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Mizzima: The root cause is militari



<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV><STRONG><FONT size=5>The root cause is militarization, said Burma activists at WCAR </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
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<P><EM>September 6, 2001: Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com) </EM></P>
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<DIV></DIV>Durban, South Africa: The military dominates every aspect of life and the non-members of military, particularly ethnic nationalities are facing multiple discrimination under the military rule in Burma. 
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<DIV></DIV>Speaking at the on-going World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) in Durban this morning, Ms. Naw Chai Mei Hua, a Karen ethnic woman from Burma said that ethnic persecution practised by the ruling military has led thousands of Burma citizens flee their country into neighbouring countries. And they face more discrimination in the host countries. 
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<P>?The root cause of this multiple discrimination is half-a-century long civil war resulted from ethno-political conflict and militarization in Burma,? she said. </P>
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<DIV></DIV>She was speaking at the intervention session of non-governmental organizations at the WCAR today. ?We ethnic women, who are always non-members (of the military), face multiple discrimination because of gender and ethnicity. Discrimination is exacerbated ethnic lands due to the war against the ethnic nationalities by the Burmese ruling authority. The soldiers commit sexual violence against ethnic women with impunity, the most obvious form of discrimination,? added Naw Chai Mei Hua who is attending the conference representing the Women?s League of Burma (WLB). 
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<DIV></DIV>A six-member delegation of the Women?s League of Burma, which is an umbrella of exiled eleven women organizations from Burma formed in December 1999 attended the WCAR NGO Forum. The present military junta, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) came into power in September 1988 after killing thousands of peaceful protestors who were demanding for restoration of democracy and human rights in the country. 
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<P>According to WLB, over 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), refugees and migrants from Burma who are living on the border areas signed a petition calling the WCAR to address the consequences of racial discrimination and related human rights violations committed by the ruling authorities in Burma. </P>
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<DIV></DIV>In her 3 minute speech, Naw Chai Mei Hua demanded the Burmese military junta to eliminate the multiple discrimination against the ethnic nationalities in Burma and to end all human rights violations. She also requested the United Nations to encourage the Burmese government to negotiate a nation-wide cease-fire and to enter the genuine dialogue with all political actors in Burma. Burmese government delegation did not immediately respond to the speech of the Burma woman activist. 
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<P>A member of Burmese government delegation at the Conference, however, informally said that Burma?s record of discrimination is not as bad as in some other countries. ?I think some of the titles of the conference are not related with Myanmar (Burma). We do not have such situation as in some other countries where serious actions need to be taken to address these issues,? said Mr. Win Lwin who is former Burmese Ambassador to India. The Conference is being held under the tile of ?World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance?. </P>
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<DIV></DIV>Burma, known officially as Myanmar, is being represented by a two-member official delegation led by Mr. Kyaw Thu, Burmese Ambassador to South Africa. 
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