Locals punished as porters on false charges

Kwarn Lake
Shan Herald Agency for News
January 22, 2008

According to a reliable source from the border, the SPDC soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 286 based in Mong Nawng, Southern Shan State accused villagers of having contact with the rebel groups and forced them to portering for them.

On 14 January 2008, more than 50 soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 286, based at Mong Nawng , 133 miles northern of the state capital Taunggyi , patrolled to the south of Wan Lao village in Kun Hing township and around 5 pm they reached Na Mon village. They then demanded rice and chickens from the villagers, said a resident who arrived to the border.

The soldiers also ordered the village headman to find one pistol and a pair of walkie-talkie for them. "They accused him and said, ' You always have connection with the rebels and we heard that every village has at least one pistol and walkie-talkies, so you must find and give them to us," said the villager.

The headman however was unable to comply with the order, and the next morning at 8 am they took 2 villagers, Kaw Ling and Kumara as porters and left for a neighboring Hsai Khao village.

At Hsai Khao , the 2 villagers from Na Mon were released after the Hsai Khao's village headman apologized to the soldiers for them. The troops then continue to sleep in the village and stole villagers' chickens. The chickens' owners knew but they dared not say anything, added the villager.

Next morning, the troops went to the east of the village and arrested 4 men who were working in their farms: Sai Zam, Ingta , Zingta and Sai Lu (a mute) for portering and continued to Piang Kharn village. On the way, 3 of the porters escaped except the mute.

The troop settled in that village and on the 17th of January, they called the village headman and demanded a gun and a pair of walkie-talkie then charged him of having connection with rebellion groups. They hit the headman and he was unconscious for about 20 minutes, he said.

Before they came back to Wan Lao village they ordered Piang Kharn villagers to bring 15 viss ( 1 viss = 1.6 kilo) of pork and 3 baskets of chickens (about 60 chickens) and ordered them to bring to Wan Lao village, said the source.

"After that they ordered 4 villagers to carry their stuff on to 6 mini tractors to carry back to Kun Hing, their base. The 2 tractors from Na Mon, one from Hsai Khao, 2 from Wan Lao and another from Piang Kharn villages were taken to carry the soldiers and their stuff', added the source.