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Analysis of SPDC Human Rights Violations in 2007

I. Summary of this report

In 2007, the military junta in Burma was responsible for a huge number of human rights violations throughout the country. The regime, officially called the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), used a variety of forces, including army, riot police and groups of government sponsored civilian thugs like the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) and Swan Ar Shin, to carry out crack downs on protestors and rebel groups, as well as their suspected sympathizers. These crack downs occurred all year long, but reached a high point during large protests that took place across the country in August and September. While the SPDC claims that as few as ten demonstrators died during in the fall crack down, many sources, including media, human rights organizations and citizens report that at least two hundred people were killed. Read more

Name of Mon Cultural Museum forcibly changed by SPDC

Moulmein

The Mon Cultural Museum, which has been open to the public in Moulmein for decades, has been renamed by the SPDC regime, a source from the capital city of Mon State reported.

The name was changed from the ‘Mon Cultural Museum’ to the ‘Literature and Cultural Museum,’ obscuring the museum’s Mon focus. The decision was made by the SPDC Cultural Ministry, and the museum is under the control of the cultural minister within the Archaeology National Museum and Literature Directorate. Read more

International Human Rights Day held in the Mon Refugee Camp

by HURFOM

On December 10th, more than five hundred Mon and Karen refugees celebrated international human rights day at the Halockhani refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border.

The celebration entertained the people with a festival and opera performance, each designed to explain a portion of the UN Human Rights Charter. “These operas make people more aware of the human rights charter,” said a Mon human rights worker at the camp. Read more

Land Confiscation and Continuous Consequences to Civilians in Northern Ye Area

I. Background of Land Confiscation

Since 2000, after the current ruling military regime, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and its armed force, Burmese Army or tatmadaw (literally) expanded its military deployment in southern part of Mon State, they have continuously confiscated land and properties from Mon people without any compensation.

During 1999 to 2002, the SPDC and Burmese Army deployed about 10 Light Infantry Battalions in Ye Township alone, both in southern and northern area of Ye and another 10 Artillery Battalions in Thanbyuzayat and Ye Township areas (look in the map on page no.10). 10 battalions deployed in Ye Township are put under the command of Military Operation Command (MOC) No. 19 and the battalions are: Light Infantry Battalion No. 583, No. 584, No. 585, No. 586, No. 587, No. 588, No. 589, No. 590, No. 591 and the MOC. 19 battalion itself. Artillery Regiments are AR. No. 311 to AR. No. 318. Read more

Corrupt police arrest youths, seize motorcycles in Mudon Township

Mudon Township,

Young people returning from a pagoda festival in Nyaung-gone village, Mudon Township were arrested by Kamarwet policemen, even though they did not commit any crime. They were detained to extort money, which the policemen claimed they had to pay to their higher authorities.

Five young people from Hnee-pa-daw village, between the ages of 14 and 18 years, were detained by policemen in Kamarwet village. Their unlicensed motorcycles were seized. Read more

Village headmen shell out over one million Kyat to Township authorities

Mudon Township,

Village Peace and Development Council headmen (VPDC) in Mon State have to shell out not less than one million Kyat to the Township Peace and Development Council TPDC and the District police officer annually.

One VPDC headman in Mudon Township said that every month, they have to pay about Kyat 50,000 to 70,000 to the TPDC for many reasons such as to support women’s affair activities or Union Solidarity and Development Association activities among other reasons. Read more

Listeners arrested by Burmese soldiers in Mon State

The Mon Forum

A 45 year-old Kaw-Zar villager, Nai Aung Khin, was arrested and imprisoned with a seven year sentence for listening to news from exile-based broadcasting services, including BBC, VOA and RFA.

On the 20th of October the People’s police forces at Kaw-Zar police station arrested Nai Aung Khin as the owner of a Kaw-Zar satellite phone. They brought him to Ye Township on the 21st October and on the 22nd he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. His crimes were an association with anti-government rebels, and listening to news broadcasts from services banned within Burma. Read more

Listeners arrested by Burmese soldiers in Mon State

The Mon Forum

A 45 year-old Kaw-Zar villager, Nai Aung Khin, was arrested and imprisoned with a seven year sentence for listening to news from exile-based broadcasting services, including BBC, VOA and RFA.

On the 20th of October the People’s police forces at Kaw-Zar police station arrested Nai Aung Khin as the owner of a Kaw-Zar satellite phone. They brought him to Ye Township on the 21st October and on the 22nd he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. His crimes were an association with anti-government rebels, and listening to news broadcasts from services banned within Burma. Read more

Movement Restriction and Abuses behind the Pro-government Rallies in Mon State

I. Crackdown on the Peaceful Protests

In Burma, in the second half of September an uprising demanding the reduction of commodity prices, as the government had dramatically increased the price of fuel. The demonstrations spread throughout the whole of Burma. Many people from all levels of society within the former capital Rangoon, the second capital city, Mandalay and many other big cities like Pegu and Moulmein (the capital of Mon State) in Burma participated in peaceful protests demanding a reduction in commodity prices. The protests were led by students and then by the Buddhist monks.

The SPDC responded violently to these peaceful demonstrations with armed forces, and made no attempt to solve the problems of commodity prices or work with the civilians. Due to their strength, combined with the strength of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), there were between 200 and 300 protestors killed estimated by oppositions and diplomats in Rangoon. According to the Assistance for All Political Prisoners in Burma (AAPPB) secretary, Ko Tate Naing, there have been approximately 3000-4000 people arrested to date. But nobody exactly knows how many demonstrators including were killed during protests and how many of them are detained. AAPPB can estimate the closest approximate number. Read more

Monks and University Students sent back home forcibly

HURFOM, Moulmein, Pegu

It was reported that Buddhist monks studying at monasteries and University students who have completed their examinations were sent back home from the capital of Mon State, Moulmein City.

According to an anonymous monk from the studying temple, “On the night of the 26th the authorities came to the monasteries to investigate, remind the monks to stop their protest and order the monks who were from the village to go back to their home. Then they arrested over 40 monks who were on the list of the leader of the demonstration.” On September 26 evening, the Mon State authorities came and ordered the monks to go back, so on the 27th they came and picked us up with the trucks, he added. Read more

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