nld 1999 number 39

National League for Democracy

NO (97/B), West Shwegondine Road

Bahan, Rangoon

Statement No: 39(3/99)

Contents of letter dated 3 March 1999 from the Chairman, National League

for Democracy to the Chairman of the Chairman of the State Peace and

Development Council is reproduced and published for the information of

all.

START

" Subject- Illegal demands of money by soldiers in villages resulting in

the death of one soldier.

1. Information received is that one soldier from Infantry Battalion No:

11(IB-11) based in Shwebo was beaten to death in the Maungdine village,

Zee-byu-gone village-tract, Kan-ba-lu township, Sagaing Division.

2. The facts given to us is that on the 23 January 1999 at about 15:30

hours in the evening, four soldiers (Lein Htan, Thet Cho Oo, Than Aye,

and Htun Htun) arrived at the village and arrested the first two

villagers they saw whose names are Maung Htun and Mya Thein after which

they demanded Kyats 20,000(twenty thousand). These two said that they

did not have that money to give and offered to take them to the house of

the village chairman. For refusing to give the money immediately they

were punched and fisted by the four soldiers.

3. The villagers who witnessed this found it intolerable so they came

out shouting " dacoits" and beat up the soldiers. The soldiers responded

with a hand grenade which did not explode. As a result, Lein Htan died,

Thet Cho Oo received injuries and the other two escaped.

4. Prior to the incident, soldiers had continuously made illegal demands

for ten thousand and fifteen thousand Kyats from the villagers of

Min-ywa and Kya-bak-kan respectively. Though the village elders had made

complaints about this to the township SPDC, no effective action was

taken. Fourteen villagers have been arrested in connection with the

death of this soldier.

5. Further information received is that it is a regular practice for

soldiers from the IB-11 and IB-42 to visit nearby villages on Saturday

and Sunday and demand money from villagers and the owners of rice mills

and one thousand Kyat for every cart carrying bamboo or firewood.

6. The death of one soldier, the injures received by another and the

arrest of 14 villagers are events that should never have happened. We

therefore protest this habitual practice of soldiers demanding money

from villagers and ask that it be stopped. "

END

Central Executive Committee

National League for Democracy

Rangoon

5 March 1999