A/HRC/39/CRP.2 175. For instance, a victim reported that he was detained and tortured by Tatmadaw soldiers on 2 December 2016 on suspicion of detonating an explosive on behalf of the TNLA in Namhsan Township, Shan State. He said: I was collecting wood in the forest when the Tatmadaw detained me. They beat me until I was bleeding from the nose and ears. They asked, “Why are you here, what are you doing?” I answered that I was collecting wood. The soldiers then tied-up my hands behind me with a rope. I was taken with other villagers to a small hut in the village, used as an army post. They kicked me in the head and accused us of collaborating with the TNLA and to have detonated an explosive. The Tatmadaw commander said that all people of Ta’ang ethnicity were TNLA. I told him I was just an ordinary man, a tea farmer.276 176. Another victim gave an account of being tortured by Tatmadaw soldiers, along with 15 other civilians including four village administrators, on 15 December 2015 in Sumprabum Township, Kachin State. The Tatmadaw and KIA were fighting in and around his village when the civilians were apprehended by soldiers on suspicion of being KIA members and taken to the military camp located nine miles away from his village. They were kept in the military camp for one week, tortured and ill-treated. The torture included death threats and beatings. He said: We were tied-up with our hands behind our backs and we had to stand outside the military tents. We were interrogated repeatedly and accused of being KIA members. They insulted us constantly. The Tatmadaw said, “We are questioning you, and if you do not answer, we will kill you”. I responded that I was not a KIA member and we were simple villagers. They retorted, “You have to be a KIA soldier!” Every day, for a week, they asked us the same questions and we responded in the same manner, and we were beaten.277 177. In other instances, torture and ill-treatment were instrumental in punishing and dehumanizing members of ethnic minorities in Shan and Kachin States. The Tatmadaw verbally denigrated their religions and ethnicities during torture sessions. 278 For example, one victim who was detained for a month from 16 June 2012 said: The SaYaPa agents asked constantly if I was responsible for explosives that were planted in the Myitkyina area. Because I am Christian, they made me imitate Jesus on a cross like the crucifixion. We were treated like animals because they look down on Kachins.279 178. In some cases, the Tatmadaw tortured civilians as retribution for battlefield casualties inflicted against them by the EAOs.280 Many civilians were also tortured or ill-treated to force them to work for the Tatmadaw. This included children. Many victims reported that the Tatmadaw apprehended them in or near their village in Shan and Kachin States. 281 They were tortured and/or ill-treated and thereafter forced to work for the Tatmadaw. Other forms of torture or ill-treatment were also perpetrated while they were detained for forced labour. 282 179. For example, a 16-year old child at the time of the incident reported that he was tortured and ill-treated by Tatmadaw soldiers and then coerced into forced labour during three days in June 2011 in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State. Most civilians from his village had fled from the fighting, while he remained behind with approximately 10 other villagers. The child mentioned that soldiers questioned the men and when they were not satisfied with the answers the victims were beaten more. One soldier hit the child with the butt of his gun and he lost a tooth. Tatmadaw soldiers forced the 10 men and child to dig holes and carry heavy packs. On the first day, they were not given food or water to drink. They were given small 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 46 PI-075. DI-067. PI-038, PI-056, PI-074, PI-075. PI-056. DI-066, PI-044, PI-086, PI-088, see this chapter, section A.8: Emblematic incidents (Tanai). QI-085, QI-094, QI-098. See this chapter, section A.6: Forced labour and forced recruitment of adults and children.