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General Forced Labour
/ Forced Labour Supplying Materials
Appendix A / Appendix
B
Forced Labour Supplying Materials
This section contains orders which call for forced labour by demanding materials from villagers which require intensive labour to produce and deliver. For example, demands for hundreds of thatch roofing shingles, tons of logs, or quantities of firewood or bamboo force villagers to do hard labour cutting, gathering, preparing and then delivering these materials to Army camps. In contrast, demands for rice, pigs, money and other goods are not included in this section because they are not as labour-intensive.
Most of the orders below demand building materials such as timber, which must be cut in the forest, sawn into posts or planks, and then hauled to the Army camp by the villagers; specific types and diameters of bamboo which must be sought out and cut in the forest; or thatch roofing shingles, which require the villagers to gather leaves and cut bamboo, then split the bamboo into sticks, make it into metre-long frames, and tie the leaves onto the frames using bamboo ties. A demand for 500 thatch shingles or 300 wooden fenceposts can take a whole village several days of labour to produce, after which they must haul it to the Army camp on bullock carts, boats, or on their backs. Some orders (for example Orders #349, 350 and 357) give the villagers the option of sending the materials or sending much more than their market value in cash.
Some orders which demand such materials and also include direct demands for forced labour have been included in the ‘General Forced Labour’ section above. Similarly, many of the demands below that villagers bring bamboo for fencing or thatch for roofing carry the implicit assumption that when the villagers deliver the bamboo or thatch, they will be kept at the camp to do the work as well (see for example Orders #345, 346, 354, 362, 363, and 407). Orders #373, 377, 380 and 402 force several villages to pay a fee or provide a ‘landmine clearing bullock cart’, meaning they would have to drive one of their bullock carts along a military supply road to detonate any anti-vehicle mines.
While most of these materials are demanded for Army camp and other construction, some are also demanded simply so that Army officers can sell them for profit; for example, the 10 tons of "teak and hardwood" demanded in Order #404 is almost certainly not "to make electrical poles and a chicken shed" as stated, nor are the 10,000 thatch roofing shingles demanded in Order #367 all likely to be used at the Army camp. Even when demanding building materials for the camp, the officers often demand two or three times what they require and then sell the surplus. Soldiers who desert the Army often tell of such schemes, which are used by officers throughout Burma to make money. One common scheme is for officers to demand large quantities of firewood from villagers, then force their own soldiers to use it to bake bricks entirely for the officers’ personal profit.
As is the case with direct orders for forced labour, the Army often dictates its demands for materials to the village tract leaders, who must then divide the demands between the villages in their tract. Order #442 gives a clear example of an Army officer telling a village tract leader to issue demands to the villages under his authority. The Army then puts a great deal of pressure on village tract leaders to comply, resulting in orders such as #377, 380, 381, 383, and 388, all of which were issued by one village tract leader. As time passes his increasing desperation is apparent in statements such as "The Army and DKBA come to look every day" (Order #380), "Why didn’t [you] come to the meeting that was called by the Army today?" (Order #381), "U aaaa’s village is not taking any responsibility" (Order #383), and "The Army is asking very often. I have to tell them lies." (Order #388) He warns the village head "for the last time" that "it is an emergency matter", and in Order #381 warns that "If [you] don’t deliver it, [I] won’t take any responsibility for whatever problems will happen".
Villagers are never paid for any of the materials they provide except in rare cases; some orders promise to pay for some of it, but this often proves to be an empty promise when the materials are actually delivered (see the village heads’ comments under Orders #356 and 369). Villagers interviewed by KHRG regularly state that they are never paid for such materials. Despite this, and even though the deadlines given are often next to impossible to meet, any village which fails to deliver the materials on time and according to specification faces threatening letters and the possibility of severe punishments. Some of these are vaguely implied in Orders #377 ("the Elder yourself must come to clear it with the Battalion Commander"), #381 ("If [you] don’t deliver it, [I] won’t take any responsibility for whatever problems will happen"), #451 ("If [you] fail, action will be taken"), and #452 ("If [you] fail, [you] will have to send more than the quantities [originally] specified. If [you] fail completely, action will be taken.").
For additional explanations on the nature of these types of orders see "SPDC & DKBA Orders to Villages: Set 2001-A" (KHRG #2001-02, 18/5/01). The orders below are presented in chronological order, from December 2000 to October 2001.
______________________________________________________________________________
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Stamp:
Date:
5-12-2000 Subject: The matter of arranging and sending bamboo [Regarding] The above subject, in accordance with the directive of the LIB #xxx Sa Ka Ka Mu [Military Operations Command Commander], to build the second ring of Army fence at zzzz Camp, send a duty quota of 100 pieces of bamboo from the Elder’s village (without fail) to zzzz Column Office on 7-12-2000, you are informed.
[Sd.] [Each Army camp has as many as 5 rings of fencing around it for defence. The villagers must supply all the bamboo for these fences as well as do forced labour building them.] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp: To: Chairperson Subject: The matter of arranging
and sending Reference: According to the directive of Sa Ba Ha 3 [Strategic Operations Command 3] 1. Regarding the matter in the above reference letter, it is directed to arrange and send thatch to roof yyyy + zzzz camps , so do not fail to send and hand over 2,000 shingles of thatch ( Two thousand shingles ) from the Elder’s Section / Village Tract as specified below, you are informed. Date: 15-12-2000 Note: If [you] fail, are late or the
quantity is low [lower than specified], it will be the responsibility of the
[Sd.]
Copies to - [This is a stock form with blanks as shown. This copy has had the stamp affixed as shown at the top, the blanks have been filled in using a pen with the details shown here in bold italics, the signature and the stamp below the signature have been affixed.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #347 (Nyaunglebin) Stamp:
Date:
6-12-2000 Subject: The matter that wood needs to be sent again Regarding the subject matter, in accordance with the directive of [LIB] #xxx Sa Ka Ka Mu [Military Operations Command Commander], send 1 log 9 feet long with circumference 5 [units not given], make [it into] 2 logs at U bbbb’s sawmill at zzzz village, on 7-12-2000 at the latest. After sending [it], report to the Tract Peace and Development Chairperson, you are informed. [Your] Quota of the cost for the entertainment group at the 23-11-2000 ceremony at wwww (3,175K[kyat]), pay [it] to the Tract on 10-12-2000.
[Sd.] cccc ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #348 (Nyaunglebin) To:
[Sd.] 11-12-2000 [On the back this order is addressed "To Chairperson, xxxx Village".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
To: Subject: ( Second ) time, a reminder has already been given Reference: (1) According
to the directive of Sa Ba Ha 3 [Strategic Operations 1. According to the reference letter, the Elder’s Section / Village Tract has already been informed to arrange and send thatch ( 1,200 shingles ), but [we] have seen that [you] have not sent them yet until today / have only sent ( --- ). 2. Therefore, as soon as [you] receive this reminder come quickly to contact [us], deliver and hand over ( 1,200 shingles [of thatch] ), you are informed.
Note: If [you] fail, it will be the Elder’s responsibility.
[Sd.]
[This is a stock form with blanks as shown. This copy has had the stamp affixed as shown at the top, the blanks have been filled in with the details shown in bold italics, the signature has been added, and the stamp below the signature has been affixed. The note beginning ‘Decided at…’ was also written in by hand. The ‘current price’ of 20 Kyat per shingle does not mean the villagers will be paid for the shingles, it means they must pay 20 Kyat for each shingle of their quota which they do not send (see Order #350 below).] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
Village Tract Peace and
Development Council Subject: The matter of arranging and sending thatch shingles Reference: According to the directive letter of Sa Ba Ha [Strategic Operations Command] yyyy Village Tract has to send 2,500 thatch shingles, two thousand five hundred shingles, to the Sa Ba Ha [Strategic Operations Command]. According to the Ma Ya Ka [Township PDC] meeting on 14-12-2000, it was specified that the rate is 20K (twenty Kyat) for one shingle. Therefore, the Elder’s village must pay duty money (8,500K / Eight thousand five hundred) to the yyyy Peace and Development Chairperson on 19-12-2000 at the latest, you are informed. Copies to: Village Chairpersons [The ‘rate’ of 20 Kyat per shingle does not mean the villagers will be paid for the shingles, it means they must pay 20 Kyat for each shingle of their quota which they do not send. In this case the village tract Chairman expects them to pay 8,500 Kyat in lieu of providing 425 shingles. On the back this order is addressed "To U bbbb, U cccc, VPDC, xxxx [village]".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #351 (Papun) To: Subject: Come quickly to send the wood that was ordered Regarding the above subject, we ordered [the wood] from the Elder’s village (6 inches x 3 inches, length 13 feet, 100 pieces) and now [that] you have acquired it all, the village head yourself must send it today without fail to the yyyy boat landing, you are informed.
Stamp: [This order was carbon copied and had the village name and the specifications for the wood filled in later.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #352 (Papun) To: 1-1-2001 Subject: Come to quickly send the wood which was ordered. Regarding the above subject, we ordered wood from the Elder’s village (3 foot circumference, 6 cubits [9 feet] length, 60 pieces / 8 cubits [12 feet length] 30 pieces). Now as [you] have acquired it all, the Village Head yourself must come today to the yyyy boat landing, you are informed.
Stamp: [This order is identical to Order #351, but was sent to a different village with different quantities of wood demanded.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #353 (Dooplaya) Stamp:
To:
Date: 1-1-2001 The wood and bamboo that was ordered to arrive on 2-1-2001 must be sent. If [you] cannot send [it], the chairperson yourself must come to meet with the camp commander, you are informed. If [you] fail, it will be the elder’s responsibility.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp:
4-1-2001 To make a fence for yyyy [Army] Camp, send 400 [pieces of] bamboo to yyyy [Army] Camp to arrive on 6-1-2001 (Saturday). [Sd.] [When the bamboo was not delivered on time, this order was followed by Order #355 below.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #355 (Papun) To:
7-1-2001 To make a fence for the camp, [we] ordered [you] to send 400 pieces of bamboo to arrive on 6-1-2001, but the Chairperson yourself must now come with the bamboo to report why it was not sent yet, you are informed. [Sd.] [This order is a follow-up to Order #354 above.] ______________________________________________________________________________ To: With friendliness,
[Sd.] [Villagers press sesame to produce sesame oil. The village head told KHRG that the sesame and wood were given as demanded, but no money was paid for it as promised by the soldiers.] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp:
Village Tract Peace and Development Council Subject: To repair 45 camp huts at Frontline
#xx Military Operations Command Headquarters, [we] need Regarding the above subject, for the 45 camp huts [we] estimate 13,315 roofing thatch [shingles], and 100 thatch [shingles] cost 1,500 Kyat, so the total cost is 199,725 Kyat, in words one hundred ninety nine thousand seven hundred twenty five Kyat. To roof the officers’ building with zinc, one sheet of zinc is 650 Kyat, so the total cost for zinc and [zinc roofing] nails is 100,000 Kyat, in words one hundred thousand Kyat. The costs for wooden and bamboo posts, zinc nails, thatch, zinc, and nails is in the table below. Send the allotted things on 20-1-2001 at the latest, you are informed.
[Sd.] [This is a carbon copied order with different village names addressed on each copy. The lists of the writer are confusing and somewhat unclear, and the ‘table’ mentioned is not attached.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #358 (Papun) 13-1-2001 To: Writing a letter to let [you] know to come to send bamboo, seven pieces from each house. Do not be late on the 15th. Then for the [dinner] table bring 1 viss [1.6 kg / 3.6 lb] of roosters. We will pay you 500 [Kyat] for the cost. [You] must bring it. An emergency is close.
From [The market value of 1 viss of chicken is at least 1,000 Kyat. The approaching ‘emergency’ probably means the visit of a higher commander.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #359 (Nyaunglebin)
Stamp:
To: Subject: ( Second ) time, a reminder has already been given Reference: (1) In accordance with
the directive of Sa Ba Ha 3 [Strategic 1. According to the reference letter, the Elder’s Section / Village Tract has already been informed to arrange and send 350 thatch shingles ( three hundred and fifty ), but [we] have seen that [you] have not sent them yet until today / have only sent ( none ). 2. Therefore, as soon as [you] receive this reminder come quickly to contact [us], deliver and hand over ( 350 shingles [of thatch] ), you are informed. Note: If [you] fail, it will be the Elder’s responsibility.
[Sd.] Copies to - [This is a stock form with blanks as shown. This copy has had the stamp affixed as shown at the top, the blanks have been filled in with the details shown in bold italics, the signature has been added, and the stamp below the signature has been affixed.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #360 (Nyaunglebin) To:
[Sd.] 17-1-2001 [The logs demanded are to cover the tops of the underground bunkers at the Army camp. As these bunkers are quite wide, the logs already sent by the villages are too short, so each village is being forced to find, cut and deliver 5 more logs which are at least 7 cubits (‘taung’) long. 7 cubits is approximately 10.5 feet / 3.5 metres, and as cover for bunkers the logs would have to be quite thick. On the back this order is addressed "To Chairperson, xxxx village".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #361 (Nyaunglebin)
Stamp:
To: Subject: ( Second ) time, a reminder has already been given Reference: (1) Directive of Sa Ba
Ha [Strategic Operations Command] 1. According to the reference letter, the Elder’s Section
/ Village Tract has already been informed to arrange and send
thatch ( 1,200 shingles
), but [we] have seen that [you] have not sent them yet until today / 2. Therefore, as soon as [you] receive this reminder come quickly to contact [us], deliver and hand over ( 1,200 shingles [of thatch] ), you are informed. Note: If [you] fail, it will be the Elder’s responsibility.
[Sd.] Copies to - [blank] [This is a stock form with blanks as shown. This copy has had the stamp affixed as shown at the top, the blanks have been filled in with the details shown in bold italics, the signature has been added, and the stamp below the signature has been affixed. On the back the sender has written in red ink "After reading this letter, send it back".] ______________________________________________________________________________ To:
Date:
14-2-2001 To repair the camp send without fail, without fail, 30 myaw [posts] and 150 pieces of bamboo to arrive on 15-2-2001, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ To: From your village [tract], each village must send 1,000 [bamboo] spikes for yyyy Army Camp, to arrive on 20-2-2001. If they are not good, [you] will have to make new ones again. Each spike must be 16 inches long, you are informed.
[Sd.]17-2-2001 [These bamboo spikes are used for making punji-pit style defences around Army camps. Fields of them are stuck in the ground angled outwards. After making and delivering them, the villagers are usually forced to plant them as well. In the stamp below the signature blanks are left which have been filled in with ‘LIB’ and ‘xxx’ to indicate the battalion. On the back this order is addressed "To Chairperson, xxxx Village".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #364 (Nyaunglebin)
Stamp:
[To:] aaaa
Subject: The matter of sending Inn Pet [broadleaf thatch] Regarding the subject matter, send a quota of 700 Inn Pet [thatch shingles] from the Elder’s village to the camp. Send [them] to yyyy Camp by 25-2-2001 at the latest, you are informed. Copies to - yyyy Camp
Commander
[Sd.]
bbbb [On the back the above order is addressed to "U aaaa, Village Head, xxxx [village]".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #365 (Papun) To: Date: 25-2-2001 Chairperson, xxxx Village For the use of yyyy Army Camp, send 100 pieces of bamboo on 26-2-2001, you are informed. U bbbb [The sender of this order is the village tract Chairman.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #366 (Nyaunglebin)
Stamp:
#xxx
Infantry Battalion To: Subject: To gather and send thatch To cover the roof of #xxx Infantry Battalion, gather and send 500 shingles of thatch from the Elder’s village without fail (without fail) to #xxx Infantry Battalion, Battalion Headquarters Office, to arrive on 14-3-2001. Arrange this, you are informed.
[Sd. ‘aaaa’] [This is a carbon copy of a typed order, with the village name and signature written in and the rubber stamp affixed at the top.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
1-3-2001 According to what was decided at the meeting, [our village tract] must send 10,000 Da Ni thatch [nipa palm thatch shingles] to Division #xxx. Therefore, the Elder’s village has to take responsibility for 2,000 thatch [shingles]; send [them] to arrive on 7-3-2001, you are informed. (Note) [We] Will give cash payment at the rate of 600 Kyat in cash for each 100 Da Ni thatch [shingles].
[Sd.] 1-3-2001 [The Army Division has demanded 10,000 thatch shingles from the village tract authorities, who must then issue orders like this one to each village demanding a portion of the total. A demand for 10,000 thatch shingles is too large for use roofing local Army camps, and is most likely for the officers to sell on the market for personal profit. This particular village has been allowed only 6 days to produce 2,000 shingles, which will force most of the villagers to drop all of their own work and spend all of their time making thatch for the Army all week. See Order #369 below.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #368 (Papun) To: U
aaaa
2-3-2001 The Major from xxx [Light Infantry Battalion] needs the house roofing thatch that [you] have. [He] Will buy it at the current price. Therefore, the Elder’s village must come to deliver whatever thatch [you] have to the yyyy Chairperson’s house on 5-3-2001. If [you] want money in advance, come to get it tomorrow.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp:
4-3-2001 The 2,000 Da Ni thatch [nipa palm thatch shingles] that [we] asked to buy from the Head’s village, [we] don’t need [it] anymore so no need to send [it] to yyyy Army Camp, you are informed.
[Sd.] 4-3-2001 [This order was a follow up to Order #367 above. The village headman who received this order told KHRG, "They replied that they don’t need it so I am very glad. Previously they said that they would give us money for the cost of the thatch, but after they took it they didn’t give the price. They said that they would pay after 3 days. When we went to ask after 3 days, they always said tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Later those troops were changed so our money disappeared. We always have to give them things for free like that. They said that they would give half the price but they never gave it. That is why I am glad [that they have cancelled the demand this time]."] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #370 (Papun) Stamp:
5-3-2001 For the needs of yyyy Camp, send hill toddy thatch, wah bo bamboo and myaw [roof support poles] from xxxx village to yyyy Camp to arrive on 31-3-2001, as specified below. (1) Hill toddy
thatch = 300 [shingles] [The village head has written in below:] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #371 (Dooplaya) Stamp: Village Tract Peace and De |