SPDC ORDERS TO VILLAGES: SET 99-A

Pa’an District

Pa’an district forms much of the heartland of central Karen State, but villagers here are finding it very hard to survive because of a steady increase in extortion of cash and materials by all of the SPDC and DKBA troops in the region. In the eastern part of the district, farmers seen in their fields by patrols are frequently grabbed as porters; to avoid this, people who see patrols usually try to run, and then the soldiers shoot them. Many of these troops are fighting the KNLA in the east of the district, and in the process they have started to order the forced relocation of villages. On the eastern side of the Dawna mountains, SPDC troops burned and destroyed Meh Lah Ah, Meh Keh, Tha Pwih Hser, Po Ti Pwa and Noh Aw Pu villages in September 1998, and looted and terrorised several other villages until everyone in the area fled for the hills or for Thailand. In southeastern Pa’an district they told the people of several villages that they were all to be forced to relocate as soon as the harvest was complete in December 1998 or January 1999, and they are now enforcing this by forcing most villagers to move into the centre of their villages. Many Karen farmers have fields far from the central village and live near their fields, or live in small sub-villages loosely connected with the larger village 1 or 2 kilometres away, and these people are the target of such orders. Once forced into the centre of the village, it is hard for many people to properly tend their fields. Much of the 1998-99 rice harvest has already been lost because of orders such as these and because people are fleeing the increased extortion and forced portering.

The orders below were issued in eastern Pa’an District. Many of them call for ‘wontan’ (‘servants’), which usually means porters or Army camp labour, or ‘loh ah pay’ (translated here as ‘voluntary labour’); these are SPDC’s terms for forced labour. The villagers who go are used as porters, messengers, road labourers, and doing Army camp labour such as sentry duty, cleaning, and building and maintaining barracks, fences and booby-traps. Since 1996 the SLORC/SPDC has been building a large network of roads throughout central Pa’an District in order to consolidate military control over the region. All of these roads have been built with forced labour, and villagers continue to be ordered to maintain these roads, most of which are destroyed every rainy season, to clear wide ‘killing grounds’ along both sides of the roads to minimise the chance of landmines or ambushes, and to stand sentry along the roads (see Orders #P6-P8). Village heads are called to ‘meetings’ to ‘discuss the matter of servants’ or to ‘discuss cooperation in security matters’, but at these meetings the Army officer or local Peace & Development Council (PDC) officials simply dictate forced labour assignments and threats for failure to comply. Orders #P17-P20 refer to porters or Army camp forced labourers who have run away or gone home without permission; in this case, the village is charged a fine in food or cash, and the village head is ordered to immediately bring replacements or turn in the villager(s) who fled.

Villagers who own bullock carts are also forced to take a cart and team to haul supplies for SPDC troops (see Order #P22), and elephant owners are ordered to work their elephants to haul logs for the SPDC with no compensation (see Order #P23). Demands for rice, food and building supplies continue to come from both the SPDC and the DKBA, while extortion of money by both the SPDC and the DKBA is increasing so much that it is a major factor causing people to flee their villages. Order #P39, which demands that a village headwoman send food to the local Light Infantry Battalion, was sent with a chillie pepper enclosed; when these are enclosed in orders (sometimes along with a bullet or piece of charcoal) it is a direct threat that the troops will punish the village for failure to obey, possibly by killing all the livestock.

In Pa’an District, villages must send forced labourers and must also pay "servants’ fees", money which is supposedly to pay for the hire of labourers. However, this money only goes to the Army officers and officials. The only time labourers are hired is when villagers pay others to go for forced labour in their place. Most villagers cannot afford to pay any of these fees anymore. Orders #P56-P59 summon village heads to meetings to ‘discuss’ the paddy from their villages. These meetings are to assign paddy quotas which villages must hand over to the Army for free or for 10% of market price, even in bad crop years like this one.

In Order #P3, village heads are ordered to provide absurdly comprehensive and detailed registration lists of everyone and everything in their villages. These lists are then used to assess paddy quotas, quotas for forced labour, fees and extortion money, demands for carts, vehicles, and other equipment, and to closely monitor the movement of villagers and the arrival of anyone new in the village. People found to be unregistered are usually arrested, accused of being ‘insurgents’, and detained under torture. The registration lists are also a major tool for intimidation, making the villagers believe that the SPDC knows everything about them and making them afraid to do anything out of the ordinary. Teachers are much less likely to deviate from the strict SPDC curriculum when they know that they and all their students are registered with the military, while monks, abbots and Christian preachers are under similar pressure with regard to their spiritual teachings. The intention is to make every civilian feel intimidated and afraid at every moment.

Some of the orders below have been issued by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which operates extensively in Pa’an District. Apart from their unit numbers, they are almost indistinguishable from SPDC orders in their content (orders issued by DKBA have been clearly indicated where this is not obvious). The DKBA orders forced labour, extorts money and materials, and threatens villagers to relocate in the same way as the SPDC, though often using more direct language. In many cases, such as the DKBA forced relocation order below (Order #P2), it is most likely that the DKBA is simply enacting an order which originated with the SPDC.

For more information on the current situation in Pa’an District, see "Uncertainty, Fear and Flight" (KHRG #98-08, 18/11/98) and other previous KHRG reports on the area.

Forced Relocations and Dictates to Villages

============================================================

Order #P1*

[This forced relocation order was also included in "Uncertainty, Fear and Flight" (KHRG #98-08, 18/11/98).]

  Stamp:                                                  Front Line Light Infantry Battalion No. (104)
[illegible]                                                Pah Klu village
                                                              Ref. No. 104 / 02 / Oo 1
                                                              Date: 1998 August

To:     Chairman
          xxxx village

Subject:     Order to vacate issued to the villages

1. Order has been issued to xxxx village to vacate the place and move to Kwih Lay village or to any other place where the villagers have relatives, at the latest by 10th September 1998.

2. After the date of issue of this order, it is warned that the Army will go around clearing the area and should any village or small huts in the paddy fields be found still standing, they will all be dismantled and destroyed.

                                                                                        [Sd.]
                                                                       (for) Battalion Commander
                                                                 Front line Light Infantry Battalion #104

[Copies of this order were sent to several villages in the Pah Klu area.]

============================================================

Order #P2*

                                                                                  Date: 14-11-98
                                                                                  Ref. No. Ka/1-1161

To:       Village Head
            xxxx village
            village tract

Subject:     Notification regarding relocation to main part of the village

Regarding the above-mentioned subject, in the area of #3 Battalion of #999 Brigade all villages must move into the main part of the village. Severe action will be taken against those who fail to obey this order, up to the death penalty.

Orders

1. Do not have contact with any insurgent or rebel at all.
2. Do not provide any insurgent or rebel with food or protection money at all.
3. Do not live in any house or hut in the jungles, on the hills, in the valleys or in the foothills at all.
4. Every house or hut far from the main part of the village must be moved to the main village.

Note:
         We will not be responsible for those who fail to comply with and obey the above-mentioned orders within 30 days, between 20-11-98 and 20-12-98.

                                                 Signed:     Major Than Done
                                                                 Deputy Commander, #3 Battalion
                                                                 #999 Brigade, DKBA
                                                                 Nabu Military Zone, Northern Kawkareik

                                                                               [Sd.]
                                                                     Deputy Commander
                                                                           #3 Battalion
                                                                           #999 Brigade
                                                                                  DKBA

[This is a typewritten order sent to many villages with the village name written in on each one. Nabu (Karen name T’Nay Hsah) is a large village in the central plains of Pa’an District about 25 km north of Kawkareik town. Many villages are affected by this order.]

============================================================

Order #P3

                    Stamp:                                 Advance #2 Light Infantry Battalion
Advance #2 Light Infantry Battalion              xxxx village
                Column #2                                 Ref. No. 100/01/C-1
                                                                Date: October 7, 1998

To:     Chairperson
          xxxx village
          Village Peace and Development Council

Subject:     To make the registration list

1. Regarding the above-mentioned subject, the following registration lists must be made accordingly by every village and must be finished on October 14, 1998.

(a) To register chairperson, secretary and members of VPDC, and village elders, by name, age, father’s name, NIC Number and address.
(b) To make a list of total number of houses in the village and population (male/female).
(c) To make sure that every house has the list of family members in hand and it must be placed where it is easy to check by the authorities, and the chairperson or the secretary must sign and stamp each family list.
(d) To register headmaster, teachers and students of each school by name, age, father’s name, educational status and address.
(e) To register the total number of monasteries and the abbot, monks and novices of each monastery by name, age, years of monkhood, father’s name and Buddhist Monk ID Number.
(f) To register doctors, medics and nurses in each government medical department by name, age, father’s name, NIC Number, Staff ID Number, address and educational status.
(g) To register medics who give medical treatment without official permission of the Medical Department by name, age, father’s name, NIC Number and educational status.
(h) To register the makers of furniture and utensils (wood / bamboo) by name, age, father’s name, NIC Number, educational status and address.
(i) To register motorcycle owners by name, age, father’s name, NIC Number and whether or not they have a motorcycle licence.
(j) To register number of houses by type (wooden house / bamboo house).
(k) To register the owners of cattle by name, age, father’s name, NIC Number, address and number of cattle (male/female) they own.
(l) To register the owners of tractors (big / small) by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(m) To register shopkeepers by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(n) To register those who make a living as hired servants [i.e. those who take money to do shifts of forced labour in the place of other villagers] by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(o) To register vagabonds, tramps, infamous persons [those who are blacklisted and frequently detained and interrogated due to their perceived anti-government tendencies] and those who are difficult to control by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(p) To make sure to have a log book for visitors (in/out) at the village.
(q) To register the wives and children of KNU rebels and other insurgents in the village by name, age, father’s name, educational status and NIC Number.
(r) To register the owners of paddy fields, farms [fields of non-rice crops], land, or gardens by name, age, father’s name, kind of crop they cultivate and number of acres they own.
(s) To register ex-soldiers (pensioner, dismissed, AWOL) by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number. [This means specifically Burmese Army soldiers.]
(t) To register people who run boat or motor-boat businesses by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(u) To register those who trade in gold and silver, jewellery and other precious stones, iron and other kinds of metals, and those who do currency exchange by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(v) To register all events (import/export) of business in woods, including teak, other kinds of wood and furniture, and those who run this business by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(w) To register those who trade in forest products and those who trade cattle, goats, and pigs by name, age, father’s name and NIC Number.
(x) To register drunkards, drug addicts, drug dealers and alcohol sellers.
(y) To register authorisations and documents issued by the authorities or Forestry Department for woods including teak in monasteries and monastery compounds. [i.e. wood cannot be cut to build houses or monasteries, nor taken from existing buildings, without SPDC permission papers (except by the Army).]

2. This is to notify that it will be entirely your responsibility if the authorities discover that you have failed to comply with the above-listed orders.

                                                                                 [Sd.]
                                                                       Column Commander

[The Burmese original of this handwritten order is 3 pages long. These registration lists will be used, among other things, to assess extortion demands and forced labour demands on the villagers, and to arrest any unregistered visitors or strangers in the villages. These lists are a great source of intimidation to the villagers, and they are one of the main tools used by the SPDC to prohibit the freedoms of association, livelihood, and movement of civilians. VPDC = Village Peace and Development Council, village-level SPDC administration; at the village level, these are usually just village elders assigned against their will to make sure the villagers comply with military orders. NIC = National Identification Card, which all citizens of Burma are supposed to carry around with them; many rural Karen villagers have no such card. ‘Father’s name’ is commonly used to identify people in Burma because surnames are not used.]

============================================================

Order #P4

                   Stamp:
Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion
                  Column #x

To: Chairperson
      xxxx village
      Village Peace and Development Council

Although you were informed to come to xxxx village on 7/10/98 after making the list of families in Chairperson’s village, you failed to comply. To explain the reason of your failure come and .......... [The remainder of this order was torn off and lost.]

[This relates to the registration list demanded in Order #P3, and threatens a village head for being tardy in providing the list.]

============================================================

Order #P5

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                        18-10-98
             Column #2                                                     xxxx [village]

To:     U xxxx

Respectfully,

- Get better?
- A landmine went off at about 10 o’clock last night. Do you know where? I’d like to know whether the victim of the landmine is human or animal.
- If you are sick and unable to come just send a letter or someone else.

                                                                                   Respectfully,
                                                                                       [Sd.]
                                                                                  Capt. xxxx
                                                                             Column Commander
                                                                    A[dvance] #xxx LIB / C[olumn] #2

[Villagers are usually held responsible by the SPDC for any landmines which go off in their area. If it is an SPDC mine they are often fined for ‘the cost of the landmine’, while if it is a KNLA mine they are accused of planting it.]

============================================================

Forced Labour

============================================================

Order #P6*

             Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command

To:     Chairperson
          xxxx village

Subject:     To clear the scrub on both sides of Kawkareik-Aut Boh Deh car road

To clear the scrub along both sides of the Kawkareik-Aut Boh Deh car road, people from your village must come with their own machetes/hoes to xxxx Camp on Sunday, October 25, 1998 / the 6th Waxing day of Dasaungmon, 1360 Burmese Era, and if you fail, it will be entirely your responsibility.

Place:     Nabu                                                                     [Sd. / Lt.]
Date:      24-10-98                                                    (for) Battalion Commander
                                                                             #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[This stretch of road is over 10 kilometres long. Villagers are forced to clear the scrub along most roads used by the SPDC military in order to decrease the chance of landmines or ambushes. They are also forced to stand as sentries at fixed positions along these roads every night, and are then held responsible for anything that happens. Aut Boh Deh is near Nabu (T’Nay Hsah). The date on the Burmese calendar is written on this order after the English date because many villagers do not know the English calendar. See also Orders #P7 and P8.]

============================================================

Order #P7

To: Chairperson                                                 Stamp:
      xxxx village                                 #xxx Light Infantry Battalion
                                                                    Company #x

                                                                                               Date: 29-10-98

Subject:     To come and see the Commander

To enquire about the progress of your village on the clearing of the Aut Boh Deh car road, you are informed to come and see the Commander of Headquarters Company of #xxx Light Infantry Battalion without fail.

If you haven’t sent any voluntary labourers yet, send them as soon as possible, and it will be entirely your responsibility if you fail to come and see the Commander.

                                                                                               [Sd. / Lt.]
                                                                                       Company Commander
                                                                                             Company #x

============================================================

Order #P8

            Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                                                19-10-98
          Company #x

To:     Dear Chairperson,

You have already been informed to clear the scrub along both sides of the car road, so this is to give notification that you must finish the work by 21/10/98 and see the Company Commander of the road security unit.

                                                                                   (for) Company Commander
                                                                                                  Column #1
                                                                                                  Security Unit

============================================================

Order #P9*

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                       To:      Chairperson
  Military Control Command                                   xxxx village

Subject:    Calling for general voluntary labour

1. You yourself or a representative from your village must lead 30 persons bringing their own machetes/hoes with them to come to #xxx LIB HQ on 17/7/98 at 8 o’clock in the morning.

2. This is notification that it will be entirely your responsibility if you fail to comply.

Place:     xxxx                                                                         [Sd.]
Date:     14-7-98                                            Commander of Headquarters Company
                                                                            #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

============================================================

Order #P10

wwww |
  xxxx |
  yyyy |         - 4 villages
  zzzz |

For voluntary labour tomorrow on 11/11/98:

Report to Capt. xxxx of #xxx IB and go where he asks you to.

Then report to the operations unit on 12/11/98.

[This is a quickly scrawled order with no stamp or signature. Though the nature of the labour is unspecified, it appears to involve many people and is probably road labour or carrying rations.]

============================================================

Order #P11

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                          To:     Chairperson
   Column #1 Headquarters                                       xxxx village

Subject:    To come and see the Column Commander

You are informed to bring three servants with food for 3 days and come to xxxx as soon as you receive this letter and if you fail, it will be entirely your responsibility.

Place:    xxxx                                                                                [Sd. / Cpl.]
Date:    10-9-98                                                                  (for) Battalion Commander
                                                                                        #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[These ‘servants’ will most likely be used as porters.]

    ============================================================

    Order #P12

             Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                      To:      Chairperson
   Column #1 Headquarters                                   xxxx village

Subject:     To come and see the Column Commander

This is to inform you to come to xxxx, bringing two servants with [their own] food for three days as soon as you receive this letter. If you fail, it is entirely your responsibility.

Place:     xxxx                                                                    [Sd.]
Date:     10-9-98                                                (for) Battalion Commander
                                                                      #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[These ‘servants’ will most likely be used as porters.]

============================================================

Order #P13*

To:    Chairperson                                                                                 22-8-98
         xxxx village

Dear Chairperson - The Col[umn] #x HQ needs two messengers from Chairperson’s village, so you are informed to come and bring them today at 1000 hours.
Send them to xxxx Column.

                                                                                             [Sd. / Lt.]
                                                                         Cpy. Cmdr. [Company Commander]
                                                                                          #xxx LIB/xxxx

[Villagers are used as forced labour messengers to run messages between different Army units and to deliver written orders like these to village heads.]

============================================================

Order #P14

To:    Chairperson (xxxx)                                                                            9-10-98

I heard that the xxxx Column sent me an important letter with U xxxx. Therefore, send U xxxx with that letter along with this messenger.

Send immediately.
                                                                                                          [Sd.]
                                                                                               Column Commander
                                                                                                     Capt. xxxx

[U xxxx is a villager who is being used by the military to forward letters, and ‘this messenger’ is a villager doing forced labour delivering orders for the military.]

============================================================

Order #P15

            Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                                            Date: 25-2-98
        Company #1

To:    Chairperson
         xxxx village

Right now when you receive this letter, come and bring 2 servants to xxxx village, you are informed. Without fail, come today and bring them.

                                                                                         [Sd.]
                                                                              Company Commander
                                                                                      Company #1
                                                                           #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

============================================================

Order #P16

            Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion               To:      Chairperson                               27-2-98
         Company #1                                       xxxx village

Headman, come and bring 2 servants from your village to xxxx village, and the Chairperson must come to give us information, you are informed.

                                                                                         [Sd.]
                                                                            Company Commander
                                                                                    Company #1
                                                                         #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

============================================================

Order #P17

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
           Company #1

To:     Chairperson                                                                 Date: 6-9-98th [sic]

- Come to the Column with the servant today, 6/9/98.
- This servant went back on 3/9/98 without asking any permission.
- You have already been summoned with two letters - one on 4/9/98 and today with this one. Come to the Column as soon as you receive this letter and if you fail to do so, it will be entirely your responsibility.

To bring:     A viss of chicken, 50 kyat [½ viss] of cooking oil
                   A package of Thukhita cheroots

                                                                                                         [Sd.]
                                                                                             Company Commander
                                                                                                    Company #1

[The ‘servant’ is a villager who was forced to go as a porter or for Army camp labour and fled before his assignment was done. If the village head takes this villager to the camp as ordered, the villager may face an increased term of forced labour or arrest, detention and torture; but if the village head doesn’t comply, he or she will face a similar punishment. One viss = 1.6 kg / 3.5 lb]

============================================================

Order #P18

             Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Column #1 Headquarters

To:     Chairperson
          xxxx village

Subject:     To send a servant

You are informed to come and bring a servant as soon as you receive this letter and bring three viss of chicken as the fine for fleeing. If you fail to comply, it will be your responsibility and severe action will be taken.

Place:     xxxx                                                                        [Sd. / Cpl.]
Date:     2-10-98                                                           (for) Battalion Commander
                                                                                #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[In written orders ‘servant’ is used to mean porters or other forced labourers. It appears that one of the villagers sent as a forced labour porter has fled, so the village head is being ordered to bring a replacement porter and 3 viss (4.8 kilograms) of chicken as a ‘fine’.]

============================================================

Order #P19*

               Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                                                  19-2-98
         Company #1

To:     Chairperson
          xxxx village

Headman, from your village 2 servants ran away, so call 2 more servants and come yourself, headman, to give information. For the 2 servants who ran away the fine is 20 viss [32 kg / 70 lb] of pork. Bring it right away. On 20-2-98 in the morning come and arrive here, you are informed. If there is no pork [you] have to pay fine money of 1,000 kyats for each person per day.

                                                                                                      [Sd.]
                                                                                          Company Commander
                                                                                                  Company #1
                                                                                      #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[The fine of ‘1,000 kyats for each person per day’ means 1,000 for each of the 2 runaway porters, i.e. 2,000 per day, until the porters are replaced and the fine has been paid.]

============================================================

Order #P20

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
           Company #1

To:     Chairperson                                                                                   21-2-98
          xxxx village

Headman, on 20-2-98 you were ordered to come but you did not come, so [you are] ordered again. When the messenger arrives, come right away to xxxx camp with the fine for 2 servants who ran away and with 2 new servants without fail. Come and give us information, you are informed.

                                                                                             [Sd.]
                                                                                 Company Commander
                                                                                         Company #1
                                                                             #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

[This order followed Order #P19, after the headman failed to appear at the camp as commanded.]

============================================================

Order #P21

[This is not an SPDC order, but a village head’s notes figuring out who must be sent to do forced labour. ‘xxxx’ are the names of people to do the forced labour; ‘yyyy’ are place names.]

120. List of servants, date: 3-4-98
Two servants - to hire, one month 10,000 [kyat].
- yyyy area:               Pa xxxx, xxxx
- yyyy:                     Pa xxxx, xxxx
- yyyy:                      xxxx, Saw xxxx (substitute with) two others
- yyyy:                      xxxx, hire money for one person

119. List of servants, date: 28-3-98 — 7-4-98
(1) Capt. xxxx                                             (2) U xxxx          |
(3) Pa xxxx                                                  (4) xxxx             | These 4 replaced with money
(5) Bald-head from xxxx                               (6) xxxx
                These 2 people are going on their own. [Numbers 5 and 6]
The sentries, Maung xxxx, xxxx, two others, clarify it to them

Servants for DKBA Capt. xxxx
Three regular servants and a hired servant.
(1) Pa xxxx                (2) Maung xxxx
Total 21 persons.

[The headman has noted ‘regular’ and ‘hired’ forced labourers. ‘Regular’ means villagers who are ‘going on their own’ for forced labour. ‘Hired’ refers to people hired by the villagers to take their place for their assigned turn. ‘Sentries’ are villagers doing a turn of forced labour as Army camp or road sentries.]

============================================================

Order #P22

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                        To:      Chairperson
  Military Control Command                                    xxxx village

Subject:     Summoning a bullock-cart

1. We summoned a bullock-cart from your village on the 16th, but it has not shown up.
2. Therefore, come immediately to the headquarters in xxxx village as soon as you receive that previous letter.
3. You are notified that the appropriate action will be taken if the bullock-cart shows up late.

                                                                                              [Sd. / Sgt.]
                                                                                         Intelligence Sergeant

[Whenever a bullock-cart is summoned, the owner must drive the cart with his own team of 2 cattle and do forced labour hauling supplies for as long as required by the troops.]

============================================================

Order #P23

23-1-98

To:     xxxx village

I write a letter to you.

There were 60 logs here and some have been lost. Only just over 30 out of the 60 logs still remain. There are also four big logs remaining. Therefore send the elephant xxxx [this is the elephant’s name] tomorrow to finish the work in a day.

P.S. - I will send you the certificate of work accomplished by the elephant.

                                                                                  Friendly,

                                                                                    xxxx
                                                                  Forestry Control Department
                                                                                   Myawaddy      [Sd.]

[This order summons an elephant and its rider/owner for a day of forced labour. The time of working elephants is a valuable commodity in the villages, so this is a significant demand.]

============================================================

Order #P24

To:     Ko xxxx

I’ve just arrived back at xxxx but I am going out for the moment. I will summon you when I get back. Do the things which are to be fully accomplished.

                                                                   Friendly,
                                                                     [Sd.]
                                                                   Lt. xxx

[Note: The ‘things’ to be ‘accomplished’ means to finish the forced labour assignments.]

============================================================

Order #P25

             Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion         To:     Chairperson                      Date: 10-4-98
           Column #2                                  xxxx [village]

You are informed to come immediately and see the Column Commander to settle the matter of servants as soon as you receive this letter.
Bring two chickens and vegetables with you.
                                                                                  [Sd.]
                                                                        Column Commander
                                                                    #xxx Light Infantry Battalion

============================================================

Order #P26

        Stamp:
#xxx Infantry Battalion                                                    16-4-98
     Company #4

To:     Capt. xxxx

I’d like you to cooperate and send the servants from xxxx village on the western side of xxxx stream and send U xxxx, U xxxx, U xxxx, and U xxxx along with the servants hired from yyyy village.

I want to let you know that there is a possible shortage of manpower since we have to call and use the men from the above-mentioned area whenever we need them, and I’d like you to solve this problem.

                                                                        Respectfully,
                                                                             [Sd.]
                                                                    Camp Commander
                                                                         xxxx Camp

[This is a letter from one SPDC Army officer to another, essentially asking for help in obtaining more forced labourers because his unit is having trouble rounding up enough village men for forced labour in their area. U xxxx and the others are probably village heads to be sent along in order to tell them about increased demands for ‘servants’.]

============================================================

Order #P27*

To:      xxxx village tract elder                                               18-4-98

Subject - Writing to let you know

On 18-4-98 if you receive my letter come and replace your porters at xxxx, today immediately, you must arrive.

Note - Come, if you don’t come I will take severe action.

                                                                      Brigade #999
                                                                      Battalion #3
                                                                      Company #x
                                                                      Company Commander - Saw xxxx
                                                                      D.K.B.A.

[Note: This DKBA order is written in Karen. Unlike the SPDC, the DKBA refers directly to ‘porters’ rather than ‘servants’. ‘Replace your porters’ means to provide replacements for the villagers currently there doing a regular rotation of forced labour.]

============================================================

Order #P28

To:      xxxx village                                                             Date: 25-1-98
           Village headperson

Subject - About porters

If possible arrange porters, ask 2 to come when you see this letter. Come quickly.

[The remainder of the order has been torn off. This DKBA order is written in Karen.]

============================================================

Extortion of Cash, Food and Materials

============================================================

Order #P29

            Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                                                      17-8-98
  Military Control Command

To:     Village Head (xxxx)

Subject:     Request for wooden planks

Regarding the above subject, you are notified that each village must help A#xxx [Advance #xxx] LIB with five planks of 6½-inch wood.

                                                                                               [Sd. / 2nd Lt.]
                                                                                      (for) Battalion Commander

[Judging by other orders sent to villages by the same unit, this should probably read ‘6 x ½’ instead of ‘6½’; it refers to planks 6" by ½", but of unspecified length. The village heads may know the length required from oral commands or past experience.]

============================================================

Order #P30

To:     Village Head (xxxx village)                                                               20-8-98

Subject:     To send wooden planks

You are again informed to send five 6 x ½ foot wooden planks to Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion on 21/8/98 to use where needed.

                                                                                               [Sd. / 2nd Lt.]
                                                                                      (for) Battalion Commander

[Judging by other orders sent to villages by the same unit, this should probably read ‘6 x ½-inch’ instead of ‘feet’; it refers to planks 6" by ½", but of unspecified length. The village heads may know the length required from oral commands or past experience.]

============================================================

Order #P31

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command              To:      Village Head (xxxx village)                              20-8-98

Subject:     To send wooden planks

1. You are informed to send five 6 x ½ wooden planks without fail to Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion to use where required.
2. Send them on 21/8/98.

                                                                                   [Sd. / 2nd Lt.]
                                                                           (for) Battalion Commander

[The measurement units are not clearly specified, but it appears that the planks must be 6" x ½", and the village heads may already know the length being demanded.]

============================================================

Order #P32

            Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command                To:     Village Head (xxxx village)         20-8-98

Subject:     To send wooden planks

1. You are informed to send five 6 x ½ wooden planks without fail to Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion to use where required.
2. Send them on 21/8/98.

                                                                                           [Sd. / 2nd Lt.]
                                                                                 (for) Battalion Commander

[The measurement units are not clearly specified, but it appears that the planks must be 6" x ½", and the village heads may already know the length being demanded.]

    ============================================================

    Order #P33*

                 Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                                                  31-10-98
  Military Control Command

To:     Chairperson
          wwww / xxxx / yyyy / zzzz villages

Each village must send 200 bamboo [poles] and 50 wooden poles to xxxx Camp tomorrow, 31/10/98 [sic; tomorrow will be 1/11/98].

                                                                                                [Sd.]
                                                                                      Intelligence Officer
                                                                                            xxxx Camp

    ============================================================

    Order #P34

             Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command

To:     Chairperson (xxxx)

Subject:     Informing [you] to provide roofing leaves and bamboo

This is to inform you to send the following items, needed by Column #1 of Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion, to xxxx Camp of Column #1 on 23/8/98 at 1100 hours.

    (A) 15 shingles of roofing leaves
    (B) 2 pieces of 12-taun Wabo bamboo

                                                                                                [Sd. / Lt.]
                                                                                  (for) Battalion Commander

[Roofing leaves are of a special type which must be gathered in the forest. Using shaved bamboo, these are then woven into shingles 1-2 metres long. ‘Taun’ is a unit of measure equivalent to 18 inches (elbow to fingertip); thus, each bamboo pole must be 18 feet long. Wabo is a particularly large and thick variety of bamboo, 6 inches or more in diameter and 15, 20 or more feet long.]

============================================================

Order #P35

             Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command

To:     Chairpersons (four villages)                                                        10-8-98

Subject:      Asking for roofing leaves

Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion needs roofing leaves, so this is to notify [you] that each village must send 25 shingles of roofing leaves and send 10 Wabo bamboo if roofing leaves are unavailable.

                                                                                          [Sd. / 2nd Lt.]
                                                                                (for) Battalion Commander

[Roofing leaves are of a special type which must be gathered in the forest. Using shaved bamboo, these are then woven into shingles 1-2 metres long. Wabo is a particularly large and thick variety of bamboo; split bamboo can also be used as roofing, though leaves are preferred.]

    ============================================================

    Order #P36

Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion                                 To:     Village Head
  Military Control Command                                             xxxx village

Subject:     Request for Wabo bamboo

For use in repairing the fence of the LIB for security measures, every village must send one Wabo bamboo on the 12th of this month, and you are requested to cooperate.

                                                                                                    [Sd.]
                                                                                           Intelligence Officer

============================================================

Order #P37

              Stamp:
#xxx Light Infantry Battalion
  Military Control Command                         To:     Chairperson (xxxx village)

Subject:    Informing [you] to provide roofing leaves and bamboo

You are informed to send the following items, needed by Column #1 of Advance #xxx Light Infantry Battalion, to Column #1 (xxxx Camp) on 23/8/98 at 1100 hours.

    (A) 15 shingles of roofing leaves
    (B) two 12-taun [18-foot long] Wabo bamboo [poles]

                                                                                          [Sd.]
                                                                          (for) Battalion Commander

[Roofing leaves are of a special type which must be gathered in the forest. Using shaved bamboo, these are then woven into shingles 1-2 metres long. ‘Taun’ is a unit of measure equivalent to 18 inches (elbow to fingertip); thus, each bamboo pole must be 18 feet long.]

============================================================

Order #P38*

To:     Chairperson
          xxxx [village]

Dear Chairperson, I respectfully send this letter. Food for our Major is short. I request you to send a chicken, a bottle of cooking oil, onions, coffee mix, a package of Thukhita cheroots, dried chillies and other vegetables.

                                                                                                  Yours,
                                                                                                   [Sd.]
                                                                                             Column Office

[In the order ‘a chicken’ was written but then crossed out for some reason.]

============================================================

Order #P39*

                                                                                                Date: 2-9-98th
To:     Chairperson - Mother
          xxxx village

You are informed to come to the Column and bring a viss of chicken and two packages of Ajinomoto [seasoning powder] with you. If you fail, it will be your responsibility, madam.

                                                                                                  [Sd.]
                                                                                                 #xxx LIB

[One viss is 1.6 kilograms or 3.5 pounds. This order was sent to the village headwoman with a dried chillie pepper enclosed; the chillie is a threat that severe action will be taken for failure to comply with the order. Chillies, bullets and bits of charcoal are frequently sent along with written orders for this purpose. The chillie is generally interpreted to mean that the troops will come and loot food or kill all the livestock for failure to comply.]

============================================================

Order #P40

                                                                                            Date: 8-8-98th [sic]

To:     Chairperson - xxxx [village]

The Column is here. You are informed to come to the Column and bring four pyi of rice and a viss of chicken with you, gentlemen. Come along with this messenger right now.