Two transcripts of video testimony in Muang Long District of Luang Namtha Province, Laos from Akha people documenting the rape and abuses of Akha women and girls, as well as the conditions imposed on the Akha forcing them to feed Aid Agency workers from Norwegian Church Aid and Action Contre Le Faim.
ACF:
Video Interview Muang Long
May 6, 2006 Transcribe
Vientiane, Laos
I
I want to know
A
They go to work and then they do it as a regular thing
I
ACF people, now they work and steal from the girls sex?
A
Yes
I
Inside the village they steal sex?
A
Yes
I
What is their name?
A
Person A
I
What?
A
Person A
I
One person?
A
Person B
I
Those two are now doing it with girls
A
Not only those two
I
How many names do you know?
A
Ohhhhh, there are many many that are doing it.
At village A there is one.
I
At Village A Akha?
A
Yes
Fat guy, he has an girl there, an Akha girl there.
1:15
I
You told me the other day that they go for 7 or 10 days in a village and if the village doesn’t give girls they won’t get the water system?
A
Yes, that is right.
I
Tell me about that.
A
The guys name is person C.
Near the road, a village they were building water system there.
I
The name is person C?
A
Yes.
Person D.
I
Person D
You say there are several people who are doing this in the villages?
A
Yes
I
How many guys?
I have the list here,
Person E, village B.
A
Yes.
I
Person E
A
Yes. That one yes, signaling with his hand that he is very busy guy.
I
What do you mean? Good?
A
He sleeps with a lot of girls, how he can take so many girls?
I
Is that good or bad thing you say he does?
A
Bad (shaking hand as in no good)
I
Why is it bad?
A
He is stealing sex from the girls
He buys whiskey for the young men, gives them money, then he takes the girl he wants.
I
Yesterday the old men said that the girls didn’t want to do that.
A
Some girls do, but some don’t and then they tell them to go sleep with the men.
I
If the girls don’t want to do it, how is it that it happens?
A
The ACF guys pay money in the village.
They pay money to the young guys and give them whiskey to drink.
And then take the girls.
I
ACF workers go to the village and buy whiskey for the young guys and then pay them money and then say give us the girls, give us the girls?
A
Yes.
I
Those girls, how old are they?
A
15, 16, 17
I
The girls are 15, 16, 17?
A
Yes
I
In these villages:
Village C
Village D
Village E
Village F
What villages are they doing this in?
A
Village G yes
I
Village G
A
Village H
Village I
Village J two villages
Village K two villages
Village L
Village M
I
Only those few villages?
A
Oh no, not in just those villages, don’t you know?
I didn’t write down everything what I know, in a book,
I
You mean there is too many to say from memory?
A
Yes.
I
What are the girls names?
A
I know who they are, If I see them I can point them out, but I didn’t ask them their names.
(it is common in Akha NOT to ask people their names, particularly unmarried women.)
I
So who ever the girls are who had problems, if you see their face you know them, the girls that got problems?
A
Yes
I
Did the girl tell you?
A
No, I saw it going on, other people saw it going on. We know.
I
You heard?
A
Yes, they told the girls to go and sleep.
I
So ACF guys pay money behind the back to the guys in the villages and then get girls to sleep with, to have sex with?
A
Yes, for 10,000 kip. (One US dollar)
I
100,000 Kip?
A
No, 10,000 kip
I
Ten thousand baht?
A
No, ten thousand Kip
I
Showing a 20,000 kip note, Ten thousand like this, but this is 20,000.
A
Yes, ten thousand
Ten thousand and Five thousand, fifteen thousand.
I
Fifteen thousand?
A
Yes.
I
Like that?
A
Yes.
The girl doesn’t want to go but the guys tell her to go.
I
Before the men told me that NCA guys got the Akha girls pregnant.
Like that.
A
Yes, there is one like that.
I
Who?
A
Yes there is one.
I
What is her name?
A
Girl A
Girl A, I know, over there behind me, if we go I can show her to you.
I
What village?
A
Village N
I
She had a baby?
A
She had a baby I don’t know, she had it but then didn’t have it, where she got rid of it (abortion) I don’t know, but she got rid of it. Ate medicine.
I
Ate medicine
A
ACF got rid of him
I
ACF people got rid of him for having sex with her?
A
Yes.
I
But you said that ACF people do that in a lot of villages?
Not just one guy in one village?
A
Yes,
I
They do that in every village?
They are doing that in villages right now?
A
Yes
There is one girl right now.
I
The old men in the village let this go on? They make the girls do this?
A
No, the old men don’t know.
It is all kept quiet.
I
So you think that because they pay money in behind they get the girls to have sex with?
A
Yes.
I
If ACF is 15 days in a village do they bring their own food?
A
No.
I
How can you feed that many workers for that many days, it is impossible.
A
Yes, we feed them. Chickens, dogs, pigs, cows and rice.
I
They don’t give you one baht?
A
No
I
The girls don’t want to have sex the boys will make them go?
A
Yes.
I
The old men don’t know so they don’t say anything?
A
That is right.
I
The boys have the girls go because ACF pays a lot of money to the boys?
If there are ten guys from ACF how many want a girl for the night?
A
There are guys who don’t want a girl
I
Only one or two want girls?
A
Oh no, many want girls
Those who don’t want girls are only a couple.
Those who want girls are more by number.
I
So ten guys go and only 3 don’t want girls?
A
Yes, that is right, only three don’t want a girl.
I
They want them every night?
A
For five nights, for three nights.
There are those who don’t want a girl every night. A few like that.
I
And the girls who don’t want to do that, what about them?
They cry?
A
Yes
I
There are one girl who want to do sex.
And others who don’t want to.
The guys buy clothes and watches for the girls.
I
Do you know the names of the girls who were raped?
A
Yes
I
ACF guys stold the sex from them?
A
Yes
I
What is a girls name that this happened to?
A
Girl B
Village H village
I
And who else?
A
Girl C
I
Where
A
Village N
I
And after that what girls?
A
Girl D
Girl E
I
She wanted to let someone have sex with her?
A
No.
I
She didn’t want to?
A
No.
There is the case where a girl had a boyfriend.
They told her to go and have sex, and the boyfriend said no to that, would not let them take her for sex.
I
The boyfriend said no?
A
Oh no, there is no way he would let her be forced to go and do that, he would hit the ACF guys.
He said if they took the girl he would shoot them.
I
So did ACF take her?
A
No they were afraid.
I
For that reason?
A
Yes
End
Akha Muang Long
Akha Transcript
May 4, 2006
Vientiane, Laos
I
.13
An Akha person said that ACF visits an Akha village to build a water system or some other project and will be there for 20 days.
ACF workers say to the Akha villagers, “that girl there I want to sleep with, giver her to me to sleep with tonight.”
What do you hear?
A
.37
Akha elder nods his head in agreement.
Other Akha man says. “I didn’t hear about that.”
I
Do you know ACF?
A
Yes, ACF is down there down the road.
I
ACF visits the Akha village, to build a water system or to build a rice terrace or road or something.
Do you understand this?
They are there to build something in the village.
A
Yes, nodding in agreement.
I
They are in the Akha village, they do not bring their own food, they make the Akha to feed them.
A
Yes, this is true, the case, nodding in agreement also.
I
They don’t bring meat or rice…..
A
They make us Akha feed them
I
They make the Akha feed them, that is the first item we discuss
They make the Akha do the work, the ACF people don’t do the work?
A
Yes, that is right.
I
ACF people say, here there is a young and beautiful girl, she is beautiful to look at, Iwant to sleep with her tonight, I want to have sex with her tonight. Give her to me. (if you don’t give her to me we won’t do the project)
A
Yes, this is right, that is exactly right, that is what they do, several men talking.
I
The other day the Akha told us that ACF men say “Give that girl to me for sex or we won’t do the project”.
A
1:41
That is exactly right.
I
Is that how it is? Do you think that is how it is or not?
A
That is exactly how it is, senior elder nodding his head.
That is right, middle Akha says
I
Is that what they say?
A
That is right, exactly.
I
What do people say, what do these people do?
Is that what they do in YOUR village?
A
One Akha guy says, “not in my village.”
“On other thought, I heard of one time that they did that in another village” says Akha guy on left.
Akha guy in middle says, “one case, not in my village.”
Akha elder says, “they get a girl to sleep with” signaling sleep by putting his hand to the side of his head.
I
2:02
Did you hear about that problem?
A
Elder: He is asking if you heard about that?
Guy on left and in the center.
“I didn’t hear about that.”
But I am way up there in the mountain, my village is far.
Elder: They don’t know, they didn’t hear about that, waiving his hand as if to dismiss them. I heard about it though, they didn’t hear about it. I heard it.
I
2:13
To the elder:
What did you hear about it?
A
Elder: The beautiful virgin girl they want
I
(to camera man, zoom in on him)
A
2:19
Akha elder starts again
They want the beautiful young girl (for sleeping and sex)
They want the best Akha pig meat
They want the best Akha rice
I
The ACF workers they want the young beautiful girl to sleep with and have sex?
A
Yes
I
They ask for sex with the girl?
A
Yes
I
How many times did they do like that where they ask to have sex with the young girl?
A
How many times? waving his hand agrily in the air, everytime, all the time.
Making a whooping noise like it was a ridiculous question, because it happened so many times.
I
They (ACF) ask bring the girl, to have sexual intercourse with her?
A
Yes!
I
They ask for this girl for one time and then that girl for one time for sex every different night a different girl?
A
Yes!
That is what they say.
I
Who said like that?
A
2:45
ACF people they say like that, pointing towards the office, and NCA they say like that, turning his head and pointing towards the NCA office location.
I
Did the EU people say like that, asking for sex?
A
The EU people have not come to our village yet
I
EU didn’t come yet, NCA came and they ask for the young girl?
A
Yes
I
ACF came and they ask for the young girl?
A
Yes (Emphatically)
I
They want to copulate with her vagina?
A
Yes!
I
ACF comes to the village, they ask for a beautiful virgin girl to copulate with her vagina?
A
Yes! (Emphatic)
I
If the girl doesn’t give her body for sex, what will happen?
A
There is nothing to be done, they come and ask for the girl and that is it.
I
If the girl does not go, what happens?
A
There is nothing to be done, they come to the village and ask for and get the girl.
They eat all the food and then they go.
I
If you don’t want to give the girl what happens?
A
If we don’t give, they take the girl, they eat the food, they go away.
They sleep with her how ever many nights and go away.
I
They take the girl and sleep have sex with her?
A
Yes! Emphatic with strong nod of head!
I
Are the Akha girls pissed off about this, angry?
A
Because they (ACF) are the big boss with the power, the Akha will not say anything about it
I
In English to cameraman: He said that because the ACF are the big bosses that they come to the village and the Akha can not say anything about it and they just have to provide them with the girls. From ACF, that ACF people come to the village and they fuck the Akha girls.
I
3:53
They ask for the Akha girls who are how many years old?
A
Akha man misunderstands question, thinks I am asking how many years:
Oh, at least five years like that! How many years I don’t know, but like that many years.
I
No, that is not what I am asking.
How many years old is the girls?
A
The girls they ask for are 16, 18, 17 or older women too.
Any age. ACF and NCA they take the girls and put their arms around them and take them to bed.
Signaling to wrap the hands around some one as to get intimate with them.
I
To cameraman:
He says that ACF and NCA staff ask for girls of 16, 17, 18 and take them to bed.
I
One time only?
A
Two three years…..
I
No, not that, I asked did they do that one time only?
Did they ask for the young girls only once?
A
No, waving his hand in front in objection, Many many times they ask for the girls.
I
Is the beautiful girl happy or angry?
A
Angry, but the girl can not win.
I
English to cameraman:
He said course the girls are fucking pissed off, but what can they say, they can’t say nothing.
CAMERAMAN:
Can you ask him for some of her personal feelings, what he thinks about it?
I
What do you think about all this events?
If some stranger comes to your Akha village and asks to screw an Akha girl, he’s going to get the shit beat out of him, so these big bosses come to your village and ask, you are an old man, you are an elder of the village, what do you think about them coming and asking for girls for sex?
A
My heart blows up huge with swollen anger, because I am afraid, because of fear of what could happen, I am afraid and don’t say anything, I must stay silent.
I
To cameraman
He says he is pissed off, but he is afraid,
I
To the Akha elder
What do you think about this?
A
I think but I do not speak for fear, I am afraid, I do not speak because it is dangerous to say anything about it.
I
You are afraid, you do not dare speak?
A
I don’t dare say anything, they take the girl, they go, no one speaks
I am just there in my hut, I cry and tears come from my eyes and I go to sleep, making motions of tears streaming down his cheeks, an old man.
I
The girls cry?
A
I cry, I cry about it. The girl must go because they are the big bosses.
I
To cameraman in English
He said that they give the ACF people the girls and then he cries and cries because he has to give the girls to them.
I
Did the girls get pregnant?
A
Not yet (in this conversation) but they are called so they have to go and sleep with the ACF and NCA guys.
They are afraid.
I
The girls are afraid?
A
Yes.
I
Do they hit the girls?
A
They don’t hit them but they tell them to come and if they don’t come they will hit them, they say they will hit them so the girls go.
I
Those people say, if you don’t come here and sleep with me I will hit you?
A
Yes!
They don’t hit them with a stick, they hit them with their mouths
I
They say that? I am going to hit you?
A
Yes.
I
They say with their mouth, you sleep with me, if you don’t sleep with me I am going to hit you?
A
Yes.
I
The girl become pregnant?
A
Not like that, if they haven’t gone to have sex with them two or three times they didn’t get pregnant yet
They want the girl two or three times and the girls go and have sex with them because they are afraid.
They go there for quickly and go out, the girls.
I am an old man, for this reason I dare not say anything for fear.
I eat and then I go to sleep.
I
That is 100% illegal against the law
A
Yes, that is right
I
If they are not bosses, if they are bosses, illegal
A
Yes.
I
What do the girls say? Those people come and have sex with them and go away, what do the girls say?
A
The girls cry and don’t say anything.
They are afraid. He displays shaking of the arms by ones side, shaking with fear.
I
Do they hit the girls?
A
They don’t hit them, they tell them to come and sleep and make like they slap the face and the girls are afraid and go and have sex with them and then cry, putting hands to eyes making the sign for weeping.
When their mother and father are not there they cry and cry.
They do not say anything to anyone out of fear.
I
To cameraman
They tell the girls that they will hit them if they don’t come and have sex.
The girls go and the later in the privacy of their mom and dad’s house they cry and cry about it, when no one is there.
Cameraman:
Can I get him to say again what he said, I moved the camera.
I
Just stay on him
Let me know if you are going to change the camera, I will know if he is still talking about it.
I
Elder, listen
The guys say to the girl, come here or I will hit you?
A
They say it, they don’t say with the hand, they say with the mouth,
I
They say it, that they will hit them?
A
Yes, they don’t hit them, but force them to come and sleep and have sex so the girl cries cries cries.
And then the elder starts reciting an agonized crying what an Akha woman does when she is wailing.
Yea yea yea yea (it is an unmistakeable cry of a woman in deep grief, a jagged crying, wailing, known in Akha culture, what women cry when their babies die, when their children die, when their parents die.)
I
They cry in that way, crying?
A
Yes.
Father and mother know and cry but no one dare speak.
Someone will hit them.
I
ACF and NCA do like that?
A
ACF the same, NCA the same.
I
Just one time?
A
Oh, so many times completely times.
Waving the arm like infinity.
I
To cameraman
I asked him if they did it one time, he said oh fuck, how many times.
Cameraman
Holy shit.
I
10:02
What is done that is illegal?
What is done that is illegal?
A stranger what have they done illegal?
A
Nods his head vigorously.
I
You teach me the fact
A stranger what bad thing have they done?
Tell it to me, tell it to me, what bad thing have they done?
Teach me. I am only here for a moment, teach me what is going on here, I must go soon.
I try to help you Akha people, so teach me.
I will go and tell others what you have told me, I will tell them not to let this continue.
A
Other Akha man says, tell him what is going on here that is illegal
A
Elder says
I told you already
We don’t know books, but I tell you everything what happened.
I
That is why I listen to you what you want to tell me.
I want to understand, that is why you must teach me what is going on.
A
They and I tell you what is going on here.
I
You teach me what is going on in your village
A
I will tell you slowly.
Now we have told all, in the future if more happens we will tell you.
Again in the future, I don’t know other people’s villages, but I know my own.
I
A girl how many years old they take for sex?
A
Three years
I
No, I mean like this, if they come to the village and ask for the girl for sex what does the girl say?
A
The girl is scared and don’t say nothing.
I
The girl doesn’t say anything.
That girl is how old?
A
17
I
A girl younger doesn’t ask for her?
A
No
I
17, 18, 19?
A
Yes.
Over there, I know about that.
12:22
The elder rests his face in his hand, and looks slowly around.
I
Now we know about this problem.
I
Does the Akha girl come to you and say that she was raped?
A
The girls doesn’t say anything but I see it.
I
Do the villagers feel compassion for the girl?
A
Yes.
The want the girls of our villages, they took the girls of our villages.
In my village, in other peoples villages.
I
In your village how many girls got took like that?
A
Two
I
Two?
How many times?
A
Oh, many many times like that.
For three, four, five, seven days they took her.
I
What is the girl’s name?
A
We don’t speak that, later I will tell you.
I
No, you must tell the names or otherwise people will say we are lying, that the Akha are lying.
This is a big legal issue, a crime has been done. We must be accurate.
A
Don’t ask their name, don’t ask their age.
I
You quietly tell me in my ear.
A
Girl A
She got pregnant and had a baby and now at village A.
I
She is there now?
A
Yes.
I
ACF guys they made her pregnant and then she had a baby?
A
Yes, now she had a baby recently.
I
A boy or girl?
A
A girl she gave birth to
I
She had the baby this year or last year?
A
Last year
One had a baby boy.
I
Last year?
A
Yes.
I
Because she din’t have a husband and that is not good for Akha she went and got married to someone, is that what you said? I didn’t understand that last part.
A.
Yes, that is right.
She didn’t have the baby yet, and got married quickly.
I
Where?
A
Somewhere near the road she is now.
I
ACF person did this?
A
One guy, no NCA.
A
NCA was that one, the other one was ACF
I
So NCA got girl A pregnant, before she had the baby she went and married an Akha man?
A
Yes, that is right.
I
Not an Akha child
A
NO, not an Akha child.
I
And where is she now?
A
Village B.
I
If I go there she will tell me her story?
A
Yes.
To Cameraman
So some NCA guy raped this Akha girl in his village and then she went and got married to an Akha man and now the baby is a year old.
A
One girl married to a Chinese guy and went away.
I
Who got the girl pregnant who married the Chinese guy?
A
I don’t know
I
ACF or NCA
A
I don’t know they take her over and over again.
I
So who slept with her, ACF or NCA?
A
Now pissed off
Many many slept with her!
19:37
I
ACF come there and have sex and NCA come there and have sex?
A
Yes.
Cameraman
Does the girl become stigmatized?
I
How many guys want the girls?
A
Many
I
Men come to the village asking for a girl?
Every night?
A
They say that, they ask that, they want he girls.
I
Do the villagers laugh at the girl because they do that?
Villagers know that, do they laugh at the girl?
They reject the girl?
A
Yes, that problem.
I
Does the girl loose face?
A
Yes
I
Why?
A
Not why, the girl looses face because the ACF and NCA men have slept with her. We know that.
24:50
I
Do you have cows and buffalo?
A
We have and don’t have
I
Why?
A
We got poor and ate or sold them
NCA promised us water but we don’t have it.
I
26:14
They want to go they got so far to walk.
