SLORC ORDERS TO KAREN VILLAGES: SET 94-D
An Independent Report by the
Karen Human Rights Group
August 24, 1994
Following are the direct translations of some typical SLORC written orders received by Karen villages, copies of which have been obtained by the Karen Human Rights Group. All of the orders were signed by SLORC officers or officials, and in most cases were stamped with the unit stamp. Photocopies of the order documents themselves are available on request. Where necessary, the names of people, villages, and army camps have been blanked out and denoted by ‘xxxx’ to protect the villagers. Many of the orders end with phrases like "Should you fail to obey it will be your responsibility". The villagers know that this means that should they fail for any reason, SLORC will likely send troops to loot the village, destroy some houses, seize porters, or in some cases shell the village with mortars. Most of these orders are several months old, but they give a good reflection of the kind of harassment villages face every month from SLORC troops. Thousands of such orders are issued, many are lost, and may villagers are afraid to entrust them to others. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the courageous villagers who were willing to provide us with this powerful evidence of SLORC oppression.
Notes: While SLORC stands for State Law & Orders Restoration Council, it administers locally through State or Divisions LORC, Township LORC, Village Tract LORC and Village LORC. This abbreviation LORC (Law & Order Restoration Council) is used throughout this report. In some orders we have translated ‘Month 10’ as ‘October’, ‘Month 11’ as ‘November’, etc. Calling the months by their numbers is common in Burmese.
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Order #1
Stamp:
#61 Infantry Battalion
Office of Army Column #1
Date
21-3-94
To/ Chairman
xxxx village
Subject: Notification
1) We have received information that there are more than 100 enemy
troops in xxxx village.
2) We are going to have a battle with them, so all the villagers had better get out of the
village.
3) When we didn’t burn down Ma Oo village after the battle there, the higher
authorities were not pleased.
4) Therefore in the future, after a battle occurs at any village, that village must be
burned down, and all the valuables belonging to the villagers must be confiscated.
5) Reply that you have received this letter, and if there are no enemies in your village
then the village chairman and the army column commander must come and see me.
[Sd.
illegible]
Intelligence
Officer
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Order #2
Stamp:
Township
LORC
"Precisely, Truly, & Quickly"
Kya
In Seik Gyi
Letter
No. 10/1-1/Ma Wa Ka (KISG)
To:
Date:
1994-March-10
Village Headman
xxxx Village
Kya In Seik Gyi Township
Subject: Come and give compensation money for the cost of the bridge
1) Regarding the above subject, we already informed you to come to the
office on 2-2-94 to pay the amount of 30,000 Kyat , in words
(Thirty Thousand Kyat only) to rebuild the lower Thingan Chaung
bridge, which was blown up by the insurgents on 24-1-94. But we have found that up to this
moment the money has not yet been delivered.
2) Therefore, your village must deliver the payment for repair of the lower Thingan Chaung
bridge not later than 25-3-94, and if you fail to do so effective action will be taken
against you.
[Sd.
Aung Khin Myint 10/3/94]
(on
behalf of) Chairman
(Aung
Khin Myint, secretary)
Copies to: #32 Infantry Battn., Kya In Seik Gyi
Office
Copy
[Note: This order is a carbon copy of the original, with the village name and the amount to be paid penned in by hand, so money was clearly demanded from several villages, the amount probably depending on the size of the village.]
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Order #3
Stamp:
Village LORC
19-11-93
xxxx Village
To:
Kyaik Mayaw Township
Mr.
yyyy, rubber plantation owner
Subject:…… Come and sell rubber
Regarding the above subject, you were informed to come and sell rubber in the amount of 30 pounds per acre to the army boots factory of No. 545 Military Weapons Company [the word used means a 'company’ of soldiers in the military sense, not a commercial ‘company’]. As you have not come to supply your rubber to us up to this day, we inform you to come sell it to us tomorrow, 20-11-93.
If you cannot sell it to us come and report why you cannot. If you don’t come it will be your responsibility.
[Sd.
T--- 19/11/93]
(Chairman)
Village
LORC
xxxx
Village, Kyaik Mayaw Township
[Note: In ‘No. 545 Military Weapons Company’ the word used means ‘company’ in the military sense, a unit of about 100 soldiers. Like in some Communist countries, the SLORC has some companies of soldiers which are devoted primarily to producing military equipment. ‘Come and report’ means bring money instead of rubber, especially since he probably can’t get the rubber by tomorrow. "It will be your responsibility’ most likely means ‘You will be arrested’. Although the signature at the bottom is illegible, this name must be omitted.]
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Order #4 through Order #8 were sent to the same village, and demonstrate the kind of constant demands for money every village is faced with. This does not include the regular looting of their food and other belongings, as well as being taken as porters and for other slave labour.
Order #4
Stamp:
8-10-93
Village LORC
To:
xxxx Village
Chairman,
secretary, and members
Kyaik Mayaw Township
yyyy
Village
Subject:… To make contributions to the 4th Mon State
Chairman’s Trophy
Boat-Racing
Tournament
Regarding the above subject, according to the Kyaik Mayaw Township LORC order dated 4-10-93, No. (1464) 4-5/Ma Wa Ta, owners of enterprises in your village, for example anyone who owns a machine for splitting logs, must pay 50 Kyat, rubber plantation owners 50 Kyat per person, and also every house must pay 5 Kyat.
We in inform you to collect the contribution money from enterprise owners, rubber plantation owners and the working people at the rate of 5 Kyat per house, as soon as possible, and deliver it to the house of the village chairman on 12-10-93 as soon as possible.
12-10-93 It [the boat-racing tournament] will be held at Azin
Reservoir, Mudon.
15-10-93 It must be sent to Kyaik Mayaw.
[Sd.
T--- 8/10/93]
(Chairman)
Village
LORC
xxxx
Village, Kyaik Mayaw Township
[Note: Presumable ‘it’ means the money must be sent from the village to Kyaik Mayaw on 15-10-93. As this is 3 days after the tournament, ‘it’ is hardly likely to be used for boat racing.]
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Order #5
Stamp:
22-10-93
Village LORC
To:
xxxx Village
Chairman,
(xxxx) Village
Kyaik Mayaw Township
Subject: To deliver money for salary of government servicemen for
October, contribution money
for the
boat racing, second stage of the road payments, and other general expenses
Regarding the above matter, we decided at a meeting that the salary for the government servicemen for October, 75 Kyat per household, will be delivered as soon as possible, but up to today you haven’t done anything about it. We inform you to bring the money before the township’s monthly meeting on 25-10-93, including all old debts and the contribution money for the boat racing tournament, all together.
[Sd.
T--- 22/10/93]
(Chairman)
Village
LORC
xxxx
Village, Kyaik Mayaw Township
[Note: The term ‘government servicemen’ used here could mean anything from porters to soldiers or civil servants. Regardless of who the money is supposedly for, it will most likely just go into the pockets of military officers. In the order, ‘October’ is actually written as ‘Month 10’, which is common in Burmese]
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Order #6
Stamp:
7-11-93
Village LORC
To:
xxxx Village
Chairman,
secretary, and all members
Kyaik Mayaw Township
yyyy
Village
Subject:…. Sending salary for government servicemen for November
Regarding the above subject, we have already asked you for the salaries for government servicemen for November, to be delivered on 5-11-93. But after checking we found out that the salary money has not been sent yet.
On 7-11-93 the Da Gone Tine Army Column came and asked for the November servicemen’s salary. So Please send the salary money as soon as possible after receiving this letter. If you fail, you’ll have to settle it with the army column.
[Sd.
T--- 7/11/93]
(Chairman)
Village
LORC
xxxx
Village, Kyaik Mayaw Township
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Order #7
Stamp:
10-1-94
Village LORC
To:
xxxx Village
Chairman,
secretary
Kyaik Mayaw Township
yyyy
Village
zzzz
Village Tract
Subject:.. To prepare the salary money of government servicemen for
January and the third
money
collection for the Rangoon-Mergui long-distance highway
Regarding the above subject, in order to deliver the money in the minimum time we want the authorities concerned to prepare the salary for government servicemen for January and the money for the Rangoon-Mergui highway. You promised that you would deliver the salary for government servicemen for January on 15-1-94, and the money for the Rangoon-Mergui long distance highway on 31-1-94. Therefore we would like you to give a good explanation to the villagers so that they deliver the two payments before the deadline.
The remaining money for government servicemen for December and the second payment of the Rangoon-Mergui highway money must be sent as soon as possible.
Dated 10-1-94
[Sd.
T--- 7/11/93]
(Chairman)
Village
LORC
xxxx
Village, Kyaik Mayaw Township
[Note: In the order ‘Rangoon-Mergui’ is written using the SLORC names, ‘Yangon-Myait’.]
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Order #8
Stamp:
12-2-94
Village LORC
To:
xxxx Village
Chairman,
secretary
Kyaik Mayaw Township
yyyy
Village
Subject:… To send the third highway payment and money for
government servicemen for
February
as soon as possible.
Regarding the above subject, we have already informed you to deliver the third highway payment on 31-1-94 by installments, but it has not been delivered yet. We inform you again to send the third highway payment and February salary for government servicemen on 14-2-94 at the latest. When you bring this money bring along the account papers of your previous payments as well.
[Sd.
T---]
(Chairman)
Village
LORC
xxxx
Village, Kyaik Mayaw Township
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Order #9
[Note: This order was sent from Intelligence to a SLORC Sergeant, who passed it on to the villagers to be enslaved for work.]
Stamp:
To:
#32 Infantry Battalion
Sergeant
M---
Battalion Command (Intelligence)
Date
12-3-94
Subject: Raising the ground level at the ends of L--- bridge with soil
1) This group of volunteers must fill in the low road level with earth in order to level it with L--- bridge. The road level must be 1½ feet higher than the bridge.
2) Don’t release the villagers until the task is done.
[Sd.
illegible]
Intelligence
Officer
#32
Infantry Battn.
[Note: ‘1½ feet’ is our translation of a unit of measurement from the elbow to the fingertip.]
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Order #10
Stamp:
Township
LORC
"Precisely, Truly, & Quickly"
Kya
In Seik Gyi
Letter
No. 110/1-1/Ma Wa Ka (KISG)
Date:
1994 March 11
To: Chairman / Village Headman
xxxx Village
Kya In Seik Gyi Township
Subject: Volunteers for filling up soil at L--- bridge
1) Regarding the above subject, volunteers from your village must fill
up both ends of the L--- bridge with earth, which is on C--- road, in Kya In Seik Gyi.
2) We inform you that at 7:00 on the morning of 25-3-94 you must provide us with
volunteers at the rate of 1 person per household.
Note: The authorities concerned will be there to inspect the work.
[Sd.
illegible, 11/3/94]
Chairman
Copies to: #32 Infantry Battn., Kya In Seik Gyi
Office
copy
============================================================
Order #11
To: Chairman
Headman of xxxx village Mr. yyyy: As instructed by our superiours, to level the road surface of the L--- [Army] Camp bridge, you must bring along spades and baskets. wwww and xxxx villages have been informed of this. If nobody comes, effective action will be taken against these villages.
[Sd.
illegible]
L---
Camp Commander
[Note: The date 13/3/94 is written on the back of this order]
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Order #12
Stamp:
Township
LORC
"Precisely, Truly, & Quickly"
Kya
In Seik Gyi
Letter
No. 121/1-2/Ma Wa Ka (KISG)
Date:
1994 March 10
To: Chairman / Village Headman
Wards / Village LORC
Kya In Seik Gyi Township
Subject: Prohibiting bullock carts on motor roads
Aim: According to TLORC letter dated 23-2-94, Letter No. 121/1-2/TLORC (KISG)
1) Regarding the above subject, we have already informed you by the
letter referenced above that bullock carts are prohibited from using the car roads.
Instead, they must use the track cut beside the car road.
2) Any bullock carts found using the car road will be fined 500 Kyat in accordance with
Article #4, paragraph E decided by the Township Road Construction Supervision Committee on
8-3-94.
3) Therefore, notify the people in your village to act according to these instructions so
that unnecessary problems do not occur.
[Sd.
illegible]
Chairman
Copies to: #32 Infantry Battn., Kya In Seik Gyi
Township
Officer, Township Police Station, Kya In Seik Gyi
Office
Copy
[Note: This order, copied on a Gestetner machine, was distributed to villages throughout the area. The ‘car roads’ are only dirt tracks, and barring the villagers from using them makes it much harder for them to get around, while effectively restricting the roads to military traffic - despite the fact that it is the villagers who are forced to build and maintain these roads in the first place.]
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Order #13
Stamp:
Township
LORC
"Precisely, Truly, & Quickly"
Kya
In Seik Gyi
Letter
No. 110/1-1/Ma Wa Ka (KISG)
Date:
1994 March 8
To: Chairman and Headmen of the Village
xxxx village
Subject: Invitation to a meeting
To construct the Kya In Seik Gyi - Chaung Ner Kwa road, we will meet and have a discussion regarding the work in the following list on 11-3-94 at 10:00 a.m., which will be held at the Township LORC office hall. You are invited to attend the meeting without fail.
1) In order to pave the road, supply 30 truckloads of firewood.
[Sd.
illegible]
Chairman
Copies to: Office Copy
[Note: This is another stenciled copy with the village name and the ‘list of work’ at the end (in this case only 1 item) penned in. The firewood is presumably to heat up tar.]
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Order #14
To:
Date:
20-2-94
Chairman
xxxx village
We inform Mr. yyyy to report to the company commander of #2 Company regarding the matter of supplying firewood and charcoal and to bring along 2 people from the countryside and the person who’s returned from the meeting at K---, altogether 4 of you. Come without fail.
[Sd.
illegible]
(for)
Company Commander
#2
Company
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Order #15
Stamp:
Date:
12-3-94
#32 Infantry Battalion
To:
Chairmen
Battalion Command (Intelligence)
xxxx
& yyyy villages
Subject: Request for village heads to report
Regarding the above subject,
we inform the village headman himself to report to the No. 32 Infantry Battalion
headquarters without fail.
We inform you that if you fail to come, it is
the responsibility of the village headman.
[Sd.
illegible]
(for)
Acting Company Commander
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Order #16
Frontline
#61 Infantry Battalion
Da
Gone Dine
Letter
No. 1000/01/U1
Date:
1994 February
To: Chairman
Village LORC
xxxx village
Subject: To come and meet the company commander
Regarding the above subject, we inform the chairman and all members of the Village LORC to come and meet with the commander of Frontline #61 Infantry Battalion at their headquarters at Da Gone Dine village on February 19, at 1200 hours exactly, without fail.
[Sd.
illegible]
(for)
Company Commander
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Order #17
Stamp:
Stamp:
Stamp:
Myanmar Agriculture & Development Band
URGENT
Failure
in duty to pay.
The Bank of xxxx village
OFFICIAL
Come
& settle the matter,
yyyy Township
regardless
of circumstances.
To: Chairman
Secretary (xxxx village)
The following farmers have failed to pay back their loans for agricultural purposes. Send them immediately to pay the money.
FINAL NOTICE [in red ink]
1) U aaaa Father: U bbbb
[Sd.
illegible]
2) U cccc " : U dddd
Secretary
… [etc. - the names of 8 farmers
The
Bank of xxxx village
and their fathers’ names are listed]…
xxxx
village
[Note: These ‘agriculture loans’ usually occur because after SLORC troops take most of a farmer’s rice and money, he is left with no seed grain at planting time - so he has to take a cash loan from SLORC at full interest (often payable in yet more rice) just to be able to plant a crop and prevent his family from starving. As this order shows, the SLORC does not hesitate to call in these loans, and those who cannot pay face the possibility of arrest or land confiscation and resale by SLORC officials.]
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Order #18
To: Chairman
Date:
12-3-94
xxxx village
You are to come to #32 Infantry Battalion as soon as you receive this letter. I am informing you that in case you fail to come, effective action will be taken.
[Sd.
illegible]
Intelligence
Section