As the SLORC's "National Convention" begins in Rangoon, their army is actively forcing tens of thousands of Karen civilians into guarded camps throughout Karen State in an effort to exert complete control over the civilian population. In these armed camps, or "key villages" as the SLORC has called them, no food or medicine is provided, yet guards patrol the perimeter. Villagers face the regular threat of beatings, starvation and death by disease. They have only whatever food and belongings they could bring with them, and even their meager food supply is plundered by the troops for their rations. This operation has the following objectives: by encamping civilians around their Army camps, they restrict the possibility of attack by the opposition forces; by depopulating entire regions, they prevent the civilians from supporting the opposition; in the camps, the civilians become a captive population whenever the SLORC wants slaves to porter munitions or work on the "development" projects. This relocation is clearly the first step in declaring entire regions of Karen State "free fire zones" and launching a massive new offensive against Karen border areas, in which all of the civilians in the relocation camps will surely be used as porters and human minesweepers

Following are the direct translations of several SLORC orders already brought in by the first groups of villagers fleeing the forced relocations. Copies of the original orders, stamped, signed, and written in Burmese, are available on request.

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The following order was received in Papun Township
The 8 villages covered by this order comprise about 1,800 people, of an estimated total of 5,000 to 7,000 people ordered to relocate in Papun township alone.

Stamped

Village SLORC                                                                                 Village SLORC
Kadaing Ti Village Tract                                                                   Kadaing Ti Village Tract
Papun Township                                                                              Papun Township
                                                                                                        No. 00l/1.K.D.D. 'Papun
                                                                                                        Date: 1992 Dec. 29

To: Chairman, Kwee Net Village

Subject: Transfer of Villages

Regarding the above subject, the undermentioned villages will transfer by 7 January to the specified villages. If they have not moved by this date, we will take severe action. Be sure to relay this message to the villagers.

1). Nat Kyaut Village must move to Kadaing Ti Village
2). Kwee Net village must move to Kadaing Ti Village
3). Bu Wah Kwee Village must move to Pah Lone Gyi Village
4). Hsin Zweh village must move to Tee Theh Lay Village
5). Po Mah Heh Village must move to Baw Kyo Leh Village
6). Lay Naw Village must move to Baw Kyo Leh Village
7). Shwe Yay Village must move to Baw Kyo Leh Village
8). Pah Lone Ywa Lay village must move to Pah Lone Ywa Gyi

                                                                                                                (Signature illegible)
                                                                                                                Secretary
                                                                                                                Village Tract SLORC
                                                                                                                Kadaing Ti Village
                                                                                                                Papun Township

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This order was received by villagers in Pa' an Township, Thaton District:

Management Committee for Relocation of Villages
Pa-an Township

Letter No. 002/2-1/Ya Pa Ka (Ba Aa)
Dated: 1992 December 7

To,
U Tha Saw Village
Pa An Township

Subject: To relocate the villages on the western side of the Salween River

1. Regarding the above subject, the under-mentioned. villages on the western side of the Salween river are informed to move between 12 December & 31 December 1992.

(Paan Township Villages on the Western side of Salween River)

a). Htee Po Net and Htee Meh Baw must move to Mee Bee bone
b). Naw Ta Ray central village must move to Let Pan Dan
c). Saw Kay Kee, Tah Lu Kee, Htee Kyu, Noe Aw Lah villages P'Lan Daung
d). Meh Theh, Ko Cho, Noh Ka Tay, Htee Kyaw, Meh Tha Naat villages to move to T'Laing Kayin village
e). Hat T'Lait, and villages at the foot of Kyun Sein Mountain to move to big village at Kyun Sein mountain
f). Meh Theh Kee, Meh Theh Kan Nan, Yay Way monastery to move to Meh Theh Ywa Gyi
g). Kyar Yu village to move to Ko Po P'Leh
h). Shwe Kyi, Myat Lay, Kyaung Ywa, Kaw Heh Lay, Kaw Heh, Kyun Htay, Kwee Lay Lay to move to Shwe Oke
i). Ta Gay Laung, Chaung Bya village to move to Ta Gay Laung
j). Htee Pa Doh Kee Villages to the east of Pyin Ma Bein Seik
k). Po Kyar, Pya Kin Pu, Lay Kaw Htee, Kone Galay, Nyar Paw Kee villages to move to Kyet Thaung Seik
l). Meh Taw Khee, Theh Pyu Chaung, Let Kyo Ko, Let Kyo Kaw Htee, Tar Meh Kee, Noh Ber Baw, Wah Tho KIah villages to move to Theh Pyu Chaung Ywa.

2. The villagers must accomplish this by themselves, by the 31st December as the last date allowed.

3. When they move they must also move their rice, cattle and houses. Any rice and cattle left behind will be confiscated if found by the military columns. If any villagers hide in the forest they will be shot and arrested.

4. Therefore, the villagers are informed that they must all move by the deadline.

Signed: Saw Hia Htun
Team Leader
Management committee for Relocation of the Village

Copy to:

    Outpost, Woat Gyi Village Tract, Paan District
    District Police Commander; Paan
    P.S.O. (Police Force) Paan Township
    inspector, Woat Gyi Police Station
    File Copy

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This order was sent to villagers in Papun Township:

                                                                                                                                   Village SLORC
                                                                                                                                   Papun Township
                                                                                                                                   Kamamaung

Letter No. 2-3/village SLORC. Ka Ma

Date: December 9th 1992

To:

Village Head
Pa Baung Village

Subject: Removing All Villages from This Area

Reference: (1). Letter from 883 Strategic command1 Dated 6/12/92
                         Letter No. 1005/1 comdr./l

                  (2). Township SLORC (suboffice), Ka Ma Maung, letter
                        dated 9/12/92 from Township SLORC Papun

1. I have been informed by letter regarding the above subject (reference to point no. 11) that all undermentioned villages in Papun Township must move between 12th December and 31st December, 1992. After this date any one found hiding in the villages by the military columns will be shot, and any possessions still remaining in the villages will be confiscated.

2. Therefore, by this order, the named villages must hereby gather at the specified relocation site.

Papun Township

a). Meh Gala, Kee Lu Bra, They Nan Lan villages must move to Yay Bu Village
b). Taun Kyay Yin, Wah Du, Hat Gyi, Ha Bong, Kyaun Daw villages must move to Ta Dah Oo Village.
c). Kwin De Lah, Lay Pi Wah, Tee Naw Thay Hta villages must move to Wah Tho Ko Village
d). Shwe Yay, Po Pah Heh, Htee They Leh, Sah Li Kah, Pi Law Thay Ta villages must move to Taung Thone Lone village.

Signed: Aye Myint
Chairman                                                                                                                                            
Village SLORC Ka Ma Maung                                                                                                                    
Papun Township                                                                                                                                   

Copies to: 883 Strategic Command, Ka Ma Maung
                Deputy Township Officer, Ka Ma Maung
                Office Copy

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This order was received by villagers in Thaton Township:

For Immediate Action

                                                                                                         Township SLORC
                                                                                                         Thaton Township
No. 10/1 - 10/ Ma Wa Ta (Thaton)
Dated: 1992 December

To,

    Chairmen
    Village SLORCs
    Naung Ka Doke/Ma Chat/Chaung Sauk/Moe Kaung/Wee Yaw/Dun Wun

Subject: Relocation of Villages for security reasons

1. Within Thaton Township, in order to exterminate insurgents, due to security requirements, it is necessary that those villages in unsecured areas must move to safe areas. During the joint meeting of 88 Strategic Command HQ, 99 Strategic Command HQ, Local Military Command, State SLORCs, District SLORCs, and Township SLORCs, it was decided that the fol1owing villages will be relocated to the places mentioned:

2. At each relocation site, the relocated villagers must build a double fence around the site with only 2 gates. Those villages to be relocated will make preparations from 5/12/92 to 11/12/92, and between 12/12/92 and 31/12/92 they must complete the move to the re1ocation site.

3. To ensure that the relocation movements can occur within the time allowed, you are to explain this order to every family.

                                                                                                                        Signed:
                                                                                                                        For Chairman

Copies:

            - 88 Strategic Command, Thaton
            - 99 Strategic Command, Bilin
            - 44 Strategic Command, Thaton
            - District SLORC (Thaton)
            - 24 Bn. Don Yin Seik

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This order was received by the headman of Kyaut Done Village, Thaton District:

Stamped:

Frontline 315 Light Infantry Battn.
Column 2
Headquarters
Date: 21/11/92

To: Village Head
      Kyauk Done Village

Subject: Notificatio

1) When the villagers in this village meet the military column, they run away and escape. Therefore, starting from this date you must notify the villagers not to run away and escape any longer.

2) Next time they meet the military column, if they run to escape they will be shot, arrested, and questioned. After this, if they have been wounded or killed, our military column will not be responsible for that. You have hereby been informed.

                                                                                                                        (Signature illegible)

                                                                                                                        Column Commander,
                                                                                                                        Column 2 Headquarters
                                                                                                                        Frontline 315 LIB