Democratic Voice of Burma |
- DVB Bulletin: 8 January 2015
- Phyu Hnin Htwe supporter jailed
- UN envoy visit draws mixed reception
- Trafficked teen rescued from China
- Chinese authorities to investigate illegal logging arrests
- Two dead, many missing in Hpakant mine landslide
- After 20 years, BWU still committed to women’s struggle
- Taungoo bomber sentenced to death by hanging
- NLD, AAPP look to support political prisoners in Arakan
| Posted: 08 Jan 2015 04:07 AM PST On tonight's bulletin:
You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. The post DVB Bulletin: 8 January 2015 appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| Phyu Hnin Htwe supporter jailed Posted: 08 Jan 2015 02:42 AM PST A Mandalay-based activist has been sentenced to one month in prison with hard labour for protesting the arrest of Phyu Hnin Htwe, an All-Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) member who faced charges relating to the controversial Latpadaung mining project. Tin Mar Ni was detained and charged using Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law in October of last year after staging a prayer demonstration at the Maha Myatmuni Stupa in Mandalay, a site of great Buddhist significance, for the release of fellow activist Phyu Hnin Htwe. Phyu Hnin Htwe was in detention charged with the kidnap of two Chinese national workers from Wanbao Mining Ltd, the owner of the Latpadaung mine which has seen ongoing protests and violence for the past 10 years, but was released when the charges against her were dropped − the same day that Tin Mar Ni was arrested for campaigning for her freedom. In response to the Chanmyay Tharsi Township court's sentence on 7 January, Phyu Hnin Htwe reacted by saying,"I am sad to hear that someone has been jailed for praying for my release. This case shows that the judicial sector in Burma is completely broken and meaningless."  Phyu Hnin Htwe Hundreds of local villagers and their supporters have been protesting the Latpadaung copper mine since its inception more than 10 years ago. Many have been displaced to make way for the project, which was originally contracted to a Canadian firm, Ivanhoe Mines. The mining project was temporarily suspended when activists and monks staged a mass sit-in protest in 2012. The protest was broken up brutally by riot police on 29 November that year when some 80 protestors were injured, including several Buddhist monks, many with horrific burns that experts have attributed to white phosphorous. A subsequent investigation headed by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi failed to pronounce anyone guilty for the violent crackdown, and to many villagers' dismay, recommended to the government that the project be resumed. Controversy has heightened again in recent weeks after the fatal shooting in December of protestor Khin Win and subsequent protests and widespread outrage, with officials announcing an enquiry into the incident. Related StoriesThe post Phyu Hnin Htwe supporter jailed appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| UN envoy visit draws mixed reception Posted: 08 Jan 2015 02:19 AM PST UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Yanghee Lee has drawn a mixed reception on her second visit to Burma. At Sittwe airport, as many as 500 Arakanese nationalists are waiting to protest her arrival later on Thursday. They say they are angered by Lee's report urging the Burmese government to embrace the term Rohingya and grant citizenship to Arakan's persecuted Muslim community. "We saw her report as inconsiderate toward our national security and interfering with the country's sovereignty more than necessary," said Ko Thwin, one of the protestors. "We are protesting to show that we absolutely do not accept it." Meanwhile, Lee, who arrived on Tuesday night, was in Rangoon on Thursday morning meeting with civil society groups and rights activists, including the All-Burma Federation of Student Unions and Equality Myanmar. She met the previous day with the Myanmar Lawyers Network, Latpadaung copper mine activists, and Michaungkan land grab protestors, and also visited Insein Prison to inspect living conditions. Aung Myo Min, director of Equality Myanmar, said he and Lee discussed the controversial Race Protection Law package being proposed in parliament and issues relating to women rights. "We pointed out in the meeting that the law package, while supposedly meant for 'protection', is in reality designed to control the masses," he said. "Such laws that only 'protect' a certain group of people in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Burma will incur more negative consequences than good ones." Matthew Smith, executive director of Bangkok-based Fortify Rights, said that Lee's visit comes at an "important time", as the organisation has documented increasing abuses by authorities of Rohingya Muslims in Arakan and of Kachin civilians in Burma's north. "Ms Lee has her work cut out for her," he wrote in an email. "She’s already demonstrated a willingness to carry out her mandate carefully and in the interest of Myanmar’s people. We look forward to positive outcomes from her interventions." Related StoriesSimilarly, Guy Horton, a British academic who was shortlisted last year for the special rapporteur job, exhorted Lee to take bold action on the Rohingya issue. "The only person who can speak out, condemn and prevent the destruction of the Rohingya is the special rapporteur," he wrote. He also recommended that Lee pursue a program to educate all political parties on the meaning and applicability of federalism, demand access to Kachin IDPs and request the formation of a "truth commission". Lee made her first 10-day visit to Burma in July, visiting Arakan and Kachin states as well as Rangoon, Naypyidaw and Mandalay. At that time she said she found conditions in IDP camps across the country "deplorable" and noted that the "health situation in the Muslim IDP camps is of particular concern". Burma's Rohingya population has for decades been subject to restrictions on movement and several aspects of family life, under state policies premised on population control. Rights groups have condemned the policies as tantamount to "persecution", a punishable offence under international law. The post UN envoy visit draws mixed reception appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| Trafficked teen rescued from China Posted: 08 Jan 2015 01:28 AM PST A family in Magwe, central Burma, have had their sixteen-year-old returned to them after she was trafficked to China to work as a housemaid. The family say the minor was tricked into leaving with a relative, who had promised her a similar job in Rangoon. The post Trafficked teen rescued from China appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| Chinese authorities to investigate illegal logging arrests Posted: 08 Jan 2015 01:02 AM PST Authorities in China will investigate allegations of illegal logging in Kachin State which saw more than 140 people arrested earlier this week, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman has said. Speaking to People's Daily, Hong Lei stated the government's intention to bring the issue to resolution, saying, "The Chinese embassy in Myanmar [Burma] is now verifying the details. We are willing to duly settle the issue with Myanmar and safeguard order along the Chinese-Myanmar border." Those detained, said to be predominately Chinese nationals, were arrested in an area close to the border with Yunnan. "We want to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of any Chinese nationals being held are protected," Lei added. In the face of mounting criticism of Burma's increasing deforestation, the export of teak logs from the country has been banned since April of last year. However, analysts have suggested that further reforms and greater international cooperation are needed if the policy is to be a success. Continued conflict also poses a barrier; one official at the Burmese forest department has been quoted as saying that continued fighting in Kachin State has made the ban difficult to enforce and fueled the logging trade. The post Chinese authorities to investigate illegal logging arrests appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| Two dead, many missing in Hpakant mine landslide Posted: 07 Jan 2015 11:26 PM PST At least two people are dead and many more are still missing after a giant mound of soil collapsed in the Hpakant jade mines in Kachin State on Tuesday evening. "The mound of earth in the west side of Hmaw Mong Gon mining plot collapsed around 7pm," said Dashi La Hseng, local chairman of the National League for Democracy party in Hpakant. "There were around 200 people at the site including vendors and small-time miners." He said that the mound of soil was "as big as a hill", and that as of Wednesday afternoon around 40 people remained buried. Only two bodies have been found so far – those of two men from Arakan State identified as 32-year-old Myo Naing from Ponnakyun and 20-year-old Nay Lin from Sittwe. Related StoriesDashi La Hseng said that local authorities have joined forces with the company that operates the Hmaw Mong Gon mining plot in an urgent attempt to rescue those still trapped. Some locals speculate that the incident was caused by recent rain, which led to erosion of the mound of soil that had been dug-up and dumped by the company. The post Two dead, many missing in Hpakant mine landslide appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| After 20 years, BWU still committed to women’s struggle Posted: 07 Jan 2015 10:28 PM PST At a meeting in Chiang Mai on Wednesday to mark the organisation's 20th anniversary, Burmese Women's Union (BWU) reiterated the need for continued work to support women who are suffering from the ongoing armed conflict in Burma. Mi Sue Pwint, a former member of the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) and one of the seven founding members of BWU, all of whom hail from the 1988 student movement, told the meeting that the BWU "has always strived for independence, without outside influence". Thwe Zin Toe, the outgoing general-secretary of BWU, said, "In the future, we aim to increase the role of women in politics in accordance with our organisation's objectives, goals and expectations. Related Stories"Within the last 20 years, we trained many young women leaders and, as a result, improved the lives of young women, allowing them to work in various fields with self-confidence." The newly appointed Board Committee and Secretariat members for 2015-17 were announced at the gathering, which coincided with the group's seventh biennial congress, with incoming Secretariat members stating their commitment to assist victims of human rights abuses, including sexual violence, and to tackle the impunity with which abusers act. Other addressees spoke of the central importance of women in building a sustainable peace in Burma. Speaking as general-secretary of the umbrella organisation Women's League of Burma (WLB), Tin Tin Nyo said that "BWU strongly believes in and promotes gender equality as well as political change in Burma.” BWU is a founder member of the WLB, which includes more than a dozen women's groups representing Karen, Karenni, Kachin, Shan, Palaung and other ethnic women's interests. The post After 20 years, BWU still committed to women's struggle appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| Taungoo bomber sentenced to death by hanging Posted: 07 Jan 2015 08:54 PM PST An ethnic Karen man was found guilty of the murder of two persons in connection with the bombing of a guesthouse in Taungoo in 2013. He was sentenced to death by hanging by a district court in Pegu [Bago] on Wednesday. In addition, Saw Htun Htun was convicted under Article 326 for causing grievous harm with a dangerous weapon, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour. He also received a two-year sentence under Article 324 for causing harm. In July 2014, the Taungoo District Court found Saw Htun Htun, then 34, guilty of planting a bomb at the Chan Myae Guesthouse in the city, which killed two people and injured one on 11 October 2013. He was sentenced under the 1980 Explosives Act to 10 years with hard labour. About a month after the Taungoo bombing, Saw Htun Htun was detained by local police with the assistance of the Karen National Union. Police said that he confessed during interrogation that he had left a bag containing explosives at the guesthouse because he was instructed to do so by a man named Saw Tawah, who is currently still at large. The incident was just one in a spate of bomb attacks at that time. In the same week, explosions were felt in Rangoon, Mandalay and Sagaing cities, as well as Shan State's Namhkam. No indication was ever given that the bombings were related. According to data from the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, 235 persons in Burma are currently incarcerated under sentence of death. However, the last known execution in Burma took place in 1988. The post Taungoo bomber sentenced to death by hanging appeared first on DVB Multimedia Group. |
| NLD, AAPP look to support political prisoners in Arakan Posted: 07 Jan 2015 08:43 PM PST More than 100 former political prisoners and their families met in Sandoway [Thandwe] in Arakan State for the first time on Wednesday morning. The prisoners of conscience from Sandoway, Taunggup and Gwa townships were hosted at the offices of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Soe Lin, a local NLD official, said that the aim of the event was to find ways to support the political prisoners and their families who endure livelihood struggles. "There have been political prisoners in Burma since the time of the BSPP [Burma Socialist Programme Party], throughout the 1988 uprising and the previous military dictatorship," he said. "We believe that there should be a historical record of their ordeals, and that they are unfairly imprisoned." Related StoriesHe told DVB that the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – Burma (AAPP-B) also attended the event "to learn more about their problems and how to provide the necessary assistance." He said ex-political prisoners not only suffer from physical and mental trauma, but that their loved ones also experience economic hardships, as well as difficulties in accessing education and healthcare services. He added that the NLD has only able to provide a stipend of 5,000 kyat (US$5) per month to each family. Chit Ko Lin, one of the leaders of the AAPP-B team, said they were collecting necessary information in order to help the former and current political prisoners. "We are looking to provide help for political prisoners who are still in prison and those who have been released, but are still suffering from physical and mental trauma in Arakan State, as well as providing assistance for their families. We are here to meet with them to learn more about their situation," he said. He said the AAPP-B has been active in 13 townships across Burma where they have met with former political prisoners and their families and provided assistance since 2013. He said that after meeting with ex-political prisoners in southern Arakan State, his team will head to the north of the region to meet with further individuals and their families. According to the AAPP-B, there are currently 162 political prisoners behind bars, while 203 individuals are currently on trial accused of various activism charges.
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