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No Place Like Hell



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Burma
     Disease, hunger, forced labor and civil war are daily facts of life =
in many parts of Burma, also known as Myanmar.=20

     "If you're a citizen of Burma, you're in danger of having to become =
a refugee from war," said Amnesty International's Jim Roberts. "You're =
in danger of being conscripted into forced labor battalions. If you're =
politically active, you're in danger of being jailed. If you're in =
prison, you're in danger of contracting AIDS - they use unsterilized =
syringes on prisoners."=20

     The Burmese government is considered one of the world's =
least-pleasant regimes. The U.S. State Department has warned that the =
"military government suppresses expression of opposition to its rule," =
and says even foreign nationals are detained if they are suspected of =
helping to foment democracy.=20

     Torture is common, said Roberts. Amnesty believes that at any given =
time, about 1,500 people are in jail for their political beliefs. =
Because many are then released and others then picked up, the actual =
number of people who have been jailed or beaten for their beliefs is =
much higher, he said.=20

     "You're in distinct danger of being tortured if you're arrested," =
he said. "Virtually every type of torture you could think of is =
reported, but mostly it's beatings, electric shock and near-drowning."=20

     But Roberts says the government's abuse goes beyond torture.=20

     "In many parts of Burma, you're going to be hungry," he said. This, =
he added, is due to mismanagement of the land by state authorities. Rice =
paddies often lie fallow as the military carries out counter-insurgency =
operations.=20

     The true extent of the problems in Burma is unknown. The regime is =
careful about what information it makes public.=20

     "We would like to send Amnesty International monitors or some other =
acceptable international human rights investigating team to Burma to =
study the problems on the ground, problems in the prisons and jails and =
in the field near military bases, but the government of Burma doesn't =
seem willing at this point in time to allow that," Roberts said.=20

     However, the government has agreed to allow some Red Cross workers =
into the country, a move he called "a very positive step."=20

     But that's about the only good news to come from Burma in recent =
years.=20

     "We haven't seen much change in Burma in the nature of the types of =
violations that have been reported," he said.=20


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<P><FONT color=3D#009900 face=3D"geneva,&#10;helvetica,&#10;arial"=20
size=3D4><B>Burma</B></FONT><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Disease, =
hunger, forced=20
labor and civil war are daily facts of life in many parts of Burma, also =
known=20
as Myanmar.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8221;If you&#8217;re a citizen of Burma, =
you&#8217;re in danger of=20
having to become a refugee from war,&#8221; said Amnesty =
International&#8217;s Jim Roberts.=20
&#8220;You&#8217;re in danger of being conscripted into forced labor =
battalions. If you&#8217;re=20
politically active, you&#8217;re in danger of being jailed. If =
you&#8217;re in prison,=20
you&#8217;re in danger of contracting AIDS &#8212; they use unsterilized =
syringes on=20
prisoners.&#8221;=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Burmese government is considered one of =
the=20
world&#8217;s least-pleasant regimes. The U.S. State Department has =
warned that the=20
&#8220;military government suppresses expression of opposition to its =
rule,&#8221; and says=20
even foreign nationals are detained if they are suspected of helping to =
foment=20
democracy.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Torture is common, said Roberts. Amnesty =
believes=20
that at any given time, about 1,500 people are in jail for their =
political=20
beliefs. Because many are then released and others then picked up, the =
actual=20
number of people who have been jailed or beaten for their beliefs is =
much=20
higher, he said.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8220;You&#8217;re in distinct danger of =
being tortured if=20
you&#8217;re arrested,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Virtually every type of =
torture you could think of=20
is reported, but mostly it&#8217;s beatings, electric shock and =
near-drowning.&#8221;=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But Roberts says the government&#8217;s =
abuse goes beyond=20
torture.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8221;In many parts of Burma, you&#8217;re =
going to be hungry,&#8221;=20
he said. This, he added, is due to mismanagement of the land by state=20
authorities. Rice paddies often lie fallow as the military carries out=20
counter-insurgency operations.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The true extent of the problems in Burma is =
unknown.=20
The regime is careful about what information it makes public.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8221;We would like to send Amnesty =
International=20
monitors or some other acceptable international human rights =
investigating team=20
to Burma to study the problems on the ground, problems in the prisons =
and jails=20
and in the field near military bases, but the government of Burma =
doesn&#8217;t seem=20
willing at this point in time to allow that,&#8221; Roberts said.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, the government has agreed to allow =
some Red=20
Cross workers into the country, a move he called &#8220;a very positive =
step.&#8221;=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But that&#8217;s about the only good news to =
come from=20
Burma in recent years.=20
<P>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8221;We haven&#8217;t seen much change in =
Burma in the nature=20
of the types of violations that have been reported,&#8221; he said. <A=20
name=3Dchechnya></P></A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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