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KHRG: SPDC Orders Set 99-A, Part 2/



Subject: KHRG: SPDC Orders Set 99-A, Part 2/5

              SPDC ORDERS TO VILLAGES:  SET 99-A

         Pa'an, Toungoo, Dooplaya and Papun Districts

    An Independent Report by the Karen Human Rights Group
           February 10, 1999     /     KHRG #99-01

*** PART 2 OF 5; SEE OTHER POSTINGS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THIS REPORT ***

[Only part of the report is reproduced here for circulation on Burmanet.  
For a more complete copy of the report, see the KHRG website at 

http://sunsite.unc.edu/freeburma/humanrights/khrg/archive/
Some details have been omitted or replaced by 'xxxx' for Internet 
distribution.]

____________________________________________________________________________
_

                             Order #P11

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion        To:   Chairperson
   Column #1 Headquarters                  xxxx village

Subject:   To come and see the Column Commander

You are informed to bring three servants with food for 3 days and come to 
xxxx as soon as you receive this letter and if you fail, it will be
entirely 
your responsibility.

Place:   xxxx                               [Sd.  / Cpl.]
Date:   10-9-98                        (for) Battalion Commander   
                                     #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[These 'servants' will most likely be used as porters.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                            Order #P13*

To:   Chairperson                                          22-8-98
      xxxx village

Dear Chairperson - The Col[umn] #x HQ needs two messengers from 
Chairperson's village, so you are informed to come and bring them today 
at 1000 hours.
Send them to xxxx Column.

                                         [Sd.  / Lt.]
                               Cpy.  Cmdr. [Company Commander]
                                        #xxx LIB/xxxx

[Villagers are used as forced labour messengers to run messages between 
different Army units and to deliver written orders like these to village 
heads.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                             Order #P17

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
        Company #1

To:    Chairperson                                Date: 6-9-98th [sic]

- Come to the Column with the servant today, 6/9/98.
- This servant went back on 3/9/98 without asking any permission.
- You have already been summoned with two letters - one on 4/9/98 and 
today with this one.  Come to the Column as soon as you receive this letter

and if you fail to do so, it will be entirely your responsibility.

To bring:  A viss of chicken, 50 kyat [ 1/2  viss] of cooking oil 
           A package of Thukhita cheroots

                                                  [Sd.]
                                            Company Commander
                                                Company #1

[The 'servant' is a villager who was forced to go as a porter or for Army 
camp labour and fled before his assignment was done.  If the village head 
takes this villager to the camp as ordered, the villager may face an 
increased term of forced labour or arrest, detention and torture; but if

the 
village head doesn't comply, he or she will face a similar punishment.  
One viss = 1.6 kg / 3.5 lb] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                             Order #P18

           Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
   Column #1 Headquarters

To:   Chairperson
      xxxx village

Subject:   To send a servant

You are informed to come and bring a servant as soon as you receive this 
letter and bring three viss of chicken as the fine for fleeing.  If you
fail to 
comply, it will be your responsibility and severe action will be taken.

Place:   xxxx                                  [Sd.  / Cpl.]
Date:   2-10-98                          (for) Battalion Commander
                                       #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[In written orders 'servant' is used to mean porters or other forced 
labourers.  It appears that one of the villagers sent as a forced labour 
porter has fled, so the village head is being ordered to bring a 
replacement porter and 3 viss (4.8 kilograms) of chicken as a 'fine'.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                             Order #P19*

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                            19-2-98
        Company #1

To:   Chairperson
      xxxx village

Headman, from your village 2 servants ran away, so call 2 more servants 
and come yourself, headman, to give information.  For the 2 servants who 
ran away the fine is 20 viss [32 kg / 70 lb] of pork.  Bring it right away.
On 20-2-98 in the morning come and arrive here, you are informed.  If 
there is no pork [you] have to pay fine money of 1,000 kyats for each 
person per day.

                                           [Sd.]
                                     Company Commander
                                         Company #1
                              #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[The fine of '1,000 kyats for each person per day' means 1,000 for each of 
the 2 runaway porters, i.e. 2,000 per day, until the porters are replaced 
and the fine has been paid.]
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                             Order #P20

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
        Company #1
To:   Chairperson                                          21-2-98
      xxxx village

Headman, on 20-2-98 you were ordered to come but you did not come, so 
[you are] ordered again.  When the messenger arrives, come right away to 
xxxx camp with the fine for 2 servants who ran away and with 2 new 
servants without fail.  Come and give us information, you are informed.

                                           [Sd.]
                                     Company Commander
                                        Company #1
                               #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[This order followed Order #P19, after the headman failed to appear at 
the camp as commanded.]
____________________________________________________________________________
_


                              Order #P22

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion      To:  Chairperson
  Military Control Command              xxxx village

Subject:   Summoning a bullock-cart

1.  We summoned a bullock-cart from your village on the 16th, but it has 
not shown up.
2.  Therefore, come immediately to the headquarters in xxxx village as 
soon as you receive that previous letter.
3.  You are notified that the appropriate action will be taken if the
bullock-
cart shows up late.

                                            [Sd.  / Sgt.]
                                        Intelligence Sergeant

[Whenever a bullock-cart is summoned, the owner must drive the cart with 
his own team of 2 cattle and do forced labour hauling supplies for as long 
as required by the troops.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                              Order #P26

       Stamp: 
#xxx Infantry Battalion                                16-4-98
     Company #4

To:      Capt. xxxx

   I'd like you to cooperate and send the servants from xxxx village on the

western side of xxxx stream and send U xxxx, U xxxx, U xxxx, and U xxxx 
along with the servants hired from yyyy village.

   I want to let you know that there is a possible shortage of manpower 
since we have to call and use the men from the above-mentioned area 
whenever we need them, and I'd like you to solve this problem.

                                             Respectfully,
                                                 [Sd.]
                                             Camp Commander
                                                xxxx Camp

[This is a letter from one SPDC Army officer to another, essentially asking

for help in obtaining more forced labourers because his unit is having 
trouble rounding up enough village men for forced labour in their area.  U 
xxxx and the others are probably village heads to be sent along in order to

tell them about increased demands for 'servants'.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                               Order #P27*

To:      xxxx village tract elder                           18-4-98

Subject -  Writing to let you know

On 18-4-98 if you receive my letter come and replace your porters at xxxx, 
today immediately, you must arrive.

Note - Come, if you don't come I will take severe action.

                                       Brigade #999
                                       Battalion #3
                                       Company #x
                                       Company Commander - Saw xxxx
                                       D.K.B.A.

[Note:   This DKBA order is written in Karen.  Unlike the SPDC, the 
DKBA refers directly to 'porters' rather than 'servants'.  'Replace your 
porters' means to provide replacements for the villagers currently there 
doing a regular rotation of forced labour.]
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                    Extortion of Cash, Food and Materials


                                 Order #P31

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command      To: Village Head (xxxx village)    20-8-98

Subject:   To send wooden planks

1.  You are informed to send five 6 x  1/2 wooden planks without fail to 
Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion to use where required.
2.  Send them on 21/8/98.
                                            [Sd.  / 2nd Lt.]
                                       (for) Battalion Commander

[The measurement units are not clearly specified, but it appears that the 
planks must be 6" x  1/2", and the village heads may already know the 
length being demanded.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                Order #P33*

         Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                              31-10-98
  Military Control Command

To:   Chairpersons
      wwww / xxxx / yyyy / zzzz villages

Each village must send 200 bamboo [poles] and 50 wooden poles to xxxx 
Camp tomorrow, 31/10/98 [sic; tomorrow will be 1/11/98].

                                         [Sd.]
                                   Intelligence Officer
                                       xxxx Camp
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                Order #P34

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command

To:      Chairperson (xxxx)

Subject:   Informing [you] to provide roofing leaves and bamboo

This is to inform you to send the following items, needed by Column #1 of 
Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion, to xxxx Camp of Column #1 on 
23/8/98 at 1100 hours.

   (A)    15 shingles of roofing leaves
   (B)    2 pieces of 12-taun Wabo bamboo

                                             [Sd.  / Lt.]
                                       (for) Battalion Commander

[Roofing leaves are of a special type which must be gathered in the forest.
Using shaved bamboo, these are then woven into shingles 1-2 metres long.  
'Taun' is a unit of measure equivalent to 18 inches (elbow to fingertip); 
thus, each bamboo pole must be 18 feet long.  Wabo is a particularly large 
and thick variety of bamboo, 6 inches or more in diameter and 15, 20 or 
more feet long.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                Order #P35

         Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command

To:    Chairpersons (four villages)                         10-8-98

Subject:   Asking for roofing leaves

Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion needs roofing leaves, so this is to 
notify [you] that each village must send 25 shingles of roofing leaves and 
send 10 Wabo bamboo if roofing leaves are unavailable.

                                         [Sd.  / 2nd Lt.]
                                    (for) Battalion Commander

[Roofing leaves are of a special type which must be gathered in the forest.
Using shaved bamboo, these are then woven into shingles 1-2 metres long.  
Wabo is a particularly large and thick variety of bamboo; split bamboo 

can also be used as roofing, though leaves are preferred.]

____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                 Order #P38*

To:   Chairperson
      xxxx [village]

Dear Chairperson, I respectfully send this letter.  Food for our Major is 
short.  I request you to send a chicken, a bottle of cooking oil, onions, 
coffee mix, a package of Thukhita cheroots, dried chillies and other 
vegetables.
                                                Yours,
                                                 [Sd.]
                                             Column Office

[In the order 'a chicken' was written but then crossed out for some 
reason.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P39*

                                                   Date: 2-9-98th
To:  Chairperson - Mother
     xxxx village

You are informed to come to the Column and bring a viss of chicken and 
two packages of Ajinomoto [seasoning powder] with you.  If you fail, it 
will be your responsibility, madam.

                                                [Sd.]
                                              #xxx LIB

[One viss is 1.6 kilograms or 3.5 pounds.  This order was sent to the 
village headwoman with a dried chillie pepper enclosed; the chillie is a 
threat that severe action will be taken for failure to comply with the
order.  
Chillies, bullets and bits of charcoal are frequently sent along with
written 
orders for this purpose.  The chillie is generally interpreted to mean that

the troops will come and loot food or kill all the livestock for failure to

comply.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P40

                                                   Date: 8-8-98th [sic]
To:   Chairperson - xxxx [village]

The Column is here.  You are informed to come to the Column and bring 
four pyi of rice and a viss of chicken with you, gentlemen.  Come along 
with this messenger right now.

                                          Respectfully,

                                             [Sd.]
                                           #xxx LIB

['The Column is here' means that a frontline operations column has 
arrived at the local Army camp.  One viss is 1.6 kilograms / 3.5 pounds.  
One pyi is 8 small milktins full, weighing about 2 kilograms / 4.5 pounds.]

____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P41

To:   Village Head
      xxxx village

The Column is here.  You are informed to send a viss of chicken and a 
package of Thukhita cheroots as soon as possible.

                                                   [Sd.]
                                              Column Commander
                                                 #xxx LIB
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P42


          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command
                                                         31-10-98
To:  Chairperson
     xxxx village

Come and bring fruits and leaves, gourds and other vegetables from your 
village, together with wwww, yyyy, and zzzz [villages; all 4 villages are 
being ordered to bring food].
                                                [Sd.]
                                          Intelligence Officer
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P43

         Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
      Headquarters

To:      xxxx Village Head

Come along with the messenger as soon as you receive this letter.  The 
Column Commander has important matters to discuss with you and 
informs you to bring the servants' fees for xxxx village.

                                                [Sd.]
                                          Column Commander
                                              22/11/98
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P44

1-11-98 to 15-11-98,  2 servants,  15,000 kyats.
20-10-98 to 15-11-98,  1 servant,  13,000 kyats.
The deposit of 2,000 kyats has already been received and the balance is 
26,000 kyats.
Come and pay on 10/11/98.

                                             [Sd.  'I.O.']

[This order is an SPDC officer's quickly written demand for 'porter fees' 
from a village headman.  The village must pay 15,000 Kyat or send 2 
porters from November 1-15, and an additional 13,000 Kyat or send one 
porter from October 20 to November 15.  The references to 'servants' here 
are mainly for show; the officer wants and expects the money, which he 
and his colleagues will take for themselves.  Demands for actual forced 
labour are given separately and in addition to these demands for 'fees'.  
This order was followed by Order #P45.  'I.O', written on the order in 
English letters, probably stands for Intelligence Officer.] 

____________________________________________________________________________
_

                                  Order #P45*

          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
        Company #2                                      14-11-98

To:      Ko xxxx (xxxx Village Head)

Give the balance of servants' fees to the man who brings this letter.  For 
the moment I have taken money from him for emergency needs.  Ko xxxx, 
you should release money to him if you receive this letter.  From 21/10/98 
to 15/11/98, 13,000 kyats for one servant; deposit was 2,000 kyats and the 
balance is 11,000 kyats.  From 1/11/98 to 15/11/98, 15,000 kyats for two 
servants.  I heard that the xxxx Column has already received 15,000 kyats. 

Therefore, the remaining 11,000 kyats and the deposit for three servants of

6,000 kyats, totalling 17,000 kyats, must be paid right now.

                                         Respectfully,

                                         [Sd.  'xxxx']
                                       Company Commander

                                           Company #2
                                            14/11/98

[This order is a demand for 'porter fees' (referred to as 'servants' fees')

from a village headman by an SPDC military officer.  Villages must 
provide forced labourers and also pay 'porter fees' which go into the 
pockets of the officers; if they cannot pay, they must send additional
forced 
labourers.  Here the officer has demanded 13,000 Kyat or one extra 
labourer for October 21 to November 15, and 15,000 Kyat or two extra 
labourers for November 1-15.  It is already understood by both parties 
that the headman will pay instead of sending the labourers.  He has 
already paid a 'deposit' of 2,000 Kyat on the first amount, and has also 
paid the full 15,000 of the second amount to the military operations 
column.  The 'balance' of 11,000 Kyat is now being demanded, as well as 
a new 'deposit' of 6,000 Kyat (or 3 labourers) on the amount to be 
demanded for the coming 2-week period.  The officer has taken this money 
(totalling 17,000 Kyat) from the elder of another village, then forced the 
elder to take this letter to the village that 'owes' the money to get his 
17,000 Kyat reimbursed.  This is typical of the constant demands for 
money and forced labourers faced by village elders.  Note that he refers to

the village head using the prefix 'Ko' (older brother), which is very 
disrespectful to a village head; he should use 'U'.] 

____________________________________________________________________________
_

                              Order #P47

To:   xxxx [village] 
      Village Head

You are informed that we, the DKBA group, need the following wood and 
request you to help us.  Send it to the DKBA Camp at xxxx.  We want you 
to comply as soon as possible.

8 x 1   = 35 planks
10 x 1   = 20 planks
14 x 2   = 10 pieces

4-taun [6-foot] wood:  1

                                             DKBA group at xxxx
                                           xxxx [officer's name]

[The specifications for the wood are given as shown here and do not give 
lengths for the planks, though this may already be understood from 
previous orders.  '8x1', '10x1', and '14x2' are probably in inches, i.e. 8"
x 
1" by an unspecified length.] 

____________________________________________________________________________
_

                          Summons to 'Meetings'

                              Order #P50

                                                          27-10-98
To:  Chairperson                    Stamp:
     xxxx village         #xxx Light Infantry Battalion
                             Military Control Command

Subject:   Invitation to attend a meeting

This is to inform you to come to xxxx Camp today at 1 p.m.  to cooperate 
in operations and security matters.
                                                   [Sd.]
                                             Intelligence Officer
                                       Advance #xxx Light Infantry
Battalion

[The meeting to which the village head is being summoned will probably 
be to tell him/her how many villagers will have to be provided for forced 

labour as porters, sentries and messengers.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

                               Order #P56
          Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion

To:   Village Head / Pagoda Trustees                       17-8-98

Subject:   Invitation to attend a meeting

Regarding the above subject, you are informed to come to #xxx LIB HQ at 
xxxx as soon as possible to have a discussion about the paddy from xxxx 
village.

                                              [Sd.  / Lt., 17/8]
                                          (for) Battalion Commander
                                        #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[The pagoda trustees are elders who take care of matters related to the 
Buddhist temple.  The discussion will likely concern paddy quotas to be 
handed over to the Army.] 
____________________________________________________________________________
_

   - [END OF PART 2; SEE SUBSEQUENT POSTINGS FOR PARTS 3 THROUGH 5] -