Fines and torture for medical workers after they treated insurgents

June 3, 2009

HURFOM: After treating insurgents, a village medical field worker and his two assistants, from Yebyu township, were forced to pay a fee of 900,000 Kyat to the local battalion commander. But because of corruption, the two assistants were tortured and beaten anyway.

Late in April the local field medical worker, Nai Neing Min, was brought by his two assistants, Nai Kyi and Nai Nyeing (who are 31 years old and 30 years old, respectively), to a rebel camp to treat insurgents. Nai Neing Min, and his two assistants were then forced to pay a total of 900,000 kyat by Light Infantry Batallion (LIB) No.273’s battalion commander, Thein Zaw, who is based in MaMuu village, Yebyu Township. The payment was arranged through the MaMuu village headman Nai Khon Ba.

However the headman did not deliver the full 900,000 kyat to the LIB No.273 battalion commander. Instead he delivered 600,00 kyat, and kept 300,000 kyat for himself.

“Because of the village headman, we are facing problems,” a source close to Nai Neing Min reported him saying “We already gave 900,000 kyat for the battalion commander, but he [the headman] didn’t gave all money to the battalion.”

The village headman was corrupt and because he took a portion of the fee, the battalion’s commander Thein Zaw got angry with Nai Neing Min, and the two assistants. Therefore, the medical field worker was intimidated and the two assistants were arrested and tortured by the LIB No. 273 for information about insurgent group Nai Chan Dein’s activities.

Sources close to the medical field worker, Nai Neing Min, reported him as saying, “The Battalion’s commander decided to demand 900,000 kyat because he found out about the treatment of the insurgent group. We gave the 900,000 kyat to the village headman to give to LIB No.273’s battalion commander however, the village headman [Nai Khon Ba] only paied 600,000 kyat to the battalion’s commander, and kept the rest of the 300,000 kyat for himself. The battalion commander [Thein Zaw] got angry and demanded that troops arrest Nai Kyi and Nai Nyeing [assistants] on Thursday, April 30th, and tied them up, beat them and rolled bamboo sticks on their shins”

“The commander called me to the Pharpon village and intimidated me about the assistance to the insurgent groups, The battalion’s commander, Thein Zaw, said, ‘If the high officer knows about us taxing money from you, you will get in trouble.” The source added.

After arriving back in the village, Nai Neing Min heard that his assistants had been arrested, tied, beaten and tortured by solders from LIB No. 273 for information about how to find the rebel group. He was afraid and fled to Kalay village.

In Yebyu Township, which is a main area for the insurgent group activities, LIB No.273 arrests and tortures people whom they suspect of communicating with the insurgent groups [Nai Chang Deing groups and Nai Ah Bim groups]. Many people have left their homes and run to neighboring villages to find a safe place for themselves.

Villager, Ah Zan, who fled from MaMuu village to Kalay village said, “ My younger brother and I decided to leave our family and move to Kalay village. We walked day and night on the jungle road to arrive at the village [Kalay village]. Throughout the trip we had to worry either that the Burmese soldiers or the rebel groups would see us. If they see the people traveling, they will arrest them and claim they are from the other side.”

This situation demonstrates that the residents have been facing many problems in the area, because they are accused of either helping support rebel group or the SPDC.

Please note, the editor has changed all names of persons involved for their own security other then the township and the battalion commander.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News