‘I Am Not Afraid of the Burmese Soldiers, Because I Already Decided that I Will Never Go Back’: Mon IDP Report Interview #1

September 6, 2016

The following interview was conducted as part of the research for the joint report “Invisible Lives: The Untold Story of Displacement Cycle in Burma” by Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM), Burma Link, and Burma Partnership, which was launched in a press conference in Rangoon on August 12th and in Moulmein on August 15th. The 65-page report focuses on the continuing concerns of the displaced ethnic nationality communities, particularly the ethnic Mon, living along Burma’s southeast border and finds that the recent reforms have not yet addressed the causes of their displacement.

Download the full report (PDF) in English

Donwload the full report (PDF) in Burmese

While Burma Partnership led the preliminary needs assessment and design for this research, Burma Link conducted all the interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) for this report in partnership with HURFOM, facilitated by Mon Relief and Development Committee (MRDC) and other local CBOs. The interviews and FGDs were conducted in four different IDP (internally displaced person) sites, Halockhani, Baleh Done Phaik, Chedeik, and Jo Haprao, in the NMSP (New Mon State Party) controlled ceasefire areas, as well as with farmers and villagers in and around Ye Township in government controlled areas of southeast Burma. Some interviewees in the government-controlled areas came from Yebyu Township in Tenasserim Region. Mon CSOs and political parties as well as the NMSP and NMSP-linked service providers were interviewed in Ye and in Moulmein in southeast Burma and in Sangkhlaburi in Thailand. One interview with a Mon CSO and one interview with an INGO were conducted via Skype. A total of 29 interviews and 5 FGDs were conducted in southeast Burma and along the border, in total with 60 interviewees. The research was conducted through qualitative interviews with open-ended questions, with the objective of understanding the feelings, perspectives and outlook of the interviewees who were encouraged to share any additional concerns and issues that they wanted to voice. All interviewees made an informed decision to take part and utmost care was taken to protect their identity – particularly the IDPs and villagers – who took part in this research, to ensure they are protected from possible direct threats and intimidation as a result of the interviews. See full methodology in the report.

The following interview is the first one in a series that HURFOM, Burma Link, and Burma Partnership will be publishing in the coming weeks. This interview series is meant to give more in depth understanding into the situation of Mon IDPs and villagers. This interview is an edited version of the original and some information has been omitted to protect the identity of the interviewee. The interviewee gave an informed consent for publishing his interview as part of this series.

Background of the Interviewee
Location: Halockhani IDP site in the NMSP controlled ceasefire zone
Age: Over 65 years
Gender: Male Ethnicity and religion: Mon Buddhist

The interviewee is a Mon Buddhist male who was interviewed by Burma Link in Halockhani IDP camp in February 2016. This refugee-turned-IDP originally fled human rights violations such as forced portering, torture, and land confiscations by the Burma Army in the Mon State. He first lived in a refugee camp in Thailand before being forcefully repatriated to the New Mon State Party (NMSP) controlled areas after the NMSP signed the ceasefire in 1995. For over two decades, he has lived in protracted displacement in this IDP site located right next to the Thai border and in close proximity to Ban Don Yang refugee camp. Over the years, life has become harder in Halockhani as aid, food rations and access to medicine have steadily decreased, making it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. This elderly IDP has one major hope from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s government; to bring peace to the country.

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I am not afraid of the Burmese soldiers, because I already decided that I will never go back.

BL: How long have you lived here?

Since the village was built. I don’t remember which year.

BL: Why did you come here?

I moved from Ba Phyu village [refugee camp] to here because the Thai authorities forced us to move the village, so we moved here.

The Thai authority didn’t allow to stay in the territory.

BL: Why did you leave your original place?

Because of the portering and land confiscation. And then the Burmese soldiers tortured the villagers so we wanted to stay away from that situation, and so we left the village.

BL: Did you personally face some of these situations?

I just saw other people. I saw my villagers. From Moulmein to Ye, the government confiscated the land and they stuck a small flag [on the ground] and they just wrote like “This land belongs to army, belongs to government.” They just took the land.

BL: And did the Burmese army come to your village?

They came often and also the army was in my village. Based in my village.

BL: Were the Mon soldiers anywhere near that area?

No, no Mon army, MNLA [Mon National Liberation Army] around there. But sometimes, very rarely Mon soldiers came, but very, very rarely. My village is close to a Burmese village, around my village, and also close to Ye, so the Burmese soldiers could easily go from Ye to my village.

After the ceasefire, the villagers had to pay tax to the government, couldn’t pay to the New Mon State Party, only have to pay for the government. The government doesn’t allow the villagers to pay tax to the NMSP.

BL: Before the ceasefire were you paying tax to the NMSP?

Yes, we were. The [Burma] army was based in the village and some villagers had plantations around the village, and the Mon soldiers came to the plantations and the villagers could pay the tax. They didn’t go inside the village.

After the ceasefire the government didn’t allow to pay tax to the NMSP. If the villagers paid tax to NMSP the government would ask the villagers, would question them and make problems.

During the General Secretary Than Shwe, during Than Shwe’s time, the land confiscation happened several times, so after Aung San Suu Kyi gains power, the villagers will get compensation, I hope. Now they are still working on that issue.

BL: And have you been back to his village since leaving?

I’ve been back one time, three years ago.

BL: Did you see things changed when you went back?

The government built the hospital and a road, and also a school. And now we get electricity.

After the ceasefire, there’s no army in my village. It’s no problem. Not like in the past. It’s calmed down. No soldier in my village now, but only security men live in my village. Just security men, just taking care of the village.

Now there is no more fighting, so the soldiers don’t live in my village, and only security men live in my village. And if the situation is getting bad, the security men inform the soldiers from Ye so they can take care.

BL: You said before that you will never go back to your village, so why don’t you want to go back to live there?

When I left from my village, the Burmese soldiers came and destroyed my house which was left in my village, destroying the whole house because they thought I was a Mon soldier at that time.

They just destroyed everything and all the things inside my house and they threw them away.

When they destroyed my house I was living in my village, but during the destroying I just lived away, I tried to stay away from the Burmese soldiers for a while.

BL: Were you actually a soldier?

I was no soldier, but I supported the MNLA so some people told the Burmese government, and that’s why they came to destroy my house.

Actually I want to go inside Thailand, but I have no ID card so I cannot stay there, I would have to stay illegally.

BL: Did you ever do that or have you just stayed here? Did you ever go to Thailand?

Only Sangklaburi.

BL: Did you ever think of going to Ban Don Yang refugee camp, to live there?

In the past, the people who lived in the camps, they got more support like rice, beans, everything they would get. But they had Thai authority, Thai soldiers came to check on them three times a day. They [Thai soldiers] didn’t allow people to work, or to make a shop. That’s why the Mon, they didn’t want to stay there and they left.

For this camp [Ban Don Yang], they got some support because the Karen army didn’t sign the ceasefire [until 2012], that’s why they got some aid. For the Mon people, the New Mon State Party already signed the ceasefire [in 1995] so some donors didn’t want to support Mon people.

In the past, we, if we got sick we went to this hospital [in Halockhani], and if the hospital was in a bad situation then they sent to Christian hospital. But now there’s no more medicine, so we have to go to Ban Don Yang to get healthcare.

BL: Do you know why there’s no more medicine at the hospital?

I don’t know why there’s no medicine. But I used to go, when I got sick I went to hospital, but then the medic said no medicine, so I had to go to Karen clinic.

Now the donors [Swedish NGO Varma Handen] donated the hospital and I’m just wondering, even a big hospital they can donate, why they cannot donate beds for the patients? Why they don’t donate beds, even if big hospitals they can donate? I’m just wondering.

BL: Have you seen any other changes here during the past year?

I recognised only the hospital.

BL: How do you make your livelihood?

I work for everything. Everything means I do anything that I can get money from, I work everything; cutting grass [in rubber plantations], and carpenter.

BL: Can you find enough of this kind of work to support yourself?

It’s not enough with my income, but my son is working in Thailand so sometimes he sends money back, sends me some money and it’s enough. It depends on my work. Sometimes people don’t hire me to cut grass, so I face difficulties, and I’m worried about my health. If I get sick, I have no money to go to the Christian hospital [near Sangkhlaburi].

BL: Do you have enough for your daily needs? If you don’t get sick do you otherwise have enough?

Not enough. I have to pay like, I have to donate [to the monastery] and sometimes when the villagers build a school, I have to pay for the school. I have to pay for everything.

BL: And do you or your wife, do you receive any aid?

Nothing.

BL: Did you ever, in the past?

Nothing, except from MRDC.

BL: When was the last time you got support from MRDC?

Last year.

MRDC tried to get donation from others, and collect some support and come here and donate to people, but in the past we got a lot of support, like rice, fish paste, oil, beans. After the [1995] ceasefire we got less support.

BL: Was it enough for you at the time when you got all this support?

At the time it was enough for food, so we could, if we worked in another shop, we got money and we could save it.

BL: Do you have to take loans to manage for your family?

Yes, I have to take loans. Yes, 1500 baht in debt [now].

BL: Have you faced any situation here in Halockhani where you felt like you were in risk of physical or mental harm?

Nothing.

BL: Have you ever felt like afraid or unsafe here?

Never.

BL: Were you living here at the time the Burma Army came to Baleh Done Paik and here?

After the Burmese soldiers came and burned Baleh Done Paik [in 1994], a year after that I arrived. But the last time [Burma Army came to Halockhani after the 1995 ceasefire] I was here and at the time the village secretary, he couldn’t speak Burmese, so I pretended to be a village secretary in order to speak to the [Burma Army] commander.

BL: How did you feel about that, when you had to talk to the Burmese army commander?

The commander came from Three Pagoda Pass and he arrived in Halockhani and then he stayed around the house of the head of this village, so he took the headman, to come to this side, and he was asking about, the soldiers were asking about the territory, the Thai and Burmese territory, they were questioning.

I was worried, at the time I was worried that the commander will arrest me and take me away. I saw some people, some porters carried the Thai alcohol and some guns and some bullets.

BL: How many soldiers did he come with, the commander?

About 70 soldiers.

At the time, after the ceasefire, and when the Burmese came here, the Burmese soldiers didn’t tell the head of the… the general, before they came here. The Burmese army. They didn’t tell the general, they just came here secretly, so I informed the New Mon State Party near Baleh Done Paik, I informed them and then the New Mon State Party they just came here and they negotiated with each other and so the New Mon State Party asked the Burmese soldiers, why you didn’t inform us before you came here, and then the New Mon State Party informed the big army.

In Moulmein, the NMSP informed the Burmese army in Moulmein and this Burmese army here had to go back immediately.

BL: How long did they stay here?

They arrived, stayed one night, one and a half day.

They slept around the houses, not in the houses, and some soldiers stayed there [in the forest].

[…]

BL: Do you know of any development projects taking place around this area?

Yes, the eco agriculture training center. They built it two years ago.

I just saw that there they use machines and I don’t know what machines, I’m wondering because I don’t know what machines they’re using.

They provide training, like agriculture training and they invite Burmese, Karen and other ethnic groups and they provide training here, agriculture training.

BL: Have you heard of any other projects?

No, only that center.

BL: Do you know who built that center?

I just know it is funded by Japan and that the coordinator is Thai. So the Japanese don’t live here, only the coordinator lives here.

Now they are building nothing, they just take a rest. And when they have something to do and they hire the young people around here, around the village, and go to work there.

BL: Do you know what the villagers think, and what do you think about this training center?

The villagers think it’s good because the Japanese donate some support, like rice. The villagers get support, that’s why they think it’s good. And also the New Mon State Party and the Japanese have an agreement to build that center.

BL: Have you noticed any impact from the training center or the training for the villagers?

In my opinion, the young people got jobs because of this center, young people got jobs.

BL: What kind of projects do they do?

They built some buildings [for the centre], some very nice buildings, and they grew pigs, and some vegetables, and also they made a small farm. Last year they got so much rice, many packets of rice.

They sell [the products] in the villages.

I think that money goes into the center, especially for the wages.

I think now they grew over 20 pigs so they need more food for the pigs. So, if they get money from selling the vegetables, they can buy food for pigs, and then if they sell the pigs, they get money and they can grow vegetables.

BL: Do you know of any other development projects in the Mon State?

No development projects. If the government knows where there is a mine, they come and they don’t allow, they come and destroy.

For example, you tell me in this area we can use natural resources, like for example gold and stones, if you tell the government, the government will come and take all of what you have.

BL: How do you feel about the election?

I don’t care, even Aung San Suu Kyi or Thein Sein getting power because they are the same, Burmese. [However,] Aung San Suu Kyi can have contact with the international organisations. Only Aung San Suu Kyi has international contacts outside.

During Than Shwe’s time, when Than Shwe arrested Aung San Suu Kyi, like the house arrest, Than Shwe didn’t want to give power to Aung San Suu Kyi because Aung San Suu Kyi was married to a Westerner and now her husband passed away, so Than Shwe gave Aung San Suu Kyi power. And for international, like American companies and other companies, they don’t want to invest in Burma because they don’t believe the Burmese government anymore.

[…]

BL: Do you think that the military will respect the election result and let NLD government take office?

I think the military won’t transfer power to Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD government. But one thing I think, is that if the international community forces the military to transfer power, it will happen.

BL: If the NLD comes to power, what is your major hope from them?

If Aung San Suu Kyi gets power, it will be better than in the past because Aung San Suu Kyi never, Aung San Suu Kyi is always looking out for the people, she never makes people in bad way, [she is] not like Than Shwe.

[…]

BL: If you could ask for one thing from the NLD government, just one thing: what would you want them to do?

Peace. Can go freely, can work freely.

[…]

BL: Have you seen anyone come here to explain to the community about the peace process?

No one.

BL: How do you feel about your future and what do you want for your and your family’s future?

I want the Aung San Suu Kyi to be the government and I want to live in peace.

BL: Did you vote in the 2015 election?

No.

Someone from my village informed me to vote, but it’s very expensive to get to my village.

The government announced about the elections, so some migrant workers like in Thailand, in Singapore, Malaysia, they went back to Burma but at the time the government didn’t give them tickets to vote, so people had to fight to get the ticket and then the government gave it again.