DKBA combined base supplies gathered at villager expense

February 4, 2010

HURFOM, Bee Lin: The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) Brigade No. 999 and No. 333 have demanded building materials such as wood planks and nails, for building a new permanent base in Bee Lin Township, Mon State. Forces from Brigade No. 999 and No. 333 will share the base once it is complete.

Villagers from Kye Gaw village, Mae lay Khee village, Mae Nar Waw village, Noh Khae village, Khaw Htee Hta village, Phi Gee Khee village, Bae Lae Noh village and Bakyae village, were ordered by DKBA Colonel Saw Chit Thu to take responsibility for providing the 2 brigades with the wood and other materials to build the new base.

According to a resident of Be Lin Township, where Brigade No. 999 is currently based, the new base will be located in Kye Gaw Chaung Wa village in Bee Lin Township.

For the construction materials the Major specifically demanded villagers provide Ironwood for building in the new camp. Area residents have reported that the wood costs around 500,000 to 700,000 kyat pre ton.

Ironwoods are known for their durability and resistance to wear from natural elements due to the wood’s density. According to a resident from Mae Nar Waw village, on January 13th, Saw Zin Aung who is a high ranked administrative officer responsible for DKBA Brigade No. 333 demanded villagers bring 7,500 wood planks from villages near his own village. The planks were specifically to be sized 4 x 0.75 inches. The villager provided a list to the HURFOM reporter of the names of the villages and the number of wood planks each village brought to the location of the new base in Kye Gaw Chaung Wa. The villages are Ba Kyae – 500 planks, Baewar Chaung – 1,000 planks, Khaw Htee Khee – 1,000 planks, Khaw Htee Htar -1,000 planks, Phi Gee Khee – 500 planks, Bae Lae Noh – 2500 planks and Noh Khae – 1,000 planks.

Villagers in Mae Nar Waw reported being unable to afford Ironwood, forcing some to travel into the forest to find any wood, instead of Ironwood, that could be used for building. On the orders of Col Chit Thu, Mae Nar Waw village had to give 12,000 ironwood planks and 300 bamboo poles to the construction project.

According to one villager, 20 Ironwood poles cost 35,000 kyat. It remains unclear as to what results failure to collect the demanded building materials will bring. Villagers have stated that in past experiences where they were unable to provide the DKBA with the supplies they demanded, which resulted frequently in threats shouted at villagers, and verbal abused at gunpoint, until they managed to meet the demands.

“Many villagers in my village live in a hand to mouth situation,” lamented a Mae Nar Waw villager. “We have no idea how or where we can get ironwood, so we decided to find some other kinds of wood instead.”

According to a Khaw Htee Khee resident, some villagers could not afford price of the wood planks and nails. Some villagers had even to sell things such as livestock.

A widow from To Khaw Htee Khee told the HURFOM field reporter that, even though she is 59 years-old, she had to provide 30 planks of wood and 3,000 kyat for nail. She had to let her 14 year-old son accompany other villagers to cut planks of wood from the forest. But he was unable to due to the difficulty in felling and then cutting trees in to 30 plans, despite assistance from other villages. The mother of the 14-year-old boy described that when he arrived home he cried because he had no idea where he could get 30 planks of wood.

“At first I had hoped that in cooperating with the regime the DKBA could help villagers, such as less portering, [less] force labor and less taxation, but the reality is they also are involved in these the same as the regime,” the widow stated. “We villagers have to provide 2 times as much compared to the past, because villagers not only have to provide to State Peace and Development Council but also Democratic Karen Buddhist Army.”

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News