An Independent Report by the
Karen Human Rights Group
February 20, 1996 / KHRG #96-08
[Note: Some details have been omitted or replaced by ‘xxxx’ for Internet distribution.]
Following are the direct translations of SLORC typed and handwritten orders sent to
Karen villages in the Kya In and Kawkareik areas of Karen State. All of these orders were
signed by SLORC Army (Tatmadaw) officers or SLORC officials, and most of the orders bear
the rubber stamps of the issuing military unit. Many of them were copied and sent to many
villages. Photocopies of the original orders (with certain details such as village names
blacked out) are available on request. Most of the following orders involve demands for
forced labour, money, food, building materials, rice confiscation quotas, etc., along with
forced relocation orders, threatening demands for village heads to go to the Army camp,
and others. Hundreds of such orders are issued every week, so those translated in this set
should only be considered a representative sampling. The elders of a village generally
receive several such orders every week.
Some of the orders mention "voluntary labourers", a SLORC euphemism for forced
labour; as the orders make very clear, serious action will be taken if the
"volunteers" fail to show. Another common expression is "If you fail, it
will be your responsibility". This means you can expect to be arrested and tortured,
and it will be your own fault. Action taken against villages for failure to obey such
orders often includes arrest, detention and torture of elders, increased forced labour or
extortion quotas, troops coming and looting the village, burning houses and food supplies,
or shelling the village.
Abbreviations
IB = Infantry Battalion
LIB = Light Infantry Battalion, LORC = Law & Order Restoration
Council (SLORC's local-level administration, such as Village LORC, Township LORC and Karen
State LORC). In the orders, numeric dates are always written in dd-mm-yy format. Some
details such as village names must be omitted for protection, and these have been replaced
by 'xxxx', 'yyyy', etc.
Topic Summary
SLORC rice confiscation (Orders #1,2), forced relocation (#5), forced labour on roads (#3,4,17), other forced labour (#6-9,17-19,24,33,44-47), demands for money (#4,15,21), demands for wood (#10-14), demands for food (#12,22,23,33,34,40,41,46), demands for oxcarts (#15,16), demands for video machine (#20), intelligence gathering (#18,25,26,42,43), arrest (#27,28), threats (#5,7,14,16,19,20,27,28,31,32,35,44,45,47), travel restrictions (#9,48).
============================================================
Order #1
Stamp: VERY URGENT
Township
Law & Order Restoration Council
XXXX
town
Ref.
No. XXX / XXX / TLORC (XXXX)
Date:
1995 November
To: xxxx
xxxx village
XXXX Township
Subject: To purchase the full amount of paddy for 1995-96
1. Regarding the above subject, according to the Karen State LORC meeting held on
15-11-95, a plan was made to purchase at the previous price (4) baskets of summer paddy
per acre, and if possible more than that, in each township of Karen State. Under the
Agriculture and Purchasing Plan, according to the decision made by the Karen State LORC,
it was directed to fulfill the plan, order reference 212 / 60-2 / Township LORC (Karen
State) dated 21-11-95.
2. Thus, we inform you to make arrangements to purchase (4) baskets per acre.
[Sd.]
(for)
Chairman
(U
XXXX - Secretary)
Copies to: Office Copy / by clearance only
[Notes: a village chairman wrote on this order "We received this letter on 3 Dec.
1995". Four baskets per acre for the 95/96 harvest is 4 to 5 times higher than
previous quotas. SLORC is increasing quotas exponentially in order to export rice for
profit and to show the world "things are good in Burma", as well as to feed its
ever-expanding Army. As a result, Burma is now in the grip of a staggering rice shortage -
people are starving, and rice prices have doubled since last year in many areas (only
military families can buy rice at subsidized prices). However, as noted in this order the
farmers are still to be paid the "previous price" for the quota, probably 70
Kyats per tin. A year ago market price was 225 Kyats per tin, and this year market price
is 400-500 Kyats per tin.]
============================================================
Order #2
Stamp: VERY URGENT
Township
Law & Order Restoration Council
XXXX
town
Ref.
No. XXX / XXX / TLORC (XXXX)
Date:
1995 December 4th
To: Chairman
xxxx Village LORC
XXXX Township
Subject: Invitation to a Meeting
To discuss the milling of the rice bought from XXXX Township, ricemill owners are invited
to come to the Township LORC office on 12-12-95 at 10 a.m. We inform you to attend the
meeting without fail.
[Sd.]
(for)
Chairman
(U
XXXX - Secretary)
Copy to: Office Copy / by clearance only
[Note: By SLORC order, the Township LORC confiscates rice from all farmers at only
10-20 percent of market price. This will be a meeting to order all ricemill owners to mill
it for SLORC, most likely with no compensation whatsoever for their costs.]
============================================================
Order #3
Stamp: VERY URGENT
Township
Law & Order Restoration Council
XXXX
town
Ref.
No. XXX / XXX / TLORC (XXXX)
Date:
1995 December 4th
To: Chairman and Headmen
xxxx Village LORC
XXXX Township
Subject: To carry out voluntarily Kya In Seik Gyi to Tee Paw Kloh road construction
Regarding the above subject, we inform you that since the work on the Kya In Seik Gyi to
Tee Paw Kloh road has to be finished on (8-12-95) and (9-12-95), each village has to dig
(217) holes as assigned and has to bring along all the tools needed in order to carry out
the voluntary work.
Note: You must gather at 6 a.m. at XXXX village.
[Sd.
/ 4-12-95]
(for)
Chairman
(U
XXXX - Secretary)
Copies to: No. XXX Infantry Battalion, XXXX town
Township
Law & Order Restoration Council, XXXX town
Office
Copy / by clearance only
[Note: the villagers have to dig the holes to get earth and rock, then carry it to the
roadbed.]
============================================================
Order #4
To: Chairman
We notify you that nobody from your village turned up at xxxx village at 6 a.m. on 8-12-95
to finish digging the (200) holes assigned to (4) villages for the construction of the Tee
Paw Kloh road. Give the assignment to share equally amongst your villagers for the above
mentioned (200) holes. The other villages have all arrived. If your villagers cannot do
this, you can also hire people in XXXX. For one hole, 200 Kyats, as it was for the Dali
road. Come to me to make a contract if any quarter people [people from the quarters of
XXXX town] need to be hired. The wages will be paid as follows: 100 Kyats first and then
100 Kyats the second time. Come and make a contract.
[Sd.
/ 8-12-95]
(xxxx)
Rice
collector for the government
[Note: This order in Burmese is full of spelling mistakes and written in a shaky
scrawl, by an official who is apparently semi-illiterate. "The wages" of 200
Kyats does not mean they will be paid for the work - it means the amount villagers must
pay to hire replacements if they can't go.]
============================================================
Order #5
To: Headman
Stamp:
xxxx village
#XXX
IB
Column
1 HQ
Subject: Relocation
Regarding the above subject, we inform you that since there will be soon a military
operation, the following villages: XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, etc. have to move quickly to a
war free zone. When our column enter into these villages, if they see any villagers it
will be the responsibility of those villagers.
Area: xxxx village
[Sd.]
Date: 30-6-95
Intelligence
Officer
No.
XXX IB
[Note: "it will be the responsibility of those villagers" means any
villagers still seen in their villages will be considered as enemy and shot on sight.]
============================================================
Order #6
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairman
Date:
14-8-95
Column ( )
xxxx
village
Subject: To go to cut and to clear
Regarding the above subject, one person from each house must go to No. XXX Infantry
Battalion on 15-8-95.
Note: You must bring your own rice packet.
[Sd.
/ 14-8-95]
(for)
Column Commander
[Note: This work is cutting trees and clearing land for an army post or forced-labour
farming fields. The village head later wrote "Done" on this order and signed
it.]
============================================================
Order #7
To: Chairman
Stamp:
xxxx village
#XXX
IB
Column
1 HQ
Subject: To send voluntary labour
Regarding the above subject, the headman has to provide (7) voluntary labourers and rice
for 3 days for SLORC and DKBA troops to xxxx monastery. You must send the labourers and
the rice on 1-7-95 at 9 a.m. If you fail to send them, action will be taken.
Area: xxxx monastery
[Sd.]
Date: 30-6-95
Intelligence
Officer
No.
XXX IB
============================================================
Order #8
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
No. 2 Company
To:
Village Head
Date: 4-3-95
xxxx
village
I am writing to you. On the 6th at 0900 [9 a.m.] you must bring 30 voluntary
labourers, food for 3 days, spades, machetes, and baskets to the Battalion headquarters.
Note: Come without fail.
[Sd.]
Company
Commander
No.
2 Company
No.
XXX Infantry Battalion
============================================================
Order #9
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
No. 2 Company
Date: 6-3-95
Acknowledgement
Attached is a list of (30) people from xxxx village. We acknowledge that they are going to
xxxx, XXXX township, to do voluntary labour for No. XXX IB.
(Attached: (1) list of
people's names)
[Sd.]
Company
Commander
No.
2 Company
No.
XXX IB
[Note: this document was given to the villagers to allow them to travel to the forced
labour site - otherwise they would not be allowed to pass the SLORC checkpoints. The list
attached has been withheld from this report for security reasons.]
============================================================
Order #10
To: Village Head
10th
day of Thadin Kyo waning moon
xxxx village
18-10-95
You must arrange that your villagers send 100 logs, each 6 plah [9 feet] long
within 3 days from your village to XXXX camp.
[Sd.]
Camp
Commander
XXXX
camp
============================================================
Order #11
To: Chairman
xxxx village
Date:
1995 November 14
Subject: To send wooden posts
To use as lamp posts, you must send (10) wooden posts of teak or pingado [a kind of
ironwood] of (4) hands [handspans] circumference and (11) plah [17 feet]
long to No. XXX Infantry Battalion on 20-11-95 at the latest.
[Sd.]
xxxx
Intelligence
Officer
============================================================
Order #12
To: Village head
Stamp:
15-5-95
xxxx village
No.
XXX IB
No.
2 Column HQ
Subject: Come and report to the Column
Regarding the above subject, we want to meet with the headman. So come and report to the
column as soon as you receive this letter.
[Sd.]
Column
Commander
Note: You have to bring along (2) viss [3.2 kg.] of chicken for curry. We also
need (2) tonnes of padauk timber to make beds.
============================================================
Order #13
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairmen
Battalion Office
XXXX
/ XXXX / XXXX / XXXX / XXXX /
XXXX
/ XXXX / XXXX / XXXX villages [9 villages]
Date:
7-12-95
Subject: To send firewood to sell to the battalion brick factory
Each village must come and bring (10) bullock carts of firewood in December. We inform you
that we will pay cash.
[Sd.]
Battalion
Captain
[Note: The cash paid will almost certainly not be very much, but villages have no
option but to obey. In many areas villagers and teenage conscripted rank-and-file soldiers
are made to do forced labour at these brick factories.]
============================================================
Order #14
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
xxxx village head
Battalion Office
Date:
7-12-95
Subject: The headman must come to the Battalion Office urgently
Village headman, we ordered you to bring (20) oxcarts of firewood in November but you did
not bring anything. So village headman, you yourself must come urgently and account for
this at the Battalion Office.
[Sd.]
Battalion
Captain
[Note: the language used in this letter is particularly strong and threatening.]
============================================================
Order #15
Myanmar
Column and Township Law & Order Restoration Council
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairman
Date:
23-8-95
Column ( )
xxxx
village
Along with the bearer of this letter, you must send (2) bullock carts to the column at 6
a.m. tomorrow.
You have already paid 1,800 Kyats out of the 2,100 Kyats servants' fees for the 11th to
the 31st. So you must send the rest of the money, 300 Kyats, immediately along with him.
Thank you,
[Sd.]
23-8-95
(Sergeant
xxxx)
[Written on the back of the order: "Please collect and send as quickly as
possible and bring the remaining servants' fees. The column is asking for it and also for
the (2) bullock carts." The following was written in later on the order paper:
"We didn't go and meet.
25-8-95
[Sd.]
Chairman,
xxxx village"]
============================================================
Order #16
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairman / (U xxxx)
Column 2
xxxx
village
Date:
3-12-95
Date: 3-12-95
Subject: To send (4) bullock carts
Regarding the above subject, Chairman U xxxx, you yourself and (4) bullock carts
must come to the place where the Column is staying. You must come without fail. If you
fail, it will be your responsibility.
[Sd.
/ 3-12-95]
(for)
Column Commander
============================================================
Order #17
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairman
Date:
6-11-95
Column 2
xxxx
village group
Subject: To come and attend a meeting about the restoration of XXXX monastery
and the building of the road.
Regarding the above subject, the following village leaders have to come and attend a
meeting on 7 November 1995 at 8 a.m. at XXXX monastery without fail.
1. U xxxx
2. U xxxx
3. U xxxx
4. U xxxx
P.S. Attend without fail.
[Sd.
/ 6-11-95]
(for)
Column Commander
[Note: this will be a meeting to assign forced labour quotas for the two projects.]
============================================================
Order #18
To: Headman
( xxxx ) village
Subject: Invitation to a meeting
Regarding the above subject, we inform you that the headman himself has to come and attend
a meeting on 18-10-95 at the ( xxxx monastery ) about "security and military
operations" and "development of the area" without fail.
[Sd.]
Date: 16-10-95
XXXX
Infantry
No.: XXXX / XXX / (X)
Column
1
[Note: this is a typed form letter with the place names written into blanks enclosed in
brackets.]
============================================================
Order #19
To: xxxx village
Stamp:
Chairman
#XXX
LIB
Column
#2
Village Chairman, you must come to xxxx camp or to the place where the column is staying
on 18-10-95 at 1 p.m. to discuss about control of the area and servants' matters [porters].
We inform you to come as soon as you can.
Note: Come without fail under any circumstance. If you fail, it will be your
responsibility.
[Sd.]
(for) Column Commander
No. XXX LIB
============================================================
Order #20
Stamp:
Full
Moon Day of Tha Bo Tway
No. XXX IB No. 2 Company
Layman-in-charge
of monastery / Headman
Date: 14-2-95
xxxx
/ yyyy villages
- You must come and meet us at xxxx army camp without fail on the first day after full
moon day of Tha Bo Tway.
- We inform you that you must bring a video player on the first day after full moon day of
Tha Bo Tway.
- If you fail to come, we won't take any responsibility [for what happens to you].
[Sd.]
Company
Commander
No.
2 Company
No.
XXX Infantry Battalion
============================================================
Order #21
Stamp:
No. XXX IB To: Village
head
Column 1
xxxx
village
XXXX [orchestra and dance] troupe will perform, so give today without fail 500
Kyat for the fund from your village.
Date: 21-2-95
[Sd.]
Place: xxxx village
Intelligence
Officer
No.
XXX Infantry Battalion
[Note: Written on the back in red ink was "Important, Quickly"]
============================================================
Order #22
Stamp:
To: Village Head xxxx
No.
XXX IB
xxxx village
Column
2 HQ
I write this letter to let you, xxxx, know. The subject is that the Column arrived at xxxx
so send 30 limes and chicken, about 2 viss [3.2 kg.], today at about 4 o'clock. I
remind you, xxxx, come and send these things yourself.
[Sd.]
(for)
Column Commander
============================================================
Order #23
To: Honourable village leader
29-1-95
Please kindly send 150 mangoes on 30-1-95 from your village.
From:
xxxx Column
============================================================
Order #24
To:
11-2-95
Older Brother,
Clean my watch. It keeps stopping. Change the winder.
[Sd.
/ Lt., IB XXX]
xxxx
Camp Superintendent
============================================================
Order #25
Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
To:
Village head
19-8-95
Intelligence
xxxx
village
Subject: Send information quickly
1) The village head must come and report to xxxx camp as soon as you receive this
letter.
2) Give information for this week.
3) After sending information to the nearest Column, come and report to xxxx camp.
[Sd.]
Intelligence
============================================================
Order #26
Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
Intelligence
To:
xxxx (xxxx village head)
17-12-95
Send a messenger with the information about yesterday's asking for rice [by Karen
soldiers who came to the village], recent information, afternoon information and
evening information. Write a complete report about the direction the enemy left in and
when.
[Sd.]
(for)
Column Commander
#XXX
Light Infantry Battalion
============================================================
Order #27
Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
To:
Chairman
Intelligence
xxxx
village
xxxx, yyyy: You two from xxxx village must come and meet us as soon as
you receive this letter. If you fail to come, the honourable village head will be held
responsible.
[Sd.
/ 22-12-95]
Column
Commander
No.
XXX Light Infantry Battalion
[Note: Written on the back of the order was "Important / Come Immediately",
with "Come Immediately" in red ink. When the two village leaders obeyed this
order and went, they were both held under interrogation for several days at the camp for
"not reporting rebel movements".]
============================================================
Order #28
Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
Intelligence
To:
xxxx village
Dear xxxx / yyyy: Come to the Column with zzzz's wife as soon as you
receive this letter. If you fail, when the Column enters the village we will not (WILL
NOT) be responsible for what happens.
[Sd.
/ 12-12-95]
(for)
Column Commander
#XXX
Light Infantry Battalion
============================================================
Order #29
Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
xxxx
village
Intelligence
Village
Chairman xxxx
As soon as you receive this letter, we inform you to come and meet the Column Commander
where the Column stays, as soon as possible.
[Sd.
/ 18-11-95]
(for)
Column Commander
#XXX
Light Infantry Battalion
============================================================
Order #30
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairman
Date:
29-11-95
Column 2
xxxx
village
Date: 29/11
Subject: To come to xxxx monastery
Regarding the above subject, the headman must come to xxxx monastery to discuss about the
middle school and health, education and social welfare on 30-11-95, tomorrow, at 6 a.m. We
inform you that you must not fail to attend the meeting.
[Sd.
/ 29-11-95]
(for)
Column Commander
============================================================
Order #31
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
U xxxx
Column 2
xxxx
village
Date: 9-12-95
As soon as you receive this letter, come to the place where the Column is staying. If you
fail, it will be the headman's responsibility.
[Sd.
/ 9-12-95]
(for)
Column Commander
============================================================
Order #32
To: Village Head
15-12-95
xxxx village
The village head must come quickly to the Column as soon as you receive this letter.
Note: 1) Do not fail. If you fail the village head will be held responsible.
[Sd.]
(for)
Intelligence Officer
Column
Office
============================================================
Order #33
To: xxxx
Date:
21-8-95
Send a chicken, limes, and a bottle of oil as requested by our Captain, along with the
village sentry man from xxxx village [a villager being forced to do sentry
duty and act as messenger].
[Sd.]
Lance
Corporal xxxx
(acting
Captain)
============================================================
Order #34
To: Mother xxxx
This letter is written by your elder son. The subject is, I have things to do so please
send a fat duck. There are guests at your elder son's place, so please help without fail.
Mother, it's a hard time for me.
[This letter] Sent with 100 Kyat With love and respect,
[Sd.
/ 14-9-95]
[Note: a fat duck is worth at least double 100 Kyat.]
============================================================
Order #35
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
Column 1
To:
Chairman xxxx (xxxx village)
Date:
1-6-95
xxxx, come to the Column as soon as you receive this letter. We call you because there are
important matters. You will be responsible if you fail to come.
Note: You are reminded again to come immediately without fail.
[Sd.]
Company
Commander
Company
#1
#XXX
Infantry Battalion
============================================================
Order #36
Stamp:
No. XXX LIB
To:
xxxx village
14-10-95
Column 2
Chairman
/ Secretary
Honourable village headman, send xxxx or yyyy to the Column to meet the Column Commander.
Note: The Column Commander asks to meet both xxxx and yyyy.
Without fail.
[Sd.]
(for)
Column Commander
============================================================
Order #37
To: xxxx village
Village Chairman, when you receive this letter we inform you that you must come on the
21st to the place where the Column is staying.
[Sd.]
(XXXX)
============================================================
Order #38
Stamp:
No. XXX IB
To:
Chairman (Village Head)
Date:
20-5-95
No. 1 Company
xxxx
village
Subject: Summoning the headman
Regarding the above subject, we inform you that you have to come without fail to the army
column on 21-5-95 at the latest to discuss important matters.
Note: Come without fail.
[Sd.]
Company
Commander
&n