Thursday, June 20, 2013

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Rohingya at ‘significant’ risk of human trafficking: US report

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 05:35 AM PDT

Human trafficking remains a significant problem in both Burma and Thailand, where the stateless Rohingya minority has become particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, a leading US report warned on Wednesday.

The annual trafficking in persons (TIP) report released by the US state department accused the Burmese government of fuelling forced labour and trafficking among the Muslim Rohingya by denying them citizenship and stripping them of basic rights.

More than 20,000 Rohingyas are estimated to have fled on rickety boats from Arakan state in western Burma, since two bouts of ethno-religious clashes with Buddhists last year. Many end up paying hundreds of dollars to "brokers", who either abandon them en route, or sell them to traffickers.

"There were reports that some Rohingya asylum seekers transiting Thailand en route to Malaysia were sold into forced labor on Thai fishing boats, reportedly with the assistance of Thai military officials," said the report.

Thailand also regularly deports migrant Rohingyas back to Burma, despite protests from human rights groups, where they may be subject to re-trafficking, often in collusion with local authorities. The TIP report accuses elements in the ethnic rebel group the Democratic Karen Benevolent (formerly Buddhist) Army of participating in the trade of ethnic Rohingyas.

Burmese authorities in Arakan state have also been implicated in fuelling forced labour, sex slavery and abuse. According to the TIP report, military personnel have kidnapped several Rohingya women from the state capital Sittwe and subjected them to sexual slavery on military installations.

Earlier this year, media reports revealed that a growing number of Rohingya women were being sold as unwilling "mail order brides" to Malaysia in order to meet the growing demand for wives among the refugee population.

“As far as the Rohingya are concerned, Burma has greatly increased their vulnerability to trafficking," Chris Lewa, head of the Arakan Project, an NGO that campaigns for the rights of Rohingyas, told DVB. "Segregation and restriction of movement have curtailed their access to livelihood; state’s persecution and arbitrary arrests have prompted many to flee abroad."

Nearly 140,000 displaced Rohingya are currently estimated to be living in squalid camps in western Burma, where they are subjected to severe restrictions on their movements, work and family life.

Other ethnic minority populations in Burma were also identified as particularly vulnerable to trafficking and forced labour, especially in conflict-torn border regions, such as Kachin state.

"Military personnel and insurgent militia engage in the unlawful conscription of child soldiers and continue to be the leading perpetrators of forced labor inside the country, particularly in conflict-prone ethnic areas," said the report, which ranks Burma on its Tier 2 "watch list" for the second year running.

The allegations came on the same day that the International Labour Organization (ILO) decided to lift all remaining sanctions against the former pariah state. Burma moved up from Tier 3 last year, the report's lowest ranking, in large part due to its efforts to address forced labour in collaboration with the ILO.

Thailand, which was identified as a key destination country for Burmese trafficking victims, remained on the Tier 2 "watch list" for the fourth year running. It comes amid reports that three Burmese nationals were arrested in the Thai border town Mae Sot this week for running a prostitution ring using underage girls.

The report highlights the country's sex tourism industry as a prominent incentive for the trafficking of women and girls. But labour rights campaigners in Thailand say the report is a "subjective" and "non-evidence" based study, which illustrates how poorly the US understands the sex industry.

Liz Hilton from the sex workers' rights group, the Empower Foundation, insists that it is the criminalisation of sex work that is to blame.

"Look at New Zealand, where sex work is decriminalised — they've had no children in the sex industry, they've had no prosecutions for trafficking for nine years, and their Tier 1," she told DVB. "So obviously the decriminalisation of sex work eliminates trafficking."

Thailand spent US$3.7 million on anti-trafficking activities in 2012, but only assisted 270 victims. Hilton adds that this is a "bigger budget than they spend on climate change" or the women's empowerment fund. Meanwhile, 350,000 migrants, mostly from Burma, were arrested for illegal entry in 2012, but only 57 were helped.

"[Forced work] is one tiny little tick of the exploitation in Thailand, whether it's in the sex industry or the fishing industry or whatever," said Hilton. "What needs to be reformed is the labour conditions in Thailand."

Some 1,500 Burmese migrants in Malaysia want to return home

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 03:39 AM PDT

As many as 1,500 Burmese migrants in Malaysia have signed up for repatriation, after a series of violent attacks against Burmese nationals in the country, according to a crony-owned non-profit organisation.

Representatives from the Ayeyarwady Foundation, founded by the owner of Max Myanmar, Zaw Zaw, is currently in Malaysia to assist Burmese nationals who want to return home.

Ye Myo Hein, public relations director at the Ayeyarwady Foundation, told DVB that 400 undocumented migrants have been issued with identity cards verifying them as Burmese citizens, while another 100 have been granted special passes by the Malaysian immigration department formally authorising their return.

"Those who want to sign up [for repatriation] must approach the [Burmese] embassy first for their identify certificate, which can be issued within a day and we will make appointments for them with the [Malaysian] immigration authorities [to apply for the special pass] which can be issued within three days," said Ye Myo Hein.

He added that Malaysian authorities were accepting 40 special pass applications per a day, while Myanmar Airways International was planning to start transporting 70 migrants per flight back to Burma by next week. It follows a public pledge by the military-owned airline to cut airfares by 50 percent for one month to help Burmese migrants who want to return home.

A number of prominent cronies, including Zaw Zaw and Tay Za, have also pledged to support the migrant population in Malaysia, after five Burmese nationals were brutally killed and six others injured. Reports suggest that the attacks might have been carried out to avenge a recent spate of anti-Muslim violence in Burma.

Max Myanmar previously donated US$20,000 to support the Kepong Free Funeral Service, which provides free funerals to Burmese migrant workers. Meanwhile, Tay Za, who owns Air Bagan, has also promised to arrange flights for migrants wishing to return home, and even pledged to help them find jobs on their return.

But some analysts have accused the cronies of capitalising on populist nationalism in Burma, which has been on the rise since the attacks. Hundreds of Facebook users have blacked out their profile photos in a display of solidarity with Burmese Buddhists in Malaysia, while unfounded rumours of genocidal attacks have spread on social media.

Burma's labour ministry in Malaysia says it is currently negotiating with the authorities to issue passports for unregistered migrants workers. It follows news that 1,000 illegal Burmese migrants were detained by the authorities shortly after the attacks. Malaysia has reportedly encouraged Burma to hasten their return.

"We are looking at issuing passports – not the temporary [migrant] ones but the actual [travel] passports – under a six-step plan recognised by the Malaysian authorities and are going to continue negotiating for that," said Maung Maung Kyaw from the Burmese labour ministry.

According to statistics by the Burmese embassy in Kuala Lumpur, there are around 300,000 Burmese migrants working legally in Malaysia and around 30,000 working illegally.

The labour ministry has also pledged to help returning migrants find jobs inBurma's private sector.

Khin Nwe Oo, Director of the Labour Ministry's Employment and Social Welfare Department, told DVB that returning migrants can get application forms for job opportunities in construction or factories from their administration office in Rangoon.

Recently, the ministry announced that over 10,000 Burmese nationals wanted to return home after the attacks. Some 100 Burmese have already been repatriated.

More refugees now than 20 years ago

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 03:26 AM PDT

The United Nations refugee agency has released a report that coincides with World Refugee Day, that says there are now more refugees in the world than there were nearly 20 years ago. In Burma there are 430,000 displaced people and many more have fled the country.

Karenni rebels and govt progress on peace talks

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:50 AM PDT

Karenni rebels and government peace negotiators have agreed to begin resettling some of the thousands of people displaced by years of ethnic conflict in eastern Burma, at a landmark meeting on Wednesday.

The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and government representatives are currently in the Karenni state capital Loikaw for two-day peace talks aimed at strengthening the tentative ceasefire deal inked last year.

A representative for the KNPP told DVB that the talks had yielded some positive results, including plans to begin resettling some of the thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the conflict-torn state.

"We agreed to cooperate [with the government] on regional development, resettlement of IDPs and to work together with [anti-narcotic] groups for drug elimination," said Aung San Myint, adding that both sides had also decided to form a joint committee to assist the peace monitoring group resolve local disputes.

"We are still negotiating, but the joint committee aims to improve communication with the monitoring group and to strengthen the ceasefire," he said.

The meeting — which was overseen by several observers, including an official from the US embassy, community leaders and several members of parliament — represents a significant step towards national reconciliation, according to the government's chief negotiator, Aung Min.

He told participants that President Thein Sein is planning to invite UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to oversee the signing of a nation-wide ceasefire agreement with ethnic minority groups, adding that the government is open to the possibility of federalism.

"Looking back at history, what is needed the most – since ethnic nationalities have been calling for equality and self-determination – is a way for a federal system. The president has a plan to make a speech on federalism in the near future."

Ethnic minority groups make up almost 40 percent of the population and armed factions have fought the government for greater autonomy and rights over several decades.

President Thein Sein has been lauded for signing ceasefire deals with ten out of eleven ethnic armed groups in Burma, since taking office in March 2011. But ongoing clashes have been reported in several states, including Shan and Kachin states in north-eastern Burma. Most rebel groups, including the Kachin Independence Army, which has yet to sign a formal ceasefire deal with the regime, have consistently called for a federal union as a prerequisite to lasting peace.

High ranking military officials, who attended the talks, also affirmed their commitment to defend ethnic minorities and promote nation-wide peace.

"We will sincerely and respectfully adhere to the agreements," said Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut, the chief of Bureau of Special Operations-2 in Burma's armed forces. "Being the Tatmadaw [armed forces], we are meant to protect any ethnic group regardless of who they are."

However, he also vowed to uphold the controversial 2008 constitution, which reserves 25 percent of parliamentary seats for the military and provides the legal framework for Burma as a unitary state. Constitutional reform would be necessary in order to develop a federal union.

The KNPP signed a ceasefire with the military government in 1995, but it broke down less than three months later. On 9 June 2012, the two sides signed a historic union-level ceasefire agreement with the reformist regime, led by Thein Sein. This week’s meeting represents the first time the two sides have met in nearly a year.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)