PHOTO SET 2005-A: Flight and Displacement Part-B
Photos # 7-20, 7-21, 7-22, 7-23: These hill fields were prematurely burned by SPDC soldiers in 2003 to prevent villagers being able to plant a proper crop. Before a hill field can be planted, any brush that has grown since it was last used needs to be cut down, dried, and then burned. The burning is normally conducted in April or May once the cut scrub has sufficiently dried out. Burning prematurely produces an uneven burn, leaving clutter of bushes and small trees which makes a complete planting impossible. Without being able to plant the entire field, the villagers are unable to get enough rice to last them until the next harvest. Photos 7-20 and 7-21 show hill fields in Bilin township, Thaton District, prematurely burned on April 3 rd 2003 by SPDC LIB #11 (Battalion Commander Thein Zaw commanding). Photos 7-22 and 7-23 show hill fields near Ho Kay village, Bu Tho township, Papun District, prematurely burned on March 4 th 2003 by SPDC soldiers from LIB #6 and IB #14 (Battalion Commander Thein Htun commanding). These photos were taken in April 2003. [Photos: KHRG researchers] Photos #7-24, 7-25: SPDC Army soldiers destroyed this paddy barn near P--- village in Papun District in mid-2003. Almost all of the 50 baskets [1,050 kgs. / 2,300 lbs.] of paddy that were inside the barn were rendered inedible after the soldiers poured it on the ground. The owner of the barn, internally displaced villager Saw T---, was only able to salvage four or five baskets [84-105 kgs. / 184-230 lbs.] of the paddy. Once processed into edible rice, this will only last his family of six for one to two months. [Photos: KHRG researcher] Photos # 7-27, 7-28, 7-29: This is all that remains of the paddy storage barn belonging to Saw K---, 25, and Naw R---, 45, from Saw Mu Plaw village tract in Papun District. It was burned by SPDC troops on January 4 th 2003, destroying 60 baskets [1,260 kgs. / 2,760 lbs.] of paddy as well as their large ceramic jar, machetes, a spade and a saw. The paddy was still smouldering when these photos were taken a week later. [Photos: KHRG researcher]