[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

CHR/BURMA: NGO STATEMENTS ((Item 12 (r)



Subject: CHR/BURMA: NGO STATEMENTS ((Item 12)

Statements by:

Worldview International Foundation (Ms Charm Tong)
Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Ms Deborah Stothard)

April 14, 1999
55th Session of the UNHCR
Geneva, Switzerland
Oral Intervention on item 12
Worldview International Foundation
Delivered by Ms. Charm Tong


Madame Chairperson

The government of my country, Burma, usually says that women in Burma have
always shared equal status and therefore a women?s movement in our country is
unnecessary. Actually, under the military regime, our equality means ?equal
suffering?. 

The women in our country often have to suffer more in many ways. In Burma and
especially along its borders, rape of women by the Burmese military has become
common. Women are raped and sexually abused by the government soldiers in
their
villages, when they are fleeing, while they are forced labour or serving as
porters for the army.

While men are also taken as forced labour and forced porters, women in the
same
situation are raped at night. The report of the ILO Inquiry Mission into
Forced
Labour in Myanmar (Burma) and the reports of the Special Rapporteur on my
country have documented this abuse. I thank them very much for this and hope
that the member countries of the UN will consider the gender aspect in this
report very seriously.

Violence against women including rape by the government soldiers appears to be
allowed by the government?s policy. According to the UN reports, the soldiers
who are sent into the border areas appear to have the permission of the
government to commit this sexual violence. I strongly believe this because
there has been no prosecution of the rapist soldiers. Actually there are many
cases where the people were beaten and fined for defaming the military when
they tried to complain about the rape.

For example, on 27 and 28 September 1998, Nang Kya Non, 26, was raped
repeatedly at gunpoint by commander Myint Oo of Infantry Brigade 246 near
Kun-Hing. When she arrived home, Nang Kya Non complained of the violations to
her husband Sai Long. They made a complaint through local civilian leaders. As
a result, Commander Myint Oo, called the local leaders and the husband and
wife
to discuss the matter. Even when Commander Myint Oo questioned her  and
accused
her back, Nang Kya Non did not change her story. Commander Myint Oo accused
the
villagers of trying to defame him. The three men were tied up and beaten.
Eventually, the villagers who had tried to peacefully report this case of
rape,
were forced to pay a total fine of 60,000 kyat.

The case of Nang Kya Non is not an isolated one. There are many cases like
this
in Burma but maybe Nang Kya Non was lucky because in some of the cases the
women were also robbed and beaten or killed.

Rape is outlawed under the international rules governing conflicts.
However, my
government doesn?t care about this and continues to allow the soldiers to
sexually abuse the women during their military operations.

Therefore, I would like to urge the commission to request the Special
Rapporteur on Violence against Women to include in her work the violations of
women rights in Burma. By this I mean not only women inside Burma but also
those who have fled to Thailand, China, India and Bangladesh.

I also urge the Commission to express its alarm and concern over the growing
violence against women in my country and take steps to stop this terrible
abuse
of women?s human rights

Thank you.

***********************

Aliran Kesedaran Negara
Oral Intervention on Item 12 (Focus on Burma)
Delivered by Ms Deborah Stothard

Madam Chairperson,

It is indisputable that women suffer more in times of crisis and conflict.
Women are usually targeted for sexual violence as a means of demoralizing
their
communities. In situations of military dictatorship, women also suffer
punishment through exclusion. They are often prevented by policy and/or
practice from advancing their economic and social status in structures which
favour military men.

In order to overcome the consequences of abuse and disadvantage, it is
imperative that women be allowed to participate equally and democratically in
all areas of government. Tragically, this has not been the case in Burma.

Widespread violence against women by the military has been recorded in UN
documents as well as reports published by NGOs across the world. There has
been
no adequate action taken by the regime to cease these deplorable abuses.

In addition, 16 women MPs have been prevented from fulfilling their mandate
because the regime refuses to convene Parliament. Several women MPs have been
forced to resign and others detained. One MP is Nan Khin Htwe Myint, a popular
grassroots leader from Karen State, who was jailed after a mock trial early
last year. Another prisoner is Daw San San, a labour leader and MP in her late
60s. She is serving 25 years in jail for exercising her freedom of expression
by giving a telephone interview to the BBC.

Also in detention are an estimated 100 women prisoners of conscience. The
oldest is Daw Gyi Gyi, who is in her 80s. While we welcome the recent release
of Dr Thida, we note that she is subjected to close scrutiny by the military
intelligence.

I also wish to mention democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who continues to
suffer severe restrictions on her movements and communications with colleagues
and family members. Ms Suu Kyi was subjected to a form of torture when she was
not allowed to speak to her dying husband on the telephone, and later, she
suffered restrictions when conversing with her bereaved children. The decision
of the regime not to allow Dr Michael Aris to visit his wife was both cruel
and
chauvinistic; the regime implied that Ms Suu Kyi, as the woman, should visit
her husband.

The abuses and violations of women?s human rights in Burma are too widespread
and varied to be covered in the course of five minutes, however, it is clear
that the military needs to cease its aggression in Burma?s ethnic areas and
cease the apparent policy of supporting violence against women.

One aspect often overlooked in the consideration of military violence against
women in Burma is the longterm impact on the home communities of the soldiers
concerned. If men have been encouraged to rape and torture women as part of
his
work, what will the impacts be on their wives and daughters when they return
from the frontline? I fear that the general acceptance of violence in the
community has led to increased incidence of domestic violence. Unfortunately,
no one has yet been able to conduct an honest and independent study of the
prevalence of violence against women in Burma and its impact on the community

Madam Chair,

I have listed a number of first steps the regime needs to take in order to
overcome the consequences of policies and practices which have caused severe
harm to the women of Burma, however time only allows me to name them briefly:

The regime must release all political prisoners, including women and reopen
the
universities and colleges [which have been closed for two and a half years.
Without access to education, women will continue to be severely
disadvantaged.]

The regime needs to divert its expenditure away from the army into health and
education. [It needs to] commence genuine dialogue with the elected government
of the country and convene the people?s Parliament[ based on the results of
the
last election.]

The regime also needs to allow the development of independent women?s
organisations and NGOs - the existing ones are far from independent and appear
to be no more than a first wives? club of military men.

We count on the support of UN member states to take all actions necessary to
ensure that this will become a reality

Thank you.



Internet ProLink PC User

--=====================_43014160==_.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"

<html>
<font face="Garamond">Statements by:<br>
<br>
Worldview International Foundation (Ms Charm Tong)<br>
</font>Aliran Kesedaran Negara<font face="Garamond"> (Ms Deborah
Stothard)<br>
<br>
April 14, 1999<br>
</font>55<sup>th</sup> Session of the UNHCR<br>
Geneva, Switzerland<br>
Oral Intervention on item 12<br>
Worldview International Foundation<br>
Delivered by Ms. Charm Tong<br>
<br>
<br>
Madame Chairperson<br>
<br>
The government of my country, Burma, usually says that women in Burma
have always shared equal status and therefore a women?s movement in our
country is unnecessary. Actually, under the military regime, our equality
means ?equal suffering?. <br>
<br>
The women in our country often have to suffer more in many ways. In Burma
and especially along its borders, rape of women by the Burmese military
has become common. Women are raped and sexually abused by the government
soldiers in their villages, when they are fleeing, while they are forced
labour or serving as porters for the army.<br>
<br>
While men are also taken as forced labour and forced porters, women in
the same situation are raped at night. The report of the ILO Inquiry
Mission into Forced Labour in Myanmar (Burma) and the reports of the
Special Rapporteur on my country have documented this abuse. I thank them
very much for this and hope that the member countries of the UN will
consider the gender aspect in this report very seriously.<br>
<br>
Violence against women including rape by the government soldiers appears
to be allowed by the government?s policy. According to the UN reports,
the soldiers who are sent into the border areas appear to have the
permission of the government to commit this sexual violence. I strongly
believe this because there has been no prosecution of the rapist
soldiers. Actually there are many cases where the people were beaten and
fined for defaming the military when they tried to complain about the
rape.<br>
<br>
For example, on 27 and 28 September 1998, Nang Kya Non, 26, was raped
repeatedly at gunpoint by commander Myint Oo of Infantry Brigade 246 near
Kun-Hing. When she arrived home, Nang Kya Non complained of the
violations to her husband Sai Long. They made a complaint through local
civilian leaders. As a result, Commander Myint Oo, called the local
leaders and the husband and wife to discuss the matter. Even when
Commander Myint Oo questioned her&nbsp; and accused her back, Nang Kya
Non did not change her story. Commander Myint Oo accused the villagers of
trying to defame him. The three men were tied up and beaten. Eventually,
the villagers who had tried to peacefully report this case of rape, were
forced to pay a total fine of 60,000 kyat.<br>
<br>
The case of Nang Kya Non is not an isolated one. There are many cases
like this in Burma but maybe Nang Kya Non was lucky because in some of
the cases the women were also robbed and beaten or killed.<br>
<br>
Rape is outlawed under the international rules governing conflicts.
However, my government doesn?t care about this and continues to allow the
soldiers to sexually abuse the women during their military
operations.<br>
<br>
Therefore, I would like to urge the commission to request the Special
Rapporteur on Violence against Women to include in her work the
violations of women rights in Burma. By this I mean not only women inside
Burma but also those who have fled to Thailand, China, India and
Bangladesh.<br>
<br>
I also urge the Commission to express its alarm and concern over the
growing violence against women in my country and take steps to stop this
terrible abuse of women?s human rights<br>
<br>
Thank you.<br>
<br>
***********************<br>
<br>
Aliran Kesedaran Negara<br>
Oral Intervention on Item 12 (Focus on Burma)<br>
Delivered by Ms Deborah Stothard<br>
<br>
Madam Chairperson,<br>
<br>
It is indisputable that women suffer more in times of crisis and
conflict. Women are usually targeted for sexual violence as a means of
demoralizing their communities. In situations of military dictatorship,
women also suffer punishment through exclusion. They are often prevented
by policy and/or practice from advancing their economic and social status
in structures which favour military men.<br>
<br>
In order to overcome the consequences of abuse and disadvantage, it is
imperative that women be allowed to participate equally and
democratically in all areas of government. Tragically, this has not been
the case in Burma.<br>
<br>
Widespread violence against women by the military has been recorded in UN
documents as well as reports published by NGOs across the world. There
has been no adequate action taken by the regime to cease these deplorable
abuses.<br>
<br>
In addition, 16 women MPs have been prevented from fulfilling their
mandate because the regime refuses to convene Parliament. Several women
MPs have been forced to resign and others detained. One MP is Nan Khin
Htwe Myint, a popular grassroots leader from Karen State, who was jailed
after a mock trial early last year. Another prisoner is Daw San San, a
labour leader and MP in her late 60s. She is serving 25 years in jail for
exercising her freedom of expression by giving a telephone interview to
the BBC.<br>
<br>
Also in detention are an estimated 100 women prisoners of conscience. The
oldest is Daw Gyi Gyi, who is in her 80s. While we welcome the recent
release of Dr Thida, we note that she is subjected to close scrutiny by
the military intelligence.<br>
<br>
I also wish to mention democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who
continues to suffer severe restrictions on her movements and
communications with colleagues and family members. Ms Suu Kyi was
subjected to a form of torture when she was not allowed to speak to her
dying husband on the telephone, and later, she suffered restrictions when
conversing with her bereaved children. The decision of the regime not to
allow Dr Michael Aris to visit his wife was both cruel and chauvinistic;
the regime implied that Ms Suu Kyi, as the woman, should visit her
husband.<br>
<br>
The abuses and violations of women?s human rights in Burma are too
widespread and varied to be covered in the course of five minutes,
however, it is clear that the military needs to cease its aggression in
Burma?s ethnic areas and cease the apparent policy of supporting violence
against women.<br>
<br>
One aspect often overlooked in the consideration of military violence
against women in Burma is the longterm impact on the home communities of
the soldiers concerned. If men have been encouraged to rape and torture
women as part of his work, what will the impacts be on their wives and
daughters when they return from the frontline? I fear that the general
acceptance of violence in the community has led to increased incidence of
domestic violence. Unfortunately, no one has yet been able to conduct an
honest and independent study of the prevalence of violence against women
in Burma and its impact on the community<br>
<br>
Madam Chair,<br>
<br>
I have listed a number of first steps the regime needs to take in order
to overcome the consequences of policies and practices which have caused
severe harm to the women of Burma, however time only allows me to name
them briefly:<br>
<br>
The regime must release all political prisoners, including women and
reopen the universities and colleges [which have been closed for two and
a half years. Without access to education, women will continue to be
severely disadvantaged.]<br>
<br>
The regime needs to divert its expenditure away from the army into health
and education. [It needs to] commence genuine dialogue with the elected
government of the country and convene the people?s Parliament[ based on
the results of the last election.]<br>
<br>
The regime also needs to allow the development of independent women?s
organisations and NGOs - the existing ones are far from independent and
appear to be no more than a first wives? club of military men.<br>
<br>
We count on the support of UN member states to take all actions necessary
to ensure that this will become a reality<br>
<br>
Thank you.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div>Internet ProLink PC User</div>
</html>

--=====================_43014160==_.ALT--