The Mon Forum News, Issue No. 2/2001, produced eb 28, F2001
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Fund Collection for Tatmadaw Memembers
(February, 2001, Mon State and Karen State)
In February 2000, some military battalions and vetaran tatmadaw (Burmese Army) members
Association have sought some fund from the civilians by making direct collection from
civilians and taking betting tax from allowed gambling in Mon State and Karen State. Since
1997, after the military regime, SLORC/SPDC could not support enough budget for expenses
to its army members, but has instructed the commands’ and battalions’ commanders
to raise fund by their own way to cover all their expenses. Because of this order, the
local military commands and battalions choose the methods, which they could get money from
the civilians.
In 1st and 2nd weeks of February, 2001, one SPDC Navy battalion No. 37, which bases in an
island of Chaung-zon township, Mon State, in the west of Moulmein city, the capital of Mon
State, also ordered every village headman in many villages under the administration of
township to officially allow conducting gambling. Everyday, there were about 30 gambling
places in many villagers and the navy battalion collected betting tax, 2000 Kyat from one
place. Thus, the navy could get about 60000 Kyat per day and got many thosands Kyat of
money during two weeks.
Actually, accordingly to traditional and customary laws, gambling is illegal in Burma. The
people in Burma believes that gambling could create misbehavior among the civilians after
some of them lost their money from involving in gambling and could become robbers or
thiefs. However, the army and navy who are factions of SPDC, themselves allow this
gambling and collect betting tax from gamblers.
Similarly, in February 2001, IB No. 24, which bases in Thaton township, Mon State, also
ordered village headmen from 5 villages in Township, Yin-nyein-taung, Myout-kwin, Phu-ba,
Ywa-tan-shay and Kyone-hor-kwin, to collect fund from farmers and paid them. The commander
instructed the village headmen to collect 100 Kyat from one acre of land from these
villages and there are about 17, 000 of paddy farmlands and army receive about 1.7 million
Kyat money for their own battalion fund.
On the other hand, SPDC is also organizing a “Veteran tatmadaw Members
Association”, as their supporting organization and has allowed this organization to
collect fund as they liked. This organization also has authority to order Township and
Village PDC authorities to collect fund on behalf of them.
In February, 2001, this organization members went to Kawkareik township of Karen State and
ordered headmen from 8 villages to collect fund. They ordered headmen from Kanni village
to collect 45, 000 Kyat, Karit village to collect 30, 000 Kyat, Thayet-taw village to
collect 45, 000 Kyat, Kaw-lyan village to collect 45, 000 Kyat, Kaw-go village to collect
45, 000 Kyat, Kaw-bein village to collect 45, 000 Kyat, Min-ywa village to collect 45, 000
Kyat and Kaw-pauk village to collect 45, 000 Kyat respectively.
This is a burden for civilians to provide fund for army and veteran tatmadaw members,
after the SPDC could not pay for their military commands, battalions’ and
organization’s expenses.
Conscription of Porters in Mon State
(February 2001, Ye Township)
During January and February, 2001, one Burmese Army’s battalion, LIB No. 343, which
bases in Ye Township and has responsibility for 3 months to take military patrol in
southern part of township area, has conscripted 30 villager porters every day from a Mon
village called “Khaw-zar”. The battalion takes porters along with them to carry
ammunitions and food supplies while they are launching military patrol in area to halt the
entry of a Mon splinter armed group into the area.
Khaw-zar village has about 700 households totally and the headmen have to arrange to
provide porters on a rotation and daily basis. Khaw-zar village is a big Mon village near
the border of Mon State and Tenasserim Division. And, one Mon splinter also launched their
military activities in this area after crossing from Yebyu Township of Tenasserim
Division. Sometimes, fighting between SPDC and Mon troops also happened in this area and
the villagers are also suspected as rebel-supporters.
Since 1996, after NMSP agreed for ceasefire with SLORC, according to ceasefire agreement,
Mon troops of NMSP withdrew to another part of area and SLORC deployed more troops in this
area. However, another Mon splinter group started their military operations in 1997 and
SLORC/SPDC’s local troops attempted to prevent the rebels to not come into the area.
In 1998 and 1999, the army in the area collected a lot of money from villagers in the area
and built a new road from Khaw-zar to Ye town, to have better communication and make
better conditions for Burmese Army to come into this area.
Just recently in October 2000, to halt the rebels to not enter into Khaw-zar village, a
SPDC battalion, IB No. 61 also forced the villagers to fence their villages roundly and
opened only three small entrances. The villagers or farms who daily need to go to their
farms or plantations, have to take permission letter every day from army commander and
they are not allowed to stay at their work-places at night time.
Now, LIB No. 343 takes 30 villagers every day and used them to carry ammunitions and food
supplies when they operated military patrol in surrounding area and the headmen had to
replace with new villagers on the next day. When they have no military patrol, they used
these villagers to work in their military camp just outside of village, to build military
barrack, to build trenches and bankers, to make cooking and carrying water and others. At
night time, the soldiers also use villagers to guard their own village and to inform to
soldiers if the rebel troops approach to village.
Although SPDC’s Ministry of Interior ordered all military battalions to not use
forced labour in their battalion and military patrol or offensives, some battalions, like
LIB No. 343 still does not listen and continuously use forced labour in their responsible
area.
Forced Purchase of Bean in Pegu Division
(February 2000)
SPDC plan is not buying only paddy from farmers at low price, which is lesser three times
than market price, its authorities in Pegu Division also tried to buy bean at low price in
Pegu Division, including Pegu township, which is about 60 Kilometers northeastern far from
Rangoon, the capital of Burma (Myanmar). After paddy harvest, many village farmers grow
beans in their own farms, and now, Township PDC authorities forced the farmers to sell
nearly half of bean products from their farms at low price, which is only half of market
price. During the authorities are forcibly buying bean products from farmers, they also
halt all private bean product buyers with their authority to stop buying and monopolize
all bean products.
Normally, bean-growing farmers could produce about 5-6 baskets of beans from one acre of
land and the authorities forced farmers to sell 3 baskets per one acre to designated
bean-buying centers arranged by Township Agriculture Products Trading Department. While
the bean price at market is 4500 Kyat per basket, the authorities pay to farmers with only
2200 Kyat per basket.
Although the farmers would like to sell their bean products to traders, they could not
because the authorities will keep halting traders to not buy beans until the end of March
2001. The authorities expected they would get all set amount of beans in March and then,
they would allow traders to buy the remaining beans from farmers. In halting the
traders’ activity, the authorities checked every truck which used the road and
confiscated traders’ beans that are on private trucks.
The suffering of farmers in Pegu Division is doubled. In December 2000 and January 2001,
they were forced to sell their paddy with 12 baskets per acre to government at low price,
which is 300 Kyat per basket, while the market price is about 650-700 Kyat per basket.
Now, they have to sell their beans at low price again. To get good production of paddy and
beans, the farmers had to spend a lot of money for investment such as hiring labour,
buying fertilizers and insecticides and tools. Because of government’s forced
purchase program of agriculture products, the farmers are disappointing to work on in
their farms.
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The Mon Forum & Human Rights Foundation of Monland
e-mail: mforum@np.anet.net.th
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The Mon Forum Issue No. 2/2001,
produced Feb 28, 2001,
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