Quarterly Report about the Human Rights situation in Burma from ND-Burma bulletins

(1st July – 30th September 2009)

This report details;

- The number of bulletins ND Burma has received during this period.
- The type of information sent by organizations (to avoid creating an overlap of bulletins
among ND Burma members)
- The type of violations, committed by SPDC troops during this period.
- The place where the violations occurred.
- The dates when violations are occurring.
- Information that may support an advocacy purpose (e.g. analyzing ND-Burma bulletins
to look at the type and extent of taxation in Burma.)

Note: Please see the HTML file which is a summary report of ND-Burma bulletins. ND-Burma
public bulletins also can be viewed on the ND-Burma website and Martus search engine.

From 1st July through to 30th September, ND-Burma collected 89 cases of Human Rights
violations committed by the SPDC and inputted them into Martus software. The violations
recorded contained the following categories;

- Arbitrary/ illegal arrest/ detention (12 cases)

- Arbitrary Taxation (38 cases)
- Confiscation/ destruction of property (9 cases)
- Disappearances (1 case)
- Forced labor (15 cases)
- Forced Prostitution (2 cases)
- Forced Relocation (2 cases)
- Human Trafficking (11 cases)
- Killings (4 cases)
- Obstruction of freedom of movement (10 cases)
- Obstruction of freedom of expression/ Assembly (9 cases)
- Other sexual violence (6 cases)
- Rape (7 cases)
- Torture, Inhumane or degrading treatment(14 cases)
- Use of Child Soldiers (5 cases)

These violations occurred in Rangoon division, Mandalay division, Magwey division, Irrawaddy
division, Pegu division , Tenasserim division, Karen state, Kayah (Karenni) state, Kachin state,
Rakhaing (Arakan) state, Mon state and Chin state.
Note: One bulletin may include more than one category. The information documented by ND-
Burma does not cover the whole Human Rights situation in Burma. Arbitrary Taxation is the
most recorded violation, this is in part due to the fact that ND-Burma is currently focusing on
collecting these violations for a report.

Chart I: Number of Human Rights Violations by Categories.

40

30

20

10

Arbitrary/illegal arrest/detention Arbitrary Taxation

Confiscation/destruction of preperty Disappearances
Forced Labor Forced Prostitution
Forced Relocation Human Trafficking
Killings Obstruction of freedom of movement
Obstruction of freedom of expression/Assembly Other sexual violence
Rape Torture, Inhumane or degrading treatment
Use of Child Soldiers

Number of Human Rights violations by State and Division.

Confiscation/Destructi

Other Sexual Violence

States and Divisions

Torture, Inhumane or
Expression/ Assembly

Use of Child Soldiers

degrading treatment
Forced Prostitution

Human Trafficking
Arbitrary Taxation

Forced Relocation
Arrest/Detention
Arbitrary/Illegal

Disappearance

Obstruction of

Obstruction of
on of Property

Forced Labor

Freedom of

Freedom of
Killings

Rape

Rangoon 6 1 5 4 1 2
Division
Mandalay 1 1 1 2
Divison
Pegu 1 3
Division
Magwey 2 1 1 1 3
Division
Irrawaddy 1 1 1
Division
Tenasserim 13 4 6 1 2 4
Division
Mon State 1 13 2 4 1 1 3
Karen 3 2 1 2
State

2
Kayah 2 2 1 1
(Karenni)
State
Kachin 6 1 1
State
Chin State 1 1 1 1
Rakhaing 6 1 1 1 1
(Arakan)
State

Chart II: Number of Human Rights violations by State and Division

Rangoon Division Mandalay Divison Pegu Division Magwey Division

Irrawaddy Division Tenasserim Division Mon State Karen State
Kayah (Karenni) State Kachin State Chin State Rakhaing (Arakan) State

The following example of Human Rights violation is taken from an interview with a
witness, recorded on the ND-Burma database.

During an SPDC offensive against the Mon insurgent group, Rehmonnya, several women in
Magyi village, Ye township were raped by soldiers. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland
(HURFOM), a ND-Burma member organization, field worker was able to interview a person
who witnessed the assaults on August 8th 2009.

“At about 11:00 am on August 8, when I went to the southern part of the sea to find some turtle
eggs, I saw 3 young girls raped by 5 soldiers on a farm. The 3 young girls screamed for help, but
no one was around. The 3 girls are around 20 to 25 [years old]. One girl was [gang] raped by 3
soldiers and the other 2 were raped once. I needed to hide in a bush because I had to make sure
the soldiers did not see me. If they had seen me – I strongly can say they would have shot me.
When they finished raping the girls the soldiers left. I think those solders were from the Navy
troops that are based in A Daik village, Yebyu Township”.

3
Note: Mawyawaddy Navy Headquarter is operated by Major Khin Maung Oo. This incident
occurred at a time when the navy troop was temporarily based near Magyi village, Khawza sub-
township, Southern part of Ye township, Mon State.

When did the violations occur?

No. Month Year Bulletin(s)

1. Jan, Feb, Apr, May, June, Jul, Aug, 2009 59
Sep, Oct.
2. Jan, Feb, May, June, Jul, Aug, Sep, 2008 22
Oct, Nov, Dec.
3. Jan, Mar, May, Dec. 2007 6
4. Nov. 2006 1
5. Jan. 2004 1
Total Bulletins 89

Source. All the organizations that created the bulletins for this period used their own sources
(primary sources, i.e. they interviewed victims and witnesses) and secondary sources as
Narinjara, DVB, Kaladan News, RFA , Khonumthung News and Yoma 3.