13-19 August: Continued Conflict Overshadows Karen Martyrs Day

August 20, 2012

While Karen people around the world celebrated the 62^nd Karen Martyrs Day last week to honour those who have died for the Karen cause, the fragility of the ceasefires with various groups remains tenuous as the Burma government continues to neglect the root causes of the conflicts. Denial and refusal to face up to human rights abuses while neglecting substantial political dialogue with the ethnic armed groups is not a sustainable solution to decades of conflict.

Even during peace talks between the Government and the Karen National Union (KNU) in Myawaddy, eastern Karen State on August 7^th, clashes between the government’s Border Guard Force and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNU’s armed wing) were occurring in other parts of the Karen region.

Present at the peace talks, as has often been the case, were business people acting as mediators. The focus on development activities by the Burma Government and some elements of the international community in place of establishing a political settlement is putting the peace process at risk. This was articulated at the Martyrs Day celebrations as a Klohtoobaw Karen Organization representative (political wing of the Democratic Benevolent Buddhist Army) read out a statement written by KNU President, Saw Tamla Baw; “The government is engaged only in superficial and apparent activities of peace building with emphasis only on business matters, and without any political essence.”

The ceasefires signed between the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups, especially the KNU, are held up as examples by those in the international community who want to believe that the Thein Sein administration is truly reformist. The continued fighting and lack of political dialogue, however, reveals the flaws in this supposed peace process.

Meanwhile, human rights abuses in ethnic areas continue such as the theft of Church donations and the rape of a 14-year old Shan girl by Burma Army soldiers. The perpetrators, however, are not held accountable.

As the conflict in Kachin State continues, and more and more troops move into the region, the government-aligned, Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) released a statement last week in which allegations of forced recruitment by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) were made, ignoring documented evidence that this is also a typical Burma Army policy, while dodging allegations of torture inflicted by the Burma Army for “security reasons.”

Similarly, in response to the UN Special Rapporteur, Tomas Ojea Quintana’s call for an independent truth commission to investigate accusations of state-sponsored violence in Arakan State, Win Mra, chairman of the MNHRC said that such a body would only “instigate problems.” Not only does this expose the impotence and bias of the MNHRC but it reveals how unwilling the government is to address fundamental concerns and grievances of ethnic people while their soldiers remain above the law. Rather, the government has set up a 27-person commission to find out “the real cause of the incident” yet not one Rohingya is on this said commission.

The resentment towards the Rohingya community is being used by the government as a tool to foster criticism of the Special Rapporteur. As such, the call this week by 24 political parties to replace the Special Rapporteur seems misplaced when human rights abuses are continuing and are being denied, covered up or the blame shifted unfairly. Accountability is still conspicuously absent, and ethnic conflict and militarization in ethnic areas is increasing. It is because of these issues, both in Arakan State and other ethnic areas that the Special Rapporteur is needed, and it is because of these issues that a truth commission should be supported. The reluctance of the government to engage in political dialogue or to hold perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable, does not bode well for sustainable peace in Burma.

News Highlights

The Press Scrutiny and Registration Department (PSRD) tell reporters they no longer have to submit their work to state censors before publication. There remains a requirement of submission after publication so the PSRD can determine whether their work violated any publishing laws

President Thein Sein forms a commission to investigate Arakan State’s violence

Inside Burma

Admiral Nyan Tun, head of the Burma Navy, becomes Vice-President

Parliament Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann calls for the resignation of the Constitutional Tribunal members and approves the drafting of a new NGO registration law

Kachin MP calls for the repeal of the Unlawful Association Act

13 dead in fresh sectarian clashes in Arakan State; 50 people protest against UN assistance to Rohingya and five NGO aid workers who were charged with inciting unrest in Arakan State are released

Social media users target blogger and former political prisoner Nay Phone Latt for speaking out against hatred aimed at Rohingya

Karen National Union opens its fourth liaison office in Myawaddy to serve as the main communication center with the Burma Army

Reports say the Burma Army is preparing for a large scale offensive in Kachin State with large troop deployments at the frontline

A former political prisoners network holds a second conference in Rangoon and reelect working committee members (Burmese)

Thousands flee their homes due to flooding in Karen State and Irrawaddy Division while drought hits central Burma

New foreign investment law may be more restrictive than its predecessor

World Bank plans to set up model villages in more than 300 townships and to create 15 plans to alleviate chronic poverty in rural areas

Visa prepares to enter Burma market

Regional

Burma rebuffs ASEAN bid for role in Arakan State; Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to attend ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum

Vietnam Mobile Telecom Services Company to introduce afforda ble mobile phone in Burma

India – Burma – Thailand highway to be ready by 2016 and supported by the World Bank

International

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation decides to take the issue of Rohingyas to the UN General Assembly

UN envoy Vijay Nambiar welcomes Turkish Foreign Minister and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation mission to Arakan State

US trade delegation visits Burma but hesitancy over investment still remains

Australia will provide $5 million aid to help prevent the deaths of mothers and children

Opinions

The True Impact of the US Investment Policy in Burma
By Eryn Schornick
Democratic Voice of Burma

In Burma, a Delicate Balance for New Freedoms of Speech
By Simon Roughneen
PBS MediaShift

Latest from the Blog

24 Years On: Still No Accountability
By Burma Partnership

Actions

40 Villagers from 6 village tracts in Irrawaddy division launch protest after authorities fail to respond to their complaint against fish farming that has flooded 3,000 acre of paddy fields (Burmese)

Statements and Press Releases

Statement of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on the Recent Developments in Rakhine State, Myanmar
By ASEAN Foreign Ministers

UN Commission of Inquiry will be the Credible Investigation on Arakan Violence
By Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ), Burmese Rohingya Association Deutschland (BRAD), Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia (BRCA), Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT), Burmese Rohingya Community in Denmark ( BRCD), Rohingya League for Democracy (Burma) (RLDB) and Rohingya Community in Norway (RCN)

Statement of Myanmar National Human Rights Commission on its Trip to Kachin State (5/2012)
By Myanmar National Human Rights Commission