Burmese Military Bring False Accusations in Efforts to Extort Local Villagers

April 1, 2014

As Burma transitions to a democratic society, human rights abuses continue to be committed. Burmese soldiers continue to commit acts of brutal assault on citizens, while military and government authorities fail to act. The military violates villagers’ rights with threats of false accusations, physical assault, and demands of extortion.

On March 14, 2014, Nai Win Aung, 50, from Shew Hin Tar Twa Thint village, located about a mile from Khaw Zar City, Khaw Zar Sub-township, Ye Township, was physically assaulted by Captain Zaw Myo Htew, from Infantry Battalion (IB) No. 31. The military accused Nai Win Aung of allowing his buffalos to enter the battalion base and feed on the grass; when Nai Win Aung staunchly denied his buffalos ever grazed on the base, the Captain physically assaulted him.

Although Nai Win Aung refutes the accusations, the military maintained that the buffalos found on the IB No. 31 battalion base belonged to him. In an effort of extortion, Captain Zaw Myo Htew told Nai Win Aung that he must pay the soldiers in order to get his buffalo back. When Nai Win Aung contested the military’s accusation, telling Zaw Myo Htew that the buffalo were not his and that they must belong to another villager, the Captain attacked him. Captain Zaw Myo Htew hit Nai Win Aung six times in the face and once in the chest, resulting in a bloody nose and injured mouth. The victim still suffers from his injury, and is currently experiencing trouble eating food properly.

After the assault, Nai Win Aung informed senior members of the military, in efforts to bring charges against Zaw Myo Htew for the assault. To date, senior leaders have not taken any action to investigate the case, nor charge the Captain.

“If they were my buffalos”, says Nai Win Aung, “[the military] could shoot them [on sight]. I never let my buffalos wander around the battalion. I always look closely after them. They accused me because they want to extort money from us. They sometimes create problems to extort money from the locals. It was really abuse and torture. I informed the upper [military personnel] and [IB No. 31’s] colonel, but I got no response. There were a lot of situations the same as mine, but [the other victims] kept silent because they did not dare speak out about it. I [spoke out] not because I was a victim, it was true this kind of abuses and torture existed a long time ago; I wanted to encourage people who suffer the same as me to speak out about it without fear”.

Nai Win Aung, with the help of local committee and village administrators, informed the colonel of IB No. 31 of the assault, including U Myint Swe and Nay Pyi Daw. Nai Win Aung felt it necessary to seek medical treatment within the village, fearing a visit to the hospital or clinic would alert the police. If the police found out about the assault, Nai Win Aung believes the situation may become worse, as the police may want to extort him for any investigation.

According to Nai Thein Tun, a local 35 year-old resident, “Burmese soldiers torture and abuse local residents almost every month. We wanted upper level [military personnel] to know, and wanted them to seek justice for us. Young people should not keep silent, but [must] help each other, and raise awareness of the public. Even [within] this term of government, torture and abuse is still ongoing, so everyone should participate in finding a solution and seeking justice.

“If there was a problem between local people and Burmese soldiers”, Nai Thein Tun says, “The military always takes the Burmese soldiers’ side and tries to hide the incident”.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News