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B U R M A B U L L E T I N
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A month-in-review of events in Burma
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A L T E R N A T I V E A S E A N N E T W O R K O N B U R M A
 campaigns, advocacy & capacity-building for human rights & democracy
Issue 27
 
March 2009
 
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UN Human Rights Council condemns the SPDC’songoing systematic violations of human rights. UNSpecial Rapporteur on human rights in Burma saysthat there are 2,100 political prisoners in the countryand criticizes the SPDC for using kangaroo courts totry regime opponents.
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The regime continues to crack down on dissidents.In March, the SPDC detains 20 activists, includingnine NLD members, and sentences 32 to prisonterms.
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UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention says thatthe detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is illegal,even under SPDC law,
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Pro-democracy groups launch a petition drive for therelease of Burma’s political prisoners.
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SPDC continues to subject Rohingya and Muslims inArakan State to harassment, arbitrary arrest,extortion, and religious persecution.
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SPDC fence construction on Bangladesh borderincreases forced labor in Northern Arakan State.
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SPDC continues to frustrate humanitarian aid effortsboth within the Irrawaddy delta and beyond.
 
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Economic and political pressure creates climate offear for Burmese migrant workers in NorthernThailand.
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EU and US say that sanctions on SPDC are underreview.
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ASEAN leaders tell the SPDC to solve the Rohingyaproblem and hold a credible and inclusive election in2010.
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China and SPDC ink pipeline and more dam dealswhile Norway’s state pension fund sells its stake in aChinese company that sold military trucks to theSPDC.
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SPDC reports that FY 2008-2009 trade surplus hitsUS$2.5 billion with foreign investment up by morethan 90%.IN THIS ISSUEKEY STORY
2 HRC condemns SPDC2 Ojea Quintana report2 Daw Suu’s detention3 Political prisoners3 Arrests3 Prison sentences
INSIDE BURMA
4 2010 elections5 SPDC Army desertions5 Bombs5 At the monasteries5 Post-Nargis recovery6 Delta water crisis6 Crisis beyond the delta6 Protests7 Speed out of Burma
HUMAN RIGHTS
7 Rohingya and Muslims8 SPDC “internet enemy”8 Detention conditions8 Forced labor
DISPLACEMENT
9 ASEAN and Rohingya9 Migrant crackdown9 More IDPs10 Extra-judicial killing
INTERNATIONAL
10 ASEAN pushes SPDC10 EU and US
ECONOMY
11 Gems sale11 Sharing the spoils11 Deals with China11 Divestment11 Going, going, gone
OTHER BURMA NEWS
 
REPORTS
 _____________________________________Receive the Burma Bulletin monthly! email publications@altsean.org Online copies are available for download at www.altsean.org 
 
 
2
KEY STORYHuman Rights Council condemns SPDC
On 27 March, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) passed a resolution that condemned the SPDC forthe “ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms” of the Burmesepeople.
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It was the 19th resolution passed by the Geneva-based body against Burma’s military regimesince 1992. The resolution called on the SPDC:
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To engage in a genuine, substantive and time-bound process of open dialogue and nationalreconciliation with all political parties and ethnic groups;
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To release all political prisoners;
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To ensure free and fair electoral process that is transparent and inclusive; and
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To undertake a transparent, inclusive and comprehensive review of compliance of the Constitutionwith international human rights law.The HRC’s resolution also extended for one year the mandate of UN Special Rapporteur on humanrights in Burma Tomás Ojea Quintana.
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Ojea Quintana report
On 17 March, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma Tomás Ojea Quintana presentedhis report to the Human Rights Council. Among the report’s findings:
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There are more than 2,100 political prisoners in Burma, including 16 journalists and bloggers;
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Between October and December 2008, the regime sentenced about 400 political prisoners to prisonsentences;
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Many political prisoners were sentenced in closed-door hearings, without access to legalrepresentation, and with contrived evidence against them;
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Over 600 political prisoners were transferred to prisons far from their hometowns; and
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Political prisoners were subjected to torture and ill-treatment during interrogation.Responding to the report, the SPDC Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Wunna Maung Lwin reiteratedthe regime’s outrageous claim that there were no political prisoners in Burma.
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Daw Suu illegally detained
On 16 March, two UN human rights monitoring mechanisms said that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’sdetention contravenes both international human rights standards and the regime’s own law.In his report to the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in BurmaTomás Ojea Quintana said that Daw Suu’s detention violated Articles 9, 10 and 19 of the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights and urged the SPDC to release her.
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 The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention made public itsNovember 2008 opinion, which statedthat the detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is illegal under the SPDC law. The UN body requested theSPDC to immediately and unconditionally release her from house arrest.
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1
Reuters (27 Mar 09) U.N. rights body condemns systematic abuses in Myanmar; HRC, 10
th
session, Situation of human rights inMyanmar, 20 March 2009, UN Doc A/HRC/10/L.28
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HRC, 10
th
session, Situation of human rights in Myanmar, 20 March 2009, UN Doc A/HRC/10/L.28
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HRC, 10
th
session, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, 11March 2009, UN Doc. A/HRC/10/19
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SPDC (17 Mar 09) Statement by His Excellency U Wunna Maung Lwin, Ambassador/ Permanent Representative and Leader ofthe Myanmar Delegation to the 10th Session of the Human Rights Council; AP (17 Mar 09) Myanmar arrests 5 members of pro-democracy party
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HRC, 10
th
session, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, 11March 2009, UN Doc. A/HRC/10/19
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Reuters (23 Mar 09) Suu Kyi detention breaks Myanmar law: U.N. body
 
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Political prisoners
On 13 March, exiled Burmese rights groups, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) andForum for Democracy in Burma (FDB), launched the signature campaign “Free Burma’s PoliticalPrisoners Now” to mark Burma’s Human Rights Day. The petition drive, which is backed by 166 exiledBurmese and international solidarity groups, aims to collect 888,888 signatures by 24 May - the daythat marks Daw Aung San Kyi’s sixth consecutive year of detention. The signatures will be sent to UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
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 Meanwhile, the regime continued to crack down on dissidents. In March, the SPDC detained 20activists, including nine NLD members, and sentenced 32 to prison terms.
Arrests
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2 March
: SPDC authorities in Taungoo, Pegu Division, arrested Thein Lwin, a Thaketa TownshipNLD organizing committee member.
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3 March
: SPDC authorities in Twante Township, Rangoon Division, arrested NLD sympathizer KhinZaw along with seven NLD supporters after they collected signatures for the release of politicalprisoners.
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6 March
: SPDC authorities in Rangoon’s Sanchaung Township arrested NLD member Sein Hlaing.
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 He was involved in the NLD’s program to support political prisoners.
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7 March
: SPDC authorities in Rangoon’s Hlaing Township arrested NLD member Shwe Gyoe.
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10 March
: Special Branch police in Akyab, Arakan State, arrested four NLD youth members and amonk from Tawra Monastery for praying for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at theLawkanandar pagoda.
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13 March
: SPDC authorities in Rangoon’s Ahlone Township arrested NLD member and socialworker Myint Myint San aka Ma Cho. She had been providing support to political prisoners with theNLD’s Social Supporting Committee.
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15 March
: SPDC authorities in Rangoon arrested NLD member Kyi Lwin, 53.
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20 March
: It was reported that SPDC Military Intelligence at a checkpoint on the Maungdaw-Buthidaung road in Arakan State detained 60-year-old retired police official Mrat Tun for providinginformation to a Burmese media group in Bangladesh.
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27 March
: Police in Twante Township, Rangoon Division, arrested private tutor Aung Phe after hestood outside the Township NLD office for over five hours.
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Prison sentences
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5 March
: A court in Rangoon’s Insein prison sentenced 88 Generation Students Win Maw, Zaw ZawMin aka Baung Baung, and Aung Zaw Oo to an additional ten years in prison for sending news aboutthe Saffron Revolution through the internet. They will now serve a total of 17, 12, and 22 years inprison respectively.
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11 March
: A court in Insein prison sentenced relief worker Min Thein Tun aka Thiha to 17 years in jail for helping coordinate cyclone Nargis relief efforts through the internet.
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Irrawaddy (10 Mar 09) Electricity shortages, students and unrest; Irrawaddy (11 Mar 09) Signatures wanted to free politicalprisoners; DVB (13 Mar 09) 888,888 political prisoner campaign launches today
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Mizzima News (16 Mar 09) Ailing NLD party worker arrested
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DVB (09 Mar 09) Eight people arrested after signature campaign
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DVB (10 Mar 09) Two NLD members in unspecified arrest
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Mizzima News (08 Mar 09) Former political prisoner detained
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DVB (10 Mar 09) Two NLD members in unspecified arrest
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Kaladan News (12 Mar 09) Authorities arrest NLD youth in Akyab
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AP (18 Mar 09) Myanmar arrests 5 members of pro-democracy party; Irrawaddy (16 Mar 09) Four NLD Members Arrested
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AP (18 Mar 09) Myanmar arrests 5 members of pro-democracy party; Mizzima News (16 Mar 09) Ailing NLD party workerarrested
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Narinjara News (26 Mar 09) Retired police official arrested for connections with exiled media
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Mizzima News (27 Mar 09) Lone protestor detained
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DVB (06 Mar 09) Pop star imprisoned for further 10 years; UPI (19 Mar 09) Cyber-thought crime in Bangkok and Rangoon
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DVB (18 Mar 09) Prisoners living in dire conditions hundreds of miles from families
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