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The orders below call village elders to ‘meetings’, usually at the local Army
camp. Village elders are deluged with such orders every week from each Army camp in their
area, making it difficult for them to tend their fields and perform their functions within
the village. Many of the orders ‘invite’ the elders, but almost without
exception they add the phrase ‘without fail’. They are expected to drop
everything and go immediately to the Army camp on receipt of these orders. Usually these
meetings are completely one-sided: an Army officer dictates demands for forced labour,
money or materials to a village elder and gives deadlines, or scolds and threatens the
elder for being lax in meeting previous demands. Sometimes the elders are ordered to
report on all movements of resistance forces in their area, and are threatened with
punishments if any of the information later proves to be inaccurate. ‘Discussions
regarding village security’ usually mean assignments for forced labour as unarmed
sentries, restrictions on the movements of villagers and threats of punishment for any
resistance activity which occurs in the area. The commanders often call all the village
heads in their local area to gather at the camp at the same time so they can allocate
demands to each village, and in this case the orders are copied and sent to as many
villages as are required.
The orders commonly threaten the elders that if they fail to come "the responsibility will be yours", or "the responsibility will fall on the village". The former means that the elder will be arrested and punished, the latter that the village will be punished in some form, which can mean forced relocation, looting or the burning of some houses. Some carry more explicit threats, such as the threat to "take serious action".
Village heads are usually afraid to go to these meetings, so on receiving these orders they often disappear off to their farmfields or to other places. This usually results in further angry and threatening letters from the Army officer, until after the third or fourth letter the village head has to decide whether to go to the camp or flee his/her village. Order #456 was written because a village head was so afraid to travel to a meeting with the Company Commander that he pleaded with another Army officer to intercede for him asking to be excused. Order #471 complains that the village head has repeatedly failed to come when called, and adds, "Now [I] am warning you again for the last time". Order #511 warns the village head, "Do not fail to take this seriously", and Order #525 threatens that "there will be a fine" if the village head fails to "report to yyyy camp as soon as you receive this letter".
To: Ko aaaa
(Chairperson)
19/1/2000 When you receive this letter now, come to contact our Column. The Elder yourself must come, you are invited.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #446 (Papun) To: Chairperson
21-1-2000 [We] Have to hold a meeting tomorrow, 22-1-2000, at yyyy, so attend without fail.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #447 (Papun) Stamp:
To:
25-1-2000 As soon as you receive this letter now, come to the Column at yyyy now.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #448 (Papun) Stamp:
To: As soon as you receive this letter now, [we] must discuss urgent matters. Come quickly to meet at yyyy camp, you are informed. Place: yyyy camp
[Sd.] [This is a carbon-copied order sent to several villages, with the village name and the signature written in afterwards in ink.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #449 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date:
3-2-2000 As soon as you receive this letter now,
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #450 (Papun) Stamp:
Date:
5-2-2000 Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, [we] will hold a meeting on 6-2-2000 at yyyy camp, so come without fail tomorrow, to arrive in the morning at yyyy camp, you are informed.
[Unsigned] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #451 (Papun) To: Mother Daw aaaa
9/2/2000 Come to yyyy on 10/2/2000 to arrive at 10 o’clock in the midday [morning].
[Sd.] Captain ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #452 (Papun)
Stamp:
To:
11-2-2000 When you receive this letter now, come to yyyy camp to arrive at 7 o’clock in the morning.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #453 (Papun) Stamp: As soon as you receive this letter now, come to meet quickly at the column, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #454 (Papun)
Stamp:
Frontline #xxx Light Infantry Battalion To: Chairperson Subject: Informing [you] to come to the Camp To ask and discuss the matter of villages/sections with the Elder, come to meet at yyyy camp on 18-2-2000 to arrive at 0900 hours, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #455 (Papun) To: Chairperson
17-2-2000 Have to discuss village matters with the Elder. The Elder yourself must come to meet at yyyy camp on 18-2-2000, to arrive at 0900 hours.
[Sd.] [On the back this order bears the stamp of Frontline #xxx Light Infantry Battalion, Column x Headquarters.] ______________________________________________________________________________ To: Company
Commander
Stamp: With friendliness, younger brother is writing. The matter is [your] summoning the xxxx chairperson from younger brother. He is also afraid of us [my unit] and doesn’t dare to come to us either. Dee Kay Bee Ay [DKBA] officer bbbb held a donation ceremony and invited all the Chairpersons and villagers. I gave permission. Tactical Command also ordered [me] to provide security for this ceremony. The ceremony finished yesterday evening, 22-2-2000. He [the xxxx chairperson] came and pleaded [with me] to write a letter because he doesn’t dare to go there. That’s why younger brother is writing, [asking you] to forgive the Chairperson.
Respectfully, [This is a letter from one SPDC officer to another. The addressee has ordered a village head to come to his camp, but the village head doesn’t dare go so he has managed to get the writer to enter a plea for him to be exempted.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #457 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date: 28-2-2000 Subject: The matter of Southwestern Command Strategic Command meeting the Heads The Southwestern Command Strategic Command Major has to meet and discuss with the Heads. Attend the meeting on 29-2-2000 at 7 o’clock in the morning, you are informed. Note: The Head yourself must attend.
[Sd.] [This is a carbon-copied order. On the back this order is addressed "To Head, xxxx [village]."] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #458 (Papun)
Stamp:
1-3-2000 The chairperson yourself must come to yyyy tomorrow and arrive at 0900 hours.
With
friendliness, ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #459 (Papun)
Stamp:
1-3-2000 Come to yyyy camp to arrive tomorrow at 0900 hours.
With friendliness, ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #460 (Papun)
Stamp:
Frontline
#xx Infantry Battalion Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, Frontline #xx Infantry Battalion Column x Headquarters at yyyy village wants to hold a meeting for military operations, security and village development issues. The Chairperson yourself must come without fail on March 7th 2000 to arrive at 8 o’clock, you are invited to the meeting.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #461 (Papun) To:
Stamp: Subject: Come to the column The xxxx Chairperson yourself must come to yyyy camp on 22-3-2000, you are informed.
[Sd.]
20-3 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #462 (Papun) To: Mother
Head
24-3-2000 Subject: Mother Head must come to meet Regarding the above subject, the Column Commander wants to meet Mother Head so as soon as you receive this letter, come quickly to meet at yyyy.
Stamp: ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #463 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date: 26-3-2000 Subject: The matter of inviting [you] to a meeting The Southwestern Command (Strategic Command) wants to meet and discuss with the Heads, so attend the meeting on 26-3-2000 and 27-3-2000, you are informed. Note: Without fail, the Head
yourself
[Sd.] [On the back this order is addressed "To Head, xxxx [village]. Urgent letter."] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #464 (Papun)
Stamp:
29-3-2000 The yyyy Strategic Command #x Base has a matter to meet and discuss with the village heads. On 5-4-2000 at 9 o’clock in the morning, come without fail to the VPDC office, you are informed.
Stamp:
[Sd.]
[Sd.]
29-3-2000 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #465 (Papun)
Stamp:
To:
31-3-2000 Subject: The matter of inviting [you] to a meeting Regarding the above subject, yyyy Strategic Command Base has to meet and discuss with the Elders, so come to arrive tomorrow, 1-4-2000, at 8 o’clock in the morning, you are informed. (Note) Come without fail, you are informed again.
[Sd.] [On the back this order is addressed "To Head, xxxx [village]. Urgent."] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #466 (Papun)
Stamp:
To:
Date:
1-4-2000 Subject: Inviting the Elder Regarding the above subject, [we] have to meet and ask things of the Elder, so come to yyyy camp on Monday, 3-4-2000 at 0800 hours in the morning. Chairperson U aaaa yourself must come.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #467 (Papun) To: Chairperson
Date: 9-4-2000 Subject: Informing [you] to come and meet at the Column Regarding the above subject, now, as soon as you receive this letter the Chairperson yourself must come quickly without fail to meet at the Column. If [you] fail it will be the responsibility of the one concerned, you are informed.
Stamp:
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #468 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date: 9-4-2000 Subject: Note: Come urgently with this
messenger now
[Sd.] [On the back this order is addressed "To Head, xxxx [village]. Urgent. Emergency letter."] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #469 (Papun) To: U aaaa Subject: Come to meet Now, as soon as you receive this letter, the village head yourself must come to meet with the Battalion Commander.
[Sd.]
14/4 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #470 (Papun)
Stamp:
To:
15-4-2000 Come to yyyy camp on 16-4-2000 to arrive at 1000 hours.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ To: Chairperson
Date: 19-4-2000 [I] Have asked the Elder to come many times, but as of today [you] still haven’t arrived. Now [I] am warning you again for the last time, you are informed. If [you] fail to come, it will be the responsibility of the Elder.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #472 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date:
28-4-2000 Subject: The matter of inviting [you] to a meeting Regarding the above subject, yyyy Strategic Command has to meet and discuss with the Heads. The Heads yourselves must attend a meeting on 1-5-2000 at 8 o’clock in the morning, you are informed. Note:
[Sd.] 28-4-2000 [On the back this order is marked "Urgent." It is a carbon copy sent to several villages, with the village name written in afterwards in ink.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #473 (Papun) Stamp: Informing [you] that #xxx Battalion will hold a meeting on 4-5-2000. Come without fail, you are informed. [Sd.] [On the back this is addressed to xxxx village.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #474 (Papun) To: Chairperson
4-5-2000 There will be a meeting at yyyy camp on 7-5-2000 at 0700 hours, so the Chairperson must attend the meeting. Bring the village chairperson’s seal [rubber stamp]. Come without fail to yyyy camp, you are invited. Do not fail. Note:
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #475 (Papun) To: Chairperson
6-5-2000 Subject: The matter of calling a meeting [We] Will hold a meeting on 10-5-2000 at 0800 hours at yyyy camp, so come without fail to yyyy camp and bring along the village seal [rubber stamp]. Do not fail. Note
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #476 (Papun) To: Mother Head
14/5/2000 Respectfully I am writing a letter. A meeting will be held tomorrow, 15/5/2000, at 9 o’clock. Mother Head yourself must come to yyyy village. You are respectfully invited.
Respectfully, ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #477 (Papun) xxxx [village] Mother Head, why didn’t you come as called to the meeting at 9 o’clock? Come at once now. [Sd.] Capt., 16/5[/2000] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #478 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date:
20-5-2000 Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, the #x Strategic Commander who has newly arrived wants to meet with the village heads, so attend the meeting without fail on 22-5-2000 at 10 o’clock in the morning at the VPDC office, you are informed.
[Sd.] 20-5-2000 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #479 (Papun) To: Chairperson (xxxx [village]) Date: 21-5-2000 Subject: Come to the Camp Have to meet and ask things of the Chairperson, so come to yyyy camp to arrive on 22-5-2000. [Unsigned] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #480 (Papun)
Stamp:
6-6-2000 Subject: Come to meet with the IB xx Battalion Commander The #xx Infantry Battalion is taking duty at yyyy camp, so the village heads must come without fail and meet on 8-6-2000, to arrive at 10 o’clock in the morning, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #481 (Papun) To: Head
9-6-2000 Have to coordinate matters of organising [controlling the villages]. Meet with the Battalion’s big commander. Come to yyyy camp to arrive on 12-6-2000 at 12 o’clock in the morning, you are informed.
[Sd.] [On the back is the official rubber stamp: "Frontline #xx Infantry Battalion / Column x". This is the carbon copy of an order originally sent to the village with the crossed-out name. On the carbon copy, the officer has crossed out the original village name and written in another, the date, and his signature.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #482 (Papun)
Stamp:
To:
14-6-2000 Every Saturday at #xx Infantry Battalion yyyy Camp, the Battalion Colonel will hold a meeting, so come without fail, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #483 (Papun) Chairperson (xxxx [village]) When [you] receive this letter, come to yyyy tomorrow, 17-6-2000, to arrive at 8 o’clock in the morning. [Sd.] xxxxxx [Army serial no.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #484 (Papun) To:
Stamp: Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting Regarding the above subject, to discuss the matter of security for the Elder’s village, attend the meeting at 1200 on 27-6-2000 at the yyyy village monastery.
[Sd.] [We have translated the Burmese abbreviation for Tactical Operations Command as TOC.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #485 (Papun) To: Chairperson
Date:
1-7-2000 Come and meet the Column quickly as soon as you receive this letter.
F.L.
LIB xxx [We have translated the Burmese abbreviation for Frontline Light Infantry Battalion as F.L. LIB.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #486 (Papun) Chairperson
22-7-2000 Tomorrow, 23-7-2000 at 0900 hours, attend a meeting at yyyy camp, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #487 (Papun) Stamp:
To: Subject: [You] Must come to a meeting As soon as you receive this letter, come to yyyy village, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #488 (Papun)
Stamp:
Township Peace and Development
Council To: Chairperson
Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding emergency , we will hold a coordinating meeting according to the agenda below. Attend without fail, informing and inviting you. The place where the meeting will be held:
yyyy
hall
[Sd.] [This is a cyclocopied form letter with only the details shown in italics written in by hand.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #489 (Papun) To: Chairperson / Secretary Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting Regarding the above subject, a meeting will be held to coordinate with village heads at #xxx Light Infantry Battalion, so the village chairperson or one secretary from the addressed village must attend the meeting (without fail) on 12-8-2000, to arrive at ( 12 ) o’clock, you are informed. Place: Papun Town
Stamp:
[Sd.] [This is a carbon copied order with only the village name, time and date written in by hand.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #490 (Papun) To:
Stamp: Mother Daw aaaa - The Tactical Command Commander wants to meet Mother and Naw bbbb from yyyy [village] today at 1400, 2 o’clock, so come, you are informed. [Sd. 19-8-2000] ["From zzzz Camp" is written on the back of the order.] ______________________________________________________________________________ |
19-8-2000 To: Pa aaaa When you receive this letter, come and arrive to meet. Must come. It is urgent, so [you] must come. Have to coordinate.
That
is all. [On the back of this order there is a stamp which reads "#xxx Light Infantry Battalion, Battalion Headquarters", and it is addressed to "Chairperson Pa aaaa, xxxx [village]". The village head complied and went to meet the following day.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #492 (Papun) To: Pa aaaa 20-8-2000 When this letter is received, come together with the xxxx [village] chairperson Pa bbbb. [We] Have a problem. Urgent.
That
is all. ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #493 (Papun)
Stamp:
Township Peace and Development Council To: Village Head Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting A meeting of #1 Strategic Command Group (base), Township Peace and Development Council, and the mountain village heads will be held on 18-9-2000 (Monday) at 10 o’clock in the morning at yyyy Hall, so come without fail on the evening of 17-9-2000 to Papun town, you are informed.
[Sd.] [This is a carbon-copied typed form letter, with just the village name and the signature written in by hand.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #494 (Dooplaya) Stamp:
To: Subject: The matter of coming to the Battalion Headquarters Regarding the above subject, as soon as [you] receive this letter, the village chairperson yourself must come to meet at #xxx Infantry Battalion, Battalion Headquarters, you are informed. Note: If [you] fail, it will be the responsibility of the Elder.
[Sd.] 23/9/2000 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #495 (Thaton) Mother [Village] Head Mother Village Head:
[Sd.] [On the back of this order was a small sticker of Garfield the Cat portering a suitcase.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #496 (Papun) To: Chairperson
3-10-2000 Subject: Informing [you] to come to yyyy Army Camp To coordinate and discuss the situation in the area under control of yyyy Army Camp, the Chairperson yourself must come to meet at yyyy Army Camp on 4-10-2000 at 0900 hours, you are informed.
[Sd.]
3-10-2000 ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp:
Township Peace and Development Council To: Village
Head
Subject: Invitation to a meeting [We] Want to coordinate and discuss with the Elder regarding village management matters. Come without fail (without fail) to the coordination meeting according to the agenda below, you are informed. A G E N D A
Date: 10-10-2000
(Tuesday)
[Sd.] [This is a copied form letter with the details shown in italics written in afterwards by hand along with the stamp and signature. Several villages were summoned to this particular meeting using this form. It is the same form which was used for the meeting in Order #405.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #498 (Pa’an)
Stamp:
To: Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting Regarding the above subject, [we] have to meet and discuss with the Elder. Come without fail to #xxx Light Infantry Battalion on 15-10-2000 (year 1362, 3rd waning day of Thadin Kyut) (Sunday) to arrive at 10 o’clock in the morning, you are informed. Place: yyyy
[Sd.] [This is a carbon copy, with only the stamp, village name, signature and ‘(for)’ added in. It is identical to carbon copies which were sent to other villages.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #499 (Papun)
Stamp: Subject: Inviting [you] to attend a meeting. Regarding the above subject, to coordinate and discuss the situation in the yyyy camp control area, come to yyyy Army Camp on 13-10-2000 at 10 o’clock, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #500 (Papun) To:
Stamp: Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting Regarding the above subject, to coordinate and discuss the regional situation in the control region of yyyy camp, attend at yyyy Army Camp on 13-10-2000, arrive at 1000 hours, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #501 (Papun) To:
Stamp: Subject: Informing you to attend the meeting Regarding the above subject, to coordinate and discuss the situation in the yyyy Army Camp control area, come to yyyy Army Camp on 13-10-2000 and arrive at 10:00 o’clock, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #502 (Papun) To:
Stamp:
Date: 13-10-2000 Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, a regional security and village security meeting will be held on 15-10-2000, Sunday, at 10 o’clock in yyyy village. The village chairpersons yourselves must attend (without fail), letting you know and informing you.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #503 (Pa’an) To: Head
Stamp: Subject - Calling for regional control Regarding the above subject, as soon as you receive this letter now, come quickly to meet at yyyy village for a discussion, you are informed. Date: 22-10-2000
[Sd.] [‘Regional control’ means that the Column Commander will most likely lay down restrictions on activities of the villagers in the area and threaten the village for any failure to comply.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #504 (Papun)
Stamp: Tomorrow, 23-10-2000 at 11 o’clock in the midday, there is a meeting. [You] Must come, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #505 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date:
1-11-2000 A matter to coordinate and discuss Regarding the above matter to be discussed with the Elder, as soon as you receive this letter come to meet at yyyy, you are informed.
(U
aaaa) ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #506 (Papun)
Stamp:
To: Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, [I] want to coordinate and discuss the matter of village security, so the village head yourself must come to report on 3-11-2000 at 3 o’clock to yyyy Army camp, you are informed.
[Sd.] 2/11 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #507 (Papun)
Stamp: Informing [you]. Without fail, attend the meeting with the #x Strategic Command Base Commander on 8-11-2000, Wednesday, tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock, you are informed. Come early.
[Sd.] [On the back this order is marked "Urgent. To Saw aaaa - Maung bbbb, xxxx village".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #508 (Papun) To: Head, xxxx village Subject: To discuss and coordinate matters of security and organising Regarding the above subject, to discuss and coordinate for the villages under yyyy camp, the village heads must come to yyyy camp on 12-11-2000 to arrive at 10 o’clock. If the heads are not healthy / away, the deputy heads should come instead. Without fail, you are invited.
[Sd.] [This order is handwritten and carbon copied, with just the village name and signature written in afterwards in ink.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #509 (Papun)
11-11-2000 Tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock come to the meeting at yyyy Army Camp, you are invited. The place [where] the meeting will be held is yyyy Army camp. The date of the meeting is 12-11-2000. Without Fail. [Sd.] 11-11-2000 ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #510 (Papun)
11-11-2000 Tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock, yyyy Army Camp invites [you] to a meeting. The place where the meeting will be held is yyyy Army Camp. The date of the meeting is 12-11-2000. Without Fail. [Sd. 11-11-2000] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
To: Subject: The matter of coming to the Battalion Headquarters Regarding the above subject, the village chairperson yourself is to arrive on 14-11-2000 at 0900 hours at #xxx Infantry Battalion, Battalion Headquarters office. Do not fail to take this seriously, you are informed. Note: Do not fail.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #512 (Papun)
Stamp: Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above matter, the Division Strategic Operations Command commander wants to meet and discuss, so come to meet me tomorrow (17-11-2000) at exactly 8 o’clock in the morning at yyyy, you are informed. (Note) Without fail.
(U
aaaa) [Handwritten copies of this order were sent to several villages.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #513 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date:
20-11-2000 Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, to meet and discuss with the #xx [Infantry Battalion] Company Commander, attend without fail a meeting today at 10 o’clock at yyyy, you are informed. [Sd. ‘U aaaa’] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #514 (Thaton) To: Mother, to discuss the matter of work, come to yyyy on 22-11-2000 at 1000 hours, you are informed.
[Sd.]
21-11-2000 [In this context ‘work’ means forced labour.] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp:
Township Peace and Development Council To: Chairperson / Village Head Subject: The matter of attending the regular monthly meeting Reference: Section/village tract VPDC chairpersons, village heads, township information departments: in Kya In Seik Gyi township, the Strategic Command group (base) wants to coordinate meetings at the end of every month on the 30th/31st at the township Army hall. 2) Therefore, the regular monthly meeting will be held on (30-11-2000), at 1:00 in the afternoon at the township Army hall. Attend without fail (without fail), you are invited.
[Sd.]
[This form letter, sent out to all villages in the area, has been repeatedly used to call meetings at the end of every month (see also Order #530 for the December meeting); only the village name and the date is written in by hand, and almost identical copies can be seen as Orders #212, 219 and 225 in "SPDC & DKBA Orders to Villages: Set 2000-B" (KHRG #2000-04, 12/10/00).] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #516 (Papun) To: xxxx Chairperson [Regarding] The matter of making a meeting. Attend the meeting on 23-11-2000 at 8 o’clock in the morning at yyyy Army Camp (tomorrow). Without fail. [This order was unsigned.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #517 (Papun)
Stamp: Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, to coordinate and discuss, come to meet with the yyyy [village] Chairperson on 24-11-2000, you are informed. Tonight we have a video, so come to watch.
(U aaaa) ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #518 (Papun) To: Chairperson
Stamp: Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting To discuss the matters of the regional situation and village security, villages from the west side of the zzzz River must attend a meeting at yyyy Army Camp on 27-11-2000, to arrive at 1200 hours, you are invited.
[Sd.] 25/11/2000 [This order is was carbon-copied to be sent to several villages, with the village name written in afterwards.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #519 (Papun)
Stamp: Subject: Invitation to a meeting Regarding the above subject, to meet and discuss with the #xx [Infantry Battalion] Column Commander, come to meet at yyyy today at 10 o’clock, you are informed.
(U aaaa) ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #520 (Dooplaya) Stamp:
To: Subject: To attend the meeting at Battalion Headquarters Regarding the above subject, a meeting will be held at #xxx Infantry Battalion, at the Battalion Headquarters Office. Therefore the village Chairperson yourself must come to the Battalion Headquarters on 31-11-2000 to arrive at 0800 hours in the morning, you are informed. Note - Do not fail. If [you] fail, it will be the responsibility of the village Chairperson.
[Sd.] [This is a carbon-copied order very similar in wording to Order #521, which was probably typed from it with slight alterations.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
To: Subject: The matter of attending the meeting at Battalion Headquarters Regarding the above subject, a meeting will be held at #xxx Infantry Battalion, at the Battalion Headquarters Hall. Therefore the village Elder, Chairperson yourself, must come to the Battalion Headquarters on 2-12-2000 to arrive at 0800 hours in the morning, you are informed. Note - Do not fail, the Chairperson will bear the responsibility.
[Sd.] [This is a typed order with the village name, date and signature written in by hand. Below the signature "Intelligence Officer, #xxx Infantry Battalion" had been typed, but it was obliterated by the ‘Intelligence Sergeant’ stamp. Several villages received copies of this order.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #522 (Thaton) (4) Ko aaaa The above 4 people must meet with the Strategic Commander. Send them today quickly, you are informed.
[Sd.] 1-12-2000 [The top portion of this order listing the first three of the four people has been torn off and lost.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #523 (Papun) To: Chairperson
Stamp: Subject: Calling for a meeting Regarding the above subject, the village Chairpersons must come to yyyy village without fail on December 12th 2000 to arrive at 10 o’clock in the morning, you are informed.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #524 (Papun)
Stamp:
Date: 9-12-2000 Subject - The #xx Battalion Column wants to meet and discuss with the Elder, so as soon as [you] receive this letter, come to meet at yyyy, you are informed.
(Note)
[Sd. ‘U aaaa’] ______________________________________________________________________________
Date:
13-12-2000 Subject: Come and report to yyyy camp as soon as you receive this letter. If not, there will be a fine.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #526 (Papun) To: xxxx [village]
Date:
16-12-2000 Subject: Calling a meeting [We] have to hold a meeting at yyyy camp, so the Elder yourself must come to yyyy camp on 17-12-2000 to arrive at 0800 hours, you are informed.
Stamp:
[Sd.]
Deputy Battn. Commander [This order was carbon-copied and sent to several villages.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #527 (Pa’an)
Stamp:
Subject: Invitation to attend a meeting The Elder is invited to attend a meeting without fail at Light Infantry Battalion #xxx on 1362, Nat Daw month, 8th Waning day (18-12-2000) (Monday) morning at 10 o’clock. The Elder is respectfully invited to attend without fail. Place: yyyy
- zzzz
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #528 (Dooplaya) Stamp:
18-12-2000 To:
[Sd.] [Handwritten copies of this order were sent to several villages.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #529 (Papun)
Stamp: Subject: To meet and discuss with the IB #xx Deputy Battalion Commander, meet on 22-12-2000 at zzzz village, you are informed. For the Myaing Gyi Ngu New Year Festival on 23-12-2000, two representatives must come on the 23rd in the morning, you are invited. (aaaa) [Myaing Gyi Ngu is the headquarters of the DKBA, and the festival is the Karen New Year. The sender, head of the Peace and Development Council for this area some distance from Myaing Gyi Ngu, has simply written his name in brackets at the end of the order instead of properly signing it.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
Township Peace and Development Council To: Chairperson / Village Head Subject: The matter of attending the regular monthly meeting Reference: Section/village tract VPDC chairpersons, village heads, township information departments: in Kya In Seik Gyi township, the Strategic Command group (base) wants to coordinate meetings at the end of every month on the 30th/31st at the township Army hall. 2) Therefore, the regular monthly meeting will be held on (31-12-2000), at 1:00 in the afternoon at the township Army hall. Attend without fail (without fail), you are invited.
[Sd.] [This is identical to Order #515 but to a different village and for the December meeting. This form letter, sent out to all villages in the area, has been repeatedly used to call meetings at the end of every month; only the village name and the date is written in by hand, and almost identical copies can be seen as Orders #212, 219 and 225 in "SPDC & DKBA Orders to Villages: Set 2000-B" (KHRG #2000-04, 12/10/00).] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #531 (Papun) To: xxxx [village] Chairperson 31-12-2000 I am writing a letter. Now, as soon as you receive this letter, come for a discussion at the camp, you are informed. If [you] don’t come, it will be the responsibility of the Chairperson.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #532 (Dooplaya) To: xxxx village Village head When [you] receive this letter now, come to meet the Column at yyyy village.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #533 (Thaton) Chairperson Mother -
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #534 (Papun) To: xxxx Chairperson (Invitation to a meeting) Regarding the above subject, the xxxx Chairperson yourself must come and arrive at 3 o’clock in the evening to attend the meeting at yyyy. Without Fail. [This order does not indicate the sender; however, there is an SPDC Army camp at yyyy.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #535 (Papun) xxxx village Chairperson U aaaa As soon as you receive this letter, come to yyyy for a while, there are things [we] have to discuss.
Must
come. ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #536 (Papun) xxxx [village] Head Pa aaaa, I am writing a letter to inform you. As soon as you receive this letter, come. Urgent. Must come. bbbb ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #537 (Papun) xxxx and yyyy heads. aaaa ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #538 (Papun)
Stamp: To: Subject: The village head must come to meet As soon as you receive this letter now, the village head yourself must come without fail to meet at yyyy village, you are informed.
[Sd.] |
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The orders below were issued by Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) units in Papun,
Pa’an, Thaton and Dooplaya Districts, with the exception of #568
which was issued by the ‘Karen Peace Group’ (see notes below). The DKBA units in
these areas are partly occupied in helping the local SPDC military as guides and in
fighting the KNLA, but also spend much of their time on their own projects, such as
collecting money in various ways, conducting or taxing commercial logging, demanding
payments from villages, and setting up road checkpoints to collect money from all vehicles
and passengers. The DKBA are also involved in supervising forced labour of villagers on
roads or building pagodas in some areas, whether under SPDC orders or for their own
purposes.
As a result of these types of activities, DKBA orders to villages read much like SPDC orders, except that they are often written in bad Burmese or almost equally bad Sgaw Karen. The DKBA also tend to be more direct in their language if and when they want to issue threats. However, it is important to note that some DKBA units are worse than others, and many of their orders are written in a much more genial tone than SPDC orders.
We have divided the orders below into several topical sections: Landmines, DKBA General Forced Labour, DKBA Demands for Materials and Money, DKBA Restrictions and Trade Controls Against Villagers, and DKBA & KPA Meetings and Festivals. Each of these subsections contains a brief explanation of the orders therein. Some of the orders below were written in Burmese, while the others were written in Sgaw Karen where noted. Instead of writing the DKBA’s name in Karen or Burmese, the officers usually write a series of Burmese characters which are pronounced "Dee Kay Bee Ay", but which have no meaning in Karen or Burmese. Where this occurs, we have used "Dee Kay Bee Ay" in the translations. Where they have written out the name of their Army in Karen or Burmese we have translated directly; it does not usually translate directly as Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, but as ‘Progressive Karen Buddhist National Army’ or simply ‘Karen Buddhist Army’. Where we have written DKBA, it is because it is written that way in English characters in the order.
Order #275 in the section ‘Set to a Village I’ and Orders #307 and 331 in the section ‘Set to a Village II’ were also issued by the DKBA. See also Orders #43, 63, and 118 in the section ‘General Forced Labour’, which were issued by the local authorities on behalf of the DKBA. Additional DKBA orders are included in order sets previously published by KHRG. For more information on the DKBA, see "Abuse Under Orders: The SPDC & DKBA Armies through the Eyes of their Soldiers" (KHRG #2001-01, 27/3/01).
Order #568 was issued by the ‘Karen Peace Group’, also known as the Karen Peace Army (KPA), a group in Dooplaya District which was established in 1997 by former KNLA commander Thu Mu Heh with support from the SLORC/SPDC. He immediately allied himself with the SLORC/SPDC and the regime made a show of giving him ‘authority’ over Dooplaya District, but since then his group has largely been sidelined because he failed to attract enough recruits to maintain military control over the region. Since then, the SPDC has strongly reasserted its military presence in the region, and has also brought DKBA units back into some areas from which they had formerly been expelled to make way for the KPA. For more background on the KPA, see "Dooplaya Under the SPDC: Further Developments in the SPDC Occupation of South-central Karen State" (KHRG #98-09, 23/11/98), and "Starving Them Out: Forced Relocations, Killings, and the Systematic Starvation of Villagers in Dooplaya District" (KHRG #2000-02, 31/3/00).
Similarly to the SPDC, the DKBA units tend to hold the nearest villagers directly
responsible for any military setbacks they suffer anywhere, with the logic that local
villagers should always provide them with full intelligence on any and all KNLA
activities. Villages are directly and severely punished for any ambushes, landmine
explosions, or even reports of KNLA movements or visits to the village. Punishments
usually include heavy cash fines for ‘compensation’, the burning of houses,
forced relocation of the village, and/or the detention, torture and possible execution of
village elders and villagers. The order below makes such a threat should the DKBA troops
encounter any landmines; ironically, the DKBA itself has heavily landmined the area where
this order was issued, as have both the SPDC and the KNLA. When casualties occur it is
often not even clear whose landmine has exploded, but the villagers are always punished by
one side or the other. A similar order issued by the SPDC can be seen in the section ‘General Forced Labour’ (Order #187). Many of the landmine casualties in the
area are villagers. For background see Order
#P1 in "SPDC Orders to Villages: Set
99-B" (KHRG #99-03, 19/4/99), in which the Pa’an District DKBA warns
the villagers that it is about to begin landmining the area, and other reports on
Pa’an District previously published by KHRG.
Tract
leader
Stamp: Writing to let you know. yyyy village gives you a warning. Landmines must not occur at all near the village. If they occur, we will take action, we will burn [your village]. This is an order.
Number
999 Army [This order is written in Sgaw Karen and entirely in red ink, which is usually seen as a threat that it must be complied with or there will be serious punishment. The writer uses bad grammar but his meaning is clear: if any landmines explode or are found near the village, the village will be burned. ‘yyyy village gives you a warning’ either means that the DKBA camp is at that village, or that they have already burned that village because of a landmine.] |
The orders below demand villagers for forced labour, most of which involves building,
maintaining and fencing DKBA camps, building and maintaining houses for DKBA officers and
their families, portering supplies and farming to grow food for DKBA units. The working
conditions are similar to forced labour for the SPDC. The DKBA routinely threatens
villagers should they fail to come for the labour; for example, Order
#541 threatens "If you don’t come you can’t stay",
meaning that the village elders will be arrested or the village destroyed. Order #543 makes a similar threat: "The Head yourself
cannot stay [in your village] without coming." Order #545
is less specific, demanding 2 forced labourers and stating, "If you do not send
them, you must suffer the punishment which will be given."
To: xxxx
head 2-2-2000 Subject: Writing to inform When you receive my letter today, send 20 of your workers from xxxx, and 30 people from yyyy. Bring along 20 mattocks [large hoes]. You cannot fail to come. The people from zzzz must bring 2 days of food. Receive
and obey. [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. On the back is written "Army matter. Send at once."] ______________________________________________________________________________ To: xxxx [village] Head Writing to let you know like this:
Company #1 Commander [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. It came in an envelope bearing the stamp "Karen Buddhist Army / DKBA" and dated 9/2/2000.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #542 (Papun) To: xxxx [village] Head 12-2-2000 Subject: Writing to let you know as below. When you receive my letter, you must arrange and send 30 of your villagers tomorrow, 13-2-2000. The work will be for 2 days. Your people who come must please bring along food for 2 days. Bring along 10 mattocks [large hoes] for digging. Send them to yyyy on 13-2-2000 if you can. Village head, come to meet. Regardless, send your people tomorrow on 13-2-2000 to yyyy. This
is from [This is a DKBA order written in Sgaw Karen. On the back it is marked "Military matter. Send at once."] ______________________________________________________________________________ To: xxxx [village]
Head
Stamp:
27-2-2000 Writing a reply to you. I haven’t seen you send your people, so I ordered people to ask you [about it]. Now when you receive my letter, send your 25 workers on 28-2-2000 with 3 days’ food and 10 mattocks [large hoes]. The Head yourself cannot stay [in your village] without coming. Come and bring along 400 betelnuts.
Receive and obey.
From
aaaa [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. On the back the village head has made a list of 22 names, probably the villagers who will have to go for forced labour.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #544 (Papun) To: [blank] Regarding the above subject, informing the village heads that to fence the Dee Kay Bee Ay [DKBA] Army camp, to plant the bamboo [posts], the village heads and villagers must gather it [the bamboo] and come to fence on 14-5-2000 at yyyy Dee Kay Bee Ay [DKBA] camp. Writing this letter to inform you. Dee Kay Bee Ay Company
Commander [Sd.] 12/5/2000 [This DKBA order is written in Burmese. On the back the village head has written a list of 25 names, presumably the villagers who went for the forced labour. DKBA officers are not very good writers, which explains the meaningless heading of ‘The subject matter’.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: To: xxxx [village]
Date:
21-5-00 Writing a letter and informing you. The letter that I have to write is an urgent matter, so send 2 people and 1 saw. If you do not send them, you must suffer the punishment which will be given. Will give 500 Kyat for one day. Send them to arrive on 21-5-00. That’s all.
[Sd.] [This DKBA order is written in Burmese.] |
DKBA Demands for Materials and Money
The orders below contain DKBA demands to villages to provide thatch roofing (Order #546 and several others), rice (Order #551)
and livestock (Order #553). Most of the demands are for thatch
roofing shingles, which are labour intensive to produce; villagers must gather leaves of
the specified type in the forest, cut and haul bamboo, split and shave the bamboo into
sticks and ties, then weave the leaves onto the metre-long bamboo frames. An order such as
#546 for 1,500 thatch shingles could easily take the whole village
a week to produce, two or three given that they must do their own work and meet other
forced labour demands at the same time. The demands for thatch are supposed to be "for
the house roofs of the soldiers’ wives and children", as stated in Order #548, but this is probably not always the case and much of the
thatch may be sold by the DKBA officers for profit. Even Order #548
actually demands money: "Because your village is so far, you cannot send
thatch, so send money, 10,000 Kyat", as does Order #547.
Despite all the labour required to produce thatch, the DKBA sends out angry and threatening letters if it is not delivered on time. Order #549 asks, "Haven’t you prepared the thatch? I gave you time, a long time ago now. If you wait only for the [orders of the] Burmese side, then when will it come? In your village is no one free? Someone must be free. There is no way that the whole village can be busy." In fact, most villagers usually are busy, trying to survive despite all the demands they face. Order #550 is more threatening: "Your ears are very dead. If you keep your ears dead, you will see trouble."
|
Stamp: Progressive Karen Buddhist Army To: xxxx village head Date: 23-12-99 Writing to let you know, when you receive my letter prepare one thousand five hundred (1,500) thatch shingles for me. Arrange it for me. Visit and tell the yyyy village head. Make them the full length. Send them to arrive at the end of Pya Tho month [February 3, 2000].
[Sd.] [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen and is marked on the back "Military Matter". Preparing such a large number of thatch shingles will require a great deal of labour, which may be why he tells the village head to tell the head of another village as well. The shingles may be to roof buildings at the DKBA camp, or to sell for DKBA profit.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Urgent Military
Matter
Stamp: To: xxxx village head Writing to urgently let you know. For the roofs of the Company #x soldiers and the soldiers’ wives’ houses you cannot send the thatch you must make. It is easier for you to send money. 1. xxxx [village] - 10,000
Kyat The [village] heads from xxxx must tell to let all the other villages know. On 2000/25 [meaning of date unclear] it [the money] must arrive to the vvvv village head. For [This DKBA order was written in Sgaw Karen. It is really just a demand for extortion money disguised as a demand for thatch roofing. The deadline date is unclear, but it is probably 25/2/2000 because this is the date specified in Order #548 below.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Urgent Military Matter: x
Stamp: To: xxxx village head Date: 9-2-2000 With full respect, writing to let you know as below. Because your village is so far, you cannot send thatch, so send money, 10,000 Kyat. If it is really thatch, send 2,000 shingles. These things are for the house roofs of the soldiers’ wives and children. Send the money and we will buy it for them. We obey when the leaders give us orders, and you also must obey well. Come and send it to yyyy village head aaaa on 25/2/2000. Don’t come to zzzz, there are many Burmese Columns there. Receive and obey. Gka Sa [The signature at the bottom has been torn off and lost. This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. See also Order #547.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: To: xxxx [village]
Head
Date: 26-2-2000 Haven’t you prepared the thatch? I gave you time, a long time ago now. If you wait only for the [orders of the] Burmese side, then when will it come? In your village is no one free? Someone must be free. There is no way that the whole village can be busy. Whether you can or not, you must come to meet at once. That’s all. yyyy
[camp] writing this letter [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. It followed the orders above, which demanded thousands of thatch shingles or cash payment by 25/2/2000. The whole order is written in red ink, which implies urgency and a threat to villagers who receive it. On the back this order is marked "DKBA - Urgent Military Matter".] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: Progressive Karen Buddhist Army To: xxxx village
head
Date: 30-3-2000 With respect, when you receive this letter send the thatch to arrive on 13th waning day of Da Baun month [April 2nd 2000]. Your ears are very dead. If you keep your ears dead, you will see trouble. Send it to arrive on the day when I am writing this letter. Come
yourself. [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen and marked on the back "Urgent Military Matter".] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp: Progressive Buddhist Karen National Army Elder, I am respectfully writing a letter to inform you. As soon as [you] receive this letter, the matter is about our ration rice right now, so the Elders must collect one big tin [of rice] from each village and send it with the messenger to arrive today in the evening, you are informed. DKBA [One big tin of rice is approximately 17 kilograms / 37.5 pounds.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #552 (Papun) Stamp: xxxx [village; misspelled] To: Chairperson, to inform Date: 13-5-2000 Respectfully writing to inform. The subject is to ask nipa palm thatch from the Chairperson’s village. Come to send 100 shingles of thatch from the Chairperson’s village to us on 17-5-2000. Writing to inform you. You must carry this out.
[Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: To: Head aaaa The Sergeant is writing to inform you as below. Come on the 5th of the month with 2 duh [‘duh’ is a qualifying word used to refer to four-legged animals, though he does not actually write ‘animals’]. Receive and obey. If you don’t come, you can’t stay [in your village]. When [you] arrive, [I] will give the money at once. We will pay whatever you request. Just
a few words, written by [This DKBA order was written in Sgaw Karen. On the back it is marked "Army Matter".] |
DKBA Restrictions and Trade Controls Against Villagers
The 3 orders in this section each control the activities of villagers in different ways. Order #554 dictates that villagers must obtain travel passes from the
DKBA or the authorised village head whenever they go anywhere, even if it is only between
villages. These are similar to SPDC travel passes which are also required (see the section
‘Restrictions on Movement and
Activity’ above); anyone found in the fields or forests without such a
pass "will be punished", which means they will be arrested and
detained for ransom or taken for an indefinite period of forced labour, usually as a
porter. If there are suspicions that they have connections to the resistance, they may
also be tortured or killed.
Order #555 shows an example of the DKBA trying to make money by forcing villagers to sell all of their seasonal cash crops through DKBA officials, forcing all traders to buy this produce from their units, and threatening punishments for any who fail to comply. For most villagers these crops are their only means of making money to supplement their subsistence rice crop, and they do not need or want an artificial middle-man to intervene. The area covered by this order includes almost all of southern Papun District.
Order #556 places restrictions on villagers cutting wood in the forest, similar to the SPDC’s Order #411 in the section "Restrictions on Movement and Activity". At first it may appear that this order is intended to protect the forests, but it is actually issued by a DKBA officer who is heavily involved in logging in the area. As with the SPDC order, its intention is to keep the wood for the profit of DKBA loggers rather than to protect the forests.
|
Stamp: Progressive Buddhist Karen National Army Number Ka Hsaw Wah Battalion - Dee Kay Bee Ay
Letter
No. Ka Hsa Wa / Gka-2 / 006 / 2000 Subject: The matter of carrying travel passes 1) Regarding the above subject, the civilians who travel in the Ka Hsaw Wah Battalion area must carry a travel pass from the concerned village chairperson, or the nearest Dee Kay Bee Ay organisation, or allies, whenever travelling. 2) When [you are] travelling and meet people in authority, if [they] check for passes [you] can show it. [You] Must volunteer it for checking at checkpoints. 3) Under our Ka Hsaw Wah Battalion, if the passengers who come to Ka Ma Maung - Myaing Gyi Ngu cannot show travel passes when they are checked, action will be taken and [they] will be punished. Therefore, the village heads must continue to inform your villagers, letting you know and informing you.
[Sd.]
9-8-2000 [This DKBA order was sent to all villages over a wide area, and KHRG obtained several copies sent to various villages. It was typed in Burmese on a typewriter, then copied by cyclostyling with the village name and signature written in by hand afterwards.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: Democratic Karen Buddhist Association Date: Year 2000, August 21st Subject: Notification of the local agricultural products purchasing project 1) Regarding the above subject, to find funding for Maw Tha Roh Noh District organising committee and Ka Hsaw Wah Battalion, the funds collection committee will take control of seasonal agricultural produce such as cardamom, [illegible] from villages in Maw Tha Roh Noh District. 2) To purchase the produce systematically and successfully, one area will be assigned to each committee.
3) Independent purchasers who would like to buy the agricultural products mentioned above must contact the assigned local person in charge. Purchase and transport of the produce will be done by their arrangement. 4) Actions including seizure [of the produce] will be taken if the related persons in charge are not informed, if they [the traders or farmers] buy and transport it themselves. 5) Be informed to explain to the local people from the areas assigned so they will understand the process. These duties must be performed exactly so that the plan will be implemented properly. Copies
to:
[Sd.] [This DKBA order is written in Burmese and covers almost all of southern Papun District. For most villagers these crops are their only means of making money to supplement their subsistence rice crop. To make money, the DKBA is muscling in as a middleman to force farmers to sell and traders to buy through them; however, as they do not have the manpower or equipment to actually implement this, they will probably implement this by having the farmers sell directly to the traders but with the DKBA demanding a large cut off of every transaction, and arresting anyone who fails to comply.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: Progressive Karen Buddhist National Organisation For Distribution Date: 7/2/2000 All Villages (Chairpersons) Subject: Prohibition against cutting wood which is not full sized 1) Regarding the above subject, from the directive of the head of the forestry control committee, [people] have been seen in Maw Th’Roh Noh district area cutting and transporting wood which is not full sized. This must not continue happening, the Maw Th’Roh Noh district forestry control concerned has directed. The wood in the Maw Th’Roh Noh district area under 3 [unclear - possibly 3 handspans in diameter] must not be cut starting from 7/2/2000. 2) Regarding the above matter, if the rule of forestry control is not obeyed, harsh action will be carried out. Letting you know so that you are informed. Copies to: 1) Head, forestry control office [It may appear that this order is intended to protect the forests, but it is actually issued by a DKBA officer who is heavily involved in logging in the area. As with similar SPDC orders (see for example Order #411), its intention is to keep the wood for the profit of DKBA loggers rather than to protect the forests. On the back this order is marked "Government Matter". It was distributed throughout the area.] |
DKBA & KPA Meetings and Festivals
This subsection contains orders from the DKBA for village elders to attend meetings, which
are usually to dictate demands for forced labour, money, food, goods and materials.
Village elders are expected to drop whatever they are doing to go to the nearest Army camp
to attend these ‘meetings’, despite the fact that they also receive similar
demands from every SPDC camp almost daily. If they fail to show up they are threatened
with punishment by orders like #558, which warns, "If
[you] don’t come to meet, [we will] give the responsibility to the Army",
meaning that troops will be sent to the village. Order #561 is
also threatening: "I ordered you but you don’t care. Do I have to come and
get you? I will wait for you until 11 o’clock. If you are not true to your words, you
will know about it."
Order #563 is a summons to a Buddhist festival, and Order #565 is an invitation to the annual Karen New Year festivities at the DKBA’s headquarters settlement of Khaw Taw (known in Burmese as Myaing Gyi Ngu) on the Salween River in Pa’an District. Order #568 was issued by the ‘Karen Peace Group’, a smaller Karen group allied with the SPDC, in Dooplaya District; for more information on this group, see the notes above in the introduction to the ‘DKBA Letters’ section.
Urgent Military Matter: x
Stamp: To: xxxx [village] group, yyyy village head, wwww head Date: 31/1/2000 With full respect, letting you know as below. When you receive this letter, you must come to meet at zzzz village on 5/2/2000, to arrive at 12 o’clock. If [you] don’t come, action will be taken.
Receive and obey. [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. Handwritten copies of it were sent to several villages.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
Date:
5-3-2000 [I am] writing a letter to inform [you]. Regarding the matter of the paddy, the Elders must come yourselves to meet on time at yyyy (Dee Kay Bee Ay [DKBA]) gate. If [you] don’t come to meet, [we will] give the responsibility to the Army, letting you know. [Sd.
5-3-2000] [This DKBA order is written in Burmese. ‘The matter of the paddy’ probably means crop quotas which the villagers have been ordered to hand over. ‘We will give the responsibility to the Army’ means that they will tell their troops to take military action against the village.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #559 (Papun) To: xxxx village to inform. Date: 5-4-2000 Respectfully writing this letter to inform you. The subject is that the Chairperson must come to meet with us. On 6-4-2000 at 10 o’clock bring along the pagoda trustees from Chairperson’s village and come to meet at yyyy village, writing to inform you. That’s
all. Company
Commander [Sd.] 5-4-2000 [This DKBA order is written in Burmese.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #560 (Thaton) xxxx [village] Have to meet and discuss about special matters with the village chairperson. On 8-4-2000 at 8 o’clock in the morning come to meet with us at yyyy Army camp, letting you know. [Sd.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: To: xxxx
village Date: 23-5-00 Writing this letter to inform you. Come to yyyy urgently on the date 23-5-00. I ordered you but you don’t care. Do I have to come and get you? I will wait for you until 11 o’clock. If you are not true to your words, you will know about it. My
notification,
Capt.
aaaa [This DKBA order is written in Sgaw Karen. "You will know about it" is a strong threat in Karen, meaning that you will be promptly and effectively punished.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #562 (Papun) To: [blank] Date: 7/9/2000 Subject: Village heads, right now [we] will hold a meeting with the #xx [SPDC] Battalion Commander, our Dee Kay Bee Ay [DKBA], and village heads. Attend the meeting on 8/9/2000 at yyyy. I am writing this letter to inform [you]. Dee
Kay Bee Ay [This DKBA letter is written in Burmese. Identically worded handwritten copies of it were sent to several villages.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp: Progressive Buddhist Karen National Organisation
Date:
2000, September 30th Subject: Invitations for - Ma Ta Ya Sa Festival Regarding the above subject, the Elders yourselves from the villages are invited to come and make merit, as the attached invitation letter sent from Ohn Daw Monastery reminds and invites you. Note: The directive is from the Brigadier himself.
[Sd.
30-9-2000] [This DKBA order was typed in Burmese and carbon-copied for distribution to many villages throughout the area, with the village name and signature handwritten in on each copy.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #564 (Papun)
Stamp:
24/11/2000 With full respect, when you receive my letter come to meet with me tomorrow at yyyy for a while. [I] Need something from you. It is important, come to meet me for sure. Just
a few words, [This DKBA order was written in Sgaw Karen.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Stamp:
[This invitation in Sgaw Karen has been copied on a cyclostyling machine. It has not been signed. Khaw Taw is the DKBA headquarters, known in Burmese as Myaing Gyi Ngu.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #566 (Papun) Stamp:
Date: 25-12-2000 With full respect, letting you know as below. When you receive my letter, you must come up to meet me at yyyy town. Come to meet me for sure on the 26th. I will wait for you in yyyy town. I will bring along for you the things that you need from the car owner. Please, you must come up to meet me for sure. From,
[Sd.] [This DKBA order was written in Sgaw Karen, but the stamp below the signature is in Burmese.] ______________________________________________________________________________ Order #567 (Thaton) xxxx [village] To coordinate an urgent matter with the chairperson from xxxx village, come now as soon as you receive this letter to the place where I stay at yyyy Army camp. You
must come as quickly as possible.
[Sd.] [This DKBA order is written in Burmese.] ______________________________________________________________________________
Stamp: Date:
16-12-2000 Subject - - - - - To meet and discuss with the Elder Now, regarding the above subject, on 16-12-2000, Saturday at 8:00 exactly in the morning, come without fail to meet with Major aaaa at Captain bbbb’s house in yyyy town. If [you] fail it will be the Elder’s responsibility. For: Captain
[Sd.] [This is an order from the "Karen Peace Group", also known as the "Karen Peace Army", formed in 1997 by a corrupt KNLA officer named Thu Mu Heh, which operates in Dooplaya District under the wing of the SPDC; it is worth noting that this order is written entirely in Burmese and orders the village head to come and meet in an SPDC-controlled town in Dooplaya. For more background on the KPA, see "Dooplaya Under the SPDC: Further Developments in the SPDC Occupation of South-central Karen State" (KHRG #98-09, 23/11/98), and "Starving Them Out: Forced Relocations, Killings, and the Systematic Starvation of Villagers in Dooplaya District" (KHRG #2000-02, 31/3/00).] |
- [END OF REPORT] -
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