Network for Human Rights Documentation-Burma
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Human Rights Situation in Burma (March 2011 to March 2012)
Introduction
The periodic report of the Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma (ND–Burma) documents the human rights situation in Burma from March 2011 - March 2012 the period marking President Thein Sein and his government being in office. The ND-Burma periodic report provides up-to-date information on human rights violations (HRVs) and highlights pressing issues and trends within the country. The information gathered covers 16 categories of human rights violations (HRV’s), documented in all 14 states and regions across Burma.
"Extreme Measures"
Network for Human Rights Documentation - Burma
truth commissions
What are truth commissions?
Truth commissions are nonjudicial, independent panels of inquiry typically set up to establish the facts and context of serious violations of human rights or of international humanitarian law in a country’s past. The commissions’ members are usually empowered to conduct research, support victims and propose policy recommendations to prevent recurrence of crimes. Through their investigations, the commissions may aim to discover and learn more about past abuses, or formally acknowledge them. They may aim to prepare the way for prosecutions and recommend institutional reforms. Most commissions focus on victims’ needs as a path toward reconciliation and reducing conflict over the past.
Truth commissions have been established on every populated continent in efforts to address mass crimes, consolidate the rule of law and promote reconciliation. The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission is the most famous example. That commission is the only one that has granted amnesties to perpetrators who disclose their crimes.
Burma: Free and fair elections do not mean civil and political rights exist, evidenced by continued detention of political prisoners
For the first time in decades, Burma will be holding Parliamentary by9elections that allows major opposition parties to contest the available seats. The move has been hailed by many in the international community as evidence of democratic progress and the elections are now being used as a benchmark for lifting sanctions if deemed “free and fair” by international monitors.
However, whether the elections are conducted in a free and fair manner is not a genuine reflection of the level of civil and political liberties accorded to the people of Burma. There are hundreds of political prisoners still behind bars, and those who have been released face deprivation of fundamental freedoms and extensive monitoring by security forces.
Untold Miseries
They pointed the knife against my stomach and they put it on my brother’s throat.... We were asked repeatedly where the KIA [Kachin Independence Army] is and in which house the weapons are hidden, and then the soldier said, “If you don’t show us and don’t give us the answers then you will be killed and your hands will be cut off.” And then we were tied up.
Progress report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
World Report 2012: Burma
Burma’s human rights situation remained dire in 2011 despite some significant moves by the government which formed in late March following November 2010 elections. Freedoms of expression, association, and assembly remain severely curtailed. Although some media restrictions were relaxed, including increased access to the internet and broader scope for journalists to cover formerly prohibited subjects, official censorship constrains reporting on many important national issues. In May and October the government released an estimated 316 political prisoners in amnesties, though many more remain behind bars.
Coercion, Cruelty and Collateral Damage
In Burma, transition neglects press freedom
After his paper published a seemingly innocuous story about the falling price of SIM cards—without the censors’ approval—authorities reacted swiftly in suspending the publication for two weeks. “We are pushing the limits as much as we can,” said the editor during a recent trip to Bangkok. As a small sign of success, he pointed to the publication of a recent series on the struggles of farmers facing high debts. But the censorship process remains arbitrary, intensive, and highly restrictive. “It’s like fighting with a spear while on horseback to get news published. ... We must prepare many extra stories each week to fill the spaces for stories that will inevitably be cut,” said the editor, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisal.
Monthly Chronology of Burma's Political Prisoners for November, 2011
AAPP can confirm 1,638 political prisoners have been arrested and are believed to still be in prison. There is an ongoing verification process to confirm as much information surrounding the political prisoner as possible, such as prison terms, sentencing history, and current whereabouts. Most importantly, AAPP is verifying whether a political prisoner is still in prison, has been released, or has been sent to a forced labor camp or to the front line, for example. If still in prison, AAPP is confirming the location of their prisons.
Trends
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