Villagers detained following police arson attack
Villagers from Kalay Township in Sagaing division have called for the release of people detained in February following a clash with police after officials set fire to an oil purifying workshop.
The villagers wrote a letter of complaint to the minister of home affairs, general Maung Oo, informing him about the case and requesting that the 24 villagers be released and charges brought against district police chief U Win Khine.
At the beginning of this year, a private company called Moe Taung Tan reportedly gave bribes to district police chief U Win Khine and other police officers and asked them to arrest local villagers who were stealing oil.
On 23 February, the police officers went with a group of other officials, including Myauk Se deputy police chief Hla Naing, officers Maung Win and Aung Naing Lin, and volunteer firefighters, to Ashay Se village and burned down an oil purifying workshop owned by local villager Myint Htay.
The villagers were aware that the site was used for oil purifying and, worried that it was highly flammable, came to try to put out the fire.
But the police stopped them putting it out, sparking a clash between villagers and officials which led to injuries on both sides.
Among the casualties was police sergeant Maung Win, who was admitted to Mandalay hospital with severe injuries and later died.
In retaliation, the district police chief arrested 24 villagers who were involved in the incident and put them in Kalay prison where they have reportedly been tortured, according to other villagers
Wednesday, 26 December 2007
NLD member to be sent to labour camp
National League for Democracy member U Win Myint, who was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of a weapon, is being sent to a labour camp.
According to a source close to his family, U Win Myint is being held in shackles and is due to be transferred from Insein prison to a remote camp.
U Win Myint was unable to hire a lawyer due to the short amount of time between his arrest and trial.
He agreed to sign a confession admitting to possession of the knife after police told him that he would only get a three-month sentence if he admitted the charges.
U Win Myint was arrested after refusing an order from the authorities to leave the NLD.
He maintained that the knife found in his trishaw was put there by a passenger who ran away after directing him to a bus stop where police were waiting.
National League for Democracy member U Win Myint, who was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of a weapon, is being sent to a labour camp.
According to a source close to his family, U Win Myint is being held in shackles and is due to be transferred from Insein prison to a remote camp.
U Win Myint was unable to hire a lawyer due to the short amount of time between his arrest and trial.
He agreed to sign a confession admitting to possession of the knife after police told him that he would only get a three-month sentence if he admitted the charges.
U Win Myint was arrested after refusing an order from the authorities to leave the NLD.
He maintained that the knife found in his trishaw was put there by a passenger who ran away after directing him to a bus stop where police were waiting.
U NYUNT HLA
Assalamo Alaikum.
Dear Muslim Brothers and sisters,
I would like to request you to do Doa for our Muslim brother U Nyunt Hla (a) Abdulah, an activist, who is suffering throat Cancer. He has been admitted Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital in New Delhi on 24th December 2007.
Some of you may/may not know him. So I will introduce a bit about him.
U Nyunt Hla has actively involved in 8888 uprising in Henzada Township and left for India in 1989 with his wife Daw Molly. The couple involves every activity (Burmese democracy movement) in New Delhi as either coordinator or organizer. U Nyunt Hla is also known as social supporter among Burmese Refugees in New Delhi.
Daw Molly is one of the prominent women leaders. She is the founders of Women’s Rights and Welfare Association of Burma, in New Delhi and is Presidium Member of Women League of Burma (WLB) based in Thailand.
They are the only Burmese Muslim family (in New Delhi) actively involve in opposing Burmese military regime. The couple has been fighting for democracy and justice in Burma for nearly twenty years. Now it is crucial time for U Nyunt Hla as he is fighting with the fatal decease.
Please do Doa for U Nyunt Hla and encourage his family.
Insha Allah, your Doa can ease his suffering. Your words will stimulate his mind and his family. Your assistance will be highly appreciated.
In order to say a word to them, I write the following email address and telephone number for you.
“Daw Molly”< law4women@gmail.com>
Tel. (91-11) 2853 8815 Home.
(91) 9810 851427 Mobile
Khoda Hafiz
With Regards
Win Maung
Toronto.
Canada
Dear Muslim Brothers and sisters,
I would like to request you to do Doa for our Muslim brother U Nyunt Hla (a) Abdulah, an activist, who is suffering throat Cancer. He has been admitted Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital in New Delhi on 24th December 2007.
Some of you may/may not know him. So I will introduce a bit about him.
U Nyunt Hla has actively involved in 8888 uprising in Henzada Township and left for India in 1989 with his wife Daw Molly. The couple involves every activity (Burmese democracy movement) in New Delhi as either coordinator or organizer. U Nyunt Hla is also known as social supporter among Burmese Refugees in New Delhi.
Daw Molly is one of the prominent women leaders. She is the founders of Women’s Rights and Welfare Association of Burma, in New Delhi and is Presidium Member of Women League of Burma (WLB) based in Thailand.
They are the only Burmese Muslim family (in New Delhi) actively involve in opposing Burmese military regime. The couple has been fighting for democracy and justice in Burma for nearly twenty years. Now it is crucial time for U Nyunt Hla as he is fighting with the fatal decease.
Please do Doa for U Nyunt Hla and encourage his family.
Insha Allah, your Doa can ease his suffering. Your words will stimulate his mind and his family. Your assistance will be highly appreciated.
In order to say a word to them, I write the following email address and telephone number for you.
“Daw Molly”< law4women@gmail.com>
Tel. (91-11) 2853 8815 Home.
(91) 9810 851427 Mobile
Khoda Hafiz
With Regards
Win Maung
Toronto.
Canada
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
"EID MUBARAK"
Assalamualaikum,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
"EID MUBARAK"
May almighty Allah's Rahmah, Barakah, Magfirah be on all of you.
Wishing you wonderful Eid-l-Adhha day.
Wishing our beloved country(Burma) getting peace very soon.
Best regards,
BMA
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
"EID MUBARAK"
May almighty Allah's Rahmah, Barakah, Magfirah be on all of you.
Wishing you wonderful Eid-l-Adhha day.
Wishing our beloved country(Burma) getting peace very soon.
Best regards,
BMA
Forced military recruitment in Bago and Shan state in Burma
Forced military recruitment in Bago and Shan state
Dec 24, 2007 (DVB)–Government troops have been forcing villagers in Bago division and northern Shan state to sign up new recruits to the army or pay money to the military to hire mercenaries.
Local troops from government brigade (66) in Nattalin, Zeegone, and Kyopin Kout townships are demanding that local villagers contribute one recruit from each village group or 1500 kyat per household to hire mercenaries.
“Our village group, which consists of four villages, had to pay 900,000 kyat to the military to hire a mercenary. We do not dare to complain about it,” said a villager from Chaung Gwa village in Nattalin township.
Meanwhile, locals in Sibaw and Kyauk Mae townships in northern Shan state have also made complaints about local military troops forcing locals to join the army.
“They are demanding a recruit from each household that has a male family member. If we don’t want to join, we have to pay 100,000 kyat to the military,” said a local from Kyauk Mae.
“It is not a problem if you can afford to pay that money. But those who can’t afford it are now very worried for their sons.”
Reporting by Aye Nai and Nan Kham Kaew
Dec 24, 2007 (DVB)–Government troops have been forcing villagers in Bago division and northern Shan state to sign up new recruits to the army or pay money to the military to hire mercenaries.
Local troops from government brigade (66) in Nattalin, Zeegone, and Kyopin Kout townships are demanding that local villagers contribute one recruit from each village group or 1500 kyat per household to hire mercenaries.
“Our village group, which consists of four villages, had to pay 900,000 kyat to the military to hire a mercenary. We do not dare to complain about it,” said a villager from Chaung Gwa village in Nattalin township.
Meanwhile, locals in Sibaw and Kyauk Mae townships in northern Shan state have also made complaints about local military troops forcing locals to join the army.
“They are demanding a recruit from each household that has a male family member. If we don’t want to join, we have to pay 100,000 kyat to the military,” said a local from Kyauk Mae.
“It is not a problem if you can afford to pay that money. But those who can’t afford it are now very worried for their sons.”
Reporting by Aye Nai and Nan Kham Kaew
Monday, 17 December 2007
KNU STSTEMENT
KNU Statement on SPDC Military Campaign
December 10, 2007
KNU Supreme Headquarters
-The SPDC military clique did not suspend its military offensives even during the rainy season of 2007. It was carrying on its offensives while the Yellow Gold Color Mass Movement, led by the Buddhist monks was taking place, during September 2007. In the offensives, the SPDC army troops, in accordance with the SPDC policy, perpetrate the heinous crimes of arresting and killing innocent Karen civilians, plunder, destruction, forced relocation, forced labor and extortion of money.
Starting from the beginning of harvest time in October this year, the SPDC has increased the tempo of its military operations. At the present, the SPDC is intensifying military operations in the KNLA:
-Brigade-1 area of Thaton District, after reinforcing its initial 7 battalions of troops with 7 new battalions from its MOC-19.
-Brigade-2 area of Toungoo District, after reinforcing its initial 17 battalions with 17 battalions from its MOC-4, MOC-21 and MOC-10.
-Brigade-3 area of Nyaunglaybin District, after reinforcing its initial 18 battalions with 14 battalions of troops from its MOC-21 and LID-33.
-Brigade-4 area, after reinforcing the initial 13 battalions with 7 more battalions of troops from MOC-20.
-Brigade-5 area of Papun District, after reinforcing the initial 23 battalions with 21 battalions of troops from MOC-16, LID-33 and LID-55.
-Brigade-6 area of Dooplaya (Kawkareik) District, after reinforcing the initial 14 battalions with 10 more battalions of troops from MOC-8 and MOC-15.
-Brigade-7 area after reinforcing the initial 12 battalions with 7 more battalions of troops from MOC-15.
In total, there are 187 SPDC army battalions, which are conducting military operations in the KNU base areas.
-As usual, in the military operations, the SPDC troops regularly burn down villages, destroy the people’s orchards, plantations, harvests and rice barns - arrest, torture and execute innocent civilians - drive out the people from their homes and villages - loot properties and domestic animals such as cattle, pigs, hens etc. - extort cash, plant land mines in villages, forced people to live in concentration villages, commandeer trucks and bullock carts and forced thousands of people to work for them without pay.
-These SPDC brutal military operations are a war of genocide. Thousands of villages are laid waste and the people have become virtually homeless as refugees. In the beginning of 2006, about 20,000 Karen people have become homeless about 3,000 had to flee to the border areas. At the present, thousands of Karen people have to flee for their lives again.
-The current military campaign is in fact a genocidal war and it is diametrically opposed to the process of resolving the political problems by political means. For that reason, we, the KNU, issue this statement for all the people at home and the international community to know and to condemn the atrocious acts of the SPDC.
December 10, 2007
KNU Supreme Headquarters
-The SPDC military clique did not suspend its military offensives even during the rainy season of 2007. It was carrying on its offensives while the Yellow Gold Color Mass Movement, led by the Buddhist monks was taking place, during September 2007. In the offensives, the SPDC army troops, in accordance with the SPDC policy, perpetrate the heinous crimes of arresting and killing innocent Karen civilians, plunder, destruction, forced relocation, forced labor and extortion of money.
Starting from the beginning of harvest time in October this year, the SPDC has increased the tempo of its military operations. At the present, the SPDC is intensifying military operations in the KNLA:
-Brigade-1 area of Thaton District, after reinforcing its initial 7 battalions of troops with 7 new battalions from its MOC-19.
-Brigade-2 area of Toungoo District, after reinforcing its initial 17 battalions with 17 battalions from its MOC-4, MOC-21 and MOC-10.
-Brigade-3 area of Nyaunglaybin District, after reinforcing its initial 18 battalions with 14 battalions of troops from its MOC-21 and LID-33.
-Brigade-4 area, after reinforcing the initial 13 battalions with 7 more battalions of troops from MOC-20.
-Brigade-5 area of Papun District, after reinforcing the initial 23 battalions with 21 battalions of troops from MOC-16, LID-33 and LID-55.
-Brigade-6 area of Dooplaya (Kawkareik) District, after reinforcing the initial 14 battalions with 10 more battalions of troops from MOC-8 and MOC-15.
-Brigade-7 area after reinforcing the initial 12 battalions with 7 more battalions of troops from MOC-15.
In total, there are 187 SPDC army battalions, which are conducting military operations in the KNU base areas.
-As usual, in the military operations, the SPDC troops regularly burn down villages, destroy the people’s orchards, plantations, harvests and rice barns - arrest, torture and execute innocent civilians - drive out the people from their homes and villages - loot properties and domestic animals such as cattle, pigs, hens etc. - extort cash, plant land mines in villages, forced people to live in concentration villages, commandeer trucks and bullock carts and forced thousands of people to work for them without pay.
-These SPDC brutal military operations are a war of genocide. Thousands of villages are laid waste and the people have become virtually homeless as refugees. In the beginning of 2006, about 20,000 Karen people have become homeless about 3,000 had to flee to the border areas. At the present, thousands of Karen people have to flee for their lives again.
-The current military campaign is in fact a genocidal war and it is diametrically opposed to the process of resolving the political problems by political means. For that reason, we, the KNU, issue this statement for all the people at home and the international community to know and to condemn the atrocious acts of the SPDC.
Sunday, 9 December 2007
KILLER BURMESE MILITARY GOVERMENT
The U.S. group Human Rights Watch accuses Burma's military government of lying about the number of people killed when soldiers used guns and batons to disperse peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators in September. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from our Southeast Asia Bureau in Bangkok.
Hundreds of monks march down the streets of Rangoon, defying the military regime in the biggest anti-junta rally in a decade, 18 Sep 2007Human Rights Watch says it has documented evidence that considerably more people were killed in the crackdown than Burma's ruling generals admit.
The specific numbers being given are still small. Last month, U.N. human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro visited Burma and said official information showed at least 15 people had been killed. Human Rights Watch now says that at the very least, the number killed is 20.
However, Human Rights Watch, along with diplomats in Burma at the time of the crackdown and Pinheiro afterward, all say there is reason to believe the real death toll is much higher.
In a statement Friday, Human Rights Watch Asia director Brad Adams says the crackdown is far from over. He says harsh repression continues and the Burmese government is still "lying about the extent of the deaths and detentions."
Burma's rulers say only 80 people remain in prison following the September crackdown, but diplomats and the families of those detained again say the figure is far higher.
Shari VillarosaThe U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Burma, Shari Villarosa, told reporters in Bangkok last week that she is still getting reports of people being picked up on an almost-daily basis. The U.S. diplomat says the continuing arrests indicate the military government is not interested in true reconciliation.
"It seems to me that if you wanted a real dialogue, instead of arresting people you would be releasing them and talking to them," said Villarosa. "I do know that the people they arrested were peaceful, nonviolent people who are very patriotic, believe in their country, and want a better country, and they have some ideas, and they want to talk about them."
Burma's national police chief on Monday said 2,927 people, including 596 Buddhist monks, were arrested during and after the protests. He said 80 people, including 21 monks, were still in prison.
In her remarks last week, however, Villarosa said the streets of Rangoon and its monasteries remain devoid of monks, and the government has yet to account for their absence. Witnesses in the country say many are in hiding, but a large number remain in prison.
Hundreds of monks march down the streets of Rangoon, defying the military regime in the biggest anti-junta rally in a decade, 18 Sep 2007Human Rights Watch says it has documented evidence that considerably more people were killed in the crackdown than Burma's ruling generals admit.
The specific numbers being given are still small. Last month, U.N. human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro visited Burma and said official information showed at least 15 people had been killed. Human Rights Watch now says that at the very least, the number killed is 20.
However, Human Rights Watch, along with diplomats in Burma at the time of the crackdown and Pinheiro afterward, all say there is reason to believe the real death toll is much higher.
In a statement Friday, Human Rights Watch Asia director Brad Adams says the crackdown is far from over. He says harsh repression continues and the Burmese government is still "lying about the extent of the deaths and detentions."
Burma's rulers say only 80 people remain in prison following the September crackdown, but diplomats and the families of those detained again say the figure is far higher.
Shari VillarosaThe U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Burma, Shari Villarosa, told reporters in Bangkok last week that she is still getting reports of people being picked up on an almost-daily basis. The U.S. diplomat says the continuing arrests indicate the military government is not interested in true reconciliation.
"It seems to me that if you wanted a real dialogue, instead of arresting people you would be releasing them and talking to them," said Villarosa. "I do know that the people they arrested were peaceful, nonviolent people who are very patriotic, believe in their country, and want a better country, and they have some ideas, and they want to talk about them."
Burma's national police chief on Monday said 2,927 people, including 596 Buddhist monks, were arrested during and after the protests. He said 80 people, including 21 monks, were still in prison.
In her remarks last week, however, Villarosa said the streets of Rangoon and its monasteries remain devoid of monks, and the government has yet to account for their absence. Witnesses in the country say many are in hiding, but a large number remain in prison.
Friday, 30 November 2007
Pinherio say
U.N. rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2nd R) looks at food prepared for inmates at Insein Prison during his visit to the facility in Rangoon, 12 Nov 2007A U.N. human rights investigator who recently returned from Burma says he believes the government there is holding more political prisoners than it admits.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro told an audience at a U.S. university, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island that he doubts the official claim that only 93 people remain in detention following the crackdown on protesters.
Pinheiro will present the findings from his five-day fact-finding mission to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva next month.
Burmese officials say 15 people were killed and nearly three-thousand detained in the September crackdown. Diplomats and human rights groups say the figures are much higher.
Amnesty International says the arrests continue, despite Prime Minister Thein Sein's pledge to visiting U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari in early November that they would stop.
U.N. officials say Gambari will arrive in Cambodia Thursday for talks on Burma's political crisis. There has been no announcement of a meeting with Burma's prime minister, who will arrive in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh the following day.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro told an audience at a U.S. university, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island that he doubts the official claim that only 93 people remain in detention following the crackdown on protesters.
Pinheiro will present the findings from his five-day fact-finding mission to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva next month.
Burmese officials say 15 people were killed and nearly three-thousand detained in the September crackdown. Diplomats and human rights groups say the figures are much higher.
Amnesty International says the arrests continue, despite Prime Minister Thein Sein's pledge to visiting U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari in early November that they would stop.
U.N. officials say Gambari will arrive in Cambodia Thursday for talks on Burma's political crisis. There has been no announcement of a meeting with Burma's prime minister, who will arrive in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh the following day.
Thursday, 29 November 2007
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