Human rights violations unabated in Burma

12 February 2014: The Network for Human Rights Documentation (ND-Burma) said that human rights violations committed by Burma’s authorities continue in the country.

A new report released yesterday by the 13-member organization documented 106 cases of human rights violations inflicted upon civilians between July and December last year.

Salai Bawi Pi, of the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), an ND-Burma member, said: “The report highlights that there are massive human rights violations in ethnic areas. It is an indication that the authorities still practice discrimination and rights abuses on the basis of religion and ethnicity.”

“No doubt, ceasefire agreements alone will not bring improvement on the human rights situation in ethnic regions unless the Union government respects and protects the rights of ethnic minorities,” added a Management Board member of the Thailand-based organization.

The report stressed serious human rights violations including extra-judicial killing, illegal arrests and detention, arbitrary taxation, property crimes, forced labor, trafficking, forced displacement and rape.

At the top of its list is confiscation and destruction of property with 35 cases, followed by torture and arbitrary taxation.

The report admitted that it was not able to collect data from across the country owning to various reasons including security restrictions, ongoing conflict, and fear of retaliation by authorities against victims for providing information.

ND-Burma said that these human rights violations are still taking place not only in conflict zones but also in other ethnic areas where Thein Sein’s government has already signed ceasefire agreements or has agreed to negotiation.

“These human rights violations are predominantly happening in areas where the government is implementing massive development projects with foreign investors, extracting natural resources for export. The local people in these areas are suffering a plethora of abuses as a direct result of these projects,” it added.

The Network for Human Rights Document released its previous periodic report highlighting 147 cases of human rights violations in Burma between January and June 2013.#