MILITARY BASE BUILT ON ISLAND ( Kao-Wao ) February 3, 2003

MILITARY BASE BUILT ON ISLAND

Ye, February 3, 2003 -- Kao Wao

After confiscation of land, more than sixty villagers are forced to work on the construction site with their own tools and food for a military base at Kawlagoot (Kalarkoke) island, southern Mon State.

The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) government has taken over 300 acres of land on this island in 2001 to build a new military base. According to a source from the New Mon State Party, the Burmese Army LIB No. 62 and No. 31 are responsible for the construction, which includes the deployment of five artillery weapons with 81-82 mm rockets, already allocated in the fishing villages.

The Burmese Army forced one person from each household on daily basis to prepare an army helicopter pad on the island, comprised of 3 Mon fishing villages. The construction site is located on the highest ground, at the top of the island, so the villagers have to dig and move tonnes of soil to level it off for the helipcopter. Villagers are working only with their hands without machinery, tools, or any other equipment.

The source from the New Mon State Party said, the government is planning to build a new seaport close by and the construction is for security reasons. The new seaport will be built in deep water at the Tha Pyay village, Northern Ye Township.

" I cannot work to earn money for my family, I am always ordered to work for the construction site," said a local man who fled to Three Pagodas Pass, Thai-Burma border.

According to the source form the Three Pagodas Pass, the government is claiming this project is part of a business deal with the Thai Government which was planned back in 1996. Nai Mon, a businessman from Sangkhalaburi Thai border town said the project is part of Thai-Myanmar Cultural and Economy Cooperation, which has a branch office in Sangkhlaburi opened on December 27 of last year.

The Mon have inhabited Kawlagoot island for many years, relying on fish for their subsistence. There are 2000 households on the island. It is located south of Moulmein, Mon State.