Weekly News Package: July
5, 2004
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ON THE BORDER
Uncertain Future of Rohingya Prisoners in
Thirty-eight (38) Burmese Rohingyas were imprisoned
in the Immigration Detention Center (IDC) at Bangkok in November 2002.They were
arrested by Thai police while crossing the Burma-Thai border with a small boat
at Ranong, a border town with southern Burma.
After the incident, Thai police brought charges against them as illegal
immigrants to
Due to the non-recognition of Rohingya prisoners by
Burmese diplomats in
A similar request was made to the Bangladeshi representative in
When similar prisoners from
Sometimes, Thai authorities make mistakes with the identity of detainees and
guess their nationality by their features and skin color. Sometimes, the
detainees themselves don’t name their country of origin for fear of harassment
in
A Rohingya trader in
There are many Rohingya prisoners in neighboring countries
of
*** *** ***
More Indian Troops to Deploy along India-Burma borders
Mizzima News
"We have decided to increase our army strength along the Indo-Burma and
other international borders to stop insurgents infiltrating into our
territory", said Mr. Hadique in northeast
The Indian army has already strengthened its position in Manipur, bordering
Though army sources have denied any joint operation along the India-Burma
border with the Burmese Army, it is believed that they are sharing intelligence
with their Burmese counterparts so that rebels cannot infiltrate the region
easily.
When questioned about the possibility of joint army operation along the Indo-Burma
border, Mr. Hadique said " The
Indian Government wants to keep its border free from subversive activities. We
can not comment on this matter, but I can tell you that the strength of present
security forces will be increased."
*** *** ***
SPDC Changes Enemies in Military Training Lectures
Akyab, June 30
Narinjara News: The Burmese military
authorities have changed the aim of their “fighting and organizing” military
training courses from one of slandering Aung San Suu Kyi and other National
League for Democracy leaders to one of attacking America and Western
influences.
The purpose of the training is to defend
The training consists of anti-American lectures, and encourages participants to
commit suicide bombings if American forces should invade
In the training, organizers praise the Iraqi insurgents who have given up their
lives in suicide attacks and ask trainees to follow the patriotic example they
set. Trainees are told that Iraqis embody real patriotism, that of people
giving up their lives for their country.
One attendant told a Narinjara correspondent that the
training lasts one month and that everyone from sergeant level up to
low-ranking officials participate. Attendees come from
the departments of Immigration, Taxation, Military and Police.
The military authorities have been conducting military training courses at the
regional headquarters of Akyab, the capital of Arakan state for many years.
*** *** ***
Elephant kills Rohingya Refugee in Bangladeshi
At about
Some refugees informed the concerned authorities and police of the abnormal
death of the refugee. Half an hour later, police and concerned authorities went
to the spot and ordered the refugees to bury the dead body without delay, said
a refugee from the camp.
Jalal left his wife, six children and some relatives
to mourn his death. Now his family have become
helpless due to the unexpected death of the family head, and are very worried
about their future.
The wife of the dead man said, “My oldest child is only 17 years old, and he is
studying in the camp school. If we go home, who will help us to educate my
children and to take care of them? Now we are in need of cooperation from all
the Rohingya community and others for the education
of my children.”
According to another refugee, there was no wild animal near the camp area, so
the event was quite unexpected, though a similar incident happened on
*** **** ***
Rohingya Refugees Call Off 21-day Strike
Cox’s Bazar, July 1 Kaladan
News: Burmese Rohingya (Arakanese)
refugees in Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh called off their 21-day long
hunger strike yesterday, after receiving assurances of assistance from both the
UNHCR and the government of Bangladesh, according to our correspondent.
On
A total of 20 people took part in the meeting. UNHCR Country Representative Mr.
Christopher Lee, head of UNHCR sub-office at Cox’s Bazar
Mr. Boonchan, Protection Officer Ms. Suzeena and other field assistants represented the UNHCR at
the meeting. From the
In the meeting Mr. Christopher Lee categorically assured the refugee leaders of
all their rights as follows:
1.
2.
Satisfied by the above assurances, the refugees called off their strike and
have started collecting their rations after 21 days.
Yesterday about 200 refugee families were reported to have collected the
ration.
According to refugees, no unusual incident had occurred in the camp during the
standoff.
After the meeting, the UNHCR officials took along with them the two Majees, namely Nurul Haque and Hafez Ahmed, for reasons still unknown. But the
two are well known in the camp for their anti-refugees activities.
However, doubt looms in the minds of the refugees that something untoward might
develop like the unpleasant incident that took place in the refugee camp in
1997.
At that time, camp officials terrorized two innocent refugees named Salimullah and Sayed Hossain through the use of Majees
in front of the police barracks of the refugee camp, while refugees were
collecting their rations. Later on, the camp officials with the co-operation of
police arrested many refugees in the huts. Now Salimullah
and Sayed Hossain are
serving 14-year jail terms in
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Gas pipeline project opposed by indigenous people in India
Aizawl, July 2, 2004 Khonumthung
News: North East India’s indigenous groups have opposed the installation of a
gas pipeline from Arakan State in Burma to India
through Mizoram State, according to this morning’s
news from Aizawl, a local cable network.
Mr. Thangmawia, Chairman of the Human Rights Network
of Indigenous Tribal Peoples North East Chapter (
The gas pipeline is planned to pass through Chakma
District and the Western Belt of Mizoram, North East
India. Mr Thangmawia said
that the next generation will blame us for environmental deterioration and a
way should be found to stop this menace before it is too late.
The right to safeguard tribal interests, land, environment and livelihood is
enshrined in article 46 of the constitution of
The installation of the gas pipeline will not benefit Mizoram,
but will cause deterioration of the environment of the state, said the
Secretary of HRNITP, NE Chapter, Mr. K. Hawla. The government of
The Daewoo Corporation will receive 60 percent of the total benefit and GAIL 10
percent respectively. Recently, GAIL sponsored the GAIL - MZP Cup in the state.
If this sponsorship was intended to appease the youth of Mizoram
for its vested interest and threaten Mizoram’s
opposition to this project, it would be a great blunder by both parties, in the
opinion of Mr.K.Hawla.
In this connection a memorandum has been submitted to the Chief Secretary of Mizoram, Mr. H. Lal Rina, and to the leaders of all political parties and the
big NGO's in Mizoram. The Daewoo Corporation and the
government of
The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP)
organized the GAIL - MZP Cup in the second week of March 2004. For this
football tournament, GAIL donated 5 lakhs rupees to
the MZP. This monetary donation from GAIL will be utilized for the organization
of the GAIL-MZP Cup annually. The surprising thing about this tournament is
that it involves the highest cash prize ever awarded in the history of Mizoram.
*** *** ***
Arakanese Activist Arrives in
He had been under close watch by military intelligence since his assignment to
work with Aung San Suu Kyi’s security team during her
visit last year to
Ko Nine Nine had been
arrested by the SPDC government for involvement with the 1988 people’s
uprising. He had been tortured by MI (military intelligence) for seven days in
an MI interrogation cell at Akyab and hospitalized
for 3 months while in jail. After three years, he was freed from jail, as
authorities had no specific offence to charge him with. Of the nine others
arrested along with him, eight were sentenced to death.
As he used to walk about Akyab wearing a T-shirt with
a photograph of Aung San Suu Kyi on it, he was accused of criminal activities
by MI because of his democratic activities.
Ko Nine Nine was fired from
his job in a shrimp exporting company in the face of threats by MI. After that,
no one dared employ him.
Answering a Narinjara reporter’s questions, Ko Nine Nine said “Military
intelligence officers are watching us closely, as well as other political
activists in Arakan. We were assigned with the duty
of providing security for Aung San Suu Kyi on her visit to Arakan
state and we arranged a big reception for her in a festive manner. They watched
our movements. I have been waiting for better days from a political point of
view, but the situation is deteriorating day by day. The military junta is
becoming more and more ruthless and brutal to political activists,
and even to the common people too. The government has become merciless since
the Dipayin incident. Soon after Dipayin,
a policeman by the name of Kyaw Kyaw called me to the
police station and took my photograph and personal information. Later they
assigned someone to watch my movements. At the same time, they shut down all
NLD offices in Akyab and they imposed a ban on the
movement of members of the National League for Democracy.”
He added, “They took more repressive measures towards the political workers of Akyab. They confiscated a car owned by the Chairman of the
Ko Nine Nine took with him
a video tape of Suu Kyi’s visit to Arakan and some important papers. In his opinion, though
the SPDC government insists that it has been heading towards democracy, in
reality it is destroying democratic institutions and crushing all political
activities. The SPDC is brutally suppressing political activists, as well as
members of the NLD and other political parties of Arakan.
*** END ****
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