Democratic Voice of Burma

---

• Disabled athletes complete 434 mile wheelchair journey
• Ethnic negotiators demand answers on boot camp shelling
• Par Gyi shot to death, but not tortured: MNHRC
• 52 migrants with fake visas pardoned in Malaysia
• Koh Tao murders: Burmese call for witnesses to come forward

Disabled athletes complete 434 mile wheelchair journey Posted: 03 Dec 2014 05:29 AM PST A group of wheelchair athletes has cycled from Rangoon to Mandalay on a 434 mile journey to promote the International Day of People with Disabilities. 40 people arrived on Tuesday in Burma’ second city, one day ahead of the UN appointed date. Related Stories Rangoon death sparks allegations of police brutality DVB Debate: Empowering disabled people 88 Gen leader Hla Myo Naung, passes away, aged 47   The post Disabled athletes complete 434 mile wheelchair journey appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Ethnic negotiators demand answers on boot camp shelling Posted: 03 Dec 2014 02:27 AM PST Questions will have to be answered before ceasefire talks can resume, said a leading ethnic representative at Tuesday's talks in Chiang Mai, including a clear explanation from the Burmese army of how and why a training camp near Laiza in Kachin State was shelled on 19 November, resulting in the deaths of 23 cadets. Kwe Htoo Win, general-secretary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), which represents 17 ethnic armed groups at the talks, said that Burmese government negotiators had on Tuesday requested a further meeting with their ethnic counterparts on 17- 18 December. Related Stories 'Firm agreement' made on federal union, says Thein Sein Govt 'doesn't speak the truth': Gun Maw 2014 ceasefire 'impossible', says ethnic leader He said that, in response, the NCCT had raised some questions and demands for the government's Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC), including: a explanation of how and why a Burmese army unit had attacked with artillery a training camp near Laiza on 19 November; plans to prevent similar attacks taking place in other regions; security for NCCT members when they travel to Rangoon for talks; and a response to proposals the NCCT laid out at previous meetings to be included in a single-text Nationwide Ceasefire Accord. "The resumption of ceasefire talks will depend on the UPWC's answers to these questions," said Kwe Htoo Win, who is also general-secretary of the rebel Karen National Union. "When we have the answers, we will respond to their proposal." Hla Maung Shwe, a member of Myanmar Peace Centre, which regularly hosts and brokers ceasefire negotiations, said he still believes talks will go ahead before the end of December. "Minister U Aung Min this week proposed resuming talks in December, and the NCCT then put forward five questions on certain issues they would like to clarify," he told DVB. "We agreed in principal that the minister will provide responses within three or four days, and thereafter we expect to resume negotiations later this month." The post Ethnic negotiators demand answers on boot camp shelling appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Par Gyi shot to death, but not tortured: MNHRC Posted: 03 Dec 2014 12:12 AM PST An official inquiry into the death of freelance journalist Par Gyi says that he died from gunshot wounds to the head, chest, thigh and heel, but that there is no evidence that he was subjected to physical or mental torture. The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) on Tuesday filed a report to the Burmese president with the results of its investigation, which concluded with a recommendation that a civilian court trial be held to ensure transparency. Sitt Myaing, the secretary of the MNHRC and head of the probe into Par Gyi's death, said the report, dated 2 December, took one month to finalise and included testimonies from 47 witnesses. "We have submitted the report to the president. It took us one month to prepare, during which time we conducted 90 interviews with 47 witnesses," said Sitt Myaing. "Fundamentally, we suggest an open trial in a civilian court to ensure [Par Gyi's] rights provided by Article 347* of the Constitution." According to the MNHRC report, no conclusion could be reached on whether Par Gyi was a member of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) or a member of the press, due to a lack of evidence. The report noted, however, that the Myanmar Journalist Association deputy-chair and a local reporter in Hpa-an had testified that Par Gyi was working as a freelance reporter. Robert San Aung, a high-profile Burmese lawyer who has been assisting Par Gyi's family in the case, rejected the MNHRC's findings. "The report said there is no evidence of torture, but the autopsy report states that he suffered from broken ribs and a broken leg," he told DVB on Tuesday. "It is completely impossible someone would sustain those injuries unless he was tortured. "The report said there is no evidence of torture and we cannot accept that." Related Stories Koh Tao murders: Burmese call for witnesses to come forward Koh Tao murders: Indictment awaited Koh Tao murders: Thai PM told of Burma’s concerns Par Gyi's widow, Ma Thandar, said, "Only on the last page of the report does it mention that citizen's rights, as provided for by the Constitution, should be protected. It barely mentioned human rights. "Instead, the first 10 pages of the 16-page report are about the fighting in Kyeikmayaw, which is completely irrelevant to Ko Par Gyi's case. It baffles me as to what the MNHRC is trying to say in its report." The MNHRC pointed blame at the Kyeikmayaw police for not filing a report about Par Gyi's arrest in October and at the Burmese military for not completing an investigation into whether Par Gyi was a rebel soldier with the DKBA. On 30 October, Burmese President Thein Sein assigned the MNHRC responsibility to investigate and compile and report on Par Gyi's untimely death. Par Gyi was a political activist and a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's personal security team during the 1988 uprising. He was also one of the first National League for Democracy Youth members and acted as the group's Karen State coordinator. After his involvement in the 1988 uprising, Par Gyi was forced into exile in Thailand and began working as a freelance journalist under the pseudonym "Aung Naing." His wife Ma Thandar spent several weeks looking for her lost husband after he went missing in late September, until the military issued a report on 23 October which said the Burmese army killed him due, in part, to his involvement with the DKBA. The Burmese military has maintained that Par Gyi was detained as a rebel soldier, and that he was shot when he tried to wrestle a gun from a guard before attempting to escape.   *Article 347: The Union shall guarantee any person to enjoy equal rights before the law and shall equally provide legal protection.   The post Par Gyi shot to death, but not tortured: MNHRC appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

52 migrants with fake visas pardoned in Malaysia Posted: 02 Dec 2014 09:13 PM PST Fifty-two Burmese nationals, jailed by Malaysian immigration authorities in August after entering the country on fake visas, have been freed. Min Min Win, the labour attaché at the Burmese embassy in Kuala Lumpur, said the 52 migrants, who were each sentenced to one year in prison, were pardoned by the high court in Shah Alam on Tuesday following diplomatic negotiations. They will all be repatriated in coordination with the embassy, he said. "The high court pardoned the Burmese nationals and so we are now arranging plane tickets for all 52 to return home," said Min Min Win. Related Stories Koh Tao murders: Burmese call for witnesses to come forward Koh Tao murders: Indictment awaited Thailand losing ASEAN fight for China trade The 52 were part of an original group of 72 who, along with their three job agents, were detained at Malaysian immigration on 8 July when they arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on fake visas. The migrants were sentenced to one year each in prison on 12 August. Malaysian authorities in early September pardoned 20 of the migrants – all children and elderly persons – and allowed them to return to Burma after negotiations with the embassy. A trial for the three job agents is pending. The post 52 migrants with fake visas pardoned in Malaysia appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

Koh Tao murders: Burmese call for witnesses to come forward Posted: 02 Dec 2014 07:54 PM PST Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, the 21-year-old Burmese migrants detained in Thailand on suspicion of murdering two British tourists, have appealed for any witnesses to the crime to come forward. “We both wish to request anyone who could help as a witness in our case, or has evidence about the crimes we are suspected of, to urgently come forward and introduce yourselves to our lawyers and share your information with our defence team," the pair wrote in a handwritten letter in Burmese. "This will really assist us in our defence and ensure justice is done for us, our family and the family of the victims. Please don’t be scared to assist us at our time of need. May you all be happy. Thank you. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo [a.k.a. Win Zaw Htun]." According to British activist Andy Hall, a campaigner on behalf of Burmese migrants' rights, the letter was written in Koh Samui Provincial Court on Tuesday and passed on to their defence team. Related Stories Par Gyi shot to death, but not tortured: MNHRC 52 migrants with fake visas pardoned in Malaysia Koh Tao murders: Indictment awaited A Thai judge, meanwhile, extended the order detaining the Burmese youngsters by another 12 days, the sixth time their detention has been extended. Thai law allows for a maximum of 84 days before charges must be pressed. According to the Bangkok Post, public prosecutors are expected to indict the two Burmese this week. Thawatchai Saengjaew, director-general of the Public Prosecution Office Region 8, is cited saying that prosecutors are expected to decide on the indictment by Thursday after reviewing additional evidence submitted by police on Monday. All the evidence, including DNA results and witness accounts, are sufficient to indict them, he is reported saying. Prior to Tuesday's court decision to further remand the suspects, Min Oo, a member of Burmese embassy delegation that is coordinating defence for Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, told DVB that, "If remand is extended, we will object to the decision and again seek the bail that was rejected the previous week." The post Koh Tao murders: Burmese call for witnesses to come forward appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group.

You are subscribed to email updates from DVB Multimedia Group | DVB Multimedia Group To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States