Democratic Voice of Burma

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Mob ignores curfew, sets fire to Muslim home in Arakan state Posted: 02 Jul 2013 04:56 AM PDT Another Muslim home in Sandoway (Thandwe) was set alight by a mob on Monday – defying the curfew imposed by local authorities during the latest episode of anti-Muslim violence to flare up in restive Arakan state. Locals in the well-known beach town told DVB that the mob set fire to a house owned by Muslim resident Than Lwin in Dwarawaddy ward on Monday night, after the family fled the neighbourhood following the outbreak of violence earlier in the week. "An empty home was set alight while we were deploying security in the town – we have directed the police force to take the culprits into custody," said Sandoway District's Administrator Htun Wai. "Committing violent acts is not in good conduct – the state doesn't allow it and neither does religion." On Sunday, authorities installed a curfew in Sandoway after a Buddhist mob set fire to several homes owned by Muslims in response to the alleged sexual assault of a woman by two men who were rumoured to be Muslim. According to Htun Wai, the state's Border Affairs Minister Colonel Htein Lin arrived in the town yesterday to personally supervise the implementation of beefed up security measures in Sandoway. However, the National League for Democracy's Sandoway district chair Win Naing said authorities failed to respond to his call after he spotted a mob of motorbikes and two trucks driving around the town on Monday in defiance of the curfew. "We contacted the authorities and informed them that the [mob] had been going around town causing panic among the residents, but they told us to just leave that for now and that they'll see to it tomorrow," said Win Naing, who is also a member of a local taskforce charged with preventing riots. Lawyer Ko Ni of the Myanmar Lawyers Network said the police were failing to prevent the outbreak of future violence. "If they can promptly take action on 'rape suspects', they should also take action against those carrying out the arson attacks, which is punishable with up to 10 years imprisonment. Moreover, if they can take effective action against those violating the curfew, the problems wouldn't have spread this big," said Ko Ni. "The [riots] are continuing to take place across the country because the measures carried out by the Ministry of Home Affairs are disappointingly weak." A Muslim resident in Sandoway, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he was concerned for his family's safety as authorities continue to unfairly target Muslims found breaking the curfew but do little to stop rioters from setting homes alight. "According to the experience we had in other townships, [authorities] only arrest Muslims who leave their homes [during the curfew], but they would let the Buddhists destroy homes – this makes me very much concerned," said the Muslim resident. The resident went on to claim that authorities have yet to take any action against the rioters who have been setting homes on fire since the violence kicked off in the town on Sunday. Following multiple episodes of anti-Muslim rioting that has spread from Burma's southwest coast to the Shan plateau, hundreds of people have been killed and more than 150,000 people have been displaced across the country.

Parliamentary commission fails to identify controversial blogger Posted: 02 Jul 2013 02:52 AM PDT A parliamentary-backed commission has failed to identify the infamous blogger Dr Seik Phwa that the group had been tasked with investigating due to "technical difficulties". With no suspects coming forward to identify themselves or others, the commission ruled that identifying Dr Seik Phwa would require assistance from the US-based company Google, thus making it impossible to expose the writer, said Lower House member Ye Htun. The parliamentarian went on to lament that Deputy Information Minister Ye Htut, who he claims was widely believed to be the man by the blog, refused to admit to his role in the controversy. "Deputy-Information Minister U Ye Htut, who is believed to be the blogger, denied the allegation," said Ye Htun. "He wouldn't confess, but according to the investigation [by the parliament backed Commission to expose and take action on the blogger] it can be assumed that U Ye Htut is the one responsible although they cannot cite any evidence." In an article published in the government mouthpiece The New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday, the state organ reiterated Ye Htut's stance that officials from the "Ministry of Information testified that they had nothing to do with the case". In February, the legislator appointed the committee to identify the blogger after Dr Seik Phwa published a bruising critique of the parliament's efforts to exercise more power over the country's constitutional tribunal. While legislators failed to determine the individual behind the blog, the parliament did reprimand Khin Maung Nyo, an editor who republished a Dr Seik Phwa article. According to the report in New Light published on Tuesday, the paper accused the editor of successfully covering up any connection he might have had with the blogger. Under pressure from the commission to reveal the identity of Dr Seik Phwa, the editor reportedly claimed responsibility for publishing the piece and received a formal warning from the country's lawmakers. Since the parliament's seventh session kicked off on 25 June, the legislator has been off to a rocky start. Last week, the lower house of parliament unsuccessfully attempted to delay a highly anticipated announcement naming the companies that had secured telecommunication licenses. On Monday, the union parliament publicly rejected a proposal submitted by the Union Election Commission to discuss whether or not to replace the country's current electoral system before the next round of general elections in 2015. The legislator reportedly turned down the UEC's submission on the grounds that the proposal was not submitted in line with the parliament's procedures.

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