SLORC/SPDC which succeeded the Ne Win’s regime, it had claimed that Burma has been improved and developed in its every espects, the education system and prevailing closure of colleges and universities proved the same to what was decades ago. During the ten-years rule of SPDC, formerly SLORC, schools and colleges have been kept close most of the time in fear of unrests. In 1996 it was again closed after a massive crack down on students demonstrators demanding the right to reformation of Students Union and the end to military rule, which was known to be the largest students uprising next to the 1998 pro-democracy movement brutally suppressed by the same rulers.

In August 1998, after two years of continuous closing, the SPDC reopened the schools and forced the students to sit exams without learnings. Shortly afterwards, demonstrations broke out from engineering students amidsts government’s precaution. The best solution for the junta was exactly that of the 1998 and 96. Crackdown and arrest. College students have to take their exams at their nearest high schools.

The following interview was conducted by Chin Student Union on 29 October, 1998 at the Indo-Burma border with a Chin student who had sit the recent exams in Kalaymyo.
Name : Salai Thangliana(name changed)
Age : 23 yrs.
Address : Kalaymyo, Sagaing Division
Education : 2nd yr (Geog)
Nationality : Chin
Religion : Christian

Q. when did the college reopen and when did you take your exam after it was annouced?
A. We were informed one month prior to the exam about the possibility. But students who took ordinary subject like me did not get preparatory learning since we sat our exams on the day the schols were annouced reopened while engineering and medical students have two weeks before they did theirs.We also have to sign before we took our exams that we will not cause any unrest.
Q. Why the exams held at local high schools not at the college?
A. I think this is a precaution for the authorities that students might gather and cause unrest if we were allowed to sit at colleges. However, medical and engineering students were allowed to do at their previous colleges in Rangoon and Mandalay.
Q. Then, were high schools closed during your exams?
A. Yes! students from primary to high school had to rest for two weeks during the exam.
Q. Can you please brief us how the exam was about?
A. Classes were classified according to our subject and the exam just went on the basis of one subject per day through a fortnight.
Q. Since you sit the exam without learning, did you then haveanything to write or answer?
A. We scarcely used our brains. We just copy off what we had written during the two months period in 1996.
Q. How about the security condition during the exams hour?
A. It was quite well, we did not see any police nor soldiers wearing uniforms. But we beleived there were pretty numbers of Military Intelligence with civilian dress. We just saw some firemen roaming around the entrance of the gate. During the examination hour, the rector, Township Education Officers who were the rank of Major woud frequent us and would warn us that we ( the students ) are the one who would suffer if anything happens.
Q. So, was there anything happened during the exams?
A. No, there weren’t any. But on the the second day of the exams five students were arrested for allegedly sticking posters in support of the NLD’s movement. We also heard that 20 persons including students were arrested for the same incident on the following night.
Q. Do you know what were on the posters?
A. As far as I remember, it included about an appeal to the people to support the NLD’s call to convene Parliament and the SPDC to implement the NLD’s demands, failure of which would result in a massive unrest.
Q. How do you (students) think this education system, i.e sitting the exams without learning?
A. We did not regard it as examination but as a copy-off competition. There is no reason we took our exams without learning anyhting. There were even some who did not sit because they felt nothing about it. Some would sit in substitution.
Q. When is the result expected to be out?
A. There were rumors that it would likely happen the following month and schools will be reopened in November.

DEFORESTATION IN CHINLAND
Since 1990, the Burmese military junta has rapidly extended its control over Burma’s north-west region in Chinland and Sagaing Division. This expansion program has resulted in the establishment of over 20 new battalions of soldiers throughout this remote and mountainous areas. The principal outcomes of the increased military presence have been persecution and impoverishment of local population.

The North-Western command issued an order to its army battalions to collect food and anything they want from Chin civilians whenever they are in need. A villager said,” It is very difficult for us to feed thousands of these soldiers while we are beeing forced to be porters, laborers and treated like prisoners of war or slaves. We have no time to work for our own living. We have no reqular income or earning. Moreover the soldier frequently collect forced contribution money for building pagodas, porters fees, any kind of festivals etc., or impose a fine for making up reasons. In the past decades we never lock the door at night. We could leave our house without beeing locked. We never lost our possessions. But today our belongings disappear within our twingkling eyes. I think, people will do anything to make money. If you don’t have money to pay the soldiers, you would be punished. No one wants ill-treatment”. The Chin people who have no alternative to make money are doing hunting animals ( Tiger and Bear ) and seeking wild orchids in the forest which for them is the only and an easiest way to make money. The existance of wild orchids in the forest is beeing pushed to extinction and the forest itself is rapidly deteriorated. China’s demand of forest products and wild animals is threatening the Chin forest and wild life.

CHRO interviewed Pu Ralkap ( name changed ),aged 20, from Leitak village, Thantlang township on December 3, 1998 regarding forestry bleakness caused by seeking wild orchids.

Q. In Chinland people are saying deforestation in recent year has been increased because of seeking wild orchids. Is there such happening in your areas? If so, when did you begin seeking ?
A. Yes! it started since 1993, till today.

Q. How did you collect them?
A. We climb up in the tree and pull them off which we can reach. If there are some which we can not reach, we cut the tree down and trim the branches off and collect the orchids. Where there are plenty of orchids, all the trees are smashed like elephants went through.

Q. Do the forest department prohibit doing this?
A. Yes! They prohibit only cutting trees. But it is not a very serious prohibition. How could we get them without cutting the trees! Since there is no Forest Department in our village, no one gets trouble with this Forest Law and Regulation so far.

Q. How do you sell them?
A. There are people who buy these orchids in Thantlang and Haka. So we carry them there and sell them to those buyers. The buyers then transported them to the merchants (smugglers ) in Mandalay. And those merchants smuggled them to China. Probably, it is not useful in our own country. In 1993 it is worth Kyats 40 per 1-viss( about 1.5 kg ). and went up about kyats 600 per viss in 1995. And now it is worth kyats 2,000 per viss. Ofcourse the price vary depending on the color of the orchids. Generally there are two kinds: white orchids and red orchids. They pay kyats1,700 per viss for white orchids and kyats 2,000 for red orchids.

Q. How much money you could make in a day by collecting these orchids?
A. We could make from kyats 400 to kyats 3,000 in a day.

Q. Is there any one hurt or died from searching these orchids in the forest?
A. Yes! there are not only hurt but also died from falling the tree. We heard that many people from different villages get injury.

Q. Do you mean other villages also doing the same, seeking wild orchids?.
A. Yes! people from different villages are doing collecting wild orchids. Some people even take risk to go to Kalaymyo area in seeking wild orchids. Before the price went up, we could go anywhere and collect them. But after the price went up we are no longer allowed to go to another place. The village elders forbid us to go to another village areas . We can do only within our own village area.

Q. Why do the elders prohibit it?
A. They know that our forest is going to be destroyed.

Q. Of what seasons these wild orchids are obtainable?
A. They have a very short life. From November until the end of January. The buyers want to buy only those that are from this period of time.

Q. Do you have any concern about caused by seeking wild orchids?
A. Yes! I am really concerned about it because I have seen destroyed and smashed the forest in our area. The forest is now turned into desolation. Soil erosion has also taken place which causes frighteningly the decreased of crops production . And it also raises environmental concern. No rain. Rivers and streams have almost dried up.

Q. Do you see any advantage?
A. There is an advantage in some way for the poor people like us. We have no earning or earning access. We could pay for some of the forced contribution money to the army and escape from punishment. But not all the time. And also we could buy some salt, cooking oil and medicine ( basic necessities ) with the money we get from selling wild orchids.

CHIN PEOPLE HAVE TO SUPPLY ARMY PATION

Commander of Burma Army North Western Command Brig-Gen Sein Win issued an order to the battalions commanders in Chin State- Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 538, LIB 309, Infantry Battalion (IB) 274, IB 266, IB 268, IB 269 to collect ration from the Chin people whenever they need. A troop of a hundred soldiers from BI 307 (Katha battallion based) and BI 274 are stationed at Lungler army camp in Thantlang township. They have collected as much meat, rice and vegetables as they want from the villagers because the government could not provide them with any food. According to the troop, they were given permission to collect the food by higher authorities.

Major Myint Aung from BI 307 and Lungler army camp commander from 274 issued the order to the nearby 29 villages to deliver 4- big chickens, 2-viss of fish or pork, 2 legs of deer or any other wild animal and vegetables. The villagers have to deliver the orders to the army camp or where the patrolling troop is posted by fixed time. Sometimes the soldiers impose a fine of Kyats 1,000 to 1,500 for late delivery or if they claim the food is not fresh. They also demand the villagers buy alcohol from Thantlang which is a 3 day walk from the village. The villagers do not have time to work in their farms because the are busy hunting, fishing and buying alcohol for the soldiers. While they are struggling for their daily lives, they have to feed the army camp. Consequently, the villagers are extremely disappointed and are waiting for the opportunity to flee to Mizoram in India.

An ordinary soldier’s wages is Kyat 500 per month. However, these soldiers are getting Kyats 3,000 per month and therefore, are enjoying their lives with added food deliveries from the villagers. Because they are able to use the villagers as their slaves, they are happy with the SPDC government are extremely loyal to it. They are also given power to oppress the civilians by higher authorities to maintain a stable power base.

INTERVIEW WITH VPDC CHAIRMAN

(CHRO had interviewed a village chairman who is under Lungler army command in Thantlang township.)
Pu Lianthang (name changed) is 36-years old and has two children. He is a respected person in the village. Although he does not want to serve as the village chairman under the SPDC, upon requests by the villagers, he is serving as chairman of (ommitted) Village Peace and Development Council in Thantlang township.
Q. How is your relationship with the SPDC army? Could you tell us about it?
A. SPDC’s army and government give us the orders. And I, the chairman, and the villagers have to follow accordingly.Q. Could you tell us what kind of orders are given?
A. The most amoral man we ever met is Major Myint Aung from IB 372. One of his orders was that 15-villagers had to do sentry duty every day. Counting the number of the villagers, each person has to do sentry duty 3-days per week and so have no time to do our own work.
Q. Could you not explain these problems or make requests to the Major?
A. To make a request to military personnel, I need at least Kyats 20,000 and a pig. We have nothing right now. If I go without money, I will be accused of acting the army and be beaten. Therefore, at this time,I cannot make any request.
Q. Why do you think they give these kind of orders?
A. He knows that we can not carry out his order. He purposely gives us orders which we cannot carry out. Then, he expects us to bring him money, pigs, and /or liquor for his reconsideration. I think that’s why he gives us these kind of orders.
Q. Any other kind of orders?
A. There are a lot more. They order us to bring them 4- big chicken, 2- viss of fish or pork, 2-thighs of deer or wild pig ( or any wild animal) and fresh vegetable to the army camp ( Lungler village) every week, not later than the time they fixed.
Q. What do you think why they order like this?
A. I think, because the government could not provide them . That’s why we are being suffered.
Q. What will happen if you do not give them?
A. Do not mention the word ‘not giving’. If we bring them the orders an hour later than the time they fixed, we would be imposed a fine. Sometimes they even fine us, complaining the food we bring them were not fresh.
Q. How much you pay for a fine and to whom you pay it? And what they use it for?
A. It depends on how big the village and financial standing of the villages. They know the financial standing of the villages around this area. They frequently impose a fine the villages with a good financial standing. They put a fine on the poor villages when they do not have money to buy alcohol drinks. Usually they impose a fine from Kyats 1,000 upto 5,000. We have to pay it to Major Myint Aung. When his absence, we pay it to in charge of camp commander. When they get the money, they send two or tree villagers to Thantlang which is 3 days walk far from our village to buy alcohol drinks. They never pay anything for it . They have to incur travel expenses by themselves.
Q. Did you write a complaint to the higher authorities?
A. Major Myint Aung told us that he has the instruction from the higher authorities to get anything they want from remote villages where there is difficulty of transportation. That’s why I don’t want to make any complaint. I think that they are real beggars, they have no a shame to beg from others.
Q. Do you have anything more to say?
A. On 15 July, 1998, the Department of Land Taxation issued an order prohibiting us from doing our traditional cultivation. The order stated that every household has to complete 3 acres of terrace cultivation and give a Kyats 1,500 deposit to the Land Taxation Department. Whoever fails to pay a deposit will be faced with severe action.
Q. Is there anyone who has knowledge of how to do terrace cultivation and how did you start it?
A. No one know how to do it. According to the order each household had to complete 3-acres but we had no money for a deposit. For that reason, on 24 April, 1998, I went to Thantlnag Township Land Taxation Office and made a request to U Hoi Ling that we did not have the sufficient funds. This request meant paying them Kyats 30,000 which I collected from the villagers. Afterwards, we were allowed to continue with our traditional cultivation practices.
Q. Could you please share with us your feelings and thoughts?
A. I think, the soldiers have been begging in an unfair manner from the people because the government cannot provide them with sufficient resources. The more they can make begging, the more excess materials they can get, and therefore, the more the honor the government. I think the authorities are trying to build up their own power and maintain stability through these soldiers. I believe, if every country person selflessly acts against a group of authorities, this government will definitely be demolished. However we can not give up our ‘self’ easily because we must struggle for our daily lives. That is why people are being made to suffer.

MONEY FOR PAGODA FESTIVAL

In order to hold Utalin pagoda festival in1998, SPDC army battalion 538 commander Lt.Col. Saw Thun ordered Chin Christian villages such as Pathiantlang (A), Pathiantlang (B), Ramri, Arakan, Pinte, Hemate, Hemapi, Sia Oo, Para to pay Kyats 5000/- and 3- mats per each village before November 10, 1998.

Pastors and evangelists went to the area commander Maj. Zaw Tun Tin and beg him to reconsider the order because it is unusual for Christian to pay money for others’ religion activities. The Major replied them that the money is to hire a play for the festival and the Christians will also watch the play. If you don’t pay the money, action will be taken seriously upon the the villagers and will suffer. The villagers can’t do anything but to obey the army and pay the money.

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

Regime blocked centennial celebration of christianity in Chin State. Cross destroyed, pastors interrogated in acts of continuing Chistian persecution.

Burma’s military regime has stepped up its persecution of the Chin Christian community which is celebrating the Centennial of Christianity in Chin areas of Burma. Chin pastors are being interrogated and Centennial celebration in Haka, the capital of Chin State have been postponed by the regime at least until April. Chin Christian sought to celebrate their Christianity Centennial from January 1-3,1999 at Thantlang, another city in the Chin State of Burma. The Centennial marks the arrival of American missionaries Rev. Carson and his wife Laura Carson in 1899. On January 5,1999 when the celebration in Thantlang was over, citizen of the town posted a Centennial memorial cross at the top of Vuichip Hill near Thantlang. The Burmese military from Thantlang ordered the citizens of Thantlang to remove the cross they had erected atop the hill. After the citizen refused to removed the cross, soldiers pulled it down and destroyed it. Six Christian pastors from Thantlang, Rev. Thawng Kam, Rev. Biak Kam, Rev. Thantu, Rev. Tha Ceu, Rev. Cung Bik and Rev. Beauty Lily were then taken away from the town and interrogated.

In protest, the whole of Thantlang’s citizenry stage a general strike prayer service and fast at local churches or in their homes the following day (January 6,1999). In retaliation, the military cut all telephone lines to Thantlang and summoned 20 pastors and church leaders from various denominations for interrogation.

On January 9, 1999 churches around Haka joined the protest by holding prayer services. Military officers from Haka told church leaders that if they wanted to put the memorial cross again, they have to apply to the Home Minister in Rangoon. The Military has also ordered the postponement of Centenial celebrations in Haka until april.

The Burmese military is systematically persecuting Christians in Burma and seems intent on “cleansing” the country of its Chin population. Well over 90% of the Chin population in Burma is Christian.

UNCERTAINTY TO CELEBRATE CENTENRY

The uncertainty of celebrating the Chin Christian Centenary to be held in Haka, the capital of Chin State, is reported from inside Burma to CHRO as follows:

“It is likely that we are not going to have the Centenary Celebration” Rev. Tialkap said. The military personnel in Haka said, as Tialkap quoted, ” Your celebrating seems like it is going to be very elaborate. We cannot give you permission to have the celebration because some foreign guests are also invited. You have to seek the permission from the Ministry of Home and Internal Affairs”. Rev. Tialkap told CHRO yesterday (3rd of Feb’99) that a request is being made to the Ministry of Home and Internal Affairs. If the application is turned down, they will proceed by approaching the General Secretary-1(Khin Ngunt). If the General secrectary-1 persists in refusing them, there’s no prospect of celebrating the Centenary.

Although the Centennial Celebration Committee tried to negotiate with military personnel in Haka before approaching the Ministry of Home and Internal Affairs, to see if they would consider not inviting the foreign guests, their attempts were in vain.

VILLAGERS TREATENED WITH LAND MINES

CHRO has received a report that Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) from IB 274 Lungler camp, Thantlang town ship are roaming around villages, threatening to plant land mines on the main roads and surrounding areas. When the villagers plead against this, the army demands money from them. Soldiers from IB 274 are using this tactic to get money from the villagers.

ARMY OR BANDIT?

In Thantlang township,villagers from Bungkhua and surrounding villages used to go to Mizoram, India, which is a days walk, to sell their goods (domestic animals etc,.). On their return, they would buy their daily basic necessities instead of going to Thantlang town, which is 4-day walk from the area. In the rainy season, however the villagers have a diffculty to cross over the Tiao river. Therefore, for the travellers’convenience, the villagers requested Ngunding from Bungkhua village to provide the service of his paddle row-boat. Ngunding agreed to the arrangement and built a hut near the river which sold snacks and tea. The travellers used to rest at the hut. On 16 July 1998, a military troop led by Serg. Tun Lin from IB 307, came to the place and threatened the people by firing off their guns. When the hut dwellers ran away, the following items were stolen by the troops.
Rice 5- full baskets @ kyats 1,500 = kyats7,500
Blanket 2- pieces @ kyats 1,200 = kyats1,200
Pots 1- piece @ kyats 1,000 = kyats1,000
A knife 1- piece @ kyats 1,200 = kyats1,200
Chickens 2- birds @ kyats 700 = kyats 400
Seasoning 1- packet @ kyats 450 = kyats 450
Cooking oil 1/2-bottle @ kyats 175 = kyats 175
Milk 3- packet @ kyats 420 = kyats1,260
Sugar 3-kg @ kyats 210 = kyats 420

They forced a villager to buy some of the stolen rice for kyats 1,000. To date, the rest of the stolen items have not yet been sold.

MONKS AND SPDC’S SOLDIERS UNITE FOR ONE PURPOSE

Rev. Biakthang (name changed) is a missionary who was sent by the Lautu Christian Association of Thantlang township to Ann town in Arakan State. Rev. Biakthang’s wife unfortunately passed away in October 1996. In November,1998, he left the mission center for Thantlang to attend the Lautu association mass meeting. While he was away, his house was burgled jointly by monks and soldiers. They even dug out his wife’s gravestone and destroyed the stone inscription. In his letter to a friend in December, he wrote “Though I was called by the military office, after interrogations I was released without harm”. He also mentioned in his letter that some evangelists sent by Church of Jesus Christ who work in the area were beaten badly by Buddhist monks together with soldiers.

KYATS 20,000 PER VILLAGE TRACK FOR ARMY HQR SCHOOLS

In June 1998 SPDC issued the order to close down all self supported private schools in Chin State. While ordering to close down self supported private school in Chin State, the SPDC army forced Chin villagers to pay for construction of army Headquarters School. Lt. Col Saw Thun, the commander of LIB 538 ordered 18 villages that under the command of Sinletwa army camp in Paletwa township has to contribute 18-ft. long 400 poles of bambo and 100 cubic feet wood to construct Battalion 538 Headquarters School before November 15 1998. The army warned and threatened the villagers that they had to pay three times if they could not meet the requirement before the dead line. It was harvesting period and the villagers were busy with their farm works. When they pleaded to the army for forgiveness, the battalion commander told them to pay Kyat 20,000/- per each village tract. There are 6-village tracts.

VOL.II No.I JANUARY 1999 NO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

(Interview with two Chin students, conducted in New Delhi on 14.7.1998)

Since December 1996, throughout Burma, all colleges and universities were shut down by the military junta, in response to students’ demonstrations in Rangoon. Up to now, most of the colleges and universities remained closed, and most students cannot pursue their studies. This is the case of Kaley College, in Kaleymyo, Sagaing Division, near the border with Chin State. There is no university or College in Chin State, and Kaley College was primarily established to provide further higher education to students of Chin State and of the Kaley region.

Since 1997, for those who completed High School and passed the matriculation, there is no option for further studies. Many Chin students have started trickling into India looking for an opportunity to continue their education. However, opportunities are few for them in India. Being Christian, their only hope is to join a Christian College, where food and accommodation is sometimes provided. Those institutions are usually Bible School or Theological College, which do not provide them with an educational, vocational or professional background for their future. There is no other choice.

CHRO interviewed two Chin students, Muana and Ngheta (not their real names). These two young men have passed their Matriculation in 1997. Since they cannot continue their education in Burma, their parents sent them to New Delhi to do theological studies.

Ngheta, 19, and Muana, 20, are both young Chin Christian from the Kaley region in Sagaing Division, close to Chin State. Muana used to live in Tahan quarter of Kaley town, while Ngheta is from Let Pan Chaung, a large Chin inhabited village in Kaley township, about 10 miles away from Kaley. Although their present situation is similar, their past experiences are somewhat different. We have interviewed them separately.

Question : Is education freely available in your village or town?
Ngheta : Each household in Let Pan Chaung village had to pay 2,500 Kyats in February or March 1997 for school buildings. After collecting that money, they did construct some buildings to the Middle School and to the High School. However, they did not look so nice or big, and were not worth all the money collected from the villagers.

The high school teachers are all paid by the villagers who provided them with paddy. Every 9th Standard student has to provide 10 baskets per year and every 10th Standard student 12 baskets. Each teacher received thus 200 baskets per year, which is a lot [13/14 baskets is enough to feed one adult for one year]. They can sell the rest for 400 Kyats per basket. The high school has 450 students. This way they can collect a lot of rice. In fact, this arrangement has been set up by the School Committee, and the Village Tract PDC is part of the School Committee. Actually, the Chairman of the Village Tract PDC is also the Chairman of the School Committee. They are very corrupt. The School Committee keep half of the rice given from each student and the teachers only received the other half.

Let Pan Chaung has more than 2,000 houses. It is mostly Chin, only 10 houses are Burman. The language of education is only Burmese. [Note: In Chin State, Chin language is allowed up the 2nd Standard, but Let Pan Chaung is located in Sagaing Division where only Burmese language is recognised] Until 1992, our big village only had one Primary School. Then the government set up a Middle School, but there were not enough teachers. Then, our village create a High School with volunteer teachers who received paddy as their salary. The Primary and Middle School students also need to give rice to the extra teachers. If the parents are unable to provide the rice, the child cannot go to school.

Muana : I studied 9th Standard in the Tahan quarter of Kaley town and 10th Standard in Mandalay. At the High School in Mandalay, the admission fee was 750 Kyats which included registration, sports facilities, etc.. But other fees were constantly collected for festivals, pagodas, monasteries, furniture, computer, etc.. School books and exercise books had to be bought by the students themselves. The computer fee is 150 Kyats per year. The school bought one computer and only 10 students a year were selected to learn computer skills. There were so many rules and regulations in my school. If we ever mention anything political, we would be beaten and expelled from the school. Those who didn’t wear their school uniform were be expelled too. And, every week, every month, we have to give donations!

PRIVATE TUITION

Teachers in Burma are very badly paid by the government. In order to increase their income, they organised private tuition. However, many students complained that attending and paying for these private tuition is compulsory in order to pass their examinations.

Question : Did you take private tuition?
Ngheta : I had to attend 2 months of private tuition. The teacher did not explain the subject properly in the classroom, and he invited the students for private tuition. He was doing one hour per day and had to pay 250 Kyats for one month.
Muana : In Mandalay, I was doing one and half hour of private tuition threetimes a week for each subject. He had to get tuition for five subjects: Maths, English and three Science subjects. Private tuition for each subject cost me between 2,500 and 3,000 Kyats a year depending on the subject.

Question : How can they afford this?
Muana : I have 6 brothers and sisters who are all at school. My father is a carpenter as well as a pastor. My mother was a businesswoman trading between India and Rangoon. She was supporting us all. Unfortunately she died in a car accident last year.
Ngheta : My parents are farmers. I have 6 brothers and sisters, and 3 of us are students. Therefore, our family had to provide a total of 26 baskets of paddy per year, only for our education:
– 12 baskets for myself as a 10th Standard student
– 10 basket for my sister who is a 9th Standard student
– 4 baskets for my younger sister who is attending 4th standard
My family owns 10 acres of paddy fields. We can only get one crop per year because of irrigation problems. We usually harvest an average of 800 baskets a year. We manage to save 200 baskets a year for ourselves. Each year we are forced to sell 12 baskets per acre to the Government at government rate [much lower than market rate] and donate one basket per acre for the Army. We also have to donate one basket per house for the Village Tract PDC. They sell this rice to get money for entertaining VIP’s and to cover their office costs.

FORCED LABOR

Question : Did you have to do voluntary labour while you were student?
Ngheta : The Let Pan Chaung villagers are forced to work on road construction every year. The villagers have to repair all the roads linking the various villages in the township. They also have to repair the bridges. This work is usually taking place in the summer. Every villager ends up doing one day of road work per week for 4 or 5 weeks every year. Then, in the rainy season, we have to repair the dam and canals for irrigation. There is little rain in Kaley area, so the villagers have to use an irrigation system to grow their crop. The dam is built with stone and mud, so it often breaks during the monsoon, and we have to go and repair it. I often missed school or arrive late in class, because that dam is quite far from our village. I am the only young man in my family, so I always have to go. The labour is ordered by Village PDC, and everyone failing to go to labour is fined 100 Kyats.
Muana : In Tahan quarter, the largest forced labour projects have now been completed: the Kaley to Gangaw railway and the Ye Chaung hydro dam. Since then, people are ordered to clean the ground in front of their house and to paint the façade, the fences and the trees around it whenever a high-level leader of SPDC is coming to Kaley. This is happening 4 or 5 times a year. We were also forced to build a platform in front of our house because the main road is a little higher. Also every household had to build a drain for sewerage water in front of his house. The Township PDC gave the measurement and ordered it to be built with brick and cement, but they did not provide the material.

CHAOTIC SITUATIONS IN PALETWA TOWNSHIP

Lt. Col. Saw Tun, commander of Burmese army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB ) 538 ordered the following 18 villages from Paletwa township, southern Chin State, to hold a football ( soccer ) tournament in Sin-Oowa village.

In order to prepare for the tournament, the following villages Sinletwa, Sin-Oowa, Kinwa, Kohci, Dathwe-kyauk, yokewa, Bilawngwa, Rakan, Lettee, and Thalu were forced to work for a week. One person per household had to help repair the football grounds and to construct tents for temporary shelters. Any family who failed to comply were forced to pay Kyat 1,500.

Moreover, each village was ordered to pay Kyat 2000 before November 10, 1998 towards a football tournament fund. Many villages, which are a significantly far from the tournament location were also forced to pay the fee. Villages Pathiantlang(A), Pathiantlang (B), Arakan, Pintia, Ramri, Hemapi, Hemate, Sia-Oo, and Para were ordered to pay Kyat 2,000 each before Nov 10 to Major Zaw Tun Tin, the company commander of Sinletwa army camp.

Seven police officers led by Cpl. Soe Myint were sent to Pathiantlang village on Nov 12, 1998 to guard the tournament. They forcibly stole four chickens and a tin of rice from the villagers. While the police were cooking the chickens, the Chin National Army (CNA) suddenly arrested them, confiscated their six rifles, one Ne Win Stengun, 820 rounds of ammunition and one hand bomb. After a brief interrogation, the CNA released the police unharmed the same day.

The police then went to Shweletwa and asked U Sa Ki,one of the village elders, to inform their families that they were planning to flee to Mizoram, India. They fear a serious action would be taken against them, because their weapon had been taken by the CNA. U Sa Ki reported the incident to the village tract chairman U Tin Win, who is a member of the Buddhist hill missionary and favoured by the SPDC. U Tin Win has full authority over the villagers. They also fear him as much as the army personel. U Tin Win wrote a report to company commander Maj. Zaw Tun Tin saying that the police would never have been arrested if they were accompanied by a Chin police officer. The report contended that the police had faced problems because they were Burman and the villagers took advantage of this fact by cooperating with the Chin insurgents.

As soon as the army personel receives the reports, 50 soldiers led by company commander Maj. Zaw Tun Tin came to Pathiantlang ( A ) village on Nov 13, at 12:30 pm and ordered village head men from Pathiantlang ( B ), Arakan, Pinte, Ramri, Hemapi, Hemate, Sia Oo, Para to meet with him immidiately.

On November 14, LIB 538 commander Lt.Col. Saw Thun went to Sia Oo village and he ordered the village head men to meet him. The Lt. Col. immediately condemned the CNA for arresting seven police officers and confiscating their weapons. Lt. Col. Saw Thun said he believed that the arrest was an act of Chin aggression against the Burmese. “If a Chin had been among the police, this incident would never have happened”, he said. The Colonel contended that all the Chin villagers were involved in this case and demanded the police weapons be returned by December 2. Lt. Col. Saw Thun threatened to burn down all the villages and kill all the village head men if his demands were not met.

The village head men responded with the following plea. “If we go to CNA camp, they will arrest us because we are all members of the village security guards that you have formed”. The Lt. Col replied that it is the duty of the village head men to make peace just as Church pastors have made peace among the Karen and the Kachin. He suggested the villagers go to the CNA camp accompanied by pastors and relatives from Mizoram in order to avoid harm from the insurgent fighters and that they may get back the police officers’ guns. After that he forced pastor Sa Chi and an evangelist L.T Khunzin to go to the CNA camp along with the village head men.

However, the village head men did not dare to go to the CNA camp, knowing that the CNA would never give them back the guns. On the other hand, they also knew that if they returned to their villages empty handed, they would be killed by the Burmese army.

They, therefore, fled to Laki village, Mizoram State of India. On November 16 1998, ten families from Hemapi village moved to Laki village leaving behind all their belongings. They said that the Battalion commander was residing in Hemapi village and the army had closed all the roads to the border and planted land mines. The tactical commamder was residing in Pathiantlang village and Arakan, Ramri, Pinte, Hemate villages were being relocated to Hemapi village.

On November 30, 1998, another six families from Hemapi village came to Laki village. They reported that the soldiers were still waiting for the return of the village headmen. If they come back empty handed, again it was said they would be killed on the spot and all nine villages would be burned down.

Now these refugees are currently living in Laki village without shelter and struggling against many hardships. Until November 5, 1998, they have still not received assistance from any individuals or organizations. The CHRO has learned that the nine villages surrounding Hemapi are also ready to flee to India.

The CHRO therefore requests to individuals and organizations advocate for the safety of the villagers wanting to flee as well as for the refugees who have already fled to India.

200,000 KYATS RANSOM FOR 34 LIVES

Burmese army Infantry Battalion 274 from Lailenpi village, Matupi township of Chin State consumed all the food and domestic animals from the surrounding villages without any payment to the villagers. The villagers were left with no more food and were facing daily hardships.

Therefore, thirty four people from Sabawngte village went to Pintia village to buy rice on September 29, 1998. Upon their return, they met with a group of Burmese army personnel led by Lt. Han Kyaw from IB 274. The Burmese army doubted that they were carrying rice for CNA and, subsequently, arrested them all.

The army then brought the arrested to Sabawngte village where they gathered all the villagers. The soldiers accused villagers of providing food to the Chin insurgent CNA and threatened to burn down their villages and kill the 34 people.

The villagers explained that because of food shortage, they had been compelled to seek out food from other villages. They begged the soldiers to spare the lives of the villagers and not to burn down the village. At first, the soldiers ignored the pleas of the villagers. However, later on, Lt. Han Kyaw told some village elders that if they were to give him two hundred thousand Kyats(200,000 Burmesecurrency) and not tell anyone, he would release the villagers and do no harm to their property.

The village elders begged the Lieutenant to reduce the extortion price because of their dire poverty and the difficulties they already faced for daily survival. The Lieutenant denied their request.

Since the villagers had no alternative, they sold their cattle and managed to hand over one hundred thousand Kyats to Lt. Han Kyaw on November 30, 1998. The Lieutenant ordered them to pay the other one hundred thousand in materials. He ordered them to go to Mizoram State in India to buy kitchen ware such as pressure cookers and steel plates before December 5,1998.

VILLAGE HEAD MEN COMPELLED TO SELL LIQUOR(Army Run)

In Chin State selling intoxicating drinks is forbidden by most villages’ elders in their local areas excetp some surrepitiuos pub. The Burmase army company commander from IB 274, Lungler army camp, Thantlang township called village headman meeting from Tlangpi, Tlanglo, Farawn, Vanzang, Sopum, Zaangtlang, Lungding, Bungkhua, Thangzang, Fungkah, Saikah, Ruakhua, Ruabuk, Sihhmuh, Dawn villages and gave 30 bottles army rum to each village headman to sell it in their respective villages. He also ordered these villages’ elders to come and meet with him once a month.The reason was to collect the money from the sell and to give them a new quota for selling the army rum. Whenever he gave them their quoata of rum,he took back two or three bottles which the villager headmen had to pay from their pocket. Although the villagers are too poor to afford the alcohol, they are still compelled to cover the cost of their quotas. If they fail to make the payments, the whole village is made to suffer.

PREVENTING FROM RUNNING SELF-SUPPORT PRIVATE SCHOOL

In remote areas of Chin State, especially along the border with India and Bangladesh, many villages do not have a government school. Parents in these remote villages are usually poor and cannot afford sending their children to another bigger village or a town school. Therefore, the villagers themselves, sometimes with the help of the church, have set up their own schools. The teachers’ salaries and school running costs are shared among the village community, and the children can get education with very little expenses.

In order to keep complete control of the education system in the villages, the military junta have now sent orders throughout Chin State for any school non-affiliated with the government to close down. This directive is part of the SPDC anti-opposition tactic, to prevent any contact between villagers and opposition. Similar orders have also been issued in Mon State, and probably other regions of Burma as well.

By prohibiting self-supported schools to run, in many villages, children have no other alternative for education, and have to abandon their studies. Parents are worried that the young people will be roaming around the streets, wasting their lives.

SPDC order
Township Education Office
Thantlang
Letter no. seik-1/(simaan)/,4044/Pa Wa Da
date: 1998 June 23

To:

Principal
Basic Higher/Middle/Primary Schools
_____________ Town.

Subject : To recognize only government affiliated schools

Reference: Chin State and Townships School Inspectors Decision

With reference to Chin State School Inspector’s directions, I hereby inform you that, from the beginning of the 1998-99 School Year, any self-supported private Primary/Middle/High School will not be allowed to stay open. Only Government affiliated schools are recognized.

If we find out any school running secretly after this guidance has been released, severe action will be taken against the Principal.

(SD/)
Principal
Thantlang Township Education Office
cc:
1. State Education Office, Haka, Chin State
2. Chairman, Township Peace and Development Council(TPDC), Thantlang
3. Chairman, Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC)
4. Interdepartmental circular letter
5. O/C
Hlaing/2261998

60 TIMES A PORTER FOR THE BURMESE ARMY IN 1998

Mangte (name changed),a Chin villager from Saek village, Falam township of Chin State, had served as porter for 60 times in 1998. Other villagers also served as army porter as he did. He said: “Most of the time we had to carry chicken, pork, foods and house-wares that the army had looted from the villagers.” Interview with a Burmese army defector

Name : Zonunpuia
Nationality : Chin
Religion : Christian
Age : 17
From : Lungpi village, Falam township, Chin State

I was forced to join the Burmese army in 1994. [Zonunpuia was still a child when he was forcibly recruited]. When I was tending the cattle near my village with my friends, Burmese soldiers came to us and try to convince us to join the army.

Although we refused, they arrested us and sent us to Falam. Then, we were sent to Kalaymyo, Sagaing Division. Two days later, we were sent to Monywa where we spent two months. After two months in Monywa, we were sent to Mandalay, and a week later back to Kalaymyo. There the army gave us basic military training for four months at Sakhankyi military training fields. As soon as the training is finished I was posted at a company post in Falam of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 268 based in Kalaymyo.

There are many kinds of discrimination among the soldiers. So, most of the soldiers were morally very frustrated. Our salary is very low and always cut for any reason. It is hard to say how much my real salary is. It happened not only to the private soldiers but also to the Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO). That’s why we all are waiting for a good chance to run away from the army. The reason why I defected from the Burmese army is that I was forcibly recruited into the army and I don’t want to fight with my own brethren. For a long time I was waiting for a good opportunity to run away. When I was sick, I was hospitalized in Falam Civil Hospital and when I recovered, I fled away on my way to report to the regiment in March 1997. Lt. Col. Myint Thwe was LIB 268 commander while I fled.

COMMITTING SUICIDE

CHRO was informed that Lieutenant Tin Hlaing Aung, Company Commander of LIB 383 battalion based in Mawleik, had committed suicide.

His Company is directly controlled by Tactical Commander in Haka. He shot himself dead at 8:00 AM on 22 September 1998 in Tlangrua village, Thantlang township. While he was sitting in the verandah of the village headman’s house, he started cursing his superiors, then he entered into the house and shot himself.

According to the villagers, he left a note of dissatisfaction about his superiors. No soldier could touch the dead body according to the Tactical commander’s order. A company of LIB 226 from Haka arrived at Tlangrua on September 23 and they arrested all of Tin Hlaing Aung’s soldiers. Dr. Hmuh Thang, a Doctor and MP ( elected in 1990 ), came along with LIB 226, and was asked to carry out a post-mortem. The troops took Tin Hlaing Aung’s dead body and his soldiers to Haka. Later Tin Hlaing Aung’s body was brought to Falam to establish a second post-mortem with a specialist. All the arrested soldiers were kept in the Detention Center.

RICE STORAGE FOR WHOM?

Burmese army Light Infantry Battalion 274 is based in Mindat town, Chin State. Company No 3 of LIB 274 led by Lieutenant Han Zaw Aung is posted in Lailenpi village, Matupi township, Chin State.

The platoon came to Pintia village of Matupi township in the first week of October 1998 and inquired about 200 tins of rice stored in the village. They interrogated all the village headmen of nearby villages. First, they interrogated the headman of Pintia village with his hands and legs being tied and hung upside down. He was beaten several times by the soldiers. When they stopped the interrogation, he couldn’t even walk by himself. He was treated by the villagers in his house. Likewise, the village headman of Sabawngpi was also tortured and interrogated. When he could not bear the pain anymore, he was forced to confess that the rice that they had stored were to be sent to the Indian border. As soon as he confessed, the soldiers forced Pintia and Sabawngpi villagers to carry and transport this rice to Lailenpi army camp. The headmen of Tangku, Rekhin, Sumsen, Tisi and Aru villages were also interrogated and tortured by the soldiers while an inquiry was made to find out where the rice came from and why the villagers had stored it. These village headmen were tortured, because the army suspected them to provide food to insurgents.

VILLAGES ELDERS FORCED TO DRINK LIQUOR

Recently, the Burmese army Battalion 266 from Lungler village, Thantlang township, Chin State had thrown a party with food and drinks. The village elders from Dawn, Ralpel, Saikah, Ruabuk, Ruakhua, Zaangtlang and Lungding were compelled to attend the party.

Most of the villages elders do not drink alcohol. Even though they refused, they were forced to drink liquor. When the village headman of Ralpel continued to refuse, the soldiers poured alcohol all over his body.

While the villages’ elders were forcibly drinking, the soldiers took photograph and recorded it. Soon after, the villagers were forced to buy alcohol 5 to 10 bottles every month from the army. The actual price of alcohol is Kyat 250/- but the army charged Kyat 500/- to 1,000/- per bottles.

The commander of Lungler army post accused and threatened the villagers: “I know you consume alcohol, but when the Army offer it to you, you refuse. I don’t understand your behavior! What I know is that you have to pay the price as we fixed.”

A VILLAGER BEATEN IN PALETWA TOWNSHIP

The following incident occurred in Kantlang village, Paletwa township. On 30 July 1998, 2nd Lieutenant Ri Ding, from LIB 374, No.2 company, commander of Kantlang army post, ordered Aa Huat, 18-year old Chin farmer to buy alcoholic drink from Turahaing village, which is a day’s walk from Kantlang village. Aa Huat could not find any alcohol drink and came back empty-handed. As a result, 2nd Lieutenant Ri Ding beat him at the army post with 3 feet long and 3 inches thick bamboo stick on his head, arms, his backbone and all over places of his body until he lost consciousness. He was being treated at home because his family could not afford to take him to hospital.

EXTORTING FOR SELLING CATTLES

In Temahchawng village, which is 2-hours walk away from Paletwa, a 25-year old farmer, named Aung Kyaw, from Paletwa, was imposed a fine of 10,000 Kyats by Corporal Thein Shwe and Private Kyi Thein from Riot Police Department and 10 of his cows being confiscated. He was accused of attempting to sell his cattle in Mizoram, India.

SHOT ON SIGHT

This incident was occurred on 15 July of 1998. Kyaw Naing, 23 years old, a Chin Christian man had one child and was peacefully living in Kuanchawngwah village of Paletwa township. On 15 July 1998, Kyaw Naing and his friend were coming back from hunting. Kyaw Naing was carrying a monkey on his shoulder, as well as a gun slung over the shoulder. They were at a place about 5-hours walk away from Kaletchawng village when Burmese soldiers saw them. These soldiers fired at them without warning, and Kyaw Naing was shot dead on the spot. His friend luckily escaped unharmed.

FORCED RALLY: USDA IN HAKA

The State Peace and Development Council(SPDC), the Burmese military junta, was organizing the Chin people to attend a USDA rally against the National League for Democracy party’s proposal to convene parliament.

In September 1998, the SPDC forced people from all over Chin State to come to Haka, the capital city of Chin State, to participate in the rally, to oppose the NLD’s party proposal to convene parliament. They forcibly brought people from Matupi township to Haka by truck. On the way, there was an accident. Five people died on the spot and 14 were seriously injured. Those who got injured were treated in Haka civil hospital.

RAPE OF A WOMEN PORTER

A platoon of Burmese army led by Sergeant Aung Shwe, from (LIB) 303 based in Mawleik, Sagaing Division, came to Congthia village, Thantlang township on September 10, 1998. They collected 6 villagers as porters by force. On their way to the next village, the Sergeant ordered his troops and 5 porters to go ahead but he ordered Miss Nunau (name change) to stay behind with him. Then, the sergeant raped her. She reported this to the village elders.

KILLED BY LAND MINES

Since 1997, many land-mines have been planted along the Indo-Burma border and Bangla-Burma border, especially on most of the mountain ranges and between villages. Chin villagers are now facing threat of land-mines. They were afraid and dared not go for hunting, fishing or tending their cattle as usual. The presence of land-mines not only causes death and injuries, but also severely affects the food security of the villagers.

In the first week of September 1998, Salai Ram Hre, 25 years old from Haka’s Farhual block was killed by a land-mine planted by Burmese army at Lahva stream near the border of India on his way to Mizoram State of India. The villagers waited for a few days to pick up his dead body because they were afraid that there could be other land-mines.

The same incident occurred in October 20, 1998 at Ralpel village, Thantlang township, Chin State. Pu Hmar, aged 60, was killed on the spot by land-mine planted by Burmese army while he was going to his farm located between Ralpel and Thingsai village.

VOL.I No. V NOVEMBER 1998 
VOL.I No. V NOVEMBER 1998
INTERVIEW WITH A CHIN POLITICAL PRISONER

(The interview was conducted in August 1998, New Delhi.)
Name : Lal Ram (not his real name)
Age : 33
Sex : Male
Religion : Christian
Nationality : Chin
Marital Status : Married, one son aged 3 1/2
Occupation : Farmer and trader
From : Kaleymyo, Sagaing Division

Q. How were you arrested?
A. My eldest brother was involved with a leader of CNF and he was killed in 1995. I went to attend his funeral at the Indo-Burma border. Afterwards, I returned to Kaleymyo. I was watched by the Military Intelligence and interrogated several times. A few weeks later, in June 1995, I went to Lashio to do some business in Shweli at the Chinese border. I was staying in a hotel in Lashio when the MI came to arrest me. They surrounded the hotel and about 17 soldiers, some in uniform, some in civilian clothes, came to my room. They pointed their guns at me and blindfolded me. They took me out and I remember hearing that one of the soldier shot in the air. They took me to the MI Department. They accused me to be a Chin terrorist. They interrogated me and tortured me a lot. They gave electric shocks on the tip of my fingers and on the wrists of both hands. They clipped live electric wires to my fingers. Each electric shock lasted 30 seconds to one minute. It was so strong that I became unconscious. They let me rest for 3 or 4 hours and then interrogated me and gave me electric shocks again. They also gave other kinds of electric shocks which made me itch everywhere. The worst torture was that they made me stand on my toes with a candle lit under my heels and I had to stand like this for 5 or 6 minutes each time. They did that twice a day for one week. I was also beaten so many times with a cane stick all over my body. I was bleeding from my nose and my ears.

I was only given a bottle lid of water to drink twice a day and during the whole week only once I received some old rice to eat. They tortured me day and night like this for one week. They took turns to interrogate and beat me. They always questioned me about the CNF and the other opposition groups in India. During all this time I was forced to stand all the time and I could not sleep at all. After 2 or 3 days, I felt completely mad. I could not think anymore. Then, after 7 days, they transferred me to Lashio jail.

My case was submitted to the military court. However, the judge and the magistrate found that I was not guilty. But the military officer did not approve my release and since he didn’t know anything about law, he ordered the judge to write that I violated Art.17/1. They never gave me any sentence, and sent me back to jail. While in jail, I was summoned to court every two weeks and interrogated every time.

I stayed in jail for 32 months. Some of my business friends and relatives started giving money to the court. When they collected 800,000 Kyats, they released me on bail for 3 months. It was on 13th March 1998. As soon as I left the jail, I returned to Mandalay and Kaleymyo. I picked up my wife and my son, and we escaped directly to India. We have been here since March 1998.

Q. Could you describe the conditions in Lashio jail?
A. In jail, those convicted and those awaiting conviction [those who have not go through the due process of law] were separated. I stayed together with those awaiting conviction. In Lashio jail, there are three large rooms with about 200 prisoners and two small rooms for about 70 prisoners for those who had already received a sentence, and two large rooms and two small ones for those who had not been tried.
There were 200 prisoners in our room, which was 110 feet x 18 ft. We had to sleep like sardines, squeezed against each other with our legs over each other. Like this, for 32 months! Every night 10 prisoners were guarding the others. Outside there was a post with four policemen and every five minutes, those who were guarding the prisoners had to shout to the police that everything was OK.
We were only allowed to go to toilet once during the night, between 12 a.m and 1 a.m. The toilets were inside and they let us go two by two. At any other time, the prisoner was left to use his sleeping space and he would be beaten with a stick as a punishment.

They separated the prisoners, those with money and those without. Those with money could sleep in the most comfortable area. They paid between 10,000 and 15,000 Kyats for their sleeping space. Anyone who gave 100,000 Kyats to the jailer could become a leader among the prisoners. A leader is very powerful and can make a lot of money. He is usually the one who beats the other prisoners. Their family gives the money to the police.

When a new prisoner arrives, the leader demanded money from him for a good sleeping place and light work. The leader then shares with the police. Those who arrived without money are forced to clean the floor of the sleeping room 40 times back and forward, and three times a day. I had to do this at the beginning. Only the convicted political prisoners were forced to empty the toilets. Those not convicted like me had to carry water, do agricultural work, like planting mustard leaves, and washing the clothes of all the jail officers, the police and their families. The prisoners had to buy the soap themselves. Those who paid money just took a broom and pretend to sweep the floors. There was no prisoner with shackles in our room, only among those already convicted. Usually they were sent out to work in a hard labour camp. When they left, I never knew where they were sent to.

Q. Can you describe a day in jail?
A. We had to work everyday, no rest day. We were woken up at 4 a.m. and there was a room call. At 6 a.m. they opened the door of our room and all the prisoners were forced to do planting work up to 9 a.m. without any food. We got our breakfast between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Then we had to fetch water from a very deep well and wash the clothes of the jail staff. Between 3 and 4 p.m., we received our dinner. Afterwards we had to do agricultural work again until 6 p.m. At 6 p.m we entered our room and they locked the doors. Every Monday, the jailer came and checked the prisoners and wherever we were, we had to sit head down from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. When the authorities came and inquired about us, we always had to say that we were OK. For each meal, they usually gave us two handfuls of rice mixed with sand and soda, as well as ngapi and dal [yellow beans] soup.

Q. Have you ever been beaten or tortured?
A. Yes. At the beginning, when I had to clean the room floor, the leader of the prisoners came to ride on my back without any reason. Sometimes too, the leader accused me not to do my work properly even though I did nothing wrong. He would then beat me. After my brother-in-law visited me, the prisoners’ leader ordered me to share the money. I had received no money, but he said that I was lying. For one week he came to beat me regularly when I was working. The police had ordered him to beat me.

Q. Were you ever sick?
A. The first two months I was seriously sick as a result of torture. I was not allowed to go to hospital. I received no medicine. Those with money could pay 50 Ks for one tablet. For example, a 25cc glucose injection costs 700 Kyats. Only when the prisoner could no longer eat, would he be exempt from work. I was able to take some food, so they forced me to work. Sometimes I suffered from fever. Every week, two or three prisoners were dying. They could not resist the jail conditions and became too weak.

Q. Did you get any visit?
A. My wife could not come. It was too far for her to come from Kaleymyo to Lashio. My brother-in-law only came to visit me twice during the 32 months in jail.

Q. What kind of prisoners were staying with you? Who were those who had not been convicted?
A. All sorts! Many were Chinese who had been arrested as illegal immigrants, some criminals, pickpockets, drug users and traffickers, and some students from the 1996 students’ demonstrations. In my room, about there were illegal Chinese and three students. In immigration cases, the detainees would usually pay some bribes to get released. Some prisoners were convicted quickly but for others it could take years. Among the three students, two of them were from Taunggyi College and had not been convicted yet when I left in March 1998. The other student was from Lashio and was sentenced to 9 years. Only the petty drug dealers are arrested, such as a driver or a guard, never the important traffickers. I didn’t see much drug use while I was in jail.

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

Religious persecution is a problem of major concern in Chinland. Almost 100% of Chins are Christians. Over the past few years, The Burmese military has been forcing Chin Christian villagers to build Buddhist pagodas in their own villages. The Burmese soldiers have been descrating churches and graveyards by turning them into army camps, disturbing religious services and preventing evangelists from preaching.

The following information is provided by Rev-( Name omitted). The incident occured while he was serving in Zomi ( Chin ) Baptist Convention.

In August 1993, there come a telegram to the office of Zomi (Chin) Baptist convention, sent from Kuki Chin Baptist Association office, situated in Homalin, Sagaing Division. This telegram said : Rev Zang Kho Let and 3 other evangelists of the area died. Letter follows. When the follow-up letter arrived the office of Zomi (Chin) Baptist Convention, it said that the victims were brutally tortured and shot to death by the Burman army.

It was a great loss to Zomi ( Chin ) Baptist Convention. The letter explained how they were brutally tortured and killed. I brought the case to the Executive Committee meeting of our Convention. When I read the telegram and the letter before 54 decision making persons, I was trembling. All the members shed tears and cried for help and blessing from God. We selected words carefully to make a report to our Central Baptist office. We stood up and had 4 minutes silence in due respect of the dead evangelists, one minute each for the four. The most senior minister among us said a prayer for the dead.

The Central Baptist Office of Burma wrote a report to the Ministry of Religion. The action taken was transferring that army group. Aside from that there was nothing else we could do. All we did with the government was noted and recorded by local State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) office in Hakha, the capital city of Chin State.

LOOTING OF JAGGERY

On 14.2.98, Capt. Zaw Win and his troops came to a sugar cane plantation, 3 miles away from Hmunhalh village in Thantlang township. They confiscated (37) viss of jaggery from the owners. Then they collected (8) men from the plantation and forced them to carry the jaggery to Hmunhalh village. There they forced Hmunhalh villagers to carry the jaggery to Thantlang market where it is sold for the army profit.

FORCED LABOR: BUILDING A FOOTBALL GROUND

In April 1998, the Battalion Commander from Infantry Battalion IB 266 based in Hakha came to Lailenpi village and ordered the Lailenpi company commander Myo Swe to dig a footfall ground in Lailenpi. All the villages in the Lailenpi area were ordered to contribute their labor. The football ground must be completed in 1998. According to that order, Myo Swe demanded every village to send one person per household to dig the ground in Lailenpi. The villagers came to Lailenpi and stayed in relatives’ houses. Since June 1998 each villages came by rotation and worked for 3 to 5 days. Most of the laborers were old men and children, because the young men went to Mizoram, India to work during the summer vacation. This was reported to CHRO by a member of the Pintio village Council in Matupi township. Another villager from Lailenpi also confirmed that: “The working time was fixed by the army commander, from 9 a.m to 12 noon and from 1 p.m to 4 p.m. The villagers were guarded by soldiers while working. Some villagers didn’t bring enough food to stay at the work site for 5 days. They didn’t receive anything from the army and were not allowed to go back to their village. They had to share and could only eat ricesoup.”

MAUNG TAW KYA AUNG ACCOUNT

Under increasing Burmese military control, the Chins are today suffering many of the same abuses as other people living in the border region of Burma. The following is the story of Maung Tawkya Aung, a Chin young man from Ye Aung village, Kyauk Daw township of Arakan State. He suffered all kinds of abuse and harassment committed by the Burmese army in his village area. When his tolerence terminated, he has no alternative but to join the opposition movement of the military government. He provided the following testimony to CHRO field monitor at one of the Chin National Army (CNA) posts.
Name : Maung Tawkya Aung
Father’s name : U Aung Phe ( deceased)
Mother’s name : Daw Ma Huaih
Place of birth : Yeaung village, Kyaukdaw, Arakan State
Nationality : Chin ( Awah Khami tribe )
Religion : Christian
Age : 20-years
Since our village is under the command of Light Infantry Battalion (L I B) 376, all orders come from this regiment. There are three regiments in Kyauk Daw township which are LIB.374, LIB 375 and LIB 376.

I have served twice as a porter. Once was to Athet Tamah village which is one and half hour walk from our village. I carried two army rucksacks. Another occasion was to Ram Chawng army post which is 7-days walk from our village. Ram Chawng army post is laid about the boundary of Mindat township of Chin State. On that occasion there were 12-soldiers with 9-porters. There were 4-porters from our village and 5-porters from Athet Tamah village. I carried two army’s rucksacks and two hens. We had to walk flat land for 5-days and climb up the mountain for 2-days. We were led by a sergeant from L I B No. 376. We had to serve with our own ration without pay. We stayed a day at Ram Chawng army post . On our return we caught a lorry car and reached our village in a day. If a person who is selected for a porter is sick, he has to arrange and find another person for a substitute. He has to pay Kyats 100 (Burmese currency) per day. We had to walk through the jungle to Ram Chawng army post and sleep in the jungle, never sleep in the village.

Concerning forced labour there is Myouk Oo- Paletwah car road reconstruction (Arakan State to Chin State). It has been two years that the construction started. In summer time the car could hardly run from Myouk Oo to Tama Kyi. But it could not reach up until Palatwah. I also worked as forced labourer to pave the pebble on the road. One person per household had to contribute in the construction. There was no exemption for the sick. He has to find and arrange another person for a substitute paying Kyat 100 per day.

We had to gather stones around from hill top and gully. First we had to carry the stones and pave them on the road. And some other people broke stones into pieces of pebble and covered evenly onto the stones previously paved. The quota of length to complete the road the construction for 20 household of our village was a hundred feet long. It took 7-days to complete it. The bigger village got the longer length of quota to be done. The quota for the bigger village like Pyoungtine was 5000 feet and 600-feet for Atetamah. We got nothing for our laboured. All our basic needs had to bring by our own. That was in April of 1998. We have to contribute our labour until the car road is completed.

When the rainy season came we had to bring the things Kyauk Daw army post needs such as woods, posts and bamboo to build the army tent. The army ordered which village has to bring what, how many and how much work to be done. Moreover we had to work pulling seedlings, transplanting on paddy fields owned by army with our own food. In the winter season when harvesting time came we had to work for threshing paddy, reaping the crops with our own food. Women also had to work in harvesting.

Another thing is on bricks the army needs for building. The army put quota of log fire for baking bricks. Our village had to provide them 750-fire log. The logs have to be 5-feets in length with a girth of 1 feet. And the wood must be a good quality. I did cut 40-logs for our family quota. We cut the trees very hardly and carried them to Athetamah village. And then sent them to Kyauk Daw army post. People who could not carry the log had to hire a boat at their own expenses. That wasn’t the end yet. At the brick kiln we had to feed the fire all days and nights without proper sleep. So we got so tired. I had been working for 15 days at the brick kiln. As usual we had to bring our own food. We got nothing for our laboured. I did work as forced labourer just before I left for here. We went to Tanphaya river and collected stones from Tanphaya river and loaded on the boat. First we had to take them to the army battalion headquarters. And we had to pave them on the road between battalion headquarters and the army post. We were so tired. As usual we brought our own food and without pay. Summer, rainy and winter all seasons the army’s works never cease in our area. In early part of summer in 1998 when the revolutionists moved about in our area we had to serve sentry duty. Two man had to guard around our village all days and nights with empty hands. They asked us to inform when the revolutionists came into our village or sensed anything of them. I and my friend had to guard between our village and Kha Daw village until the situation returned to normal.

In that way we have to work for army all the time. We had no time to work for our own. And when my tolerance ended, I decided to join one of revolutionary organisations. I found Chin National Front and joined it on 18 May of 1998.

VOL.I No. IV OCTOBER 1998
INTERVIEW WITH VILLAGE HEADMAN

Mr. Mang Cung (not his real name) was a village tract secretary in Tili village Falam Township, Chin State. He was tortured by the Burmese army in October 1997 because he had contact with the CNF (Chin National Front). The Burmese Army commits the most brutal abuses against civilians in areas where ethnic insurgent group like the CNF operates. The military employs its decade-old “Four Cuts” policy as a counter-insurgency program. The aim is to cut off food, finances, intelligence, and recruits from the opposition in order to undermine their ability to operate effectively. In these areas the CNF is collecting donations and the villagers have to pay. The SLORC, now SPDC, carries out harsh reprisals against anyone suspected of sympathizing or having contact with the CNF and village leaders like Mr. Mang Cung are particularly at risk of abuses. After being beaten, he feared to be arrested and fled to India in November 1997. He has now been granted refugee status under U.N.H.C.R . He was interviewed on 2.7.1998. His face still bears the scars of the gun beatings and he cannot hear properly.

Name : Mr. Mang Cung (name changed)
Age : 60
Religion : Christian
Marital Status : Married, 5 children
From : Tili village, Falam Township
Occupation : Village Tract Secretary
[Note:The village tract includes 2 villages : Tili village with 35 houses and Tlangkhan village with 25 houses.]

Q. How and why were you tortured by the Burmese Army?
A. On 25 October 1997, a representative of CNF came and collected donation from our village. I gave him the money for the two villages in my tract and CNF gave me receipts in my own name. Shortly after, SLORC came to know about this. I don’t know how. Probably because of the receipts. When the troops arrived in my village, they have already known that I had handed over money to CNF. They said: “Why did you give them this money?” I replied : “We all are afraid of them, because they have arms!” They said : “What about us? Aren’t you afraid of us?” I said: “No, because you are protecting us.” They found the receipts in the Council office with my name on them. There were 8 soldiers. They were drunk. They slapped me on my ears and cheeks. I felt deaf and fell down. Till now my right ear is hurting a lot. They pulled my hair and they hit me between the eyes with a gun barrel. I thought they were going to shoot me but they didn’t. I felt the skin torn out and the blood running down all over my face. I felt unconscious and relatives carried me back to my house. The midwife [the only health worker in the village] came and gave me medicine as well as an injection twice a day. I lied in my bed for four days. On 29 October, I received an order signed by the Township LORC chairman which summoned me to go to the Falam headquarters. I knew they will arrest me and put me in jail. So I fled to India and arrived in Aizawl on 6 November. I came alone. My family fled to another town in Burma.

Q. Did they beat anyone else?
A. Yes, they also beat the headman of Tlangkhan village [the other village from the village tract]. They called him and tied him on a chair and accused him of the same thing but I said :”The money was given by me to CNF.” So, they released him and started beating me.

Q. Do the SLORC troops come often to your village?
A. Tili village is located 10 miles from Falam. The troops often come patrolling in my village. Five to ten soldiers come once or twice a month, inquiring about the movements of CNF. Whenever they come they demand chickens and eggs from the villagers. Sometime they even demand honey which is not available in our village. They never carry ration along with them. They take whatever they want from the villagers. Whenever they come they force villagers as porters. Their belongings are always carried by the villagers. The porters have to served one or two days long journey to the next village. They never get paid for it.

Q. Any forced labor in your village tract?
A. Yes, in January 1996, one person per family from Tlangkhan and Tili villages were ordered to build a fish pond, 25 x 70 feet and 3 feet deep. The location was 4 miles away from our village. Women and children had to go too. Sixty people had to work there for two days. They didn’t give us any food. We had to bring along everything, even water to drink. Then, in February 1997, they ordered the villagers to build trenches and bunkers on the top of a mountain about 3 miles from our village. They called village by village. The village headman was forced to lead his laborers there for 3 days until their assignment was completed.

Q. What are you planning to do now?
A. I would like to get treatment for my right ear.

TWO ACTIVISTS ARRESTED

Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO ) has receive a report of the arrest of two members of the Chin National Front (CNF) by the Burmese military personnel. The report came from a field worker of Chin Human Rights Organization who was informed of the incident by a man who ferried the two arrested across the Tio river which flow a long the border line of India and Burma.

The arrest took place on September 6 1998. According to the ferry man, as their ferry boat embark on the side of Burma, some 20 Burmese military personnel suddenly came out of bushes and took them away without saying any thing to him. He immediately row back to the other side of the river bank and reported it to a CHRO field worker stationed near by village.

Further inquiry by the CHRO has confirmed that those Burmese military personnel are of Battalion no 266 stationed at Lungler village which is a bout 10 miles from the border, and that the two arrested are Mr. That Ci and Mr. Uk Lian Thang, two very active members of Chin National Front which is committed to the fight to end military rule and to the restoration of democracy in Burma.

CHRO has also confirm that Mr. That Ci and Mr. Uk Lian Thang ages 37 and 33 have been taken on the same day to Hakha, the capital city of Chin state. Now concern a bout their safety has been spurred in the populace not only by the fact that their where about is unknown, but also by the fact that they may be so severely tortured that they would become like many others have mentally disable.

The Burmese military dictatorship is known for its inhuman treatment of those who are oppose to the military rule in Burma. In Chin state, members of the CNF are especially the target of the Burmese military dictatorship due to the fact that CNF is the only political organization left in Chin state, which has firmly stood and fought along with other democratic forces for the end of military rule and the restoration of democracy in Burma.

EXTORTION AND ARREST

On 23.3.98 two villagers from Sabawngpi in Matupi township were carrying (20) chickens to sell to Mizoram to pay for their children’s school fees. On the way between Sabawngpi and Sabawngte, they met soldiers from IB 274 mobile column. All of their chickens were taken by the soldiers. Then, the troops sent two villagers from Sabawngte village to sell these chickens in Mizoram and ordered them to bring the money back to Lailenpi camp by 25.3.98. They did not reach the army camp in time and they were arrested on 10.4.98.

CUTTING TIMBER FOR THE BURMESE ARMY

Ma Rai Pai (name changed), a female Chin student from Cangbong Block in Matupi town was interviewed in June 1998 and related the following incident: “SPDC troops led by a Major from IB 274 based in Mindat arrived at Phaneng village on 5.6.1998 ( Saturday )at 8 a.m. they arrested 8 villagers from Phaneng as well as 10 villagers from Ngaleng village. All these villagers were sent to Lunghlaw village and were forced to cut timber. The army did not provide neither tools nor food. Even on Sunday they had to work [they were not allowed to attend church service.

EXTORTIONS IN MATUPI TOWNSHIP

Mei Paw (name changed) is 68 years old and has retired from government service. He is now a farmer in Darling village. He was summoned by Lieutenant Myo Swe to meet him at Lailenpi post on 5.6.1998. “I am quite old and I could not reach Lailenpi within one day. I arrived there the next day because of my late arrival, they ordered the Darling villagers to bring them (8) bottles of lard [pig fat used traditionally as cooking oil in Chin villages] by 8.6.98.” The villagers had to kill one pig worth 20,000 Kyats to get the lard and sent to the camp. The Lieutenant only gave one pyi of rice [= 3 kg] to compensate the villagers. The villagers have to collect 20,000 Kyats among themselves to pay back the pig owner.

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTIONS

Religious persecutions is a problem of major concern in Chin State. Almost 100% of Chins are Christians. Over the past few years, the Burmese military has been forcing Chin Christians villagers to build Buddhist pagodas in their own villages. The Burmese soldiers have been descrating churches and graveyards by turning them into army camps, disturbing religious services and preventing evangelists from preaching.

The Burman regime practiced their egregious policy of Burmanization and Buddhitization among the minority racial groups. The Chins live on mountains. There are certain mountains where the Chins Christians erected wooden crosses to show that the devil have been defeated by the dead and resurrection of Christ. The erections of crosses in Chinland began since ending part of 1980s. There have been crosses around towns and villages.

The military regime began to destroy those crosses in 1995. For example, the crosses erected on Rung mountain by Baptist Christians in Hakha town, capital town of Chin State, was destroyed by unknown persons. It was not burned by fire. It was systematically torn down. The believers tried to re-erect the cross on the same place. The ruler did not allow them on the ground that the Christian cross should only be erected in the compound of their churches. Likewise, there are many crosses destroy by the unknown persons for the unknown reason in many villages and towns.

On the contrary, the military regime, through the Buddhist societies, constructed many pagodas on top of village and towns in Chin State. This is interpreted as the invasion of Buddhist among The Chin Christians who do not hold political power. The Chin Christians are forced to construct the pagodas. Moreover, they are forced to donate money for the constructions.

Many pastors, evangelists, and young volunteer missionaries have been arrested while they actively worked. In May 1993, 30 young volunteer evangelists, sent by Zomi (Chin) Baptist Convention, were arrested in the town of Paletwa, Southern Chin State. The Chairman of Paletwa Township SLORC was so brutal to the young people. He didn’t give them food. They were starved for five days. After that he released them on bond that they should not preach in the township. The young evangelist left the town.

CHURCH LEADERS TORTURED IN LAUTU TRACT

The Lautu Baptist Churches Conference [under the Zomi(Chin) Baptist Convention] was scheduled to be held on 22.2.1998 in Thantlang township. The church leaders went to Hakha to get permission from SPDC office. They got no reply. Shortly after, Burmese Army troops from IB 266 and IB 50 came with 100 soldiers to Lautu Village Tract. In every village of Lautu tract, they arrested all the Church leaders. The soldiers accused Churches leaders of supporting CNF insurgents. Church leaders were forced to lie down under the sun at noon and ordered to look at the sun by the soldiers. Those who closed their eyes were beaten. The army ordered them not to hold that conference. All the villagers felt so upset because the Army had prevented them from holding the Church Conference.

TRADER ROBED BY LIB-50 IN TIDDIM TOWNSHIP

On 1.7.98, Dal Lian, a Chin trader from Lailo village, Tiddim township, was traveling between Tonzang and Tiddim townships. He told CHRO: “Troops from IB 50, Company 1, from Cikha camp, led by a Sergeant were patrolling in that area. My friend and I met them between Bapi village and Vanzau village. The soldiers stopped us and checked our belongings thoroughly. They found Ks. 23,000 and Rs. 2,500. they confiscated all the money from us.”

DEMANDING PORTERS AND A PIG

Pau No is a Chin village headman in XXX village, Tonzang Township(name changed and village name omitted for security reason). He complains that the troops very often come in his village and always demand porters and money. He said : “On 3.6.1998, 30 soldiers led by Major Thein Zaw Win, came into our village and spent one night there. On the next day, they ordered me to collect 28 porters. They threatened that if I fail to meet their demand, my village will have to provide them one pig. I managed to arrange 28 porters for them. However, they still demanded one pig.

LOOTING OF JAGGERY

On 14.2.98, Capt. Zaw Win and his troops came to a sugar cane plantation, 3 miles away from Hmunhalh village in Thantlang township. They confiscated (37) viss of jaggery from the owners. Then they collected (8) men from the plantation and forced them to carry the jaggery to Hmunhlalh village. There they forced Hmunhalh villagers to carry the jaggery to Thantlang market where it is sold for the army profit.

FORCED LABOR BUILDING A FOOTBALL GROUND

In April 1998, the Battalion Commander from Infantry Battalion IB 266 based in Hakha came to Lailenpi village and ordered the Lailenpi company commander Myo Swe to dig a footfall ground in Lailenpi. All the villages in the Lailenpi area were ordered to contribute their labor. The football ground must be completed in 1998. According to that order, Myo Sew demanded every village to send one person per household to dig the ground in Lailenpi. The villagers came to Lailenpi and stayed in relatives’ houses. Since June 1998 each villages came by rotation and worked for 3 to 5 days. Most of the laborers were old men and children, because the young men went to Mizoram, India to work during the summer vacation. This was reported to CHRO by a member of the Pintio village Council in Matupi township. Another villager from Lailenpi also confirmed that: “The working time was fixed by the army commander, from 9 Am. to 12 noon and from 1p.m to 4 p.m. The villagers were guarded by soldiers while working. Some villagers didn’t bring enough food to stay at the work side for 5days. They didn’t receive anything from the army and were not allowed to go back to their village. They had to share and could only eat ricesoup.”

VOL.I No. III SEPTEMBER 1998
SITUATION OF CHINLAND UNDER THE MILIRATY DICTATORSHIP FOR 10 YEARS (1988-1998)

Present political crisis in Union of Burma is lack of democracy and ethnic issues. The military regime is trying to solve the crisis by military means instead of political means. Therefore, human rights violation by military regime became the worse condition after the military took state power on 18 September 1988.

The military regime practiced a strategy in order to separate between democratic forces and ethnic forces. The military regime abolished political parties in Chinland instead of honoring 1990 election result. Hence, the military regime is practicing cultural genocide and assimilation in Chinland. The policy of military regime to Chin people is to destroy their distinct identities so that there shall be no longer existence of Chin in the world.

Prior to1995, human rights violations in Chinland by the military regime could not be known by outsiders. In 1995, Chin Human Rights Organization was formed and because of their endeavor and actively sacrifice, the outsiders could know what are going on regarding human rights in Chinland. Since NeWin took power in 1962, human rights violation have been committed in Chinland. But most of the Chin people did not know that their human rights were violated. They think it as a habit of the ruler and let it should be.

In accordance with CHRO’s documentation, human rights violations in Chinland is increasing year by year. Now, CHRO is not only highlighting human rights violations in Chinland to the world but also providing human rights education to the Chin people and as a result international community express their concern about the matter. Now, Chin literature and customs are at a stake under the military regime. It’s status is lower than it was in under British colonial rule. Chin literature can be learned in primary level before 1988. Now, it can be learned up to Grade Two as selective subject only in some place.

The military regime neglected in health care program in Chinland. There is one doctor per 17,000 persons (estimated) in Chinland. Now is the worse situation that there is insufficient medicines and health workers in Chinland. Chin traditional festivals, dresses and musical instruments are almost obsolescent under the regime because the regime itself try to destroy instead of encouragement, it could no longer celebrate and sold them because of economic depression under the regime, and other customs are infiltrated in Chin community.

Restriction of Christianity and infiltration of Buddhism has been existed in Chinland for so long but accelerated after 1991. Buddhism Hill Missionary which is established by the regime is actively participated in it. The Missionary persuaded the Chin Christians by various means in order to convert to Buddhism with assistance of the regime. In 1988, Chin Christian Missionaries Chin for Christ in One Century(CCOC) who worked in Paletwa, Mindat, and Kanpetlet, Gangaw townships were forcibly driven out by Burmese Army. Religious persecutions are rampage. For some examples are Christian’s Crosses were toppled and replaced forcibly with Buddhist monuments and institutions, restriction of movements of Christian leaders, restriction of Christian missionary and its services, innocent young Chins were forcibly converted to Buddhists and arbitrary arrest of Christian leaders.

In 1988, democratic upraising was cracked down by military means so that many activists left for India and sheltered in refugees’ camps of Champhai, Saiha, Moree and Imphal. Some people who have relatives in India did not shelter in refugees’ camp but in their relatives and survive with odd jobs. However, they are not recognized as refugees by India authorities. In 1995, Refugees’ Camp of Champhai and Saiha were abolished without any reason. As a result, UNHCR’s refugees in Delhi are increasing. The Chin refugees’ figure could not be made still today. According to Chin Relief and Development Committee, There are about forty thousands Chin refugees in India and three thousand in Bangladesh.

Under the military dictatorship since it took power on 18 September 1988, there is lack of democracy and human rights, cultural genocide, and negligence in social security in Chinland. The Chin community is being destroyed and even for survival and existence is threatened under the regime. Therefore, Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) invite for cooperation in its service in order to restore democracy and human rights.

THE ACCOUNT OF SAWM LIAN

The following statement is given by Sawm Lian. He is one of the refugees who escaped from such ill-treatments of forced labor, day and night forced sentry , forced pottering and planting land mines by No.34 LIB of SPDC’s army and escaped to Bangladesh border villages. The following conversation is received when interviewed with Sawm Lian who escaped to Thing Dawlte village on 17th June of 1998.

Q : Could you please tell us about your story?
A : My name is Sawm Lian. I am 35 years old. My Parents names are Thawn Lian and Tawk zing. My wife’s name is Par Hnem and I have two sons and a daughter. I am from Kantlang village, Paletwa township, Chin State. I belong to Chin ethnic. I am a Christian and I have passed 3rd grade. I escaped on 5th June of 1998.

Q : Do you know what is the name of the company of Kantlang army post or its regiment? Do you know who is in charge of the army post?
A : It is from No. 34 LIB, company 3. I do not know the name of the one who is in charge. He is a warrant officer 2. Because they keep secret of the name of the one in charge. If the villagers who work every day in the army post ask who the in charge of the army post is, the soldiers say that it is not their business.

Q : Do you know how many refugees have escaped to Bangladesh from Paletwa township?
A : I do not know the exact number but I believe there will be between 2,000 and 3,000 refugees along Bangladesh and India border. Because we, 13-villages of Mungnginwa, Petwah, Phuailewah, Muailewah, Satangwah, Samann, Ramritlang, Batlu Tlang, Muaila Wah, Aung Khaing, Long Kado Wah and Long Kado had escaped to India and Bangladesh borders during 1997 and 1998. Most of the people from Tarawa Ai village and Paletwa region which are from the inner part also had escaped from their villages. Without one house remaining, the whole village had abandoned their village. There are Poh Too Wah village, Ong Ti Wah, Kantlang and MeikWah have left to be escaped. I believe that the two villages, Ong TiWah and Pohtowah also have to escape very soon. People keep escaping at their own convenience because we are uneducated and we have no leader. No mass escaping. And also there is no refugees’ camp along India and Bangladesh borders. That’s why I could not give you the exact numberof the escaped.

Q : Could you please brief us, what is the main reason that makes you abandon your own village?
A : We have many reasons to say. There are 60- houses in Kantlang village. It is only 200-yards away from the army post. Every day we have to contribute two persons to carry water, 6-persons for sentry to the army post without pay. Moreover, we have to contribute 20-persons weekly to do cutting woods, digging trench, cutting bamboo trees to build army tent. They also asked us to inform them immediately when Chin National Army come into the village and we are forced to do sentry duty every night reasoning for village security. We also have to serve as porters every month. Whenever they sense Chin National Army movements, we have to serve as porters. Regularly, we serve pottering from Kantlang army post to Meik army post at the rate of one porter for one soldier. Especially in rainy season we have a very hard time to serve as porters because there are many dangerous big and small streams with its full speed of running water to crossover. It is only a day walk from Kantlang to Meik army post but it takes about 4 or 5 days in rainy season. We have to build bamboo raft for the soldiers because they do not know how to swim. We suffered different kinds of trouble because they do not provide food or medicines. Moreover we have nothing to cover from rain and no footwear either. The worst thing is that people and animals are often killed by land-mines planted by the army in and around abandoned thirteen villages. People are afraid of going to the forest because they often hear explosions of mines. In May of 1998 one villager was killed by land-mine when he went out to collect leaves in the forest. One reason of planting the land-mines is to prevent the donation given to the Chin National Army and another reason is that the army collected money, Kyat 7,000 per head from people who are doing selling cattle and doing business. So the cow merchants avoid through the forest in order to escape from money collection. In May of 1998 three merchants (names unknown) had been killed by land-mines.

Now there is a shortage of food in our region because of SPDC’s army’s way of oppression: forced labor, forced pottering and planting land-mines as we are depending on cultivation. We have no time for our own work. We have to buy rice from Tarawaine which is 3-days’ walk ( to and fro)at the Kyat( Kyat is Burmese currency) 130 per Pyee( 3-Kg). For a few more money, some people pulled their animals to Bangladesh and sold them there. They in turn buy some rice at Ruma Bazaar at the rate of 15-TaKa per Kg (Taka is Bangladesh currency). It takes 5-days (to and fro). We have to buy Bangladesh currency at Kyat 6 for one TaKa. The reason we abandoned villages and escaped to Bangladesh is, because of such horrible troubles made by SPDC’s army and hardship created by them. I do believe that it would also be the reason for the people who escaped.

Q : How do you survive in here? Did you ask for any assistance from local authorities? If so, did you receive any assistance? Or did you ask any help from any organization? If so, did you receive it?
A : I work a blue-color job. I work with local people in their fields. And I work as porter for local people. I could barely get for food in that way. The worst thing is there is no such a regular job to do. Now, in here, Bangladesh border area, people also face shortage of food, we have a very hard time to struggle for our daily food. We have to go into the forest and dig out some tree roots and bulbs of plant. We, older people have more resistance but it is very sad to see the children’s suffering. We could provide them sweet rice once a week only. We feel very sad when children’s are crying when they are hungry. But one thing we feel completely at ease with forced pottering.

Although we have asked food and medicine assistance from local Kalbary(village headman), we have not got anything till today. We could not make our request to higher authorities because of language problem and lack of money. So we have no alternative but to bear. We believe and hope that one day we could be able to escape from the pit of such horrible nightmare by the Grace of God. Although we receive some medicine from an organization called Chin Relief and Development Committee, it is not sufficient. We receive only a very little assistance.

Q: Do you have anything to add?
A: By the mercy and out of pity of Bangladesh border authorities and its army, we are allowed to have a refuge temporarily in here. However, we would like to let the higher authorities of Bangladesh know our situation and let the world know our misery and sufferings if you could help us.

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

The following pamphlet has been widely distributed in Burma, and the copies have been obtained in Rangoon, Mandalay, and various eastern border areas. Missionaries, honourable Monks,Cleansing Organisations The facts to attack Christians:

1. To attack Christian families and the progress of Christians
2. To criticise the sermons broadcast from Manila the Philippines
3. To criticise God as narrow-minded and egotistical, who himself claimed that “There is no god but eternal God”.
4. To counter corrupt youth and inappropriate fashion
5. To criticise the preaching of Christians wherever it has penetrated
6. To criticise Christianity by means of pointing out its delicacy and weakness
7. To stop the spread of the Christian movement in rural areas
8. To criticise by means of pointing out “It is not salvation but purchased by blood”
9. To counterattack by means of pointing out Christianity’s weakness and to overcome this with Buddhism
10. To counter the Bible after thorough study
11. To criticise that “God loves only Israel but not all races”
12. To point out the ambiguity between the two testaments
13. To criticise the point that Christianity is partisan
14. To criticise Christianity’s concept of the Creator and compare it with the scientific concepts
15. To study and access the amount given in offerings
16. To criticise the Holy Sprit after thorough study
17. To attack Christian by means of both non-violence and violence.