Right to Life: reports of violations in Burma

expand all
collapse all

Individual Documents

Title: INTERVIEW: Myanmar military increasing efforts to keep truth from getting out, UN expert says
Sub-title: The crackdown on journalists, cutting off the Internet and disrupting the flow of information across Myanmar, is “not working”, and the world is not buying the military leadership’s “propaganda” that it is exercising restraint against protesters, the UN independent human rights expert on the country has said, in an in-depth interview with UN News.
Description: "Over 700 people are reported to have been killed in the brutal response by the security forces since the military overthrew the democratically elected Government on 1 February. Thousands more have been injured – many of them seriously, and over 3,000 people are in detention. That includes at least 71 journalists, more than half of whom are still detained, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – UN’s media workers’ safety watchdog – which added that some two dozen people have been charged for “allegedly spreading fake news”. Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, told UN News in his extensive interview, that the military junta has been making “significant efforts, which have been increasing, to keep the truth inside the country, to not allow the world to see what is going on”. “Already the military has been making up stories about what it is facing. From the very outset, it said that it is using ‘utmost restraint’ – its language – to contend with ‘violent protests’, [but] we saw nothing of the kind.” “We saw increasing violence and increasing brutality by the military. And we saw very peaceful, unarmed protesters … despite their efforts to block it, the truth is getting out, and it is a gruesome truth”, Mr. Andrews added. In the first of this two-part interview with the Special Rapporteur, UN News asked the rights expert how he characterized the current international response to the crisis in Myanmar and what countries can do to stop the bloodshed. We will be publishing part two over the weekend, in which he addresses the responsibility to protect citizens from violence, and his hopes for the country’s future. UN News: It must be increasingly difficult to get information from Myanmar, but as far as you know, what is the situation on the ground? Special Rapporteur: You are right. There have been great efforts by the junta to block information from getting out to the world. Not only the blocking of Internet but also now the interruption of broadband wireless service, and there have been at least 64 journalists, that I know of, who have been arrested and detained. So there has been a significant effort, which has been increasing, to keep truth inside the country and not allow the world to see what is happening. Nonetheless, we know that conditions are worsening in Myanmar. We know that at least 700 people are confirmed dead, at least 3,000 people arbitrarily detained, and at least 46 children killed..."
Source/publisher: UN News
Date of publication: 2021-04-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Burma charges doctors over civil disobedience protests
Description: "Burma's ruling junta has charged at least 19 medical doctors for participating in civil disobedience protests against the military's Feb. 1 coup, a state-run newspaper reported Wednesday. Doctors, nurses and medical students have marched and joined strikes to show their opposition to the military takeover that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government and put a halt to the progress Burma had made toward greater democratization after five decades of military rule. The doctors charged are accused of supporting and participating in the civil disobedience movement "with the aim of deteriorating the state administrative machinery," the Global New Light of Burma newspaper wrote. THOUSANDS FLEE BURMA AIRSTRIKES, COMPLICATING CRISIS The military government has already issued arrest warrants for 100 people active in the fields of literature, film, theater arts, music and journalism on charges of spreading information that undermines the stability of the country and the rule of law. This isn't the first time doctors have been targeted. Earlier this month in Mandalay, the country’s second-biggest city, security forces used stun grenades and fired guns to break up a march by medical workers protesting the army’s takeover. The online news site The Irrawaddy reported that four doctors were arrested. Protests continued Wednesday across Burma even as people boycotted the official celebration of Thingyan, the country's traditional New Year, usually a time for family reunions and merry-making. In leaflets and social media posts last week, people were asked not to hold any Thingyan celebrations, saying it would be disrespectful to "fallen martyrs" to enjoy the festival. The government's violent response to anti-coup demonstrations has seen 714 people killed by security officials, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners..."
Source/publisher: "Associated Press" (New York) via "Fox News" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-04-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 181.24 KB
more
Title: Funerals become scenes of Myanmar resistance, more violence
Description: " Myanmar security forces opened fire Sunday on a crowd attending the funeral of student who was killed on the bloodiest day yet of a crackdown on protests against last month’s coup, local media reported. The escalating violence — which took the lives of at least 114 people Saturday, including several children — has prompted a U.N. human rights expert to accuse the junta of committing “mass murder” and to criticize the international community for not doing enough to stop it. The Security Council is likely to hold closed consultations on the escalating situation in Myanmar, U.N. diplomats said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of an official announcement. The council has condemned the violence and called for a restoration of democracy, but has not yet considered possible sanctions against the military, which would require support or an abstention by Myanmar’s neighbor and friend China. The mounting death tolls have not stopped the demonstrations against the Feb. 1 takeover — or the violent response of the military and police to them. Myanmar Now reported that the junta’s troops shot at mourners at the funeral in the city of Bago for Thae Maung Maung, a 20-year-old killed on Saturday. He was reportedly a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Union, which has a long history of supporting pro-democracy movements in the country. According to the report, several people attending the funeral were arrested. It did not say if anyone was hurt or killed. But at least nine people were killed elsewhere Sunday as the crackdown continued, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which has been documenting deaths during demonstrations against the coup. Some of the funerals held Sunday became themselves opportunities to demonstrate resistance to the junta. At one in Bhamo in the northern state of Kachin, a large crowd chanted democracy slogans and raised the three-finger salute that has come to symbolize defiance of the takeover. Family and friends were paying their respects to Shwe Myint, a 36-year-old who was shot dead by security forces on Saturday. The military had initially seized her body and refused to return it until her family signed a statement that her death was not caused by them, according to the Democratic Voice of Burma, a broadcast and online news service. In Yangon, the country’s largest city, meanwhile, mourners flashed the three-finger salute as they wheeled the coffin of a 13-year-old boy. Sai Wai Yan was shot dead by security forces as he played outside his home. The Feb. 1 coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government reversed years of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule. It has again made Myanmar the focus of international scrutiny as security forces have repeatedly fired into crowds of protesters. At least 459 people have been killed since the takeover, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The crackdown extends beyond the demonstrations: Humanitarian workers reported that the military had carried out airstrikes Sunday against guerilla fighters in the eastern part of the country. Henrietta Fore, head of the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, said in Saturday’s bloodiest day since the coup “an 11-year-old boy, an 11-year-old girl, two 13-year-old boys, a 13-year-old girl, three 16-year-old boys and two 17-year-old boys, (were) all reportedly shot and killed.” She said “a 1-year-old baby girl gravely injured after being struck in the eye with a rubber bullet.” “In less than two months, at least 35 children have allegedly been killed, countless others seriously injured and almost 1,000 children and young people reported arbitrarily detained by security forces across the country” she said, condemning the indiscriminate killings and demanding that those responsible be held accountable..."
Source/publisher: "Associated Press" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-03-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 273.09 KB
more
Title: Myanmar Regime Arrests About 36 Protest Leaders, Celebrities, and Activists in a Single Day
Topic: abducted, Activist, actor, arrest, arrests, beaten, charges, Detentions, Human Rights, leader, Police, Protests, regime, singer, troops, warrants
Topic: abducted, Activist, actor, arrest, arrests, beaten, charges, Detentions, Human Rights, leader, Police, Protests, regime, singer, troops, warrants
Description: "About three dozen people, including a prominent protest leader, protesters, celebrities, activists and ordinary citizens, were arrested by the military regime on Thursday in four states and regions. Regime forces arrested six medics during a crackdown on a protest column led by members of the medical community in Mandalay about 10 a.m. Thursday. A least 20 other people in the neighborhood were arrested during the crackdown. The junta’s forces opened fire and destroyed motorbikes and vehicles. About 10:30 a.m. the regime’s troops broke into a house in Shan State’s capital, Taunggyi, and arrested four people, according to state-based media. About 11:30 a.m., workers’ rights activist Daw Myo Aye, director of Solidarity Trade Union of Myanmar (STUM), was abducted from her office in Shwepyithar Township. Four military vehicles with around 40 soldiers surrounded the office during the arrest. Her daughter wrote on her Facebook page that the troops also confiscated the phones of the staff in the office. Veteran academy-award winning actor Zin Wyne was arrested in afternoon in Yangon. He was charged with allegedly inciting civil servants to join the civil disobedience movement and support the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH). A group formed by elected parliamentarians ousted in the coup, the CRPH has been acting as a shadow government in opposition to the military regime. Po Po, a famous singer who was also on junta’s wanted list for the same charge, was arrested about 3 p.m. She was taken from her house in Yangon by regime forces, her manager wrote on social media. Both celebrities participated in anti-regime protests. Ko Wai Moe Naing, a prominent leader of the anti-regime protest movement in Monywa, Sagaing region, was beaten and dragged away by regime’s forces after having his motor scooter rammed Thursday afternoon. He had been leading daily motorbike protests against the military dictatorship. A female protester was also arrested along with him. The Monywa People Strike Leading Committee announced after the arrest that they will continue to fight until the fall of the military dictatorship. They also called upon the military regime to respect detainees’ human rights and allow proper medical treatment. On Tuesday, Ko Zaw Thurein Tun, president of Myanmar Computer Professionals Association in Monywa, and his pregnant wife were abducted together by plainclothes officers in Shwebo Township, Sagaing region. A former journalist from Myitkyina, a news outlet based in Kachin State, was also arrested by plainclothes officers at her home. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which tracks detentions, the regime had detained more than 3,000 people and issued arrest warrants for 756 more..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-04-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Opponents of Myanmar military rule hold ‘silent strike’
Description: "Opponents of military rule in Myanmar observed a “silent strike” on Friday, with many people staying home to mourn the more than 700 people killed in protests against a Feb. 1 coup and others wearing black held small marches in several cities and towns. Many Myanmar citizens, infuriated by the return of military rule after five years of civilian government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, have been taking to the streets day after day with activists thinking up new ways to show opposition as the security forces step up their suppression. "Let's make the roads silent," protest leader Ei Thinzar Maung posted on her Facebook page. "We have to stage a Silent Strike to show our sorrow for the martyrs who have scarified their lives. The most silent voice is the loudest." Friday is the fourth day of the five-day traditional Buddhist New Year holiday, known as Thingyan. Most people this year are shunning the usual festivities to focus on their campaign against the generals who overthrew Suu Kyi's government and locked up her and many others. Streets in the main city of Yangon were largely deserted, residents said, while black-clad protesters held small rallies in half a dozen cities and towns, media reported. There were no immediate reports of violence but overnight, two people were shot and killed in the central town of Myingyan, Radio Free Asia reported. A spokesman for the junta could not be reached for comment. The military has also been rounding up its critics and has published the names of more than 200 people wanted under a law that makes it illegal to encourage mutiny or dereliction of duty in the armed forces. Two prominent protest organisers were arrested on Thursday along with an actor and singer, both known for speaking out against the coup. Late on Thursday, soldiers raided a famous Buddhist monastery in the second city of Mandalay and arrested two people, the Myanmar Now media group reported..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Time for a coordinated ASEAN–UN response to Myanmar’s coup
Description: "The international community needs new ways of working together to respond to the violence deployed against protesters in Myanmar. Since the military seized power on 1 February 2021, over 600 people have been killed. As of 10 April, over 2800 are in detention, have outstanding charges or are evading arrest. Communities across the country continue to protest, despite increasingly lethal violence. The international community continues to make statements denouncing the use of violence against protestors. They encourage regional efforts to support peaceful resolution and a return to the democratic transition. But protesters don’t want a return to the previous situation — they are calling for fundamental political change. The Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) has entrenched its position. More lethal force and violence is expected. It is time for ASEAN and the UN to collaborate on developing a joint mechanism to coordinate regional and international diplomatic efforts, and provide humanitarian assistance to respond to the deteriorating situation. ASEAN is constrained by its consensus-based approach to decision-making and limited investment in regional institutional architecture. The divergence of opinion over the situation in Myanmar between member states is well documented. This limits ASEAN from acting collectively. But treating ASEAN as an enforcement mechanism in the ways that some in the international community have suggested misses the point. ASEAN has evolved as a forum for dialogue at the regional level. Its successes have been in initiating and contributing to the sustainable development of its member states, while engaging extra-regional players. The UN has several constraints working in Southeast Asia, the most prominent being that many countries in the region prefer a localised approach to peace and security. The UN has strengthened its position in the region by partnering with ASEAN in several key areas, notably in disaster management and emergency response. A greater focus on these successes is needed to develop an ASEAN–UN partnership. A joint mechanism would build on past successes. There have been notable developments since the signing of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response in 2008, suggesting that a more coordinated approach is possible between global and regional organisations. In October 2016, the UN Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the ASEAN Secretary-General met alongside the UN General Assembly and the annual ASEAN–UN Secretariat-to-Secretariat Dialogue. They agreed to capture and institutionalise practical, experience-based arrangements. This notably took shape in the response to the 2018 Sulawesi Earthquake in Indonesia. The Indonesian government mandated that the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) be the platform through which international partners and the private sector coordinate their humanitarian efforts. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs worked in the AHA Emergency Operations Centre to facilitate coordination between ASEAN and the UN. The experience was commended and pointed to as a new way of working between the two entities. There remains a lack of significant investment in regional institutions, limiting both their mandate and their capacity. The ASEAN Charter remains the lynchpin for upholding the ASEAN community and provides the foundation for action. But it lacks triggers to initiate substantive responses and relies on the convening of an ASEAN Leaders Summit to address member states that fall foul of their commitments. And the ASEAN Secretariat only has a few hundred employees — limiting its ability to implement its broad-based mandate effectively. Forging an ASEAN–UN partnership could help coordinate diplomatic efforts and deliver humanitarian assistance to people in Myanmar. It could draw on the expertise of the 6600 ASEAN citizens currently staffing the United Nations system to create a joint mechanism anchored in the ‘ASEAN way’ that combines the trust of ASEAN with the capacity of the United Nations. In response to the devastating impact of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, ASEAN established the ASEAN Humanitarian Taskforce. The taskforce was made up of the ASEAN member states chaired by the ASEAN Secretary-General and an advisory group made up of Myanmar’s neighbouring countries, the UN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. It facilitated engagement between parties and provided a model for an ASEAN–UN mechanism. A partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations will provide a more coordinated international response to the increasingly fraught situation in Myanmar. If ASEAN leadership fails, it will fall upon the wider international community and individual ASEAN members — undermining the organisation’s regional centrality. A path that does not engage ASEAN faces numerous hurdles and diverging interests. It is time to move beyond broad commitments to region-led approaches. Actors must find innovative ways of collaborating if regional and international efforts are to support people in Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "East Asia Forum" (Australia)
Date of publication: 2021-04-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 164.52 KB
more
Title: Australia should target Myanmar ‘gang leader’ for sanctions, UN expert says
Sub-title: Exclusive: special rapporteur Tom Andrews says crimes against humanity are happening ‘before our very eyes’ and calls for urgent action against military junta
Description: "A top United Nations expert is in direct talks with the Australian government about how to expand sanctions against Myanmar’s military regime, and warned that crimes against humanity are being “committed before our very eyes”. Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, told Guardian Australia the government should target the commander-in-chief, whom he described as “the gang leader” responsible for mass atrocities, and should link additional sanctions with those imposed by other countries. On Wednesday the Australian government attempted to reassure more than 3,300 Myanmar nationals in Australia that it was not planning to send them home when their visas expired, amid concerns about the dangers they might face in the wake of the 1 February coup. The Australian government has condemned the coup and the killing of more than 700 civilians, but has not announced any sanctions beyond those applying to five military figures who have been on the list since 2018. Human rights groups have criticised Australia for appearing to act slower than some of its key allies and partners..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 169.4 KB
more
Title: Is Civil Disobedience Myanmar’s New Normal?
Topic: civil disobedience movement, Coup, Democracy, Human Rights, military in politics, Min Aung Hlaing, National League for Democracy, November 8 general election, Rule of Law, State Administrative Council, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Tatmadaw, Yangon
Topic: civil disobedience movement, Coup, Democracy, Human Rights, military in politics, Min Aung Hlaing, National League for Democracy, November 8 general election, Rule of Law, State Administrative Council, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Tatmadaw, Yangon
Description: "What is the new normal for Myanmar today? As people have been trying different forms of civil disobedience to fight the military coup it has become a new normal in Myanmar. The words “civil disobedience” comes from State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s appeal before she was detained. She urged people to “oppose the military coup together in any way possible”. For her, as she often said, “the people are the most important force”. A veteran journalist asked another National League for Democracy (NLD) leader, U Win Htein, about the message and what Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wants people to do. U Win Htein said she wanted a civil disobedience movement rather than mass street protests because of COVID-19 and the potential for bloodshed. As her message was not clear enough, people were puzzled about what to do. NLD members have waited for instructions from the party’s central executive committee who are being held in Naypyidaw. The strict hierarchy of the NLD left people feeling bereft on the first day of the coup. My 78-year-old mother kept asking me, “Is there any luck?” She cried the whole day because her beloved leader, “Mother Suu”, was detained. It is heartbreaking for her because she did not expect to return to military rule. One day after the coup, people started banging pots and pans and honking car horns to oppose military rule. Banging pans is a traditional way of driving out ghosts. That initiative reached the international media and was dubbed the “drum revolution”. Thais have followed suit in an attempt to drive out Thailand’s military regime. But pots and pans are not enough for young citizens who have been hit the hardest by the forced internet shutdown ordered by the authorities. My son and his student friends have lost their online jobs, they cannot play virtual games and their online shopping businesses have folded. Food Panda delivers lost their jobs as online ordering has broken down and most bank cards have stopped working because of connection failures. Shops only want cash as the banking system is unstable and the Grab taxi app just says, “no connection found”. The internet shut down is causing a long list of problems. Facebook was blocked after the authorities forced telecoms operators to ban the most popular social media network. People immediately searched for virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass Myanmar’s networks. Anti-coup posts and protest photos returned to Facebook..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-02-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 287.29 KB
more
Title: Myanmar activists remember dead with red paint protests
Description: "Opponents of Myanmar’s coup splashed red paint and dye on roads and signs outside government offices on Wednesday to represent the blood of people killed protesting against the junta, on the second day of the traditional new year holiday. The display aimed at shaming the military took place in various towns and cities, according to pictures posted by media outlets, as people answered a call by activists to join what they termed a bloody paint strike. Some people marched with signs calling for the release of the leader of the ousted government, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. She has been detained since the Feb. 1 coup on various charges including violating an official secrets act that could see her imprisoned for 14 years. Her lawyers have denied the charges against her. “Please save our leader - future - hope,” read a sign with a picture of Suu Kyi held by a young woman among several thousand people marching in the second city of Mandalay, according to a picture published by the Mizzima news service. There were no immediate reports of violence at any of the protests on Wednesday, but information has become scarce because of junta curbs on the internet. The coup has plunged Myanmar into crisis after 10 years of tentative steps toward democracy with daily protests and various campaigns of defiance including strikes by workers in many sectors that have brought the economy to a standstill. The five-day New Year holiday, known as Thingyan, began on Tuesday but pro-democracy activists cancelled the usual festivities to focus on their opposition to the generals who seized power.
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 219.99 KB
more
Title: Myanmar’s lost generation: nation’s youth sacrificing futures for freedom
Description: "For Myanmar’s young people, 2021 was supposed to be a year for optimism. After seeing through the Covid-19 pandemic, the rollout of the vaccine had begun and general elections in November had marked a step towards the country realising its potential. But in the wake of the 1 February coup, their dreams have turned into nightmares, as many of Myanmar’s young people have found themselves forced to sacrifice their futures to take a stand against the military. Aspiring engineer, Hlyan Phyo Aung, 22, is one of them. News portal Myanmar Now reported that he was hurt by an explosion during a crackdown on a protest in the central city of Magway on 27 March. A soldier reportedly shot off his injured hand at close range, another shot multiple rubber bullets into his other hand, and then troops kicked him in the face until onlookers flung themselves over him, saving his life. His right hand was amputated at the wrist; he may also permanently lose the use of his left hand. His left leg was shot eight times and may also be amputated, his right thigh has two bullet wounds, his face was battered and damage to his eyesight caused by the impact of the gunshots may also be irreparable. The military has stopped him from receiving treatment outside one of its own hospitals, and is also charging him with incitement, which carries up to three years in jail. His story echoes the brutality borne by other protesters of his generation. Among the first civilian casualties was a 19-year-old girl shot in the head by security forces. Then came an endless list of ruined futures – a 24-year-old father who lost his leg after being shot in Yangon on 10 March, in the north-west region of Sagaing, a 20-year-old man whose leg was also amputated after the military reportedly threw a hand grenade, a 19-year-old student shot dead near Yangon on 27 March, and even younger casualties on the same day, such as a 14-year-old girl who died in her home after security forces sprayed bullets in a neighbourhood, and a seven-year-old girl shot while sitting on her father’s lap in Mandalay. Some of those who survived the attacks have been maimed for life or are unable to work as a result of their injuries..."
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 348.63 KB
more
Title: Regime’s forces kill two, loot donations from mosque from during attack on small town in Mandalay Region
Sub-title: ‘The situation is not good at all here,’ a rescue worker from Myitnge said
Description: "The coup regime’s forces shot dead two civilians and injured six others in the town of Myitnge, Mandalay Region, on Tuesday, according to residents. The two men who died were from the town’s Yankin ward and their bodies were cremated at the Myitnge Myoma Cemetery at 9am on Wednesday. The shooting began when regime forces tried to detain a civil servant who had gone on strike and joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), a local said. “They came to arrest a civil servant doing CDM,” she said. “The residents came out to protest and they started shooting at them.” “They have been shooting all day today too. So we cannot go outside,” she told Myanmar Now on Wednesday. At around 2pm on Wednesday, soldiers destroyed barricades set up by locals and shot at houses in Thazin ward, she added. A donation box at a local mosque was also destroyed and the money inside was taken by the soldiers, a resident said. “We still don’t know how much money they took. They’re still blocking the area so we cannot go outside,” they added. The military’s spokesperson could not be reached for comment regarding the killing of the two men and the looting. Soldiers also began shooting in the nearby village of Hpa Paung on Wednesday evening, according to locals, though they were unable to give further details at the time of reporting. A relief worker from Myitnge said volunteers to help treat injured people and collect dead bodies have become scarce because of the dangers of doing such work. He added that a man was shot dead on Tuesday in the town of Sintgaing, about 16km from Myitnge. “We cremated his body immediately on the same day. I can’t tell you the details. The situation is not good at all here,” he said. More than 100 people have been protesting daily in Myitnge, residents there said. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a group that has been monitoring violence and arrests since the February 1 coup, the new regime has now killed at least 715 people, including more than 40 children..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-04-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 194.72 KB
more
Title: As civil disobedience movement grows, so do efforts to shore up resistance
Sub-title: As civil servants stage walkouts in protest against military rule, new groups are forming to help them meet basic needs
Description: "In the two weeks since Myanmar’s military seized power, resistance has taken many forms, from people banging pots and pans to massive street protests. But none have shown more commitment to the cause of restoring civilian rule than the tens of thousands of civil servants who have put their lives and livelihoods on the line by joining the growing civil disobedience movement. Some in this movement have been targeted for arrest, as the regime carries out late-night arrests around the country as part of its effort to crush popular opposition to its rule. But many others are struggling with a more basic problem: meeting their material needs as they forego an income in their bid to bring down the junta. It is in recognition of this sacrifice that new groups have begun to crop up to assist public employees in need. These groups—with names like “We Support Heroes” and “2/21 Sturdy Hands”—are trying to ensure that the regime doesn’t win by attrition what it can’t achieve through fear and intimidation. “Whenever we urge civil servants to stay away from work, there are always some who ask us how they can feed themselves. That’s why we formed this group, so that we could answer that question and show our unity,” said a member of a group that calls itself “Get Well Soon”. Already, hundreds have sought help. So far, however, support has come mainly in the form of food and shelter provided by private donors, as financial aid is still not available due to the fact that none of the groups have begun fundraising yet. One group, We Support Heroes, says that it has assisted at least 100 public employees and their families since the civil disobedience movement, or CDM, started in the days after the February 1 coup. Most are nurses, but others include customs officials, parliamentary office staff, and the households of six police officers forced to leave government-sponsored housing. One of the members of the group told Myanmar Now that even without much cash at its disposal, it has been able to amply provide for those in need of assistance thanks to the generosity of the public. “There are people who have welcomed others into their homes, in some cases giving them the whole house to live in. In Mandalay, a whole hotel was provided. And some are giving not just accommodation, but also daily meals,” he said. Engineering resistance Many of those walking off the job to join the CDM are technical staff working in a variety of ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and the Irrigation and the Small-Scale Industries Department. Scattered around the country, from remote parts of Kachin State to the urban centers of Yangon and Mandalay, they have been among those in greatest need. Civil Disobedience Campaign—Myanmar Engineers, a group formed to assist workers in technical professions who have lost their jobs or housing due to their participation in the CDM, says that it has received 600 requests for help, but has so far only been able to assist in about 200 cases..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-02-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 464.61 KB
more
Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 14 April, (715) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (1) fallen heroes today. This (1) hero was killed on a previous day but documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of April 14, a total of (3070) people are currently under detention; of them (66) are sentenced. 756 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 17 were sentenced to death and currently evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today was the second day of Thingyan in Burma but instead people protested and strike across the country. Including a “blood strike” across the county symbolizing streets where the junta killed innocents as still stained. The inhumanity of the dictatorship is revealed because the blood has not gone away. Protestors wroten slogans on roads, like “stop killing people” and “Save Myanmar” using this red paint. Since this afternoon, Myitnge Town, in Mandalay Region was reportedly under siege by the junta, yesterday evening in Myitnge Town, at least five people were injured and many others arrested in shootings by the junta forces. In Bahan Township, Yangon, a man was shot dead in the chest while he was waiting for the bus near Min Street Bus Stop. Last night, in Kale Town in Sagaing Region, a man was shot in the stomach and injured when he was returning home from giving an oxygen tank to someone in an emergency. Last night, Myanmar Radio and Television (MRT) broadcasted that 26 civilians were sentenced – to death, 7 years imprisonment with labour, or 3 years imprisonment with labour. Some of these civilians are currently evading arrest. The junta’s own actions of death sentences and long sentences are criminally arbitrary. The junta is abusing the right of everyone to peace and security, people are facing threats to their lives on a daily basis. The junta robs the people like bandits. Yesterday, in Chin State, Hakha City, a military vehicle collided with a civilian car, destroying the man’s car. The man was detained for one night, 1.3 million Kyat in the vehicle was also stolen. A house in South Okkalapa Township, Yangon Region which stored rations and distributed donations was raided and 300 pounds of oil were stolen. The junta commits these crimes without regard for the law like terrorists. At the Yangon Education Center for the Blind in Mayangon Township, Khawe Chan. At around 7.30pm 12 April, approximately 70 junta Battalion No.77 jumped over the compound gate and set up base in two of the buildings. Inside were around 50 blind students (age between 5 and 30) and 30 family and blind staff in the wider compound, reportedly all still there. Staff movements are restricted. The junta troops initially said they would keep the base for 5-7 days, but on 13 April, they instead said it would be 1-2 weeks. Occupying a school of disabled students is not only morally abhorrent, but also violates universal international law. The UNSC must uphold its commitment to give these vulnerable students their protection and dignity which has been directly threatened by this junta terrorism and coup attempt. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heros in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 827.23 KB 2.92 MB 812.55 KB
more
Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 13 April, (714) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (4) fallen heroes today. (2) from Tamu Town in Sagaing Region died on 13 April. (2) were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of April 13, a total of (3054) people are currently under detention; of them (66) are sentenced. As 79 people including UEC members were released, we removed them from today’s detainee list. 717 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 17 were sentenced to death and currently evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today on the eve of the Thingyan, people from all over Burma protested against the military dictatorship by chanting “Ye Ye Ni Sway Atar Oh Revolution” (The Red Welcome Flowerpot to Spirit Revolution), without having fun in water. Today, junta troops stormed Tamu, Sagaing Region. Since this morning, some wards in Tamu have been being raided, barricades and people’s homes nearby were shot at unprovoked. Today, a man and a woman were shot dead while delivering milk in Tamu. Five youths were reportedly beaten, hooded, and taken away. Persecution is practiced as routine for decades by dictatorships, now targeting civilians. Yesterday, in Insein Township, Yangon Region, a night watchman went missing on his way home after his duty. His family inquired of his whereabouts and found his dead body with wounds consistent with torture in another township, Hlaing Tharyar Hospital. The military attempts to create religious conflict as its policy. At a mosque in Tamwe Township, Yangon Region, a man, who called Muslims to prayer was found dead by hanging, his entire body and hands on back tied. Police and mosque officials have issued a statement condemning the alleged suicide, even though experts say suicide was not possible. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. It is a fundamental human right. In Burma it is a tragedy everyone is threatened and are concerned for their safety every day. This morning, arrests were made in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region. Nine people were arrested in a raid on Lel Thit village in the eastern part of Myingyan. Last night, Mayangone Township, Yangon, a raid on Mudita’s Housing led to the arrest of at least 10 people. Yesterday in Taungdwingyi Township, Magway Region, thousands of locals were forced to flee their homes due to a military terrorist group opening fire on three villages of Pat Lal Gyi Village Tract, destroying homes and property. In order to retain power, the terrorist regime commits crimes against humanity on a daily basis. Yesterday’s news that the kyat has dropped 14% against the US dollar provides further warnings of Burma’s likely descent into a failed state. Burma already hosts fragile industries, which now face complete collapse. The economic effects will be felt internationally, particularly damaging its top investor Singapore and thereafter the entire ASEAN. Soaring food and gas prices come alongside yesterday’s scenes of long queues at ATMs in Yangon, as people panic to withdraw cash from crumbling bank systems. With junta terror prevailing in Tamu in particular today, economic chaos will engulf the entire country. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heros in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: If you need legal assistance, contact Aung Gyi on 09 451 529 000 from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and lawyer Khin Thida Lai Lai Htun on 09 774 081 585. “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 817.7 KB 2.91 MB 811.17 KB
more
Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 12 April, (710) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (4) fallen heroes today. These (4) heroes were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of April 12, a total of (3080) people are currently under detention; of them (64) are sentenced. 697 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 17 were sentenced to death and currently evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Last night, across the country civilians held a “flashlight strike”, lighting the sky in a powerful symbol of unity against unlawful military rule. Aerial images captured the extent of the people’s resistance. Junta forces responded to even these peaceful acts of solidarity with brutal violence. In one case in Aungmyethazan, Mandalay, CCTV footage shows the junta abducting civilians who simply turned on flashlights in their own homes. Nationally civilians also took part in a watermelon strike encouraging a boycott of Chinese products and fruits. This was in solidarity with farmers and in opposition to a China refusing to directly criticize the terrorists in Burma. Today people across Burma again continued in their protests against dictatorship, a coalition strike in Mandalay City was suppressed with gunfire. In Kyaukme, Shan State, the terrorists used tear gas and sound grenades in the afternoon. However, no one was injured or arrested. Junta forces removed barricades made by people in Narnattaw Ward, Loikaw Township, Kayah State and arrested seven individuals. Four of the seven were released soon afterwards. Although crackdowns appeas apear to be on the decline there are in fact ongoing shooting, killing, torture and arrests. Beginning early this morning, so-called police and military terrorists used excessive force to attack Tamu Township, Sagaing Region. Junta troops advanced through Tamu and destroyed people-made barricades, all civilians found were tied up. The terrorists opened fire and raided houses, suspects were arrested and taken away. The junta group raided and looted Grace Hospital in Tamu and beat the nurses. They also stormed the Methodist church compound and stole mobile phones, gold and jewelry and money which belonged to the abbot and civilians in the compound. The ward administrator house was also raided and property destroyed. During the raid, a seven-year-old boy was shot and wounded. Some people were forced to flee their homes. The terrorist group stormed the entire city with their weapons, and launched a fierce offensive in order to finally destroy a city united in defense regardless of the bombardment from heavy artillery. If they do not find people to arrest, the junta takes relatives and friends as hostage, it is a routine tactic of this terrorist regime. It is an attempt to threaten through kidnaping anyone close to them. In Tedim Township, Chin State; parents were taken hostage because the son of the Cooperative Department involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) was not found and arrested. According to AAPP documentation 32 hostages have been taken so far. Deaths by torture during detention and inhumane beatings are being perpetrated to create public fear. In Monywa, Sagaing Region, a villager was arrested and beaten last night for banging pots and pans. Today, a delivery man in Yangon was beaten for wearing a black mask and suffered bruises all over his face. Only by overthrowing the dictatorship can the persecution end, in addition to looting and robbing carried out openly by the terrorists. On April 10, in North Okkalapa Township, Yangon, the military terrorists broke into a man’s house on No. 13 Nwe Ni Road, took 180,000,00 Kyats and other valuables, beat him without reason and took him away. On April 10, in North Dagon Township, Yangon, a car driven by a dentist was allegedly stopped and searched and the dentist fined 120,000 Kyats and his wallet stolen for just giving free medical treatment. In the ethnic states, in Moe Mauk Township, Kachin State, fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the terrorist group intensified. A woman and a man were killed when artillery shells fired by the junta exploded in villages last night, another villager was injured in the leg. In Alaw Bum, the headquarter of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) area has been blasted with a series of fighter jets since this morning. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heros in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: If you need legal assistance, contact Aung Gyi on 09 451 529 000 from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and lawyer Khin Thida Lai Lai Htun on 09 774 081 585. “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 2.98 MB 749.17 KB 802.29 KB
more
Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 11 April, (706) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (5) fallen heroes today. (1) died on 11 April. (4) were killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of April 11, a total of (3059) people are currently under detention; of them (64) are sentenced. 657 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 17 were sentenced to death and currently evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. People are protesting against the junta on a daily basis, today participating in the “Green Day Strike”. On 11 April even though unprovoked shootings and arrests continued, the supposed calm is a serious cause for concern. Today, in Tamu, Sagaing Region, two people on a motorcycle were shot in front of the district police station, the man was shot dead and woman injured and close to death but no one dared rescue them. On 10 April in Wa Roung Village, Ahyartaw Township, Sagaing Region, a young man was shot dead and another injured in a crackdown on protesters. Last night, in Pathein Township, Ayeyarwady Region, two youths on a motorcycle were shot at in an effort to detain, but no one was injured or arrested. Since the military coup in Burma, the terrorist group has mainly targeted political parties, organizations and parliamentarians. One NLD MP from Pantanaw Township, Ayeyarwady Region was arrested yesterday, the military terrorist group uses torture as its weapon in detention, it is a serious cause for concern that detainees will survive with human dignity. In the ethnic states, conflict by the junta in particular against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) continued. From last night to this afternoon, fighting between the KIA and the junta intensified in Momauk Township, many locals have been forced to flee. On April 9 and April 10, five artillery shells were fired at KNU-controlled civilian areas in Papun District and gunfire at two working people. In Nyaung Lay Pin District, Bago Region, people in Kyaukgyi Township are continually worried about airstrikes from fighter jets. Today was the 70th day since the coup, but the attempt to control the state through oppression has failed. The coup in 1988 took a matter of days, the 2021 attempted coup has lasted over two months. People are demanding the military step back and return power to the elected government, the people realize the essence of democracy, they lost their freedom in an attempt to return back to dictatorship. The population are enduring atrocities and fighting for the overthrow of the dictatorship and for true democracy. The military terrorist group is carrying out daily shootings and killings. AAPP urges the international community, including ASEAN, to take immediate action to prevent further injuries and deaths in Burma. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heros in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: If you need legal assistance, contact Aung Gyi on 09 451 529 000 from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and lawyer Khin Thida Lai Lai Htun on 09 774 081 585. “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size: 780.05 KB 93.73 KB 2.96 MB 731.71 KB
more
Title: How the CDM can win
Sub-title: The Civil Disobedience Movement must define clear goals, set sustainable strategies and ditch any illusions of foreign intervention if it’s to win its tug-of-war with the Tatmadaw.
Description: "The people of Myanmar awoke to fear and confusion on February 1 as the Tatmadaw detained national leaders and lawmakers in Nay Pyi Taw ahead of the convening of the new parliament. Despite intermittent internet outages and a lack of information from state-run media, it soon became clear that the Tatmadaw had staged a coup. Within 48 hours, coordinated action against the seizure of power had begun. As the days wore on, the anti-coup campaign gained a name and a strategy: the Civil Disobedience Movement. Although this non-violent resistance movement was launched by government healthcare workers refusing to show up to work, it is largely an ad hoc campaign organised on the internet with no apparent leader. The CDM has galvanised millions to reject the military takeover of the government through sustained street protests, encouraged a boycott of military-owned or affiliated businesses, and, most vitally, inspired public servants to refuse to comply with directives from the military regime. A month from the coup, the devastating effect of millions of people working together to sabotage administration and the economy is being keenly felt. The strikes by public servants have slowed international trade to a crawl, government hospitals are having to turn away patients, and the banking system is unable to function, creating a cash crunch. What happens next will determine whether Myanmar is able to rid itself of the military junta or if millions will suffer pointlessly. There are five key challenges the CDM needs to address in order to win. The first challenge is to clarify and build consensus about what “success” means. Although there is universal agreement that the CDM rejects the military takeover of government, there is so far no consensus over what the campaign hopes to accomplish should the movement force the military to the negotiating table. At the moment, people on the streets are demanding paradoxical things. Many are calling for the regime to “respect our votes”, but activists from ethnic and religious minorities are not protesting in support of returning the National League for Democracy to power. Instead, they want to form a federal democracy based on a new or amended constitution. A lack of consensus is understandable given that the CDM is more than just street protests, a strike by government employees and a boycott of anything associated with the military. It is also a cultural sea change in which a new generation of activists is speaking up and taking the lead without looking to a source of authority for permission or approval. But without an agreement to pursue inclusive, justice-focused goals, it is easy to envision a future in which the concerns of minorities are again sacrificed for a settlement that the majority can accept, or one in which the movement suffers from infighting and then fails. The second challenge is the lack of clear leadership to both guide the CDM in its middle phase and be “in the room where it happens” at the end. Currently it seems that everyone in the CDM is involved with everything, without a clear sense of where each individual and group fits. This is extremely dangerous when confronting an organisation as highly organised and as well-resourced as the military..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-03-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 406.82 KB
more
Title: In Face of Deadly Crackdown by Myanmar’s Junta, Civil Disobedience Movement Carries On
Description: "Anti-coup protests broke out again across Myanmar early Monday as popular acts of defiance against the military junta despite the regime’s violent and increasingly deadly pushback. Hundreds of demonstrators marched along a main road in Mandalay before dawn, many of them doctors, nurses, students and other medical personnel wearing white coats, repeating a similar demonstration carried out the night before. Scores of motorists in the commercial capital of Yangon honked their car horns in response to a call on social media, according to Reuters. Myanmar has been in turmoil ever since military jailed de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the democratically elected civilian government on February 1. At least three people were killed Sunday in violent clashes between police and civilians, including two in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city and a major hub of opposition. An activist group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, said nearly 250 people have been killed since the coup, with more than 2,000 people detained. Australian authorities confirmed Sunday that two of its citizens, businesspeople, were detained in Myanmar. Australia’s government declined to further details, citing the privacy of the concerned parties. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan will visit Brunei Darussalam on Monday before going to Malaysia and Indonesia as part of a regional diplomatic push to bring an end to the crisis in Myanmar, Reuters reported..."
Source/publisher: "VOA" (Washington, D.C)
Date of publication: 2021-03-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 322.61 KB
more
Title: Junta uses control over military families to prevent defections, say army insiders
Sub-title: Soldiers disgusted by the regime’s murder of civilians fear their families will pay the price if they join the CDM
Description: "Soldiers appalled by the Myanmar junta’s brutal treatment of civilians are reluctant to leave the military because they fear for their families’ safety, according to people familiar with the situation. Despite these fears, however, a number of military officers have already defected to avoid serving under a regime that has so far killed more than 700 protesters and bystanders since seizing power on February 1. In the past month, four soldiers, including a captain from Light Infantry Division 77, which has carried out crackdowns in Yangon, have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Others have also deserted and are now on the run. Many more would be willing to disobey the dictatorship if their families weren’t effectively held hostage by the junta—or “kidnapped by a gang”, as one of the recent defectors put it. “That is the situation right now. Those living in military compounds have basically been kidnapped. They use soldiers’ family members to control them so they can’t act freely. If a soldier wants to run, he has to take his family with him,” explained Capt. Lin Htet Aung, who joined the CDM this week. The captain, who served with Light Infantry Battalion 528 under the Triangle Region Command in eastern Shan state’s Mong Ping township, told Myanmar Now that many soldiers are uneasy about the crimes they have been ordered to commit. They know the regime is arresting, torturing and murdering innocent civilians, he said, but they are too worried about the safety of their own families to risk doing anything about it. “They know it isn’t fair, but they have to look out for their families. They’re aware of the injustice and I’m sure they feel uncomfortable about it. And yet they have to close their eyes,” he said. Now in hiding in territory controlled by an ethnic armed organization, he estimated that around 75% of troops would leave the military if their families were to receive protection. Not free to speak Even before the coup, the movements of soldiers’ family members were restricted, especially if they lived on military bases, according to the wife of an officer stationed in Mandalay. Since the coup, however, the situation has gotten much worse, both for the soldiers themselves and for their families, she said. “It’s been two weeks since I last had contact with him,” said the woman, who does not live with her husband. “They can’t go out except for security purposes. They line up every day and night to give their names, since some are defecting.” Because she doesn’t live on the base, where she can be more easily controlled, she has been denied access to her Facebook account and has also been forced to give up two phone numbers she previously used, she told Myanmar Now. “I never lived in a military compound, so he never really tells me anything in detail, because he doesn’t want to get in trouble. But he says they threaten him, asking if he wants a promotion or one or two years in prison. They’ve been saying I’m in the way of his prospects,” the woman said. Her husband, who is a graduate of the Defence Services Technological Academy, has wanted to leave the army since before the coup, she added. But not everyone in the military is disillusioned with the regime, she noted. There are still many who believe anything the generals say, due to their lack of access to news from outlets that are not controlled by the military. “There’s no internet access and they believe that everything they see on Myawaddy is real,” she said, referring to the military-owned TV station that the regime uses to spread disinformation about the coup. “They genuinely believe this coup was staged due to electoral fraud and that there will be another election in a year to transfer power,” she said of families living on bases. When Myanmar Now contacted the wife of another officer to ask about her current situation in a military housing compound, she simply responded that she did not feel safe speaking on the phone. She added, however, that she did not mind not being able to speak freely..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-04-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 499.31 KB
more
Title: Myanmar coup: The people shot dead since the protests began
Sub-title: More than 700 people have been killed by security forces since Myanmar's military grabbed power in a coup on 1 February, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). The BBC has spoken to loved ones of three people who have died.
Description: "As Myanmar's coup violence continues to spiral, so has the number of its victims as a crackdown on protesters intensifies. Some of those who died had taken part in anti-coup protests, while others - including children - were simply sitting in their homes when they were killed. Here, three families share their stories. The teen who sang pro-democracy songs on TikTok Fourteen-year-old Pan Ei Phyu was an ardent supporter of the pro-democracy movement, and had made several TikTok videos of herself singing pro-democracy songs. Fearing for her safety, her mother Thida San didn't let her join the street protests. But that wasn't enough to save her. Pan Ei Phyu was shot inside her house as she wanted to open the door to protesters fleeing a military crackdown on 27 March. It was also the deadliest day since the coup began - at least 114 people, including 11 children, were killed. "She suddenly fell down and I thought she had slipped. But then I saw the blood on her back and realised she had been shot," Thida San told the BBC, breaking into tears. In Burmese, "pan" means flower, "ei" means soft, and "phyu" means white. "My daughter was a beautiful girl when she was born, just like a soft little flower. That's why I gave her the name." She recounted how helpful her daughter was around the house, and how she dreamed about opening an orphanage when she got older. "I feel like my life is not worth living without my child. I want to die instead of her." Pan Ei Phyu's death has also deeply affected her younger brother, 10-year-old Mg Sai Sai. He did not sleep at all on the night his sister died, and kept watching her TikTok videos instead, Thida San said. The family have since moved house because Thida San is worried something bad will happen to them again..."
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-04-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar's military is charging families $85 to retrieve bodies of relatives killed in crackdown
Description: "Myanmar's military is charging families $85 to retrieve the bodies of relatives killed by security forces in a bloody crackdown on Friday, according to activists. At least 82 people were killed Friday in Bago, 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast of Yangon, after the city was "raided" by the military's security forces, said advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). More than 700 people have died since the military overthrew Myanmar's elected government in a February 1 coup, according to AAPP. Since then, junta security forces made up of police, soldiers and elite counter-insurgency troops have embarked on a systematic crackdown against unarmed and peaceful protesters, detaining around 3,000 people and forcing activists into hiding. Myanmar's military fired on anti-coup protesters in Bago city Friday, using assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and hand grenades, AAPP said. An eyewitness who lives in Bago city, who cannot be named for security purposes, told CNN Sunday that many residents have fled to nearby villages since Friday's raid. The internet has been cut off in the area since Friday, the eyewitness said, and security forces are searching the neighborhoods. "I was living on the main road. The security forces come and station often," the eyewitness told CNN, adding that bodies have piled up at the mortuary following the shootings. "Due to the threat, we had to move into the house in the lane nearby," The military is now charging families 120,000 Myanmar kyat ($85) to retrieve the bodies of relatives who died Friday, according to a Facebook post from the Bago University Students' Union. Radio Free Asia's Burmese service matched the reporting from the Bago University Students' Union. CNN has not independently verified the report and has reached out to the military for comment. A police vehicle is parked at a road in South Okkalapa township to block anti-coup protesters' gathering in Yangon, Myanmar, Friday, April 9, 2021..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 278.51 KB
more
Title: UN sees Syria echoes in Myanmar conflict
Sub-title: Activists call for a week of protests against military coup over Myanmar’s traditional New Year holiday.
Description: "The United Nations human rights office said on Tuesday it fears the military clampdown on protests in Myanmar risks escalating a civil conflict into that seen in Syria and appealed for a halt to the “slaughter”. UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said in a statement 3,080 had been detained and there are reports that 23 people have been sentenced to death following secret trials. “I fear the situation in Myanmar is heading towards a full-blown conflict. States must not allow the deadly mistakes of the past in Syria and elsewhere to be repeated,” Bachelet said. The statement came as pro-democracy activists in Myanmar called for a week of anti-coup protests during the traditional New Year holidays, as the death toll from the military’s crackdown on protesters surged past 700 and security forces raided a hospital in the Sagaing region. The five-day New Year holidays, known as Thingyan, began on Tuesday and activists urged people to stage symbolic protests through the week, including by painting the three-finger salute used by demonstrators on traditional pots filled with flowers, which are typically displayed during the festive period. “The military council doesn’t own Thingyan,” Ei Thinzar Maung, a leader of the General Strike Collaboration Committee protest group, wrote on Facebook. “The power of people is in the hands of people.” Ei Thinzar Maung said other planned holiday protests against the military government included the splattering of red paint on pavements and the blasting of car horns. Thingyan is the country’s most important holiday and is usually celebrated with prayers, ritual cleaning of Buddha images in temples, and high-spirited water fights on the streets. But many social media users in Myanmar said they would not celebrate this year. One Twitter user identified as Shwe Ei said, “We do not celebrate Myanmar Thingyan this year since over 700 of our innocent brave souls are killed by inhumane junta forces unlawfully. We believe we will win this revolution.” In the central town of Taungoo, protesters placed Thingyan pots bearing flowers and anti-coup messages on the roads early on Tuesday, the Irrawaddy website reported..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of publication: 2021-04-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: More Bloodshed in Myanmar as Crackdown on Coup Protests Continues
Sub-title: The death toll has passed 700, with more than 80 killed on Friday in one city alone, a rights group said.
Description: "The Myanmar military’s bloody crackdown on the nationwide resistance to its rule showed no sign of easing on Sunday, with a human rights group reporting that the death toll across the country had passed 700. The security forces killed 82 people in a single city on Friday, according to the group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which has been documenting the bloodshed since the military’s Feb. 1 coup. Soldiers used machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades to attack an organized group of protesters who had set up barricades to defend part of that city, Bago. The military appears to be targeting centers of resistance around the country, using overwhelming power against largely untrained, poorly armed protesters. In Tamu, a town near the border with India, members of a local defense group similar to the one in Bago claimed to have killed some members of the security forces on Saturday after coming under attack. The security forces’ assault in Bago, about 40 miles northeast of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, was one of their most lethal yet. A reputable news outlet, Myanmar Now, also put the death toll in Bago at 82. On Friday, a spokesman for the junta, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, suggested that the military had been exercising restraint since the coup, telling reporters that it could be killing many more people if it wished. “If we were to actually shoot the protesters with an automatic rifle, the 500 people you are talking about would have died within hours,” he said after being asked about the nationwide toll..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The New York Times" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 272.13 KB
more
Title: Doctors under fire as Myanmar military targets efforts to aid injured protesters
Sub-title: Medics tell of attacks on staff and ambulances to stop treatment of patients and punish those who took part in national strike
Description: "Htet Htet Win and her husband were late returning home on Sunday night. It was past the junta-imposed 8pm curfew when their motorbike passed through the streets of eastern Mandalay. The security forces reportedly shouted for them to stop, and then opened fire when they did not do so. Her husband was hit but managed to get away. She was knocked to the ground. A grainy photograph, taken by an onlooker, shows her lying face down on the concrete, her arms reaching above her head, her purple top and bottoms marked with dark patches. Doctors believed she was still alive, but were warned by residents that soldiers were waiting nearby. They feared it was a trap. “I felt like they were ambushing us,” said one of the rescuers. “I think she would have survived if we were able to pick her up as soon as it happened,” he said. They waited for more than an hour before the soldiers eventually retreated. It was too late. For medics in Myanmar, it is a grimly familiar story. Doctors told the Observer they were routinely targeted with violence by the military, and prevented from treating the victims of its bloody attacks. They recounted incidents in which security forces – trying to suppress defiant opposition to the February coup – had raided their facilities, searched and fired at their ambulances, detained, beaten and even killed their colleagues. Raha Wala, of the advocacy group Physicians for Human Rights, said the military was “systematically persecuting medics”, both for treating anti-coup protesters and, in the case of many government doctors, for participating in a national strike. Every few days, news spreads of more detentions of medical staff, taken at clinics, protests or from their homes during night raids. Some are released after questioning, others are less fortunate. “If you are detained today, your body will be returned tomorrow with torture marks or something like that,” said a Yangon-based doctor in hiding. Last Saturday, the orthopaedic surgeon and university professor Dr Kyaw Min Soe was taken from his home in Yangon. A photograph apparently taken at the scene shows him being led into a van, a bag placed over his head and his hands tied behind his back. Since then, two paediatricians have been taken in Mandalay; a clinic has been raided in Yangon, with soldiers detaining four volunteers according to local reports; a facility has been raided in Monywa, where two staff were taken to a police station for questioning’ according to a local source, and another facility in Kale was reportedly raided, though no staff were present at the time. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which has tracked hundreds of deaths, at least five medics have been killed in the violence. Among them was nursing student Thinzar Hein, 20, who was shot dead while caring for injured protesters in Monywa on 28 March. She had protested against the coup and shared her medical expertise with others. “It’s like we are facing barbarians,” said a doctor in Mandalay, who described being fired at while trying to attend to a patient, despite being dressed as a medic. “We were wearing scrubs, a medic sign and wearing a stethoscope,” he said. On a separate occasion, on 27 March, his ambulance was shot at as he attempted to pick up an injured patient. His colleagues, he said, were detained and beaten when they attempted to collect a dead body on 1 April. “They [the military] want to take away all the evidence,” he said. In some areas, medics no longer wear uniforms, fearing this puts them at even greater risk. Government doctors who are refusing to work in state hospitals – but are finding ways to treat patients elsewhere – are especially vulnerable. They were among the first groups to announce a strike after the coup, prompting huge numbers of workers, in services ranging from customs to transport, to down tools, bringing the country to a virtual standstill. While many governments have condemned the violence against peaceful protesters, and the UN security council has expressed concern at restrictions on medical staff, the brutality has continued. On Friday, military spokesman Zaw Min Tun accused government doctors of murder, claiming their strike had contributed to Covid deaths. “They are killing people in cold blood,” he said. At least 618 people have been killed by the military since it seized power, while thousands have been detained, mostly in unknown locations. “Seeing dying patients is not a strange thing for a doctor, but these days it is heartbreaking because the patients are just teenagers,” said a second doctor in Mandalay. If medical teams were able to treat the injured safely, the death toll would not be so high, she added, describing how she has previously had to flee her clinic, along with patients, when the military approached. At least 43 children have been killed by security forces, the youngest just six years old. “We even cry when we do the CPR. But we encourage each other, we need to move on because we can’t be like that,” the doctor said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 9 April, (618) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (4) fallen heroes today. (1) died on 9 April. (3) were killed on previous days and documented today. Today there were many reported casualties in Bago, AAPP is still awaiting confirmation to identify all these. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of April 9, a total of (2931) people are currently under detention; of them (54) are sentenced. 520 have been issued arrest warrants. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Earlier this morning before dawn, the military terrorist troop destroyed main roadblocks on both sides of Maggatic Road built by anti-military activists to prevent a violent crackdown in Bago. The terrorist junta used assault rifles, heavy weaponry like RPG, and hand grenades from both sides of the road to suppress the protesters’ bases and residences. Four identified civilians were killed and several injured. At least 20 people were killed this evening but are being confirmed. Protests in Katha, Sagaing Region were suppressed, but no one was injured or arrested. In Tamwe Township, Yangon Region, at least eight youths have been beaten and arrested by 12 military terrorists and so-called police vehicles during a protest march in Kyauk Myaung. In Sanchaung Township, Yangon Region, two people were arrested and two were hit by the rubber bullets. Night demonstrations have also been cracked down on, last night in Yangon Region, so-called police and military assaulted a march in Lanmadaw Township. They arrested nine civilians, beating and tying them with ropes. The protesters burned the flag of China and were searched and arrested by military terrorists. Last night, they went looking into some wards in Insein Township, shooting, and arresting four civilians. Torture during detention and the shooting of people found in searches is a grave human rights violation. In Burma these are openly committed by the so-called regime in order to maintain power. In Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Region, a man active in anti-military protests was searched for, when he tried to escape he was shot in the leg and shot dead in the back. After the coup, the military terrorists enacted a law which can impose a fine of up to 10,000 Kyats or up to seven days in prison if no guest list is filed, threats of these are now increasingly used. Junta-appointed ward administrators threatened wards with loudspeakers of up to three years imprisonment or maximum fines if people do not comply with the order for overnight registration. This is not only a violation of the law by the military junta, but also a way for them to scatter and arrest suspects at any time. Despite the severe repression of the media sector in Burma and the restriction of the flow of information in various ways, the junta continues to escalate oppression of journalists. Today, Hpakant-based journalist Naung Yoe was arrested while covering a protest rally in the city. A women’s rights activist and co-founder of Mizzima media, and a colleague were arrested. 29 media were detained by yesterday, only two on bail, and this is rising. Journalists in Burma are coming under escalating oppression. The military terrorist group has been raiding religious sites and in arrest searches. Panpyo Lat Monastic Charity School in Kyauktan Village, Bago Region was stormed yesterday. Guests were made to kneel as they rode through the Panpyo Lat Monastic Charity School. Five residents of the Panpyo Lat Monastic Charity School were taken away. The junta raided churches and mosques in Pathein, Irrawaddy Region. In the ethnic states the junta continues its offensives against Karen National Union (KNU) controlled areas. A man was killed when 12 artillery shells were fired into three villages in Hpapun District. Ye Township, Mon State, the villagers from the entire village fled as the army occupied and set up base in Man Aung village yesterday evening. The military seized power in 1962 and 1988, and the people suffered decades of brutal human rights abuses under dictatorship. Once again, the 2021 coup undermines the very essence of democracy, people losing their freedom. A peaceful federal union will be established once the dictatorship is overthrown, hence we must all fight together to overcome it. Burma’s economy is approaching that of a failed state, continued economic devastation brought about by the junta coup, terror and governance policies will impede investment and growth in ASEAN as well. The junta does not want stability, instead the junta kills civilians and creates terror. Today firing mortars at people to destroy barricades in Bago causing civilian casualties. As ASEAN members announce a proposal to hold an Emergency Summit, AAPP urges them to adhere to their Charter, taking the necessary measures to create a region which is “stable, prosperous, highly competitive and economically integrated”, and which necessitates an end to the military coup. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heros in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: If you need legal assistance, contact Aung Gyi on 09 451 529 000 from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and lawyer Khin Thida Lai Lai Htun on 09 774 081 585. “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 2.95 MB 801.56 KB 724.24 KB
more
Title: Myanmar junta says protests are dwindling as at least 10 reported killed by troops
Description: "Myanmar’s junta said on Friday that a protest campaign against its rule was dwindling since people wanted peace, and that it would hold elections within two years, the first timeframe it has given for a return to democracy since its Feb. 1 coup. Troops fired rifle grenades at anti-coup protesters on Friday in the town of Bago, near the main city Yangon, witnesses and news reports said. At least 10 people were killed and their bodies piled up in the corner of a pagoda, they said. Myanmar Now news and Mawkun, an online news magazine, said at least 20 people were killed and many wounded. It was not possible to get a precise toll because troops had cordoned off the area near the pagoda, they said. Junta spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told a news conference in the capital, Naypyitaw, that the country was returning to normal and government ministries and banks would resume full operations soon. More than 600 people have been killed by security forces cracking down on protests against the coup, according to an activist group. The country has ground to a standstill because of the protest campaign and widespread strikes against military rule. “The reason of reducing protests is due to cooperation of people who want peace, which we value,” Zaw Min Tun said. “We request people to cooperate with security forces and help them.” He said the military had recorded 248 deaths and he denied that automatic weapons had been used. Sixteen policemen had also been killed, he said. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) activist group has said 614 people, including 48 children, had been killed by security forces since the coup, as of Thursday evening. More than 2,800 were in detention, it said. “We are humbled by their courage and dignity,” a group of 18 ambassadors in the country said of the protesters in a joint statement. “We stand together to support the hopes and aspirations of all those who believe in a free, just, peaceful and democratic Myanmar. Violence has to stop, all political detainees must be released and democracy must be restored.” The statement was signed by the ambassadors of the United States, Britain, the EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland and several other European nations. “The suggestions from neighbouring countries and big countries and powerful people in politics, we respect them,” Zaw Min Tun said. He also accused members of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy of arson and said the protest campaign was being financed by foreign money, but gave no details. Suu Kyi and many of her party colleagues have been in custody since the coup. Zaw Min Tun said reports that some members of the international community did not recognise the military government were “fake news”. “We are cooperating with foreign countries and working together with neighbouring countries,” the spokesman said. The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, had wanted to visit the country but said she has been rebuffed by the generals. She said on Friday she had arrived in Bangkok, the capital of neighbouring Thailand. “I regret that Tatmadaw answered me yesterday that they are not ready to receive me,” Schraner Burgener said on her official Twitter account, referring to the Myanmar military. “I am ready for dialogue. Violence never leads to peaceful sustainable solutions.”..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar military denies responsibility for child deaths and says elections could be pushed back
Description: ""This is not a coup," said Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun from a gilded hall in Myanmar's purpose-built capital Naypyidaw, the city where his comrades recently ousted an elected government, detained the country's leadership, and installed a military junta. During an hour-long conversation with CNN, the military spokesperson was steadfast in upholding the junta's official narrative: that the generals are merely "safeguarding" the country while they investigate a "fraudulent" election. The bloodshed on the streets that has killed at least 600 people is the fault of "riotous" protesters, he said. At one point, Zaw Min Tun said if civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's father -- the assassinated independence hero Aung San, who founded the country's modern military -- could see the situation now, he would say: "You are such a fool, my daughter." The interview took place during a week-long press tour of Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, and Naypyidaw from March 31 to April 6. Prior to the trip, the military assured CNN it would be able to report independently and be given freedom of movement, but the journalists' request to stay in a Yangon hotel was denied and the team instead were housed in a walled military compound, given only intermittent and heavily controlled access to the public. Major General Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the Myanmar military, at the Defense Services Museum in Naypyidaw, Myanmar on April 4, 2021. The following interview with Zaw Min Tun offers an insight into how Myanmar's military junta are trying to justify their bloody takeover to the world, while at the same time cocooning themselves in government buildings far from a populace fiercely resistant to their rule, as they order deadly crackdowns on their own citizens in villages, towns and cities across the country. CNN was provided with military interpreters, but conducted its own translations afterward. The back story Hours after commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces Gen. Min Aung Hlaing ordered his troops to seize the capital before dawn on February 1, he announced on television that a state of emergency would be in place for one year, after which elections would be held. His takeover came as newly-elected lawmakers were due to take their places on the opening day of parliament. The state of emergency caused all legislative, executive, and judicial power to be transferred to Min Aung Hlaing. Zaw Min Tun said the state of emergency could be extended for an additional "six months or more" over "two terms" and "if the duties are not done yet." He did not give a firm date for when elections would be held, but said that according to the 2008 military-drafted constitution, "we have to finish everything within two years. We have to hold a free and fair election within these two years." "We promise that we will make it happen," he said. Many observers have questioned whether the military, which ruled Myanmar for half a century between 1962 and 2011, would be willing to relinquish power again, whether elections would indeed be "free and fair" -- and whether ousted leader Suu Kyi and her popular party the National League for Democracy (NLD) would be allowed to contest. Zaw Min Tun pointed to a string of reforms the quasi-civilian government embarked upon in 2011 after the military gave up direct rule, which paved the way for the 2015 elections, in which Suu Kyi won a resounding victory. "If we didn't want her from the beginning there would be no process like this," he said. However, the 2008 constitution was designed so the military would retain power despite a civilian government. It allocated the military a quarter of seats in parliament, giving it effective veto power over constitutional amendments, and the generals kept control of three powerful ministries -- defense, border and home affairs..."
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Why Britain Should Champion UN Action on Myanmar
Topic: United Nations
Topic: United Nations
Description: "Update: Shortly after this was published, the UN Security Council issued its third statement on Myanmar. Myanmar police enforcing the military junta’s crackdown on protesters stopped an ambulance in March, dragged four paramedics out of the vehicle, and beat at least three of them bloody, then hauled them off to jail. The shocking attack on paramedics is just one example we have seen of the junta’s brutality as it struggles to crush protests against the military’s February 1 coup and subsequent jailing of the country’s democratically elected leaders. Everyday Myanmar security forces arbitrarily arrest, beat, and kill more protesters and political opponents; and violence by the authorities is on the rise. On March 27 alone, security forces killed at least 114 people, among them children. What has the United Nations Security Council done? As the UN’s most powerful body, it has the authority to sanction Myanmar’s military leaders and impose a global arms embargo on the country. Instead, it has issued two statements calling for the release of political prisoners and an end to the violence. Council diplomats emphasise that the 15-nation body has spoken twice “with one voice.” But these baby steps do little more than highlight the failure of the Security Council to even try to do anything that would have a meaningful impact on the generals. If post-Brexit Britain wants to demonstrate global leadership at the UN, it should start by pushing the rest of the Security Council towards substantive action on Myanmar. The United Kingdom is the Security Council’s “penholder” on Myanmar, which means it takes the lead on any council statements or resolutions. Britain, the United States, France and most other council members have shown that they stand with the people of Myanmar, not with the military. The best way to do that is to urgently draft and negotiate a strong resolution that would target the military’s leadership and its funding. Of course, as permanent members of the Security Council, China or Russia – or both – might veto such a resolution. But that’s no reason not to try. Even the ever-diplomatic UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres declared that governments around the world need to “put enough pressure on Myanmar to make sure that this coup fails.” Beijing hasn’t explicitly threatened to use its veto, though the expectation among council members that it wouldn’t hesitate to do so looms over all Myanmar negotiations. It’s the explanation diplomats typically offered for the council’s pathetic response to the Myanmar military’s 2017 campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya Muslims, which drove 750,000 survivors to Bangladesh. The military’s threat to the Rohingya remaining in the country is so serious that the International Court of Justice ordered Myanmar to take all necessary measures to protect the Rohingya from genocide. The council’s inaction stands in sharp contrast to national responses. Britain, the US, and the European Union have all taken important, though insufficient, unilateral steps to impose sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders and military enterprises. Yet they have avoided pushing such steps at the Security Council. Britain did try including language calling for “further measures” against Myanmar’s military in a recent Security Council presidential statement, but it dropped that and other language after China, Russia, India and Vietnam objected. The strategy by Britain, the US and other council members has been to prioritise speaking “with one voice” in the form of anodyne statements instead of pushing for a resolution that includes substantive measures and might elicit abstentions and “no” votes. Unity is great when achievable, but it shouldn’t be an end in itself. A Security Council resolution needs nine votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members to pass. Resolutions often pass without consensus, such as two recent ones by Britain on Somalia and Libya. A Myanmar sanctions resolution doesn’t need to be an exception. If China decides to stand with Myanmar’s military instead of with the people whose democratically elected government was overthrown, then they risk paying an enduring price in Myanmar and around the world. So far, Beijing has demonstrated a willingness to condemn Myanmar’s long-reviled military. The Chinese government’s willingness to join to council statements demonstrates that it is also unhappy with the coup. Could Beijing allow UN sanctions to pass with a mere abstention? The only way to identify China’s limits is to circulate a draft resolution calling for targeted sanctions on junta leaders and an arms embargo; and start negotiating..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 7 April, (598) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (17) fallen heroes today. (12) died on 7 April. (5) were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of April 7, a total of (2847) people are currently under detention; of them (38) are sentenced. 481 have been issued arrest warrants. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Peaceful protests continued across Burma today, some witnessed crackdowns, the illegitimate military is focusing its terror on rural areas. In the early morning, the junta forces excessively used live rounds, grenades, and machine guns trying to create a conflict zone in Tahan Ward, Kalay Township, Sagaing Region. At least 8 civilians were killed and 20 others injured, including one civilian who lost his hand. Over 10 civilians were violently arrested. During the crackdown, junta forces opened fire into houses and searched and raided community clinics. Moreover, in Taze Township, Sagaing Region, a civilian was killed and more than 20 people injured, three of them are in critical condition. A villager from Paline village was reportedly dead this evening in Ngar Hsuu Kone village strike in ShweBo Township, Sagaing Region. In Kyaukyisu Ward, Bago City, 2 men were killed and at least 3 civilians injured in an unprovoked shooting by junta troops. Some people were also killed and others injured when the military and so-called police opened fire last night. In the Nyaung Shwe Township, Shan State, one youth was shot dead in the head. In Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region, it is reported that some civilians were injured in unprovoked shootings by the junta. During detention, torture to death continuely occurs, on the night of April 4 in Taunggyi Township, Shan State, whilst the Nyaung Phyu Ward Administration Office was on fire a youth who came out to stop the fire was arrested by the military and so-called police. Two days later, his dead body was returned to his family with many wounds including skull fracture, one ear nearly amputated, genitalia mutilated, stab wounds in the back. The young man died from severe torture, but the junta claims he died when hit by a fire truck. On April 5, the junta informed a family to take the dead body of a young man arrested in Kawthaung Township, Tanintharyi Region. The terrorist junta not only vandalizes and destroys property in towns, villages and streets but also on houses and restaurants. There were raids in Khin Oo township, Sagaing Region, and junta forces stormed a house and searched the cupboards and boxes of a fallen hero in Kan Thit village yesterday. Moreover, they raided a restaurant at Inn Pat greengrocery and stole over 11 hundred thousands kyats in cash and arrested a chef, and an orphan. Conflict perpetrated by the terrorist junta continued against the ethnic areas. This morning, junta Infantry Battalion No.299 opened fire from the edge of the stream in Mhan Aung village in Win Ray township, Duu Palayar District, Karen State with heavy artillery. A villager was killed, and another villager wounded with local residents displaced in the clashes between the military and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) near Mhan Aung village last night. As known reportedly, the junta forces opened fire onto villagers and made the villagers be protection shields during their military operations . Burma has fallen into chronic instability, there is no peace. The livelihoods of anyone and everyone are under threat. Left alone, the junta’s terrorism will escalate and threaten peace in the whole region. The ASEAN Charter pledges to a “shared commitment and collective responsibility in enhancing regional peace, security and prosperity”. The effects of airstrikes and military offensives against civilians in Karen State have already gone into other ASEAN states. A lack of coherent action challenges the relevance of its Charter. Current non-interference will directly challenge the peace, sovereignty and security of ASEAN members. The most severe violence today was in Kalay, Sagaing, a nearby town to another neighbor, India. This junta terrorism cannot be seen as a domestic issue, it poses a risk to the peace and security of of all ASEAN’s people, and to the stability of the entire region. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heros in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: If you need legal assistance, contact Aung Gyi on 09 451 529 000 from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and lawyer Khin Thida Lai Lai Htun on 09 774 081 585. “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 759.33 KB 2.88 MB 684.45 KB
more
Title: Eleven killed as Myanmar protesters fight troops with handmade guns, firebombs: media
Description: " Anti-coup demonstrators in Myanmar fought back with handmade guns and firebombs against a crackdown by security forces in a town in the northwest but at least 11 of the protesters were killed, domestic media reported on Thursday. Initially, six truckloads of troops were deployed to quell protesters in the town of Taze, the Myanmar Now and Irrawaddy news outlets said. When the protesters fought back with handmade guns, knives and firebombs, five more truckloads of troops were brought in. Fighting continued into Thursday morning and at least 11 protesters were killed and about 20 wounded, the media said. There was no word of any casualties among the soldiers. That would take the toll of civilians killed by security forces to over 600 since the junta seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). It had a toll of 598 dead as of Wednesday evening. Taze is near the town of Kale, where at least 12 people were killed in a similar clash between troops and protesters on Wednesday, according to news media and witnesses. Security forces fired live rounds, grenades, and machine-guns on protesters who were demanding the restoration of Suu Kyi’s government, AAPP said. “Taze, Kale have many hunters in the jungle,” said Hein Min Hteik, a resident of the region and a youth activist. “They have handmade firearms. And now they came out with their weapons in order to protect the locals, while the people were under attack by the junta.” A spokesman for the junta could not be reached for comment. “People will try to defend their own lives and their rights,” said a former government minister who is part of the CRPH, a group of lawmakers representing the ousted civilian government. “People will not wait for CRPH to act,” the minister said in a video call with Reuters. “The CRPH cannot stop the possible armed resistance by the people, from the people.”The junta on Thursday arrested Paing Takhon, a model and actor who had spoken out against the coup, his sister told Reuters. In Yangon, the country’s biggest city, activists placed shoes filled with flowers to commemorate dead protesters..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar celebrity model arrested as military targets public figures
Sub-title: Social media accounts of Paing Takhon, who has a huge online following, are taken down following anti-coup comments
Description: "One of Myanmar’s most popular celebrities, the model and actor Paing Takhon, has been arrested by a military that is increasingly targeting celebrities who have criticised the coup. Paing Takhon, who has a huge online following, was detained at 5am on Thursday, and is the latest of thousands of people to be held since the February coup. The 24-year-old was taken away after eight trucks carrying police and soldiers arrived at his mother’s home in Yangon, according to local media reports. He had been in poor health at the time. The military has been publishing the names and photographs of popular figures in daily wanted lists on TV and in the state-run newspaper. More than 100 are being sought by the military, and many have gone into hiding. On Wednesday, the popular beauty blogger Win Min Than was reportedly taken by security forces who arrived at a hotel where she had been staying with her mother, according to the Irrawaddy news site. Paing Takhon, who had participated in anti-coup protests, faces charges under section 505a of the penal code, which criminalises comments that “cause fear” or spread “false news” and can lead to up to three years in prison. His social media profiles have been taken down, though it is not clear who removed them. According to the advocacy group, the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners in Burma, 2,750 people – from politicians to doctors, actors and social media influencers – are in detention. Most are held in unknown locations. On Thursday, Jose Ramos Horta, a Nobel peace prize winner and former Timor-Leste president, urged the UN security council to ignore China and Russia and make a resolute statement on the military coup that included arms embargos and sanctions, even if it was vetoed. Ramos Horta said it was better for China and Russia to “be exposed” than for the council to have unanimous support on an “empty and useless press release”. The leading human rights figure made the comments during a conference of hundreds of south-east Asian civil society groups to decide a regional response to the crisis. Dr Dino Patti Djalal, chair of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, and co-organiser of the meeting dismissed claims that non government groups and civil society in south east Asia had little power to take action. “We have a voice, we are the voice of the conscience of the people, of the region. That’s a powerful thing. Let’s begin with that.” On Thursday, protesters began what they called a “marching shoe strike”, placing flowers in pairs of shoes at protest locations, or in their homes. Organisers said the symbolic protest would honour the more than 580 people killed by the military, writing: “for every step, a flower blooms”. Protesters, who have faced brutal violence by the security forces, have found new ways to show their defiance to the junta. On Monday, Easter eggs were decorated with anti-coup slogans, part of an “Easter egg strike”, while on Tuesday, the streets of Yangon were splashed with red paint in a “Blood strike” to highlight the killing of peaceful protesters. Protesters have also made creative use of social media, using it to share footage of abuses by the military, as well as anti-coup art work and memes. Many have joined in solidarity with other pro-democracy movements in the region, adopting the #MilkTeaAlliance hashtag, which was first used by young people in Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong to voice opposition to authoritarianism. According to Twitter, which has now created an accompanying milk tea emoji, the hashtag has been featured in more than 11m tweets in the past year, with its use surging in February when the coup first occurred..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Not content to kill, rampaging regime forces have turned to burning the living and the dead
Sub-title: The junta has made gratuitous cruelty towards its victims and their families a hallmark of its efforts to terrorize a nation into submission
Description: "Ye Yint Naing was just 15 years old when he died. A bullet hit him in the back, and he fell to the ground. Everyone else around him also dropped, as the bullets continued to fly. No one dared try to help him. “They kept shooting,” his brother recalled. “They shot at anybody who tried to get up. So he just lay there for about two hours.” Ye Yint Naing died on March 27, the day that saw the highest number of casualties from crackdowns on anti-coup protests since Myanmar’s military seized power on February 1. Like countless others around the country, Ye Yint Naing had joined a protest to mark Anti-Fascist Resistance Day, in defiance of the junta that called the same occasion Armed Forces Day. “He said that if he didn’t take part in the protest, he couldn’t call himself a true native of Muse,” his mother, Moe Moe, told Myanmar Now, referring to Ye Yint Naing’s hometown in northern Shan state. “I couldn’t stop him. So he left home and went to the protest,” she said, recalling the last time she saw her son alive. The following morning, Ye Yint Naing’s family received what was left of him—not his lifeless body, but a pile of charred bones. The authorities assured them they were his. The soldiers who dragged his body away after the protest deposited it at a local municipal cemetery, where it was cremated despite the fact that the practice is forbidden by Islam, the family’s religion. According to a social welfare group familiar with the case, no attempt was made to locate the family of the deceased boy before the cremation. The military simply labelled his body an “ownerless corpse” and disposed of it without further ceremony. “The army wanted to annihilate my brother. He was only 15 years old. They brutally murdered him. They should at least have returned his body to us,” his brother said..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-04-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Five killed in Myanmar as troops open fire on protesters
Description: "Myanmar troops fired at anti-coup protesters on Wednesday, killing at least five people and wounding several, media said, as activists defied a bloody crackdown and internet blockade by the ruling junta. More than 580 people have been killed, according to an activist group, in the turmoil in Myanmar since a Feb. 1 coup that ended a brief period of civilian-led democracy. Nationwide protests and strikes have persisted since then despite the ruling military’s use of lethal force to quell the opposition. Security forces opened fire on Wednesday on protesters in the northwestern town of Kale as they demanded the restoration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government, a resident told Reuters. News outlets cited witnesses saying there were casualties and repeated gunfire. The Mizzima and Irrawaddy news outlets said five people were killed and several wounded. The Kale resident said the information was provided to him by witnesses, who took pictures of five bodies. Reuters could not independently verify the toll. The mostly youth-led anti-coup movement’s ability to organise campaigns and share information via social media and instant messaging has been severely hamstrung by curbs on broadband wireless internet and mobile data services. Fixed-line services, which few in Myanmar have access to, are available. “Myanmar has been subject to a stepwise collapse into the information abyss since February,” Alp Toker, founder of internet blockage observatory NetBlocks told Reuters. “Communications are now severely limited and available only to the few.” With print media also halted, protesters have sought workarounds to get their message across, producing their own A4-sized daily news pamphlets that are shared digitally and printed for distribution among the public. On Tuesday, Dr Sasa, who leads a parallel government of the remnants of Suu Kyi’s administration, said in a statement that its legal counsel would be submitting evidence of military atrocities to different U.N. human rights bodies. Sasa, a medical doctor who uses one name, said lawyers for his Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) had received 180,000 items of evidence and would meet on Wednesday with representatives of an independent investigative mechanism for Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Indonesia says UK backs ASEAN push for Myanmar crisis resolution
Description: "The United Kingdom will support Southeast Asian countries in efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, Indonesia’s foreign minister said Wednesday, after talks with her visiting British counterpart. Indonesia is among several countries leading a push for high-level talks between leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Myanmar, where nearly 600 people have been killed in a crackdown on demonstrators opposing a Feb. 1 coup. “We discussed... how the international community, including the UK could support the ASEAN effort to help Myanmar in resolving this situation,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a news briefing after talks with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. In Raab’s speech, he reinstated Britain’s commitment to upholding international maritime law, echoing comments by the United States, Australia and European Union, which are concerned about China’s military activities in the South China Sea, a vital conduit for global trade. Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and China have competing claims in the strategic waterway, where China has been widely criticised for building defence facilities on artificial islands and deploying coastguard and hundreds of fishing boats in disputed waters. Raab said that Britain was committed to ensuring a rules based system be upheld, “because they’re an important pillar of regional and global security”. The two countries also signed a economic and trade and a counter-terrorism memorandums of understanding. The details of those were not immediately clear. Myanmar’s former colonial ruler Britain has been among the most vocal critics of the military’s overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government. It is among several Western countries that have imposed or tightened sanctions on the Myanmar generals and the military’s network of business monopolies in response to the coup. Indonesia is seeking a way to end the crisis through ASEAN, of which Myanmar is a member, but the bloc’s policy of non-interference and making decisions by consensus have hindered its ability to act decisively..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar security forces kill 13 protesters; small blasts hit Yangon
Description: "Myanmar troops fired at anti-coup protesters on Wednesday, killing at least 13 people and wounding several, media said, as a series of small blasts hit the commercial capital Yangon and a Chinese-owned factory was set on fire. The country’s military ruler said the civil disobedience movement was “destroying” Myanmar. More than 580 people have been killed, according to an activist group, in the turmoil in Myanmar since a Feb. 1 coup that ended a brief period of civilian-led democracy. Nationwide protests and strikes have persisted since then despite the military’s use of lethal force to quell the opposition. Security forces opened fire on Wednesday on protesters in the northwestern town of Kale as they demanded the restoration of Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government, domestic media said. (GRAPHIC: Myanmar’s internet suppression - here) A resident of the area and the Myanmar Now news outlet said 11 people were killed and several wounded. Reuters could not independently verify the toll. Two protesters were killed in the town of Bago near Yangon, Myanmar Now said. At least seven small explosions were heard in Yangon, including at government buildings, a military hospital and a shopping mall, residents said. There were no casualties and no claims of responsibility. The U.S. Embassy in Yangon said it had received reports of “handmade ‘sound bombs,’ or fireworks meant to create noise and cause minimal damage”. A fire broke out in the Chinese-owned JOC Garment Factory in Yangon on Wednesday, the Fire Department said. There were no reports of casualties and no details on the extent of damage. In another Yangon neighbourhood, activists set fire to the Chinese flag, according to pictures posted on Facebook. China is viewed as being supportive of the military junta and last month arson attacks were made on 32 Chinese-invested factories in Yangon. Details of the blasts and the fire were difficult to obtain because of the junta’s curbs on broadband internet and mobile data services. A spokesman for the junta could not be reached for comment. ‘DESTROY THE COUNTRY’ Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the junta, said in a statement on Wednesday the civil disobedience movement, or CDM, had halted the working of hospitals, schools, roads, offices and factories. “Although protests are staged in neighbouring countries and the international community, they do not destroy businesses,” he said. “CDM is an activity to destroy the country.” According to the Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group, 581 people, including dozens of children, have been shot dead by troops and police in almost daily unrest since the coup, and security forces have arrested close to 3,500 people, with 2,750 still detained..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar: Hundreds Forcibly Disappeared
Topic: Crisis and Conflict , Free Speech , Disasters and Displaced Populations
Sub-title: Account for Missing Politicians, Activists, Others at Risk of Torture, Death
Topic: Crisis and Conflict , Free Speech , Disasters and Displaced Populations
Description: "Myanmar’s military junta has forcibly disappeared hundreds of people since the February 1, 2021 coup, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities have taken into custody politicians, election officials, journalists, activists, and protesters and refused to confirm their location or allow access to lawyers or family members in violation of international law. The security forces have arrested many people suspected of participation in anti-coup demonstrations or in the opposition Civil Disobedience Movement during nighttime raids on homes throughout the country. The nongovernmental organization, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, told Human Rights Watch they could confirm the location of only a small fraction of the more than 2,500 recent detainees they have identified. “The military junta’s widespread use of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances appears designed to strike fear in the hearts of anti-coup protesters,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “Concerned governments should demand the release of everyone disappeared and impose targeted economic sanctions against junta leaders to finally hold this abusive military to account.” Human Rights Watch spoke to family members, witnesses, and lawyers of 16 people feared to have been forcibly disappeared since the coup. On February 1 at about 5:30 a.m., four uniformed soldiers and a man in civilian attire arrived at the home of Mya Aye, 55, an outspoken activist and member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, Yangon. The men showed no arrest warrant and offered no basis for his arrest to family members, which was caught on a neighbor’s CCTV camera and later was posted on Twitter. Later that day, two plainclothes officers came to the residence to collect his medications but refused to provide additional information. In late March, Mya Aye’s family said that the authorities still had not told them where Mya Aye was being held and had not provided him access to a lawyer. On March 6, police arrived at the funeral in Mandalay of a protester shot dead by police, causing those attending to flee in panic. A prominent activist, Nyi Nyi Kyaw, fell and the police arrested him. A friend of Nyi Nyi Kyaw said that the authorities did not tell his family where he was, and that they went into hiding out of fear that they may be targeted as family members. The family received one communication from Nyi Nyi Kyaw – a short but chilling phone call to his eldest son from a blocked number – four days after his disappearance in which he sounded agitated and distressed, the friend said. The call was ended before the family could ascertain his whereabouts. On March 9, military trucks arrived around 1:30 p.m. and parked outside the office of Karmayut Media in Yangon, neighbors said. At about 3 p.m., they saw soldiers take away the media outlet’s co-founder, Han Thar Nyein, 40, and the editor-in-chief, Nathan Maung, 45. Their families still have not been informed of their whereabouts, a family member said. “We’re so anxious about where they are, and we’re worried for their well-being,” the family member of Han Thar Nyein said. “We want to see them with our own eyes, to accept that they are okay, that they are alive. And we want this to happen quickly, not to wait in this agonizing way.” Many friends and family members of anti-coup protesters who have been arrested told Human Rights Watch they do not know exactly where the person was being held, heightening concerns about their safety and well-being. In many cases, families have only received information informally about the location of their family member, such as when newly released detainees notify family members or lawyers that they had seen a person who had been detained. Some families believe that because a prison accepts a package for their family member, it is most likely the place where their relative is being held. However, this is conjecture and does not relieve the authorities of their obligation to provide information on a detainee’s whereabouts, produce a detainee in court within 48 hours, and allow access to counsel and family members. Under international human rights law, a state commits an enforced disappearance when government authorities or their agents arrest or detain an individual followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealing the fate or whereabouts of the person, placing them outside the protection of the law. Forcibly disappeared people are commonly subjected to torture or extrajudicial execution. Families must live with the uncertainty of not knowing if their loved ones are dead or alive, and worrying about their treatment in captivity. Enforced disappearances are grave violations of international law, and when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on a civilian population, are crimes against humanity..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: ‘She Just Fell Down. And She Died.’ - ‘သမီးက ရုတ်တရက် လဲကျသွားတာ။ ပြီးတော့ အသက်မရှိတော့ဘူး။’
Sub-title: Myanmar’s security forces have killed more than 40 children since February. Here is the story of one, Aye Myat Thu. She was 10.
Description: "In the swelter of the hot season, U Soe Oo cracked open the coconut with practiced blows of his machete. Small hands reached out for the first slice, cool and slippery. His daughter — 10 years old, with dreams of being a makeup artist or a nurse or maybe even a princess with long golden hair like the one in “Maleficent,” which she had watched a zillion times, no joke — ran down a path with her sweet prize. Just as she reached the trees that marked the perimeter of their property, the girl seemed to stumble, landing flat on her stomach, her father recalled. The piece of coconut slipped from her grasp, falling onto the reddish earth of Mawlamyine, a port town perched on a slender archipelago in southeastern Myanmar. Mr. Soe Oo put his machete down and ran to tell her it was OK, that she could have another chunk of coconut. He scooped her up, limp in his arms, but it still didn’t register where all the blood was coming from, why she wasn’t saying anything at all. The bullet had hit the left temple of his daughter, Aye Myat Thu, at about 5:30 in the soft glow of the afternoon of March 27. By the time darkness fell less than an hour later, she was dead. Since staging a Feb. 1 coup and jailing the nation’s civilian leaders, the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, has murdered, assaulted and arrested with impunity. More than 550 people have been killed on the streets and in their homes by soldiers or police officers, according to a monitoring group. At least 40 of the dead were children under 18, according to a tally compiled by The New York Times that relies on medical testimony, funeral details and family accounts. A few of the minors were killed for participating in the protests. Many others were bystanders who were seemingly executed, with a single gunshot to the head. Often the children were killed as they went about their lives, playing or huddling with their families, in cities and towns that have descended into terror. Some had done nothing more threatening in their final moments than seek the comfort of a father’s lap, serve tea, fetch water or run down a lane with a piece of coconut.....နွေရာသီ၏ ပူစပ်ပူလောင်နိုင်လှသော ရာသီဥတုကို အံတုလျက်က ဦးစိုးဦးသည် ကျင့်သားကောင်းပြီးသား ဓားချက်ဖြင့် အုန်းသီးတစ်လုံးကို ခွပ်ခနဲ ခွဲလိုက်သည်။ ကလေးလက်ကလေး နှစ်ဖက်က အုန်းသီးစိတ်အေးအေးလေးကို ဦးဦးဖျားဖျား စွပ်ခနဲဝင်နှိုက်ယူသွားလေသည်။ ဦးစိုးဦး၏ သမီးလေးဖြစ်သည်။ ၁၀ နှစ်သမီးလေးက မိတ်ကပ်ပညာရှင်ဖြစ်စေ၊ သူနာပြုဆရာမဖြစ်စေ ဖြစ်လိုသော အိပ်မက်များ ရှိသည်။ ဖြစ်နိုင်လျှင် သူအခါရာထောင်မက ကြည့်ဖူးသော ‘Maleficent’ ဇာတ်ကားထဲက ရွှေရောင်ဆံပင်ရှည်များနှင့် မင်းသမီးလေးပါ ဖြစ်လိုသည်တဲ့။ သမီးလေးက အုန်းသီးစိတ်ကလေးကိုင်၍ လူသွားလမ်းကျဉ်းလေးတစ်လျှောက် ပြေးထွက်သွားပြန်သည်။ သူတို့အပိုင်ခြံကွက်အနားသတ်အဖြစ် အမှတ်အသားပြုထားသော သစ်ပင်များနားအရောက် ချော်လဲသွားသလိုတွေ့သည်ဟု ဦးစိုးဦး ခပ်ရေးရေးမှတ်မိသည်။ ကလေးက မြေကြီးပေါ် ပြားပြားမှောက် ဝပ်လဲလျက်သားဖြစ်နေပြီ။ သူ့လက်မှ အုန်းသီးစိတ်လည်း ချော်ထွက်သွားပြီး မော်လမြိုင်မြို့၏ နီစွေးစွေးမြေအပေါ် အတိုင်းသားကျနေလေသည်။ မော်လမြိုင်မှာ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ အရှေ့တောင်ဘက်ပိုင်း ရှည်မျောမျော ကျွန်းစုတစ်ခုအပေါ် မေးတင်တည်ရှိသော ဆိပ်ကမ်းမြို့တစ်မြို့ဖြစ်သည်။ ဦးစိုးဦးက ဓားမကို အသာချပြီး သမီးကိုထူပေးရန် ခပ်သုတ်သုတ် ပြေးလိုက်သည်။ ဘာမှ မဖြစ်ဘူးမလား၊ အုန်းသီးနောက်တစ်စိတ်ယူလေ သမီးရဲ့ဟု ချော့ဖို့အဆင်သင့်။ သမီးကို ကောက်ပွေ့လိုက်သည်။ ပျော့ခွေလျက်ပါလာသည်။ သွေးအများကြီး ဘယ်ကထွက်နေမှန်း၊ သမီး အသံ ဘာကြောင့် မထွက်တော့မှန်း နားမလည်နိုင်သေးပေ။ မတ်လ ၂၇ ရက်နေ့ နေညိုချိန် ညနေ ငါးနာရီခွဲခန့်တွင် သမီး မအေးမြတ်သူ၏ ဘယ်ဘက် နားထင်ကို သေနတ်ကျည်ဆံထိမှန်ခဲ့ခြင်းပင်ဖြစ်သည်။ တစ်နာရီခန့်အကြာ နေဝင်ချိန်တွင် သူမဆုံးပါးသွားလေသည်။ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီ (၁) ရက်နေ့တွင် မြန်မာ့ အရပ်သား ခေါင်းဆောင်များကို ဖမ်းဆီးချုပ်နှောင်ကာ အာဏာသိမ်းအပြီးတွင် မြန်မာ့စစ်တပ်(တပ်မတော်)သည် ဒဏ်ခတ်ခံရခြင်းမှ ကင်းလွတ်ခွင့်အပြည့်ဖြင့် သတ်ဖြတ်ခြင်း၊ လက်ရောက်နှိပ်စက်ခြင်းနှင့် ဖမ်းဆီးချုပ်နှောင်ခြင်းတို့ကို ဆက်တိုက် လုပ်ဆောင်လာခဲ့သည်။ လေ့လာစောင့်ကြည့်ရေးအဖွဲ့များ၏ စာရင်းအရ စစ်သားနှင့် ရဲတို့၏ တိုက်ခိုက်မှုကြောင့် လမ်းပေါ်တွင်သေဆုံးရသူနှင့် အိမ်ထဲနေရင်း သေဆုံးရသူပေါင်း ၅၅၀ ကျော်လာပြီဖြစ်သည်။..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The New York Times" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: CNN reports from inside Myanmar. Here’s what we’re seeing
Description: "CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward is in Myanmar reporting on the protests that are taking place in the country. CNN is in Myanmar with the permission of the military and the team is being escorted throughout. #ClarissaWard​ #Myanmar​ #CNNinternational..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar's military is waging war on its citizens. Some say it's time to fight back
Description: "From a fenced-off compound close to the Myanmar border in northern Thailand, a rebel leader offers a bleak view of Myanmar's future, as the country is cleaved apart by a military coup. The possibility of a deepening civil war in Myanmar is "high," Gen. Yawd Serk said from his administrative base in Chiang Mai province. "The world has changed. I see people in the cities won't give up. And I see (coup leader) Min Aung Hlaing won't give up. I think there is possibility that civil war might happen." Yawd Serk is an old hand at confronting military rulers. He is chairman of the ethnic minority political organization Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and founder of its armed wing, the Shan State Army (SSA), which controls large pockets of land in Myanmar's east. His is one of more than two dozen ethnic armed groups that have been fighting against the Myanmar military -- know as the Tatmadaw -- and each other in the country's borderlands for greater rights and autonomy, on and off for 70 years. Since the military seized power on February 1, deposing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, many of these rebel groups -- including the RCSS -- have expressed support for non-violent nationwide protests against junta rule, and condemned the indiscriminate brutality and deadly use of force inflicted on Burmese civilians by junta-controlled soldiers and police. But as security forces continue their deadly campaign, there are signs the country is reaching a turning point where rebel groups could engage in renewed conflict, while some in the protest movement start to push for armed resistance in a bid to defend themselves. A senior rebel leader and several protesters, whom CNN is not identifying for security reasons, say a small, but growing number of pro-democracy activists are heading into the jungles where they are receiving combat training from ethnic militias. There are also increasing calls from the urban centers for the ethnic rebel groups to do more to protect people from the military violence. A protest group formed by some of the myriad ethnic minorities in the country recently called on 16 ethnic armed organizations to "urgently" protect the lives of the people. And last Tuesday, three rebel groups in the north of the country, which call themselves the Three Brotherhood Alliance, said if the Myanmar military does not stop killing civilians, "we will join the spring revolution with all the ethnicities for self defense actions." If the military "continues to shoot and kill people, it means the junta have simply transformed themselves into terrorists," Yawd Serk said. "We won't just sit still, we will find every means to protect the people..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Global Witness calls for tough international response as Myanmar’s military opens fire on civilians - Global Witness သည် မြန်မာတပ်မတော်သည် ပြည်သူများအား ပစ်ခတ်ခြင်းကြောင့် နိုင်ငံတကာအသိုင်းအဝိုင်းအား ပြင်းထန်စွာ တုံ့ပြန်ရန် လှုံ့ဆော်ပါသည်
Description: "At least 18 people were killed across Myanmar yesterday as soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters in the deadliest day since the military seized power in a February 1 coup. More than 30 demonstrators were wounded, according to a United Nations tally, as security forces used live rounds together with rubber bullets and tear gas against crowds who were protesting against the illegitimate takeover. “The violence used by Myanmar’s security forces against civilians who were expressing their right to assemble and demonstrate is abhorrent,” said Clare Hammond, Senior Myanmar Campaigner at Global Witness. “The international community must take immediate action to support the people of Myanmar in their effort to restore civilian rule, and to hold the military accountable for its actions,” she added. More than 1,100 people have been arbitrarily arrested, charged or sentenced over the past month according to reports, although the real figure may be higher. Journalists are increasingly being targeted, with at least eight arrested over the weekend and some still in custody, while a photojournalist was beaten by police in Yangon. Meanwhile, the country’s elected civilian leaders remain under house arrest, with the sham trial of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi proceeding via video conference this morning, and the military filing two more spurious charges against her, including for incitement. “The military’s continued violations of basic human rights and its refusal to release civilian leaders is unacceptable,” said Hammond. “While we welcome the flurry of concerned statements by foreign governments, these need to be followed by stronger actions. This includes the imposition of targeted sanctions against the military and the expansion of sanctions to help prevent foreign currencies from flowing to the regime that enable it to loot state coffers and kill, maim and violate the rights of innocent civilians with impunity,” concluded Hammond.....မနေ့က မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတပြည်လုံးတွင် စစ်သားများသည် ငြိမ်းချမ်းစွာ ဆန္ဒပြနေသော ပြည်သူများအား သေနတ်နှင့်ပစ်ခတ်မှုကြောင့် အနည်းဆုံး ၁၈ ဦး အသက်ဆုံးရှုံးခဲ့ရပါသည်။ ဖေဖော်ဝါရီလ ၁ရက်နေ့ စစ်အာဏာသိမ်းပြီးချိန်ကတည်းက အသေအပျောက်အများဆုံးနေ့ ဖြစ်ပါသည်။ လုံခြုံရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့များသည် ဤတရားမဝင် အာဏာသိမ်းမှုနှင့် ပတ်သက်ပြီး ဆန္ဒပြနေသူများအား ကျည်ဆံအစစ်နှင့်ပစ်ခတ်ခြင်း၊ ရာဘာကျည်ဆံများနှင့်ပစ်ခတ်ခြင်း နှင့် မျက်ရည်ယိုဗုံး အသုံးပြုခြင်းများကြောင့် ကမ္ဘာ့ကုလသမဂ္ဂ ၏ ကောက်ချက်အရ ဆန္ဒပြသူ အဦး ၃၀ နှင့်အထက် ဒဏ်ရာရရှိခဲ့ပါသည်။ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ၏ လုံခြုံရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့များသည် မိမိတို့၏ ဆန္ဒများကို အခွင့်အရေးရှိသည့်အရ ထုတ်ဖေါ် နေသော ပြည်သူများအား အကြမ်းဖက်ခြင်းသည် စက်ဆုပ်ရွံရှာဘွယ် ကောင်းပါသည် ဟု Global Witness ၏ Senior Myanmar Campaigner ဖြစ်သူ Clare Hammond ကပြောဆိုပါသည်။ မြန်မာပြည်သူများအား အရပ်သားအုပ်ချုပ်မှု ပြန်လည်ရရှိရန် နှင့် စစ်တပ်အား ၎င်းတို့၏ လုပ်ရပ်များကြောင့် အရေးယူနိုင်ရန် နိုင်ငံတကာအသိုင်းအဝိုင်းအနေဖြင့် ချက်ချင်းကူညီ လုပ်ဆောင်ရန် လိုအပ်ပါသည် ဟု သူမကဖြည့်စွက်ပါသည်။ သတင်းတင်ပြချက်များအရ လူဦးရေ ၁၀၀၁ ဦးနှင့်အထက် သည် မတရားစွာ ဖမ်းဆီးခံရခြင်း၊ စွဲချက်တင်ခံရခြင်း နှင့် ပြစ်ဒဏ်ချမှတ်ခြင်းများကို ရင်ဆိုင်ရပါသည်။ တကယ် အဖမ်းဆီးခံရသော လူဦးရေမှာ ဒီထက်ပိုများနိုင်သည်ဟု ယူဆရပါသည်။ သတင်းစာဆရာများသည်လည်း ပစ်မှတ်ထားခြင်း ခံရပြီး၊ ပြီးခဲ့သော စနေနေ့ နှင့် တနင်္ဂနွေနေ့များတွင် ၈ ဦးဖမ်းဆီးခံရပြီး အချို့သည်ဆက်လက်ထိန်းသိမ်းခံရဆဲဖြစ်ပါသည်။ ရန်ကုန်မြို့တွင် ဓတ်ပုံသတင်းဆရာတဦး အား ရဲတပ်ဖွဲ့ဝင်များသည် ရိုက်နက်ခဲ့ပါသည်။ ဤအတောအတွင်း မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ၏ ရွေးကောက်ခံရသော အရပ်သားခေါင်းဆောင်များသည်လည်း အကျယ်ချုပ်ဖမ်းဆီးခံရဆဲဖြစ်ပါသည်။ နိုင်ငံတော်အတိုင်မင်ခံ ဒေါ်အောင်ဆန်းစုကြည် ၏ ရုံးတင်စစ်ဆေးခြင်းကိုလည်း ဗီဒီယို အစည်းအဝေးအားဖြင့် ယနေ့နံနက် ဆက်လက်ပြုလုပ်ခဲ့ပါသည်။ စစ်တပ်သည် သူမအား တိုင်းပြည်မတည်မငြိမ်ရန် လှုံးဆော်မှုအပါအဝင် စွဲချက် အသစ်နှစ်ချက်ဖြင့် ထပ်မံစွဲဆိုခဲ့ပါသည်။ တပ်မတော်သည် အခြေခံလူ့အခွင့်အရေးများအား ဆက်လက် ချိုးဖောက်ခြင်း နှင့် အရပ်သား ခေါင်းဆောင်များအား လွှတ်ပေးရန် ငြင်းဆန်ခြင်းများကို လက်မခံနိုင်ပါဟု Hammond ကပြောဆိုပါသည်။ နိုင်ငံခြားအစိုးရများထံမှ ဤဖြစ်ရပ်များနှင့်ပတ်သက်၍ စိုးရိမ်းသော သဘောထား​ကြေညာချက်များကို လက်ခံကြိုဆိုသော်လည်း နိုင်ငံခြားအစိုးရများအနေဖြင့် ပိုမိုပြင်းထန်သော အရေးယူမှုများ လုပ်ဆောင်ရန် လိုအပ်ပါသည်။ တပ်မတော်အား ပစ်မှတ်ထားသော ပိတ်ဆို့မှုများနှင့်အတူ နိုင်ငံခြားမှ​ပေးသည့် အကူအညီငွေများ သည် စစ်အစိုးရ၏လက်ထဲ ရောက်ရှိပြီး ဤငွေကိုအသုံးပြုပြီး အပြစ်မဲ့သော ပြည်သူများအား သက်ဖြတ်ခြင်း နှင့် ပြည်သူများ၏ အခွင့်အရေးများကို ချိုးဖောက်ခြင်း များ မဖြစ်လာနိုင်အောင်လုပ်ဆောင်ရပါမည် ဟု Hammond ကပြောဆိုရင်း နိဂုံးချုပ်ပါသည်။..."
Source/publisher: "Global Witness" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Is Myanmar the new Syria? Rising violence threatens a repeat tragedy
Sub-title: As ethnic militias back the popular uprising and refugees flee the country, the similarities with Syria are deeply disturbing
Description: "In August 2011, Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s then foreign minister, made a “mercy dash” to Damascus. He appealed in person to Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, to stop killing his people and talk to his opponents after five months of anti-regime protests. Davutoglu spoke for Turkey but also, indirectly, for the US and the west. He had conferred with Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state, before making the trip. His message: it’s not too late to call a halt; the alternative is civil war. But Assad turned him down flat. At that early point in the crisis, about 2,000 people had died. Fearing worse to come, Davutoglu kept trying. In Istanbul the following year, he urged the US, Britain and other countries to work together to prevent a humanitarian “disaster”. Millions of Syrians were at risk, he told me. “How long can this situation continue? I mean in Bosnia, now we have Ban Ki-moon (then UN secretary-general) apologising 20 years after. Who will apologise for Syria in 20 years’ time?” Ten years on, Davutoglu has an answer. The west failed to act decisively, 500,000 or more Syrians are dead, 13.3 million are displaced, the country is in ruins – and no one has apologised. Meanwhile, half a world away, history repeats itself. Is Myanmar the new Syria? The portents and parallels are many and disturbing. They foretell yet another avoidable human tragedy of epic dimensions. Once again, those who could stop it don’t. Instead, they wrangle and seek national advantage. Once again, UN alarm bells ring, warning of an “imminent bloodbath”. Myanmar’s military junta, which seized power in a coup in February, is waging a war on citizens, the special UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener told the security council last week. Another failure to uphold international law and honour the international community’s “responsibility to protect” could produce “a multi-dimensional catastrophe in the heart of Asia,” she said. But again, as perennially over Syria, the council is split. In Myanmar’s case, it’s China, not Russia, that holds the whip hand. Like Moscow, Beijing plays a double game. Its UN ambassador, Zhang Jun, said China supported stability, dialogue, and what he disingenuously termed the “democratic transition”. Yet it is China that is blocking international sanctions and other UN action to rein in the junta. Like Russia in Syria, it is a saviour of killers. No surprise, perhaps. If it’s a choice between autocracy and democracy, the world knows where president Xi Jinping stands. The US president, Joe Biden, says human rights are a central plank of his foreign policy. But over Myanmar, he looks weak as Beijing calls his bluff. The UK, the former colonial power, is trying harder, leading the UN debate, sanctioning military-related sales, and providing funds to record rights abuses. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s neighbours in the Association of South-East Asian Nations make solemn statements and do next to nothing. Taken altogether, it’s nowhere near enough. The pressure group Burma Campaign UK demands a global arms embargo, for example, and referral to the international criminal court. There is little doubt Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the junta boss, and members of the military and police are each day committing crimes against humanity and war crimes. Min Aung Hlaing is already wanted for the 2017 genocide of the Rohingya minority. These uniformed killers and torturers are counting on impunity fuelled by international divisions and inertia. As matters stand, it’s entirely possible that, like Assad and most of his henchmen, they will escape justice. Hundreds of civilians have been killed so far, and thousands detained or forcibly disappeared, according to the UN’s human rights office. “Night raids, mass arrests and killings have become daily occurrences,” it reported last week. “De facto military authorities have increasingly resorted to heavy weaponry such as rocket-propelled and fragmentation grenades, heavy machine guns, and snipers to kill demonstrators in massive numbers,” it said. Evidence accumulates that youthful civilian demonstrators are being radicalised by this trauma. Unusually, street protests appear to enjoy broad middle class support. There is talk of taking up arms in self-defence and building an opposition-based federal army – another echo of Syria in 2011. Significantly, Myanmar’s “parallel government”, the CRPH, comprising MPs elected in last year’s election and supporters of the deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is now proposing a new federal constitution that recognises the rights of ethnic minorities..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 345.01 KB
more
Title: Myanmar junta orders internet blackout as more pro-democracy protesters are detained
Description: "Myanmar's military junta has cut all wireless internet services until further notice, in what appears to be part of a concerted effort to control communications and messaging in the Southeast Asian country. Pro-democracy demonstrators have repeatedly filled streets across the country for nearly two months in protest after the military overthrew the elected government over claims of election fraud, and installed a ruling junta. The military has responded to the protests with a bloody crackdown. At least 550 people have been killed by junta forces, according to advocacy group the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP). Rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Friday that the junta had also "forcibly disappeared hundreds of people" -- including politicians, election officials, journalists, activists and protesters -- since the February 1 coup. At least 2,751 people, among them journalists, protesters, activists, government officials, trade unionists, writers, students, civilians and even children, have been detained, often in nighttime raids, according to AAPP. On Friday, most Myanmar citizens woke up to no internet access after telecoms companies received instructions from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to stop wireless broadband internet services. Customers of telecoms company Ooredoo received text messages the night before saying wireless services would be stopped until further notice. The directive was dated from April 1. A majority of customers in Myanmar connect to the internet through wireless data services and the move will leave only those with physical connections to access the web. Mobile data has also been disabled for the 19th day, according to internet monitor Netblocks. CNN has reached out to Myanmar's military for comment on the wireless internet shutdown. As the military clamps down on the flow of information, dozens of journalists have been detained by security forces, according to the UN, and so have citizens who have spoken to media outlets, according to reports. A CNN team spoke with residents Friday while visiting a bazaar in Yangon's Insein township. CNN is in Myanmar with the permission of the military and is being escorted by the military, including during the visit to the market. Two women were arrested afterwards, ​according to a report from local outlet The Irrawaddy​. The report included an eyewitness account that one woman was seen speaking to the CNN team. It's unclear ​from that account whether that woman was among those arrested soon after. An improvised anti-regime protest broke out while the team was present, its report added. Multiple unverified reports posted on social media said at least two people had been taken away by security forces after speaking with the CNN team. CNN has reached out to the Myanmar military for comment on the reported detentions. In its latest briefing, the AAPP said it could confirm the location of "only a small fraction" of recent detainees it had identified. The co-chairs of the United Nations Group of Friends for the Protection of Journalists on Thursday issued a statement voicing "deep concern over the attacks on the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the situation of journalists and media workers in Myanmar and strongly condemn their harassment, arbitrary arrests and detention, as well as of human rights defenders and other members of civil society."..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 263.11 KB
more
Title: Myanmar security forces open fire on anti-coup protesters
Sub-title: Reports say 550 people dead, including 46 children, and almost 3,000 detained since February coup
Description: "Security forces in central Myanmar opened fire on anti-coup protesters on Saturday in violence that a human rights group said has left 550 civilians dead since the military takeover. Of those, 46 were children, according to Myanmar’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Some 2,751 people have been detained or sentenced, the group said. Threats of lethal violence and arrests of protesters have failed to suppress daily demonstrations across Myanmar demanding that the military step down and reinstate the democratically elected government. Government forces fired at demonstrators in Monywa city in central Myanmar, according to social media posts. One video showed a group of protesters carrying away a young man with what appeared to be a serious head wound, as gunfire sounded. His condition was not immediately known. Late on Friday, armed plainclothes police took five people into custody after they spoke to a CNN reporter in a Yangon market, local media reported, citing witnesses. The arrests occurred in three separate incidents. Two women reportedly shouted for help as they were being arrested, Myanmar Now news service reported. One police officer, who was carrying a gun, asked if “anyone dared to help them”, a witness told the news service. “They pointed their pistols at everyone – at passersby and at people in the store,” a witness said of two police officers who forcibly took away two other women in the market. Meanwhile, the Karen National Union representing the ethnic minority rebel group that has been fighting the government for decades condemned “non-stop bombings and airstrikes” against villages and “unarmed civilians” in their homeland along the border with Thailand. “The attacks have caused the death of many people including children and students, and the destruction of schools, residential homes and villages. These terrorist acts are clearly a flagrant violation of local and international laws,” the group said. In areas controlled by the Karen, more than a dozen civilians have been killed and at least 20,000 displaced since 27 March, according to the Free Burma Rangers, a relief agency operating in the region. About 3,000 Karen fled to Thailand, but many returned under unclear circumstances. Thai authorities said they went back voluntarily, but aid groups say they are not safe and many are hiding in the jungle and in caves on the Myanmar side of the border. More than a dozen minority groups have sought greater autonomy from the central government for decades, sometimes through armed struggle. Several of the major groups – including the Kachin, Karen and Rakhine Arakan Army – have denounced the coup and said they will defend protesters in their territories. After weeks of overnight cutoffs of internet access, Myanmar’s military on Friday shut all links apart from those using fibre-optic cable, which was working at drastically reduced speeds. Access to mobile networks and all wireless, the less costly options used by most people in the country, remained blocked on Saturday. The coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar, which for five decades languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions. As the generals loosened their grip, culminating in Aung San Suu Kyi’s rise to leadership in 2015 elections, the international community responded by lifting most sanctions and pouring investment into the country..."
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 196.44 KB
more
Title: Protesters and Bystanders: Ethnic Minorities in the Pro-Democracy Revolution
Description: "The day after the coup on February 1, 2021, civil servants across Myanmar launched a national Civil Disobedience Movement, consisting of multi-sector labor strikes targeting the Myanmar state’s apparatuses. By February 4, the first visible anti-coup protest in the country appeared in Mandalay, the second largest city in the country. The first visible protest in Yangon occurred on February 5. By February 11, protests and rallies started appearing in ethnic minority areas and the country’s peripheries in full force. On February 22, millions of Myanmar people joined a nationwide general strike against the coup regime in what is considered to be the largest single-day pro-democracy demonstration in the country’s history. While the protest movements are widespread in many ethnic minority areas, ethnic minority communities disagree over how to respond to the coup. One side prefers to be quiescent and neutral bystanders; the other, particularly younger generations, insists on active resistance. In this essay, I describe and reflect on ethnic minorities’ reactions to the coup, focusing on an emerging class cleavage in Kachin State, where I conducted research between 2017 and 2019. I have also communicated with several Kachin local residents and protesters in an informal capacity in the past weeks. It is important to note that my observations of an emerging class cleavage in Kachin communities is part of a broader trend across Myanmar. While the coup precipitated from a power struggle between the military and the National League for Democracy (NLD), ultimately, I argue that the on-going pro-democracy revolution in Myanmar is a (class) struggle, between ordinary Myanmar people and complacent elites, a struggle which cuts across entrenched ethnic, religious and political divides in the country. To Protest or Not to Protest? In the immediate aftermath of the coup, Myanmar’s ethnic minorities encountered a dilemma— whether or not to participate in the anti-coup protests that were spreading across the country. At the time, young ethnic minorities in Yangon and Mandalay were already participating in and organizing protests. However, in the ethnic minority states, ethnic minority politicians and businessmen and their associates urged caution. They argued that the coup is primarily a Bamar power struggle between the military and the NLD— something in which ethnic minorities do not need to get involved. Many among the younger generations of ethnic minorities perceive the coup as a blatant assault on the country’s transition toward democracy and see the on-going crisis as an opportunity to remake Myanmar politics. They thus strongly disagree with elites’ calls to remain bystanders in this crisis. Social media posts by ethnic minority participants in the demonstrations indicate that many youth see only two abysmal outcomes if they remain quiescent: either (1) the coup-makers win, and Myanmar descends into another period of dictatorship or (2) the coup-makers retreat, and Myanmar goes back to the status quo—a political system that was hardly inclusive of ethnic minorities. So, they not only speak up against the coup but also advocate that the mainstream pro-democracy movement, including the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), recognize the interests of ethnic minorities. They collectively advocate for (1) ending dictatorship, (2) abolishing the 2008 constitution, (3) establishing a federal democracy and (4) unconditional release of those unjustly detained.[1] Their advocacy is broadly shaping the rhetoric of the mainstream pro-democracy movement in Myanmar. By early March, the Bamar public and the CRPH endorsed these demands..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Tea Circle (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-03-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 271.14 KB
more
Title: “Situation Report of the LGBTIQs after the Military Coup in Myanmar” by Ministry of Human Rights and Ministry of Women, Youths and Children Affairs, National Unity Government of Myanmar
Description: "1. Context: Approaching nearly 5 months of military coup, people of Myanmar face vastuncertainty and regressions in socio-economic sectors, with all forms of their humanrights being violated. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners(AAPP), over (881) have been killed, (6,348) have been detained and (1,965) have beenissued warrants by the military junta since the day of the coup, 1 February 2021.Undeniably, members of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer(LGBTIQ) communities are also a part of that statistics. Since the beginning of the coup, LGBTIQ people have been activelyparticipating in anti-coup protests, demonstrations and civil disobedience movement(CDM). As crackdowns, violence and tortures against pro-democracy activists andcivilians intensified within the past few months, many LGBTIQs across Myanmar facedsevere human rights violations. The drag queens who used to be proudlyphotographed with protest signs took to the streets wearing helmets, goggles andshields. As impressive as it looked, the cheap helmets and shields however offeredno safety at all against live ammunition. The situation has extremely deteriorated for the human rights defenders andactivists who led the community as well as for the wider community. Many of theactivists have gone into hiding and change places to sleep every 3-4 days. Themilitary publishes new arrest lists every day and there is a constant fear of getting onthe list. Reports from LGBTIQ civil society organizations highlight that there are 12cases of LGBTIQ fatalities; with 73 being arrested and/or charged under 505 (a); (65)still being detained and (28) either in hiding or having fled to non-SAC controlledareas.....2. LGBTIQ Deaths, Arrests and Detentions: Gathering LGBTIQ-related data during the coup is a challenge given limitedaccess to the internet and communication with those who are out of reach forsecurity reasons or who do not want to disclose their identities. However, reliablesources indicate that gay people and transgender women are predominantly at thetop of the chart of most cases of human rights abuses and violations committedagainst the LGBTIQ.From 1 February to 20 June, (12) LGBTIQ community members from Myitkyina,Myingyan, Monywa, Mawlamyine, Yangon, Kyaukpadaung, and Mandalay were shotdead while participating in non-violent and peaceful protests and defendingprotesters from military violence. (3) gay men and (1) transgender woman fromMyingyan and Bago were seriously injured by riot police/armed forces. LGBTIQ groups throughout Myanmar actively participated under rainbow flagsas front-liners at every stage of the revolution. The visibility of the community leadsto highlighting the diversity and inclusivity of the people against the coup. Nodiscriminations against the LGBTIQ community was observed but respect and unity.Hence, LGBTIQ activists were equally targeted and a lot of them are blacklisted andcharged under section 5051 (a) and (c). Majority of blacklisted individuals are in hidingand some got arrested. (73) arrests of LGBTQ individuals have been reported since 1February. Majority of them were from Yangon and Mandalay regions. Because of thevisible identity of transgender people who got arrested, they experienced differentforms of sexual harassment during arrest, in police custody and in detention placesby armed forces..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of Human Rights and Ministry of Women, Youths and Children Affairs, National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-06-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 493.56 KB
more
Title: Myanmar police surround protesters and raid compound in Yangon
Sub-title: Demonstrators in North Okkalapa flee under fire, and junta units raid striking rail workers’ district
Description: "Police in Myanmar have surrounded and arrested at least 200 students and civilians protesting against the military coup on the outskirts of Yangon, according to witnesses who said those detained were driven away in unmarked trucks. Video footage from North Okkalapa showed protesters fleeing under fire. At least one person appeared to be seriously wounded. Earlier, military forces raided a compound in a Yangon neighbourhood that is home to state railway workers who have been on strike. Riot police sealed off the Mingalar Taung Nyunt area where the Ma Hlwa Kone train station and housing for rail employees are located. Photographs on social media showed officers blocking streets and what appeared to be people escaping. At least three arrests were reported. These could not immediately be confirmed. There was no apparent resistance to the raid, and local media said the authorities forced at least some residents from their homes. The latest clampdown follows mass arrests a week ago when about 400 young people were put in prison. As demonstrations continued in towns and cities across the country, the US embassy in Yangon condemned the police action against “innocent” people. It urged security forces to withdraw and to release all of those arrested. The military junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, appears determined to crush the country’s general strike. Hlaing seized power on 1 February, overthrowing a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy won elections in November and was about start a second term. The coup undid years of slow progress towards democracy following five decades of military rule, and sparked a wave of non-violent protests. A civil disobedience movement has united large numbers of public-sector employees – some of whom have taken to the streets – and there has been a boycott of military-owned companies. The raid on state rail workers comes days after several unions issued a joint call for a nationwide work stoppage. They said their strike would be part of a broader effort for “the full, extended shutdown of the Myanmar economy”. Despite the increasingly violent tactics of security forces, protests continued on Wednesday in cities including in Mandalay, Monywa, Dawei, Myitkyina, Myitkyina, Bago, Kalaw and Myingyan. Some were met with police force, while others were brief and free of violence. Riot police in the small southern city of Dawei fired teargas, forcing marchers to disperse and hide. There were reports of the use of rubber bullets. No injuries have been confirmed. A leading organiser of protests was arrested, according to the Dawei Watch news service. The city has become a hotspot for anti-coup protests and been subjected to heavy police crackdowns. Up to five deaths have occurred..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar: UN calls for 'utmost restraint' from military as more deaths reported
Sub-title: British-drafted UN statement watered down by China, Russia, India and Vietnam, as Amnesty says military using battlefield weapons on protesters
Description: "The United Nations has condemned the Myanmar military’s violent crackdown against anti-coup demonstrators as seven more people were reported shot dead in protests on Thursday. Local media, witnesses and medics said six people were shot dead in the central town of Myaing when security forces opened fire on anti-junta protests and domestic media said one man was killed in the North Dagon district of Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city. Photographs posted on Facebook showed a man lying prone on the street, bleeding from a head wound. More than 60 people are believed to have been killed protesting against the 1 February coup that removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government from power. The UN statement however removed language that explicitly condemned the coup and threatened possible further action from the British-drafted text, due to opposition by China, Russia, India and Vietnam. The presidential statement, signed by all 15 members of the Security Council called for “utmost restraint” by the military. A presidential statement is a step below a resolution but becomes part of the official record of the UN’s most powerful body. The statement called for the immediate release of government leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint who have been detained since they were ousted in the coup. It said it supported the country’s democratic transition and “stresses the need to uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, fully respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and uphold the rule of law”. But it is weaker than the initial draft circulated by the United Kingdom which would have condemned the military coup itself and threatened “possible measures under the UN Charter” – UN language for sanctions – “should the situation deteriorate further.” Diplomats said council members China, Russia, India and Vietnam, which is a member of the 10-nations Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as Asean, along with Myanmar, objected to provisions in stronger earlier drafts of the statement. China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said in a statement that “it is important the council members speak in one voice,” and declared that it’s now time for de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue. The UN statement came as Amnesty International accused Myanmar security forces of using battlefield weapons on unarmed protesters and carrying out premeditated killings orchestrated by their commanding officers. International pressure on the Myanmar junta has mounted since the army ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi last month, triggering daily protests around the country. The United States also applied fresh pressure with sanctions against Aung Pyae Sone and Khin Thiri Thet Mon, two adult children of Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing. The pair have a variety of business holdings that have directly benefited from their “father’s position and malign influence”, said a US Treasury statement. The UK is also exploring fresh sanctions, foreign minister Dominic Raab said in a tweet..."
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar: Vast arsenal and notorious troops deployed during nationwide ‘killing spree’ protest crackdown – new research
Description: "The Myanmar military is using increasingly lethal tactics and weapons normally seen on the battlefield against peaceful protesters and bystanders across the country, new research by Amnesty International has revealed. By verifying more than 50 videos from the ongoing crackdown, Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence Lab can confirm that security forces appear to be implementing planned, systematic strategies including the ramped-up use of lethal force. Many of the killings documented amount to extrajudicial executions. Footage clearly shows that Myanmar military troops - also known as the Tatmadaw - are increasingly armed with weapons that are only appropriate for the battlefield, not for policing actions. Officers are frequently seen engaging in reckless behavior, including the indiscriminate spraying of live ammunition in urban areas. NEWS CAMPAIGNS EDUCATION RESEARCH IMPACT NEWS (Photo by Kaung Zaw Hein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) MYANMAR UNLAWFUL KILLINGS SHARE Facebook Twitter Myanmar: Vast arsenal and notorious troops deployed during nationwide ‘killing spree’ protest crackdown – new research 11 March 2021, 00:01 UTC Analysis of more than 50 videos show systematic and premeditated killings amid extensive deployment of battlefield weaponry Soldiers implicated in atrocity crimes against ethnic minorities now operating in Myanmar’s cities Evidence of extrajudicial executions and killings on orders of commanders The Myanmar military is using increasingly lethal tactics and weapons normally seen on the battlefield against peaceful protesters and bystanders across the country, new research by Amnesty International has revealed. By verifying more than 50 videos from the ongoing crackdown, Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence Lab can confirm that security forces appear to be implementing planned, systematic strategies including the ramped-up use of lethal force. Many of the killings documented amount to extrajudicial executions. These Myanmar military tactics are far from new, but their killing sprees have never before been livestreamed for the world to see. Joanne Mariner, Director of Crisis Response Footage clearly shows that Myanmar military troops - also known as the Tatmadaw - are increasingly armed with weapons that are only appropriate for the battlefield, not for policing actions. Officers are frequently seen engaging in reckless behavior, including the indiscriminate spraying of live ammunition in urban areas. “These Myanmar military tactics are far from new, but their killing sprees have never before been livestreamed for the world to see,” said Joanne Mariner, Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International. “These are not the actions of overwhelmed, individual officers making poor decisions. These are unrepentant commanders already implicated in crimes against humanity, deploying their troops and murderous methods in the open. “For years, ethnic minorities - including the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Rakhine, Rohingya, Shan, Ta’ang and more - have borne the brunt of horrific violence meted out by the Tatmadaw. Along with other rights groups, we have called on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, and bring the Tatmadaw’s senior commanders, including Min Aung Hlaing, to justice. Instead the Security Council has done nothing, and today we see the same military units turn their fire on protesters. “The military authorities must immediately cease their deadly onslaught, de-escalate the situation nationwide, and release all those arbitrarily detained.” The 55 clips, filmed from 28 February to 8 March, were recorded by members of the public and local media in cities including Dawei, Mandalay, Mawlamyine, Monywa, Myeik, Myitkyina and Yangon. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the death toll from the protests as of 4 March stands at 61. This official estimate excludes additional known casualties in recent days..."
Source/publisher: "Amnesty International" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: UN condemns Myanmar violence as US sanctions general’s children
Description: "The United Nations Security Council has condemned the escalating violence in Myanmar and called on the army to show restraint in its response to peaceful protesters, as the United States imposed sanctions on two children of junta leader Min Aung Hlaing. In a statement issued on Wednesday following days of talks that sometimes broke down, the 15-member council said it “strongly condemns the violence against peaceful protesters, including against women, youth and children. “The council calls for the military to exercise utmost restraint and emphasizes that it is following the situation closely.” Language that would have condemned the February 1 coup and threatened possible further action was removed from the UK-drafted text, due to opposition by China, Russia, India and Vietnam. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped the statement would push the military to realise it “is absolutely essential” that all prisoners are released and that the results of a November election are respected. The army has justified the coup by saying that the election, won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy in a landslide, was marred by fraud – a claim rejected by the electoral commission. The junta has promised a new election, but has not said when it might take place. Guterres acknowledged that Myanmar was not a “perfect democracy” before the coup. “It was still heavily under military control in many aspects, which makes this coup even more difficult to understand, especially the accusations of electoral fraud by those that were largely in control of the country,” he said. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group tracking arrests since the military seized power, said on Wednesday night that more than 60 people had been killed since the protests began. Some 2,008 people had been detained with 1,689 still in custody, it said. While welcoming the Security Council statement, rights groups monitoring the situation in Myanmar said more action was needed..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar security forces surround striking rail workers; U.N. fails to condemn coup
Description: "Myanmar security forces surrounded the staff compound of striking railway workers opposed to the military junta on Wednesday as ousted lawmakers appointed an acting vice president to take over the duties of detained politicians. In New York, the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called for restraint by the military and threatened to consider “further measures.” Talks on the statement would likely continue, diplomats said, after China, Russia, India and Vietnam all suggested amendments late on Tuesday to a British draft, including removal of the reference to a coup and the threat to consider further action. The railway staff in Yangon are part of a civil disobedience movement that has crippled government business and included strikes at banks, factories and shops since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a coup on Feb. 1. Security forces have cracked down with increasing force on daily, nationwide protests, leaving the Southeast Asian nation in turmoil. More than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 people have been arrested since the coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group, has said. Footage posted on social media showed security forces near the railway staff compound. One person involved in the strike said by telephone they feared an imminent crackdown. “I think they are going to arrest us. Please help us,” said the person, who asked to be identified only as Ma Su rather than their full name. In a Facebook live broadcast from the area people chanted: “Are we staff united? Yes, we are united” and a commentator claimed police were trying to remove barricades and threatening to shoot. Details could not be independently verified. Police and army officials did not respond to requests for comment..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Second death of official from Aung San Suu Kyi's party raises fears of Myanmar military detention
Description: "An official from ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party has died in custody following alleged torture, the second such death while in detention of junta forces this week, according to a watchdog group. The deaths have raised concerns about the condition and treatment detainees are receiving in detention. Since the military seized power in a coup on February 1, security forces quickly moved to stifle dissent and arrested government officials, protesters, journalists, civil servants and NGO workers, and repressed independent media. Many people have been taken arbitrarily in nighttime raids and their families do not know where their loved ones are, or what condition they are in, the United Nations said. Human Rights Watch said that people who are forcibly disappeared are more likely to be subjected to torture or ill-treatment than others arrested. The National League for Democracy's (NLD) Zaw Myat Lynn died in custody on Tuesday after he was arrested in the biggest city Yangon, Reuters reported, citing ousted parliamentarian Ba Myo Thein. Watchdog group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) released a statement saying "Zaw Myat Lynn, who was head of an educational institute, was announced dead today from injuries consistent with torture following an arbitrary nighttime raid." The exact cause of death is still unknown but AAPP added Zaw Myat Lynn was subjected to beatings. Shortly before his arrest, Zaw Myat Lynn posted a livestream on Facebook in which he said, "I want to encourage all citizens across the country that we will be protesting day and night for 24 hours against the dictatorship." He urged people to continue fighting the army, saying "we will risk our lives to defeat them." "We are showing to the international communities including UN and other agencies that we, citizens of Myanmar want democracy and we value democracy as the most precious thing in our lives," he said. It follows the death of a Yangon NLD party chairman Khin Maung Latt, who died while in custody on Saturday. "On the night of his arrest, Khin Maung Latt was tortured to death in his cell," AAPP said in a news release. Reports of bruising to Khin Maung Latt's head and body raised suspicions he had been abused, NLD lawmaker Ba Myo Thein told Reuters. CNN cannot independently verify this reporting and the details surrounding the deaths of Zaw Myat Lynn and Khin Maung Latt's are not immediately clear..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: At least three killed as anti-coup protesters wave women’s clothing in defiance of military misogyny
Sub-title: After over a month of daily protests, anti-coup demonstrators continued to adapt with creative tactics in response to military’s campaign of terror
Description: "The Myanmar military continued to terrorize peaceful anti-coup demonstrators with lethal force across the country on Monday, killing at least three protesters and severely injuring many others. The attacks came after soldiers and police came out in force in Yangon on Sunday night in anticipation of another day of mass protests. Security forces stationed themselves inside hospitals, pagoda compounds and universities in Yangon and other major cities. Gunfire and stun grenade explosions were heard at night in numerous Yangon townships in what appeared to be a bid to terrorize the city’s population. But anti-military demonstrators still took to the streets on Monday morning, rallying around yet another call for a general strike, this time to coincide with International Women’s Day. At a women-led anti-coup demonstration in Sanchaung township, protesters used htameins as flags. Many superstitious soldiers believe that walking beneath the sarong-like garment - or anything else worn by a woman below the waist - diminishes a man’s power. Protesters have been hanging htameins above roads to delay the advance of security forces, a strategy that uses the military’s own misogyny against them. At many protest sites in Yangon, security forces broke up demonstrations using teargas and stun grenades. Protesters once again avoided confrontations with a cat and mouse strategy, retreating when security forces approached but gathering again whenever they had the chance. Elsewhere in Myanmar, things were more violent. Two were shot dead by security forces in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina, residents and a protest organizer said. The two victims have been identified as 63-year-old Ko Ko Lay, also known as Cho Tha, and 23-year-old Zin Min Htet. They were both shot in the head. Security forces also used stun grenades and tear gas while attacking protesters in front of the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic church. “They died on the scene in front of the church. Both of their heads were crushed by bullets,” the protest organizer told Myanmar Now. The funeral for Ko Ko Lay will be held on Sunday afternoon in accordance with Islamic tradition, while Zin Min Htet’s body was brought to his house, said Lamai Gum Ja from the Peace-talk Creation Group, a local volunteer organization. At least ten people were arrested and five severely injured in the attack, he added..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar: Urgently Investigate NLD Official’s Death in Custody
Sub-title: Immediately Produce Another NLD Official’s Forcibly Disappeared Father
Description: "Myanmar’s junta should promptly and impartially investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the torture and death in custody of a National League for Democracy (NLD) official, Human Rights Watch said today. The junta should also urgently produce U Peter, the forcibly disappeared father of an NLD elected official and all others “disappeared” since the February 1, 2021, coup. On the evening of March 6, 2021, witnesses saw soldiers and police arrive at the home of Khin Maung Latt, 58, a ward chairman in Pabedan township in downtown Yangon. After forcibly entering his home, the security forces beat and kicked Khin Maung Latt in front of his family, then took him away at gunpoint. The next morning, Khin Maung Latt’s family recovered his body from a hospital after notification by the authorities. The body had severe wounds to the hands and back and was covered in a bloody shroud, a witness said. “Myanmar’s junta runs the security forces and can quickly find out who killed Khin Maung Latt if they want to,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “If they want to show they believe in the rule of law, all those responsible should be held to account. Sadly, Myanmar’s security forces seem intent on using nighttime raids and brutal mistreatment to create fear and break popular resistance to military rule.” A witness told Human Rights Watch that at 9:15 p.m., four military trucks arrived and stationed themselves on Anawrahta Road between 29th and 30th streets. Soldiers identified as being from the 77th Light Infantry Division lined up on 30th Street, where Khin Maung Latt lived, while others stood on 29th Street. Between 9:15 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., 15 gunshots were heard, the witness said. All the military trucks left at 11 p.m. The authorities informed Khin Maung Latt’s family around 7:30 a.m. on March 7 that they should retrieve his body from the Mingladon military hospital. A member of the Muslim community who helped prepare Khin Maung Latt’s body for a Muslim burial said there were deep wounds on his back and hands consistent with torture..."
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: 7 March 2021 Daily Briefing, Detention and Fatality Lists in Relation to Military Coup
Description: "The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) pays respect to the heroes who sacrificed their lives and liberty to fight for democracy, human rights and dictatorship to an end. Up until now, more than (54) people have been killed due to the violent and arbitrary crackdowns. As of March 7, a total of (1790) people have been arrested, charged or sentenced in relation to the attempted military coup on February 1. Of them, (3) were convicted; (2) to two years imprisonment, (1) to three months. (70) have been charged with a warrant and are evading arrest, (318) were released. A total of (1472) are still under detention or have outstanding charges/evading arrest, including the (3) sentenced. In today’s detainee list, we received and documented the names of (17) people. However, more than 100 protestors including students and youths were arrested during the crackdown across the country today. We will continue to investigate these and make appropriate announcements when. After brutal crackdowns on peaceful protests yesterday by the police and military, brutal acts continued into the night, raids into residential areas and homes, gunfire, and unlawful search and detentions. Some NLD members were targeted last night, these detentions are to deprive communities and protests of coordination and leadership. Last night, police and military raided the homes of NLD members in Pabedan Township, Rangoon, breaking down doors, opening fire at people looking out their apartments. The raids targeted the home of Khin Maung Latt, chair of the NLD party in Ward (7) in Pabedan Township who was found and detained. On the night of his arrest, Khin Maung Latt was tortured to death in his cell. They searched the home of Maung Maung, information officer of Pabedan Township NLD, but could not find him so they attacked his younger brother and put in a prone position. They searched the home of lawyer Maung Maung, vice chair of NLD Pabedan Township and took his phone and other material. Also detained were two sons of Thein Oo, vice chair of NLD Dagon Township, because they could not find Thein Oo. In Monywa, Sagaing, today they also arrested the wife of activist Nay Myo who they could not find. In Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, Ko Ko Lwin, treasurer of NLD Monywa Township was arrested last night. Such violently beatings of arrests and torture are beyond brutal and inhumane, they are also intentional. Tortures is prohibited across the world, however, torture to achieve confession is allowed in Burma right now. The Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment was encated to protect detainees and convicts, yet the military junta does not follow and respect any domestic and international laws and allows its troops to commit human rights violations. We strongly condemn the death of Khin Maung Latt, chair of the NLD party in Ward (7) in Pabedan Township, as well as the hostage taking of family members, this is terrorism. Today protests in Taikkyi, Tharkayta, South Okkalapa, Tamwe, Dagon Myothit (North), Mayangone, Sanchaung, Shwe Pyi Thar, Insein Townships in Yangon Region, Yay in Mon State, Magway, Pakokku Townships in Magway Region, Loikaw Township in Kayah State, Mandalay City, Myingyan, and Bagan Township in Mandalay Region, Lashio, Shan State, and Pathein Township, Ayeyarwady Region were brutally suppressed. Especially in Bagan, which is an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Burma. Near the Bagan New Town market, one protester was shot and injured and 6 protesters were arrested during the crackdown by the junta’s forces. Around 10 protestors in Sanchaung township and at least 20 peaceful protestors were arrested, and another one was hit with four rubber bullets in South Okkalapa Township. 50 peaceful protestors, including two women were arrested and some injured in Taikkyi Township. two peaceful protestors were injured and another one was arrested in Pathein township. Six peaceful protestors were arrested in Mawlamyaing Gyunn Township. Some peaceful protestors were arrested in Loikaw and Mandalay. One peaceful protestor was injured in Myingyan. Two were injured in Loikaw..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-03-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 962.97 KB 196.23 KB
more
Title: Australia halts defence ties with Myanmar, redirects aid
Description: " Australia has suspended its defence cooperation programme with Myanmar, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said, amid an intensified crackdown by the country’s military on massive protests against last month’s coup. Australia will also redirect immediate humanitarian needs to Rohingyas and other ethnic minorities, Payne said in a statement late Sunday. “We will prioritise the most pressing humanitarian and emerging needs and seek to ensure our humanitarian engagement is with and through non-government organisations, not with government or government-related entities,” Payne said. Australia bilateral defence ties with Myanmar’s military are restricted to non-combat areas such as English language training. Canberra will also continue to demand the immediate release of Sean Turnell, an economist and adviser to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, authorities said. Turnell has been detained with limited consular access since the Feb. 1 coup that overthrew Myanmar’s elected government. Hundreds of people gathered in Australia’s largest city of Sydney over the weekend urging the Australian government to take a strong stance against the coup. The Southeast Asian country has been plunged in turmoil after the army took over control of the country and detained elected leaders, with daily protests that United Nations said had killed more than 50 people. “We continue to strongly urge the Myanmar security forces to exercise restraint and refrain from violence against civilians,” Payne said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-03-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar protests: The killing of Zin Ko Ko Zaw
Description: "Sky News investigates the killing of a protester in Myanmar after the military opened fire. Several videos from before and after the shooting give a full picture of how events unfolded. Zin Ko Ko Zaw was 22 years old. One of at least 38 people killed that day..."
Source/publisher: "Sky News"
Date of publication: 2021-03-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: NLD party stalwart Win Htein requests bail from Naypyitaw court
Sub-title: The 82-year-old’s lawyer asked that bail be granted due to Win Htein’s need for ongoing medical care
Description: "National League for Democracy (NLD) patron Win Htein requested that a Naypyitaw court release him from a detention center on bail on Friday, citing his deteriorating health. He awaits a trial for sedition charges brought against him by Myanmar’s ruling military council. At 82 years old, Win Htein uses a wheelchair and is reliant on an oxygen supply to help him breathe. He suffers from hypertension, diabetes and heart and thyroid diseases, according to his lawyer, Min Min Soe. He is charged with violating Section 124-A of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. “We requested that the court hold the trial with him out on bail because he needs constant medical care for those health issues,” lawyer Min Min Soe told Myanmar Now. At Win Htein’s second hearing on Friday at the Dekkhina District court in Naypyitaw, deputy judge Soe Naing said the court would make a decision regarding the bail request in the next hearing, scheduled for March 19. Lawyer Min Min Soe also said that officials at the Naypyitaw detention center have not allowed her to meet with her client or to obtain a copy of his medical records to submit to the court. She said that the NLD’s legal team has also requested that the judge allow an open court for her client’s hearings. The outspoken party stalwart Win Htein was arrested at his home in Yangon on the evening of February 4. He had recently returned from Naypyitaw, where he gave media interviews in which he said the coup was a result of Min Aung Hlaing’s “personal ambition.” At his first hearing on February 19, Win Htein asked for a sentence to be handed down to him immediately, which was rejected by the judge..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-03-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Deep fears of violent crackdown in Myanmar, UN rights chief warns
Sub-title: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has voiced “deep fears” of a violent crackdown on dissenting voices in Myanmar, where the military assumed all powers and declared a state of emergency after overthrowing the civilian government and arresting top political leaders, on Monday.
Description: "“Given the security presence on the streets in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, as well as in other cities, there are deep fears of a violent crackdown on dissenting voices”, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Monday. “I remind the military leadership that Myanmar is bound by international human rights law, including to respect the right to peaceful assembly, and to refrain from using unnecessary or excessive force”, she added. High Comissioner Bachelet also called on the international community to “stand in solidarity with the people” of Myanmar at this time. She also urged all nations with influence to take steps “to prevent the crumbling of the fragile democratic and human rights gains made by Myanmar during its transition from military rule.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UN News
Date of publication: 2021-02-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-02-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar’s cardinal calls on government to abandon violence
Description: "For 70 years Myanmar has been torn apart by ethnic conflicts, dictatorship and religious nationalism that have led to horrific bloodshed, death, destruction, slavery and abuse,” said Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon. The Southeast Asian nation of 56 million (map) is 88% Buddhist, 6% Christian, and 4% Muslim..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Catholic Culture"
Date of publication: 2019-12-03
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar: Extrajudicial killings continue with impunity
Description: "1. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would like to bring the realities of extrajudicial killings in Myanmar to the attention of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The government?s claim that the State is in a democratic reform process is belied by the prevailing reality of extrajudicial killings, abuse of power, and impunity in Myanmar.... 2. The Myanmar semi-civilian government, which came to power after decades of Military rule, has failed to prosecute extrajudicial killers who committed numerous such crimes under the umbrella of the Military; and it continues to protect perpetrators of more recent extrajudicial killings. The military in Myanmar has long enjoyed impunity for offences committed against civilians, and despite recent political changes, prosecutions of errant soldiers are extremely rare... 3. The ALRC, along with its sister organization, the Asian Human Rights Commission, has documented numerous cases where the Myanmar police have tortured civilians to death while in custody. Mostly, there is complete impunity. On the few occasions such acts are ?punished”, the cases are handled under the Myanmar Police Force Maintenance of Discipline Law and not under criminal law. Furthermore, Executive intervention at all levels of the Judiciary has made court proceedings a time-consuming masquerade that invariably delivers injustice. The ALRC would like to share with Council the following recent cases of extrajudicial killings, abuse of power, and impunity...".....Written NGO statement to the 29th Session of UN Human Rights Council.
Source/publisher: Asian Legal Resource Centre via UN Human Rights Council (A/HRC/29/NGO/44)
Date of publication: 2015-06-05
Date of entry/update: 2015-09-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 196.09 KB
more
Title: Preventing Indiscriminate Attacks and Wilful Killings of Civilians by the Myanmar Military
Description: "...This memorandum draws from the findings of our ongoing investigation and addresses the specific military policies and practices that have le d to indiscriminate attacks and wilful ki l lings of civilians in Myanmar. It appears that t hese policies and practices continue to be implemented today. Much of the analysis and many of the recommendations provided in the pages that follow likely apply to contexts not discussed in this memorandum. First, although this document focuses only on indiscriminate attacks and wilful killings of civilians, there are other forms of abuse — such as torture, forced labor, and sexual violence — that deserve similar attention. Second, this memorand um is limited by the scope of our i nvestigation and therefore focuses only on the policies and practices of the Myanmar military. However, non - state armed group s must also take steps to prevent civilian harm , and their actions should be scrutinized as well . Finally, while this memorandum addresses the situation in conflict zones, much of the analysis could apply to the official use of force in other settings and to security sector reform more generally . We encourage further thought and dialogue on these issues, all of which deserve specific consideration in their ow n right . In this spirit, we remain committed to engaging with all those who seek to achieve the share d goal of protecting and promoting human rights during this critical period of Myanmar?s history..."
Source/publisher: The International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School
Date of publication: 2014-03-24
Date of entry/update: 2014-03-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 497.65 KB
more
Title: Situation of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of Person [in Shan State] - SHRF Monthly Newsletter, November 2012 - Commentary
Description: Contents... Map... Situation of extrajudicial killing... A villager returning from his farm beaten to death in Kun-Hing... A villager going to his farm beaten to death in Kun-Hing... Situation of beating and torture... Beating and robbery in Murng-Ton... Beating, robbing, restriction and extortion in Lai-Kha... Beating and stealing in Murng-Kerng... Beating and stealing in Murng-Nai... Situation of other maltreatment of civilian populations... Villagers threatened, robbed of their chickens, in Kae-See... A village shelled, intense forced labour causing people to flee, in Murng-Paeng.
Source/publisher: Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF)
Date of publication: 2012-11-00
Date of entry/update: 2013-01-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Torture and killing in Thaton District
Description: On June 25th 2012 in Pa?an Township, Thaton District, Saw R---, 52, was killed and Saw A---, 67, tortured by Border Guard Battalion #1014 soldiers, after being accused of being spies for the Karen National Union (KNU). This news bulletin includes a description of the incident written by a source close to the family of the deceased man, which was received by KHRG on September 23rd 2012.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-10-26
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 137.27 KB
more
Title: Villager shot and killed in Papun District
Description: On June 13th 2012, Saw N---, a 48-year-old former resident of M--- village, Naw Yoh Hta village tract, Lu Thaw Township, Papun District was shot and killed while collecting truffles in Pa Heh village tract, Bu Tho Township, Papun District. The shooting took place close to where the Tatmadaw soldiers from Infantry Battalion #19 are based at Hpah Hkeh Kyo, leading local villagers and a security leader to believe that it was troops from the camp in question who were the perpetrators of the shooting. Also during the incident, 30,000 baht (US $973.72), which Saw N—had brought along to purchase truffles from others on the trip went missing. This incident is also described by villagers in two other published KHRG reports.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-10-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 574.74 KB
more
Title: Papun Interview: Saw E---, June 2012
Description: This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during June 2012 in Bu Tho Township, Papun District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Saw E---, a 36 year old married father of six, security leader from T--- IDP camp, Bu Tho Township, Papun District who described the incident regarding a shooting of a villager by Tatmadaw soldiers from IB [Infantry Battalion] #19. This incident is also described in one as of yet unpublished KHRG report and in Papun Interview: Saw K---, June 2012, published on July 20th 2012. Saw E--- describes further information on the events after surrounding the killing, from his perspective of someone who had gone to clear the villager?s body from the scene. He mentions what the impact has been to villagers? opinion on the prevailing ceasefire and the dire situation regarding villagers? ability to find food to eat and sell, given the dangerous circumstances in which they live. Also mentioned is the situation for Saw N---?s wife and children, he explains how, after the death of her husband, mental health problems which she once suffered from have returned, making her and her children?s lives very difficult.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-09-05
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 291.55 KB
more
Title: Papun Interview: Saw K---, June 2012
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during June 2012 in Bu Tho Township, Papun District by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The community member interviewed Saw K---, a 29 year old married father of two, who described the shooting of his friend Saw N--- by Tatmadaw soldiers from Hpah Hkeh Kyo army camp while out collecting truffles with another eight villagers in Bu Tho Township, Papun District. Saw K--- described how Tatmadaw soldiers were lying in wait and shot Saw N--- multiple times, despite the ongoing ceasefire. Saw K--- mentioned that this was the third expedition he and other villagers had taken to find truffles to sell in the same area, an hour?s journey from their home at T--- internally displaced persons camp, thinking that they would be safe due to the ceasefire, however, on this occasion Tatmadaw soldiers opened fire, killing Saw N---. Saw K— also described his opinions on the current political situation in Karen State. This incident is also described in two yet unpublished KHRG reports."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-07-20
Date of entry/update: 2012-08-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 277.89 KB
more
Title: ?The Government Could Have Stopped This? - Sectarian Violence and Ensuing Abuses in Burma?s Arakan State
Description: Summary: "In June 2012, deadly sectarian violence erupted in western Burma?s Arakan State between ethnic Arakan Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims (as well as non-Rohingya Muslims). The violence broke out after reports circulated that on May 28 an Arakan woman was raped and killed in the town of Ramri allegedly by three Muslim men. Details of the crime were circulated locally in an incendiary pamphlet, and on June 3, a large group of Arakan villagers in Toungop stopped a bus and brutally killed 10 Muslims on board. Human Rights Watch confirmed that local police and soldiers stood by and watched the killings without intervening. On June 8, thousands of Rohingya rioted in Maungdaw town after Friday prayers, destroying Arakan property and killing an unknown number of Arakan residents. Sectarian violence then quickly swept through the Arakan State capital, Sittwe, and surrounding areas. Mobs from both communities soon stormed unsuspecting villages and neighborhoods, killing residents and destroying homes, shops, and houses of worship. With little to no government security present to stop the violence, people armed themselves with swords, spears, sticks, iron rods, knives, and other basic weapons, taking the law into their own hands. Vast stretches of property from both communities were razed. The government claimed that 78 people were killed—an undoubtedly conservative figure—while more than 100,000 people were displaced from their homes. The hostilities were fanned by inflammatory anti-Muslim media accounts and local propaganda. During the period after the rape and killing was reported and before the violence broke out, tensions had risen dramatically in Arakan State. However, local residents from each community told Human Rights Watch that the Burmese authorities provided no protection and did not appear to have taken any special measures to preempt the violence. On June 10, fearing the unrest would spread beyond the borders of Arakan State, Burmese President Thein Sein announced a state of emergency, transferring civilian power to the Burmese army in affected areas of the state. At this point, a wave of concerted violence by various state security forces against Rohingya communities began. For example, Rohingya in Narzi quarter—the largest Muslim area in Sittwe, home to 10,000 Muslims—described ?THE GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE STOPPED THIS? 2 how Arakan mobs burned down their homes on June 12 while the police and paramilitary Lon Thein forces opened fire on them with live ammunition. In northern Arakan State, the Nasaka border guard force, the army, police, and Lon Thein committed killings, mass arrests, and looting against Rohingya. In the aftermath, local Arakan leaders and members of the Arakan community in Sittwe have called for the forced displacement of the Muslim community from the city, while local Buddhist monks have initiated a campaign of exclusion, calling on the local Buddhist population to neither befriend nor do business with Muslims..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Date of publication: 2012-08-01
Date of entry/update: 2012-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 575.47 KB
more
Title: Burma?s Human Rights Blind Spot: A Compendium on Violence Against Rohingyas in June/July 2012
Description: Compendium of 30 or so reports... Introduction: "By virtue of its geography (great river valleys, plains, plateaus and mountain chains) and history (migration and settlement along the rivers and in the uplands) Burma is a multicultural crossroads of Southeast and South Asia. Peoples, ways of life and religions from the Indian subcontinent, Himalayas, Indo-China and beyond, have intermingled in a land which became a nation under British colonization and has struggled with ethnic identities ever since. Although the vast majority of inhabitants are Buddhists, with the overwhelmingly Buddhist Burmans the largest ethnic group, nearly all other religions are represented in the population. Tolerance and cosmopolitanism were among Burma?s strengths in times of peace. Unfortunately, military rule and the promulgation of ethnic-majority nationalism have been in effect since General Ne Win?s takeover in 1962, and even in the post-British democracy of U Nu, establishment of Buddhism as a state religion appeared to sideline Burma?s people of other faiths. Ne Win?s dictatorship favored the assimilation of Buddhist groups like the Rakhines, Mons and Shans into a Burman nationalism, discouraging those peoples? knowledge of their own languages, civilized history and cultures. Targeting Christians and Muslims, Ne Win?s armed forces often burned churches and mosques, torturing and killing pastors and imams. In western Burma?s Arakan State (aka Rakhine State), military rule brought decreased rights for the Buddhist Rakhine people and absolute denial of citizenship for the Muslim Rohingya people. The mass exodus of Rohingyas fleeing repression to neighboring Bangladesh took place in 1978 and 1991, resulting in tens of thousands of refugees cordoned off in squalid camps in Bangladesh or permanently stranded overseas (Gulf States, Pakistan, Malaysia, India, Thailand.) As Rohingyas left the northern Arakan region, particularly Buthidaung and Maungdaw, out of fear of extreme repression, Burma?s post-1988 junta settled Buddhist Rakhine and Burman villagers in the area -- a scenario guaranteed to make both groups resent each other. Rohingyas who remained were often preyed upon by border security forces and other military personnel, and were severely restricted in rights such as marriage and travel. Military rape and other violent victimization of Rohingyas was well-documented by respected international human rights organizations..."
Source/publisher: Project Maje
Date of publication: 2012-07-25
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Burning Homes, Sinking Lives - A situation report on violence against stateless Rohingya in Myanmar and their refoulement from Bangladesh
Description: "...this report documents the severity of the human rights abuses suffered by Rohingya within Myanmar – including mass violence, killings and attacks, the burning and destruction of property, arbitrary arrests, detention and disappearances, the deprivation of emergency healthcare and humanitarian aid. Such human rights abuses are being carried out with impunity by civilians and agents of the state alike. The organised and widespread nature of this state sponsored violence raises serious questions of crimes against humanity being committed by Myanmar. This report also documents the refoulement of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and related human rights violations, including the push-back of boats carrying Rohingya into dangerous waters and the failure to provide refuge, shelter and humanitarian aid to those fleeing persecution. Historically, the Rohingya have faced acute discrimination and human rights abuse in Myanmar, and Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution to Bangladesh have faced severe hardships including the lack of humanitarian aid, shelter and security. This present crisis is a tragic reminder of the vulnerabilities of stateless people when their countries of habitual residence and the international community fail to protect them. Urgent action is required to end the violence, protect the victims and bring those responsible to justice. Of equal importance is the need for a long-term process of reinstating Myanmar nationality to Rohingya who were arbitrarily deprived of a nationality in 1982, resolving ethnic conflicts and protecting the human rights and freedoms of Rohingya within Myanmar and in other countries. The Equal Rights Trust makes the following urgent and long-term recommendations to the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh and to the UNHCR and international community..."
Source/publisher: The Equal Rights Trust
Date of publication: 2012-07-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-07-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.43 MB
more
Title: Incident Report: Killings in Papun District, March 2012
Description: "The following incident report was written by a community member who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights abuses. It describes an incident involving four villagers at A---, including two home guard members and their relatives, as they were trying to covertly cross a Tatmadaw-controlled road near See Day army camp. Two home guard villagers, Saw M--- and Saw W---, were shot by Tatmadaw soldiers, resulting in the death of Saw M--- and injuring Saw W---. The community member also described a previous incident that took place while home guard villagers were monitoring Tatmadaw troop movements in their area, during which Tatmadaw soldiers reportedly stepped on landmines and were killed during the confrontation."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2012-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 253.75 KB
more
Title: Incident Report: Papun District, June 2011
Description: "The following incident report was written by a community member who has been trained by KHRG to monitor human rights abuses, and is based on information provided by 27-year-old Naw K---, a resident of Ny--- village in Dweh Loh Township. She described an incident that occurred on the evening of June 6th 2011, in which she was arrested by Tatmadaw IB #96 troops when returning to her home and forced to porter along with two other villagers, Saw W--- and Kyaw M--- before later escaping, an incident that was previously reported by KHRG in December 2012 in "Papun Situation Update: Dweh Loh Township, Received in November 2011". Security precautions taken by Tatmadaw troops on resupply operations are also mentioned, with Naw K--- describing how the two other villagers were shot at by IB #96 soldiers as they approached the agricultural area surrounding D--- village prior to their arrest. Naw K--- also highlights other issues associated with forced portering, specifically how requiring villagers to travel through unfamiliar areas contaminated by landmines places villagers at increased risk of landmine injury."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-05-24
Date of entry/update: 2012-06-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 254.67 KB
more
Title: Dooplaya Interview: Saw L---, June 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during June 2011 in T--- village, Kya In Township, Dooplaya District by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed 17-year-old T--- villager, Saw N---, who described an incident in which the Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #--- fired mortar rounds towards T--- village, in response to an attack by Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) #107 on their camp near H--- village. Saw N--- and two other T--- villagers were injured by two shells, with one villager, Kyaw M---, later dying as a result of his injuries. Saw N--- highlighted other issues that arose as a consequence of the attack, particularly concerning the cost of healthcare as his relatives had to borrow money to ensure that he received hospital treatment for his injuries. Demands for food from the Tatmadaw were also cited, as well as arbitrary taxation demands levied by armed groups, and taxes on houses and land. Villagers also have to pay the schoolteachers? salaries which comprise 40 baskets of rice paddy shared between the villagers and 4,000 baht (US $133.33) per household each year..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2012-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Toungoo Situation Update: August to October 2011
Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in November 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District between August and October 2011. It contains information concerning military activity in the district, specifically demands for forced labour by Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #375. Villagers from D--- and A--- were reportedly forced to clear vegetation surrounding their camp and some A--- villagers were also used to sweep for landmines. Villagers in the A--- area faced demands for bamboo poles and some villagers from P--- were ordered to undertake messenger and portering duties for the Tatmadaw. The situation update provides information on two incidents that occurred on September 21st 2011, in which several villagers from Y--- were shot, and four other Y--- villagers were arrested by Tatmadaw Infantry Battalion (IB) #73 and detained until the Y--- village head paid 300,000 kyat (US $366.75) to secure their release. It also provides details of the arrest of five villagers from D--- village by LIB #375 in August 2011, who remained in detention as of November 2011. It documents the killing of two villagers from E--- village by Military Operations Command (MOC) #9, and the shooting of 54-year-old A--- villager, Saw O---, by LIB #375 for violating movement restrictions. Information was also given concerning a mortar attack on W--- village by LIB #603 and IB #92, which was previously reported in the KHRG News Bulletin "Tatmadaw soldiers shell village, attack church and civilian property in Toungoo District, November 2011", in which shells hit the village church and destroyed five villagers? houses. Tatmadaw soldiers also shot the statue of Mother Mary in W--- village and damaged pictures on the church walls; stole villagers? belongings, including money and staple foods; and destroyed villagers? household supplies, livestock, and food."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-04-17
Date of entry/update: 2012-04-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Toungoo Situation Update: Received in November 2011
Description: "This report includes a situation update submitted to KHRG in November 2011 by a villager describing events occurring in Toungoo District prior to October 2011. It frames present village conditions within the context and consequences of the 2005 ? 2008 Northern Offensive by Tatmadaw forces and details the following human rights abuses: forced relocation of villages; movement restrictions; forced labour by adult and child villagers; arbitrary taxation and demands; beating and torture of villagers, especially of village leaders; and attacks on and killing of villagers. This situation update also documents a number of villagers? concerns related to village leadership systems, livelihood challenges, the provision of education for children and food shortages. Moreover, this report describes ways by which villagers have sought to mitigate aspects of the abuses and concerns noted above, namely villagers bribing soldiers in order to allow them to transport more supplies than permitted to their village and establishing a rotating village governance system."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-04-19
Date of entry/update: 2012-04-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Human minesweeping and forced relocation as SPDC and DKBA step up joint operations in Pa?an District (English and Karen)
Description: "Since the end of September 2008, SPDC and DKBA troops have begun preparing for what KHRG researchers expect to be a renewed offensive against KNU/KNLA-controlled areas in Pa?an District. These activities match a similar increase in joint SPDC-DKBA operations in Dooplaya District further south where these groups have conducted attacks against villagers and KNU/KNLA targets over the past couple of weeks. The SPDC and DKBA soldiers operating in Pa?an District have forced villagers to carry supplies, food and weapons for their combined armies and also to walk in front of their columns as human minesweepers. This report includes the case of two villagers killed by landmines during October while doing such forced labour, as well as the DKBA?s forced relocation of villages in T?Moh village tract of Dta Greh township, demands for forced labourers from the relocated communities and the subsequent flight of relocated villagers to KNLA-controlled camps in Pa?an District as a means to escape this abuse; all of which took place in October 2008."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2008-10-20
Date of entry/update: 2012-03-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English, Karen
more
Title: Toungoo Interview: Saw T---, September 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during September 2011 in Than Daung Township by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw T---, a 46 year old betelnut and cardamom plantation farmer who described movement and trade restrictions during 2011, specifically the closure of a vehicle road, that disrupted the transport of staple food supplies, as previously reported by KHRG in "Toungoo Situation Update: May to July 2011". Saw T--- described past instances of the theft and looting of food supplies and the burning of cardamom plantations and noted that the sale price of villagers? agricultural outputs has fallen, while the cost of basic commodities has risen. He also described previous incidents in which a villager portering for Tatmadaw soldiers was shot whilst attempting to escape, and one villager was killed and another seriously injured by landmines, providing insight into the way past experience with violence continues to circumscribe villagers? options for responding to abuse. Saw T---nonetheless described how villagers hide food to prevent theft, and covertly trade in food staples and other commodities to evade movement and trade restrictions. Saw T--- also noted that villagers have introduced a monthly rota system in order to share village head duties."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2012-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Mother of newborn shot and killed in Papun District
Description: "On October 13th 2010, a 24-year-old woman was shot and killed less than 45 minutes after she had given birth, when Tatmadaw troops opened fire on her house during an attack on her village in Dweh Loh Township. This news bulletin is based on an interview conducted with the woman?s husband, who has been staying with his newborn son and another one of his sons at a refuge site outside Papun district since December 10th 2010."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-01-26
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Nyaunglebin Interview: Saw S---, May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted by a KHRG researcher in May 2011 with a villager from Ler Doh Township, Nyaunglebin District. The researcher interviewed Saw S---, a 17 year-old student who compared his experiences living in a Tatmadaw-controlled relocation site, and in his own village in a mixed-administration area under effective Tatmadaw control. Saw S--- described the following abuses: killing of villagers; forced relocation; movement restrictions; taxation and demands; theft and looting; and forced labour including portering, sentry duty, camp maintenance and road construction. Saw S--- also discussed the impact of forced labour and movement restrictions on livelihoods; access to, and cost of, health care; and constraints on children?s access to education, including the prohibition on Karen-language education. In order to address these issues, Saw S--- explained that villagers attempt to bribe military officers with money to avoid relocation, and with food and alcohol to lessen forced labour demands; conceal from Tatmadaw commanders that villagers sometimes leave the village to work without valid permission documents; and go into hiding to protect their physical security when conflict occurs near the village."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-07-30
Date of entry/update: 2012-02-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 743.19 KB
more
Title: Tenasserim Interview: Saw P---, Received in May 2011
Description: "This report contains the full transcript of an interview conducted during May 2011 in Te Naw Th?Ri Township, Tenasserim Division by a villager trained by KHRG to monitor human rights conditions. The villager interviewed Saw P---, the 36-year-old head of a village in which Tatmadaw soldiers maintain a continuous presence. Saw P--- described the disappearance of a male villager who has not been seen since February 2010 when he was arrested by Tatmadaw soldiers as he was returning from his hill plantation, on suspicion of supplying food assistance to Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) troops. Saw P--- also described human rights abuses and livelihoods difficulties faced regularly by villagers, including: forced labour, specifically road construction and maintenance; taxation and demands for food and money; theft of livestock; and movement restrictions, specifically the imposition of road tolls for motorbikes and the prohibition against travel to villagers? agricultural workplaces, resulting in the destruction of crops by animals. Saw P--- also expressed concerns about disruption of children?s education caused by the periodic commandeering of the village school and its use as a barracks by Tatmadaw soldiers. He explained how villagers respond to abuses and livelihoods challenges by avoiding Tatmadaw soldiers, harvesting communally, sharing food supplies and inquiring at the local jail to investigate the disappearance of a fellow villager."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-10-01
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 243.33 KB
more
Title: Villager executed in Papun District
Description: "The following information was submitted to KHRG in September 2011 by a villager trained to document human rights abuses. It concerns an incident that occurred on September 7th 2011 in which the village head of L--- village in Dweh Loh Township was summarily executed by an unidentified Sergeant from Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #218, under Light Infantry Division (LID) #11. According to three L--- villagers who witnessed the execution, LIB #218 Deputy Battalion Commander Moe Zaw Oo was also present when the Sergeant under his command executed the L--- village head."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-11-18
Date of entry/update: 2012-01-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 278.1 KB
more
Title: Dead Men Walking: Convict Porters on the Front Lines in Eastern Burma
Description: "...For decades the Burmese army has forced civilians to risk life and limb serving as porters in barbaric conditions during military operations against rebel armed groups. Among those taken to do this often deadly work, for indefinite periods and without compensation, are common criminals serving time in Burma?s prisons and labor camps. Escaped convict porters described to us how the authorities selected them in a seemingly random fashion from prison and transferred them to army units fighting on the front lines. They are forced to carry huge loads of supplies and munitions in mountainous terrain, and given inadequate food and no medical care. Often they are used as ?human shields,? put in front of columns of troops facing ambush or sent first down mined roads or trails, the latter practice known as "atrocity demining.? The wounded are left to die; those who try to escape are frequently executed. Burma?s military government promised that the November 2010 elections, the country?s first elections in more than 20 years, would bring about human rights improvements. But soon after election day the Burmese army, the Tatmadaw, launched military operations that have been accompanied by a new round of abuses. In January 2011, the Tatmadaw, in collusion with the Corrections Department and the Burmese police, gathered an estimated 700 prisoners from approximately 12 prisons and labor camps throughout Burma to serve as porters for an ongoing offensive in southern Karen State, in the east of the country. The same month, another 500 prisoners were taken for use as porters during another separate military operation in northern Karen State and eastern Pegu Region, augmenting 500 porters used in the same area in an earlier stage of the operation in the preceding year. The men were a mix of serious and petty offenders, but their crimes or willingness to serve were not taken into consideration: only their ability to carry heavy loads of ammunition, food, and supplies for more than 17 Tatmadaw battalions engaged in operations against ethnic Karen armed groups. Karen civilians living in the combat zone, who would normally be forced to porter for the military under similarly horrendous conditions, had already fled by the thousands to the Thai border. The prisoners selected as porters described witnessing or enduring summary executions, torture and beatings, being used as ?human shields? to trip landmines or shield soldiers from fire, and being denied medical attention and adequate food and shelter. One convict porter, Ko Kyaw Htun (all prisoner names used in this report are pseudonyms), told how Burmese soldiers forced him to walk ahead when they suspected landmines were on the trails: ?They followed behind us. In their minds, if the mine explodes, the mine will hit us first.? Another porter, Tun Mok, described how soldiers recaptured him after trying to escape, and how they kicked and punched him, and then rolled a thick bamboo pole painfully up and down his shins. This report, based on Human Rights Watch and Karen Human Rights Group interviews with 58 convict porters who escaped to Thailand between 2010 and 2011, details the abuses. The porters we spoke with ranged in age from 20 to 57 years, and included serious offenders such as murderers and drug dealers, as well as individuals convicted of brawling and fraud— even illegal lottery sellers. Their sentences ranged from just one year to more than 20 years? imprisonment, and they were taken from different facilities, including labor camps, maximum security prisons, such as Insein prison in Rangoon, and local prisons for less serious offenders. The accounts shared by porters about the abuses they experienced in 2011 are horrific, but sadly not unusual. The use of convict porters is not an isolated, local, or rogue practice employed by some units or commanders, but has been credibly documented since as early as 1992. This report focuses on recent use of convict porters in Karen State, but the use of convict porters has also been reported in the past in Mon, Karenni, and Shan States. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has raised the issue of convict porters with the Burmese government since 1998, yet the problem persists, particularly during major offensive military operations. Burma?s forcible recruitment and mistreatment of convicts as uncompensated porters in conflict areas are grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. Abuses include murder, torture, and the use of porters as human shields. Those responsible for ordering or participating in such mistreatment should be prosecuted for war crimes. Authorities in Burma have previously admitted the practice occurs, but have claimed that prisoners are not exposed to hostilities. The information gathered for this report, consistent with the evidence gathered over the past two decades, demonstrates that this simply is not true. The practice is ongoing, systematic, and is facilitated by several branches of government, suggesting decision-making at the highest levels of the Burmese military and political establishment. Officials and commanders who knew or should have known of such abuses but took no measures to stop it or punish those responsible should be held accountable as a matter of command responsibility. The use of convict porters on the front line is only one facet of the brutal counterinsurgency practices Burmese officials have used against ethnic minority populations since independence in 1948. These include deliberate attacks on civilian villages and towns, large-scale forced relocation, torture, extrajudicial executions, rape and other sexual violence against women and girls, and the use of child soldiers. Rebel armed groups have also been involved in abuses such as indiscriminate use of landmines, using civilians as forced labor, and recruitment of child soldiers. These abuses have led to growing calls for the establishment of a United Nations commission of inquiry into longstanding allegations of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Burma. As the experiences contained in this report make clear, serious abuses that amount to war crimes are being committed with the involvement or knowledge of high-level civilian and military officials. Officers and soldiers commit atrocities with impunity. Credible and impartial investigations are needed into serious abuses committed by all parties to Burma?s internal armed conflicts. The international community?s failure to exert more effective pressure on the Burmese military to end the use of convict porters on the battlefield will condemn more men to take their place..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Watch (HRW), Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-07-12
Date of entry/update: 2011-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.57 MB
more
Title: From Prison to Front Line: Analysis of convict porter testimony 2009 ? 2011
Description: "...Over the last two decades, KHRG has documented the abuse of convicts taken by the thousands from prisons across Burma and forced to serve as porters for frontline units of Burma?s state army, the Tatmadaw. In the last two years alone, Tatmadaw units have used at least 1,700 convict porters during two distinct, ongoing combat operations in Karen State and eastern Bago Division; this report presents full transcripts and analysis of interviews with 59 who escaped. In interviews with KHRG, every convict porter described being forced to carry unmanageable loads over hazardous terrain with minimal rest, food and water. Most told of being used deliberately as human shields during combat; forced to walk before troops in landmine-contaminated areas; and being refused medical attention when wounded or ill. Many saw porters executed when they were unable to continue marching or when desperation drove them to attempt escape. Abuses consistently described by porters violate Burma?s domestic and international legal obligations. If such abusive practices are to be halted, existing legal provisions must be enforced by measures that ensure accountability for the individuals that violate them. This report is intended to augment "Dead Men Walking: Convict Porters on the Front Lines in Eastern Burma", a joint report released by KHRG and Human Rights Watch in July 2011..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication: 2011-07-13
Date of entry/update: 2011-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 3.23 MB
more
Title: Myanmar 1988 to 1998 Happy 10th Anniversary? Death in Custody
Description: In the ten years since the violent suppression of the pro-democracy movement in 1988, Amnesty International is aware of at least 30 political prisoners who have died in custody in Myanmar, thought the true number is believed to be much higher. Information collected during the last 10 years shows that torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners is common, conditions in prisons are poor and insanitary, prisoners are provided an inadequate diet and commonly denied the medical care they need, and some prisoners are made to work under harsh conditions in labour camps. Given this combination of abuses the risk of not surviving imprisonment in Myanmar, particularly for the elderly, is great. Deaths in custody in Myanmar generally fall into two categories. Some prisoners die because they have been tortured and suffer fatal injuries. Other prisoners die from illness -- sometimes induced or worsened by ill-treatment or the conditions under which they are held -- for which they do not receive proper medical care; often prisoners who are ill are not sent to hospital until it is too late. The 10 deaths described below are examples of what can and still does happen to political prisoners in Myanmar.
Source/publisher: Amnesty International (ASA 16/16/98)
Date of publication: 1998-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2010-11-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2008 - Chapter 3: Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions
Description: "...Reports published throughout 2008 by various local, national and international organizations have collectively shown that extra-judicial, summary and arbitrary executions and killings continued to take place throughout the year and that those responsible include the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) military junta, several of its allied ceasefire groups and agents, as well as armed opposition groups. The vast majority of those cases which were documented throughout 2008 were reported to have occurred within the rural, and mostly ethnic, areas of eastern and western Burma...As in previous years, the SPDC, its agents and allied ceasefire armies frequently carried out extra-judicial, summary, and arbitrary killings as a means to intimidate and terrorize an already fearful population by making examples of those who dare to stand against them. Not only are such practices conducted in direct violation of international law, but also Burma?s own domestic laws...Throughout 2008, the SPDC largely worked to consolidate its control over areas secured during previous offensives, with SPDC army units throughout the country, but especially in many of the rural ethnic areas, being primarily engaged in expanding their influence and control over the civilian villagers that live in these areas..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Docmentation Unit (HRDU)
Date of publication: 2009-11-23
Date of entry/update: 2009-12-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.04 MB
Local URL:
  1. PDF icon killing.pdf
more
Title: Notes on Landmine Use: SLORC and KNLA
Description: "...The technical mine information below was obtained from KNLA sources and was current as of early 1994, though it is apparently still current. The notes regarding effect on civilians are mainly from KHRG observations. Abbreviations: SLORC = State Law & Order Restoration Council, the junta ruling Burma; KNLA = Karen National Liberation Army, the Karen resistance force; DKBA = Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army, a Karen faction allied with SLORC..." "...The most common landmine used is the American M-76, of which the Burmese now manufacture their own copies. Almost all of these found used to be American-made, but now more are the Burmese copies. They are the "classic" landmine design, made of heavy-duty metal, cylindrical, about 2" diameter and 4-5" high, with a screw-in top the diameter of a pencil which extends a couple of inches above the body of the mine - this screw-in top is surmounted by a plunger the size of a pencil eraser which is what sets off the mine. The safety pin goes through the plunger, and can be used to rig a tripwire. However, most common use is to bury the mine with only the plunger above ground, generally hidden by leaf litter. The body of the mine is Army green, stencilled with yellow lettering: for example "LTM-76 A.P. MINE / DI-LOT 48/84" (copied off a recovered SLORC mine). "A.P." means Anti-Personnel. This mine is designed to kill or maim people. The person who steps on it is almost certainly killed, and anyone in a 5-metre radius is wounded..." These informal notes were prepared in response for specific requests for information on landmine use. They are not intended to present a complete picture of landmine use.
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG Articles & Papers)
Date of publication: 1996-03-31
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Networks of Noncompliance: Grassroots resistance and sovereignty in militarised Burma
Description: "This paper examines repression and state?society conflict in Burma through the lens of rural and urban resistance strategies. It explores networks of noncompliance through which civilians evade and undermine state control over their lives, showing that the military regime?s brutal tactics represent not control, but a lack of control. Outside agencies ignore this state?society struggle over sovereignty at their peril: ignoring the interplay of interventions with local politics and militarisation, and claiming a ?humanitarian neutrality? which is impossible in practice, risks undermining the very civilians interventions are supposed to help, while facilitating further state repression. Greater honesty and awareness in interventions is required, combined with greater solidarity with villagers? resistance strategies."... Keywords: peasant resistance; humanitarian policy; Karen; Kayin; Burma; Myanmar
Creator/author: Kevin Malseed
Source/publisher: "Journal of Peasant Studies" (originally published by Yale Agrarian Studies Colloquium, 2008-04-25 and Karen Human Rights Group, 2008-11-10)
Date of publication: 2009-07-22
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 203.29 KB
more
Title: Karen Human Rights Group Commentary #99-C1
Description: "...The rainy season appears to be beginning early this year, and as the rains begin many people look back and evaluate the past dry season. Though the period since October/November 1998 has not featured a major military offensive, the situation for rural villagers in eastern Burma has continued to deteriorate and there have been some extremely worrying new developments. In general, the State Peace & Development Council (SPDC) regime has continued to use increased militarisation, forced relocations and tighter controls on villagers as a means of consolidating its control over remote regions, and as a result more and more villagers are becoming internally displaced each month while life becomes even more desperate for those who are already displaced and hiding in the forests. This dry season the SPDC has also added a new weapon to its arsenal which is now terrorising villagers and driving many of them to flight: the ‘Sa Thon Lon Guerrilla Retaliation? execution squads..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group Commentaries (KHRG #99-C1)
Date of publication: 1999-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : html
Size: 29.51 KB
Local URL:
  1. HTML icon msg00130.html
more
Title: The SLORC?s "Leave or Die" Ultimatum to Karenni Villagers
Description: "The report includes the direct translations of stamped and signed orders posted by the SLORC in villages throughout western Karenni State in late March of this year. The large areas affected are in the "brown" or "black" areas (those not firmly under SLORC control, where the KNPP opposition is active). Pruso Town, where the villagers were ordered to move to, is in the "white" area (under SLORC control). The villagers affected say they were to move to a SLORC- guarded camp around Pruso Town, where they felt they would be treated as slaves and taken as porters whenever required. They say none obeyed this condition. Some fled to safer Karenni- controlled villages, and some went to towns but avoided the SLORC. Some decided to stay in the area, hiding in the forest and taking their chances. Many fled southward on foot to become refugees in Karen State rather than obey. It is this group, currently numbering over 1, 200, who provided the copies of the orders to the Karen National Union..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) Orders Reports
Date of publication: 1992-06-12
Date of entry/update: 2009-11-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2007: Extra-Judicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions
Description: "... The extra-judicial killing of unarmed civilians continued to occur under the ruse of counter-insurgency campaigns against many of Burma?s varied ethnic minorities, against individuals accused of a crime, and with near-unanimous international condemnation, against unarmed and peaceful protesters. The manner in which violence was employed throughout these different settings strongly suggests not a mere lapse of judgement, but rather a deliberate and calculated strategy to cow and subjugate the population..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit of the NCGUB (HRDU)
Date of publication: 2008-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2008-12-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : html
Size: 114.38 KB
Local URL:
  1. HTML icon killing.html
more
Title: Eight Seconds of Silence
Description: Executive Summary: "After the 1988 people?s uprising in Burma, thousands of people were arrested and imprisoned. Nearly all have faced torture or ill-treatment at the hands of the authorities. Such torture and ill-treatment has resulted in death for many. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has documented the cases of 127 democracy activists who died after enduring torture or illtreatment in custody. Due to the political situation in Burma, all cases of death in custody are not known. Further, many details of the known cases cannot be collected. Information in this report concerning the political background and the circumstances of death for each democracy activist was taken from their families, the former political prisoners who met the deceased in prison, publications of political parties, human rights organizations and even the SPDC, and documents from the prison and medical staff of the prisons. Over the course of a year, all relevant information was gathered and verified. Of the at least 127 deaths, 90 have died in prison, 8 in the interrogation centers, 4 in the labor camps, and 10 shortly after being released from prison. 15 activists have disappeared from the prisons, and their whereabouts remain unknown to date. Since early 2005 alone, 9 democracy activists have died behind bars. The increased number of deaths in the past year is reflective of the rise in torture and ill-treatment. It is also indicative of the State Peace and Development Council?s (SPDC) policy. The SPDC is attempting to systematically silence political dissent in Burma. Torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners is one means by which they implement their policy. Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) 18 This report looks at Burma?s interrogation centers, prisons and labor camps to explain the cause of death for those who have passed away while detained by the military regime. Torture and ill-treatment are endemic in these locations. The general prison conditions and prison healthcare system are aggravated and cause a level of suffering equivalent to torture in the majority of political prisoners? cases. The disappearance of political prisoners has occurred in fifteen documented cases, though there are likely several undocumented cases. A section of the report details the known cases of disappearance, and explains the regime?s frequent withholding of information on a political prisoners? location in order to terrorize their families. After release from prison, several political prisoners face physical and mental illnesses for which they are unable to receive treatment. The lack of treatment is due to varying factors, but primary among them is the lack of money and general knowledge about the health concerns of political prisoners. Several political prisoners have died from the inability to treat a basic illness. Further, the mental health care system in Burma is virtually non-existent, leaving former political prisoners with no means of relieving their mental suffering. Some political prisoners have committed suicide as a result. This report looks at the circumstances surrounding the deaths of those political prisoners who died shortly after release. When political prisoners die, their families face many problems. The families of deceased political prisoners have often been informed of their loved ones death only after the authorities have cremated the body, so that any evidence of torture or ill treatment is destroyed. Additionally, the authorities are known to have pressured doctors into falsifying the results of their autopsy. Though most do not, if a family attempts to challenge the authorities? explanation for their loved ones death, they have no independent witnesses to verify their claims one way or the other. Eight Seconds of Silence: The Death of Democracy Activists Behind Bars 19 The families of political prisoners have on some occasions been offered bribes to remain silent as to the cause of their loved ones death. Most reject the bribe, and a few have defiantly spoken about the real cause of their loved one?s death. Further, families of deceased political prisoners often must bury their loved ones according to the direction of the authorities. Intelligence personnel often infiltrate funerals, noting which people attend so that they can later be detained and interrogated. The aftermath of political prisoners? deaths is explained in this report. Finally, this report provides detailed information on the political background and death of nearly all documented cases of death in custody. These brief biographies are meant to demonstrate the brutality of the authorities and the innocence of the victims. Though in a number of the cases of death in custody, the authorities responsible for the individuals? death are known, no action has ever been taken to hold them accountable. 127 democracy activists have been killed with complete impunity. Currently, there are at least 1,156 political prisoners in Burma. Several are in poor and rapidly deteriorating health, and many are at risk for torture. If they are not released immediately, they will face the same fate as those who have died in custody..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)
Date of publication: 2006-05-23
Date of entry/update: 2006-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.12 MB
more
Title: MYANMAR (BURMA): CALL FOR DISSEMINATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ON THE USE OF FORCE
Description: "Since March 1989, there have been renewed peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar as students and members of legally-registered political parties have gathered to commemorate anniversaries of alleged unlawful killings in 1988 or other occasions considered politically significant. Amnesty International is concerned that as these demonstrations continue, renewed civil unrest could be accompanied by unlawful killings by security forces. The Myanmar Government is not known to have taken steps, such as the revision of regulations, to limit the use of deadly force in law enforcement since thousands of demonstrators were reported deliberately killed in 1988. In contrast, military spokesmen have recently declared that the norms of the "battlefield" will govern the actions of troops in the event of further public emergencies. It is urging that the Myanmar Government should make known to all security forces who may have to deal with any demonstrations or civil unrest that international standards apply to the use of force, and that it should ensure compliance with such standards..."
Source/publisher: Amnesty International (ASA 16-05-89)
Date of publication: 1989-07-00
Date of entry/update: 2005-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 55.43 KB
more
Title: The Depayin Massacre, Burma
Description: Special edition of "Article 2" Vol. 02 - No. 06 December 2003 published by the Asian Legal Resource Centre... "On 25 June 2003 the Burma Lawyers? Council and the National Council of the Union of Burma set up the Ad Hoc Commission on the Depayin Massacre (Burma)..." Contents: Explanatory statement of the Ad Hoc Commission on the Depayin Massacre - Ad Hoc Commission on the Depayin Massacre (Burma); Affidavits of eyewitnesses to the Depayin Massacre; The Depayin Massacre: A crime against humanity and its effect on national reconciliation - U Aung Htoo, General Secretary, Burma Lawyers? Council; An opinion on the Depayin Massacre as a crime against humanity - Professor Michael Davis, Faculty of Law, Chinese University of Hong Kong & C Raj Kumar, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, City University of Hong Kong; The prospects of a truth commission for Burma, from lessons learned in Chile and Argentina - Flynn Coleman, Intern, Asian Human Rights Commission; Attack on democracy party in Burma demands an uncompromising international response - Asian Human Rights Commission.
Source/publisher: Ad Hoc Commission on the Depayin Massacre (Burma) via Asian Legal Resource Centre
Date of publication: 2004-01-08
Date of entry/update: 2004-03-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2002-03 (Extra-judicial Killing, Summary or Arbitrary Executions)
Description: "During 2002, there continued to be reports of arbitrary and summary executions, rape, torture and physical assualt committed against civilians by SPDC troops and their allies. The military, members of the SPDC endorsed people?s militias ("pyi thu sit"), and other SPDC officials including Military Intelligence (MI) and Police were the perpetrators of these crimes. These acts of violence were largely committed against ethnic minority members living in armed conflict areas. According to Human Rights Watch, "Life in conflict affected areas, where the Burmese army sought to deny ethnic minority insurgents all sources of support, remained particularly grim" (source: World Report 2003, Human Rights Watch, 2003). Extra judicial killings were largely committed against people suspected of being members or sympathizers of armed ethnic opposition groups and villagers enduring forced labor and portering duties. Summary killings also took place in the course of capturing villagers for the purpose of forced labor and portering. Women are commonly killed by soldiers after being raped for fear of leaving evidence of their crimes. Troops regularly commit these crimes with impunity and, in many cases, complaints made by the victim or victim?s families are met with indifference, reprisals or threats of reprisals..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit, NCGUB
Date of publication: 2003-10-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-11-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm
Size: 94.75 KB
more
Title: Unspeakable Crimes
Description: "Burma?s rulers need to be brought to account before they commit more political crimes and human rights abuses..." Two months after the May 30 ambush on political activists and leaders of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), the human rights group Amnesty International called on Burma?s military regime to bring the culprits to justice and permit an independent and impartial investigation. Amnesty said, "The events of 30 May show all too clearly the need for accountability and an end to impunity in Myanmar [Burma]." Other human rights organizations and several foreign governments also called Burma to answer. Burma?s military regime, however, remains mute, ignoring pressure from abroad while claiming they arrested pro-democracy supporters, including NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Vice Chairman Tin Oo, for the sake of stability in the country..."
Creator/author: Thar Nyunt Oo
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" Vol. 11, No. 7
Date of publication: 2003-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-11-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: In Balmy Burma, The Plot Sickens
Description: By The Irrawaddy "The regime in Rangoon has proven the naysayers right once again. The May 30 clash in Upper Burma, and the crackdown that followed, should remind the junta?s apologists and other optimists hoping for a happy ending to the country?s political drama that national reconciliation in Burma is a long, long way away. The events on Black Friday demonstrate clearly it?s time for the international community to take action against Burma. Failing to act ignores the suffering of the Burmese people and acknowledges the junta?s ultimate victory—a triumph scored by attrition rather than a knockout blow. The script is familiar. Suu Kyi is detained by the regime. Advocates for democracy in Burma call for her release. The generals hold firm, defying international condemnation, then give in a little. Suu Kyi is finally freed and the world applauds. International opinion is successfully manipulated. Asean, Japan and some nations in the West express appreciation for the concession and begin speaking of the junta?s democratic will. Rangoon?s victory is rewarded with more trade and more aid. Meanwhile, the opposition remains stonewalled..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" Vol. 11, No. 5
Date of publication: 2003-06-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-09-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
more
Title: Preliminary Report of the Ad hoc Commission on Depayin Massacre
Description: "The National Council of the Union of Burma and the Burma Lawyers' Council have formed a commission on June 25, 2003 to jointly deal with the alleged assassination attempt against the leaders of the National League for Democracy, including Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with the following programmes: The Title of the Commission - The commission will be entitled as the Ad hoc Commission on Depayin Massacre (Burma). Aim - (1) To find out the truth on the Depayin Massacre; (2) To facilitate the struggle of people, based on legal affairs, both inside Burma and in the international community, in connection with the Depayin Massacre; Programme Objectives - (1) To exert efforts to lodge a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the event that it has jurisdiction over the Depayin Massacre case; (2) To lodge a complaint or complaints with other courts in the international community including the International Criminal Tribunal to be possibly established by the United Nations Security Council if the first objective is not possible; (3) To cooperate with the people inside Burma and the international community for the emergence of an official independent investigation commission in order to find out the truth on Depayin Massacre... Contents: ... Formation of Ad hoc Commission on Depayin Massacrr; Explanatory Statement of the Ad hoc Commission; Brief Background of Depayin Massacre; Depayin Massacre; Affidavits of the Eyewitnesses; SPDC?s Press Conference; Victims of Depayin Massacre (Pictures); Appendix I - Interview with Zaw Zaw Aung 50; Appendix II - Statement of Ko Aung Aung from Democratic Party for a New Society; Appendix III - The list of the vitims of Depayin Massacre.
Source/publisher: Ad hoc Commission on Depayin Massacre
Date of publication: 2003-07-04
Date of entry/update: 2003-07-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.25 MB
more
Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 1994: 02 - Extra-judicial,Summary or Arbitrary Executions
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit of the NCGUB
Date of publication: 1995-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm
Size: 88.78 KB
more
Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2000: Extra-judicial Killing, Summary or Arbitrary Execution
Description: "...The summary or arbitrary execution of individuals in SPDC controlled Burma continues to be one of the most gruesome and obvious evidences of the gross violations of human rights violations committed in the country. In 2000 there continued to be numerous reports of summery or arbitrary execution of civilians, especially in the border areas of armed conflict. The military officers and rank and file soldiers of the SPDC army battalions, leaders and members of the SPDC endorsed people?s militias ("pyi thu sit"), and other SPDC officials including MI, Police and USDA officials were the perpetrators of these crimes. This clearly shows SPDC?s complete disregard for the human rights and humanitarian law treaties it has signed..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit, NCGUB
Date of publication: 2001-10-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm htm
Size: 80.24 KB 6.04 KB
more
Title: Burma Human Rights Yearbook 2001-2002: Extra-judicial Killing, Summary or Arbitrary Execution
Description: "During 2001, there continued to be reports of arbitrary and summery executions, rape, torture and physical assualt committed against civilians by SPDC troops and their allies The military officers and rank and file soldiers of the SPDC army battalions, leaders and members of the SPDC endorsed people?s militias (?pyi thu sit?), and other SPDC officials including MI, and Police were the perpetrators of these crimes. These acts of violence were largely committed against ethnic minority members living in armed conflict areas. Executions were largely committed against people suspected of being members or sympathizers of armed ethnic opposition groups and villagers enduring forced labor and portering duties. Summary killings also took place in the course of capturing villagers for the purpose of forced labor and portering. Women are commonly killed by soldiers after being raped for fear of leaving evidence of their crimes. Troops regularly commit these crimes with impunity, and in many cases complaints made by the victim or victim?s families are met with indifference, reprisals or threats of reprisals..."
Source/publisher: Human Rights Documentation Unit, NCGUB
Date of publication: 2002-09-00
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : htm
Size: 51.03 KB
more
Title: Karen Human Rights Group Commentary #95-C2
Description: "...SLORC is now directly involved in planning, preparing, coordinating and executing acts of international terrorism. Its role in the attacks on refugee camps in Thailand cannot be denied, despite all its claims that the attacks are only the work of the DKBA (?Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army?). Eyewitnesses have seen SLORC soldiers participating in almost every attack, while letters and orders from SLORC officers have referred to their ?control? over the DKBA. Furthermore, the latest wave of attacks, which employed several hundred men operating on different parts of the border with mortar support from a SLORC-controlled area on the Burma side of the border, simply could not have been planned and coordinated without direct SLORC involvement. If the refugees return, SLORC stands to gain alot of international legitimacy while simultaneously obtaining alot of free labourers for its military ?development? projects. Initially the DKBA tried to use agressive persuasion and threats. Then when that didn?t work quickly enough, DKBA and SLORC began attacking the refugee camps, kidnapping or killing camp leaders and religious leaders, shooting refugees and threatening everyone with further attacks (see "SLORC?s Northern Karen Offensive", KHRG #95-10, 29/3/95). Since February, these attacks have been happening several times a week and at almost every camp. By April, camp security forces had formed and were beginning to thwart many of the attacks. Some refugees were returning to Burma, but only a small minority. Then on April 25, SLORC and the DKBA launched the apparent ?Third Phase? of the strategy by hitting Mae Ra Ma Luang (which hadn?t been attacked before) and Kamaw Lay Ko camps on the same day, then hitting Baw Noh camp on April 28 (see "New Attacks on Karen Refugee Camps", KHRG #95-16, 5/5/95). These attacks were completely different: they attacked brazenly with at least 50 or 100 heavily armed troops, in broad daylight in 2 out of 3 cases, and they showed no hesitation to attack Thai forces even without being provoked. At Baw Noh, they even had Burmese 81 mm. mortar support fired from the Burma side of the border. Furthermore, the attacks were no longer targetted at specific camp leaders or just a few houses, but aimed to destroy the camps wholesale by burning them down. 170 houses were burned in Mae Ra Ma Luang, 300 in Kamaw Lay Ko and over 700 in Baw Noh. During the attacks, DKBA troops made it clear to refugees that they also had orders to capture or kill foreign aid workers in the camps if possible..."
Source/publisher: Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG #95-C2)
Date of publication: 1995-05-09
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : html
Size: 17.35 KB
Local URL:
  1. HTML icon msg00119.html
more

Pages