Daily Mission Report:<\/span>
May 26, 2003
Advance team departs to first IDP site at XXX XXX.<\/p>\nMay 27, 2003
The twenty member FBR team walked five hours from XXX XXX to XXX XXX IDP site. Location: XXX XXX. This IDP site is five miles from a Burma Army camp with 200 soldiers. The people living here were originally from Mae Kre village, which was burned by the Burma Army. The Burma Army also mined the area, forcing the villagers to flee. There is no school in this village and no medical facilities.<\/p>\n
A medical clinic was set up immediately when the team arrived and eight medical patients were treated. They were treated for Dysentery, malaria, acute respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, and gastritis. <\/p>\n
The team sang songs for the IDPs in Karen and English and told them about the purpose of the mission. The team then interviewed two IDPs.<\/p>\n
#1 Interview:
Name: Saw XXX XXX, male, head villager
IDP Site: XXX XXX, population: over 300 people, religion is mainly animist with a small number of Buddhists. Mae Kre is located near a car road and is under an hour walk from this IDP site.<\/p>\n
The BA beat children, looted chickens, pigs and other livestock, and destroyed houses in Mae Kre. They would come to the village and eat their food.
He said that the Burma Army (BA) and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) often beat them and forced them to be porters when they were in Mae Kre.
The villagers were forced to cut and carry bamboo to the BA camps, which were very long distances. They were given very small amounts of food and no pay for their work.
When the DKBA forced them to be porters they were given one tin of rice, but for the BA they were only given one very small meal each day. As porters, they were required to ask permission to go to the toilet, and allowed to sleep, but always guarded. They were often asked to carry things on whole day trips from Kler Day to Klaw Day BA camps.<\/p>\n
He reported that August 26, 2001 the people who now live in XXX XXX were forced to leave their village in Mae Kre. They arrived at this new site on August 28, 2001. Everyone from Mae Kre had to leave. Some villagers had left earlier and gone to Thailand, and later returned to this IDP site. They had to leave Mae Kre because the BA accused them of supporting the Karen resistance movement and said, “This is not a village, this is a ringworm village.” (\u0091Ringworm\u0092 is the term used to refer to the Karen people by the Burma Army). The Burma Army (BA) ordered their village to relocate to a place closer to the Kler Day car road and Burma Army camp at Kler Day. Mae Kre was north of the road, but the place they were ordered to relocate to is south of the car road. This would put them in an area completely enclosed by roads controlled by the BA and DKBA. None of the villagers moved after they were ordered to relocate, so the BA and DKBA came, the villagers had to flee Mae Kre, lost the majority of their belongings, and the BA and DKBA burned their village.<\/p>\n
The BA has not yet come to XXX XXX IDP site. <\/p>\n
#2 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 45 years old
IDP Site: XXX XXX<\/p>\n
In his experience as a porter three years ago, he served with villagers from Mae Da Mu who were also forced to work for the Burma Army. There was a man who was 30 years old who was tortured while he was there. He did not know the reason they tortured him, but the BA soldiers tied his wrists, hung him in the air, tied his knees together, and put a fire under him. They started to burn him alive. The other porters pleaded with them to let him go. The soldiers let him down, and tied his wrists to his ankles. The BA soldiers swore at him because he was moaning. XXX XXX was there as a porter at the same time as this man and saw him while he was unconscious. The man died that night.<\/p>\n
May 28, 2003<\/p>\n
XXX XXX IDP site
6:00am \u0096 9:30 am : Medical and Dental clinic
95 Medical patients treated. The majority of the patients were children. The main problems treated were malaria, anemia, multivitamin deficiency, acute respiratory infections, and urinary tract infections.<\/p>\n
Dental patients: 3 people, 9 extractions<\/p>\n
7:00 am: Distributed Good Life Club packs, vitamins, and toys to children, mothers and babies. Team members led songs with the people waiting for medical treatment.<\/p>\n
12:30pm Left the village and walked west\/southwest for four and a half hours. Moved to the car road that runs between Shanywathit and Kler Day, recon, security, and crossed the Kler Day car road at XXX XXX. One DKBA was captured who attempted to follow the team. When questioned he said he no longer was with DKBA. He was held for 1 day, fed and then released. Continued on to a site near XXX XXX village, less than two hours from the car road. Location: XXX XXX.<\/p>\n
May 29, 2003<\/p>\n
Jungle site near XXX XXX village.
8:00-9:00am : Medical clinic, 59 patients with common problems treated being malaria, malnutrition, dysentery, anemia, worms, ARI, common cold, asthma, pregnancy, abortion complications, and mumps. No dental patients.<\/p>\n
10:00am: Distributed 11 Good Life Club packs, one to each family represented. Team sang songs in Karen, English, Shan, Karenni, and Kachin languages. Told the group about the purpose of the mission, that people all over the world are praying for them, and that we will do our best to get information out about their situation.<\/p>\n
#3 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 30 years old
Village: XXX XXX, 12 houses (about 50 people, including 20 children) in village, 80% Buddhist, 20% Animist, no school<\/p>\n
This is not their original village. In 1984, some villagers ran away from an attack on their village by the Burma Army to refugee camps, and others stayed in villages near the Thai-Burma border until 1995\/1996. In 1995 and 1996 some villagers started moving back and started the village again in the same general area. Before they left, there was a school in the village. Now there is no school. <\/p>\n
Normally, once a month they get orders to be porters for the Burma Army. Yesterday (May 28, 2003) was the most recent order to porter. They asked for 5 people for one day. They will carry supplies from the Burma Army Camp to the DKBA camp Doh Doh. The orders come from the Burma Army camp at Shanywathit through the DKBA. The name of the commander of the Burma Army there is Maung Nan Aung. There are over 1,000 soldiers at the camp.<\/p>\n
Every day one villager from XXX XXX must go to the DKBA camp nearby and wait there for twenty-four hours, when another villager replaces them. If there is an order to porter, the villager will tell the village when they return to the village. Occasionally the BA talks directly to the village. Women (sometimes 14-15 year olds) have to be porters for the DKBA also.<\/p>\n
During times of fighting between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the BA\/DKBA the BA and DKBA will demand money, cows, and chickens from the villagers as a punishment for the fighting. There are a lot of landmines on trails and near the BA and DKBA camps.<\/p>\n
Walked to new site in afternoon: XXX XXX.<\/p>\n
5\/30\/03<\/p>\n
Five hour walk south and southwest. Passed through XXX XXX village (Location XXX XXX) to a site near XXX XXX village (Location: XXX XXX).<\/p>\n
9:00am the DKBA captured a KNU soldier west of Maw Lweh village.<\/p>\n
11:30am-2:40pm : Medical and dental clinic in site near XXX XXX village.
Medical: 98 patients, with malaria, asthma, pneumonia, vitamin deficiencies treated.
Dental: 5 patients, 7 extractions.<\/p>\n
2:40 pm Walked to XXX XXX village and met with teachers there. Walked half an hour to new site.<\/p>\n
#4 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 45 years old, married, farmer
Village: XXX XXX, 24 households, over 100 people<\/p>\n
Name: XXX XXX, female, 48 years old, married, 5 children, farmer
Village: XXX XXX, 33 houses, 147 people<\/p>\n
Both villages (XXX XXX and XXX XXX) have to send one person to the Burma Army camp, they stay there for twenty-four hours and then rotate with two new villagers. The villagers often have to be porters for the BA and DKBA. They are forced to be porters one or two times per month. There have been porters who have stepped on land mines. Sometimes they are asked by the BA and DKBA to clean the car road. The reason they are asked to clean the car road is to be human land mine sweepers. No villager has stepped on a land mine during the times they have cleaned the road. One BA soldier stepped on one and complained to their villages, saying, ” If we step on a land mine again, we will burn your house down, we will kill you, and move you away.” They made this threat three months ago when Burma Army soldiers went as a group to both villages. <\/p>\n
One week ago the BA (commander name: Kyi Tun, and camp name: Htee Wa Kyo) ordered both villages to be porters. Three people from XXX XXX and one XXX XXX had to carry supplies for the BA from Htee Wa Kyo to Maw Po Klaw camp (a ten hour walk one way). They came back the next morning.<\/p>\n
The BA often (about two times per month) steals rice, salt, chili, chickens, pigs, and other livestock from the villagers. XXX XXX village prepared everything for a school, with all the wood and furniture, but the BA took all of it in January in 2003.<\/p>\n
Yesterday (May 29, 2003) the BA called all the villagers to their camp and made them carry the Army\u0092s food supplies from Htee Wa Kyo to Mae Ta Mu Hta. 7-10 people had to go from each village. Sometimes children are made to porter.<\/p>\n
May 31, 2003<\/p>\n
Treated patients and distributed gifts at site near XXX XXX (Location: XXX XXX).<\/p>\n
7:00am-12:30pm: Medical and Dental clinic
Medical: 199 patients, with the main problems treated being pneumonia, worms, asthma, malaria, anemia, ARI, back pain, mumps, and urinary tract infections.
Dental: 5 patients, 3 drills and fillings, and 2 extractions.<\/p>\n
Walked to new location (XXX XXX)<\/p>\n
#5 Interview:
Name: X Kyaw Por, male, 56 years old, married, 2 children, farmer
Village (originally from): XXX XXX, 34 houses
Village (presently living in): XXX XXX (near XXX XXX), 10 houses (50 people), mix of Buddhist, Christian, and Animist beliefs in this village.<\/p>\n
They do not live in their original village. They moved here because of BA persecution. The BA forced them to relocate in 2001, and so everyone moved, but they had to crowd into 10 houses rather than 34. This year the BA soldier commands the villagers to clean the car road from Kya Hta Lay Koh to Tin Nyar Lay Kyo.<\/p>\n
In 2001 he was village leader in XXX XXX. They experienced much persecution. In June 2001 one BA soldier left the army. The BA came to XXX XXX and said he took the soldier to Kawthoolei (Karen State) and used that as an excuse to torture him. The BA made him go to Shanywathit camp. The BA interrogated him for two days, asked him about the KNLA. After two days, at 4pm, the troop commander (Thaung Mya Oo), #66 Division, Tactical Operation Command #2, came and tied him up and put him in a room. Soldiers, including Tun Win, the company commander, tied his neck, tied his wrists behind his back (one arm was released for him to eat and to go to the bathroom), and they ties his ankles together. They kept him there for 14 days, tied up the whole time. Throughout these 14 days, the BA soldiers hit his head with the front of their guns, and there is a visible scar there. They knocked his teeth out with their guns (one is still missing), they kicked him with their feet and knees, and they beat him all over his body with their guns. He felt like he lost his mind many times. The soldiers would continue to kick him during the 14 days. Three times, the BA soldiers asked other porters to dig a hole to bury him in after they killed him, but he was never killed. He asked the BA to kill him because he was suffering so much. After the fourteen days they brought him back to his village, but told him he had to go and meet the BA soldiers every day. He did that for two days and then fled and stayed somewhere he could hide. After he ran away, his village moved because there was no head villager. The DKBA comes close to where he stays now (they go to XXX XXX) and his village gets their orders through that village. <\/p>\n
In April 2003 the BA had the villagers work one day on their camp (Tin Nyar Lay Kyo). It is half an hour walk to the camp from their village. <\/p>\n
#6 Interview:
Name: Saw XXX XXX, male, 37 years old, married, 3 children, farmer, head villager
Village: XXX XXX, 90 houses (700-800 people)<\/p>\n
They have a school (1-4th standards).
May 27th 2003 there was shooting between the KNLA and Burma Army. The BA came to his village after that and asked the villagers to meet them and said they should have told them that the KNLA was getting to attack, and next time if they didn\u0092t tell them, the BA threatened to attack their village.<\/p>\n
Every day one person has to go to the BA camp (Kho Maw Khee) and stay for 12 hours. They are on a four village rotation to send someone, so every fourth day someone from XXX XXX goes to the BA camp and waits. Htun Htun Win is the company commander at that camp. There are new troops at the camp (they have been there for about a week), so he doesn\u0092t know the exact number at that camp. It is a thirty minute walk from the village to the BA camp. The BA is making bunkers near the temple close to the camp.<\/p>\n
A car could go to their village. From the village to Hlaingbwe it is 3 hours. The DKBA and BA come to their village and shoot their chickens. The DKBA is worse than ever before. They shoot their chickens every time they come to the village and would beat him if they knew he told someone about it. They never pay for the chickens. Last year, the DKBA accused three villagers of being part of the Karen National Union (KNU) and beat them. One man is still sick from that beating. The others needed two months to recover and one has psychological damage.<\/p>\n
#7 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 32 years old, married, 5 children, business man, head villager for XXX XXX village
Village: XXX XXX, 40 houses (300 people)<\/p>\n
His family is in Thailand, but he married someone from this area. There is a school with two teachers in his village. In 1985 the BA burned down the village. In 1995 and 1996 people returned to the site and they built the village up again.<\/p>\n
In 1995, he was shot by the BA in his village. He was on his way to visit his mother-in-law in a village northwest of Shanywathit. When he crossed the car road the BA shot him.
His village has a traditional medicine place that helped him. <\/p>\n
Two weeks ago, the BA came to their village and ate one chicken and made no payment for it.<\/p>\n
Two or three weeks ago the villagers went to Maw Po Kla with eight carts to buy supplies. They met BA at Maw Po Kla and they were told to not buy their supplies, but to carry the BA supplies to the BA camp at Kho Maw Kee, and then they were released.<\/p>\n
The village has to send one villager every day to BA camp (Kho Maw Khee) and they stay there for 12 hours waiting for orders for the village. Sometimes the villagers are called to porter, but not recently. Every time the BA comes to the village they demand chickens, pigs, and other livestock. If the villagers don\u0092t give it to them, they just kill it themselves and make no payment for it. Four or five days ago the BA went to XXX XXX village and ate a goat. They told the villagers in XXX XXX village to pay their debt for the goat to XXX XXX village. <\/p>\n
#8 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 33 years old, married, 4 children, head villager of XXX XXX, highland slash and burn (slash and burn) farmer
Village: XXX XXX, 70 houses, 350 people<\/p>\n
One week ago the BA asked for one chicken from the village and didn\u0092t pay for it. <\/p>\n
In April 2003 the villagers cut trees down and prepared to build a school. The BA came and asked a penalty of 5 viss of pork (7.5 kilos) for cutting down the trees.<\/p>\n
Every day one villager has to go stay at the BA camp (Kho Maw Kee camp, close to the Buddhist monastery and the other car road) from one of the four villages in the rotation (the four villages are XXX XXX, XXX XXX, XXX XXX, XXX XXX). They stay there for 12 hours. There are 30 BA soldiers there.<\/p>\n
Yesterday he went there. They have 1 60-mm mortar, 1 RPG7, and 3 M79 grenade launchers. The DKBA has a base in Maw Po Glaw with 20-30 soldiers. The DKBA troops are from the other side of the Salween, and are reinforcements to the troops here so they can attack the KNLA. These DKBA troops come on a three month rotation from 5th Brigade. <\/p>\n
Most villagers here support and prefer the KNLA because they have the interests of the people in mind. “The DKBA eats food and rice from the Burma Army, so their heart is like their father (BA). When the DKBA comes here we don\u0092t know if they are our relatives or not.”<\/p>\n
The BA doesn\u0092t want to fight, so they support the DKBA to fight. Before the BA came and gave them trouble and now the DKBA control things. Maybe the DKBA control is better because the villagers have more of a chance to reason with them because they are Karen.<\/p>\n
Please let outsiders know that some people here don\u0092t have enough food or money.<\/p>\n
June 1, 2003<\/p>\n
Jungle site. <\/p>\n
10:30am Church Service.<\/p>\n
BA and DKBA activity reported:
31\/5\/03
DKBA #555, leaders is Pah Daw Boe, arrived at Haw Thu Khi village and Htee Pah Re Khi village. They asked for one goat, two chickens in each village (3 goats, 6 chickens total). The DKBA are staying in Haw Thu Khi and Htee Mo Khi area.<\/p>\n
1\/6\/03
The headman of Kyaw Hta Lay Koh village was questioned by the BA about the team and they weren\u0092t satisfied with his answer. They told him that in order to get the right answer that, “Maybe his head should be made soft like a pomelo.”<\/p>\n
June 2, 2003<\/p>\n
Walked an hour and a half to XXX XXX village (XXX XXX), which was burned by the DKBA on October 18, 2002. DKBA #555, camped at Pyeh Day Way, whose commander is Daw Boe were the group that burned this village down. There were 39 households in this village before it was burned. At present the villagers have set up temporary shelters in the ruins of their village. They sometimes return for up to five days to have traditional worship services in their old village.<\/p>\n
9:40am -12:30pm Medical and Dental clinic, distribution of clothing, Good Life Club gifts, bibles, hymnals, tapes, cassette players.
Medical: 96 patients, main problems treated were Acute Respiratory Infections, eye and ear infections, dysentery, malaria, and trauma.
No dental patients.<\/p>\n
#9 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 50 years old, married, 7 children, farmer
Village (old): Kee Pah Day Khi
Village (where presently living): XXX XXX<\/p>\n
When the villagers used to live in this village, the BA and DKBA stole pigs, chickens and other livestock. They shot them with slings and made no payment for them.<\/p>\n
Before they came and burned the village down, they found out the DKBA was coming so they fled to XXX XXX. The reason the DKBA gave for burning the village was because one KNU man was married here, so the village was accused of being a KNU base. They received an order from the DKBA not to stay here any longer. They have stayed there until now. The villagers came today for the medical treatment and will return when it is over. When the BA or DKBA go to Htee Hta Bluh Hta, these villagers hide until they leave.<\/p>\n
There is one lady still living in the village. The DKBA doesn\u0092t bother her because she is close to 100 years old.<\/p>\n
#10 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 25 years old, married, leader of eight villages in the area.
Village: XXX XXX<\/p>\n
Every day someone from Tha Ree Po Kwee has to go to the BA camp. (LIR 703). They are on a four village rotation. In his village, people are afraid of the BA and DKBA. The BA and DKBA accuse them of working with the KNU. Whatever the BA and DKBA say, the villagers feel they have to accept.<\/p>\n
The villagers sometimes have to clean the car road and ask them for the cart to carry their supplies. People have to go and carry the supplies if the cart can\u0092t go. When they clean the car road, they have to clean 15 feet on each side of the road.<\/p>\n
April 2002, the DKBA ate a pig which cost 36,000 kyat and they didn\u0092t pay the villagers.<\/p>\n
On May 28, 2002 the BA and DKBA came to a rice field and captured three villagers and beat them. They thought the villagers were KNU. They tied them up and brought them to the commander\u0092s place and one of the villagers was punched in the face and they were also beaten with the butt of the soldier\u0092s guns. The DKBA commander is Daw Boe. This head villager had to go and vouch for them.<\/p>\n
In May 2003 the BA asked 3 bullock carts to carry their ammunition and food from Ta Ree Po Kwee to Glaw Ka Tee (6 miles). The column commander of this BA group is Htun Htun Win. Once a month they have to do work like this and if they fail to do it, they are charged.<\/p>\n
On May 25-28, 2003, the villagers were asked to build a bridge at Ga Ma Ko (near Kyaw Hta Lay Koh). There are many land mines in that area, so the villagers don\u0092t want to go, but they are forced to. The villagers were told that if they don\u0092t finish the bridge in time (at the time of this interview it was not finished), they will be charged either money or chickens for each day it is late.<\/p>\n
#11 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 55 years old, married, 4 children, paddy farmer, head villager of XXX XXX.
Village: XXX XXX<\/p>\n
Yesterday (June 1, 2003) at 2pm, the BA (20 soldiers), came to the village and asked him how long he has been an elder. They slapped his face and then kneed him. He pointed at him with a gun and said don\u0092t run away or they would kill him. He had to go to Kho Maw Khee camp, where they interrogated him. Then they let him go back to his village. Four villagers were beaten in total and thirteen villagers altogether had to go to the camp.<\/p>\n
Name: XXX XXX, male, 33 years old, married, 2 children
Village: XXX XXX<\/p>\n
He came back from the slash and burn fields and was getting ready to eat when a BA soldier pointed a gun into his house and told him to follow the soldiers. They asked him to be their guide and punched his forehead and his neck six times. They didn\u0092t like the way he was guiding them to Tha Ree Po Kwi. They told him not to follow the trail.<\/p>\n
Name: XXX XXX, 16 years old
Village: XXX XXX<\/p>\n
He was cooking, the BA asked him to come down from his house and that was when they kicked him and punched him in the head three times. They beat him in the back two times. <\/p>\n
June 3, 2003<\/p>\n
Medical and Dental clinic: 72 medical patients with pregnancies, malaria, joint pain, and coughs treated. Four Dental patients with 1 drill and filling and 3 extractions.<\/p>\n
Slept north of XXX XXX (Location: XXX XXX)<\/p>\n
#!2 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX
Village: XXX XXX, more than 60 households
(Head villager\u0092s name for XXX XXX: XXX XXX)<\/p>\n
On May 27th, 2003, the DKBA came to the village and beat him with a stick two times and punched him three times. The DKBA asked if KNLA soldiers were there, the head villager said no \u0096 maybe they are on the hill nearby. The DKBA sent the village messenger to find porters. Everyone had gone to the slash and burn fields at that point, so the DKBA beat the head villager because they had to wait too long for the messenger to find porters. Then the DKBA told the head villager to tell the KNLA soldiers about them, and then they beat him. They brought the head villager to Lay Kho (DKBA camp) for two days. Then they sent him back; he slept one night in the village and the next day a KNLA officer wanted to see him. On his way to the meeting, the head villager was captured, taken to Myan Gee Ngu (DKBA headquarters) and beaten three times. At the time of the interview he was still there. Some of the villagers have gone to try and get him back.<\/p>\n
The DKBA have asked villagers to build their Lay Kho camp, which is near Kaw Tho Khi, north of Htee Per, and south of Htee Mu Khi, Htee Pah Ree Khi, and Wah Meh Klah. Three villagers from each village were asked to go. The villages asked to send three people each were Wa Mi Kla, Htee Pah Re\u0092 Khi, Hter Moe Khi, Khaw Thoo Khi, Plaw Nya Thi, and Tu\u0092 Klaw Plaw, for a total of 18 people. These 18 people have to go for three days and then rotate with another 18 villagers. The DKBA said they want to build a good camp, so they have plans to ask thirty people from each village in the future. They bought hoes and staves for them to use. The DKBA does not pay the villager. The villagers have to bring their own food to work. The DKBA has 110 troops at this camp. <\/p>\n
The DKBA don\u0092t allow villagers to go to their fields. When they enter the village, they ask for chickens. When villagers give the chickens to them, they shoot more (total of 20). No payment has been made by the DKBA to the villagers. The whole village wants to leave. Some want to go west to relatives, others would like to go to refugee camps. Nobody wants to be the head villager. Two families are ready to leave to the border, but they face the difficulty of no entrance to camps or to neighboring countries. They are trying to decide whether to endure the situation, face arrest or deportation if they go to neighboring countries. Maybe in the dry season everyone will leave. <\/p>\n
One man\u0092s two longyis were stolen by the DKBA.<\/p>\n
There has been increased support by the DKBA, so they are much stronger. Paan District has the strongest DKBA presence in Karen State. The DKBA #555 has over 1,000 men. DKBA #999 also has over 1,000 men for a total of over 2,000 DKBA in the area.<\/p>\n
Yesterday the DKBA shot two 60-mm mortar rounds into slash and burn fields near Htee Mo Khi from Lay Kho camp. They had asked the village for 50 roof leaves and the villagers didn\u0092t have enough that same day and that was the reason for the shooting.<\/p>\n
This morning the villagers had to come to the treatment site one by one, pretending they were going to their fields, in case they met the DKBA on the way here. If they know they were coming to be given medical treatment, they will be beaten.<\/p>\n
The villagers endure this because they have families and children, and if they don\u0092t do the work, they know the result will be bad. <\/p>\n
June 4, 2003<\/p>\n
Medical Clinic: 107 patients. UTI, malaria, dysentery, pneumonia, pregnancies, and anemia were treated.<\/p>\n
#13 Interview:<\/p>\n
Name: XXX XXX, male, 28 years old, married, 3 children, slash and burn farmer
Name: XXX XXX, male, 40 years old, married, 5 children, paddy farmer
Village: XXX XXX, 40 houses (approximately 250 people)<\/p>\n
Every day, every villager has to go and build the DKBA camp at Lay Kho. They cut trees, clean the land, and carry food. No food is given to them or payment for their work. The villagers go to this work at 6am and return at 6pm. Two weeks ago they were forced to start this work and have had no rest days since then. The last four days, they asked for villagers to come in smaller numbers. Yesterday they asked for seven people. They have one or two breaks during the day. This work will continue until the dry season and possible longer. The villagers will have no chance to work in their own fields.<\/p>\n
The village is close to the DKBA camp so there are many problems. ” This kind of life is difficult, we don\u0092t know what to do.”<\/p>\n
Last month the DKBA and BA came into their village and get their chickens and they did not pay for them.<\/p>\n
June 5, 2003<\/p>\n
9am-12pm Treated patients : 135 medical patients.
9am: Team sang Karen, English and Shan songs with the villagers. Gifts were given to Takreni and Htee Per villages (tapes, t-shirts, toys, sports equipment, bibles and hymnals)<\/p>\n
#14 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 30 years old, married, 1 child, small business man, Animist
Village: XXX XXX, 50 houses<\/p>\n
He was a labor porter for the DKBA camp. They have asked their village for porters every day since the beginning of April. He has gone two times already. He arrived back from the last time on Sunday. He had to follow the DKBA troops (#999, commanders name is Saw Dah, camp is at Su Hta) while they were on patrol. He carried food and ammunition. The camp is a two hour walk from Takreni. They did not pay him. They gave him food (which the head villager had to provide to the DKBA). While he was a porter there were between 7-15 other porters with him. Two days ago his head villager, Kyaw Khaw, was beaten by the DKBA. The DKBA asked him to come and see them at another village, where they beat him.<\/p>\n
“If the outside world can help us, I will be happy.”<\/p>\n
#!5 Interview: Man shot by DKBA.
Name: XXX XXX, male, 29 years old, married, paddy farmer
Village: XXX XXX<\/p>\n
He was on his way to Hlaingbwe to buy supplies and food by himself. On the way back, he passed one DKBA soldier riding a bicycle along with his two guides\/messengers. He passed by them and about 50-100 meters later, the DKBA soldier shot him in the back with his carbine. He didn\u0092t say anything before the shooting. He fell down, and the villagers didn\u0092t dare to help him. A monk helped him and sent him to a hospital in Paan. He doesn\u0092t know where they guy who shot him went. All of his possessions were left by the side of the road when he was taken to the hospital. He stayed in the hospital for 20 days. Until now he can\u0092t lift heavy things, he coughs up blood, and there is blood in his urine. The DKBA soldier who shot him is named Naw Chu, and his village is Yah Say. There was no explanation for the shooting.<\/p>\n
June 6, 2003<\/p>\n
Medical Clinic: 48 patients<\/p>\n
#16 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 25 years old, married, one child
Old Village: Bla Hta
New Village: XXX XXX, 7 houses<\/p>\n
One year ago, they started moving to this new site and building houses and making fields. They moved here for survival. If they stay in the old village, there is to place close by to make slash and burn fields. They may move again soon. Also, it helps them get further away from the forced labor. Sometimes the BA and DKBA from Kler Day camp ask for roof leaves and money (50 Baht per time) from their village.<\/p>\n
Approximately two times per month and sometimes more often (every day), these villagers have to be porters for the BA and DKBA. March 2003 they had to carry rice from Shanywathit to Kler Day. The villager had to carry rice sacks up the hill to Kler Day camp from trucks. Last March, Kler Day villagers had to carry rice for the BA and one villager stepped on a land mine and had to have his leg amputated.<\/p>\n
#17 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 45 years old, married, 3 children, second in charge of XXX XXX village, slash and burn farmer
Village: XXX XXX, 28 houses<\/p>\n
In the first week of June 2003, he had to go and carry beef tins, sardines, milk, sugar, beans, and rice for the BA from Kler Day to Baw Ba Ta, a total of 10 hours one way. He went there and back in one day. Everyone except one or two villagers was forced to do this work. He thinks that they are lucky the BA didn\u0092t kill them, because there weren\u0092t as many people as they asked for.<\/p>\n
An older woman from the village had to do this forced portering. She and the others who do this work are only given enough rice to survive and a small drop of shrimp paste with their rice. The BA tells them, “You are tired, put your basket down”. Just when they have put the basket down and are sitting they tell them the break is over and make them get up and start walking again. <\/p>\n
This type of forced labor happens to this village all the time. Sometimes the whole village, including the old women, young girls and boys as young as 11 years old are made to carry as much as they can. Everybody carries one sack of rice, including the young boys and girls. They carry at least 48-55 kilos each, the same as the adults are made to carry. (One sack equals 3 tins, and one tine is 16 kilos).<\/p>\n
This village does not have to send a person every day to the BA camp, but the village closer, Htee Ler Doh, goes and they send word if they need people from here. <\/p>\n
June 7, 2003<\/p>\n
Medical Clinic: 27 patients treated<\/p>\n
Walk, cross car road, boat back to final site.<\/p>\n
#18 Interview:
Name: XXX XXX, male, 38 years old, married, 6 children, head villager
Village: XXX XXX, 20 houses. This village is 10 years old. They moved to it from close by.<\/p>\n
These villagers are often forced to porter for the BA and DKBA. They are never paid or given food to eat for their work. <\/p>\n
Today the BA asked for seven porters, but the village didn\u0092t send them.<\/p>\n
Usually they have to carry food supplies from Kler Day to Baw Ba Ta for the BA and also carry barbed wire to surround the BA camps. Last month they had to carry supplies from Shanywathit to Kler Day camp. Women and children (as young as 10 years old) were forced to carry supplies also. They made pairs of children to carry the barbed wire for the BA Kler Day camp. Their loads were as heavy as 50-60 kilos. Sometimes when they ask the children to carry the loads, and they are too heavy, the children cry and can not make it. The elders then have to carry their own loads the whole way, and go back and carry the child\u0092s load also.<\/p>\n
Last month the DKBA came to the village and ate four of the head villager\u0092s chickens. They often take pigs and goats. Sometimes the villagers are given penalties and have to pay money to the DKBA and BA. <\/p>\n
Last year this head villager was beaten by the DKBA. In June 2002 the DKBA told him he was a liar because they said he saw KNLA troops go back and didn\u0092t inform them. They punched him in his chest once, hit his cheek with the butt of their M79 guns, and also hit his back with the butt of their guns. This was a special DKBA group from the headquarters. The commander\u0092s name is Pah Dee. <\/p>\n
This village to Kler Day and Shanywathit is a total of six hours there and six hours return.<\/p>\n
If the villagers don\u0092t go and porter, they are threatened. A villager they know from nearby stepped on a land mine while working as a porter for the BA and his head villager helped him go to Beh Klor refugee camp for help.<\/p>\n
“We are always living in fear, and have to work hard for the BA and DKBA. If you can help us, we need freedom.”<\/p>\n
They need teachers and education because the children here can\u0092t read and write. Last year this village tried to build a school, but when they asked for teachers, the salary was too high for the village to afford (7,000 Baht per year). They would like one teacher to teach 4 standards. “If we can survive here, we would like a school for our children.”<\/p>\n
He stays here because he doesn\u0092t know where to go. If they try to go to Beh Klor, they have heard they will be told they don\u0092t have a UN card and can\u0092t stay there. If they try to go to neighboring countries, they have heard they will be arrested.<\/p>\n
8 and 9 June, 2003<\/p>\n
During these two days, the team arrived back at the start point. Here they conducted interviews with two recently escaped (defected), DKBA soldiers.<\/p>\n
# 19 Interview: Saw XX of DKBA Brigade 555.
Saw X was one of the DKBA soldiers who took part in the burning of Si Pa Lay Kee village south of Htee Hta Blu Hta on 18 October, 2002. He said he felt remorse for that and all the terrible things the DKBA did to their fellow Karen.
“The DKBA does not care for the people, it only takes what it wants and causes the people to suffer. I don\u0092t want to be a DKBA any more. I ran away to join the KNU to help my people be free. The Burma Army will not help us and uses the DKBA.”<\/p>\n
#20 Interview: Saw XX XX of DKBA Brigade 555.
Saw XX XX said he too was disillusioned with the DKBA and wanted to join the KNU. He too took part in village burning and said he was very sorry for that.
“I want to help my people, I don\u0092t want to hurt them”.<\/p>\n
After completing these interviews and conducting an after action review, the team departed the area, mission complete. We thank all of you who support these teams and we thank God. God bless you all. “de oppresso liber”<\/p>\n
AFTER ACTION REPORT\/EVALUATION: <\/h2>\n
1. During Rainy season missions need to have appropriate equipment for team and porters, including plastic sheets, string, foot powder, strong backpacks, knives for cooking, ORS drinks, mosquito repellent, hammocks, and enough dried fish, peppers, and other supplies.<\/p>\n
2. Videographer should have camera in waterproof bag and umbrella, with camera available at all times to shoot.<\/p>\n
3. Buy a better camera for the teams who attend training (non-zoom).<\/p>\n
4. Meet as a group before sleeping and have a prayer. If the team stays in a house, invite the house owner and family in the prayer meeting.<\/p>\n
5. During movement, maintain visual contact with the person in front and behind you. Spread out in open terrain.<\/p>\n
6. Be disciplined and listen to leaders in regard to using flashlights and building sleeping areas. Do not leave trash anywhere.<\/p>\n
7. Make an effort to include the porters on the mission. With every new group of porters (if they rotate during the mission), explain the mission purpose and objectives. If they are interested, let them help give gifts out to villagers, and be involved in the activities of the team. Give a gift to each one in addition to the payment they will get for their work.<\/p>\n
8. Every team member should take doxycyclene for the duration of the mission to prevent malaria.<\/p>\n
9. When medics or other team members hear a story from a patient or villager, let the human rights documentation and videographer know so that they can ask for an interview with the person.<\/p>\n
10. Before going to an area, find out the demographics of that area so the different team members can prepare their programs to suit that area. Team members might want to be aware of the different religious beliefs, whether there are schools or clinics in the area, and other details about people in the area so that the team can serve them in the best way.<\/p>\n
11. The team should continue to be straightforward with each other so that problems can be dealt with in a way that is open, honest, and can help the problem be solved with no bitterness. Love each other.<\/p>\n
12. During halts or at holding areas maintain 360 degree security.<\/p>\n
Pray, think, and act.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
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