AP, 9 March 2000
Suu Kyi says women suffer most from hardship in Myanmar
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BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- In an address smuggled out of Myanmar to mark International Women's Day today, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said her countrywomen bear the brunt of economic and political hardship in the military state.
"Our political problems are such that there are now many political prisoners in Burma," said Suu Kyi in a videotaped statement made available to news organizations in Bangkok. "When men are taken prisoners, it is the womenfolk who are left to struggle."
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Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her peaceful struggle for democracy against the military regime in Myanmar, also known as Burma. The military regime overturned her party's resounding victory in general elections the previous year, but refused to recognize the result.
Hundreds of members of her National League for Democracy have since been jailed in Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries. Suu Kyi was under house arrest for six years before her release in 1995. Her movements and political activities remain heavily restricted.
"The longer I work in politics, the more I am convinced that there is a need to work for women's rights," she said. "Women and children are always the ones who suffer most in times of crisis."
Suu Kyi said men had a privileged position in Myanmar culture, although it was often women that were the source of courage for men, and women who had a greater spirit of endurance.
"This is not to say that I do not appreciate what men have done for our cause. But on this day, I would like to express my admiration for women all over the world, in Burma and elsewhere," she said.
She appealed to the United Nations and international financial institutions to take immediate action to help protect women and children worldwide against violence and poverty, and to employ women to design and implement programs of assistance.
Suu Kyi also lent her support to a campaign launched today called the World's March of Women 2000 by women's groups in 139 countries, to lobby governments and international organizations to overcome violence and poverty afflicting women.
THE TIMES OF INDIA, 9 March 2000
Myanmar women suffer most: Suu Kyi
BANGKOK: In an address smuggled out of Myanmar to mark International Women's Day on Wednesday, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said her countrywomen bear the brunt of economic and political hardship in the military state.
``Our political problems are such that there are now many political prisoners in Burma,'' said Suu Kyi in a videotaped statement made available to news organizations in Bangkok. ``When men are taken prisoners, it is the womenfolk who are left to struggle.''
``The longer I work in politics, the more I am convinced that there is a need to work for women's rights,'' she said. ``Women and children are always the ones who suffer most in times of crisis.''
``If there is little to eat, it is the men who get the lion's share,'' she said. Suu Kyi said men had a privileged position in Myanmar culture, although it was often women that were the source of courage for men, and women who had a greater spirit of endurance.
``This is not to say that I do not appreciate what men have done for our cause. But on this day I would like to express my admiration for women all over the world, in Burma and elsewhere,'' she said. She appealed to the United Nations and international financial institutions to take immediate action to help protect women and children worldwide against violence and poverty, and to employ women to design and implement programs of assistance.
Suu Kyi also lent her support to a campaign launched Wednesday called the World's March of Women 2000 by women's groups in 139 countries, to lobby governments and international organizations to overcome violence and poverty afflicting women.
Meanwhile, a forthcoming study by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) says violence against women in South Asia is ``far more extensive than is generally acknowledged.'' It describes various methods used to inflict physical damage and pain on women, ``some direct, others indirect and slow.''
They include stove-burning --kitchen ``accidents'' arranged to injure or kill young brides --and acid attacks, which it says are a growing menace in Bangladesh and Pakistan. UNICEF executive director Carol Bellamy issued a call to governments Tuesday to recognise and work to modify customs which have made ``honour killings'' and acid attacks acceptable.
``For too long, some men have been getting away with murder,'' she said in a statement to mark International Women's Day. Bellamy condemned ``honour'' crimes --murders by men of female relatives they suspect of sexual activity outside marriage -- acid attacks, dowry deaths, and female infanticide.
The statement conceded that ``no reliable infanticide statistics are available,'' but Bellamy said in an interview ``it tends to happen more in Asia.'' (Agencies)
Bangkok Post, 9 March 2000
Burmese intruders arrested
Mae Hong
Son Three were arrested by a security force of Karen refugees and volunteers
yesterday morning while they were trespassing on a refugee camp in Ban Mae
Kongkha in Mae Sarieng district, said district chief Saowalak Yimrungrueng. Mr Saowalak also serves as director of the Ban Mae Kongkha refugee camp. The three were identified as members of the 80th battalion and reportedly
entered Thailand in Sop Moey district. They denied the charges and said that they were defecting from the military,
local authorities said. The other two soldiers were arrested by border rangers near a checkpoint in
Sop Moey district. They were identified as members of the Burmese army's 338th
rapid deployment force. All are now being detained at the 7th Infantry Regiment, authorities
said. The arrests followed a report that more than 30 Burmese troops were sent last
month to Thailand to carry out sabotage in refugee camps in the province. 2,000 logs seized
Ranong-Authorities yesterday siezed 2,000 illegal
logs from four long-tailed boats in a mangrove forest reserve here, police
said. The boats were stopped and searched by a joint patrol of forestry officials
and border patrol police. However, there was no arrest because all suspects jumped into the water and
managed to escape, according to police. BBC, 9 March 2000 Burmese accuse Americans of double
standards The Burmese military government has accused the
United States of applying double standards in its annual report on human rights
around the world.
Five Burmese soldiers have been
arrested on suspicion of planning to sabotage Karen refugee camps, local
authorities said yesterday.
Official media in Burma said the Americans were using
human rights assessments as a political weapon against their enemies, while
turning a blind eye to violations in countries they favour.
This year's
United States report, issued last month, again accused the Burmese military of
torture, forced labour and arbitrary detenion against its opponents.
Burma has always dismissed such criticisms as meddling in its internal
affairs.