ND Burma
ND-Burma formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process. The 13 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to advocate for justice for victims. ND-Burma trains local organizations in human rights documentation; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, a secure open-source software; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns.
Recent Posts
- Myanmar military regime enters year 5 in terminal decline
- Myanmar junta bombs Rohingya Muslim village killing 41, rescuers say
- Myanmar’s junta cuts filmmaker’s life sentence to 15 years as part of wider amnesty
- Close The Sky
- International condemnation of the escalating humanitarian crisis and rights violations in Myanmar
Myanmar Must Turn Sorrow into Strength: Wife of Detained Activist
/in NewsMyanmar’s junta seized veteran political activist Ko Jimmy, also known as Kyaw Min Yu, a prominent 88 Generation Student leader, on Saturday night in Yangon for his anti-regime activism.
Ko Jimmy, 52, sustained a severe head injury during the arrest at Pin Lon Hnin Si villa in North Dagon Township.
His wife Daw Nilar Thein, another leading 88 Generation Students figure who also took part in the 1988 pro-democracy movement as a university student, has been in hiding elsewhere for her anti-junta activism. She is worried about her husband’s health and says, “the regime must take all responsibility for whatever happens to him”.
Ko Jimmy has been evading arrest since February. The junta issued arrest warrants for him along with Ko Min Ko Naing, another prominent 88 Generation figure, and a few others on Feb. 13 for alleged incitement.
The junta has killed nearly 1,200 people, detained more than 9,000 others and tortured those in captivity and committed gross human rights violations against civilians resisting military rule.
The Irrawaddy spoke to Ma Nilar Thein, who was also a political prisoner under a previous military regime, about Ko Jimmy, her concerns and her message to those opposing the regime.
How much do you know about Ko Jimmy since his arrest?
I have heard that he is in Mingaladon Military Hospital. He is being watched.
Do you know about his head injury?
I’m not sure how he got his head injury.
You said two people escaped. What did they say about his arrest?
Two young people escaped while junta forces were breaking down the door. They do not know what happened after that. They said there were a lot of troops.
There was a rumor Ko Jimmy was arrested with weapons.
I do not know.
Why was he still in hiding in Yangon?
There are a lot of people in hiding in Yangon knowing they face arrest any day. People are in hiding, avoiding arrest and trying to keep anti-regime activities going.
It has been eight months. People in Yangon move around. We knew the risks when we joined the pro-democracy movement. We are doing our best. Not only people inside the country but those aboard are also fighting the dictatorship. People are doing different things in different ways.
It is important to try to stay safe while doing what you can. But we all know we are no longer safe anywhere. Some think it is safer in liberated areas [controlled by ethnic armed groups]. But people there are fleeing the war. They face different problems.
How worried are you about Ko Jimmy and yourself?
If we are arrested by the junta, we know we will be tortured and maybe killed as we have heard many stories over the past eight months. We are all worried about everyone in captivity.
Our concerns reduce slightly when we hear someone has arrived alive in prison. We are worried about him. We heard many things but we can’t confirm anything. I’m worried about him.
Does he have a lawyer?
No. We won’t hire any lawyer because we will not cooperate with those who arbitrarily arrest people, act with injustice and manipulate cases.
People are saddened by the arrest of Ko Jimmy. You have been involved in this revolution and been freed from detention. Would you like to share any message with the people?
Ko Jimmy has been arrested. Before that, our beloved and respected Generation Z, our other dear comrades and student unions members have been arrested in many places. There are deaths. We have to turn these sorrows into strength and we will continue to work to overthrow the dictator. The more we face such difficulties and pain, the more determined we are to work harder to overthrow this dictator.
Irrawaddy News
Air KBZ engineer dies in prison after being accused of tampering with passenger planes
/in NewsMin Min Soe’s father says his son was innocent and that Air KBZ had made ‘senseless accusations’
A man died in Yangon’s Insein Prison on Sunday after he was detained for allegedly tampering with three passenger planes owned by Air KBZ, where he worked as an avionic engineer.
Min Min Soe, 34, was arrested on September 11 and accused of being part of a group of people who put leaves into the planes’ pitot tubes, an act of sabotage that could have caused the planes to crash. The tubes are used to measure an aircraft’s speed at altitude.
The man’s family learned of his death on Monday when they travelled to the prison after hearing a rumour that he would be released as part of the junta’s amnesty.
Authorities told his father, Soe Paing, that he died while being treated at the prison hospital’s intensive care unit after fainting suddenly, and that he had high blood pressure at the time of death. Min Min Soe did not have any known health conditions.
“We were told that he died from heart and kidney conditions,” said Soe Paing, citing a statement given to him by the prison doctor and a prison officer.
The prison authorities also told him that Min Min Soe was treated on October 9 for “having spots on his lungs” but did not give any other details, Soe Paing added.
The family retrieved the body on Monday and cremated him at the Yay Way cemetery the following day. Soe Paing said there were no signs of abuse or torture on his body.
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Soe Paing said. “They broke him psychologically.”
On the day of his arrest, Min Min Soe was invited to a meeting at an Air KBZ office and arrived to find soldiers waiting for him.
“He was lured there… we haven’t seen our son since he was taken to the interrogation center,” said Soe Paing.
Min Min Soe spent 24 days at the Aung Tha Pyay interrogation center in Yangon’s Mayangone Township before being transferred to Insein Prison on October 5. Air KBZ were uncommunicative and unhelpful throughout the family’s ordeal, Soe Paing said.
“The company does not even answer our calls sometimes. Everyone there keeps passing responsibility to each other,” he said.
On August 12 one of Air KBZ’s ATR 72-600 planes was grounded before its scheduled departure to Heho from Yangon after the leaves in the pitot tube were found during a pre-flight inspection, junta-controlled media reported.
A second ATR 72-600 was used for the flight instead, but had to turn back to Yangon after the autopilot system failed. Once it had landed it was found to also have leaves in its pitot tubes. The airline allocated a third plane for the journey but once again found leaves in the pitot tubes.
The September 24 report in junta-controlled media said that the leaves were put there by Thein Lin Htaik, a line maintenance manager for the airline, with the help of four other staff members under the directions of a janitor. The story did not mention Min Min Soe.
Up to 21 Air KBZ staff members, including Min Min Soe, were later detained at Insein Prison in connection to the case, Soe Paing said. Min Min Soe worked at the company for 11 years, he added.
Soe Paing blames Air KBZ for his son’s death, saying the airline displayed a “lack of responsibility.”
“Their senseless accusations cost him his life,” Soe Paing said.
Air KBZ could not be reached for comment on the case.
Myanmar Now News
Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar: Post-Coup (11-17 October 2021)
/in HR SituationOn October 15th, Southeast Asian foreign ministers met for an emergency meeting on potentially barring junta-military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for failing to adhere to commitments made to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc at a summit meeting in Jakarta on 24 April earlier this year. Myanmar civil society organizations have called for the junta to not be invited to the ASEAN Summit on 25 to 28 October because of the regime’s proven unwillingness to cooperate with domestic, regional and international accountability mechanisms intended to curb and end the indiscriminate violence which Myanmar is engulfed in.
To ASEAN’s credit, at the meeting, member countries decided not to invite the military junta, and opted to instead invite a ‘non-political representative’ from Myanmar. The decision emerged to ‘uphold ASEAN’s credibility,’ despite longstanding criticisms that ASEAN’s policy of ‘non-interference’ failed to hold the junta accountable. In response, the Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs attempted to defend their commitment to the Five-Point Consensus by outlandishly declaring that they were working to preserve ‘peace and tranquility,’ and ultimately accusing ASEAN of not being flexible or showing understanding to their situation.
Tensions between ASEAN and the junta appear to be growing, especially as the Special Envoy, Erywan Yusof, postponed his trip to Myanmar because he was not allowed to meet with all political parties. He was specifically denied any interaction with National League for Democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has been detained since the attempted coup. A timeline of ASEAN’s interactions with the junta indicate the hesitation of countries such as the Philippines, Thailand and China to condemn the coup for fear of protecting their own authoritarian interests in their respective states. However, as the months have passed it has become abundantly clear to the bloc that the junta’s lack of will or interest in cooperating through progressive dialogue has amounted to more frustration.
Internally, the Tatmadaw has shown increasing signs of fragmentation. Record numbers of soldiers are defecting. The People’s Soldiers is a new group of defected Myanmar military soldiers who have joined the resistance movement in various forms. This week they issued a statement which said that the Generals committed treason and breached military law by forcing the President of Myanmar to forcibly resign.
CHIN STATE
Civilians in Chin State are living in a state of ongoing panic and fear due to the increased junta presence. The Tatmadaw is exercising all efforts to weaponize their response to the Chinland Defense Forces and local armed resistance groups. As reported by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, on October 11, a 29 year old and 34 year old from Falam Township, Chin State were killed by the junta. On the 13th, their bodies were discovered with bullet wounds to their faces and upper bodies.
In Kanpetlet, residents say that they are living in constant fear: Everything is uncertain and clashes can happen at any time.” Intensified offensives have forced the majority of the town to flee to safety. Religious minorities are also being targeted. Chin rights groups say there have been at least 20 cases of Christian churches, leaders and volunteers being caught in the crossfire of attacks.
KAYAH STATE
In Kayah State, human rights abuses are increasingly rampant. Civilians have been targeted and as a result, their livelihoods are in grave threat amid their desperation for survival. As reported by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, two brothers who had been displaced by violence were arrested while returning to their village in Demawso Township, Kayah State to take food. The junta soldiers shot both brothers, Kyaw Hein died and Daw Minit was injured on his head.
Displaced villagers in Hpruso township are in dire need of emergency aid and support. The junta has denied the flow of aid, and life-saving materials such as food, water and medicine.
SHAN STATE
Civil society organizations in Shan State have expressed the vulnerabilities being protracted from ongoing fighting has led to gaps in urgently needed food and medicine for displaced populations. Clashes between the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army have made it nearly impossible for villagers forced to flee to return home. The Tatmadaw is also arresting youths and targeting them for alleged ties to detonations on military businesses, including Mytel communication towers. According to reports, the junta has been shooting indiscriminately at people on the street, which has only contributed to growing fears throughout the state.
Additional charge against American journalist Danny Fenster related to his work with Myanmar Now, says lawyer
/in NewsFenster had stopped working with Myanmar Now seven months before the outlet was banned for its coverage of the coup
An additional charge that was laid against detained American journalist Danny Fenster earlier this month is related to his work with Myanmar Now before the military coup in February, according to his lawyer.
Fenster, who has been held in Yangon’s Insein Prison for nearly five months, was initially charged under Section 505a of the Penal Code for allegedly spreading false information with the intent to incite violence.
He faces up to three years in prison if convicted on that charge, which is also related to his work with Myanmar Now.
On October 4, junta authorities added an additional charge under Section 17 (1) of the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a two- to three-year prison term, to the case against him.
Fenster, 37, was working as managing editor of the Yangon-based Frontier Myanmar when he was arrested at Yangon International Airport on May 24 as he was about to board a flight to the US to visit his family.
Before joining Frontier Myanmar, Fenster worked with Myanmar Now as a copy editor from mid-2019 until July 2020.
In a statement released in July, Myanmar Now clarified that his sole assignment was editing English-language news stories and that he had held “no other position in the management of the newsroom nor was he affiliated with any type of non-editorial duties.”
The junta revoked the publishing licenses of five independent news outlets, including Myanmar Now, on March 9. A day before the announcement, junta soldiers raided Myanmar Now’s newsroom in Yangon’s Pabedan Township. No employees were arrested during the raid.
Citing the complaint submitted by the prosecution, Fenster’s lawyer Than Zaw Aung told Myanmar Now the American journalist is being prosecuted for the outlet’s continued reporting on the country since its license was revoked.
The complaint states that since it was banned, Myanmar Now has continued to report on the activities of opposition organizations that the junta has declared illegal, including the underground National Unity Government and the ousted lawmakers’ Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, on social media platforms, the lawyer said.
“The complaint says that the news outlet’s reporting encourages the activities of those organizations and states that those in charge at Myanmar Now should be prosecuted. Danny’s name is included in that, and he was charged as part of Myanmar Now,” said Than Zaw Aung.
At Friday’s court hearing—the 15th since his arrest—both the defence and the prosecution submitted arguments to the court on whether to allow Fenster to be released on bail in his case under the 505a charge. A ruling is expected at the next court hearing, which is scheduled for October 27, his lawyer said.
While the US State Department has requested that the junta release Fenster, military council spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun claimed at a September 30 press conference that he was “being held because he needed to be.”
Thomas Kean, Frontier Myanmar’s editor-in-chief, told AP on Friday that the arrest and charges against Fenster in relation to his work with Myanmar Now were “disappointing.”
“It is disappointing that the prosecution is still alleging that Danny was working for Myanmar Now in March 2021, when in reality he had resigned seven months earlier to join Frontier,” Kean told AP.
The military council has arrested around 100 journalists since the February 1 coup. While some have since been released, more than 50 are still imprisoned, according to local advocacy groups for press freedom.
Most are facing charges under Section 505a of the Penal Code for allegedly “publishing or circulating comments that cause fear, spread false news, or incite government employees to commit crimes.”
Myanmar Now News
The timing of todays’ statement is not coincidental. Coming days after the terrorist-like SAC’s rightful rejection by ASEAN.
/in Member statementsMyanmar junta forces raid Chin human rights office in Hakha township
/in NewsAccording to eyewitnesses, the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) office near the intersection in Hakha township, Chin State was raided by military council troops at 2:45 pm on 15 October.
A local resident said that when the military council troops raided the CHRO office, there were no staff in the office and some items were taken from the premises. CHRO is currently monitoring the violence of military council troops in Chin State.
The CHRO recently released a report on the human rights situation in Chin State during August and September.
Chin State has seen an uptick in conflict in the wake of the February military coup.
By Mizzima