Sunday, June 15, 2014

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma


Disabled rights council to be formed in Burma

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:13 PM PDT

Burma's premier national-level body for disabled rights is soon to be formed, following a national conference on disability held in Rangoon on 12 June.

The 21-member Myanmar [Burma] Council of People with Disabilities will work towards implementing nationwide policies to protect the disabled.

"We will work to adopt a law to protect disabled people and to implement the UNCRPD [UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities]," Min Soe, one of the appointed council members, told attendees of the conference.

About 500 people attended Thursday's conference, where the council was conceived and board members voted in. Hearing-impaired Yadanar Aung, deputy-principal of the Mandalay School for the Deaf, was appointed as the council's chairman.

"I will work to the best of my ability to bring rights to disabled people in Burma," said Nay Tun, another council member representing the mentally impaired.

Aung Myo Min, director of Equality Myanmar, urged the council to focus on fighting human rights violations committed specifically against disabled people, especially in terms of increasing the group’s influence on Burmese authorities to enforce protective measures for the disadvantaged.

"Disabled people are Burmese citizens, and the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission has a mandate to address human rights violations in the country. But the response from government authorities in regard to those complaints? Not satisfactory," said Aung Myo Min.

Burma's Department of Social Welfare estimated that approximately 2.3 percent of the country's population — amounting to about 1.3 million people — are living with disabilities.

 

National News

National News


Ministry files complaint against ‘Eleven’ over corruption story

Posted: 13 Jun 2014 12:41 AM PDT

The Ministry of Information has submitted a complaint to the Interim Press Council after an Eleven Media article accused it of misusing funds in the purchase of printing presses.

Squatters to receive temporary homes: government

Posted: 13 Jun 2014 12:04 AM PDT

The government has revealed it will tackle the growing illegal housing problem in Yangon and other cities by developing more residential areas on urban fringes.


President’s spokesperson rejects campaign to boycott Ooredoo

Posted: 13 Jun 2014 12:02 AM PDT

In a rare case of the government responding to anti-Muslim rhetoric, presidential spokesperson U Ye Htut has taken to Facebook to mildly register his disagreement with the campaign to boycott the Qatari telecom company Ooredoo.

Hundreds of Dala households to get piped water for first time

Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:52 PM PDT

Yangon City Development Committee says hundreds of households in the most water-deficient wards of Dala township will finally be connected to piped water in July.