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 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
- Women in Karenni State face increasing levels of violence
Report on Asia Exchange ‘Memory for Change’
/in Other Human Rights ReportsImpunity Watch (IW) is pleased to announce the publication of its report based upon the Asia Exchange Meeting ‘Memory for Change’, held in Bangkok from 3-7 November 2014. It was organised by IW, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and swisspeace. The Exchange brought together 34 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), two victims’ groups and seven international organisations working on human rights and transitional justice, including Asian Justice and Rights (AJAR), and Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD). The event built on a previous exchange meeting on memorialisation organised by IW in 2012. Participants included representatives from Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
The main focus of the Exchange was on the potential offered by bottom-up memorialisation initiatives in contributing to transitional justice processes. The key issue debated in the Exchange Meeting was the following: can memorialisation activities help to reduce impunity in Asian countries that suffer from a culture of silence and impunity?
Transitional justice processes in S/SE Asia have only witnessed limited advancement over the last years. One of the crucial shortfalls herein has been a lack of bottom-up participation channels that allow local human rights groups, victims’ organisations and other grassroots initiatives to help establish the accountability process in a broader societal context. Two key factors sustain this shortfall. The most important one is the lack of political space for human rights activism. The other factor often obstructing a stronger role for human rights activists and victims is the international design of support for transitional justice processes. In this context, memorialisation initiatives provide local organisations with a significant tool to open up political space.
The Exchange helped to deepen refection among civil society groups and victims’ organisations regarding different memorialisation efforts in S/SE Asia and inspired plans and follow-up meetings which have already been set in motion in several countries. In addition to this report, seven Country Explorations on Memorialisation as Related to Transitional Justice Processes have been written in order to outline the specific situation of each country. These explorations present an overview of the state of affairs in the field of transitional justice in each country, mapping out existing memorialisation initiatives and possible ways forward.
Download the report:
Memorialisation as Related to Transitional Justice Processes in Burma/Myanmar: an Exploration
AAPP and Burma Partnership (2015) How to Defend the Defenders?
/in ND-Burma Members' ReportsA Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Burma and Appropriate Protection Mechanisms
Testimonies and reports from inside the country have painted a very different picture to the new tolerant and free Burma that the Burma Government wants the world to see. Those who try to defend human rights, or question the power or narrative of the Burma Government — and their military and corporate backers —now seem to be operating in as dangerous an environment as ever.
The immediate objective of the report is to provide a comprehensive picture of the current situation of Human Rights Defenders (“HRDs”) in Burma, including the threats and risks that they face. The report also provides concrete, practical, research-based, solution-oriented policy recommendations for HRDs, the Burma authorities, and any other relevant actors, to enhance HRDs’ access to adequate and realistic protection programs, and to strengthen legislative and judicial protection mechanisms for HRDs in Burma. The medium-term objective is to facilitate the emergence of an enabling environment in which HRDs can operate freely, and carry out their valuable and legitimate human rights work. The longterm objective is to realize an improved human rights situation in Burma, whereby human rights are promoted, respected and protected, particularly those of poor, marginalized and vulnerable groups, including religious, ethnic and social minorities, as well as local grassroots communities.
Download the full report in English or Burmese.
Download the report briefer in English or Burmese.
Presidential Amnesty does little to Liberate Burma’s Political Prisoners
/in Member statementsDate: July 31, 2015
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) are greatly disappointed at the release of only a handful of political prisoners yesterday, among thousands of criminal offenders set free in the amnesty.
On July 30, 2015, the Ministry of Information announced the release of 6,966 prisoners in the first presidential amnesty since October 2014. Of those 6,966, only 13 political prisoners were granted freedom. This number is drastically disproportionate to the amount of political activists currently detained, with the 13 political prisoners all serving relatively short terms of imprisonment, or had in some cases almost completed their sentences. Yet, included in the amnesty were 155 Chinese nationals found guilty of illegal logging in Kachin State on July 22, 153 of which were sentenced to life imprisonment. Their release, less than 10 days after their sentencing following demands from China to free the prisoners and return them to their country of origin, raises serious doubts regarding Burma’s sovereignty and the validity of the rule of law in the country. The release of many criminal prisoners, in particular the backtracking shown in the case of the Chinese detainees, further reiterates how little respect for rule of law there is in Burma, and how urgently reforms in this area are needed.
With the number of arrests of political and human rights activists on the rise, it is evident that the government is increasingly cracking down on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression in the run up to general election. There are currently 120 political prisoners behind bars, with a further 444 people awaiting trial.
AAPP and FPPS call on the Government of Burma to unconditionally release the remaining political prisoners ahead of the November election, and end the ongoing trials of those facing charges. In addition, AAPP and FPPS urge the international community to stand with us in our efforts to ensure the Government of Burma heed this call.
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS)
Contact:
Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary +66 (0) 81 287 8751
Bo Kyi, AAPP Joint Secretary +95 (0) 94 2530 8840
Tin Maung Oo (FPPS) +95 (0) 955 01429
ND-Burma launches its new report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma”
/in Activities, ND-Burma(Yangon, 11 June 2015) We have successfully launched the report of “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma,” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon on 11 June 2015.
ND-Burma’s press conference of the report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon, Myanmar
In the report launch, Ma Thin Thin Aung as moderator, Lway Poe Ngel from Advocacy team (PWO), San Htoi (KWAT) and Su Su Swe (TWU) as panels.
Lway Poe Ngel explained about ND-Burma, UTP project, methodology and summary. Su Su Swe talked about Land Confiscation problems, which are a large part of the issues in the southern part of Burma and the recommendations and how to solve this problem. San Htoi also presented Torture and Killings cases which are majorly centered around Kachin and Northern Shan State, how to document those cases, how the Government acknowledged the past and current Human Rights abuses and how they should start to implement the reparation program for those who are suffering in the past and current.
Over 70 individuals, local media and CSOs attended the press conference.
The report can be download here.
To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma
/in Press Releases and Statements, Unofficial Truth SeekingMedia Release:
Date: 11 June 2015
ND-Burma releases its new report about acknowledgement and Read more
ABSDF (1996) Cries From Insein
/in ND-Burma Members' Reportsby Win Naing Oo
Thse articles were published in 1996 by the ABSDF (All Burma Students’ Democratic Front).
1. Read > 1.1 Structure of the Prison
2. Read > 2.1 Prison Instruction Cell
3. Read > Corruption in the Prison
4. Read > Punishment in Prison
5. Read > Legal Procedures in Prison
6. Read > Criminal Prisoners
7. Read > Politicall Prisoners
8. Read > Harrassment of Politicall Prisoner
9. Read > General Issues
10. Read > Conclusion
1.1 Structure of the Prison
By Win Naing Oo
The prison is laid out in an octagonal design, with the halls located radially like the spokes of a wheel. There are two rows of brick walls around the prison. The external wall is higher about 20 ft in height, compared to the internal wall which is about 10 ft in height. There is also another prison known as the ‘attached prison’ which is joined to the main prison. The term ‘Insein’ is used to refer to both prisons. In order to enter the prison, it is necessary to pass through three thick iron doors in the entrance building. The Chief Warden of the prison lives on the upper floor of the building at the entrance. In the centre of the prison is the main prison office, and also the central tower. Taken in a clockwise direction, starting from the entrance building, the buildings in the prison are as follows (see the enclosed sketch of prison):
1. Entrance building (main iron gate of jail)
2. Female hall no.1
3. Solitary-confinement cell-blocks (there are six cell-blocks in compound)
4. Hall no. 1 (a two-story building, for detainees who are facing trial)
5. Hall no. 2 (a single-story building, also for detainees who are facing trial)
6. Hall no. 3 (for prisoners who have already been sentenced)
7. Special Hall
8. Hall no. 4 (for prisoners who have already been sentenced)
9. Hall no. 5 (for prisoners who have already been sentenced)
10. Kitchen hall
11. Hospital
12. Store
13. Prison office (reports and data on prisoners are kept here)
14. Female hall no. 2, including cell-blocks for women in solitary confinement
15. Attached prison
16. Office of the Prison Director-General (the head of all prisons in Burma)
17. Workshops
18. Dog-cell A.
Solitary Confinement Cells
There are six solitary-confinement cell-blocks. Each cell-block has many tiny cells (8 x 10). Each cell is shared by 3-5 political prisoners (since there are not enough cells for all the solitary-confinement prisoners, several prisoners are often kept together in these tiny cells). Prisoners in these cells are allowed to leave the room to wash and bathe for 15 minutes per day. Toilet buckets are cleaned every day.
No 1- Solitary confinement block 14 cells
No 2- 60 cells (including death row)
No 3- 14 cells
No 4- 30 cells
No 5- 22 cells
No 6- 10 cells
B. Other ordinary halls Each hall (25 x 440 ) has eight cells and has its own vegetable plots, one in front and one behind. Each vegetable plot is about fifty percent larger in area than the building itself.
C. Dog-cell The dog-cell is for the punishment of prisoners who commit a crime or who dare to complain about unjust treatment by prison authorities. (Previously, well-trained military dogs were kept in this cell, but there have been no dogs since 1988. Most of the worst atrocities take place in this cell. (See also 4. 1)
D. Special cell block This cell-block is only for very important political prisoners. It has 10 cells. Political prisoners who have stayed or are staying in this cell block are:
1. U Win Tin (Secretariat member of NLD)
2. U Khin Maung Mynt (Chairman of Peoples’ Progressive Party)
3. U Thet Khine (Main underground network network leader of CPB)
4. Min Ko Naing (Chairman of ABFSU)
There are four small houses in front of this special cell block. Political prisoners who have stayed in these small houses are:
1. U Tin Oo (Former Chairman of NLD)
2. U Kyi Maung (The Chairman of NLD following U Tin Oo)
3. U Chit Khine (Secretariat member of NLD)
4. Kim Min Chu (North Korean Operative) E.
Workshops
There are many workshops in the prison. Prisoners are forced to work long hours weaving, sewing (clothes and shoes) and working in the carpentry sections there.
1.2 Numbers of Prisoners
Hall no. 1 has two stories. There are nomally over 2,000 prisoners kept there. The other four halls always contain ove 1,000 prisoners each. There are routinely 400-500 political prisoners kept in the six solitary confinement cell blocks in the compound.
Thus the total estimated number of prisoners is:
Five ordinary halls 7,000
Six solitary confinement cell blocks 500
Female hall 500
Hospital 200
Attached prison 1,000
TOTAL 9,200
The number of prisoners in Insein prison varies slightly according to the situation. However, there are always 9,000-10,000 prisoners there. The solitary confinement cell blocks contain only political prisoners, all of whom are charged under section 5-j, but the rest of the political prisoners are mixed with criminals in Halls no. 3, 4 and 5. Each ordinary cell block always contains over 200 political prisoners.
Accordingly, the estimated numbers of political prisoners are:
6 solitary confinement cell blocks 500
3 ordinary cell blocks 700
Female hall and cell block 200
Attached prison 200
TOTAL 1,600
1.3 Prison Administrative Body
Chief Warden (Chief Supervisor of jail) One crown and two stars
Warden of jail 1 (Senior Supervisor) One crown and one star
Warden of jail 2 (Junior Supervisor) Three stars
Sr. Jailer (Senior prison officer) Two stars
Jr. Jailer (Junior prison officer) One star
Sergeant Major
Sergeant
Corporal
Lance Corporal Warder
The positions above are listed in descending order of rank. All positions are filled in Insein prison, but some of these ranks are vacant in other prisons in Burma. In addition, there is another authoritarian body made up of prisoners appointed by the prison administrative body:
Tan See Gyoke: The most senior person among prisoners.
Tan See: The most senior prisoner in a hall.
Akhan Lu Gyi: The most senior prisoner in a cell.
Akhan Sa Yei: Cell clerk; one in each cell. Varyar: The lowest level of these prisoners to managesecurity in cells, bathing and latrines.
The Tan See Gyoke and Tan See are criminals such as prominent gangsters and are appointed by the prison administrative body for this reason. All prisoners are very scared of them. A few prisoners become Akhan Lu Gyi by paying a bribe to the prison officials, but most of them are appointed because they are ruthless and brutal.
Rights of Prisoners and Violation of these Rights
2.1 Prison Instruction Cell
By Win Naing Oo
Red more …. Download PDF Cries From Insein