CHRO

VOL.I No. II AUGUST 1998
CHINS FACE THREAT OF LANDMINES

The Chin people have been facing life-threatening China-made landmines planted by the Burma Army LIB(36) and (379) since June 1997. The most affected region is in the border areas of Bangladesh-Burma, especially in the Paletwa township of southern Chinland and southern Indo-Burma border areas of the western Kaladan river. Many people as well as a lot of domestic animals such as cattle, buffaloes, goats, and mithuns have been killed by landmines. The Burmese soldiers kept the news secret and never informed the people of the areas concerned about it. For their survival, most of Chin people depends on slash and burn cultivation, and breeding livestock.

Today, the villagers are unable to cultivate their fields freely and openly for fear of landmines. The purpose of planting them in and around Chin villages is to wipe out the activities of the Chin National Army (CNA), which is an armed wing of Chin National Front (CNF) and to cut the support of the people. One of the CNF’s political aims and objectives is for the restoration of genuine democracy in the Union of Burma and self-determination of the Chin people.

The Chinland had an independent territory before the British annexation in 1895. The Union of Burma was co-founded by Burmans, Chins, Kachins, and Shanson the basis of equal footing. But the 1962 military coup forced them to take up arms against the military regime as a last resort. Infighting against the CNA, the Burmese soldiers have been facing difficulties as the CNA’s strategy is a guerilla warfare with the civilian support in the bordering areas. For this reason, the Burmese soldiers started planting landmines in Chinland.

In the persecuted areas mentioned above, there was no hospital, dispensary, or health care center. No physician or doctor. There is no place for medical treatment for villagers at all. Another type of the most severe punishment is forced RELOCATION of villages. They ordered many villages to live together at one designated place where the Burmese soldiers are being stationed. For instance, the Maretwa neighboring villages were forced to settle together at Maretwa. Villages such as Pungyingawa, Pakawa, Poktoewa, Satangwa, Muiletwa, Aungkhai, Phuiletwa and Samang along the Kaletchaung river were relocated during the early part of 1998. Because of landmines, many Chins take refuge in other neighboring countries like India and Bangladesh.

On April 16-18, 1998 U Ohn Kyaw visited Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government raised the question of landmines in the Bangladesh-Burma border areas to the Burmese military delegate at their meeting. No result to date.

FORCE LABOR AS PRISONERS OF WAR

This report is given to Chin Human Rights Organization by U Ta Lai, aged 40, Ngaleng village of Matupi township. He was personally involved at the scene. On 18 April of 1998, a corporal and a private from 274 Light Infantry post at Matupi town came to Phaneng and Ngaleng villages. They gathered 80 people from Phaneng village and 60 people from Ngaleng village and forced them to remove landslip between Haka and Matupi car road. They did not provide any food, medicine or equipment for it.

They took them to Lung Hlaw and Khua Ngang villages which are a day walk and ordered them to remove a landslip along the way until 10 p.m. without taking a break. They forced them to work for 4 days without giving a time for break and bath. Among the forced labours there were 10 old men, over 50 years of age, 4 children under 15 and 8 housewives. Taking an advantage of the soldiers’ order, aiming at their own benefits, U Khung Khen, an officer of Matupi township road construction department and Maung Bik, a technologist, distributed rice bags to Phaneng and Ngaleng villagers and ordered them to reconstruct the remaining road in landslip along Hakha and Matupi. They issued an order that if anyone fails to present, he would be given a severe punishment by higher authority and also said that no one could be exempted from portering.

The villagers who dared not oppose the order and work in road construction had no time to work for their own living. Hence, U Ta Lai and some of the villagers had left their lovely homes to work in Mizoram State of India. Now, they worry how they would solve their problems when they get home.

PUSHING INTO STARVATION

Since 1997 a company commander of No.539 Light Infantry based in Sinletwa has issued an order to send two persons from each village track of Pa Ra , Shia O and Ramritlang to Sinletwa army post. It takes a day to get there from these villages. When they got there they were forced to work cooking, carrying water, washing clothes, cutting firewood and constructing houses.
They were threatened to burn the village and impose a fine of Kyat 3,000 if they fail to send porters. Every month they had to provide 2-Viss(3.5Kg) of domestic fowl (alive) for the soldiers. The village had to arrange with any possible means because they were threatened to take an action against those who fail to do so. Besides, they were forced to set fire on their hill-side cultivation before the end of February. The army personnel repeatedly issued an order that whoever is against the order would be banned from doing cultivation for a year. The Chin people depend and make living on traditional shift cultivation.

In the process of shift cultivation there are moments of time to start working on clearing bushes, cutting trees, setting fire, transplanting, pulling weeds and harvesting. Setting fire of the cultivation field before proper time could affect the living of Chin people and would certainly lead to starvation.

TREATING AS ENEMY

In May of 1998 SPDC’s army had issued an order not to release domestic animals from their farms. As soon as they released order three times, giving reasons of security, the soldiers started army column from village to village in Hakha and Thantlang townships and killed domestic animals as they like without any payment for it. It is because the government could not provide meat ration for the army. In May of 1998 the army killed and ate 15-cows and 30-pigs both in Hakha and Thantlang townships.

SPDC’s soldiers in Chin State are treating their own citizens like enemy. Although the people dislike the army ,they have no alternative but to bear and follow. The people made complaints to higher officials, but the government would never take action against the military personnel.

OUR ARMY, OUR TORTURER

This is the story interviewed with Rokima, aged 18 a student from Cangtak village. On April 10, 1998 20 soldiers led by a captain (name unknown) of No.274 Light Infantry based in Matupi town came to Cangtak village.
As soon as they got to the village they called 4- members of the village SPDC and ordered them to arrange 20-porters immediately. The Village SPDC members could not, at once find the porters required as all the villagers had already gone to work in the field. So, the soldiers started beating the 4-members with bamboo stick. Using slains and stones, the soldiers killed domestic fowls and ate them as much as they wanted.

The soldiers asked Rosang who is disable if any Chin National Front member ever come into the village. Rosang could not answer their question as he is illiterate and could not speak Burmese. So the soldiers beat him with stick and stroke him very badly until some blood came out from his mouth. The soldiers began getting into house to house and arrested villagers to be as porters. They had to serve portering to Lungpan village which is 4-miles away from the village. Among 20 porters there were three old men, over 50 years of age and three girls, aged under 15. The SPDC’ soldiers often came to our village. Whenever they come to our village, they beat the villagers and killed domestic animals as they like. They never make any request for it. So the villagers hid in their fields because they did not dare to stay in their village. They used to come back to the village on Saturdays and Sundays for their basic needs.

Whenever the soldiers came to the village they had to close the school and hid in their planting fields. But now most of the villagers exiled to Mizoram State of India because they did not dare to live in their own village.

FORCE LABOR IN PALETWA TOWNSHIP

In March 1998 Burma army Battalion 539 and 34 from Shinletwa, Paletwa township , Chin State had issued an order for the following villages such as Para, Sia u, Heimapi, Heimate , Ramri, Sweletwa, Pathiantlang, Sinowa, Ra U, Kinwa, Tahewa, Yokwa, Htonwa, Gilawng, and Mau to contribute 1,000 to 2,000 bamboo poles by each household for the army.

Any village absent to contribute, will face a fine of K1,500 to K2,500. The nearest villages have to walk a day to get to the work site, the bank of the Kaladan river, where the bamboos are located. Some villages such as Ma U and Para have to walk 2 days to get to the work site. The army didn’t provide any necessary material to the villagers . They had to carry their own food , medicine and every other essential thing. In order to fulfil the requirement, a person from every household had to spend at least 4 days to cut the bamboo. The army personnel made bamboo raft with which the villagers had cut bamboos and sailed it down to Arakan State for sale.

There is no any other way for the military personnel to get outside income around Shinletwa region. That’s why the villagers were forced to cut bamboo trees for the army. They were compelled to do this thing at least twice a year. Besides, they were ordered to serve as porters for all year-round. Every village has to provide 4 viss of chicken and a basket of rice (about 20 kg) for a month. Para village has to clear up the rout to No. 18 Indo-Burma border rout to No 18 Indo Burma border pole for three times a year. They also have to clear up the hill top 7 miles north of the border pole. Whenever they had finished doing this, they have to report to the Shinletwa army camp which is 3 day-walk from the village. The villagers didn’t get paid for doing this. The villagers around that region are facing a big problem for their living because they don’t have time to work for themselves.

Therefore, most of them are fleeing to India as they can’t live peacefully in their own village. CHRO have the army original order letter

ARMY’S DISTORTION IN THANTLANG TOWNSHIP

A column of Burma army led by Major Aye Tun of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB 274) from Pakokku was patrolling around Ngaiphaipi, Ngaiphaite, Lailen, Khuapilu, Ngalang, and Lawngtlang villages of Thantlang township, Chin state to drag porters and collect ration in the month of April, 1998.

They collected 2 baskets of rice (1 basket = 20 kg) and 3 chicken from Ngaiphaite village, 2 baskets of rice and 2 chicken from Ngaiphaipi village, 4 chicken and 2 baskets of rice from Lailen village ,and 3 chicken and a basket of rice from Khuapilu village. The army asked 2 persons from each village and they were forced to be porters for army supplies along with the column. On April 3, 1998, they reached Ngalang village and collected 2 baskets of rice and 3 chicken.

They looted every thing they could get from the villagers such as bath soaps and eggs. They asked 30 porters for army supplies and they continued patrolling Lawngtlang village 8 miles away from Ngalang village. On their way to Lawngtlang village, they met Fanthen villagers who came to sell (11) pigs to the town. The army distorted a pig worth K10,000 free of charge. They also charged K5,000 for carrying 10 pigs to the town. In Zephai village, Major Aye Tun and his column collected 5 chicken, 2 baskets of rice and 2 bottles of cooking oil free of charge. They arrived at Tluangram village on 19 May 1998. As soon as they arrived, Major issued a curfew order. After that he called 9 villagers and divided them into 3 groups and sent them to the Bawinu river for fishing. A person from every group has to come to the village to present the army whatever fish they got. The villagers were not allowed to go out of their village. They were compelled to build 4 sentry boxes outside the village and they had to guard 24 hours a day. The Major threatened the villagers that if the rebels came into the village, he would kill all the guards. All the villagers were farmers and they were very busy planting paddy at the time. It is clear that the army did this kind of unfair thing to the villagers because of wanting the villagers to suffer in the coming harvest season.

The army always suspect villagers as rebel supporters and treat them like enemies. 

VOL. (I) No. (1) JULY 1998
INTRODUCTION TO THE CHINLAND

Chinland was an independent country before British annexed in 1896 as her colony. In 1948, Chinland decided to form Federal Union with Shan, Kachin and Burmese in accordance with Panlong agreement which guaranteed equal status among nationalities in Burma.

General Ne Win took state power in 1962 and discarded the Panlong agreement. He introduced military dictatorship to Burma. All democratic norms, principles and ethnic rights were abused. Those who raised their voice against the military regime were arrested, tortured and killed. Thus, the Chin people took arm as their last resort in 1964 and civil war has been going on till today in Chinland.

Under the military regime and civil war, human rights violations such as forced porterings, forced relocation, religious persecution, forced labors, illegal collection of money, rapes, arrests and imprisonment for long time without court proceeding, killings are mushroomed in Chinland. In 1988, there was democratic upraising in the whole Burma and the then military government almost came to the point of losing control of their power. However, military generals handpicked by Ne Win took coup d’tat again in 1988. Under the new military regime, human rights violations are still rampaging. Moreover, Chin National Front which is fighting for restoration of genuine democracy in Burma do not enter cease fire agreement with the regime. As a result, human rights violation in Chinland became the worse ever than before now. Unfortunately, Chinland could not be accessible by outsiders because not only the military regime prohibited but also the neighboring countries such as India and Bangladesh have their problems in the border area. As a result, we could not expose to the world about human rights violation in Chinland even though the Chin people are suffering human rights abuses at the same level as people in Burma’s other conflict areas.

Therefore, Chin Human Rights Organization(CHRO) was formed in 1995 by Chin to begin independly documenting human rights situation in Chinland and make internationally aware about the truth.

CHIN SEMINAR HELD IN OTTAWA

The Chin Seminar was held successfully on April 29 to May 2, 1998 with the aims of promoting unity among all the Chin democratic forces. The said Seminar, sponsored by the Euro-Burma office, commenced with opening prayer by Rev. Dr. Chum Awi, former General Secretary of Zomi(Chin)Baptist Convention, opening speeches by Pu John MangTling Cinzah(Chin Ex-Member of Parliament and former Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affair), Dr. Sein Win, Prime Minister of National Coalition Government of Union of Burma(NCGUB), Mr. Harn Yawnghwe, Director of Euro-Burma office, Mr. Jack Sterken, Burma Donors Secretariat and Mr. Gary Rosema, Burma Relief Centre(BRC). The Seminar was attended by 17 Chin compatriots including elected MPs, respected intellectuals and freedom fighters inside and outside of Chinland of Burma. Following the Chin Seminar(Ottawa, Canada), all the participants agree to form Chin Forum.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF CHIN SEMINAR

The Chin forum was formed with aims and objectives of providing a common forum for all the Chin through which they could continuously strengthen the unity among themselves and also with all the other democratic forces of Burma and other nationalities. Furthermore, Chin Forum will carry out various tasks of research and documentation works for the betterment of entire Chin people under three working groups namely

A) Working Group for drafting Constiution of Chinland

B) Working Group for setting up Communication, Information and infrastrusture amongst the Chin Democratic Forces and

C) Working Group for Education and Health.

For more information, please visit at <http://www.chinforum.org>

THE STATEMENT OF CHIN SEMINAR

1. The Chin Seminar, organized by the Chin National Front(CNF), and attended by 17 Chin compatriots including elected Chin MP’s respected intellectuals and freedom fighters from inside and outside Chinland of today’s Union of Burma, was successfully held in Ottawa, Canada, on April 29 to May 2, 1998.

2. Chinland, a formerly free state, was co-founder of the Union of Burma under the Panglong Agreement.

3. The military regime discarded the 1947 democratic constitution which safeguarded the Panglong Agreement. Therefore we, the Chin people, consider ourselves as a free nation until and unless a constitution which guarantees our rights is proclaimed.

4. The problem of the Union of Burma started because of unequal treatment of the nationalities by the successive Burmese governments since independence. This unequal treatment has been increased by the military dictatorship especialy in the areas where non-Burmans reside.

5. The ,military regime has convened a sham national convention with handpicked delegates to prolong and legitimize the military dictatorship. This national convention deepens the national hatred and suspicions instead of solving the political crisis.

6. Since the military took over power, there are rampant human rights violations, religious and racial persecutions causing an exodus of Chin refugees to India as well as other countries.

7. The cease-fire arrangement between the military regime and some other armed nationality opposition groups can not solve the present political crisis because of the absence of political dialogue.

8. In order to solve the political crisis of the Union of Burma and the refugee situation, we demand tripartite dialogue which has been called for by the United Nations as well as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This involves dialogue between the Burman Democratic Forces, the Burmese Military and the Non-Burman Democratic Forces.

9. Under genuine democracy and the right of self-determination in its fullest extent, we are willing to work together to consolidate unity among all nationalities in Burma to form a Federal Union.

Date : 3 May 1998
Place : Ottawa, Canada

VILLAGERS TORTURED AND RAPED

A group of Burmese Army which was led by Major (name unknown) from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 274 stationed at the Lailenpi Village came to Sabawngte Village of Matupi township on March 20, 1998. The army surrounded the village and ordered the villagers not to go outside the village. The army commander asked to members of village council whether any villager has gone out side the village or not. The members of the village council replied that about per persons had already left for their field just before the army arrived. The commander called four of his troop and ordered them to torture members of village council. The members of village council were punched with fists and beaten with sticks and gun severely. The Chairman of village council was punched and beaten several times on his head so that he got serious injuries. The four members of village council also got many injuries on their bodies. There is no health care center and medicines available at the village. They were suffered pain without treatment in their homes.
And then the troop coercively took a pig and two basket of rice from the villagers and stayed two days at the village. Due to bad weather in last year, the villagers didn’t harvest enough food. Therefore, they have been starving. Most of the villagers collected ….. from the Jungle for their main food.

After the army brutally tortured and took their food for three days, the army demanded 30 persons portering, including women. The village head collected 15 women and 15 men for porters. On March 22, 1998 the porters carried the army’s ammunitions, equipments and rations to Sabawngpi village which is nine miles far from the Lailenpi village. On the way, the women were kept alternately with the army and the men were kept at rear. When they reached at Sabawngpi village, the women were forced to sleep with the army at night. On the next day, the porters were called up to Lailenpi Village where the army stationed their camp. The women porters were coercively slept in for a night and they were released on the following day. The porters did not get any single cent for their labor, rather they were tortured on the way. All women came back with tears. The women declined to disclose the real events because they were afraid of the army. Till today it could not be seen smile on their faces. The parents knew what had happened to their daughters but they could not expose with witness.

LICENSED TO LOOT

Major Zaw Tun Myint (a) Than Zaw Lat from Burma Army Battalion 274 issued an order for Lungcawipi village consisting of 30 houses in Thantlang township, Chin State. The order said that Lungcawipi village had to pay Kyat 150,000 for the building of Hriangpi Army camp before April 8, 1998. The order also threatened that the whole village was to be burnt down by himself if they could not pay the amount at once. It was hard for the village to get that amount and so they paid Kyat 50,000 and a pig. When the Major came to the village, they killed a pig for him. They also requested him to accept Kyat 50,000 and not to demand the rest. Kyat 50,000 was what they could afford. After consuming all the good and accepting Kyat 50,000, he ordered the villagers to pay the rest Kyat 100,000 before the end of May. He also threatened that the village will be burnt down and destroyed in case of failure. Actually, the villagers knew that the money was not for the construction of Hriangpi army camp. It was for his own pocket. But it is difficult for them to deny his order. All the villagers are farmers and they were busy with their farm work at the time. The people are so sad and disappointed and now live in fear and anxiety as it is impossible for them to get Kyat 100,000 as they are poor and not even able to get the necessaries of life.

STUDENTS LIFE IN TONZANG TOWNSHIP

Students from Tualkhiang village, Tonzang township in Chin State have no summer holidays for this year. They were forced to work for Battalion 228 of Burma Army from Tidim town.
The students were compelled to build two sentry boxes outside of the village and forced to guard 24-hour a day. Two persons at a time with percussion lock firearm. Besides, they were forced as porters to carry army supplies to Pakmual and Haicin villages 13 and 20 miles respectively. The villagers around that region such as Haicin, Pakmual, Tuimui, Selvum, Linthup, Khuaivum, Tongcin and Suangbem were asked forcibly to carry army supplies and ammunition during the months of April and May of this year, 1998. At least 20 people had to come from each village and it took three days for a trip. They didn’t get paid for doing it. Moreover, they had to carry their own food. Whoever was absent to serve as porter, a fine of Kyat 600 was imposed for one-time absentee.

Every village has to provide a pig worth Kyat 6000 and 4 viss of chicken to Cikha army camp for a year. They also pay Kyat 50 each per household for the State Peace and Development Council army office in Tonzang town.

PORTERING AT GUN POINT

The following villages Thlualam, Hriangkhan, Sialam, and Humhalh from Thantlang townshp, Chin State were forced to be porters from March 1998 till today by a company led by one major (name unknown) from Burma Army Battalion 309 Katha. 40 People from each village have to come to serve as porters to carry army supplies from Thantlang to Tikir village. One trip takes five days.
About 10 soldiers have been posted at every village along the way through Thantlang town to Tikir village. The villagers are forced to take sentry duty 24 hours a day. The army have threatened the villagers that they will burn the whole village if they were attacked by the rebels. The villagers are very busy to collect firewood, carry water from the well and provide food and all the necessities for the army. Those villagers have been forced to be porters so long and they are now facing a big problem for their living as they don’t have enough time to work for themselves.

LEGALLY STEALING BY SPDC TROOPS IN CHIN STATE

During the 8th Anniversary Students Sport Festival organized under the command of SPDC in Hakha, the army shut down the power for 10 minutes as planned. As soon as the electric power cut, soldiers start stealing the goods and treasures from the shops at the festival place. When the power was restored, the shop keepers found that their valuable Chin traditional dresses, precious jewelry such as earrings, necklaces, bangles, rings and wrist watches were missing. When thieves who are soldiers from the Burma Army were caught by the shopkeepers, the thieves replied that it was a traditional festival. Therefore, the stolen good were not to be returned. It was very strange for the local people who have never ever come across this kind of festival organized by the Burma Army and stealing is allowed legally. And then thieves were set free with stolen goods.