24th February 2006

BURMA

1.  UN Special Rapporteur delivers final report

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, has delivered his final report to the UN Human Rights Commission, completing his six-year term. The Special Rapporteur, who has been denied entry to Burma by the military regime since November 2003, noted that “the situation regarding the exercise of fundamental human rights and freedoms remains grave”. Further on the report stated that: “Throughout the six-year period of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, substantiated reports of grave human rights violations continued to be received on an ongoing basis.  Little evidence was available of a commitment by the Government to addressing the culture of impunity for State actors, with the vast majority of his communications to the authorities not receiving a response.” Significantly, the Special Rapporteur also concluded that: “The current government strategy of targeting civilians in the course of its military operations represents a wilful abrogation of its responsibility under international humanitarian law.” For a copy of the full report see:

http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr/docs/62chr/E.CN.4.2006.34.doc

2.  DFID Minister to address Burma APPG Tuesday

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development will be briefing the Burma APPG on the UK’s funding of HIV/AIDS projects in Burma, on February 28 from 2.30-3.30pm in Committee Room 6, House of Commons. [Note from BR: It is important to note that while DFID has provided £10 million over three years for HIV/Aids related work, it continues to refuse to provide urgently needed humanitarian aid to the over one million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Burma. Some other Governments do provide aid to the IDPs, so there is no reason why the UK should not.]

3.  US House of Representatives holds hearing on Burma

The human rights subcommittee of the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee held a hearing on Burma on February 7, with speakers from the US State Department, Human Rights Watch, the Shan Women’s Action Network and a former political prisoner. Congressman Chris Smith, chairman of the subcommittee, said in his opening remarks that: “After forty years of brutal military dictatorships, the human rights situation in Burma is frightening. That nation's current military junta, in power for over seventeen years, is an abysmal failure on every conceivable level. It has ruined a beautiful and naturally rich land.” Naw Win Yee of the Shan Women’s Action Network told the hearing that life in eastern Burma was “like hell on earth”. Former political prisoner Bo Kyi recalled his time in prison: “I was arrested while I was having lunch with my family … Military intelligence shoved their guns in my ribs … Someone kicked me in the back. When my forehead was slammed against the wall, I collapsed …. After being hit 150 times, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was taken in chains to a solitary confinement cell.”  

For the full transcripts of the speeches made at the hearing, see http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/afhear.htm and scroll down to February 7, 2006: Human Rights in Burma: Where Are We Now and What Do We Do Next?

4.  International Day of Action called to campaign against Burma gas project

April 18 has been designated an International Day of Action for a global campaign to protest against the Shwe Gas Project in Burma, which is “potentially the single largest source of revenue for Burma’s ruling military junta”. Protests against Daewoo International, the major investor, will call for Daewoo’s withdrawal. Gas pipeline construction in Burma is always accompanied by human rights violations such as forced labour, land confiscation and forced relocation of communities, as well as rape, torture and murder. The pipeline will also contribute to serious environmental destruction. For more information see:

http://earthrights.org/burma/shwepipeline.shtml

5. Democracy movement offers compromise; NCGUB calls for worldwide peace rallies

The leaders of the National League for Democracy have offered “an olive branch” to Burma’s illegal ruling military regime, calling for the convening of Parliament with representatives elected in 1990 so that the Parliament can offer the military de jure recognition as a transitional government, with terms to be negotiated. The NLD have given the regime a deadline of April 17 to respond. The “government-in-exile”, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), have called on people around the world to hold peace rallies for Burma, involving Parliamentarians and celebrities in each country. See full statement below – details of activities organized in the UK to follow later.

INDIA

There was no significant news to report this week.

THE MALDIVES

1.  Fresh arrests follow prisoner releases

Two prisoners of conscience, Ahmed Didi and Naushad Waheed, have been released from jail in the Maldives, but their release was followed on February 23 by the arrest of nine peaceful protestors, including Ali Fahd, a photographer for the independent magazine Adduvas, outside the parliament. For further details see: http://friendsofmaldives.org/fom-releasedidiandnaube.htm

A Call by the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)

Showing Solidarity For Reconciliation  & Peace in Burma      

The leaders of the National League for Democracy offered an olive branch to the leaders of Burma Army on 12 February, Union Day, calling for the convening of Parliament with representatives elected in 1990 so that the Parliament can offer the military de jure recognition as a transitional government, the term of which is to be negotiated between the two sides.

The NLD has called for the unconditional and immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo, Khun Tun Oo, and all political leaders.

It has called for national reconciliation talks to begin immediately with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The call by the NLD has been supported by all pro-democracy forces in the country, including ethnic political leaders in the Committee Representing People's Parliament.

This is a critical moment for the country and the people of Burma, who need to see that the Burmese communities and their friends abroad support them without reservation.

In this time of need, the NCGUB would like to call on all patriots and friends who have stood for the Burmese democracy movement for many years to show their solidarity once more with the people of Burma.

Let us organize peace rallies all over the world from March 25- April 17 (the deadline given by the NLD).  Please invite all friendly local NGOs, human rights and women rights groups, and trade unions to join you in your activities; and ask religious organizations to pray for peace in Burma.

Activities that can be held to show your solidarity:

Ø Holding candlelight vigils (Marching with candles and Burmese lanterns)

Ø      Singing peace songs and staging music shows, releasing balloons

Ø      Wearing yellow ribbons, arm bands, or head bands during activities

Ø      Using big banners that call: "Bring Reconciliation and Restore Peace in Burma"

Ø      Organizing prayer sessions – by all religions

Ø      Making political statements

Ø      Inviting celebrities – MPs/Senators/Musicians/Singers/Movie Stars/Nobel Laureates

Ø      Issuing joint declarations and statements supporting NLD call

Ø      Writing petitions to ASEAN leaders / UN Secretary-General