BNI weekly news – 1st August, 2003
. Cancel ID cards to Migrant Workers to Thailand
. 500 Burma refugees rendered homeless after eviction
. Seven Rohingya Muslims seek refugee status
. Nasaka resorts to firing in Bangladesh territory
. Burmese Junta’s development sans electricity!
. Rohingya woman raped by Nasaka officer
. NCUB calls on ASEM to take up Burmese issue
. Thailand condemned for proposing Burma as ASEM member
. Burmese fish: concern for Bangladesh!
. “Call for paramilitary force formation to divert attention”
. Seventeen NLD detainees released
. Repairs work on Maungdaw Jame Mosque halted again
. TPDC order on Black Pepper cultivation in North Arakan
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Cancel ID cards to Migrant Workers to Thailand
By Banya Hongsar/Burma News International
Bangkok, 26 July, 2003:
Local people who left to Thailand for employment were strongly punished by
canceling their national identity cards in Mon State and southern Burma.
Local Department of Immigration Coordination Association (La-wa-ka-a short
term in Burmese) has visited to major villages in southern Mon States for
searching local Mon residents who fled to Thailand and border areas last
week in Burma.
Officials from town have visited to Mudon, Than phyu Zayat and Ye Townships
to home to home and village by village with cooperation of local headmen for
checking local Mon villagers who left home to Thailand and borders, local
source said.
“If they do not found members of the family in the “Population Census Data”
so called ‘than-ghong-sayin’ in Burmese” citizens are blacklisted then
canceled their national identify cards, the source from Mudon Town said.
During the week, officials of Immigration (la-wa-ka) have visited major
villages such as Weang Done and Hnee pa Daw villages in Mudon Townships,
Tamhoh kanini and Kaw Doht villages in Than Phyu Zayat Townships both south
and north of Ye Townships for marking members of the family who were missing
accordingly to the census data. Family members who are away from home within
the country must notify to officials and they must prove them that they are
inland on their arrival from travelling.
According to local source from Ye town, majority parents have serious
concerns to their children who work in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore for
not issuing new ID cards if they are being cancelled from the family census
list.
Majority local people in Mon state and southern Burma only rely on cash flow
with employment in neighbouring countries especially to Thailand for the
last ten years. Citizens whom are being cancelled from the family census
must pay local immigration officials at least Kyat 50000. For renewal their
ID cards when the return home from Thailand, a local Mon senior from Than
phyu zayat town said.
Since the International Labour Organization (ILO) stationed its liaison
office in Rangoon, officials of State Peace and Development Council, current
ruling regime has warned local people in southern Burma for not leaving to
Thailand. However, majority local population has no choice but leave to
Thailand for employment to feed children and family at home.
The source from the Mon political organization based in border said, despite
La-wa-ka has attempted to ban local people for not leaving to Thailand,
other authority including local military commanders and policemen received
bribery from people along the border route to Thailand. La-wa-ka is a body
of department of Ministry of Home Affairs while the commanders have more
power than la-wa-ka for such an operation.
Burmese migrant workers who are deported from Thailand to Burma borders or
Temporary Holding Centre in Maesot will be punished and fined by local
La-wa-ka no less than Kyat 30000.00 for release to return home, source from
Three Pagoda Pass said.
A source from the local New Mon State Party from Mon State said, there are
thousands of local Mon population whom are being refused for national ID
cards in Kyar Inn Seik Kyi township areas, especially in remote small
villages because the ruling government accused them as “rebel supporters and
marked as Black Areas” in the last few decades.
Burmese migrant workers in Thailand provide basis cash flow to southern
Burma for over decade. Current ruling regime fails for human rights
protection in the country in stead local authority blame citizens for not
keep working at home country.
“We work here in Bangkok at Rice Factory then we save money for building our
local middle school in our village” a Mon young man from Krong Ber village,
Kyeik Myyaw Township said. There are thirty workers from one village who
work in one factory and then donated over Baht 30000.00 for building local
public school in their native village in the last three years.
Thousands of people from southern Burma still contributes their income to
community development on building new public schools, hospitals and road
construction in rural areas while the ruling authority fails to undertaken
its duties. Local anti-government insurgents in southern Burma also collect
checkpoint fee to migrant workers both entry and return home during dry
season.
Despite local immigration officials punished “home leavers” for employment
to Thailand with legal action, number have local people who leave to
Thailand has not been decreased from southern Burma.
Most migrant workers from southern Burma mostly were employed in Samusakhon,
Samuphrakan, Phetpuri, Bangkok, Surat Thani, Hat Yai and Kanchanaburi
Provinces with hard labor while many of them who lately arrive to the
Kingdom hold no Thai Employment Registration Cards. #
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500 Burma refugees rendered homeless after eviction
Aizawl, July 25:
Over 500 Burmese refugees have been rendered homeless after being evicted
from their settlements in Aizawl, capital town of the northeastern state of
Mizoram.
According to a Chin refugee, local administration evicted all the refugees
from the Chanmary, Electric and Thuampui blocks on Thursday last. Those in
the Dawrpui block have been asked to leave by July 31, he added. The local
officials have also imposed restrictions on entry of refugees to Aizawl town
from other settlement blocks. They have also put up notices asking people in
other places not to give refuge to the Burmese refugees.
Refugees alleged that the Zoramthanga government had turned a blind eye
towards their plight and were doing nothing to prevent the village councils
and the Young Mizo Association (YMA) from carrying out their eviction drive.
They added that the authorities even dismantled their settlements and took
away their belongings.
While some of them have gone back to Chin state, many do not dare to go back
fearing reprisal from the ruling military Junta, said a refugee. Meanwhile,
the Falam Welfare Association (FWA) release on Friday called upon the
authorities to stop the arbitrary eviction of the Burmese refugees,
including those who have been residing for the last 20 years. #
_________________________
Seven Rohingya Muslims seek refugee status
Chittagong, July 25:
Seven Rohingya Muslims from Burma entered the compound of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at Jalan Bukti Petaling in Malaysia
on July 8 demanding refugee status, a New Straits Times of Malaysia report
said. It was the fifth such incident at the UNHCR.
The seven men entered the compound at 6:30 PM and appealed to the UN
officials to recognize them as refugees and provide them security as they
feared persecution if repatriated. The report said that some of them had
applied several time to the UNHCR for the refugee status, but their
applications were rejected.
Earlier on June 29, about 150 Rohingyas from Burma and Acehnese from
Indonesia congregated in front of the UNHCR premises to secure refugee
status before the expiry of the amnesty period. Later, the police arrested
19 Rohingyas after the UNHCR refused to grant them refugee status.
The seven Rohingyas were still inside the UNHCR compound and their fate was
not known when reports last came in. #
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Nasaka resorts to firing in Bangladesh territory
Cox’s Bazar, (Bangladesh) July 24:
The Nasaka (Burmese Border Security Force) personnel crossed the
international border and resorted to firing without any provocation at
Ulobonia village under Teknaf Township of Cox’s Bazar district in southern
Chittagong, Bangladesh, according to eyewitnesses.
The personnel of Nasaka patrolling Naf river that divides Burma and
Bangladesh were chasing a group of smugglers who were crossing the border
with goods at Ulobonia village on July 22.
The patrol party went into the Bangladesh territory at Ulobonia and
continued firing indiscriminately at the smugglers while people in the area
became panicky, the villagers said.
According to a local Bengali daily ‘Danik Cox’s Bazar’, the villagers sought
the help of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), which guards the international
border, to take up the matter with its Burmese counterparts. But villagers
were disappointed by the BDR’s inaction.
It may be recalled that a warlike situation broke out when Burmese forces
attempted to build a dam over Naf River two years ago. There was military
build-up along both sides of the border at that time. #
______________________
Burmese Junta’s development sans electricity!
Sittwe, July 24:
An Electricity Committee was recently formed by the Burmese State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) in Sittwe, the capital of western state of
Rakhine “to lighten up the township”.
The Committee is headed by Gen. Maung Oo, the western commander, and
comprises Sittwe District Peace and Development Council chairman and other
township officials.
Sources told our correspondent that though much has been touted about the
formation of the electricity committee, the town population gets only three
hours of power supply in the evening and that too on alternate days.
Moreover, the monthly electricity bill has been fixed between Kyat 3,000 and
4,000, about the same as what an ordinary state employee earns in a month.
Last year, the military regime handed over power generation and marketing to
a private company, Inn-bauk-wa. Although the company collected Kyat 7,000
from each household as electricity connection fees, it failed to run the
enterprise as the SPDC cancelled the company’s licence and gave it to Ubaing
Limited, a company owned by the regime. Thereafter, the Inn-bauk-wa returned
the money collected to the depositors.
The situation created a power crisis in the state capital, compelling the
town people to opt for their own supply of power generation through small
generator sets. “The situation now is such that the development here has
gone down to pre-British colony days. Even during the colonial rule we used
to get a 24-hour supply of electricity. Without electricity our children’s
education and the business and industries are suffering. Our computers have
become idle and many houses are using their fridge as cupboards! Our life
is miserable as we cannot even use the basic household appliances,” said a
doctor in here.
He further said that the operations in the hospital are carried out with the
help of generators run by money collected from patients because of
inadequate power supply and scarcity of diesel fuel. As a result the
patients blame the doctors as ‘extortionists’, he added.
“We don’t have any other option, either. Without developing the power
sector, the SPDC regime has off and on been bragging about the development
of border areas including Rakhine state. But look at our power situation.
Is it development?” he queried. #
____________________
Rohingya woman raped by Nasaka officer
Maungdaw, July 23:
A Rohingya woman, hailing from Zee Bin Chaung (Zee Pin Khali) village of
Maungdaw Township, Arakan state, was held captive for two days and raped by
a Nasaka officer.
According to a relative of victim Nasima Khatoon (name changed), the
incident occurred on July one when Nasima, a mother of two-year-old child,
was called by a captain of the headquarters of Nasaka Area No 4 at Laikra
village here on pretext of inquiring about her husband. Her husband has
been working in Malaysia since the last two years to support his family.
The captain charged that she had received Kyat 20,00,000 from her husband
and demanded an amount of Kyat 7,00,000 from her.
When she denied receiving any money from her husband for two months and
rejected the captain’s demand, the officer held her captive for two days in
the camp where she was reportedly raped. The relative added that she was,
however, released on July 3.
Another villager said that on the same day the Village Peace and Development
Council (VPDC) Chairman, accompanied by village elders and other VPDC
members, went to the headquarters of Nasaka Area No 4 and reported the
matter to the Area Commander. The culprit was later transferred to another
camp as punishment, the villager added.
But the incident has pushed the villagers into a sense of insecurity and
fear, a village woman told our correspondent. #
___________________
NCUB calls on ASEM to take up Burmese issue
Dhaka, July 23:
The National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) today welcomed the move to
include the Burmese issue into the agenda of the two-day Asia Europe Meeting
(ASEM) at Bali in Indonesia beginning today.
In a statement today, it said, “the worsening situation in Burma is no more
confined to the country alone; rather the problems have spread out and are
affecting the regional security. Till now the ruling Burmese military Junta
have paid no heed to the international call for changes.”
The NCUB also hailed the invitation of the special UN envoy on Burmese
affairs Razali Ismail to attend the ASEM as proper.The statement further
hoped that matters relating to immediate release of all the opposition NLD
members including top leaders U Tin Oo and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, opening the
closed NLD offices and investigation into the May 30 Depeyin violence
involving Suu Kyi would be included in the meeting.
The NCUB also urged all parties concerned to endeavour and assist in the
recognition and implementation of the results of the 1990 general elections
and formation of the people’s parliament as envisaged by the Burmese people.
The NCUB is the main Burmese political opposition group comprising Burmese
and non-Burmese political parties. #
____________________
Thailand condemned for proposing Burma as ASEM member
July 23:
A Thailand-based human rights NGO network has condemned the Thai government
for proposing that Burma be made a member of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM),
which was held on July 23-24.
In a release dated July 22, ‘The Asian Forum for Human Rights and
Development (Forum-Asia)’ also welcomed the support of Indonesia and
Malaysia for international efforts to solve the Burmese issue and to put
pressure on Burma’s military regime.
“The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) is concerned
over comments by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on July 21
indicating that Thailand will propose that Burma be admitted to the
Asia-Europe Meeting,” the release said.
According to a Reuter report, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai
had stated that Laos, Burma and Cambodia had been invited to ASEM meeting.
UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail, the only foreign diplomat who met Aung San
Suu Kyi after her imprisonment recently, was also invited by the Association
of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to attend the ASEM meeting in Bali.
Participants to the ASEM included the Heads of states and governments of ten
Asian nations: Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of
Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Fifteen
European nations also attended the meeting: Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, apart from the President of
the European Commission.
An AFP report said that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad warned
that Burma might be expelled from the ASEAN if the regime continues to defy
world pressure to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
ASEM met in Bali on July 23-24. The leaders of the European Union (EU)
raised the recent attack on pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi by a
military Junta-backed mob in upper region of Burma and her subsequent
imprisonment. #
_______________________________
Burmese fish: concern for Bangladesh!
By Sein Mra Aung
Teknaf, July 23:
The markets of Bangladesh have for some time been flooded with fish smuggled
from Burma raising concern about the quality of the freshwater and sea fish
and the techniques used for preserving them.
Everyday fish from Sittwe and Rangoon make their way to Chittagong, the
chief seaport of Bangladesh, in trucks and boats through Teknaf in the
southeastern tip of Bangladesh on the western bank of the Naaf River that serves as the
common border. From here the fish make their way to the markets across the
country and also beyond to West Bengal in India.
The fish that are more popular include the Hilsa (or Rangoon Shad), Ruhi
(trout), Katla (Catla buchamani), Mrigal and Pangas (river catfish). Even
the shrimp industry at Teknaf and Cox’s Bazaar has been dependent on the shrimp
and prawns illegally brought in from Burma.
The fish traders at Teknaf confirmed that the fish from Burma do not bear
ay quality certification. Moreover no checking is carried out on the Bangladesh
side. This has made way for a large amount of fish that is unfit for human
consumption into the markets of Bangladesh and beyond.
Sources said that fish from Rangoon is brought to Teknaf in frozen
cntainers and large mechanized vessels. Those brought in containers are comparatively
better while the ones that come in mechanized vessels often fail to meet the
quality standard since it takes almost seven days for a vessel to reach
Teknaf from Rangoon. In a week’s time the fish gets stale and is treated with
Chemicals to keep it firm till delivery.
According to an estimate by a customs officer, more than twice the volume of
legal import of fish is smuggled into Bangladesh. Many customs officials
entrusted with collection of duties are corrupt and in lieu of bribes allow
the illegal trade to go on. Many concerned citizens have raised questions as to
how long this can be permitted to go on. #
__________________________________
“Call for paramilitary force formation to divert attention”
Sittwe, July 23:
The Burmese military junta order calling for formation of paramilitary
Pyithu-Seik is intended to divert people’s attention from the May 30 Depeyin
violence, feels a political analyst.
On the plea of high alert of an ‘impending war’ among the defence forces and
people, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) issued orders last
month to give compulsory military training to all family members aged
between 18 and 40 of defence personnel, according to sources in the
administration.
All the non-Rakhine members of the defence forces have also been directed to
learn the local Rakhine language so that in case of breakout of war they can
get mixed with the local population. The existing forces in the army and navy
have also been brought under intensive and specialized training courses for
facing a possible war, sources added.
In Minbra Township, about 50 miles south of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine
State in western Burma, the Light Infantry Battalions have been conducting
Large scale special war training since June 11.
Meanwhile, each village tract in the 17 townships of Rakhine has been
directed to recruit at least 30 Pyithu-seik paramilitary forces as a
preparation for what the junta branded as “an imminent war” though there is no mention
of who the enemy is, said a village headman from Minbra. He has collected 23
members from his own village tract and is trying hard to fulfil the quota.
But due to villagers having left for other places to earn a livelihood, the
Headman said he had failed to fulfil the quota.
At Buthidaung Township, nearly 20 miles from the Bangladesh border, the hill
people including Khami, Mro and Daingnet living in the eastern part of the
town, have been given military training and provided with arms and ammunitions.
The people of Rakhine have been passing days of high alert and concern due
to warlike situation prevailing. In the border areas, especially close to India
and Bangladesh, more troops deployment and fortification of existing battalions
have been reported. In Paletwa Township under Chin state, the troops along the
Indo-Burma border have been put on high alert.
“Since the Depeyin violence in which more than 70 National League for
Democracy (NLD) supporters were killed by the Burmese junta supporters, a
big divide has been created inside the army as well as among the people. The
alert of impending war is a false signal by the SPDC to divert the attention of
the people and bring unity among the dissenting soldiers,” an NLD leader in
Sittwe said. #
______________________________
Seventeen NLD detainees released
July 21 2003:
Seventeen members of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), who
were involved in the Depeyin violence, were released on July 18 by the
ruling Burmese military Junta.
A source in Mandalay said the released NLD leaders were asked to sign an
agreement that they will not talk about the Depeyin violence and would
report to authorities before travelling out of Mandalay.
The detainees, including four women, were dropped back home late in the
night. Among them, five are from the northeast, two from southeast, six from
southwest and four from northwest townships of Mandalay.
On May 30 while Burmese opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD
leaders were on an organisational tour of upper Burma, supporters of the
military Junta attacked them. Violence ensued between the two groups and the
NLD leaders were detained in the incident.
Although several opposition members are arrested by the military Junta
regularly, the state controlled media never puts out a list of those
arrested.
Following is the list of those released:
Northeast Township:.
1. Win Aet Phyu
2. Aung Naing
3. Nyi Nyi Aung
4. Than Htun Oo
5. Htun Htun Win
Southeast township
6. Than Htay
7. Pont Pont (a) Ye Ye Lin
Southwest Township:
8. Phoe Zaw
9. Winna Aung
10. Hla Moe Win
11. Zayar Htun
12. Ma Khin Mya Win
13. Ma Tin Myint
Northwest Township:
14. Tin Lin
15. Aung Ko
16. Kyaw Aung
17. Win Khaing
______________
Repair work on Maungdaw Jame Mosque halted again
Maungdaw, July 21:
Repair work has once again been halted on the Maungdaw Jame Mosque, one of
the biggest and oldest mosques in Arakan, following an order of the Chairman
of the Maungdaw Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC).
It has been nearly four years since any repair work has been carried out on
the mosque following prohibition and the mosque is partly in ruin, a
community leader told the Kaladan Press.
On the repeated requests of the Board of Trustees, the Chairman of the
Maungdaw District Peace and Development Council (DPDC) had given permission
in June for necessary repairs of the mosque.
However, at that time the DPDC Chairman was visiting Rangoon and when he
came back he ordered a stop to all repair work on July 11, a prominent
community member U Hla Maung said.
A religious leader told our correspondent that the order has hurt the Muslim
community and has caused substantial loss to the mosque management as the
work was on and funds had been spent to purchase building materials. #
____________________
TPDC order on Black Pepper cultivation in North Arakan
Maungdaw, July 20:
Black Pepper cultivation has been has been introduced in North Arakan with
the Chairman of the Maungdaw Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC)
issuing an order asking every family to plant its seedlings.
A farmer told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the order of
July 3 asks farmers in Laikra village in Nasaka (Border Security Force) Area No 4
and Ngakura village in Nasaka Area No 5 in Maungdaw Township to grow at least 20
seedlings of Black Pepper per family.
The order also stated that the pepper fields are to be fenced by bamboo
bought from the Nasaka at the cost of Kyat 3,000. The farmer added that
the bamboo have been collected from the villagers without giving them any
payment for it.
The seedlings are to be provided to the farmers through the Village Peace
and Development Councils (VPDC) at the rate of Kyat 200. The order further
said that non-compliance on the part of villagers would result in heavy
punishment or a fine up to Kyat 10,000, another farmer said.
This is the first time that the villagers in Northern Arakan are growing
Black Pepper. According to a politician of Maungdaw township, “The order
is a device of extortion by the Nasaka under the pretext of Black Pepper
project.” #
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Burma News International (BNI) is a network of six Independent Burma Media
organizations: The Mizzima News, The Narinjara News, the Kaladan Press
Network, the Khonumthung News Group, the Network Media Group and the
Independent Mon News Agency.#