Window on Burma #21

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BINA  -- The Burma Independent News Agency  --  

Window on Burma  #21

(From our MOJO news sources)


SPDC AND DKBA TROOPS: MORE ROBBERY, RAPE, AND MURDER IN KAREN STATE

In KNU Brigade 1 Area: 

On 24-6-99, SPDC Maj. Aung Aung, of Light Infantry Unit #356, Company 3, entered Leikon village with his troops and stole goods from villager Mu Kyaw Naw.  Items taken were a gold ring and chain, seven pots, 15 garments, and 37,000 kyat cash.  They later entered Tathukhee village and took two pots from villager Naw Dha Yet and 15 garments from villager Naw Ma Aye.   

On 30-7-99, SPDC Maj. Thu Yein, of Light Infantry Unit #356, Company 2, came to Po village and tortured villagers Tihpade and Naw Sonny Yeik Htoo.   

On 27-7-99, DKBA Saw Maung Kyi and his group went to Yaw Pho Pale village, Bihla District, and took more than two bushels of rice and 12 chickens from the villagers.  

On 2-8-99, nine villages were blockaded by DKBA troops, who came from nearby camps.  In Waiyaw, Htee Nya Baw, Ma Hta Aye, Mayakon, Kalaw Yea, Shwe Yaung Pya, Phalaw Po, Dayae Mee, and Dayae Wa villages, people were not permitted to leave.

In KNU Brigade 2 Area: 

On 18-7-99, SPDC Maj. Thein Shwe, of Light Infantry Unit #540, took 20,000 kyat cash, one radio, one cassette, one fishing net, and other items from villager Saw Tun Khin, Kadephe village, Htawtalu District.

In KNU Brigade 4 Area: 

On 17-7-99, Light Infantry Unit #285 entered Panwe Pho Kalo village, shot and killed villager Pha Ta Phalet, and stole everything out of 3 houses, burning them down before leaving.  Villager Saw Khe was also taken away, and the village elders had to pay 110,0000 kyat to have him released. 

On 23-7-99, the same Light Infantry Unit #285 entered Nya Pho Kye village and shot and killed villager Phati Kye Maung.  

On 19-7-99, the same Light Infantry Unit #285 entered Htee Khaw Taw village.  They beat up villager Phita, and put a plastic bag put over his head.  They asked him if he had any arms.  Later, at 1:00 a.m., he was shot and killed.  Everything from his house was stolen, including 60,000 kyat cash.

On 24-7-99, Light Infantry Unit #285 Commander Aung Naing demanded a pig for food at Pa Kyaw Ain village.   

On 27-7-99, SPDC Maj. Than Maung, of the same Light Infantry Unit #285, demanded that every household provide a porter from Pa Kyaw Ain village, otherwise each family would be fined 100,000 kyat cash. 

On 29-7-99, SPDC Cpn. Ba Thein, Light Infantry Unit #285, demanded 50,000 kyat from Payhsa village. 

In KNU Brigade 5 Area: 

Starting from 4-5-99, and continuing for a whole month, SPDC Battalion Commander Major Aung Win and his Second-in-Command, Aung Thet, began gambling near Kheway village.  Villagers were forced to play cards with the officers, and were not allowed to leave until they had lost all their money.  If the villagers did not come to play cards, light and heavy weapons were fired near the village.  

Both SPDC officers drank whiskey and raped four women (ages 20-27) from Kheway village, 2 single and 2 married.  The village elders had been told they must find 4 women or they would be punished.

On 5-6-99, these two officers demanded one loud speaker and one gun each.  Not having any, the village elders had to pay a 70,000 kyat fine instead 


ANOTHER SPDC SOLDIER DEFECTS TO KNU 

 On 30-7-99, SPDC Private Maung Hla, No. Ta/ 11610, from SPDC Light Infantry Unit #81, Company 4, defected to KNLA Brigade 6, Column 1, and brought with him one MAI, 135 bullets, and four ammunition boxes.  Captain Saw Tha Gai, Column 1 Officer, welcomed him on behalf of the KLNA, gave him supplies, and told him he would be equipped and helped as necessary.

Former SPDC soldier Maung Hla was born on 8 Waning Moon of Tawthalin, 1343, in Padaukon village in the Kyondoe area of Kayin State, and had lived there ever since.  In 1996, on his way home after working at a plantation in Mae Sot, Thailand, he was arrested in Myawadi District by the SPDC's Na Ah Hpa, and was forced to join the SPDC army to avoid prison.  He was posted to the SPDC's LIU #81.  As he was ill-treated every day by the army, and living in poverty, he escaped to join the KNLA.  



MORE ARRESTS IN PEGU BY SPDC AGENTS.

According to sources inside Burma, pro-democracy student activists were taken away from their homes in Pegu city during the night of August 2, 1999.  News was received that they were interrogated by the SPDC's Pegu Military Intelligence Unit No 3.

The activists are Ko (name withheld), a merchant, age 23, from (address withheld), Pegu; Ko (name withheld), age 20, (10th standard student), (address withheld), Pegu; Ko (name withheld), age 19, (matriculated student), and Ko (name withheld), age 18, (8th standard student).  

The fathers of two of the arrested students, who had jobs with the government, were also dismissed from their positions.

More than 40 other activists from Pegu were also arrested by the Military Intelligence, among them the elected Parliamentary Representative U Myat Hla from Pegu No. #1  district, and Dr. Aung Khin, former Chairman of the Pegu NLD.  They were released after 5 days, during which time they were threatened and abused.  

According to one source from Pegu, more arrests have taken place following the arrests of the organizers of the Martyrs? Day march in July.  These arrests were assumed to be a result of the 11th anniversary of the 8-8-88 Uprising in Pegu, and also because of SPDC's fear of another uprising on 9-9-99.


PRE- 9-9-99 ACTIVITIES HAVE STARTED ALL OVER RANGOON.

News has been received about some pre-9-9-99 activities starting in some areas of Rangoon.  Posters and painted slogans saying ? No Military Dictatorship? were found in the following places:

Near the Pansodan Bridge, 
In the Railway Office toilets, 
In the Insein Market toilets, 
On the blackboard of SHS No. 4. North Okkalapa, 
In the office of SHS No.3, Mayangon,  
In Nawade Cinema in Mayangon, 
On the platforms of Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, 
In the toilets of the Hotel and Tourism Ministry canteen, 
In many places in the center of Rangoon, 
In South Dagon industrial area, 
In Insein, and
In the toilets of Thingungyun Model Market.   


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