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Myanmar
to investigate ‘terror tape’ allegation
RESPONDING to the disclosure by the international
television network CNN
that al Qaeda members have been active in Myanmar, the Government of
Myanmar last week reaffirmed its determination to stand with the
United States and the international community on anti-terrorist
cooperation.
"The Government of Myanmar has not had the
opportunity to review the relevant portions
of the cache of videotapes obtained by CNN in
Afghanistan," said spokesman
Lt-Col Hla Min. "However, reports by both the Associated
Press and CNN
indicate that the CNN tapes reveal "material from militant
Islamic groups
in other countries such as Somalia, Myanmar and Bosnia." The
Washington
Post reported the tapes include "documentation from al Qaeda
members during
operations in Burma,
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan…and Bosnia." "The Government of
Myanmar will investigate this allegation with the utmost urgency, and
we will share this information with the United States," said
Lt-Col Hla Min. "We are already sharing information with the
United States on Islamic armed terrorists operating along Myanmar’s
Western border and within the region, with connections to Taliban and
al Qaeda, now being held and questioned in Yangon," Hla Min said.
The Government of Myanmar signed
the United States-ASEAN Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat
International Terrorism on
August 1, 2002 in Brunei Darus-salam. "As
we
have previously stated, Myanmar has vigorously confronted the
activities
of a Muslim separatist armed terrorist group calling themselves
Rohingya.
Today, we are pleased that many of these individuals
have given up their armed terrorism. However, we shall remain
vigilant in safeguarding Myanmar and steadfast in cooperation in the
war
on terrorism."
Source: Myanmar Times, August 26- September 1,2002
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Clash
between monks and police in Bahan
It has been reported that a conflict between Bahan
police station and
monks from Nyaungdon monastery took place in Bahan Township, Rangoon
last Tuesday (27 August). The monks surrounded the Bahan police
station from 1000 to 1100 (local time) and smashed and destroyed the
security station situated on the ground floor of the Dagon Tower
building which is behind the Bahan police station. A monk who does not
want to be identified recounted the incident to the DVB as follows:
(Unidentified monk in Bahan) A female student was propositioned and
other students who were with her urged not to do so and a clash ensued
and the student was arrested. The other students urged the police not
to
arrest the student as he had not committed any offence and asked he be
released. The student was not released and the conflict ensued.
According to additional reports obtained by the DVB,
the detained
student was arrested while trying to protect a female student who was
being harassed by the police at the Shwegondine traffic lights. When
the
student was not released, the monks went to the police station to
demand
the release of the innocent student. But the police were rude in their
response and the clash resulted between the police and the monks.
Source: Democratic Voice of Burma
, August 29,2002
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War
on Terror Hits Democracy Movement
By Naw Seng
August 28, 2002—The United States' war on terror has
reportedly touched
down inside the Burmese pro-democracy movement, after US authorities
arrested a former Burmese student activist studying at Indiana
University for suspected
terrorism links, according to Burmese activists in the US and
Thailand.
The arrest marks the first time that a former
Burmese pro- democracy activist has been detained since the war's
inception nearly a year ago.
Than Soe,
aka Ye Yint, has been in custody since July 12 after federal agents
arrested
him at an unknown location, according to sources close to him. The
sources said he was interrogated for two days, but they did not say
where he was being held. The source added that prior to his arrest
Than Soe had been studying computers at Indiana University, and
had no connections with any
terrorist organizations.
Sources say they believe the arrest stems from a 1989
hijacking
conviction,
when Than Soe and a friend seized a Burmese Airway's plane as it left
Mergui in southern Burma and redirected the plane to Thailand. The two
say they
hijacked the plane in hopes of drawing international attention to
Burma's
struggle for democracy. During the hijacking, the two claimed a bar of
soap they had was a bomb. No other weapons were employed during the
siege.
The pair served two years in a Thai prison, but were not deported. In
1996 Than Soe was granted refugee status by the United Nation High
Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR). Later that year, with the help of the UNHCR, he
traveled
to the US to study. However, upon arriving there he was again detained
for several months by US authorities for his role in the 1989
incident.
Sources close to Than Soe say if he is not granted
political asylum, or
travel documents allowing him to stay in the US or a third country, he
would be imprisoned upon deportation to Burma. A hearing for Than Soe
is scheduled for early September.
The arrest comes just prior to the release of a
statement by the Burmese junta that says they vow to stand with the
United States in fighting terrorism.
Unsubstantiated reports have attempted to link ethnic Rhoingyas from
Burma's
Arakan State to the Taliban. Members of the Rhoingya National
Organization,
however, have denied all connection to the Taliban.
According to the regime's statement: "The junta
is employing all
possible
ways and means to gain the support of the United States by trying to
link
the Rhoingya (Muslim) freedom fighters with al-Qaeda and
Taliban."
Burma also recently signed the US-ASEAN declaration on cooperation
against terrorism
at the Brunei Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)
in late July.
Source: Irrawaddy
on line, August 28,2002
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Burma's
currency hits record low
The kyat Not worth as much as it used to be
Economic stagnation, and dashed hopes of political reform, have sent
Burma's currency to an all-time low, black market traders have said.
Burma's kyat,
while officially pegged at a rate of 6.90 to $1, has
slipped to a street
rate of 1,060 to $1, currency changers said.
Last week the rate was 1,010 kyat per dollar, and two weeks ago 950.
The kyat had set a previous low
of 1,000 to $1 in April, before surging 25% on the release of
pro-democracy
campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi after 19 months of house arrest.
The release raised hopes of political change in the
military-ruled
country, and of
an end to years of economic sanctions imposed by the US and Europe on
Burma
in protest at the country's governance.
Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which won 1990
elections,has never been allowed to govern.
Dollar demand
But Burma's ruling generals have failed to hold talks with Ms Suu Kyi,
almost four months after releasing her.
And reform hopes were further dashed with the arrest of a group of
pro- democracy activists.
The reopening of checkpoints on the Thai border, after
a three month
closure, has also weakened the kyat by boosting demand for dollars for
use in trading.
Demand for foreign products has risen with a shortage
of staples such as
cooking oil and rice blamed, by authorities, on unscrupulous traders.
"The truth is that the bulk of the rice is being bought up by
unscrupulous speculators
who are hoarding [it] and manipulating the prices," an official
said.
"We need to search them out and punish them effectively.
"And with Burma's economy long seen on the verge of collapse,
observers saw little chance of a recovery in the kyat.
"Worse is yet to come," one market watcher said.
Source: British Broadcasting Corporation( BBC ), August
27,2002
TOP
Harassment
at Nasaka Tollgate at Ann Pass: Deliberate attempt by the Burmese
junta to wipe out minority business community?
Sittwe, 27 August 02: On
August 2 the Nasaka security forces deployed at #25 toll post at Ann,
where
the Western Command is headquartered,confiscated ten motorbikes
legally
imported from China through Lashio,in the Northern Shan State,
according
to our correspondent quoting a top businessman who declined to
identify.
Though the bikes had clearances of tax and customs
duties paid at
Lashio,
they were confiscated without any apparent reason. At present the
value
of the bikes stands at Kyat 3.9 million.
Because of the necessary clearances for the transport of the
consignment
of the bikes, they had been allowed passage through the tollgates and
checkpoints at Mandalay, Mittila, Myin-khan,
Magwe, Minbu, etc. in Burma proper before they reached Ann, whereas at
the entry point to Rakhine State they were illegitimately confiscated
by
the members of the Nasaka security forces. The owner of the
consignment of motorbikes is U Aye Tun
son of U Aung Mra Tun of Chinbyan Street, Kundan Quarter of Sittwe in
Rakhine State while the carrier was U Kyaw Kyaw, a Burmese from Aung
Se
Than (literally, sound of the victory drum) Transport Terminal,
Mandalay. The guards at the tollgate brushed the repeated pleadings of
the Burmese transport owner aside, the source said.
On the previous day, a consignment of two hundred Ship
brand nylon-fishing
nets was also confiscated from Roma Swan-ein transport, No. 4 kha/3877,
driven by Khin Maung Htay at the same gate. Across Burma the nylon
fishing
nets are freely transported and sold without any hindrance because
they
are not banned items, but as soon as they enter into Rakhine State
they
are confiscated. Worse, there is no explanation as to why such legally
bought and carried things should be confiscated.
“The Burmese Junta have
firmly established monopoly over all the trade
and commerce of Rakhine State in the western part of Burma,” said
another top businessman from Rangoon to our correspondent on
telephone.
“Because of the total control
over and illegal toll collections from all
the private business houses,
big and small, practised by the Burmese junta, more and more of the
business
concerns in Rakhine State are being forced to shut up shop everyday
and
move elsewhere to Burma proper including Rangoon and Mandalay,” he
added.
“A large percentage of the
businessmen in Sittwe have already been forced to mortgage their
valuables including their own houses to private banks and moneylenders
finding no other way to survive because of the oppressive measures and
intermittent collection of illegal tolls by the officials of the
ruling Burmese junta across the state.”
Increasing numbers of such incidents have rendered the
Rakhine business
community much disturbed and nervous of continuing business in the
state. “Sometimes I wonder if this is a methodical policy of the
present military junta of eradicating the Rakhine businessmen from the
scene, which will spell disaster for the economic backbone of Rakhine
State and its people.
If the junta have any such ulterior motives, we’ll
be wiped out sooner
rather than later. We the businessmen here consider it to be
a campaign
of systematic ethnocide,” the businessman added.
The Burmese junta for realization of duties and taxes
has set up the
Gate #25, it was learnt. But recently the guards at the gate have
started checking
people, demanding illegal tolls and bribes for passage.
A Rangoon doctor who recently traveled through the
gate with his family told our correspondent
that, at the gate he was detained for an hour and forced to pay bribe
for
his child’s Chinese bicycle they were bringing from Rangoon because
he
could not show the cash memo of the same to the guards.
Source: Narinjara News, August 27,2002
TOP
Myanmar
Muslim group denies links with al-Qaida
A Muslim separatist group in western Myanmar has
denied it is allied to
the al-Qaida terror network, and accused the country's military junta
of
fabricating the link to gain the support of the United States.
"The junta
is employing all possible ways and means to gain the support of the
United States by trying to link the Rohingya (Muslim) freedom fighters
with al-Qaida
and Taliban,'' the Arakan Rohingya National Organization said in a
statement
dated Sunday.
Rohingya rebels in Arakan, a Muslim-majority region of
Myanmar that
borders predominantly Islamic Bangladesh, have been fighting for
decades
for a separate state, accusing Myanmar's mostly Buddhist military of
persecution, rape and forced labor.
Rohingya is derived from Rohang, the ancient name
of Arakan, a province of 4 million people. CNN reported last week that
al-Qaida had been operating in western Myanmar, bringing attention to
the
Rohingyas.
The Myanmar government said it would investigate the
allegations
and
share information with the United States. It also said it had
independent
information that "Islamic terrorists'' with connection to
al-Qaida and
Taliban are operating along Myanmar's western border.
"This is a sinister
design of the junta to annihilate the Muslim
communities of the country,
particularly that of the Rohingyas in Arakan (state),'' the Rohingya
group's
statement said.
It said the Rohingyas "are not terrorists but
freedom
fighters against tyranny and ruthless persecution of the military
regime.''
Myanmar's military government, shunned by many Western
nations for its
poor human rights and anti-democracy record, has tried to mend fences
with Washington by stressing its willingness to combat the drug trade
and take
part in the war against terrorism.
The government claimed earlier this
month that it has crushed an armed Muslim separatist group trained by
the
Taliban and in Middle Eastern terrorist camps.
Source: Associated Press, Shan-EU group( Star
Online ), August 26,2002
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ARNO,
Press release: On the recent report relayed by CNN under the
title of “Tape on Terror”
We are concerned about the recent report relayed by
CNN under the title of “Tape on Terror” alleging that al-Qaeda had
been operating in western Burma, implicating the freedom fighters of
the Muslim Rohingya Arakanese to have link with terrorist
organization.
Since September 11
terrorist attacks in United States, the Burmese military junta has
stepped up its campaign of terror against the Rohingyas while trying
to link its “state terrorism” to U.S. led “war on terrorism”.
While practicing the policy of “de-Muslimization” and
“Rohingya extermination”, the junta is employing all possible ways
and means to gain the support of the United States by trying to link
the Rohingya freedom fighters with al-Qaeda and Taliban. The SPDC is
trying to hoodwink the international community, saying, “we are
already sharing information with the United Sates on Islamic armed
terrorists operating along Myanmar’s western border and within the
region, with connections to Taliban and al-Qaeda, now being held and
questioned in Yangoon.” This is a sinister design of the junta to
annihilate the Muslim communities of the country, particularly that of
the Rohingyas in Arakan.
We reiterate that the
Rohingyas, who have long been subjected to brutality and criminal
atrocities, are not terrorists but freedom fighters against tyranny
and ruthless persecution of the military regime. The freedom movement
of the Rohingyas is not a recent emergence but is more than five
decades old.
We again state that Arakan
Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) has no link or relationship with
al-Qaeda or Taliban. It has nothing to do with the recent relay of CNN
alleging link with al-Qaeda on the western side of Burma. Neither our
freedom fighters received any training nor any kind of assistance from
al-Qaeda or Taliban.
ARNO is an organisation
advocating democracy, peace, justice, equality and human rights in
Burma. It has been working hand in glove with National United Party of
Arakan (NUPA), which represents the Buddhists of Arakan, under the
umbrella of Arakan Independence Alliance (AIA).
Since the agreement of
political alliance signed between NUPA and ARNO on 16th September
2000, the Burmese military junta has been up and doing to damage the
image of the joint freedom struggle of the Muslims and Buddhist
communities in Arakan. In its effort the SPDC with the vested
interests is trying to exploit the grave situation, in the wake of
September 11 terrorist attacks in United Sates, and is tarring the
Muslim freedom fighters with the same brush, with an expectation to
get US support and to accelerate its Rohingya extermination and
ethnic-cleansing. It is also to hallucinate peace process and
undermine the democracy movement in the country in order to perpetuate
its autocratic rule in Burma.
Central Executive
Committee
Arakan Rohingya National
Organisation
Arakan.
Dated: 25 August 2002
Source: ARNO, Press and Publication Dept: , August
25,2002
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Myanmar
junta will "stand with the United States" against terror
Myanmar's (Burma's) ruling junta pledged Friday to
"stand with the
United
States" in the fight against terrorism following reports that
al-Qaeda
had been operating within the country.
The Myanmar junta, which has since
September 11 tried to link its own suppression of ethnic minority
rebels
to the U.S.-led war on terrorism, said it was following closely press
reports
of Moslem militants allegedly active inside Myanmar.
"Responding to the
disclosure by CNN that al-Qaeda members have been active in Myanmar,
the
government of Myanmar reaffirms its determination to stand with the
United
States and the international community on anti-terrorist
cooperation,"
the Yangon (Rangoon) government said in a statement faxed to news
agencies.
It said the government was concerned
about reports, gathered by CNN from a cache of videotapes it obtained
in
Afghanistan, that al-Qaeda had been operating in Myanmar as well as in
Somalia, Bosnia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
"The government of Myanmar will investigate this
allegation with the
utmost
urgency, and will share this information with the United States,"
said Colonel Hla Min, a government spokesman and member of Military
Intelligence
(MI).
"We are already sharing information with the
United States on Islamic
armed terrorists operating along Myanmar's western border and within
the region, with connections to Taliban and al-Qaeda, now being held
and questioned in Yangon," he added.
Hla Min said the government had "vigorously
confronted"
Moslem separatist rebels, known as Rohingas, along Myanmar's western
border
with India.
Since the junta seized power in 1988, the U.S. has treated it as an
outcast, withdrawing the American ambassador and banning most
investment
by U.S. companies.
But on August 1, Myanmar signed the United
States-ASEAN Joint Declaration of Cooperation to Combat International
Terrorism,
adding to
speculation about a softening of U.S. policies toward the junta's
human rights abuses.
Western human rights organisations, including Amnesty International,
have criticized the Yangon junta for violent suppression of Moslem
Rohingas in western Myanmar.
The human rights groups have also
condemned the junta for engaging in campaigns of ethnic cleansing,
rape
and torture of ethnic minority groups along the country's eastern
border
with Thailand.
Since September 11, the junta has attempted to appeal
to
U.S. sentiment by branding as "terrorists" ethnic Shan and
Karen rebels
who have been
fighting decades against military rule from Yangon.
Source: Deutsche Presse Agentur ( DPA ), August
23,2002
TOP
Burmese
Junta uses Forced Labour Freshly in Rakhine State in Western
Burma
Maungdaw, 23 Aug. 02: There was a discussion between
the officials of
the UNHCR, Maungdaw chapter, with that of the two majors from Nasaka
Security Forces in Maungdaw yesterday evening on the use of forced
labour in the area bordering with Bangladesh, according to our
correspondent.
There are reports of new incidents of extensive use of
forced labour in
and around Maungdaw in Rakhaing (Arakan) state, Western Burma, which
has
caused to raise tough arguments between the UNHCR and the Burmese law
enforcement agencies including the officials of the military junta.
Beginning 25th
July forced labour was extensively used to build a new Nasaka Security
Forces camp at Khamaung-hseik village, northern part of Maungdaw. Till
4th August the number of forced labour used stood at 135,men and
women.
Similarly, at Kathay model village, under Nasaka Area
#2 of Maungdaw
Township,
seven hundred and three people were engaged in forced labour between
1st
July and 28th in construction works of the new model village.
When the
UNHCR brought the matters to the notice of the higher
administration about
the extensive use of forced labour, the Nasaka
security forces demanded
that they paid kyat 100 a day to each of the ‘workers’. While on
inquiry
the UNHCR found that the labour was actually used forcefully and
without
any payment as argued by the Burmese junta officials.
Fresh reports from Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw,
Mrauk-u and Minbra
Twonships have confirmed that the Burmese Army is making use of
extensive
forced labour for cultivating the military owned agricultural fields
in
those townships by pressing the Rakhine farmers as forced labour by
making
use of the cattle of the villagers and without providing wages or food
to them.
Source: Narinjara News, August 23,2002
TOP
Dissidents
say 21 students arrested in Myanmar
Myanmar's
military government has arrested 21 students over the last six days in
the first major crackdown since democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was
freed in May, opposition groups said Thursday.
Three students from Rangoon Technical
University in the capital, Yangon,were arrested on Saturday,
apparently
for starting a literary group,said Min Naing, a member of All Burma
Federation
of Students Union, an opposition group based in Thailand.
On Sunday,
Thet Naung Soe, a final year law student, was arrested for
distributing
pro-democracy pamphlets in front of City Hall, Min Naing told The
Associated
Press. Two more students, Khin Maung Win and Taung Hteik, were
arrested
later Sunday. No details were available on the remaining 15 students.
The
students' whereabouts were not known, he said.
The military junta was
not immediately available for comment, but rarely answers specific
allegations
of human rights abuses except to deny them in general terms.
Min Naing
said the pamphlets were demanding the release of all political
prisoners
and serious negotiations between the junta and Suu Kyi to restore
democracy
in Myanmar, also known as Burma.
The arrests were also reported by Free
Burma Coalition, a Washington-based dissident group, in a statement
sent
to the AP in
Bangkok.
The junta often targets student groups to pre-empt
protests, which it fears could snowball into demonstrations. Students
spearheaded
the 1988
pro-democracy uprising that was crushed by the military, leaving
thousands dead. The current group of generals came to power during
that
upheaval.
Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party
also rose
to prominence after the 1988 demonstrations. The NLD won the 1990
general
elections but was never allowed to take power.
Instead, the government
jailed hundreds of NLD members and put Suu Kyi under house arrest
several
times.
Suu Kyi and the junta began reconciliation talks in
October 2000,
eventually leading to her release from her latest detainment on
May 6.
But not much progress has been reported beyond the release of 297 NLD
members from jail. Another 261 members remain imprisoned.
The Free Burma Coalition
said the students' reported arrests reflect the insincerity of the
regime.
"While the military regime has initiated an international
diplomatic charm offensive, the people of Burma continue to suffer
under its rule," said Aung Din, a Free Burma Coalition director.
Source: Associated Press, August 22,2002
TOP
All
lucrative businesses are controlled by SPDC authorities in North
Arakan
By our Correspondent
Maungdaw, August 19: The
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) authorities, through their
agents in North Arakan, control almost all lucrative businesses such
as paddy, cattle, red-chili, onion, hardwood, bamboos, fishes and
salt, etc, said a businessman of Maungdaw Township.
The District Peace and
Development Council (DPDC) Chairman Lt. Col. Soe Twe, Township Peace
and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman Capt. Hla Pu, the Commander of
the Nasaka Headquarters Lt. Col. Aung Ngwe and the Commander of
Military Intelligence No.18 Capt. Soe Tat Thait of Maungdaw Township
held a meeting on 5th June 2002 to control all lucrative businesses,
said a source in SPDC administration. In the meeting, they discussed
and finally approved to export paddy and cattle to Bangladesh. As per
decision of the meeting the Maungdaw TPDC was authorized to export
4,50,000 Tans or baskets of paddy (one Tan = 32 Kgs.) and 1,200 cattle
heads to Bangladesh till the end of December 2002 through two SPDC
appointed agents namely Zahir Ahmed and Rafique, the source further
said.
The agents have to pay the
prices of paddy and cattle in US Dollar to the authorities at their
fixed prices at US$ 2.60 per Tan and US$170 per cattle head. In
addition, the concerned authorities supply all other goods exclusively
to their appointed agents, said another businessman.
In northern Arakan, the
SPDC armed forces like Nasaka, Army and Military Intelligence control
all the daily affairs of Rohingyas through their agents. They rule
Arakan from kitchen to palace with iron hand. The Rohingyas are also
strictly prohibited their freedom of movement. Therefore, the economic
bases of Rohingya Muslims have been deteriorated day by day, said a
Rohingya political leader. The Rohingyas have been mostly affected
since 1988 after the present military junta took power. In fact,
Arakan is like a big jail for Rohingyas, he further added.
In spite of introducing the
“opened market system” in Burma, the Burmese junta has established
a new system called “agent market system” in northern Arakan,
which is unknown to other parts of the country, said a leading
businessman. This system is particularly imposed on the Rohingyas.
According to the system, Rohingya villagers are not allowed to sell
their products or produce to the open market and have been compelled
to sell their goods to the appointed agents of SPDC at much lower
prices than those of open market prices, he further said.
Source: Editor, Kaladan Press, August 19,2002
TOP
Construction
of another new model village for new settlers in Maungdaw Township
By Our Correspondent
Maungdaw, August 18: About 50 houses are being
built in Nasaka Area No. 2, between Ngaran Chaung and Lanchi villages
of Maungdaw Township, adjacent to the Burma-Bangladesh border, for for
the model village, called in Burmese Natala village. new
Buddhist settlers with the forced labour of Rohingya villagers, said a
member of local village council.
On 29th July 2002, the
Commander of the Nasaka Headquarters had ordered the aforesaid
villagers to build houses for new settlers to be completed by the end
of October 2002 and to supply house building materials such as
bamboos, pillars and other necessary things for the same. But, the
SPDC authorities will provide the tin-sheets for roofing. It has also
been reported that 3 houses have already been completed, he further
said.
Rohingyas’ lands have
been confiscated for the model villages, called in Burmese Natala
villages, but their exact figure is still not known. Some of the
Rohingya villagers whose lands were confiscated are: Saiful Muluk S/o
Lal Miah, Moghul Ahmed S/o Abdul Matalab, Nurul Hoque S/o Abdul Shukur,
Mir Quasim S/o Ejar Miah and Muni Uddin S/o Monsor Ali, all of them
belong to the Lanchi Village of Maungdaw Township, he further added.
Source: Editor, Kaladan Press, August 17,2002
TOP
A
Rohingya village headman was fined kyats 10,000 for reporting looting
of Military intelligence personal
By Our Correspondent
Akyab, August 17: Mr. Abul
Hussain, a Rohingya Village Headman of Nazir Para also known as Nazi
Yowa of Akyab ( Sittwe ) city, Arakan state, western part of
Burma was fined Kyats 10,000 by Military Intelligence ( MI ) personnel
of MI No.10 stationed in Akyab on 12th July 2002 for reporting
the looting by MI personnel, said a local trader.
According to local traders
and villagers of the area, Thath Tu, a pereson of MI No.10 of Akyab
Station and his accomplice namely Maung Sein Hla (a local Rakhine)
frequently enter the Nazi Para, which is an outskirts of Akyab city,
and loot the fowls and vegetables from the villagers. But, on 12th
July, 2002, the aforesaid culprits again entered the village and
started looting. This time the villagers couldn’t bear with them and
the headman of the village lodged a complain with the MI authorities,
Akyab, apprising them of the matter, the villagers further said. Upon
complain the authorities told him, “how you Kala dare complain
against MI personnel?” The MI officers then detained Abdul
Hussain accusing him of defaming MI personnel and subjected him to
torture. Later he was released by paying a bribe in the amount of
Kyats 10,000, they further added.
Source: Editor, Kaladan Press, August 17,2002
TOP
A
Rohingya girl was raped by a Burmese soldier
By Our Correspondent
Akyab, August 16: Miss Sakina Khatoon, age 23,daughter
of Mohamed Modu, from Ambari village of Akyab (Sittwe),
the capital of the Arakan State, was
raped by a Burmese soldier on 23th July 2002. But no action has yet
been taken against the culprit , said a relative of the victim.
According to the relative and local traders of the
area, at about 09:30 pm a soldier of Burma Army Battalion No.20 of
Akyab came to the shop of Sakina Khatoon while she was alone in the
shop by pretending a customer. Taking the advantage of none was
present there and also the rain was falling cat and dog at that time,
the culprit quickly switched off the light entering the shop and
forcibly raped the girl at dagger point. It is learnt that some shops
were built near the Army Headquarters by the main street and are not
far away from the Ambari Rohingya village.
After sometime, hearing the hue and cry several
shopkeepers rushed to the spot to rescue the victim, but the culprit
managed to escape from the scene under the cover of darkness, the
local traders further said.
Next morning, the matter
was reported to the concerned authority of the Battalion No.20, but
the officer-in-charge of the investigation centre in the Army
Headquarters refused to take the case. The Army Headquarters also
verbally ordered concerned police station not to register any FIR in
this regard, said another relative of the victim.
Source: Editor, Kaladan Press, August 16,2002
TOP
ARNO
,Press release: Against Muslim rebels trained by Taliban and in
Mideast camps
Recently the Burmese military Junta has tried to link
Rohingya freedom fighters to the Taliban. The reason may be to regain
US support via the terrorism angle and divert attention away from
recent Amnesty International and Shan NGO reports documenting
systematic human rights abuses against ethnic nationalities. As the
Junta did in the past, it may also be a design to justify its
campaigns of terror and ethnic-cleansing against the peaceful living
Rohingyas and to further intimidate and terrorise the Muslim
population of the country.… but, of course, only the junta knows the
real aims of its latest rhetoric because it is led by the very
secretive “gang of three” generals.
This latest statement by the Junta is another example of its
destructive approach to ending the civil war in Burma. By demonising
the entire ethnic nationalities like the Rohingya, it hopes to secure
international support at the expense of peace of the people of Arakan.
For more than five decades the Rohingyas have been struggling for the
restitution of their rights and freedom but it receive no attention or
positive response from the Government. Arakan Rohingya National
Organisation (ARNO) is the continuation of the Rohingya people’s
struggle for peace, justice, equality, democracy and human rights. We
are not part of any other struggle outside our country. We are
committed to remain a community within Arakan, and to working with
other pro-democracy groups in order to achieve a free and peaceful
democratic Arakan. We are also committed to having peaceful and
mutually beneficial relations with Bangladesh and a future free and
democratic Arakan will never again drive out its citizens to create a
burden on Bangladesh.
It is to stress that ARNO has no link with Taliban and is not
supported by any terrorist group. We are fighting on our own. ARNO
welcomes support from any group worldwide as long as they respect our
goals and especially our vision of tolerance and respect for all
religions and human rights for all in Arakan. ARNO will continue to
work with National United Party of Arakan (NUPA) and our Rakhine
Buddhist allies to achieve our vision of a diverse, tolerant,
multi-ethnic, multi-religious Arakan society.
Let one thing be clear, no matter how much military and political
pressure or torture the Burmese Junta subjects our people to, we at
ARNO will never participate in any activities that are destructive to
our Arakan or take part in any activities that are not steps towards
our goal of a democratic, free, independent Arakan with religious
freedoms for all and human rights for all.
The international community is well aware that due to “state
terrorism”, hundreds and thousands of Rohingyas have already been
perished while many more have left their historical homeland of Arakan
for their lives. The nature of the crisis facing Rohingyas are well
documented in recent reports by Human Rights Watch, MSF, Amnesty
International, FIDH and other human rights and humanitarian
organisations and nothing more needs to be said.
Central Executive Committee
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
Arakan.
Dated: 11 August 2002
Source: ARNO, Press and Publication Dept: , August
11,2002
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Myanmar
says Muslim rebels trained by Taliban and in Mideast camps
Myanmar's
military government Thursday said Muslim separatists operating on its
border
with Bangladesh have been trained by Afghanistan's Taliban militia,
and
in "terrorist camps" in the Middle East.
The Rohingya separatists, part
of a community which originally migrated from Bangladesh in seek of
work
in Myanmar, have operated a low-grade insurgency in the country's
north-west
for decades.
"We then subsequently learned that some of these individuals were
actually trained by the Taliban in Afghanistan, as well as in the
terrorist training camps in the Middle East," said government
spokesman Colonel Hla Min. "The Myanmar government, practicing
its zero tolerance policy in such matters, vigorously confronted the
activities of this group threatening the national as well as regional
security," he said in a statement.
Hla Min said Myanmar pledged to work with the United States and
neighbouring
Southeast Asian nations in eradicating terrorism from the region.
"While
the government of Myanmar and the US have had differences in years
past,
we are pragmatically in full agreement that terrorists must be given
no
sanctuary," he said.
Myanmar was a signatory to the US-ASEAN (Association
of Southeast Asian Nations) declaration on cooperation against
terrorism signed in Brunei
earlier this month.
Some 21,000 Rohingya Muslims from
Myanmar's Arakan state still live in refugee camps in Bangladesh after
fleeing there 10 years ago, claiming ill-treatment at the hands of
Myanmar
troops.
The Rohingya movement, which means "Sons of
Allah", reached its
height
during the 1950s when U Nu was Myanmar's first democratically elected
prime minister.
Parts of Arakan became crowded with the Muslim migrant workers,
angering the Arakanese Buddhist population who were nevertheless
dependent on the cheap agricultural labor they provided.
In 1978, dictator
Ne Win launched a census-taking operation which
resulted in hundreds of
thousands of Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh citing religious
persecution.
They later returned, but the exodus was repeated in
the 1990s, forcing
25,000 Rohingya to be put under the care of the United Nations High
Commissioner
for Refugees in Bangladeshi camps. During the upheavals, the
separatist
Rohingya Solidarity Organisation was born, along with several other
offshoots.
The Muslim fundamentalists
are known to receive financial aid, arms and training from the Middle
East via Pakistan.
The groups are based inside
Bangladesh, making sporadic raids into
Myanmar, but their strength is considered
to be limited.
Source: Agence France Presse
( AFP ), August 8,2002
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Exiled
Muslims Deny Taliban Connections
Burmese Muslim dissidents living in exile denied
accusations that they
have connections to the Taliban or to the Rohingya separatists of
Burma.
The announcement comes in response to an Agence France
Presse report
yesterday that cited State Peace and Development Council spokesman Col
Hla Min saying that some Rohingya individuals received training in
Afghanistan from Taliban
troops as well as in other terrorist training camps in the Middle
East.
"That is impossible," says U Kyaw Hla,
chairman of the Muslim Liberation
Organization of Burma (MLOB). "If the Taliban trained and
supported the Rohingya exiles, they would be much stronger and much
larger. We know some Rohingya from Bangladesh, but we have no special
connection to that group."
Some Burmese Muslims living in refugee camps in Bangladesh formed the
separatist Rohingya Solidarity Organization and several
smaller organizations. The Muslim fundamentalists receive arms, cash
and
training the Middle East via Pakistan.
Khine Myat Kyaw, director of Narinjara news group
based in Bangladesh,
told The Irrawaddy, "We don’t know of any Rohingya receiving
training from the Taliban."
In the AFP report, Col Hla Min also suggested that the
SPDC would
cooperate
with the US to annihilate terrorism in Burma and put to rest all
threats
to national and regional security through its "zero
tolerance" policy.
"While the government of Myanmar and the US have had differences
in years
past, we are pragmatically in full agreement that terrorists must be
given
no sanctuary," the spokesman said.
After the Sept 11 attacks last year on the Pentagon
and World Trade
Center,
the junta flatly denied that Burma hosted any terrorist organizations
on
its soil. The denial came after Osama bin Laden boasted of having
Taliban
agents "from Indonesia to Algeria, from Kabul to Chechnya, from
Bosnia
to Sudan, and Burma to Kashmir."
This most recent change of heart comes amid increasing
support for
international
aid and humanitarian assistance to Burma. By announcing that terrorist
groups pose a threat to national and regional stability, the regime
may
begin receiving more financial aid for the war against terrorism.
"Burmese authorities are changing their face as
they want to get
international
assistance for themselves," said Khine Myat Kyaw.
Earlier this month, at
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean) summit in Brunei, Burmese
leaders signed the US-Asean
declaration on cooperation against terrorism.
The regime is trying to
name its own dissident groups that have been fighting Rangoon for
decades as terrorist organizations.
"The Burmese junta are also accusing even the
unarmed democratic
opposition
groups as terrorists," said U Kyaw Hla.
Rohingya groups have been waging war against Burmese authorities for
years but they are not believed to be involved in any a pan-Islamic
movement.
Currently, the Arakan Rohingya National Organization
(ARNO) is
fighting
against the central government from inside Burma. The group formed in
1988
when the Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) and the Rohingya
Solidarity
Organization (RSO) joined their combined forces of about 200 members.
Under pressure from both the Burmese and Bangladeshi
authorities, ARNO
once sought to join other exile dissident groups in the struggle for
democracy.
Their efforts failed, however, as the historical animosity between the
Arakan and Rohingya proved too difficult an obstacle.
Rohingya has never been formally recognized as an ethnic group in
Burma.
Source: Irrawaddy , August 9,2002
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Burma
Committed to Work with ASEAN, US On “All Forms of Terrorism”
Government of Myanmar stands with US on anti-terrorist
cooperation
Armed Muslim extremists trained by Taleban surrender to the
government.
The government
of Myanmar Burma signed the United States-ASEAN Joint Declaration for
Cooperation
to Combat International Terrorism on 1August, 2002 in Brunei
Darussalam.
The Joint Declaration reaffirms
Myanmar's commitment to counter, prevent and suppress all forms of
terrorist acts. This will include cooperation with the United States
to
improve intelligence,terrorist- financing and information-sharing, as
well as providing assistance on transportation and border and
immigration control challenges. Col Hla Min, spokesperson of the
government of Myanmar said: "The government of Myanmar is
committed to fight against all forms of terrorism and will work with
our ASEAN partners and the United States, in its effort of
cooperation. While the government of Myanmar and the US have had
differences in years past, we
are pragmatically
in full agreement that terrorists must be given no
sanctuary."
"Located
at a strategic crossroads of South Asia and South East Asia - a
land-bridge connecting the world's two most populous countries: India
and China - Myanmar cannot stand to ignore or detach itself from
ongoing events in the region,"
Col Hla Min said.
In Myanmar all citizens enjoy freedom of religion. The
country's
population is multi-ethnic with Buddhists primarily constituting 90
per
cent while the rest is composed of Hindu, Christian and Islam.
Col Min
continued: "There has been, however, a Muslim separatist armed
terrorist group calling themselves Rohingya which issued a unilateral
"Declaration of Independence" from the Union of Myanmar. We
then
subsequently learned that some of these individuals were actually
trained by the Taleban in
Afghanistan, as well as in the terrorist training camps in the Middle
East.
The Myanmar government, practising its zero tolerance
policy in such matters vigorously confronted the
activities of this group threatening the national as well as regional
security. Today, we are pleased that many of these individuals have
given up their armed terrorism and are now in full cooperation with
the government and have recommitted themselves to peace,
stability,security and unity of the Union of Myanmar. However, we
shall remain ever vigilant not only in safeguarding Myanmar but the
region as well from the threat of any form of terrorism."
Source: Myanmar Information Committee, August 9,2002
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Myanmar
junta frees political prisoners, but hundreds more held
Myanmar's
(Burma's) military government released 14 prisoners on
Friday,following a demand by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to set
free all political prisoners as a precondition for national
reconciliation.
The country's
ruling junta issued a statement saying six of the 14
prisoners released
were members of Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy (NLD).
"The government of Myanmar will continue to release more
individuals who will cause no harm to the community nor threaten the
existing peace,stability and unity of the nation," said the
statement. The government did not specify the crimes committed by any
of the detainees, but many prisoners are known
to be held for offenses such as handing out leaflets
or engaging in other non-violent political organisation work.
The six NLD members released
Friday morning were identified as Zaw Win Tint, Win Tun, Than Swe,
Myint
Aung, Than Tun and Win Zaw.
Their release from various jails brought the
number of NLD prisoners
released in the last two years to 303, including
54 people elected to
parliament in the country's only free election in
1990.
In a video statement released in Bangkok this week,
Suu Kyi, 57,
said
the junta must release all political prisoners if it is serious about
ending the country's political deadlock.
She said about 250 NLD members
remained in jail along with several
hundred other political prisoners.
"Until all our political prisoners are free, none of us can say
that Burma is now truly on the road to democratic change," Suu
Kyi said.
The statement was taped during a visit to Yangon by
United Nations
special envoy Razali
Ismail, who has been acting as an intermediary since October 2000
between
the junta and the democratic opposition led by Suu Kyi.
Razali was credited
with brokering the release of Suu Kyi from 19 months of house arrest
in
May, but since then she has had no official meetings with the ruling
generals.
Suu Kyi's NLD won a landslide victory in a free
parliamentary election
in May 1990, but the junta refused to recognize the outcome of the
election and most of the elected members of parliament were either
jailed or forced into exile.
Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, has
herself
been under house arrest for most of the time since the current ruling
junta seized power in 1988.
She has been free to travel around the country since May 6, when her
house arrest was lifted for the first time since September 2000.
Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur( DPA ) , August 9,2002
TOP
How to Save Burma ?
Fourteen years ago, the streets of Rangoon were filled
with hundreds of
thousands of triumphant demonstrators chanting over and over again,
"We want democracy!" These chants unfortunately fell on the
deaf ears of the generals who only saw the wishes and desires of the
demonstrators as a threat to their very existence. The images of
horror that were to follow remain etched in the minds of all who were
in Rangoon on that fateful day.
But in spite of these horrendous atrocities committed by the Burmese
armed forces and their riot police, the mass uprising spread
throughout the nation as millions of Burmese marched on their cities
and towns,
peacefully asking the generals to step down and stop the madness they
had already begun.
The calls, however, went unanswered, and instead, more
guns were fired
and more innocent lives lost. The streets were not to calm until the
armed forces again took power in September.
Independent sources estimate that during August and
September 1988,approximately 3,000 people were gunned
down in Burma. Nearly a decade-and-a-half has passed, and the very
generals
who
participated in the suppression of the 1988 uprising are still in
power,
having never apologized for their actions. Paradoxically, the generals
say they saved the country from disintegration and anarchy that they
feel was sure to follow the non-violent protests.
However, no matter how they chose to distort the
history of the 1988 democracy uprising, the most disturbing
thing is the generals'
unwillingness to make the courageous decisions that
are imperative to bringing about national reconciliation in Burma.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who recently met with the UN special
envoy and Japan's foreign minister, said she is willing to cooperate
with the military
rulers in any way that will benefit the people of Burma.
Suu Kyi reiterated that she has no objection to foreign aid to Burma
as
long as accountability,
transparency and independent monitoring are
guaranteed.
Suu Kyi's recent
gestures are bold and should be given serious consideration by the
generals
in Rangoon. It has shown yet again that the Nobel Laureate has been
flexible
when dealing with the recalcitrant regime.
Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi
even said that Tokyo is ready to increase aid, if the junta strikes a
deal with Suu Kyi on how to distribute it.
Burma is suffering from both deep economic and social
crises, and is in urgent need of development assistance, but without a
political
settlement this aid will not be forthcoming. However, Burma's
political
impasse again continues, after appearing to have eased upon Suu Kyi's
release from house arrest in May as the "talks" between Suu
Kyi and the SPDC have gone nowhere. Not to mention the nearly 2,000
political prisoners who remain in prison.
The army's hard-line stance and unabated offensives
against Burma's
ethnic minorities have created even more misunderstanding and deep
seeded resentment
among ethnic nationalities towards the Burman majority.
Yet, shamefully, the junta hired a public relations
firm in Washington
DC to help whitewash its tarnished image. Instead of hiring expensive
foreign consultants, the junta could simply improve its image by just
asking its citizens what steps they feel should be taken.
Individuals who have been held prisoner in their own
country for decades could provide some straightforward
advice on what changes could be implemented to help ease life in
Burma.
If the generals decide to take the necessary steps
needed to save
Burma-including
the appointment of a civilian government led by Suu Kyi as well as the
inclusion of the ethnic parties-then the generals can claim they have
saved
Burma.
Source: The Irrawaddy, August 8,2002
TOP
Watchful
waiting on Burma's future
Today is the 14th anniversary
of the pro-democracy movement in Burma when peaceful student
demonstrators
were crushed by tanks and machine guns. We salute the courage of those
who died and those who are committed to bringing about the realisation
of democracy in Burma.
When Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in early May,
there
was much hope that situation in Burma would improve.
The Burmese people
would be given more freedom to cope with day-to-day life while the
process of reconciliation, marked by dialogue between Suu Kyi and the
military leaders, would begin in earnest. But that has not yet
happened.
The Nobel laureate has displayed flexibility since her
release. When she met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi
recently,
she said
that she would welcome international development aid for
infrastructure projects if the Rangoon junta leaders begin a political
dialogue with her.
She made a similar statement when she met with the UN envoy for
Burma,Razali Ismail.
This is a good opportunity for the junta to push
forward
the much- awaited political dialogue and democratisation. Somehow, Suu
Kyi
knows very well the tactics employed by the junta leaders. She has
been
careful enough to create a delicate balance to preserve an atmosphere
conducive for future talks.
The international community must not be content with
the junta's
superficial changes. Any future aid coming to Burma must be
in consultation with Suu Kyi. Otherwise, the political process will be
stalled as in the past. Japan, the regime's largest aid donor, must
keep
this in mind. Otherwise, it might derail the national reconciliation
process and let the regime get away scot-free.
An improved situation in Burma
will affect Thai-Burmese relations. The notion that Thailand and Burma
can let "bygones be bygones" and start anew is laughable.
Burma has proclaimed
this mantra time and time again.
This is the history in which Burma has
found solace in its policy
towards Thailand - and a triumphant mood.
As long as Burma represses its own people, a lasting solution with
Thailand will not be attained. A deal done with the junta leaders
would not be legitimate
and long-lasting. It would also create future
resentment toward Thailand among the Burmese public.
As a democracy, Thailand must assist the freedom-loving
people of Burma.
This is the 14th year that their aspirations remain unfulfilled.
The Thai government must encourage the regime to work
together with Suu Kyi to bring back normalcy to that once-prosperous
nation. Then and only then can the government justify its soft
approach.
Source: The Nation, Editorial, August 8,2002
TOP
Myanmar
dissidents protest in Bangladesh on anniversary of uprising
Bangladesh-based members of Myanmar's ethnic Rohingya
minority Thursday
marked the 14th anniversary of a bloody pro-democracy uprising in
their
country with calls for an end to military rule in Yangon.
About 50 protestors,
including children, rallied near Bangladesh's
foreign ministry calling
on the international community to pressure
Myanmar's military junta to
release political prisoners. The
demonstrators, some of whom carried portraits
of opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi, said they would refuse to return
to their country until military rule is ended.
Bangladesh is home to
some 21,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled 10 years ago claiming
ill-treatment
from Myanmar troops.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya had fled to Bangladesh in two
exoduses
in 1978 and the 1990s, but most were repatriated.
Yangon
charged Thursday that Muslim separatists operating on its border with
Bangladesh
have been trained by Afghanistan's Taliban militia and in
"terrorist camps"
in the Middle East.
Rohingya separatists have operated a low-grade
insurgency
in Myanmar's northwest for decades.
Bangladesh denies any such group operates from its territory.
Source: Agence France Presse
, August 8,2002
TOP
Ethnic
Groups Fear Being Sidelined In Struggle For Democracy
CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- Ethnic minorities in Myanmar
are concerned their
decades-old struggle against the Yangon government is being eclipsed
by
the more visible ethnically Burman pro-democracy forces, interviews
here and elsewhere in Thailand with representatives of two of the
groups that are still fighting the government indicate.
The interviews were conducted during the last two
weeks of July, prior
to U.N. special envoy to Myanmar Razali Ismail's current visit to
Myanmar.
Non-Burman ethnic groups have been fighting the government to varying
degrees for more than 50 years. Although the Myanmar junta has signed
cease-fires with a number of the ethnic groups, some opposition armies
continue to fight against the ruling State Peace and Development
Council. The groups worry that pro- democracy forces they are allied
with
now may forget them if political change comes to Myanmar, according to
interviews here, in
Bangkok and Mae Sot, and elsewhere in Thailand.
Although they support pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, they
distrust some other leaders of the opposition National League for
Democracy because of past ties to the army, as do some Burmans in the
pro-democracy movement.
Suu Kyi has said she envisions a federalist nation,
although not one in
which individual states could secede. It seems that the ethnic group
support for the pro-democracy forces -- including provision of most of
the opposition's
military muscle -- depends on whether the groups believe they will
have
a real role in a new Myanmar.
Representatives of two ethnic groups, the Karens and
Shans, expressed
similar worries about being sidelined, including concern over Burman
pro-democracy
opposition members' domination of the Western view of the Myanmar
opposition.
Karen National Union leader General Bo Mya said the
Burmans get more international help than the minority ethnic groups.
The outside world does not know about killing, rape
and other human rights violations in the minority ethnic areas, he
said, and when the opposition
lobbies overseas, the Burman pro-democracy activists talk about
democracy,political prisoners and similar issues, not about the
problems faced by
the ethnic groups.
Bo Mya, who is also president of both the Democratic
Alliance of Burma,an alliance of ethnic groups and pro-democracy
activists, and the National Council of the Union of Burma, which also
includes the NLD,said there
was no change for the ethnic groups after Suu Kyi was released. He
said
looting, killing and gang rapes continued as part ofgovernment
"ethnic
cleansing" efforts.
Similar sentiments came from General Shwe Hser,
president of the
National
Democratic Front, an alliance of ethnic groups, who said Suu Kyi's
release
has had no impact on the political situation from the ethnic groups'
point
of view.
Khaing Soe Naing Aung, the NDF's general secretary,
said the world
noticed
the country in 1988, the year pro-democracy demonstrations were
crushed,
but the ethnic groups lost their democracy in 1947.
Mahn Nyein Maung of the NDF Central Executive Committee cited the
continued
burning and forced relocation of villages in May, the month Suu Kyi
was
released. According to Karen Refugee Committee Chairman Pastor Robert
Htwe
and Secretary Tay Tay, Myanmar's army wants to rid the border region
of
people, and in one district, 28 villages were ordered to relocate,
part
of a policy begun in the 1970s to subjugate methnic groups.
Shan sources also expressed reservations about the NLD,
with two saying the NLD does not represent the ethnic groups. One
source suggested that
Suu Kyi has respect because of her father Aung San, an independence
hero who was assassinated in 1947, but some ethnic leaders believe she
may not know what is on the mind of non-Burmans.
This source also complained about Burman domination of
the opposition,
saying that the NLD is more well-known to the outside world than the
ethnic groups. At the same time, though, he said talks will have to
proceed among
the government, NLD and ethnic opposition because the SPDC knows how
to play the two components of the opposition off each other.
Suu Kyi Seen As Positive Force This source said Suu Kyi is sincere
about
wanting a federation, saying that since she was educated in the West
she
has seen federations work.
Bo Mya described Suu Kyi as very important to the
struggle for democracy
in Burma and said most ethnic groups will benefit if she becomes
Myanmar's
leader. At the same time, he said, Suu Kyi, cannot do much alone.
Shwe Hser described Suu Kyi as the only NLD leader the ethnic groups
can
trust. Other NLD leaders, he said, were generals and have the blood of
ethnic minorities on their hands.
Other Karen sources voiced similar sentiments, saying
that although they were still assessing Suu Kyi, she seems to
sincerely believe in
democracy
and is the best choice to lead both the Burmans and other ethnic
groups.
Tern Sarng and Khur Hsen of the Restoration Council of Shan State said
that Suu Kyi must prove her commitment to a federation, and while she
might be fair, her colleagues are mostly nationalists.
The NLD swept 1990 elections, which the junta ignored,
but Tern Sarng
and Khur Hsen said those elections were not representative because
most hill tribe members did not vote. They called for a five-year
interim period to train people after any change in government so they
could decide their own fate, followed by a referendum on secession.
Like many of those interviewed for this series,
although Khur Hsen said
she had misgivings about many in the NLD leadership, she said if left
to her own devices, Suu Kyi would propose a fair federation.
Maung Maung Aye, health and education minister for the National
Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma, said the pro- democracy
opposition and the ethnic groups will not be split.
Although before 1988 he said the Burman opposition was
not aware of the
suffering of the ethnic groups, that situation has now changed, he
said, and the pro-democracy opposition "cannot forget their
suffering."
Khon Manko Ban, the NCGUB foreign affairs minister, said that if the
NLD wins and forgets the ethnic groups there will be no peace. He said
he hopes the NLD will not forget the ethnic groups' problems and that
the organization has learned many lessons from 50 years of civil war.
Source:UN Wire , August 5,2002
TOP
The
Use of Rape in Ethnic Cleansing
Even before Burmese Deputy Home Minister Thura Myint
Maung left to
investigate
the rape charges, the results are already known "Every soldier is
patriotic, well behave and there is not a single rape case. These are
preposterous
accusations resulting from political pressure aimed at breaking up the
unity between the military and the minority races," is what he is
going
to say.Obviously this is a forgone conclusion as the Junta's minister
will defend the Junta's image with an out right lie being an enquiry
commission of the Burmese soldiers by the Burmese soldiers for the
Burmese soldiers.
Naturally the Junta is very much afraid of a free
press and a free media not to mention an independent enquiry team as
called upon by the Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity Cooperation
Committee
(ENSCC) which will include
not only the representatives of the ethnic
nationalities but also that
of the ASEAN countries. The civilized community of the world is
appalled
that the Burmese military is using rape as a weapon in its ethnic
cleansing
policy. The investigation team about the Burmese soldiers led by none
other
than by a military means
that simple logic is missing. Who in the world will believe the result
of their so-called investigation?
In their vain attempt to save its crumbling image, if not to cover up
the case, the Burmese Generals has lost their senses. In their
desperation they accused that
it was the Shan State Army that rape the Shan girls. Here again
another
logic is missing. How can an ethnic race rape its own girls when they
are
fighting and giving up their lives to protect their women folks and
race?
Eleven Shan girls and women,
including one 12 years old, were brutally raped by Burmese soldiers is
just a small part of the story. The Burmese soldiers were behaving
like
these for decades and people are too afraid to report.
One might remember the case of forced labor, of how
they tried desperately first to deny it and then try to cover up and
when that
failed
too they reluctantly agreed to some of the charges before being kicked
out of the International Labor Organization. The same scene is
repeating
again. The very fact that Myanmarnization of the ethnic nationalities
has
been going on for quite sometimes especially so with the changing of
the
country's fair name to Myanmar. The 1947 Panglong Conference did not
mention
any word about Myanmar. The Burmese or the Burman became an equal
partner in founding the Union of Burma and this
rape case is an authentic case of Myanmar race rough riding short of
non-Myanmar.
This time the cat was being led out of the bag. No
amount of cover up and lying can save them.
Previously they used to reward and encourage their soldiers to marry
an
ethnic race so that their offspring could be brought up as Myanmar.
Very
lately they began to use rape as a weapon of war after they have taken
a leaf out of Bosnia case. What more proof is wanted when the Burmese
Junta
whole-heartedly supported Milosevic by
entering a treaty of friendship and copying the Slavic style of rape?
Roving soldiers are feared in much
in Burma. The Burmese soldiers are barely educated, young, harshly
disciplined,
isolated, and often
half-starved are taught to despise the ethnic minorities
as inferiors.
The Junta could not pay them enough and so naturally they
live off the land. The rapes cannot be blamed solely on lowly soldiers
enjoying the
"fruits of war". More than half of the well-documented
incidents were initiated by a captain or a major who is considered as
the cream of the Burmese army. They are the ones that are initiating
rape with an unwritten order from above. These "rape
commanders" are merely the most prominent figures in a systematic
assault program designed to terrorize and subdue ethnic minorities
into submission. The well documented figures in an undeniable
fact, which the Junta cannot deny.
The other army captains and majors who
are not in the front lines but
who are given the administrative work endeavors
to get a sex favor from their subordinates of the civilian
administration.
Thus there are
several stories of how an army officer placed in charge
of education would often seek a sex favor from a female school teacher
for promotion
or transfer to a better place. So also the administrative army
personal
would ask it to a female clerk. The Burmese people by nature are shy
and
would not dare to report such incident. But almost everybody in Burma
knows about it.
This cannot be construed as a new phenomenon for
General Ne Win
considered to be the founder of Burmese Army has six
official wives (Daw Tin Tin, Daw Khin May Than, Daw Ni Ni Myint, Daw
Yadana
Nat Mai back to
Daw Ni Ni Myint, not to mention countless others which are
unofficial).
Hence the supreme general has set an example to its subordinates.
It is no wonder that the captains and majors follow
his footsteps. It seems that the Burmese people or at least the army
commanders believe that to have sex with a young girl prolong their
lives. In a country where astrology plays an important part in
decision-making this is nothing new. Their sex appetite can be
compared to their power maniac.
Massacre, pillage, torture and rape are a common
factor for the Burmese army since it unleashed a
four cut policy towards the civilian population residing in the
peripheral.
A 14-year-old, Nang, and her family were forced off
their land in the late 1990s when the army
cleared a huge swathe of central Shan State of some 300,000 of its
population. This forced relocation is tightly controlled by the
military
that cut off from their rice and fruit fields. The girl was left alone
when her parents were away hunting for food. She was discovered in a
farmer's hut by major and about 85 soldiers. The major tied her up and
raped her while his soldiers watched. When he had finished, the
soldiers set fire to the hut from where the girl's body was later
recovered. This is every day happening not only in Shan State but also
in Karen,
Karenni, Chin, Mon and Arakan states. But the people dared not to
report. Sexual
violence serves the multiple purposes of not only
terrorizing local communities into submission, but also flaunting the
power of the dominant troops over the enemy's women, and thereby
humiliating and demoralizing resistance forces.
Dictatorships habitually find telling the truth
difficult, which
is one
reason why they always suspect others of lying. The regime confronts
the world in a brittle, unbending posture that does not allow it to
make even the more sophisticated excuse that there are a few bad
apples' in every organization.
In a closed military society denial is the first
reaction
when it faces
criticism. As these thousands of rapes cases are now made
known we are wondering of what the Australian government is thinking
about.
It was the Australian that graciously taught human
rights courses to theses Burmese military officers who themselves are
involved in their very crime they are supposed to protect.
The special tribunals on Bosnia and Rwanda
have established beyond doubt over the past decade that rape can no
longer
be considered merely "the spoils of war"; there is strong
evidence that
international crimes in
the form of crimes against humanity and war crimes have been committed
and a clear policy must be initiated.
The Junta knows about this, and have not acted to stop
it proved that they themselves are
responsible. The documented in horrifying detail, of how Burma's army
uses
rape as a weapon of war is part of the junta's perpetual war against
ethnic
nationalities. Well documented 173 incidents involving 625 girls and
women,
some as young as five years old, taking place mostly between 1996 and
2001
where one-quarter of the
victims died has being known to the world. A systematic rape by the
soldiers was not simple lust. The majors and captains admit it and
simply justify that this is a form of persecution meted out to the
rebel sympathizers.
There is certainly nothing new about the use of rape
by military forces,
but there is something new in the way that it is now
being understood -not just as a kind of frolic or madness, but as part
of a concerted attempt to subjugate a civilian population. We were
made particularly
aware of this when Serbs systematically raped Bosnian Muslim women.
This
illustrates the Junta's behavior rather than seeking to bring the
criminals to justice, it has unleashed vitriol against the human
rights organizations, accusing them of drug-running and the like. This
is the junta's usual pattern, whenever it is found to be scraping the
bottom of
the morality barrel: child labor, forced labor, torture. It denies all
and attacks the truth-tellers. Yet, over the years the evidence of
barbarity has been so inescapable that even the junta's would-be
friends have found it impossible to overlook it. Burma's leaders
cannot bring
the criminals to justice because they are the criminals. An
"appalled"
US State Department has demanded an investigation, but the military
government said the stories
were "unverified testimonies" by "so- called
victims".Perhaps this time the Washington lobbying firm DCI
Associates headed by Charles Frances which
the Junta had agreed to pay more than $450,000 to crop up the
normalization
of ties between President George W. Bush and the Junta nor Priscella
Clapp the highest ranking US diplomat in
Rangoon, who vehemently hated the free media as can be seen in her
attack of Irrawaddy Magazine Editor U Aung Zaw at the Foreign
Correspondence Club in Bangkok could not save them much.
Source: mizzima, August 5,2002
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Ethnic
polittical parties from "Temporary" United Nationalities
alliance
U Khun Tun Oo To explain it clearly, we have grouped
together eight
nationalities
parties, we regularly meet and discuss how we meet Mr Razali UN
secretary-general's
special envoy to Burma and then to prepare ourselves if the bipartite
dialogue
between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Rangoon (Yangon) military junta
is
upgraded to tripartite dialogue. We regularly meet and discuss matters
such as the needs of the nationalities, how to solve the political
problems,
the literature and
culture of the nationalities, and the right to map our own destiny. We
discuss these matters among others and then to represent the national
races if the dialogue becomes tripartite.
Ko Moe Aye: The group's current name is United
Nationalities Alliance UNA, which in vernacular would be Nyi Nyut Thaw
Taing Yin Thar Lu Myo Su Myar Maha Meik Aphwe Gyoke.
U Khun Tun Oo: Yes. That is correct. It is
not a group per se but we have come together and formed it as a
temporary measure and we recognize each other... What we anticipate
after forming this group is that one day we will have the right to
perform political activities. In other words, the nationalities are
attempting to collectively form an organization that will have the
right
to engage in political activities. In this group, only the SNLD Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy has the privilege to engage in
political activities at present, the others do not have that privilege
so it is one of the problems.
Ko Moe Aye: Could you tell us which nationality
parties are in the group?
U Khun Tun Oo: The other parties are ZNC, Zomi
National Congress, that is a Chin group; CNLD Chin National League for
Democracy is another Chin group, the Mon party is MNDF Mon National
Democratic
Front , the Arakan
group is ALD Arakan League for Democracy , the Karen group is KNC
Karen
National Congress for Democracy , the Kachin group is KNCD Kachin
State
National Congress for Democracy and the Kayah group is the Kayah State
all Nationalities League for Democracy KNLD . Of the
eight, seven parties except the KNC won seats at the Multiparty
General Elections held in 1990.
Ko Moe Aye: Yes. Have these parties come together
to have a discussion?
U Khun Tun Oo: Well, we have. We frequently have
informal talks and discussions. When Daw Suu was released from house
arrest
she said the nationalities groups should be engaged in nationalities
affairs.She also mentioned very clearly that she will not meddle in
nationalities affairs. Another point is, the SPDC State Peace and
Development Council has declared that it has opened a new page in
history, that it is trying to return the country to democracy, that it
will allow the citizens to participate freely in the political
process, and that it is the duty of all national races to give
priority to national unity, peace, and stability of the country. These
promises and slogans and the improvement of the political climate have
encouraged us to become politically active.
Ko Moe Aye So : far the nationalities have got
together and held talks and discussions.Do you have any collective
position or view regarding when the tripartite
talks should begin and the view of the current bipartite talks?
U Khun
Tun Oo: No absolutely nothing at all. As I have mentioned before, it
is premature to say when the tripartite talks will begin. We will
mention
about the tripartite talks only when the bipartite talks with NLD and
the
SPDC becomes unproductive. I think it will be a long time before the
tripartite
talks topic emerges.
Source: Democratic
Voice of Burma, August 5,2002
TOP
Rohingya
houses being vacated in Maungdaw Township
By Our Correspondent
Maungdaw, August 4: The Maungdaw Township Peace
and
Development Council (TPDC) chairman and the commander
of the Nasaka Headquarters in Maungdaw Township have jointly ordered
the Rohingya villagers to vacate their dwelling house, including 2
mosques, four bazaars, one lake and a village community centre, said a
trader.
A total of 224 houses have been affected. They are 93
houses from Nolbanya village (Pandaw Pyin), 12 houses from Maungni
Para, 80 houses from Khawar Bill (Kyikan Pyin), 12 houses from Kamoung
Zeik (Fokira Bazaar) and 27 houses from Shidar Para (Myoma Kanyindan),
he further said.
The affected villagers have appealed to the chairman
of TPDC to allow them to continue their stay during rainy season and
also requested for alternative site for their resettlement, he further
added.
On giving an undertaking to
vacate within next four months the authorities have verbally allowed
them for a temporary stay. Nevertheless, the villagers neither get any
compensation nor alternative site for their resettlement. Despite this
permission to continue their stay until the end of the monsoon, 4
houses from
Nolbanya village, 20 houses from Maungni Para and 3
houses from Khawar Bill village had already been destroyed. With this
the Nasaka forces have started extracting money from the villagers to
exempt their houses from being destroyed in next four months. The
Nasaka had extracted about Kyat 34,40,000/- from a
total of 172 houses (kyat 20,000 per house) as follows:- 80 houses at
Nolbanya village, 12 houses at Maungni Para and 80 houses at Khawar
Bill village.
Confiscation of Rohingya
lands and uprooting of their
centuries-old settlements have now been increased.Recently, the
authorities have ordered some of the Rohingya villagers to destroy all
their houses, shrimp dams and salt fields with false accusation that
they
had been constructed in 20 years without proper permission, said
another trader.
‘This is northing but an attempt to destroy the
economic bases of the Rohingya people’ said a
distinguished Rohingya political leader to the Kaladan Press.
The Commander of the Western Command Brig. Gen. Maung
Oo, the District PDC chairman, the TPDC chairman of Maungdaw Township
held meetings with concerned authorities at Maungdaw Town respectively
on 4th,10th, and 29th of June and discussed about the process of
uprooting Rohingya houses, said a police source.
The Commander of the Western Command frequently visits
northern Arakan to see by himself how their Rohingya exterminatory
designs are implemented, said a retired schoolteacher.
Source: Editor, Kaladan Press, July 31,2002
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U.N. Envoy Visit
Myanmar
A U.N. special envoy who helped secure the release
of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest
launched
a new attempt Friday to spur a dialogue between her and the ruling
military junta.
Razali Ismail arrived in Myanmar's capital and was greeted at the
airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win and U.N. officials.
He did not speak with reporters. The five-day visit is Razali's first
since Suu Kyi's May 6 release from 19 months of house arrest. Euphoria
over Suu Kyi's release has given way to questions about when the
military will hold talks with Suu Kyi and her National League for
Democracy. No meeting between Suu Kyi and the generals has taken
place.
U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard
said Wednesday that Razali's visit will hopefully "provide the
(reconciliation)
process with an added momentum so that the two sides can start their
substantive
dialogue in the near
future."
The National League for Democracy won parliamentary
elections in 1990,but was never allowed to take office by the current
junta, which came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy
movement.
Suu Kyi, the 1991Nobel Peace laureate, has spent most of the past
dozen years under various degrees of confinement.
Eckhard said Razali is scheduled
to meet with government leaders, Suu Kyi and other senior members of
the
National League for Democracy, and some leaders of ethnic groups
during
the visit, his eighth since he was appointed special envoy in April
2000.
He is also expected to meet with U.S., Australian and EU diplomats.
Razali,
a Malaysian, has taken a less confrontational approach than some
Western diplomats, cajoling Myanmar's military rulers into making
concessions.
He helped start the closed-door reconciliation talks between Suu Kyi
and
the government in September 2000.
Since her release in May, Suu Kyi has
been granted complete political freedom. She has traveled twice,
unhindered
by the military, outside the
capital on political trips.
Razali said
after Suu Kyi's release that the U.S.-led economic sanctions against
Myanmar,
also known as Burma, were likely to remain until it was clearer that
the
junta was cooperating with her to end the long political deadlock.
He
also said at that time that national reconciliation should include
the
release of political prisoners, greater political activity for all
parties
and the ability of Suu Kyi and others to deal with issues
confronting the
country.
At least 297 members of the National League for
Democracy and
41 other political prisoners have been released since the start of the
reconciliation talks. According to official figures, another 261
members
of the opposition party remain in prison. It is not known how many
other non-NLD political prisoners are incarcerated.
Source: AP, Burmanet online, August 2,2002
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Malaysia
arrests 135 illegal migrants as tough new laws take effect
Malaysian
police Thursday arrested 135 illegal immigrants seeking asylum outside
the UN refugee agency here in a bid to escape jailing and whipping
under
tough new laws, and warned of major sweeps ahead.
The immigrants, including
women and children, were picked up outside the UN High Commissioner
for
Refugees (UNHCR) centre in Kuala Lumpur after the expiry of a
Wednesday
midnight amnesty deadline, a police spokesman told AFP.
"They are mostly Rohingyas from Myanmar, Acehnese and other
Indonesians.All of them have no legal documents and will be handed
over to the immigration department,"
he said. It was up to the department to decide
if the detainees would face the harsh new immigration laws effective
Thursday, he said, adding that
more arrests were expected.
Under the new laws, both illegal immigrants
and their employers face a mandatory six months in jail and possibly
up
to six strokes of the cane.
Thousands of desperate illegal immigrants
flooded Malaysia's ports this week in a panicked rush to return home
ahead
of the expiry of the amnesty, and a police spokesman said they would
now
begin nabbing illegal immigrants who have made no effort to flee.
"We are going to launch major sweeps on certain areas with large
communities of illegal workers," he told AFP.
Immigration Director General Mohamad
Jamal Kamdi was quoted by The Star newspaper as saying that some
300,000
illegal immigrants had left under the four-month amnesty which began
March
22.
He has said that illegal immigrants who could prove they were willing
to
leave the country would be granted a one-month grace period before
being
arrested.
But the Bangkok-based International Organisation for Migration said
Malaysia's policies were not aligned to its manpower needs and called
for a review of its migration management.
"Meting out punishment like
caning on illegals is not going to resolve the problem because there
is
a need for them, there are employers willing to hire them," chief
of mission
Farooq Azam told AFP.
Employers also warned the hasty move could paralyse
the country's
export-driven economy amid severe shortages in the construction
and
plantation sectors.
The Malaysian Employers Federation executive director, Shamsuddin
Bardan, said some 80 percent of construction workers were foreigners,
of
whom 70 percent were illegals mainly from Indonesia.
The plantation sector in Sabah and Sarawak states on
Borneo island was
also heavily dependent on illegal immigrants, he said. Shamsuddin said
construction bosses were forced to turn to illegal
immigrants as they could
not afford to hire legal workers on a contract basis for at least two
years.
"Illegal immigrants are hired on a daily basis depending on job
availability.Their absence now will more or less paralyse the industry
and affect Malaysia's economic recovery," he told AFP.
He urged the government to also lift
a restriction limiting Indonesian
migrants only to plantation work and
as domestic helpers after two riots by Indonesian workers early this
year.
In Sabah state, which has some one million legal and illegal
immigrants, hawkers and restaurants have complained of a sharp drop in
business and trawlers were finding it tough to replace their crews,
who are mostly
Filipinos.
"The loss in foreign workforce will undoubtedly have an effect on
the economy. In anything you do, there is a price to pay," said a
senior state government officer.
Malaysia, which is home to some 750,000 legal foreign workers apart
from
the hundreds of thousands of illegals, has long sought to cut reliance
on foreign labour.
Indonesians topped the list of those who
have returned home under the amnesty with 243,772 people, followed by
18,933
Indians and 16,648 Bangladeshis.
Source: AFP, Burmanet online, August 1,2002
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A
minor girl raped by local Rakhing youth
By Our Correspondent
Rathedaung, July, 31: On 10th June 2002, a Rohingya
minor girl, named Lalu Khatun, 9, daughter of Gura Mia
hailed from Thamila village of Rathedaung Township was
raped by a local Rakhing youth, said a relative of the victim.
The prosecution story in brief was that while the
aforesaid girl was grazing her cattle in the lawn, the Rakhing youth
named Maung Phu Hla, 26, Son of Tun Mra Kyaw from the same village
forcibly took away the minor girl to a hill-side solitary place and
raped her
there. When the girl screamed out and the near-by villagers rushed to
the spot and the culprit was caught red-handed, while the girl was
lying
unconsciously on the ground covered with blood, he
further added.
Afterwards, the culprit was handed over to his father
and the victim was sent to the hospital of Rathedaung town for
treatment and five days later she was released. However, the matter
was reported to the concerned police station and Nsaka authorities but
no
action has been taken yet against the culprit, said another relative
of the victim.
Source: Editor, Kaladan Press, July 31,2002
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