FBR Report: Rape, Murder and Forced Labor: Pa-an District Report
Karen State, Burma
13 October, 2003

This report covers a rape and murder of a Karen woman and the used of forced labor directly related to the ongoing offensive in the eastern Dawna range near the KNLA 7th Brigade HQ.

On 4-10-2003 at 7:30 pm, Corporal Nay Win and his soldiers under the leadership of battalion commander Myo Tint, from Burma Army LIB 549 under Military Operations Command-12, arrested and raped a woman Naw Kyin Shwe, aged 58 in At-then-goe village, Htee Swah village tract, Ta-nay-cha Township of Pa-an District. After that they took out both eyes and squeezed her neck to death. This took place by the LIB 549 base.

According to the information source, “10 battalions such from Burma Army LIB 701 to 710 under Military Operations Command (4), arrested and forced men and women regardless of ages from villages; Lay-day, Htee-was-klay, Thay-wah-pu, Wa-klu-pu, Nya-mu-pu, Lu-baw, Pah-klue, and Taw-Oot in Mae Plen Toe region, Na Bue Township, Pa-an District, to carry ammunition and food supplies. Moreover, they were forced going ahead of troops as landmine-sweepers.  As a result, started from August 5 and up to this day, 2003, many of innocent villagers and prisoners have been injured and died. According to the local villagers, the reason why the local SPDC senior authorities with DKBA security unit # 999, battalion commander Saw Chit Thu, have been operating with concentrated effort on controlling areas is, to cooperatively produce teak-wood or natural resources in the areas.”

ENDS