Ko Thiri and Ko Tin Soe Naung

Ko Thiri (left) and Ko Tin Soe Naung. Ko Tin Soe Naung was the chairman of ABSDF 101 camp, Three Pagoda Pass. Our sister camp. Both of them were engineering students at (RIT). Ko Tin Soe Naung was from Mudon. He was a prominent student leader there during the 8.8.88 uprising. He passed away several years ago in Sangkhlaburi. This picture was taken in Nat Ein Taung (Circa 1991).

Democracy village burnt down by Thai Army 9th Infantry Division

Democracy village was built by Burmese refugee from Nat Ein Daung area after the area was taken by Burmese army in December, 1992. Troops from Thai army 9th Infantry Division burnt the village down on April 7, 1993. It is unofficial Thai military's policy not to allow permanenet Burmese refugee settlements on Thai soil. This will keep refugees on the run. They also want to clear the area from refugees in order to build the Unocal sponsored gas pipeline which passed through the area.

Ye Soe Aung's funeral

Ko Htee at Ye Soe Aung's funeral. Ye Soe Aung was a member of ABSDF 102 camp. He left the camp and applied for a refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in Bangkok. He came back, visited us and shared his refugee monthly stipend with friends at the camp. He stayed at Nat Ein Daung village the night before he went back to Bangkok waiting to board a bus. He and two of his friends had a fist fight with local militia, including a relative of village head. Two of his friends came back the camp after the fight.

Ye Soe Aung never came back. He was arrested by village (Thai) militia and tortured to death. Villagers later told us that they heard the screams from village headman's house that night for hours. Some villagers tried to intervene but they were turned back by locat Thai militias. We were told by the village authorites that they released him and believed Ye Soe Aung boarded the bus to Bangkok. We called our friends in Bankok and confirmed Ye Soe Aung was not there. A few days later, we got annonymous message left at a common shelter, "Go to xxx canyon and you will find him". We went and found Ye Soe Aung's body there.

His body was dumped at a steep mountain slope. A small tree stopped his body a few hundred yards down from the mountain top. His body bare many signs of torture; many broken bones, many knife, axe wounds and bullet wounds.

Life for a Burmese is very cheap on the Thai-Burma border. We gave UNHCR first hand account and photos. An officer from UNHCR came and investiged the case. No responsible culprints were punished. In fact, we heard they were suprised and annoyed by being investigated. Local told us many stories of migrant labors who were murdered by local Thai businessmen. The reason for murder: money. Burmese laborers usually worked for months without pay and usually received a lum-sum pay. If there is a dispute, hiring a hitman is much easier and cheaper. It may cause as low as 500 Baht ($20).

We were heavily armed but we could not take a revenge or took the law into our own hands because we have to reply on Thai to get our basic food supplies. We were sad. We were angry. But there was nothing we could do except reporting to UNHCR.

We miss Ye Soe Aung. He was only in his mid 20s when he was murdered.

Nat Ein Daung camp

We all had to share the cooking duty. However, I did not have to cook a lot since my friends did not really like my cooking. I am not a bad cook but they are better than me.

Nat Ein Daung camp

Nat Ein Daung ( Circa 1991)

We learned how to build a house (or a hut). The roof is made from thatch and palm leaves. Floor and walls are made from bamboo. It was a windy place. You can see, part of the roof was almost blown off.

Life in Nat Ein Daung camp (Circa 1991)

Visiting friends at another barrack. Barracks were located at top of the hills and about 4-500 yards away from each other. You had to carry a flash light and a long stick when you moved at night to scare snakes away.

Nat Ein Daung camp (Circa 1991)

This was our 4th camp is three years. Pretty much every year, we had to move to a new place. This was a cold and windy place. We got water from a small stream located at the bottom of the hill, a good 10 min exercise. The hut in the middle of picture is the barrack to store supplies. You can see a flag and two barracks in the background. It is a beautiful place though. The area was taken by Burmese army in the beginning of 1992 to pave the way to build the Unocal sponsored gas pipeline to Thailand.