News Release: Religious violence in Myanmar, the consequences of Government inaction in tackling prejudice and discrimination – UN expert

OHCHR-Bangkok	1:25 PM (11 hours ago)

Religious violence in Myanmar, the consequences of Government inaction in
tackling prejudice and discrimination – UN expert

GENEVA (28 March 2013) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human
rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, today expressed serious
concerns over the spread of violence between Muslim and Buddhist
communities in Myanmar and urged bold steps by the Government to counteract
this frightening trend.

“The Government must take immediate action to stop the violence from
spreading to other parts of the country and undermining the reform process.
This includes stemming campaigns of discrimination and hate speech which
are fuelling racist and, in particular, anti-Muslim feeling in the country.
And it involves holding to account those responsible for acts of violence
and destruction against religious and ethnic minorities,” the Special
Rapporteur said.

“The warning signs have been there since the communal violence in Rakhine
State last June and the Government has simply not done enough to address
the spread of discrimination and prejudice against Muslim communities
across the country, and to tackle the organised and coordinated mobs that
are inciting hatred and violently attacking Muslim communities,” he added.


Last week saw violence between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Mandalay
region in central Myanmar that left 12,000 persons displaced and
unconfirmed numbers dead.  Subsequently, a curfew and state of emergency
has been imposed in four townships in Mandalay region. There are reports of
violence spreading to Bago and Yangon.  In June and October last year,
inter-communal violence in Rakhine State, Northwest Myanmar, left 120,000
internally displaced and, according to Government figures, nearly 200 dead.


Mr. Ojea Quintana welcomed calls from Government leaders, including the
President’s televised address to the nation earlier today, for compassion,
tolerance, understanding and empathy amongst people of all faiths in
Myanmar. He also notes the President’s warning to “political opportunists”
and “religious extremists” not to misuse religion to incite hatred.
However, he believes State authorities need to do much more. This includes
addressing allegations that some State officials, including local
politicians and administrators, have been encouraging discriminatory views
and inciting hatred.

The Rapporteur also expressed concern about religious leaders or their
supporters publicly spreading hate speech, including through social media.
“I have seen worrying footage of religious leaders, including Buddhist
monks, seemingly advocating religious intolerance. The Government must
clearly distance itself from such incitement to hatred, and instruct its
officials to do likewise.  Although Myanmar is a majority Buddhist country,
the Government must promote tolerance of all faiths and religions.”
Furthermore, journalists attempting to cover the violence in Mandalay have
reportedly been attacked and threatened by armed mobs, and the Rapporteur
highlighted the obligation of the State authorities to protect journalists.


While noting the President’s statement that the security forces will be
used to protect the life, liberty and security of the people, the
Rapporteur warned against a heavy-handed approach that sees strong military
action as the only way to restore public order, and urged a more holistic
approach to address the root causes of inter-communal tensions.

In addition, Mr. Ojea Quintana revealed, “I have received reports of State
involvement in some of the acts of violence, and of instances where the
military, police and other civilian law enforcement forces have been
standing by while atrocities have been committed before their very eyes,
including by well organised ultra-nationalist Buddhist mobs. This may
indicate direct involvement by some sections of the State or implicit
collusion and support for such actions.”  Other allegations received by the
Special Rapporteur have indicated that the military and police may be
arbitrarily detaining people based on religious and ethnic profiling.

“Tackling discrimination is fundamental to establishing the rule of law,
and impunity for acts of violence and discrimination must no longer be
tolerated,” he said. “The military and police must now be held to account
for human rights violations committed against ethnic and religious
minorities.”

While acknowledging the strong stance taken by the President’s Office, the
Rapporteur called on other institutions such as Parliament, the Supreme
Court and the National Human Rights Commission to play their role in
protecting constitutionally guaranteed rights, including freedom of
religion. He also emphasised the role of civil society and political
parties in tackling prejudice and discrimination against ethnic and
religious minorities, and praised the work of 88 Generation leaders such as
Min Ko Naing, who had travelled to Meikhtila following the violence and
worked to ease tensions and promote understanding.

In the Special Rapporteur’s latest report to the Human Rights Council
earlier this month*, he warned that the crisis in Rakhine State could
spread to other parts of the country, and issued a number of
recommendations to the Government aimed at addressing the widespread
discrimination and prejudice against ethnic and religious minority groups
in Myanmar, including lifting restrictions on discriminatory practices
against Muslim communities, and reviewing the functions of the border
security forces.

source-OHCHR-Bangkok.

Rangoon’s economy hit by threat of violence

More Sharing ServicesShare

Comments (0)

By DVB

Published: 28 March 2013

People stand behind Burma's national flag during a prayer ceremony for peace between the country's four major religions in Rangoon (Reuters)

The looming threat of religious violence in Rangoon is beginning to take its toll on the economy, after authorities force businesses to close early and residents are too scared to venture outside their homes, locals have warned.

Taxi and rickshaw drivers say they have struggled to make a living since Tuesday, when the government ordered all businesses in Rangoon to close between 9pm and 4am.
“We are struggling to even cover the [vehicle rental] fee as not a lot of people are going out. This is affecting us all,” a taxi driver told DVB on Wednesday.

“Yesterday I made about 3000 kyat (US$4), but today I have only 200 kyat (US$0.30) so far,” explained a rickshaw driver. “We would like to have some peace and tranquility so our daily life can go back to normal.”

It follows reports that anti-Muslim violence, which has swept central Burma over the past week, is likely to spread to the former capital.

On Monday, the US Embassy warned its citizens to avoid certain areas in the old capital, including the Mingalar Market/Yuzana Plaza area east of Kandawgyi Lake, after rumours of anti-Muslim riots in the area forced shops to close and prompted a heavy police presence.
The city’s municipal authorities have since ordered all businesses across the capital, including restaurants, teashops, internet cafes and beauty saloons, to close by 9pm. Many locals in predominately Muslim areas are also reported to be too scared to leave their homes.

“Around 8-9pm is when the business is good but authorities ordered us to close to prevent mobs building up,” said a restaurant owner. “Since we have to rent this shop space, this is damaging to our business. We want all these riots to end soon.”

On Sunday evening, several men drove around in trucks in two Rangoon townships, Mingalartaungnyunt and Tamwe, in an apparent bid to stir anti-Muslim riots. Leaflets have also been circulated in southern Rangoon warning Muslims against possible attacks.
But others have suggested that a group of “instigators” are trying to spread fear, and local authorities have warned people not to listen to unfounded rumours.

Anti-Muslim riots have rippled through Burma over the past week, after clashes in central Burma’s Meikhtila township erupted last Wednesday, causing at least 40 deaths and displacing over 12,000 people.

This week’s unrest is the largest outburst of communal violence, since two bouts of ethno-religious clashes between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist Arakanese last year, which killed at least 200 people and displaced more than 125,000.

credit-DVB

President threatens ‘use of force’ to stem riots

More Sharing ServicesShare

Comments (0)

By HANNA HINDSTROM
Published: 28 March 2013

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (R) welcomes Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein at the European Union Council in Brussels on 5 March 2013. (Reuters)

 

President Thein Sein on Thursday warned “perpetrators” behind this week’s anti-Muslim riots that he “will not hesitate” to deploy security forces to stop the escalating violence.
In his first public broadcast since Buddhist mobs launched a spree of attacks on Muslim homes and mosques across the country, Thein Sein called on “the use of force as a last resort to protect the lives and safeguard the property of general public”.
The president also defended himself against critics, who say the government has been slow to respond to the violence, which has already claimed 40 lives and continues to ripple through central Burma.

“We did not resort to the use of force immediately mainly because we do not want to [endanger] our ongoing democratic transition and reform efforts,” he said.
“That said, I am firmly committed to use the powers vested in me by the constitution to deploy our security forces and to use existing laws to prevent and protect the life, liberty and security of my fellow citizens.”

Burma’s controversial military-backed constitution legally allows the president to “declare a military administrative order” and thereby hand over all executive and judicial powers to the military.

Anti-Muslim riots kicked off in Meikhtila township near Mandalay last Wednesday, resulting in wide-scale destruction of local mosques and homes. At least 12,000 people were displaced and a state of emergency was declared on Friday.

Buddhists mobs – often led by monks – have since led a series of attacks across central Burma, devastating townships across the Mandalay region and Pegu division. Residents say that although most of the aggressors have not been “locals”, the police have often stood idly by and watched as they ravaged property and religious buildings.
Thein Sein called on police forces to act “decisively, bravely and within the constraints of the constitution” in an apparent bid to stem concerns over their inertia. He also issued a stark warning to “instigators” and “perpetrators” behind the violence that they would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“I would like to warn all political opportunists and religious extremists who try to exploit the noble teachings of these religions and have tried to plant hatred among people of different faiths for their own self-interest: their efforts will not be tolerated,” he said.
It follows reports that key political and religious figures have played a leading role in fuelling anti-Muslim propaganda, by preaching inflammatory sermons and distributing incendiary leaflets.

Although police have arrested several dozen perpetrators behind the violence, questions remain over why key instigators – including the prominent Islamophobic monk Wirathu – have not been prevented from practicing hate speech.

“There’s still a major lack of transparency in terms of who’s been arrested and what they have been arrested for,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch told DVB on Wednesday. “Hate speech is not protected in freedom of expression in international rights terms, so where there is currently incitement of this sort, action has to be taken.”
But the president insisted that the recent violence is largely a consequence of Burma’s democratic reform programme, which began in March 2011, and has seen the country slowly emerge from five decades of military rule.

“We must expect these conflicts and difficulties to arise during our period of democratic transition,” he said, adding that the armed forces have played a “pivotal role in safeguarding property and assisting victims”.

However, many analysts see the recent anti-Muslim violence as a direct consequence of the former military regime’s policies, which often fuelled inter-ethnic and religious divisions in order to secure its power base.

This week’s unrest is the largest outburst of communal violence, since two bouts of ethno-religious clashes between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist Arakanese last year, which killed at least 200 people and displaced more than 125,000.

source-DVB

Advocacy groups urge EU to maintain sanctions

Advocacy groups urge EU to maintain sanctions

Thursday, 28 March 2013 14:54 Rosie Gogan-Keogh

The European Burma Network, a collective of advocacy and human rights groups, has released a joint statement urging the European Union to delay lifting remaining sanctions on Myanmar ahead of a review on April 22.

José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, gave a press conference on the situation in Cyprus. Photo: European Commission

“We are concerned that the premature lifting of EU sanctions will undermine the reform process in Burma [Myanmar], and could even encourage further serious human rights abuses,” said the statement issued by Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, on March 26.

While the group is keen to recognize the reforms that have taken place in Myanmar since 2011, it highlights ongoing human rights abuses, continued ethnic conflicts, and the plight of the hundreds of political prisoners who remain detained, and sees the continued imposition of the remaining sanctions as an opportunity to encourage further positive change in the country.

“There is no doubt that there have been dramatic changes in Burma in the past two years, and that there is opportunity for further change which must be encouraged. However, we believe that European Union members have a tendency to highlight the positives while ignoring some important and harsh realities on the ground,” said the group's statement.

Their pleas are not singular: Jose Barroso, the European Commission President, has said that he is encouraged by Myanmar's reforms but that much more work is needed. This announcement came following a meeting with Myanmar President Thein Sein on March 5 in Brussels.

“Despite the impressive change that is underway, the reforms and the transition [to democracy] are not completed,” said Barroso in a statement following a meeting with the president.

Thein Sein had requested that the remaining EU sanctions be lifted during his European visit.

“What we lack is capital and modern technologies ... all these are because of the economic sanctions for the last 20 years,” he told journalists following talks with Austrian President Heinz Fischer.

Following the EU's initial relaxing of sanctions last April, the bloc stated that it “still expects the unconditional release of remaining political prisoners and the removal of all restrictions placed on those already released. It looks forward to the end of conflict and to substantially improved access for humanitarian assistance, in particular for those affected by conflict in Kachin State and along the Eastern border, as well as [addressing] the status and improving the welfare of the Rohingyas.”

The remaining sanctions in place include trade and investment in the sectors of logging, timber processing, and mining of precious metals and precious stones. There is also a list of sanctioned individuals who are seen to have impeded the country's democratic transition. 

 

credit-Mizzima

Rohingya may face ‘permanent’ segregation: HRW

More Sharing ServicesShare

Comments (0)

By HANNA HINDSTROM
Published: 27 March 2013

An Indonesian policeman guards ethnic Rohingya people from Burma as they wait inside a police truck for identification by immigration personnel in Lhokseumawe on 27 February 2013. Acehnese fishermen rescued about 120 Rohingya people after they were found floating on a boat for 30 days at sea after fleeing persecution in Burma. (Reuters)

 

The Burmese government continues to systematically discriminate against the Muslim Rohingya minority in western Burma by denying them humanitarian aid and isolating them in “long-term” camps or ghettos, a leading human rights group warned on Wednesday.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the regime of fuelling a devastating humanitarian crisis among the stateless Rohingya by leaving them to linger in “squalid” camps without access to food, healthcare or livelihoods in the run-up to the rainy season.

“Burma’s leaders seem intent on keeping the Rohingya segregated in camps rather than planning for them to return to their homes,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, adding that there is a real risk of camps becoming “permanent”.
Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists have been kept segregated, since two bouts of vicious ethno-religious clashes in June and October last year, which killed at least 200 people and displaced more than 125,000. Rohingya Muslims are considered illegal Bengali immigrants by the government and denied citizenship.

Security forces were accused of siding with the Buddhist Arakanese in the violence and Robertson insists the government continues to be “untroubled” by the plight of displaced Muslims and “will be responsible for the lives unnecessarily lost”.

The distribution of humanitarian aid continues to be severely hampered by local hostility and government inertia. According to HRW, tens of thousands of Rohingyas have still not been registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs) by authorities, leaving them particularly vulnerable to malnutrition, disease and death.

“The government has failed to register large numbers of Rohingya in many IDP camps, so these people are effectively ineligible for any sort of assistance,” Robertson told DVB, citing information from camp registrars, including government officials and local village headmen.
“Everyone knows where they are, they are still being surrounded and guarded by security forces but they are not being helped.”

HRW’s findings are supported by local aid workers, who recently told DVB that thousands of Rohingyas face starvation, unless the government takes swift action to improve humanitarian access.

“Many people are dying from the blockade of aid,” Oddny Gumaer from Partners Relief and Development reported in January. “If they are not registered, they don’t get any food. These people must resort to begging.”
Thousands of locals, who did not lose their homes in last year’s violence, have also warned of an escalating crisis as they do not qualify for aid, but cannot earn a living.
Sittwe’s Muslim quarter, Aung Mingalar, which is home to some 7,000 people, has been cordoned off by police since June and residents who venture outside risk being arrested or beaten.

“We only want permission to bring food from outside to Aung Mingalar,” a local from Sittwe’s Muslim quarter told HRW.

It echoes reports by numerous Muslims, who spoke to DVB on a visit to Sittwe in December, which suggest that their community’s health and livelihoods have been destroyed by the government’s policy of segregation.
“We hardly have any food provisions,” Mohammed Rafi from Aung Mingalar told DVB. “We don’t even have any doctors to cure us when we are ill. Nor are we allowed to go outside for treatment.”

The Rohingya have been described as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities by the UN and have lived in limbo along the border with neighbouring Bangladesh since 1982, when former military dictator Ne Win stripped them of their Burmese citizenship.
The government claims that segregation aims to protect both communities, yet Buddhists and Hindus are able to travel freely. Even Kaman Muslims, who are Burmese citizens, but share cultural commonalities with the Rohingya community, are forbidden from travelling.
Since last year’s violence in Arakan state, anti-Muslim sentiments have continued to spread across Burma. Over the past week, a wave of attacks on Muslims has rippled through the country, resulting in at least 40 deaths and the destruction of thousands of homes and several mosques across the Mandalay region and Pegu division.

“The unfortunate lesson from the violence in Arakan State is that so far the government does little to hold accountable those who violate the rights of Muslims in Burma,” Robertson said. “By failing to stop violence and prosecute those who incite it, the country’s leaders are failing the test of reform.”
The government declined to comment.

More Anti-Muslim Riots Reported Overnight

By THE IRRAWADDY| March 27, 2013 |

Share on linkedin Share on facebook Share on twitter

Motorcycles pass in front of a mosque that burned during the riot in Meikhtila on March 22, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

RANGOON — Mobs rampaged through Muslim neighborhoods in two more townships in Pegu Division on Tuesday night, a day after similar attacks were carried out in several other communities in the same area.

The incidents, which continued into Wednesday morning, took place in Zigon and Nattalin townships, located about 100 miles (160 km) north of Rangoon. Local police confirmed that several buildings, including mosques, had been ransacked, but no casualties or cases of arson were reported.

An officer at the Nattalin Police Station told The Irrawaddy that a mob had begun attacking a mosque and buildings in Muslim neighborhood at around 10 pm on Tuesday. He added that the situation had been brought under control by 12:20 am.

However, a local resident said that the police were unable to contain the growing mob, even with the support of civilians and Buddhist monks who had gathered to defend the neighborhood. In the end, the resident said, the security forces agreed to allow the rioters to continue with their rampage after they said they would not kill anyone or burn down any buildings.

A few hours later, rioters ransacked a mosque and Muslim-owned buildings in Zigon, which lies a short distance south of Nattalin.
“The attackers destroyed 14 buildings and looted shops, but there was no arson or casualties,” said an officer at Zigon Police Station, adding that the attacks took place from 2:40 to 5:30 am on Wednesday.

“When we disbanded them, the attackers ran away, gathered in another place and tried to attack another area. It was like a hit-and-run scenario,” he said.
On Monday night and Tuesday morning, mobs attacked Muslim neighborhoods in the townships of Okpho and Gyobingauk, located more than 100 miles north of Rangoon in Pegu Division. The state-run newspaper Kyemon reported on Wednesday that five people suspected of involvement in the Okpho attack had been detained.

Since last Wednesday, at least seven anti-Muslim riots have been reported across Burma, including in Meikhtila, where the recent wave of sectarian violence began. According to the latest official figures, 40 people have been reported killed in the central Burmese city, and at least 35 people have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the violence.

On Tuesday, the All Burma Muslim Federation released a statement saying that the ongoing violence is not between Buddhist and Muslim people, but is a well-planned campaign to instigate public unrest.
“We’ve also found out that relevant authorities failed to practice security measures in full force to protect Muslim people,” the statement said.

The announcement also urges the government to find out who masterminded the unrest, and to take legal action against them and anyone else involved in the violence.

source-The Irrawaddy

Yangon searches for responsible funds

 credit-Bangkok Post

Business > News

Yangon searches for responsible funds

• Published: 28 Mar 2013 at 00.00
• Newspaper section: Business

Foreign direct investment (FDI) will play a crucial role for Myanmar in its bid to catch up and keep pace with regional development, but companies still need responsible long-term investors, says a high-ranking official from that country.

Set Aung, the deputy minister for national planning and economic development, said environmental protection is a top priority for sustainable development.

''We can't have 100% economic development at the expense of the environment, but we also can't have the opposite. We have to tap into [clean] technology to assure a balanced investment,'' he said yesterday.

Set Aung made his remarks at a seminar in Bangkok entitled ''Shaping Business Leaders for a New Myanmar'', hosted by Chulalongkorn University's Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration.

The Dawei Special Economic Zone is important not only for Myanmar and Thailand but all of Asean, he said.

Under joint development by the two neighbours, both governments are inviting third parties to become involved in the project, which is part of the Southern Economic Corridor of the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Set Aung: Clean technology needed

Myanmar's Industry Ministry said the country now has 18 industrial zones with another seven under construction.

Chanvit Amatamatucharti, deputy secretary-general of Thailand's National Economic and Social Development Board, said the Dawei project will facilitate labour-intensive industries relocating to Myanmar, providing an opportunity for those remaining in Thailand to increase their use of technology.

Upstream steel factories that face strong opposition from Thai communities can instead be built in Myanmar, with the output sent to Thailand's automobile and electronics sectors.
A 2009 study by the Jakarta-based Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia showed the Dawei project will help to boost Thai gross domestic product (GDP) by 1.9%.
Set Aung said FDI in Myanmar amounted to US$42.1 billion as of Feb 28, with the power sector ranking first at $19.2 billion.

China is the largest foreign investor with 43 projects totalling $14 billion, followed by Thailand at $9.5 billion.
Last year, agriculture accounted for 43% of Myanmar's GDP of $54.1 billion, followed by services (36.6%) and industry (20.5%).
Myanmar plans to increase industry's GDP proportion to 32% under its five-year plan ending in 2016.

Alfredo Perdiguero, a principal economist at the Asian Development Bank in Manila, said Thai businesses with the potential to expand in Myanmar include those in the manufacturing, tourism, power, education, telecommunications and road transport sectors.
Myanmar may be reluctant to form joint ventures with Thai banks but will have to if they want to learn from their Thai counterparts' experience.

Rohingya face ongoing humanitarian crisis

Wednesday, 27 March 2013 17:59 Rosie Gogan-Keogh

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Myanmar government of restricting humanitarian aid to Rakhine State and discriminating against Muslim Rohingyas in a report released on March 27.

Displaced people in one section of Ah Nauk Ywe makeshift camp in Rakhine state. (PHOTO: UNHCR/V.Tan)

“Burmese [Myanmar] government restrictions on aid to Rohingya Muslims are creating a humanitarian crisis that will become a disaster when the rainy season arrives,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW. “Instead of addressing the problem, Burma’s leaders seem intent on keeping the Rohingya segregated in camps rather than planning for them to return to their homes.”

Several international aid organizations operating in the region have continually made calls for Rohingya camps located in low-lying paddy fields to be urgently relocated before the rainy season begins and fears of flooding and the spread of waterborne diseases become a reality. HRW has reported that in some sites a handful of latrines are shared by several thousand Rohingyas.

“The government seems untroubled by the dire humanitarian conditions in the camps in Arakan [Rakhine] State, but it will be responsible for the lives unnecessarily lost,” Robertson said. “Concerned donor governments should be demanding that the Burmese government produce an action plan to resolve the crisis because continued inaction will only make the crisis worse.”

On March 20, President Thein Sein’s spokesman, Ye Htut, rebutted the claims of discrimination and told Australia Network’s Newswire: “They [Rohingyas] have enough shelter and food supply for the rainy season.”

However, the Myanmar government has reportedly refused to relocate the Rohingya camps; have restricted Rohingya people from accessing local hospitals; and have failed to register tens of thousands of displaced Rohingyas, denying them both freedom of movement and humanitarian aid.

Unregistered Rohingya have told HRW that they lack food, shelter, medicine, potable water, clothing, and other necessities. A Muslim man in Yangon’s Aung Mingalar Township told HRW that UN agencies had not been able to deliver any aid since June, saying, “We only want permission to bring food from outside to Aung Mingalar.”

HRW said that these ongoing issues mean that the Myanmar government is ultimately failing the test of reform.

The Rohingya population faces widespread hostility from the majority Burmese Buddhist society in Myanmar. The latest violence in the state erupted last June between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims and was followed by further attacks in October.

Following a visit to Myanmar last month, Tomás Ojea Quintana, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, said that nearly 120,000 people are now living in camps in Rakhine State with a lack of adequate healthcare, and noted that conditions were worse in camps sheltering Rohingyas and other Muslims.

“The situation in this area is extreme,” he warned.

 

Credit-Mizzima

---

Special UN Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng

Myanmar: UN official voices concern at reports of increased sectarian violence

Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

25 March 2013 – The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide today voiced deep concern at reports of increased violence between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Myanmar, and called on leaders to promote respect for diversity and peaceful coexistence. Last week President Thein Sein reportedly declared a state of emergency and imposed martial law in four central townships after several days of unrest between Buddhists and Muslims, including in Meiktila where at least 30 people were killed. “The recent episode of violence in Meiktila in central Myanmar raises concerns that sectarian violence is spreading to other parts of the country,” stated Special Adviser Adama Dieng. “In the context of last year’s violence between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, there is a considerable risk of further violence if measures are not put in place to prevent this escalation.” Mr. Dieng said these measures must address not only the immediate consequences of the current violence but also the root causes of the problem.

 “Failing to do so can have serious future consequences which the international community has solemnly promised to prevent,” he stated. “The Government of Myanmar must clearly demonstrate that it is serious about holding accountable those responsible for the past and present violence, regardless of their religious or ethnic affiliations,” he urged. “The Government must also take measures to protect populations still at risk.” Noting that the State has the primary responsibility to protect its population, the Special Adviser called on the Government of Myanmar to address this situation as a matter of urgency, develop a comprehensive national strategy that upholds international human rights standards and promotes reconciliation and tolerance among Buddhist and Muslim communities in the country.

“I call upon all religious leaders, local leaders and the communities themselves, to promote a culture of respect for diversity and peaceful coexistence that is fundamental in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society such as the one in Myanmar,” stated Mr. Dieng “As a country that has positively surprised the international community with its recent transformation towards democracy, Myanmar needs to demonstrate that the rule of law will prevail and that all those living within its borders are and will be protected from violence and discrimination, particularly on the basis of religion or ethnicity.” Meanwhile, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, wrapped up a five-day visit to the country at the invitation of its Government, during which he spoke with families in Meiktila and met with leaders of different communities.

 During the visit, a public meeting was held with leaders from the Buddhist, Christian and Muslim communities, and representatives of affected families to discuss measures to resolve tensions. Mr. Nambiar said that fostering communal harmony was the responsibility of all sections of society and that religious leaders and other community leaders must publicly call on their followers to shun all violence, respect the law and promote peace. He also expressed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s “strong sympathy and support” to the affected communities, as well as the UN’s readiness to continue meeting their relief and rehabilitation needs.

MOB ASSULTS MOSQUE,HOUSES IN PEGU DIVISION

 

Mob assaults mosque, houses in Pegu division

More Sharing ServicesShare

Comments (0)

By DVB
Published: 27 March 2013

Soldiers work to clean debris in Meikhtila on 24 March 2013. (Reuters)

 

Mobs ransacked a mosque and assaulted houses owned by Muslims in Pegu division’s Zigon today as the country continues to reel from the spread of sectarian violence.

According to one witness who spoke on the condition of anonymity, a mob of over 100 people came out on the streets around 3am today and vandalised a mosque and houses in Zigon.
Police were allegedly at the scene when the mob began to destroy property, but did little to restrain the crowd.

According to the local, the police did very little other than ask the mob not to set Muslim-owned properties on fire.
Earlier this week, authorities announced the imposition of a curfew under article-144 in three other Pegu division towns Gyobingauk, Oakpho and Minhla after mobs targeted Muslim communities in the areas.
Sectarian violence has continued to spread across Burma’s heartland after rioting kicked off in Meikhtila last week, claiming 40 lives and displacing more than 12,000 people in central Burma.          Credit-DVB.

Burma's Rulers Repress Rohingya in Rights Nightmare

By Human Rights Watch Media Release

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

PHUKET: The Burmese government is systematically restricting humanitarian aid and imposing discriminatory policies on Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State, Human Rights Watch said today.

The government should permit unfettered access to humanitarian agencies to provide assistance to Muslim populations, end segregated areas, and put forward a plan for those displaced to return to their homes.

''Burmese government restrictions on aid to Rohingya Muslims are creating a humanitarian crisis that will become a disaster when the rainy season arrives,'' said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

''Instead of addressing the problem, Burma's leaders seem intent on keeping the Rohingya segregated in camps rather than planning for them to return to their homes.''

An ethnic Arakanese campaign of violence and abuses since June 2012 facilitated by and at times involving state security forces and government officials has displaced more than 125,000 Rohingya and Kaman Muslims in western Burma's Arakan State [also known as Rakhine state].

Tens of thousands of Rohingya still lack adequate humanitarian aid - leading to an unknown number of preventable deaths - in isolated, squalid displacement camps. Government security forces guarding the camps do not permit the residents to leave the camps, which has a devastating effect on their livelihoods, Human Rights Watch said.

Human Rights Watch has visited every major internally displaced person (IDP) camp in Sittwe Township in Arakan State, as well as pockets of unregistered displaced people in coastal and intra-coastal waterway areas, and in Mrauk-U Township, where many displaced Rohingya currently remain.

Displaced Rohingya and non-Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State are located in 13 townships throughout the state; the 15 largest IDP camps are in the area of the state capital, Sittwe.

Several camps housing Rohingya are located in paddy fields and lowland areas that face heavy flooding during the rainy season, which will begin in May, yet the authorities have not taken serious steps to move them to higher ground.

Humanitarian organisations in Arakan State are concerned that heavy rains will overflow already inadequate and overused latrines, spreading otherwise preventable waterborne diseases throughout the displaced population, whose health has already been weakened by inadequate food and medical care.

In some sites visited by Human Rights Watch, a handful of latrines were being shared by several thousand displaced Rohingya.

''The government seems untroubled by the dire humanitarian conditions in the camps in Arakan State but it will be responsible for the lives unnecessarily lost,'' Robertson said.

''Concerned donor governments should be demanding that the Burmese government produce an action plan to resolve the crisis because continued inaction will only make the crisis worse.''

The Burmese government has obstructed the allocation of adequate land for relocation sites for displaced Rohingya and Kaman Muslims despite repeated appeals by humanitarian agencies.

On March 18, the European Commission warned the situation would turn into a ''humanitarian disaster'' if the internally displaced people living on paddy fields and sand banks were not relocated to safer sites within weeks.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) likewise warned of a ''potentially devastating'' effect on displaced Rohingya when the rains start.

On March 20, President Thein Sein's spokesman, Ye Htut, rejected warnings about the severe humanitarian conditions for displaced Rohingya, telling Australia Network's Newswire, ''they have enough shelter and food supply for the rainy season.''

None of the displaced Rohingya interviewed by Human Rights Watch were consulted about where their shelters would be constructed. The government has refused to make a commitment to ensure their right to return home, or set out plans to ensure security for both the Muslim and Buddhist populations in the state.

Human Rights Watch urged the Burmese government to treat displaced people in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.

Among the displaced population are tens of thousands of ''unregistered'' Rohingya - those who were displaced between June and November 2012 but who have not been formally recorded by the Burmese authorities, even though they live in areas where the security forces deny them freedom of movement and their presence is known to the aid community.

Unregistered Rohingya told Human Rights Watch they lack food, shelter, medicine, potable water, clothing, and other necessities. The government has not authorised providing them with humanitarian aid.

Rather than providing assistance, state government officials have made excuses for denying the Rohingya aid, Human Rights Watch said. In February, Win Myaing, spokesman for the Arakan State government, told the Democratic Voice of Burma that Rohingya are deliberately inflating the numbers of those displaced to receive more aid.

''Now, when we are making a list in the camp over here, then people from [another camp] will come,'' he said. ''Frankly, [the Rohingya] are just attempting to make the list bigger so that they can get more aid.''

The government's failure to put forward plans or make efforts to return displaced Rohingya and other Muslims to their original towns and villages heightens concerns of a long-term intent to segregate this population, Human Rights Watch said.

In the city of Sittwe, the Muslim population is now completely segregated. The neighborhood of Aung Mingalar, which is the last remaining Muslim neighborhood in Sittwe, is surrounded by barbed wire and Burmese army soldiers.

The Muslims remaining in the neighborhood are not permitted to leave the area, and humanitarian agencies are not permitted to deliver aid to the neighborhood because the residents are technically not displaced.

Rohingya in the neighborhood told Human Rights Watch the state government has not replied to their requests to purchase rice.

A Muslim man in Aung Mingalar told Human Rights Watch that UN agencies have not been able to deliver any aid since June, saying, ''We only want permission to bring food from outside to Aung Mingalar.''

In some areas, such as Myebon Township, the government and humanitarian agencies are constructing shelter on stilts over ground that will flood, rather than permitting the Rohingya to rebuild on land in their home village nearby.

The authorities have told the UN and diplomatic community that the camps throughout the state are not envisioned as long-term ''solutions,'' but the government has failed to put forward plans for displaced people to return home, and also has not rejected demands by Arakanese communities to keep Rohingya segregated in remote areas.

''Donor governments should be pressing Burma's government to allow humanitarian agencies to provide assistance to all those in need,'' Robertson said.

''But donors also need to make clear that government policies intended to segregate the Muslim population will be publicly opposed.''

The Burmese government has long prevented Rohingya from accessing health care in Arakan State, and restrictions have tightened since violence began in June.

Human Rights Watch visited Arakan State's largest government-operated hospital in Sittwe in late October, at a time of widespread violence against Muslims throughout the state, and there were no Muslim patients in the hospital.

A displaced Rohingya man in Sittwe told Human Rights Watch at the time: ''After our houses were burned down here we couldn't go to the government hospital. We cannot go to government hospitals.''

A hospital employee confirmed that: ''There have been no Bengali [Rohingya] patients in the hospital. If some Bengali [Rohingya] patients were sent to the hospital there would be many problems.

''I think there is a separate hospital by the military, in the refugee [IDP] camp. This is a government hospital.''

A discriminatory Citizenship Law passed in 1982 effectively denied Burmese citizenship to Rohingya, who are estimated to number between 800,000 and one million people in Burma.

The government does not allow Rohingya to travel between townships without special permission or paying substantial bribes to state security forces.

Internally displaced Rohingya are not permitted to travel outside of displacement sites, severely restricting their ability to earn a livelihood. There are also severe restrictions on marriage and the number of children Rohingya can have - and the multiagency border guard force Nasaka typically demands sizable payments from Rohingya seeking to marry or preparing to give birth.

Arakan State's Rohingya population also faces widespread hostility from the majority Burmese Buddhist society. The violence in Arakan State in June between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims was followed by planned attacks on Rohingya and Kaman Muslim communities in various townships in the state in October.

More recently, disputes between Buddhists and Muslims resulted in violence in the central Burma town of Meikhtila on March 20 to 22, which has spread to other parts of the country.

During the violence, at least five mosques were burned down and an unknown number of people died as mobs and Buddhist monks attacked Muslim residents and set fire to Muslim homes, businesses, and places of worship.

The violence in Meikhtila has displaced 12,000 Muslims, according to OCHA.

''The unfortunate lesson from the violence in Arakan State is that so far the government does little to hold accountable those who violate the rights of Muslims in Burma,'' Robertson said.

''By failing to stop violence and prosecute those who incite it, the country's leaders are failing the test of reform.''

Burma Sets Curfews to Curb Spread of Violence

BURMA

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS| March 27, 2013 |

1

Share on linkedinShare on facebookShare on twitter

A monk offers some food to a Muslim man at a temporary camp for internally displaced persons in Meikhtila last week. (Photo: Teza Hlaing / The Irrawaddy )

RANGOON — Authorities in Burma imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in three townships after anti-Muslim religious violence touched new parts of the country, edging closer to the main city of Rangoon.

State television Tuesday reported incidents in the three townships in Pegu Division, all within 150 km of Rangoon. The latest attack Monday night was in Gyobingauk, where it said “troublemakers” damaged a religious building, shops and some houses.

The report said similar attacks on religious buildings, shops and houses occurred in nearby Otepho and Min Hla on Sunday night. Official reports use the term “religious buildings” in an apparent attempt to dampen passion, though in most cases the targets were reportedly mosques.

The announcement said an emergency law known as Section 144 would be applied in the three townships which will ban public assemblies, marches and speeches, and impose a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
The religious unrest began with rioting a week ago in the central city of Meikhtila that was sparked by a dispute between a Muslim gold shop owner and his Buddhist customers.

The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said Tuesday that eight more bodies were found in Meikhtila as soldiers cleared devastated areas set ablaze by anti-Muslim mobs during three days of rioting, bringing the death toll to 40. State TV said Tuesday that although calm had been restored in Meikhtila, a 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew has been imposed to prevent any new violence.

Amid fears of spreading violence, shop owners in Rangoon, about 550 km south of Meikhtila, were told to close Monday evening by 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m.
The fears appeared unfounded, but most Yangon shops were closed Tuesday for a national holiday.

The upsurge in sectarian unrest casts a shadow over President Thein Sein’s administration as it struggles to make democratic changes after a half-century of military rule. Hundreds of people were killed last year and more than 100,000 made homeless in sectarian violence in western Burma between ethnic Arakan Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas.

Burma's Burning Issues and more

The Nation

Burma's Burning Issues and more

March 27, 2013 2:39 pm

• 1
• 2

The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai will be holding three Burmese-related events in Chiang Mai from March 28 to April 2 before taking a small breat for Thingyan/Songkran (Southeast Asian New Year Water Festivel).

The details of upcoming programmes;’Burma’s Burning Issues: An Evening of Film and Discussion’, Thursday 28 March, 7 p.m. @ Documentary Arts Asia, free admission.

We will be screening two new documentaries about two of the most pressing issues challenging Burma today. Hidden Genocide: The Rohingya of Burma is an investigation into the Arakan/Rohingya conflict in western Burma, while Nothing About Us Without Us highlights the importance of listening to the voices of the refugees themselves in discussions of their potential repatriation to Burma.

Following the films, we will be joined by representatives of Women’s League of Burma and Burma Partnership, as well as a local researcher and activist, to discuss the issues. More details about this free event, including a map to Documentary Arts Asia, can be found at www.facebook.com/events/336970973070449/.

Lecture by Khin Ohmar - ’Burma: Realities & Possibilities’, Tuesday 2 April, 1 p.m. @ Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Social Sciences, free admission.

Veteran Burmese activist Khin Ohmar (Burma Partnership, Burmese Women’s Union, Women’s League of Burma, etc.) will deliver a comprehensive and analytical update on the challenges and opportunities in Burma today. Her wide-reaching lecture will touch on issues of ethnic conflict, the peace process, and the opening-up of space for civil society and activist groups in the country.

The lecture will be followed by a screening of Nothing About Us Without Us and further discussion with Naw Htoo Lwe, a representative of the Karenni National Refugee Committee. Both speakers will be happy to respond to questions and share ideas with attendees.

This program will take place in the 4th Floor Meeting Room of the Faculty of Social Sciences Operational Building at Chiang Mai University. More details can be found at www.facebook.com/events/540733112616235/.

’An Evening with Oddny Gumaer’, Tuesday 2 April, 7 p.m. @ Documentary Arts Asia, free admission.

The Best Friend is very pleased to welcome author and humanitarian Oddny Gumaer for a reading from her latest book Picking Flowers on Dusty Roads and a discussion of her experiences founding and working with Partners Relief & Development. Oddny is also the author of Displaced Reflections: Peace from Burma Shed Light on Life, Love, and Faith, and an international spokesperson advocating compassion and support for the children of Burma.

Partners, founded in 1995, positively affects more than 1,300 children every month through its programs along the Thai-Burma border, as well as tens of thousands of displaced people inside Burma. Partners’ education initiatives make education a reality for more than 80,000 refugee and displaced children every day.

Admission for this event is free, but donations will be accepted for the admirable projects of Partners Relief and Development. More details, including a map to Documentary Arts Asia, can be found at www.facebook.com/events/166265373524608/.

+ Please note that The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai will be closed from 13 - 21 April for Thingyan/Songkran. If you have materials that will be due back to the library during that period, please return them the following week. The library is also closed during events.

+ Make sure to follow our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BurmaLibrary, where we share all event details, as well as links to important Burma-related news articles, information, and campaigns.

+ Supporters in Australia, stay tuned for information about a series of special awareness-raising/information-sharing events that we are currently coordinating to take place in Sydney, Melbourne, and Byron Bay during the month of April. More details soon!

Burma's Burning Issues and more

The Nation

Burma's Burning Issues and more

-->

March 27, 2013 2:39 pm

• 1
• 2

The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai will be holding three Burmese-related events in Chiang Mai from March 28 to April 2 before taking a small breat for Thingyan/Songkran (Southeast Asian New Year Water Festivel).

The details of upcoming programmes;’Burma’s Burning Issues: An Evening of Film and Discussion’, Thursday 28 March, 7 p.m. @ Documentary Arts Asia, free admission.

We will be screening two new documentaries about two of the most pressing issues challenging Burma today. Hidden Genocide: The Rohingya of Burma is an investigation into the Arakan/Rohingya conflict in western Burma, while Nothing About Us Without Us highlights the importance of listening to the voices of the refugees themselves in discussions of their potential repatriation to Burma.

Following the films, we will be joined by representatives of Women’s League of Burma and Burma Partnership, as well as a local researcher and activist, to discuss the issues. More details about this free event, including a map to Documentary Arts Asia, can be found at www.facebook.com/events/336970973070449/.

Lecture by Khin Ohmar - ’Burma: Realities & Possibilities’, Tuesday 2 April, 1 p.m. @ Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Social Sciences, free admission.

Veteran Burmese activist Khin Ohmar (Burma Partnership, Burmese Women’s Union, Women’s League of Burma, etc.) will deliver a comprehensive and analytical update on the challenges and opportunities in Burma today. Her wide-reaching lecture will touch on issues of ethnic conflict, the peace process, and the opening-up of space for civil society and activist groups in the country.

The lecture will be followed by a screening of Nothing About Us Without Us and further discussion with Naw Htoo Lwe, a representative of the Karenni National Refugee Committee. Both speakers will be happy to respond to questions and share ideas with attendees.

This program will take place in the 4th Floor Meeting Room of the Faculty of Social Sciences Operational Building at Chiang Mai University. More details can be found at www.facebook.com/events/540733112616235/.

’An Evening with Oddny Gumaer’, Tuesday 2 April, 7 p.m. @ Documentary Arts Asia, free admission.

The Best Friend is very pleased to welcome author and humanitarian Oddny Gumaer for a reading from her latest book Picking Flowers on Dusty Roads and a discussion of her experiences founding and working with Partners Relief & Development. Oddny is also the author of Displaced Reflections: Peace from Burma Shed Light on Life, Love, and Faith, and an international spokesperson advocating compassion and support for the children of Burma.

Partners, founded in 1995, positively affects more than 1,300 children every month through its programs along the Thai-Burma border, as well as tens of thousands of displaced people inside Burma. Partners’ education initiatives make education a reality for more than 80,000 refugee and displaced children every day.

Admission for this event is free, but donations will be accepted for the admirable projects of Partners Relief and Development. More details, including a map to Documentary Arts Asia, can be found at www.facebook.com/events/166265373524608/.

+ Please note that The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai will be closed from 13 - 21 April for Thingyan/Songkran. If you have materials that will be due back to the library during that period, please return them the following week. The library is also closed during events.

+ Make sure to follow our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BurmaLibrary, where we share all event details, as well as links to important Burma-related news articles, information, and campaigns.

+ Supporters in Australia, stay tuned for information about a series of special awareness-raising/information-sharing events that we are currently coordinating to take place in Sydney, Melbourne, and Byron Bay during the month of April. More details soon!

Burma's Burning Issues and more

source-The Nation

-->

March 27, 2013 2:39 pm

• 1
• 2

The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai will be holding three Burmese-related events in Chiang Mai from March 28 to April 2 before taking a small breat for Thingyan/Songkran (Southeast Asian New Year Water Festivel).

The details of upcoming programmes;’Burma’s Burning Issues: An Evening of Film and Discussion’, Thursday 28 March, 7 p.m. @ Documentary Arts Asia, free admission.

We will be screening two new documentaries about two of the most pressing issues challenging Burma today. Hidden Genocide: The Rohingya of Burma is an investigation into the Arakan/Rohingya conflict in western Burma, while Nothing About Us Without Us highlights the importance of listening to the voices of the refugees themselves in discussions of their potential repatriation to Burma. Following the films, we will be joined by representatives of Women’s League of Burma and Burma Partnership, as well as a local researcher and activist, to discuss the issues. More details about this free event, including a map to Documentary Arts Asia, can be found at www.facebook.com/events/336970973070449/.

Lecture by Khin Ohmar - ’Burma: Realities & Possibilities’, Tuesday 2 April, 1 p.m. @ Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Social Sciences, free admission.

Veteran Burmese activist Khin Ohmar (Burma Partnership, Burmese Women’s Union, Women’s League of Burma, etc.) will deliver a comprehensive and analytical update on the challenges and opportunities in Burma today. Her wide-reaching lecture will touch on issues of ethnic conflict, the peace process, and the opening-up of space for civil society and activist groups in the country.

The lecture will be followed by a screening of Nothing About Us Without Us and further discussion with Naw Htoo Lwe, a representative of the Karenni National Refugee Committee. Both speakers will be happy to respond to questions and share ideas with attendees.

This program will take place in the 4th Floor Meeting Room of the Faculty of Social Sciences Operational Building at Chiang Mai University. More details can be found at www.facebook.com/events/540733112616235/.

’An Evening with Oddny Gumaer’, Tuesday 2 April, 7 p.m. @ Documentary Arts Asia, free admission.

The Best Friend is very pleased to welcome author and humanitarian Oddny Gumaer for a reading from her latest book Picking Flowers on Dusty Roads and a discussion of her experiences founding and working with Partners Relief & Development. Oddny is also the author of Displaced Reflections: Peace from Burma Shed Light on Life, Love, and Faith, and an international spokesperson advocating compassion and support for the children of Burma.

Partners, founded in 1995, positively affects more than 1,300 children every month through its programs along the Thai-Burma border, as well as tens of thousands of displaced people inside Burma. Partners’ education initiatives make education a reality for more than 80,000 refugee and displaced children every day.

Admission for this event is free, but donations will be accepted for the admirable projects of Partners Relief and Development. More details, including a map to Documentary Arts Asia, can be found at www.facebook.com/events/166265373524608/.

+ Please note that The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai will be closed from 13 - 21 April for Thingyan/Songkran. If you have materials that will be due back to the library during that period, please return them the following week. The library is also closed during events.

+ Make sure to follow our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BurmaLibrary, where we share all event details, as well as links to important Burma-related news articles, information, and campaigns.

+ Supporters in Australia, stay tuned for information about a series of special awareness-raising/information-sharing events that we are currently coordinating to take place in Sydney, Melbourne, and Byron Bay during the month of April. More details soon!