Forty villagers tortured for their possessions Thu 03 Jan 2008,IMNA
About 40 villagers were beaten up by Burmese troops from No -299 in Mon State southern Burma when they tried to get back wood from their house after the Burmese soldiers forced them to relocate from their village.
Forty villagers including 19 women were from Bayoun-ngae village, in Khaw-zar Sub Township, Mon State southern Burma.
Bayoun-ngae villagers were relocated from their village about six months ago by Light Infantry Battalion No.583 after the Burmese soldiers fought Mon rebels outside the village.
Burmese soldiers were killed and injured fighting the Mon rebels. Then they arrested and tortured about 50 villagers. They also burnt two houses and dismantled many ports and shelves in the temple.
According to a villager in Ye township, the villagers went to bring back some wood from their homes they had left behind after the soldiers took valuable goods from their houses. He was not sure how many soldiers beat the villagers.
A Yin-ye villager was seriously beaten by Burmese military Major from No.31 while going to his plantation on December 25. He was treated by a medical worker in his village.
The village had about 100 households and about 30 houses were built with wood and the others with bamboo.
IMNA source said "They couldn't bring the valuables with them on account of orders by the Burmese troops. Some were resettled in Han-gan village about one mile from their village and some are living in plantations.
The detained villagers had to pay the soldiers over 0.2 million Kyat for their release.
Burmese troops accused the villagers of supporting the Mon rebels and passing on information to media organizations. They ordered them to inform about the movement of rebel groups.
