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LETTER TO U.N.SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR(7/
Subject: LETTER TO U.N.SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR(7/9/94) REPOSTED.
/* Written 17 July 6:00am 1995 by DRUNOO@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* ----------'' Letter to Special Rapporteur in September 1994 ``-----*/
Dr U Ne Oo
48/2 Ayliffes Road
St Marys SA 5042
Adelaide, Australia
September 7, 1994.
Professor Yozo Yokota
The Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot
Switzerland
Dear Professor Yokota,
RE: Human Rights situation in south-eastern part of Burma
I wish to call the UN Special Rapporteur's attention to the human rights
abuses in south-eastern part of Myanmar. I enclosed the field reports
by the human rights workers with this letter. These reports mostly concern
with the Military Government of Myanmar's abuses upon the populations of
Karen and Mon States; and Tenasserim Division. Reports also indicate that
these human rights abuses are the main cause of the refugees' flight into
Thailand.
With this letter, I also enclosed the paper ``Operational Guideline
Proposal for United Nations Agencies in Myanmar''.
It observed thaat the first form of human rights abuses are the military
authorities' forced relocation and illegal confinement of th evillagers.
There have been incidences that the Burmese military forced villagers to
move into the concentration camps without compensation. Because of the
restriction on the movement of the villagers whose farms are located at
distance from relocated camps, the villagers cannot do their normal
farming activities. This caused the displaced villagers to face extreme
hardship and poverty. As a result, the villagers are suffering
malnutritions; and childerns reportedly died.
Another form of abuses are slave labour for the rural populations. The
military government used such forced-unpaid labour in building a large
infrastructure development projects, such as Ye-Tavoy railway project;
building of military encampments and guarding of the roads. This have
caused much disruption to the villagers' livelihoods. there are also
reports of forced portering of the villagers. The consequence of such
disruptions to the villagers' livelihoods have brought much further
gloom to the rural populace, who could merely support theirself of
subsistent livings.
There are also reports of local military authorities collecting of
taxes in excessive amounts: and Burmese army has been extorting monies
from the villagers. The local Law and Order Restoration Council
frequently demand villagers to give fees such as 'development fees',
'porter fees' and various other feew, that are clearly excessive in
amount for these village communities. On occasions, Burmese Army
demanded compensation from villagers for the losses of army properties
in their operation. These practices by military authorities has brought
further poverty and insecurity to the life of villagers. Consequently,
some have fled to the refugee camps.
Reported also are the civilians, instead of rebels, have been targeted
in the military operations. The Burmese army took revenge on the
neighbouring civilians in the events of skirmishes. the army demand
'compensation' fro the villagers as a punishment in events of the
army's truck and equipments damaged. The execution without trial to
the villagers who were suspected of as rebels have also been reported.
These human rights abuses described are responsible for the flight of
refugees into Thailand. Concerned with the growing crisis of Burmese
refugees in Thailand, the UNHCR expressd its willingness, on June 21 1994,
to monitor and assist on the return of refugees to burma. I wish to urge
the Special Rapporteur to make initiatives in improving human rights
situation in those above areas. This will help in creating conducive
environment for refugees to return voluntarily from Thailand. Sonce
these abuses stemmed, partly, from the weaknesses in Burma's legislative
and institutional sectors, the efforts to improve human rights should
be directed at the long-term institution building in Burma.
I wish the Special Rapporteur recommand the following measures within
the context of improving human rights siutation in Myanmar.
1. All parties in conflict must urgently seek the cessation of civil
war, which is the root cause for various human rights abuses in Myanmar.
The abolishment of the 'free-fire zones' and concentration camps must
be made subsequently.
2. A tribunal must be set-up and operating under the supervision of
the United Nations. Various compensation claims: the losses of properties
in having to move to concentration camps, the monies demanded by military
for the losses of army's properties, etc, should be assessed by this
tribunal and the Military Government of Myanmar give compensation to
these villagers. Efforts should be made to initiate th judicial reform
in Myanmar and the UNCHR should offer its helps in this.
3. A special committee, consisting of respective government ministry,
the UN agencies, local leaders and regional army commander, should be
formed to determine the maximum amount of taxes that should be raised
from the people. A guideline must be drawn and urged the Myanmar Military
Government to follow it in taxations. The UN agency should ensure that
the taxation is not excessive. The respective UN agencies, such as UNDP,
should also offer their helps in reforming the taxation department and
training of the staffs.
4. Myanmar military government must reimbust the monies owed to the
villagers along the Ye-Tavoy railway routes as well as other development
projects for their contributed labour.
5. Investigations must be made into the incidences of extra-judicial
killings that occurred within the context of military operations. The
compensations must be given by Myanmar government to those killed in
these incidences.
In order to create a smoothe operation in implementing above measures,
formation of a working committee, which is similar to the Reception
committee, in Arakan State, should also be recommended. I also wish
the Special Rapporteur recommends various UN Agencies, regardless of
their formal mandate, to promote human rights in Myanmar as described
in the enclosed paper. The non-governmental organisations, which are
willing to work in collaboration with the UN Agencies in Myanmar,
should also be recommended to follow the guideline.
Finally, I should like to thank the Special Rapporteur for your
kindness towards Burmese people and helps in their struggle for
democracy and freedom.
Yours faithfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo
copy to:
1. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale 2500,
CH-1211 Geneve 2 Depot Switzerland.
2. Mr Jan Eliasson, The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitiarian Affairs,
UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations New York 10017, USA.
3. Senator Gareth Evans, The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Parliament
House, Canberra ACT 2600, for information.
/* Endreport */