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Suppressed: Freedom of Speech in Burma

History of Restriction against Freedom of Speech

To look at the smiling faces of the people of Burma, one could be forgiven for believing the Junta’s claim that their people are content. But it isn’t true; more like the Junta’s propaganda machines, the smiling faces do not tell you the full story. From the time a person in Burma wakes up in the morning they face conflict and uncertainty. There are no permanent jobs in Burma, no real ownership of anything and very high poverty. Added to all this is the lack of some fundamental human rights; there is no freedom of speech or freedom of press in Burma. Read more

Urgent and More Assistance to Cyclone Victims – Hope

By FURFOM:

Although there was a visit paid by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and his massage “I come to Myanmar with a massage of Hope”, the people in Burma’s cyclone hit desvastated area still facing many hopelessness situations.

Only over 230 relief workers from UN Agencies were received visa from Burmese military regime by the end of June and UN also admitted that their relief efforts could reach to 40% of cyclone effected population after nearly 2 months of deadly hit cyclone. Read more

Gang Rapes in Mahachai

By HURFOM:

Local NGOs in the Bangkok-Mon community of Mahachai in Samutsakon province have reported an increase in the number of gang rapes occurring against Burmese migrants in the area.

The latest string of attacks occurred at night, by gangs of men lurking with trucks and motorbikes in factory areas busy with migrant workers. The men, allegedly all Thai, grabbed workers as they walked home from their factory jobs. Read more

NMSP’s Party Cancel

By HURFOM:

A New Mon State Party (NMSP) officer in Moulmein has reported the party will be unable to hold its annual Ceasefire Memorial Day celebration this year, as the party has already exhausted its yearly budget. The celebration is usually held on June 29^th at the Ngwe Moe Hotel, and in the past has been attended by the Southeast Command. This year marked 13 years since the ceasefire agreement. Read more

Border-town Malaria Rates Rise

By HURFOM:

The number of malaria patients among Burmese migrants on the Thai-Burma border has dramatically increased this month, said a health worker from the Mae Tao Clinic based in Mae Sot, Thailand.

“More than 180 patients visit our clinic each day, and our blood tests are revealing around 30 people per day are infected with malaria. Just last month we found over 1,000 people had malaria,” said Sarkbaw, the operations manager at the Mae Tao clinic. Read more

Five People Face Corporal Punishment for Abbot Assassination

By HURFOM:

Thai courts in Thong Pha Phum have sentenced to death five of the eight Mon people arrested over the assassination of the new Wat Wiwangkaram abbot Reverend Jorndimar in Sanghklaburi last year.

The punishment decided on June 18th, 2008 in the Law Courts in Thong Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi province. Eight people were waiting for over twelve months for investigation.

According to the Thai authorities in Thong Pha Phum prison, five people were sentenced to death and three remaining prisoners were sentenced to life in prison. Read more

Returned Nargis Volunteer Tells of Continued Crisis

By HURFOM:

Every day the coverage of Burma’s Cyclone Nargis diminishes around the world. “After just one month news of Nargis dropped on news programmer’s priority lists,” said a foreign volunteer, Tom, newly arrived on the border after working for one month in Rangoon.

Although the world media coverage is fading, the crisis that followed the devastating events of May 2^nd and 3^rd continues, as each day Burmese cyclone survivors face food shortages. According to Tom, many cyclone survivors have been stealing food from each other in the Paypong Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. Read more

Wildlife trade on the Thai-Burma border threatening species

By Taramon and Lawi Weng:

The flourishing black market trade in wild animal products is encouraging hunters to harvest animals on the Thai-Burma border at an unsustainable rate.

Thai authorities on the Thai-Burma border are heavily involved in the black market trade, frequently traveling into both government and rebel-controlled areas to procure wildlife.

Hunting, combined with habitat loss due to logging, the proliferation of rubber plantations and slash and burn agriculture, means that a variety of animals face regional extinction. For example, in the eastern part of Ye Township, or from the upper Bee Ree river to Thailand, rare animals including many species of tigers, deer, beer, many kind of snakes, wild goat, wild cat and some species birds are rare, if they can be found at all. Read more

‘Commemorate her Birthday by Continuing her Fight’

By HURFOM:

Longtime fighter for justice and freedom in Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi turned 63 today, June 19^th. Inside Burma secret birthday celebrations will be held on her behalf across the country, as the Junta continues to detain her under house arrest.

Outside of Burma though many people of Burma now living in exile forgot the Nargis disaster for a brief moment today in a solemn celebration of her birthday, lighting candles in hope for her freedom. One group of people markedly not celebrating her birthday is the Burmese Military Government. The regime primary care is power, so they fear her Suu Kyi as a leader of the country’s democratic movement in Burma. Read more

Nargis Consequences Continue with Salt Shortage

By HURFOM:

As salt trucks from Mon state continue to move to the cyclone-affected Irrawaddy delta region, residents in Mon state are finding they now face a salt-shortage crisis themselves.

Panga village, located approximately five miles from Thanbyuzayat township, is the location of most salt production in Mon State. Read more

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