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Friday, May 17, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Thousands of Rohingya stranded by the sea as cyclone looms | Democratic Voice of Burma
Thousands of displaced Rohingya are still stranded in low-lying areas next to the sea, less than a day before a tropical storm is expected to batter northwestern Burma, local sources have warned.
Among these are hundreds of families, who are too terrified to leave their camps with state security forces, because they have previously been implicated in carrying out mass atrocities against the Muslim minority.
“The police get off trucks with riot gear and people are very afraid,” an aid worker told DVB from Ohn Daw or Coconut garden, one of the most vulnerable camps housing some 4,000 Rohingyas near Sittwe, on Wednesday night. “We’ve been in the communities when the police come and people start crying.”
“We’ve tried to convince them that the storm is coming and they may not survive, but they say they will take their chances. They are less afraid of the storm than they are the authorities.”
The UN has admitted that “there are still pockets of resistance”, but insists that local authorities and international aid groups are working around the clock to relocate as many people as possible, before Cyclone Mahasen is projected to hit land in southern Bangladesh on Friday morning.
It follows news that the president’s spokesperson, Ye Htut, threatened legal action against anyone who refuses to move. “The government will punish those who don’t follow our instructions to evacuate,” he told a press conference in Rangoon on Wednesday.
But human rights activists have described his threats as “absolutely disgraceful” and accused him of “tarnishing the efforts of others in the Burma government who are actually trying to help the IDPs [internally displaced persons] in Arakan state.”
“It’s completely understandable that some Rohingya are nervous about moving to an unknown destination with security forces, who just seven months ago were involved in committing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing against them,” Phil Robertson, deputy-Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) told DVB on Thursday.
The UN says that local authorities have been “very flexible” in the relocation process and repeatedly assured locals that they will be ableto return to their camps after the storm, providing they have not been swept away. Reports suggest that many IDPs, who refused to relocate to a military compound in Sittwe, were able to negotiate alternative locations in nearby schools and madrasas.
But aid workers say that poor information sharing has also fuelled distrust and resistance among the Rohingya, who are often left uncertain of the locations to which they are being resettled.
In southern Maungdaw township, near the Bangladeshi border, where the cyclone is expected to have the greatest impact, a local activist told DVB that displaced Rohingya have been the last to be moved – after border security (NaSaKa) camps and Arakanese villages — and often given no information whatsoever. As a result, only Rohingyas with relatives based further inland have been willing to accompany the NaSaKa in their trucks.
The UN admits that evacuations in Maungdaw, which has a majority Rohingya population, are “proceeding more slowly than in other locations” with only 64 families prepared for resettlement. According to Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project, the differences between cyclone preparations in Bangladesh and Burma were “striking”.
“They have sent teams of volunteers all over the district and gone along the beach to share their evacuation plans in area, where they expect waves six feet high,” she said, referring to Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh, whichhosts up to 250,000 Rohingya refugees from Burma.
But reportedly large-scale “spontaneous” movements of displaced Rohingya were initiated in southern Maungdaw on Wednesday night, after the Bangladeshi authorities raised the severity level of the cyclone.
It follows news that a group of more than 100 displaced Rohingya from Pauktaw, east of Sittwe, went missing after a botched attempt to flee the cyclone in a convoy of boats on Monday night.
But DVB’s local source in Sittwe said it was unlikely that anyone from Ohn Daw camp would leave before the storm – with or without state assistance.
“We’ve actually given up – we’ve tried everything we can possibly think of,” he said. “My feeling is that they won’t leave. Some have even told us that they are praying to Allah for the storm to come over them because they are prepared to die.”
Activists are concerned that some state officials could use Cyclone Mahasen as an opportunity to further persecute the Muslim minority, which is denied citizenship and basic rights by the government. “Our fear is that [the Rohingya] are playing right into the government’s hands,” he said.
The storm warnings mirror those of 2008, when Cyclone Nargis struck Burma, causing the worst natural disaster in the country’s history and killing nearly 140,000 people. Two years later, Arakan state was struck by Cyclone Giri, a powerful tropical cyclone, which destroyed some 15,000 homes.
Among these are hundreds of families, who are too terrified to leave their camps with state security forces, because they have previously been implicated in carrying out mass atrocities against the Muslim minority.
“The police get off trucks with riot gear and people are very afraid,” an aid worker told DVB from Ohn Daw or Coconut garden, one of the most vulnerable camps housing some 4,000 Rohingyas near Sittwe, on Wednesday night. “We’ve been in the communities when the police come and people start crying.”
“We’ve tried to convince them that the storm is coming and they may not survive, but they say they will take their chances. They are less afraid of the storm than they are the authorities.”
The UN has admitted that “there are still pockets of resistance”, but insists that local authorities and international aid groups are working around the clock to relocate as many people as possible, before Cyclone Mahasen is projected to hit land in southern Bangladesh on Friday morning.
It follows news that the president’s spokesperson, Ye Htut, threatened legal action against anyone who refuses to move. “The government will punish those who don’t follow our instructions to evacuate,” he told a press conference in Rangoon on Wednesday.
But human rights activists have described his threats as “absolutely disgraceful” and accused him of “tarnishing the efforts of others in the Burma government who are actually trying to help the IDPs [internally displaced persons] in Arakan state.”
“It’s completely understandable that some Rohingya are nervous about moving to an unknown destination with security forces, who just seven months ago were involved in committing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing against them,” Phil Robertson, deputy-Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) told DVB on Thursday.
The UN says that local authorities have been “very flexible” in the relocation process and repeatedly assured locals that they will be able
But aid workers say that poor information sharing has also fuelled distrust and resistance among the Rohingya, who are often left uncertain of the locations to which they are being resettled.
In southern Maungdaw township, near the Bangladeshi border, where the cyclone is expected to have the greatest impact, a local activist told DVB that displaced Rohingya have been the last to be moved – after border security (NaSaKa) camps and Arakanese villages — and often given no information whatsoever. As a result, only Rohingyas with relatives based further inland have been willing to accompany the NaSaKa in their trucks.
The UN admits that evacuations in Maungdaw, which has a majority Rohingya population, are “proceeding more slowly than in other locations” with only 64 families prepared for resettlement. According to Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project, the differences between cyclone preparations in Bangladesh and Burma were “striking”.
“They have sent teams of volunteers all over the district and gone along the beach to share their evacuation plans in area, where they expect waves six feet high,” she said, referring to Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh, which
But reportedly large-scale “spontaneous” movements of displaced Rohingya were initiated in southern Maungdaw on Wednesday night, after the Bangladeshi authorities raised the severity level of the cyclone.
It follows news that a group of more than 100 displaced Rohingya from Pauktaw, east of Sittwe, went missing after a botched attempt to flee the cyclone in a convoy of boats on Monday night.
But DVB’s local source in Sittwe said it was unlikely that anyone from Ohn Daw camp would leave before the storm – with or without state assistance.
“We’ve actually given up – we’ve tried everything we can possibly think of,” he said. “My feeling is that they won’t leave. Some have even told us that they are praying to Allah for the storm to come over them because they are prepared to die.”
Activists are concerned that some state officials could use Cyclone Mahasen as an opportunity to further persecute the Muslim minority, which is denied citizenship and basic rights by the government. “Our fear is that [the Rohingya] are playing right into the government’s hands,” he said.
The storm warnings mirror those of 2008, when Cyclone Nargis struck Burma, causing the worst natural disaster in the country’s history and killing nearly 140,000 people. Two years later, Arakan state was struck by Cyclone Giri, a powerful tropical cyclone, which destroyed some 15,000 homes.
Officials reach out to refugees following fighting in Shan state | Democratic Voice of Burma
Last week, approximately 2,000 locals from 19 villages fled as hundreds ofBurmese soldiers launched an assault on a SSA-S position near the Sino-Burmese border. Many of the villagers reportedly crossed the border into China.
The attack follows an assault on another SSA-S base on 5 May in northern Shan state when the outpost was razed by the military.
Shan Nationalities Democratic Party’s Sai Kyaw Ohn said local authorities had taken field trips to the area and were attempting to convince the villagers from Namhkam and Tanyang townships to return home after they fled to escape violence.
The MP said that officials were also compiling a list of property that was damaged during the fighting between the SSA-S and the Tatmadaw earlier in the month.
“[Officials] are telling villagers not to be afraid to return home and that they are compiling a list of destroyed to property to provide them with compensation and they will also provide food andmedical assistance ,” said Sai Kyaw Ohn.
While about 40 people have reportedly returned home in Namhkam’s Nawngmata and Nawnghkam villages, residents remain wary of the government soldiers stationed near their villages.
According to a report in the Shan Herald Agency for News published on Tuesday, SSA-S representatives have asked Chinese officials to provide refugees with temporary shelter after the villagers fled across the border.
As officials attempt to rebuild trust with locals in the restive area, the government accused the rebel group in the state press of shooting civilians at an oil and gas block earlier in the week.
In a brief published in Wednesday’s English edition of The New Light of Myanmar, the government mouthpiece blamed Shan rebels for orchestrating an assault at an oil and gas block in Naungmata Village in Nankham Township that left two dead and three injured, including two police officers.
The victims were identified as U Min Din, 38, and U Sai Zar Aung, 32.
“The assailants are from RCSS/SSA,” stated the report.
The SSA-S dismissed the report as “groundless” and said officials were undermining the group’s fragile ceasefire with Naypyidaw.
“The government, while looking to bring about eternal peace, should not use its state-run media to discredit ethnic armed groups like this as it may lead to further difficulties with building mutual-trust,” said SSA-S spokesperson Sai Hseng Murng.
“The attack [in Namhkam] has no connection with us whatsoever.”
The accusations come as relations between the ceasefire group and government have dramatically declined in recent weeks as ongoing fighting continues to erupt between rebel forces and the military.
The SSA-S says it’s in the process of reaching out to the government’s chief peace negotiator Aung Min but has yet to hear of any developments.
“We have sent two officials – Colonel Sai La and Lieutenant-colonel Sai Ngan – to meet with [minister] Aung Min at the Peace Centre [in Rangoon],” said Sai Hseng Murng. “For now, I don’t know whether the meeting has actually happened yet or not. They left for [Rangoon] a couple of days ago.”
While the government has signed an official ceasefire with the SSA-S, the agreement has failed to reign in the Tatmadaw and stop the military from attacking groups who have inked similar deals in the restive state.
The attack follows an assault on another SSA-S base on 5 May in northern Shan state when the outpost was razed by the military.
Shan Nationalities Democratic Party’s Sai Kyaw Ohn said local authorities had taken field trips to the area and were attempting to convince the villagers from Namhkam and Tanyang townships to return home after they fled to escape violence.
The MP said that officials were also compiling a list of property that was damaged during the fighting between the SSA-S and the Tatmadaw earlier in the month.
“[Officials] are telling villagers not to be afraid to return home and that they are compiling a list of destroyed to property to provide them with compensation and they will also provide food and
While about 40 people have reportedly returned home in Namhkam’s Nawngmata and Nawnghkam villages, residents remain wary of the government soldiers stationed near their villages.
According to a report in the Shan Herald Agency for News published on Tuesday, SSA-S representatives have asked Chinese officials to provide refugees with temporary shelter after the villagers fled across the border.
As officials attempt to rebuild trust with locals in the restive area, the government accused the rebel group in the state press of shooting civilians at an oil and gas block earlier in the week.
In a brief published in Wednesday’s English edition of The New Light of Myanmar, the government mouthpiece blamed Shan rebels for orchestrating an assault at an oil and gas block in Naungmata Village in Nankham Township that left two dead and three injured, including two police officers.
The victims were identified as U Min Din, 38, and U Sai Zar Aung, 32.
“The assailants are from RCSS/SSA,” stated the report.
The SSA-S dismissed the report as “groundless” and said officials were undermining the group’s fragile ceasefire with Naypyidaw.
“The government, while looking to bring about eternal peace, should not use its state-run media to discredit ethnic armed groups like this as it may lead to further difficulties with building mutual-trust,” said SSA-S spokesperson Sai Hseng Murng.
“The attack [in Namhkam] has no connection with us whatsoever.”
The accusations come as relations between the ceasefire group and government have dramatically declined in recent weeks as ongoing fighting continues to erupt between rebel forces and the military.
The SSA-S says it’s in the process of reaching out to the government’s chief peace negotiator Aung Min but has yet to hear of any developments.
“We have sent two officials – Colonel Sai La and Lieutenant-colonel Sai Ngan – to meet with [minister] Aung Min at the Peace Centre [in Rangoon],” said Sai Hseng Murng. “For now, I don’t know whether the meeting has actually happened yet or not. They left for [Rangoon] a couple of days ago.”
While the government has signed an official ceasefire with the SSA-S, the agreement has failed to reign in the Tatmadaw and stop the military from attacking groups who have inked similar deals in the restive state.
Burma’s Displaced Urged Not to Resist Cyclone Evacuation
Burma’s Displaced Urged Not to Resist Cyclone Evacuation
Burmese authorities on Wednesday urged tens of thousands of Muslims living in flood-prone camps in Rakhine state to comply with evacuation instructions ahead of a looming cyclone, after some wary of their safety in the wake of ethnic violence refused to move.
Around 140,000 people, mostly ethnic Rohingyas, have been living in tents and makeshift shelters in the coastal state since communal violence forced them from their homes last year, nearly half of them in areas vulnerable to storm surges and flooding from Cyclone Mahasen expected to make landfall late Thursday or early Friday.
Authorities have arranged to relocate tens of thousands in the camps to higher ground, but many have refused to go, saying they fear for their safety in the new locations or that they will not be able to return.
Aung Min, a minister in President Thein Sein’s office, warned Wednesday that authorities will take serious action against those who do not comply with government arrangements to move them to higher ground.
"Some people don't want to move from their homes, but we don't want to see them dead,” he told a press briefing on the cyclone in Rangoon on Wednesday.
“According to the natural disaster management law, entering disaster areas managed by the government and refusing instructions to move to safer areas is also forbidden. The government will punish those who don't follow these instructions to evacuate,” he said.
Deputy Information Minister Ye Htut said those encouraging others to refuse to move “may have action taken against them.”
'Life-threatening conditions'
Officials promised that the government would provide disaster relief to members of all religious communities equally, and urged ethnic communities in Rakhine to put aside their differences to weather the storm.
The U.N. has warned of “life-threatening conditions” for 8.2 million people at risk from the storm along the coasts of India, Bangladesh, and Burma.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement earlier this week that Muslims in the camps on Burma's coast were also at risk from violence at the hands of ethnic Rakhine communities and local security forces.
Rights groups have accused security forces of complicity in last year's violence between Buddhist Rakhines and Rohingya Muslims, which left at least 192 dead.
Fear and distrust
Tun Wai, a Kaman Muslim leader at a camp in Ramree township had agreed with plans to move into a government hall in the township on Thursday, but others at the camp said they were afraid they would not be safe in the new location.
“I think they have refused because they think that the new location is not safer than where they are,” he told RFA’s Burmese Service.
Others fear that once evacuated they will not be allowed to return, or that the new locations they are assigned to will not have as many provisions.
“I don't want to move. I don't know if there will be food rations in the new place,” one Rohingya man living in a camp in Sittwe told RFA.
Khin Maung Win, a local Rohingya leader in Sittwe, said that members of his community have refused instructions to leave.
“We asked them to evacuate, and yesterday they said they would. But now they don’t want to move,” he told RFA.
The U.N.’s Office of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement late Tuesday that the storm had weakened to a Category 1 storm, but that it posed “life-threatening conditions.”
In 2008, Burma’s southern delta region was devastated by Cyclone Nargis, which killed more than 130,000 people.
Two days before hitting Burma, Nargis weakened to a Category 1 cyclone before strengthening to a Category 4 storm.
Reported by Zin Mar Win, Khin Khin Ei, and Min Thein Aung for RFA’s Burmese Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
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Seven Burmese Muslims Charged With Monk's Death
RFA English
Seven Muslims in Burma have been charged with the murder of a Buddhist monk that fueled deadly communal riots two months ago in central Meikhtila city, lawyers said Tuesday.
Six of them face the death penalty if convicted in one of the most high profile cases since sectarian violence first flared nearly a year ago.
A seventh suspect, who is under 16 years old, will be tried in a juvenile court in connection with the murder of the monk identified as Thawbita who, according to reports, was pulled off his motorbike, attacked and burned on March 20.
If found guilty, the maximum sentence that could be imposed on the teenager is seven years in jail.
The masterminds of the alleged murder have not been held yet, lawyers said.
"The real four perpetrators [of the alleged crime] are on the run," lawyer Thein Than Oo told RFA's Burmese Service.
He said the suspects were charged under various laws, including the Criminal Procedure Code and Religious Crime Act.
The monk was among at least 43 people killed in a wave of violence stemming from a quarrel between a Buddhist couple and a Muslim goldsmith in his shop.
Last month the goldsmith was among three Muslims sentenced to 14 years in prison each for various offenses, including aggravated assault, attempted injury, and aiding and abetting crimes.
A total of 70 people have been held in connection with the Meikhtila violence, the Irrawaddy journal reported.
They are comprised of 28 Muslims and 42 Buddhists, it said.
Some rights groups have accused the Burmese security forces of standing by while Buddhist mobs rampaged through Meikhtila killing Muslims and driving many from their homes and businesses in the violence that also spread to areas north of Rangoon.
No Buddhists have been charged yet in relation to the unrest, according to reports.
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said it was seriously concerned about a "lack of accountability for crimes committed against Muslim communities."
"The authorities need to demonstrate that investigations and prosecutions aren't discriminatory and are in line with international standards, but they aren't doing that," Matthew Smith, a researcher for the group, told the Associated Press.
"What we are seeing in Meikhtila is consistent with what we are seeing elsewhere in the country—a failure to bring perpetrators to account."
A verdict in the trial of the six adults is expected on Friday, Ye Aung Myint, Chief Justice of the Mandalay Region, told Agence France-Presse.
The Meikhtila violence was among a spate of communal riots between Muslims and Buddhists that have threatened to derail national reconciliation, which reformist Burmese President Thein Sein sees as central to achieving the country’s goal of democracy.
Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government took power in 2011, freeing the country from decades of military misrule, but rolling back restrictions on rights such as the freedom of expression has allowed some long-hidden prejudices to resurface in Burmese society.
Last year, clashes between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhines broke out twice in Burma's Rakhine state, leaving at least 180 dead and tens of thousands homeless—mostly Rohingyas.
Just two weeks ago, clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in Oakkan—a town located about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Rangoon—left one dead and nearly a dozen injured before order was restored by police firing warning shots over the heads of mobs. Two mosques were partially destroyed and dozens of homes and shops were burnt to the ground.
Assurance
Burmese President Thein Sein on Monday assured the minority Muslims that their fundamental rights will be protected.
In a speech on state television, the reformist leader called for "peaceful coexistence" and "tolerance" among all communities in the mainly Buddhist country.
"Our government will take the most practical ways to protect the basic rights of Muslims who have been here for a long time," Thein Sein said, referring to the conflict in Rakhine state.
In the same breath, he said, the government "will never ignore the feelings and demands of the Rakhines."
Reported by Zin Mar Win for RFA's Burmese Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.
Seven Muslims in Burma have been charged with the murder of a Buddhist monk that fueled deadly communal riots two months ago in central Meikhtila city, lawyers said Tuesday.
Six of them face the death penalty if convicted in one of the most high profile cases since sectarian violence first flared nearly a year ago.
A seventh suspect, who is under 16 years old, will be tried in a juvenile court in connection with the murder of the monk identified as Thawbita who, according to reports, was pulled off his motorbike, attacked and burned on March 20.
If found guilty, the maximum sentence that could be imposed on the teenager is seven years in jail.
The masterminds of the alleged murder have not been held yet, lawyers said.
"The real four perpetrators [of the alleged crime] are on the run," lawyer Thein Than Oo told RFA's Burmese Service.
He said the suspects were charged under various laws, including the Criminal Procedure Code and Religious Crime Act.
The monk was among at least 43 people killed in a wave of violence stemming from a quarrel between a Buddhist couple and a Muslim goldsmith in his shop.
Last month the goldsmith was among three Muslims sentenced to 14 years in prison each for various offenses, including aggravated assault, attempted injury, and aiding and abetting crimes.
A total of 70 people have been held in connection with the Meikhtila violence, the Irrawaddy journal reported.
They are comprised of 28 Muslims and 42 Buddhists, it said.
Some rights groups have accused the Burmese security forces of standing by while Buddhist mobs rampaged through Meikhtila killing Muslims and driving many from their homes and businesses in the violence that also spread to areas north of Rangoon.
No Buddhists have been charged yet in relation to the unrest, according to reports.
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said it was seriously concerned about a "lack of accountability for crimes committed against Muslim communities."
"The authorities need to demonstrate that investigations and prosecutions aren't discriminatory and are in line with international standards, but they aren't doing that," Matthew Smith, a researcher for the group, told the Associated Press.
"What we are seeing in Meikhtila is consistent with what we are seeing elsewhere in the country—a failure to bring perpetrators to account."
A verdict in the trial of the six adults is expected on Friday, Ye Aung Myint, Chief Justice of the Mandalay Region, told Agence France-Presse.
The Meikhtila violence was among a spate of communal riots between Muslims and Buddhists that have threatened to derail national reconciliation, which reformist Burmese President Thein Sein sees as central to achieving the country’s goal of democracy.
Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government took power in 2011, freeing the country from decades of military misrule, but rolling back restrictions on rights such as the freedom of expression has allowed some long-hidden prejudices to resurface in Burmese society.
Last year, clashes between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhines broke out twice in Burma's Rakhine state, leaving at least 180 dead and tens of thousands homeless—mostly Rohingyas.
Just two weeks ago, clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in Oakkan—a town located about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Rangoon—left one dead and nearly a dozen injured before order was restored by police firing warning shots over the heads of mobs. Two mosques were partially destroyed and dozens of homes and shops were burnt to the ground.
Assurance
Burmese President Thein Sein on Monday assured the minority Muslims that their fundamental rights will be protected.
In a speech on state television, the reformist leader called for "peaceful coexistence" and "tolerance" among all communities in the mainly Buddhist country.
"Our government will take the most practical ways to protect the basic rights of Muslims who have been here for a long time," Thein Sein said, referring to the conflict in Rakhine state.
In the same breath, he said, the government "will never ignore the feelings and demands of the Rakhines."
Reported by Zin Mar Win for RFA's Burmese Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
First ethnic media conference to be held in Mon State
First ethnic media conference to be held in Mon State:
The first ever ethnic media conference will be hosted in Myanmar by Burma News International (BNI) from April 25-27 at the Strand Hotel in Mawlamyine, Mon State.
The objectives of conference are to help develop a democratic and world standard media law; promote multi-media news agencies in ethnic regions; and, to increase the role of ethnic media in peace processes.
“Burmese language programs are least 10 hours a day and ethnic programs get only total one and half hour. It is not proportionate. We will be pleased if we get 25 percent of the airtime. We will present this case at the conference,” said Nai Banya Aung, editor of the Independent Mon News Agency.
The event will be attended by members of the media, as well as legislators of Mon State and members of the Ministry of Information.
The first ever ethnic media conference will be hosted in Myanmar by Burma News International (BNI) from April 25-27 at the Strand Hotel in Mawlamyine, Mon State.
The objectives of conference are to help develop a democratic and world standard media law; promote multi-media news agencies in ethnic regions; and, to increase the role of ethnic media in peace processes.
“Burmese language programs are least 10 hours a day and ethnic programs get only total one and half hour. It is not proportionate. We will be pleased if we get 25 percent of the airtime. We will present this case at the conference,” said Nai Banya Aung, editor of the Independent Mon News Agency.
The event will be attended by members of the media, as well as legislators of Mon State and members of the Ministry of Information.
Aid workers call for donations and supplies for Shan refugees
Aid workers call for donations and supplies for Shan refugees:
It is reported that the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and a Shan youth association have joined hands collecting funds and other utilities to support the refugees, who have fled and taken shelters in the temples in Tangyan, Shan State, due to the recent clashes between Shan rebels and Burma army, according to the local news sources from northern Shan State.
Over 1,000 Shan and Ta’ang refugees from 16 villages of Loi Zay tract in Tangyan Township, who have initially taken shelters at various Buddhist monasteries in Tangyan, now have been localed at Aung Mangala (Mingala in Burmese, but Mangala in Pali) monastery according to local news sources from Tangyan.
SHAN has reported about at the end of March, Burma Army Infantry Battalions (IB) 33 and 291 and Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 322 attacked SSPP/SSA bases at Loi Zay, and “knowingly” shelling into farmlands and villages. People in the areas were fleeing for safety to stay in temples and religious places in the town of Tangyan.
Refugees include Ta’ang (Palaung), Chinese and Shan. The Chinese refugees go to stay with their relatives in Panya Young, in The new town. The majority of Shan and Palaung meanwhile are camped at Aung Mangala monastery which is comfortable for them as they are provided with water, light and accommodations, said Sai Kham Hseng, a refugee helper from Kehsi.
“It is of course problematic for Ta’ang as they brought no extra clothing with them. For the male, they wear whatever is given to them; but for the female, they prefer only Ta’ang traditional clothing. Most of them have left the temple to live with their relatives in villages where no fighting takes place”, said a local from Tangyan.
Until yesterday (9 March), there was no humanitarian organizations coming for aid, except ICRC among the NGOs. But there are groups of donors coming from Mongyai, Lashio, Kehsi, said Sai Khur, a young man from Tangyan.
“People from Kesi, Mongyai and Lashio brought some basic needs utilities such as money, blankets, plates and cooking facilities to distribute the refugees. There are also a 20-strong group of young people and SNLD from Lashio are collecting donations and basic utilities. The aid includes cash 4.5 million Kyat ($ 5,260), foods, blankets and kitchen utensils. The group did not stay overnight in Tangyan,” said Sai Khur.
“For the refugees to return home, it is only possible if Burma army and SSPP/SSA come together at the negotiation table and strictly observe the terms of truce. Most people fear the Burma Army. If there are landmines, they will be the first victims. There are also rape cases, therefore people dare not return home. Both sides should bear the responsibilities, but the government should take a bigger share of responsibility. Burma Army intentionally and systematically use this kind of war-weapons to control the areas,” said a member of Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) in Tangyan.
It is reported that there has been shortage of food, basic needs, utilities and supplies, as only a handful of local people from the town give them food and not yet seen from others, said local sources.
In order that the donation and basic needs to reach these refugees, before the arrival of the Water festival (Buddhist New Year celebration), SNLD and a Shan Youth Association have joined hands collecting the donations and supplies from the people in Lashio, said local news sources.
If any individual or organizations would like to make donation, basic utilities or some other help, please contact the under mentioned numbers in Burma (country code, 95):
Sai Hseng Mong, mobile: 09 526 2936, email: saihsengmong@gmail.com
Sai Sarng Mon, mobile: 09 445 108667
It is reported that the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and a Shan youth association have joined hands collecting funds and other utilities to support the refugees, who have fled and taken shelters in the temples in Tangyan, Shan State, due to the recent clashes between Shan rebels and Burma army, according to the local news sources from northern Shan State.
Over 1,000 Shan and Ta’ang refugees from 16 villages of Loi Zay tract in Tangyan Township, who have initially taken shelters at various Buddhist monasteries in Tangyan, now have been localed at Aung Mangala (Mingala in Burmese, but Mangala in Pali) monastery according to local news sources from Tangyan.
SHAN has reported about at the end of March, Burma Army Infantry Battalions (IB) 33 and 291 and Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 322 attacked SSPP/SSA bases at Loi Zay, and “knowingly” shelling into farmlands and villages. People in the areas were fleeing for safety to stay in temples and religious places in the town of Tangyan.
Refugees include Ta’ang (Palaung), Chinese and Shan. The Chinese refugees go to stay with their relatives in Panya Young, in The new town. The majority of Shan and Palaung meanwhile are camped at Aung Mangala monastery which is comfortable for them as they are provided with water, light and accommodations, said Sai Kham Hseng, a refugee helper from Kehsi.
“It is of course problematic for Ta’ang as they brought no extra clothing with them. For the male, they wear whatever is given to them; but for the female, they prefer only Ta’ang traditional clothing. Most of them have left the temple to live with their relatives in villages where no fighting takes place”, said a local from Tangyan.
Until yesterday (9 March), there was no humanitarian organizations coming for aid, except ICRC among the NGOs. But there are groups of donors coming from Mongyai, Lashio, Kehsi, said Sai Khur, a young man from Tangyan.
“People from Kesi, Mongyai and Lashio brought some basic needs utilities such as money, blankets, plates and cooking facilities to distribute the refugees. There are also a 20-strong group of young people and SNLD from Lashio are collecting donations and basic utilities. The aid includes cash 4.5 million Kyat ($ 5,260), foods, blankets and kitchen utensils. The group did not stay overnight in Tangyan,” said Sai Khur.
“For the refugees to return home, it is only possible if Burma army and SSPP/SSA come together at the negotiation table and strictly observe the terms of truce. Most people fear the Burma Army. If there are landmines, they will be the first victims. There are also rape cases, therefore people dare not return home. Both sides should bear the responsibilities, but the government should take a bigger share of responsibility. Burma Army intentionally and systematically use this kind of war-weapons to control the areas,” said a member of Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) in Tangyan.
It is reported that there has been shortage of food, basic needs, utilities and supplies, as only a handful of local people from the town give them food and not yet seen from others, said local sources.
In order that the donation and basic needs to reach these refugees, before the arrival of the Water festival (Buddhist New Year celebration), SNLD and a Shan Youth Association have joined hands collecting the donations and supplies from the people in Lashio, said local news sources.
If any individual or organizations would like to make donation, basic utilities or some other help, please contact the under mentioned numbers in Burma (country code, 95):
Sai Hseng Mong, mobile: 09 526 2936, email: saihsengmong@gmail.com
Sai Sarng Mon, mobile: 09 445 108667
Decision to postpone Kachin peace-talks ‘mutual’, say rebels
Decision to postpone Kachin peace-talks ‘mutual’, say rebels:
The decision to delay the next round of peace-talks between the Burmese government and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) was “mutual” and based on a lack of adequate time to prepare, a rebel spokesperson told DVB on Tuesday.
It follows reports that the Chinese authorities were responsible for delaying the meeting – initially scheduled to take place before 10 April – by objecting to the presence of international observers.
“No one is to be blamed, it is because we are all unprepared,” said Dr La Ja, General-Secretary of the KIO. “We need [more] time for each group to participate, including the international community, governments and also UNFC [United Nationalities Federal Council] members and other ethnic armed groups – they all have to prepare.”
Dr La Ja said that while he had heard reports of China’s reluctance to participate in the talks alongside “other governments”, he did not think it was the “main reason” for the delay. He could not confirm whether the Burmese government had given approval for international observers to attend, but suggested that the UN, US and UK were all interested in joining the talks, along with China.
A group of civil society organisations recently accused the Asian superpower of playing a direct role in blocking the upcoming peace talks. In a statement released on Saturday, 13 NGOs warned that “the Chinese government would not attend the event if UK and US officials would also be present” and “would also object” if it went ahead without them.
The Chinese government has publicly rebutted the allegations, insisting that “logistical arrangements” were the main reason for the delay.
“China fully respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar [Burma] and supports the Myanmar government in its efforts to maintain national unity and ethnic harmony,” it said in a statement on Sunday.
According to a government peace negotiator, the talks were delayed at the request of the rebels themselves.
“In the evening of 3 April, the group contacted [head government peace negotiator] Aung Min to say they wished to postpone the meeting because there was not enough time for all the observers to attend,” Hla Maung Swe from the Myanmar Peace Centre told DVB on Monday.
Last week, another KIO spokesperson told DVB they would refuse to attend any future meetings, especially in government-controlled areas, unless a team of international observers were present.
“The government was [hinting] that it would be inappropriate for them to invite [foreign officials] but they could be considerate to the KIO if we made the invitations,” said La Nan in an interview, adding that they were still waiting for a response from the government.
China has played a key role in facilitating peace negotiations between the two warring parties, including hosting two rounds of talks in the border town Ruili. The most recent talks were held in early February after the Burmese government stepped up its military assault on the Kachin rebel headquarters in Laiza, which is nestled against China’s western border.
Other analysts have also suggested that China is reluctant to include outsiders in a process that could potentially damage their geopolitical interests. Khun Okka from the UNFC, who attended the February dialogue along with other ethnic minority representatives, accused the superpower of seeking to “subtly” influence the peace process.
“The [Chinese] were implying that the meeting should only be held at Ruili and nowhere else and that they would not send their representative if it is held elsewhere. They said that even if it takes place in Ruili, they would not allow representatives from other countries and governments,” he told DVB.
China has direct strategic and economic interests in Burma’s northern state, including numerous lucrative hydropower and mining projects. Aid workers say China also wants to avoid another influx of Kachin refugees spilling into their territories, after forcing thousands of civilians back into the conflict-torn state last summer.
The Kachin Independence Army, which is fighting for greater autonomy and ethnic rights in northern Burma, has been locked in a bloody battle with government forces since June 2011, when a 17-year ceasefire broke down over a dispute near a Chinese-backed hydropower dam. The rebels have repeatedly called for a political solution as a key provision for sustainable peace.
The next meeting is likely to be held in late April – after the Thingyan New Year festival – in the state capital Myitkyina.
-Additional reporting provided by DVB staff
The decision to delay the next round of peace-talks between the Burmese government and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) was “mutual” and based on a lack of adequate time to prepare, a rebel spokesperson told DVB on Tuesday.
It follows reports that the Chinese authorities were responsible for delaying the meeting – initially scheduled to take place before 10 April – by objecting to the presence of international observers.
“No one is to be blamed, it is because we are all unprepared,” said Dr La Ja, General-Secretary of the KIO. “We need [more] time for each group to participate, including the international community, governments and also UNFC [United Nationalities Federal Council] members and other ethnic armed groups – they all have to prepare.”
Dr La Ja said that while he had heard reports of China’s reluctance to participate in the talks alongside “other governments”, he did not think it was the “main reason” for the delay. He could not confirm whether the Burmese government had given approval for international observers to attend, but suggested that the UN, US and UK were all interested in joining the talks, along with China.
A group of civil society organisations recently accused the Asian superpower of playing a direct role in blocking the upcoming peace talks. In a statement released on Saturday, 13 NGOs warned that “the Chinese government would not attend the event if UK and US officials would also be present” and “would also object” if it went ahead without them.
The Chinese government has publicly rebutted the allegations, insisting that “logistical arrangements” were the main reason for the delay.
“China fully respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar [Burma] and supports the Myanmar government in its efforts to maintain national unity and ethnic harmony,” it said in a statement on Sunday.
According to a government peace negotiator, the talks were delayed at the request of the rebels themselves.
“In the evening of 3 April, the group contacted [head government peace negotiator] Aung Min to say they wished to postpone the meeting because there was not enough time for all the observers to attend,” Hla Maung Swe from the Myanmar Peace Centre told DVB on Monday.
Last week, another KIO spokesperson told DVB they would refuse to attend any future meetings, especially in government-controlled areas, unless a team of international observers were present.
“The government was [hinting] that it would be inappropriate for them to invite [foreign officials] but they could be considerate to the KIO if we made the invitations,” said La Nan in an interview, adding that they were still waiting for a response from the government.
China has played a key role in facilitating peace negotiations between the two warring parties, including hosting two rounds of talks in the border town Ruili. The most recent talks were held in early February after the Burmese government stepped up its military assault on the Kachin rebel headquarters in Laiza, which is nestled against China’s western border.
Other analysts have also suggested that China is reluctant to include outsiders in a process that could potentially damage their geopolitical interests. Khun Okka from the UNFC, who attended the February dialogue along with other ethnic minority representatives, accused the superpower of seeking to “subtly” influence the peace process.
“The [Chinese] were implying that the meeting should only be held at Ruili and nowhere else and that they would not send their representative if it is held elsewhere. They said that even if it takes place in Ruili, they would not allow representatives from other countries and governments,” he told DVB.
China has direct strategic and economic interests in Burma’s northern state, including numerous lucrative hydropower and mining projects. Aid workers say China also wants to avoid another influx of Kachin refugees spilling into their territories, after forcing thousands of civilians back into the conflict-torn state last summer.
The Kachin Independence Army, which is fighting for greater autonomy and ethnic rights in northern Burma, has been locked in a bloody battle with government forces since June 2011, when a 17-year ceasefire broke down over a dispute near a Chinese-backed hydropower dam. The rebels have repeatedly called for a political solution as a key provision for sustainable peace.
The next meeting is likely to be held in late April – after the Thingyan New Year festival – in the state capital Myitkyina.
-Additional reporting provided by DVB staff
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