Type of Incident

Tatmadaw torture of a villager

Date of Incident(s)

May 2003

Incident Location

(Village, Township and District)

T--- village, Ler Muh Lah Township, Mergui-Tavoy District

Victim information

Name         

Age

Sex

Ethnicity

Religion  

Family

Occupation

Village

Saw K---

56

Male

Karen

Christian

Yes

Church committee

T---

Perpetrator Information

Name 

Rank

Unit

Base   

Commander

[Htin Aung]

LIB [Light Infantry Battalion] #557, M--- [village] in Tanintharyi [Region]

Htin Aung

1. Explain the specific manner how you collected this information.

Saw K--- was arrested and tortured by [a captain from] LIB #557 in M--- [village] without fault [without a valid reason]. Saw K--- suffered beating and torture. This is his experience.

2. Explain how the source verified information accuracy.

N/A

Describe the Incident(s) in complete detail. For each incident, be sure to include 1) when the incident happened, 2) where it happened, 3) what happened, 4) how it happened, 5) who was involved, and 6) why it happened.  Also describe any villager response(s) to the incident, the aftermath and the current living situation of the victims. Please, use the space prepared below and create attach if needed.

In May 2003, people in T--- village said [spread a rumour] that, “there are weapons in the village”, so the [Tatmadaw] arrested Saw K--- [who allegedly possessed a weapon]. He was taken by the [Tatmadaw] for a week. After one night of torture, they continued to ask [Saw K---] questions for three days. The person who tortured [Saw K---] was LIB [Light Infantry Battalion][3] #557 Captain Htin Aung. People say that [Saw K---] was arrested because his brother-in-law [allegedly] gave him a gun, [but the real reason why he was tortured was] because Saw K---’s brother-in-law served in God’s Army.[4] The person who reported this to the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council][5] was called Saw G---. After that [the torture], the movement in [that area] was restricted and they [villagers] had to obtain a recommendation letter [to travel in the area]. They had to pay 100 kyat (US $0.10)[6] for the recommendation [letter] that allowed them to travel around for six days.

In addition, [the villagers] had to porter things for the SPDC soldiers to Htee Moo Hkee Ler Ker [army base]. They [the villagers] had to pay money [a fine] if they lost goods while portering and they had to do [other kinds of] forced labour and sentry duty as well. They [Tatmadaw] also requested a sentry when they lived in the village. In 2002, they [villagers] left the village because of [the negative impact of living near the] Military Operations Command (MOC)[7] #33 and LIB #557 Captain Tin Aung. Between the beginning of 2002 and 2011, they [the villagers] had to carry Burmese [army] rations twice a year.  

Did the victim(s) provide permission to use this information? Explain how that permission was provided.

N/A