A UAE newspaper has said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra''ad Al Hussein, is absolutely right in asking the Myanmar government to take concrete steps to end the systemic discrimination and human rights violations against minority communities, particularly the Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state.
"A report requested by the UN Human Rights Council in July 2015 has documented a wide range of rights violations, including arbitrary deprivation of nationality, severe restrictions on freedom of movement, threats to life and security, denial of rights to health and education, forced labour, sexual violence and limitations to political rights," said The Gulf Today in an editorial on Wednesday.
"It also notes that for those formally charged, fair trial guarantees are often not respected. The report has clearly highlighted the possibility that the pattern of violations against the Rohingya may amount to crimes against humanity. (Courtesy of menafn.com)
June 23, 2016
UN Rapporteur Avoids Contentious Terms with Arakan Chief Minister
The United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, and Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu struck a conciliatory tone on a meeting in the state capital Sittwe on Wednesday, in which the contentious terms “Rohingya” and “Bengali” were avoided.
Yanghee Lee expressed confidence in the leadership of Nyi Pu, a National League for Democracy (NLD) member who was appointed as Chief Minister by the NLD leadership in the face of opposition from the Arakan National Party (ANP), which represents the Arakanese Buddhist majority and holds the largest plurality of seats in the state parliament.
Despite a reported request from Yanghee Lee, the ANP issued a statement on Wednesday saying they would not meet with her because she was “coming to write a biased report” for the UN.
Yanghee Lee and the UN have been the subject of fierce criticism, and abuse, from nationalists in Burma for highlighting discrimination against the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority in Arakan State, whom the general public in Burma refers to as “Bengali,” to imply they migrated illegally from Bangladesh. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Yanghee Lee expressed confidence in the leadership of Nyi Pu, a National League for Democracy (NLD) member who was appointed as Chief Minister by the NLD leadership in the face of opposition from the Arakan National Party (ANP), which represents the Arakanese Buddhist majority and holds the largest plurality of seats in the state parliament.
Despite a reported request from Yanghee Lee, the ANP issued a statement on Wednesday saying they would not meet with her because she was “coming to write a biased report” for the UN.
Yanghee Lee and the UN have been the subject of fierce criticism, and abuse, from nationalists in Burma for highlighting discrimination against the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority in Arakan State, whom the general public in Burma refers to as “Bengali,” to imply they migrated illegally from Bangladesh. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
The human exploiters
Within a matter of weeks, the US State Department will once again be rating and ranking itself and the world on human trafficking. All eyes in Thailand will once again be on whether this so-called "gold standard" has promoted the nation from its recent position at the bottom of the barrel. The country was moved two years ago from Tier 2 to Tier 3, a list of shame that includes nations with actual slave labour like North Korea, and long-term violators without any intention to improve. This was an appropriate ranking for "the old Thailand". But the country now appears to fare much better. (Courtesy of bangkokpost.com)
EU says Myanmar needs "space" to deal with rights abuses
The European Union said on Wednesday Myanmar needed "space" to deal with human rights abuses in its restive northwest, adding it would respect the call by country leader Aung San Suu Kyi to avoid the term "Rohingya" to describe persecuted Muslims there.
The statement exposes a rift in the West's approach to the sensitive issue, standing in contrast with the United States, which said it would continue to use the term, citing respect for the right of communities to choose what they should be called.
Members of the 1.1 million group, who identify themselves by the term Rohingya, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is a divisive issue. (Courtesy of news.trust.org)
The statement exposes a rift in the West's approach to the sensitive issue, standing in contrast with the United States, which said it would continue to use the term, citing respect for the right of communities to choose what they should be called.
Members of the 1.1 million group, who identify themselves by the term Rohingya, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is a divisive issue. (Courtesy of news.trust.org)
RNP issues statement on use of ‘Muslim community in Rakhine State’
The Rakhine National Party has issued a statement on the usage of the term ‘Muslim community in Rakhine State’ at the human rights conference on June 21.
A Myanmar representative submitted a proposal to the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 17, instructing participants to refer to the Rohingya community as the ‘Muslim community in Rakhine State’, rather than as ‘Rohingya’ or ‘Bengali’.
The RNP’s statement said: “Our party holds the view that Rakhine ethnics are blamed for the Bengali issue of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar by undermining the Union spirit. Now, the government is issuing citizenship scrutiny cards in Rakhine State after forming various committees to ensure stability, peace and development in Rakhine State. The plan to issue citizenship scrutiny cards is timed to coincide with the human rights conference. At this time, the term ‘Muslim community’ instead of ‘Bengalis’ seems to create a good chance for Bengalis to be citizens.” (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
A Myanmar representative submitted a proposal to the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 17, instructing participants to refer to the Rohingya community as the ‘Muslim community in Rakhine State’, rather than as ‘Rohingya’ or ‘Bengali’.
The RNP’s statement said: “Our party holds the view that Rakhine ethnics are blamed for the Bengali issue of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar by undermining the Union spirit. Now, the government is issuing citizenship scrutiny cards in Rakhine State after forming various committees to ensure stability, peace and development in Rakhine State. The plan to issue citizenship scrutiny cards is timed to coincide with the human rights conference. At this time, the term ‘Muslim community’ instead of ‘Bengalis’ seems to create a good chance for Bengalis to be citizens.” (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
U.N. Envoy Meets With Muslims And Buddhists in Myanmar’s Rakhine State
A United Nations human rights envoy to Myanmar met on Wednesday with Muslim and Buddhist residents of the country’s troubled Rakhine state at the airport in the state capital Sittwe, though the state’s dominant local political party turned down her invitation for a discussion.
“I come here as I did on my very first trip as a true friend of Rakhine,” said Yanghee Lee, the U.N.’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
Lee is on a 12-day visit to the country through July 1 to address a range of human rights issues with authorities and various stakeholders and compile information for a report she will submit to the U.N. in September.
“I come here with sincerity, and I am here to facilitate the process here so that everybody benefits from the new changes here,” she said.
This is Lee’s fourth mission to Myanmar since she was appointed as the U.N. envoy to the country in 2014. (Courtesy of rfa.org)
“I come here as I did on my very first trip as a true friend of Rakhine,” said Yanghee Lee, the U.N.’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
Lee is on a 12-day visit to the country through July 1 to address a range of human rights issues with authorities and various stakeholders and compile information for a report she will submit to the U.N. in September.
“I come here with sincerity, and I am here to facilitate the process here so that everybody benefits from the new changes here,” she said.
This is Lee’s fourth mission to Myanmar since she was appointed as the U.N. envoy to the country in 2014. (Courtesy of rfa.org)
SOLVING ROHINGYA PROBLEM
With the commemoration of World Refugee Day earlier this week, one of the planet’s most marginalised communities, the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar, are back under the international spotlight — and alongwith them, so is Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner and the West’s Great Hope for Democracy in the south-east Asian nation. Given the almost saintly halo that had been built around Suu Kyi especially by the Western Press, it was taken for granted that when she comes to power, she will bring relief and succour to the long-suffering Rohingyas, who, forget about rights and benefits, are barely acknowledged by the Myanmar state and routinely persecuted by society. (Courtesy of dailypioneer.com)
MP demands removal of ‘Mongwun (Bamar)’ category on ID cards
MP Nang San Hwan of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy asked the Shan State parliament to stop using ‘Mongwun (Bamar)’ as an ethnic category on citizenship cards as the category is generally used by Chinese immigrants to claim citizenship rights in Myanmar.
On May 4, Lower House MP Sai Thant Zin of Hsipaw Constituency in Shan State demanded an explanation as to why the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population accepts ‘Mongwun (Bamar)’ on citizenship cards. The Minister of Labour, Immigration and Population Thein Swe replied that Mongwun is not a Myanmar ethnic group.
However, according to the MP Nang San Hwan, township immigration offices are still accepting ‘Mongwun (Bamar)’ on national identity cards. (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
On May 4, Lower House MP Sai Thant Zin of Hsipaw Constituency in Shan State demanded an explanation as to why the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population accepts ‘Mongwun (Bamar)’ on citizenship cards. The Minister of Labour, Immigration and Population Thein Swe replied that Mongwun is not a Myanmar ethnic group.
However, according to the MP Nang San Hwan, township immigration offices are still accepting ‘Mongwun (Bamar)’ on national identity cards. (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
Ethnic armed groups propose venues for meeting with govt delegation
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Force (MNDAA) proposed to meet with the Preparation Committee for the 21st Century Panglong Conference at Shweli, Hpansan or Mongla, said Lt-Col Tar Hpone Kyaw, the general secretary of the TNLA on June 21.
The committee is left to meet with TNLA, AA, MNDAA and the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland to persuade them to attend the Union Peace Conference.
Committee secretary Hla Maung Shwe said his committee is trying to make contact with all the ethnic armed groups that have not yet met with the government delegation within the month of June. (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
The committee is left to meet with TNLA, AA, MNDAA and the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland to persuade them to attend the Union Peace Conference.
Committee secretary Hla Maung Shwe said his committee is trying to make contact with all the ethnic armed groups that have not yet met with the government delegation within the month of June. (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
Myanmar gov't urged to uphold democratic principles
The European Rohingya Council has urged Myanmar's government led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to uphold democratic principles and the rule of law.
"The council and the Rohingya community are deeply surprised and saddened by Suu Kyi-led government’s move in the footsteps of [the] previous Thein Sein led quasi-civilian government forcing Rohingya to self-identify as illegal immigrants by issuing so-called National Verification Card (NVC)," the council said in a written statement.
Identifying as illegal immigrants was a project that was "assumed by the Rohingya community as one of the genocidal tools pursued by previous military governments,” the council said, and the current civilian government recently restarted the project of a stateless Rohingya in some cities in Rakhine State. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
"The council and the Rohingya community are deeply surprised and saddened by Suu Kyi-led government’s move in the footsteps of [the] previous Thein Sein led quasi-civilian government forcing Rohingya to self-identify as illegal immigrants by issuing so-called National Verification Card (NVC)," the council said in a written statement.
Identifying as illegal immigrants was a project that was "assumed by the Rohingya community as one of the genocidal tools pursued by previous military governments,” the council said, and the current civilian government recently restarted the project of a stateless Rohingya in some cities in Rakhine State. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
382 Myanmar military personnel punished for recruiting minors
Myanmar military authorities have recently punished 382 military personnel including 73 officers for recruiting child soldiers, Xinhua reported on 21 June quoting the Committee for Prevention of Minors from Military Service. (Courtesy of mizzima.com)
Nicholas Farrelly -- How ASEAN is adapting to a democratic Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi will land in Bangkok for the first time since her triumphant 2015 election victory on June 23. Her Thai military hosts know something about elections: They tend not to respect their outcomes.
As Myanmar's democratic icon knows well, if you want to do high-level diplomatic business in Southeast Asia then you need a strong stomach for authoritarianism.
Since its formation in 1967, the weight of influence in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has rested with the region's dictatorships. Some are more huggable than others. (Courtesy of asia.nikkei.com)
As Myanmar's democratic icon knows well, if you want to do high-level diplomatic business in Southeast Asia then you need a strong stomach for authoritarianism.
Since its formation in 1967, the weight of influence in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has rested with the region's dictatorships. Some are more huggable than others. (Courtesy of asia.nikkei.com)
Rohingyas fear being whitewashed from Myanmar's history
Minority Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar are concerned for their future as the country's new civilian-led government continues to avoid using the name that they self-identify with.
"We are very worried about disappearing from history by the government's avoidance in using the term Rohingya," said Kyaw Hla Aung a Rohingya activist from the Thetkaepyin camp for internally displaced people near Sittwe the capital city of Rakhine state.
Kyaw Hla Aung said that the Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations and there is evidence of their existence.
"It is a legacy from the former military dictatorship that attempted to destroy such a history," he said. (Courtesy of ucanews.com)
"We are very worried about disappearing from history by the government's avoidance in using the term Rohingya," said Kyaw Hla Aung a Rohingya activist from the Thetkaepyin camp for internally displaced people near Sittwe the capital city of Rakhine state.
Kyaw Hla Aung said that the Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations and there is evidence of their existence.
"It is a legacy from the former military dictatorship that attempted to destroy such a history," he said. (Courtesy of ucanews.com)
Nationalist Myanmar party rejects UN envoy’s meet offer
A powerful ethnic party in Myanmar has rejected a United Nations human rights envoy’s request to meet during her visit to displaced persons camps in troubled western Rakhine state.
Yanghee Leeg, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, arrived in the state’s capital Sittwe on Wednesday morning and requested a meeting with officials from the Arakan National Party (ANP) on Thursday morning, the party said in a statement.
“We don’t believe at all that she wants to try to understand the situation here. She never really listens to us. That’s why we refused to meet her,” ANP joint secretary Ba Swe told Anadolu Agency by phone. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
Yanghee Leeg, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, arrived in the state’s capital Sittwe on Wednesday morning and requested a meeting with officials from the Arakan National Party (ANP) on Thursday morning, the party said in a statement.
“We don’t believe at all that she wants to try to understand the situation here. She never really listens to us. That’s why we refused to meet her,” ANP joint secretary Ba Swe told Anadolu Agency by phone. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)