U Win Tin In Good Condition After Operation

Jan 29, 2008 (DVB)

Veteran journalist and long-term political prisoner U Win Tin is making a good recovery after an operation for a hernia, his friend U Maung Maung Khin told DVB. Please click here for full report.

Vicious Circle (An Appeal To Readers)

Dear Readers

I have drafted a letter to the ILO office, concerning the case of the 6 men who were sentenced to long term imprisonment. I strongly believe that this is one of the most unjust cases and therefore am trying to send it off to anywhere that I hope will be able to help.

I call it a 'Vicious Circle' because the nastiness seems going around all the time. Junta rules the country badly---people are impoverished--- junta force poor people to work for them ----people are frustrated---anger and rebellion leads to imprisonment --- appeals to international help, (like ILO)who are trying hard from outside ---- weak agreement reached---- junta carries on with forced labour ---- people turn to the only hope(the ILO-Junta agreement)-- attempts to use agreement and activate others ---- arrest by junta (ignoring agreement and using different laws) and imprisoned --- junta continues to intimidate and rule the country ---- and so on.....

Unless we all help to break this vicious circle (this is only the ILO case, there are thousands more other 'circles' there), the country will continue to drown in shallow water and poor guys like those 6 will be forever ending up in prisons.

If you agree with my belief, could you please join in the action, to do something about this serious breach of basic human rights. I mean to send this to ILO offices. I also hope to do a petition or email circulation. If you are good at IT and can create something please come forward to help. If you have better ideas, then propose them. If you have legal knowledge then advise us on some actions.

My idea is to try as hard as possible to give pressure to the ILO and UN to help and support us. What is the point of international organizations if they cannot intervene during such times when the breaches of basic human rights are so flagrant?

Many Thanks

Yours sincerely

Nay Chi U


Date ...............

Dear Officials

Could I please inform you of an unusual and distressing incident in Rangoon, Burma, which is reported in Scoop Politics Independent News. , tody.

The report stated that 6 men were sent to long-term imprisonment; four, Thu Rein Aung, Wai Lin, Myo Min and Kyaw Min to prison terms of 28 years, and two others, Ko Kyaw Kyaw and Nyi Nyi Zaw each received sentences of 20 years. This was their reward for their part in organising labour rights discussions at the American Centre in Rangoon last May Day.

As an International Labour Organisation could you therefore please take action to help these men as they did not commit any crime. All they did according to the report was to organise labour rights discussions, perhaps trying to understand the announcement of ILO about the 'Understanding' reached with the Government of Myanmar. [The GENEVA (ILO News) stated that the International Labour Office (ILO) announced today that it had concluded an Understanding with the Government of Myanmar designed to provide, as previously requested by the International Labour Conference and the ILO Governing Body, a mechanism to enable victims of forced labour to seek redress (Reference ILO/07/04) ].

It is obvious that although agreeing to such an 'Understanding', the military government in Burma will never publically issue this kind of announcement and it is up to people like those 6 men to assist in raising public awareness and assisting in educating ordinary people concerning their own rights.

Very sadly, the cunning military junta have also made their own laws to prevent such discussions and can always find ways to intimidate the public with the exemplary long-term prison sentences targetted at the deterrence of further action, which is in itself one of the junta's more crude abuses of basic human rights.

More worryingly, the news also reported that when contacted, the ILO office in Rangoon declined to comment. Could you please find out the situation of the ILO Rangoon office, in particular as to why they are unable to be more supportive to the the brave young people whom they have 'activated' ?

For the people of Burma who suffer the most cruel, blatant and unremitting repression under this ruling military junta, the international organisations like ILO and UN are the crucial and only lifeline. The people of Burma deserve the sound and reliable support of these agencies when it really counts, and whatever back-up and reassurance they can provide.

Could I there fore make an appeal to you to act and do everything in your power for the release of those 6 men immediately. I understand that there are many thousands more in prisons, who were also unjustly captured there by the military government but this particular case, which is closely related to ILO and his work, could be a model for those in Burma who needs all the support and encouragement they can get to fight back the bully and abuse, subjected to them, in most systematic way.

("The Understanding provides that alleged victims of forced labour in Myanmar will have full freedom to submit complaints to the ILO Liaison Officer in Yangon. The Liaison Officer will then make a confidential preliminary assessment as to whether a case involves forced labour, in order that such cases can be investigated by the Myanmar authorities and appropriate action taken against the perpetrators.")

To read the agreement on 26 February 2007 of a Supplementary Understanding between the ILO and Burma (Myanmar) please click here.

ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Ms Sachiko Yamamoto
Regional Director
United Nations Building, 11th Floor
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
P.O. Box 2-349
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: (66) 2288 2295, 2288 1234
Fax: (66) 2288 3056 (direct), 2288 3062
Email: bangkok@ilo.org

Mr Guy Thijs
Deputy Regional Director
United Nations Building, 11th Floor
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
P.O. Box 2-349
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: (66) 2288 2224, 2288 1234
Fax: (66) 2288 3056 (direct), 2288 3062
Email: bangkok@ilo.org

Mr William Salter
Director
United Nations Building, 10th Floor,
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue,
P.O. Box 2-349
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: (66) 2288 2219, 2288 2220
Fax: (66) 2288 3058
Email: SRO-BKK@ilo.org
SRO-Bangkok covers Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR), the Democratic Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam

ILO Liaison Office in Myanmar
Mr Stephen Marshall
Liaison Officer
No. 1212-20, Traders Hotel, 12th Flr.
No. 223, Sule Pagoda Rd., Kyauktada Township,
Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (95 1) 242 393, 242 811
Fax: (95 1) 242 594
Email: marshall@ilo.org

Office of the Director-General
Tel: +41.22.799.6026
Fax: +41.22.799.8533
E-mail: cabinet@ilo.org

Security Staff Sell 4 Children To the Army

23 January 2008
Original report by Aye Naing, DVB

Sergeant Soe Myint from the military recruitment centre in Danyin Gone, Rangoon, brought in 4children, aged between 12 to 15, at dawn this morning, it is reported.

An eyewitness reported that the four children, who picked up broken ice pieces at night to sell elsewhere, were arrested by the security guards at central model fish market in Kyi Myin Dine, Rangoon, just after midnight.

The children, who live in the municipal compound in Kamayut, help support family income by selling discarded broken ice pieces they pick up from the fish market.

When the market security department fined the children K 20,000 to 30,000 each, the parents were unable to redeem their children immediately. By 4:30 am, Sergeant Soe Myint arrived and paid K15,000 for each of the four children and took them away to Danyin Gone military recruitment centre.

One of the four children is called Maung Kalar 14), whose father is a municipal worker, and the family live in family quarters in the municipal compound, Simmlight, Kamayut.

When the parents asked the security guards about the arrest warrant, they insisted that they have orders from authorities of Kyi Myin Daine(PDC).

When the neighbours tried to comfort the distraught parents, explaining that they could report the incident to the international organisations such as ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), the parents are frightened to do so as the are concerned about being evicted as a consequence of any action. The only viable action for the poverty-striken parents at the moment seems to be to cry.

Sergeant Soe Myint was well-known for his many previous trips to buy children from poor backgrounds to be taken to Danyin Gone military recruitment center. There have been similar occasions previously when the parents in the municipal compound, Kamaryut, were informed of their children's fate but when they considered reporting the incidents, they were always threatened with the loss of their accommodation, if such action was taken. So poor are the families, who have nowhere else to go, that they have to tolerate watching their children taken from them, to be forced to serve in the military.

According to some, who are close to the families of municipal staff, there are estimated to have been 20 under-aged children who have suffered the same fate, from that one compound alone.

Vicious Circle (An Appeal To Readers)

Dear Readers

I have drafted a letter to the ILO office, concerning the case of the 6 men who were sentenced to long term imprisonment. I strongly believe that this is one of the most unjust cases and therefore am trying to send it off to anywhere that I hope will be able to help.

I call it a 'Vicious Circle' because the nastiness seems going around all the time. Junta rules the country badly---people are are impoverished--- junta force poor people to work for them ----people are frustrated---anger and rebellion leads to imprisonment --- appeals to international help, (like ILO)who are trying hard from outside ---- weak agreement reached---- junta carries on with forced labour ---- people turn to the only hope(the ILO-Junta agreement)-- attempts to use agreement and activate others ---- arrest by junta (ignoring agreement and using different laws) and imprisoned --- junta continues to intimidate and rule the country ---- and so on.....

Unless we all help to break this vicious circle (this is only the ILO case, there are thousands more other 'circles' there), we are never going to win and poor guys like those 6 will be forever ending up in prisons.

If you agree with my belief, could you please join in the action, to do something about this serious breach of basic human rights. I mean to send this to ILO offices. I also hope to do a petition or email circulation. If you are good at IT and can create something please come forward to help. If you have better ideas, then please put them forward. If you have legal knowledge then please help with advice.

My idea is to try as hard as possible to give pressure to the ILO and UN to help and support us. What is the point of international organizations if they cannot intervene during such times when the breaches of basic human rights are so flagrant?

Yours sincerely

Nay Chi U


Date ...............

Dear Officials

Could I please inform you of an unusual and distressing incident in Rangoon, Burma, which is reported in Scoop Politics Independent News. , tody.

The report stated that 6 men were sent to long-term imprisonment; four, Thu Rein Aung, Wai Lin, Myo Min and Kyaw Min to prison terms of 28 years, and two others, Ko Kyaw Kyaw and Nyi Nyi Zaw each received sentences of 20 years. This was their reward for their part in organising labour rights discussions at the American Centre in Rangoon last May Day.

As an International Labour Organisation could you therefore please take action to help these men as they did not commit any crime. All they did according to the report was to organise labour rights discussions, perhaps trying to understand the announcement of ILO about the 'Understanding' reached with the Government of Myanmar. The GENEVA (ILO News) stated that the International Labour Office (ILO) announced today that it had concluded an Understanding with the Government of Myanmar designed to provide, as previously requested by the International Labour Conference and the ILO Governing Body, a mechanism to enable victims of forced labour to seek redress (Reference ILO/07/04).

It is obvious that although agreeing to such an Understanding, the military government in Burma will never publically issue this kind of announcement and it is up to people like those 6 men to assist in raising public awareness and assisting in educating ordinary people concerning their own rights.

Very sadly, the cunning military junta have also made their own rules to prevent such discussions and can always find ways to intimidate the public with the exemplary long-term prison sentences targetted at the deterrence of further action, which is in itself one of the juntas more crude abuses of basic human rights.

More worryingly, the news also reported that when contacted, the ILO office in Rangoon declined to comment. Could you please find out the situation of the ILO Rangoon office, in particular as to why they are unable to be more supportive to the the brave young people whom they have 'activated' ?

For the people of Burma who suffer the most cruel, blatant and unremitting repression under this ruling military junta, the international organisations like ILO and UN are the crucial and only lifeline. The people of Burma deserve the sound and reliable support of these agencies when it really counts, and whatever back-up and reassurance they can provide.

("The Understanding provides that alleged victims of forced labour in Myanmar will have full freedom to submit complaints to the ILO Liaison Officer in Yangon. The Liaison Officer will then make a confidential preliminary assessment as to whether a case involves forced labour, in order that such cases can be investigated by the Myanmar authorities and appropriate action taken against the perpetrators".)

Burma: Long Jail Terms for Labour Rights Activists

Wednesday, 23 January 2008, 11:47 am
Press Release: Terry Evans

The harsh reality of life under the brutal Burmese military regime has been clearly demonstrated this week. Six labour rights activists have been handed down long prison sentences for their part in organising labour rights discussions at the American Centre in Rangoon last May Day.

The Burmese authorities sentenced four of the activists - Thu Rein Aung, Wai Lin, Myo Min and Kyaw Min - to prison terms of 28 years. Two others - Kyaw Kyaw and Nyi Nyi Zaw - each received sentences of 20 years.

Appeals have been made to the International Labour Organization (ILO) to intervene in an attempt to secure the release of all six activists. However, when contacted, the ILO office in Rangoon declined to comment.

The activists, who were sentenced in September without a defence counsel, are been held at Burma's notorious Insein prison.

END

ILO Case In Pago Over Junta's Trickery

15 January 2008
Original report by Ye May Aung, DVB
Translation by Nay Chi U

Followers of the junta have been forcing ordinary civilians to clear barren land for farming and were then plotting to jail them; they are to be reported to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), according to a lawyer in Pago (also known as Pegu).

After farmers from Bau Ni, Dike U were being forced to clear some wild land of the surrounding area, three of them - Daw Tin Mar Mar, a midwife, U San Shwe and U Soe Maung were sued for trespassing (under section 447). They were subsequently found guilty and jailed for 3 months on 28 December, by Dike U magistrate court. It is understood that the land they were working are owned by the nephew of the junta leader General Than Shwe.

All the lands, owned by the three victims, as well as 150 acres of lands owned by 10 other Bau Ni residents, were seized by a company called Myat Min.

It all started in 2006, when the District Authority chairman Major Maung Maung Kywe and the township chairman U Myint Sein and the team arrived to Bau Ni, Dike U to order the villagers to clear the waste land along side the Rangoon - Mandalay motorway.

The villagers were asked to attend the meeting held in a primary school, where the authorities told them, "Instead of chopping wood and making charcoal, you are better off clearing the waste lands to start farming. Just make sure you reach the target of the project - producing 30,000,000 tins of rice - then we promise that you will own the land", according to U Myint Aye, the defendants lawyer.

When the villagers cast doubts over the ownership, they were primised that "The person who farms it,owns the land". However, just after a year, in 2007, there were claims that the land they have been farming was owned by Phyo La Wai, the nephew of Daw Kyaing Kyaing, who happened to be the wife of general Than Shwe, and the farmers were ordered to move out. When the order was refused, all were taken to court.

During the hearing, the local 'authorities', the so-called Peace and Development Council secretary U Aye Wai, and also members of the land registry department flatly denied their involvement in urging the villagers to clear the land to farm. The company, who claimed ownership of the now-fertile land of about 150 acres, which had been cleared and treated by the farmers from Bau Ni, is now known as Zayar Phyo Company.

"It is issumed that they wanted the fertile land, free of charge, so forced the farmers to do the clearing, using their sweat and blood, before kicking them out. By using and dropping the big names like Daw Kyaing Kyaing and general Than Shwe, they tried to squash the involvement of the forced labour, ordered by the local authorities."

It was only Daw Tin Mar Mar, U San Shwe and U Soe Maung, that were taken to court while the other 10 farmers, who also refused to move out of the land were not. "Only the 3 leading figures were targetted. The idea is to jail them first and the rest will be easy to deal with. But now about 300 farmers from the area are all going to Dike U, to offices and courts as they are all unhappy about the whole case."

The complaint letters have been prepared for sending off to ILO and junta leader General Than Shwe within days. Documentary evidence and records were prepared by family members of the victims.

Forced Labour Will Be Reported To I L O

7 December 2008
Original report by Naw Say Paw, DVB

The campaign has started today among the citizens of Taunggote, Rakhine, to collect signatures for the petition, informing the International Labour Organisation (I L O) of the 'guard duty' they have been forced to do by authorities, it is reported.

Soon after the September protests, antigovernment activists have been tirelessly campaigning, with propoganda distribution and graffiti writing on the roads, and since the beginning of December, people from all four areas of the town have been forced to do the guard duty to prevent further 'criminal activities' of this kind.

Households who can't send a member to do 'guard duty' are charged a huge penalty payment of about K 10,000 so some families who can't afford the fine, have to send female family members to carry out this 'duty'. The unhappiness has been building up among the citizens who work during the day, but now can't afford time to rest at night either. Tiredness and unhappiness have fused into anger when they are also being threatened with imprisonment, should there be any anti-government protest evidence in spite of their guard duty. This has provoked them into starting the campaign.

Earlier, Thousands of citizens of Taunggote also signed a petition for the release of U Khin Hla, Secretary, NLD Party , Rakhine and Ko Min Aung, Treasurer, to become the first town in Burma to commence a petition campaign in 2008.

Any alleged victim of forced labour has full freedom to submit complaints to the ILO Liaison Officer in Rangoon.

at Tel: +951-227837, 227057 Fax: +951-224327 or E-mail: registry.ilomm@undp.org

ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RO-Bangkok)
P.O. Box 2-349,
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: +662.288.2482
Fax: +662.288.3062
E-mail: apwebeditor@ilo.org

Cool Guys From Taunggote

4 January 2008
Original report : Naw Say Paw, DVB

Ko Se Thu and Ko Moe Naing Soe, both from Taunggote managed to keep their cool while being questioned about their distribution of leaflets.

The two young gentlemen were taken to the local authority office while they were distributing leaflets, containing information of the government's agreement with the ILO (International Labour Organisation) in February 2006 , concerning the abolition of Forced Labour.

As the young men came out of the Taunggote central market, after distributing the leaflets, Hla Tun a police official and his team, who were waiting outside, took them to SPDC office in town for questioning.

The constable asked,' What kind of leaflets are they, Ko Se Thu ? '.

Ko Se Thu replied,' 'Why don't you read it yourself, if you want to know', as he pushed the leaflet to the officer, before going out to buy some bettle nuts.

When he came out of the betel nut shop he was asked,'Ko Se Thu, SPDC needs you to attend at the SPDC office for some discussions', to which Ko Se Thu replied, 'I am quite busy. It's not the most convenient time for me so I'll refuse this opportunity', and walked on.

However, by the gate of the central market, they once again came face to face with the awaiting police officials, including Ko Hla Htwe, who took them to the town's SPDC office, where they were questioned separately.

Ko Se Thu said, 'They asked me why I was distributing the leaflets ', and I replied,' I don't want to be forced to do something that I don't agree with, and also I don't want anyone to be in that position. Some people are ignorant of their rights (to refuse forced labour), so that's why I was making sure that they know.' They were dismissed after about an hour of questioning.

He insisted that the agreement that the government signed with the ILO in February 2006 is a legal document so there is no need for questions about the distribution of the leaflets.

In the past, U Aye Myint, a lawyer from Pago and Miss Su Su Nwe from Kor Hmu, Rangoon had been arrested and jailed for reporting information to ILO.

To read the agreement on 26 February 2007 of a Supplementary Understanding between the ILO and Burma (Myanmar) please click here.

Workers Suffer As Factories Close Down

1 January 2008
Original report by Naw Say Paw, DVB, Thailand

About 1000 employees from New Wave shoe factory, Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Estate, Rangoon are now suffering because the factory is closed. After sacking 200 workers for demonstrating in September as they protested for being denied workers' rights, the owner of the factory closed it down in late October.

According to one employee, the reason for the closure is the unavailability of supplies. It has also been learnt that worker are not getting the proper partial payment during the period of closure.

She said,' We still get a small payment but it is not even half of our normal salary. Our basic salary is about K 35,000which with the overtime can rise to about K50,000 a month. At present we only get K12,000 which is not enough to live on. If we know for sure that the closure is permanent, then we can start looking for a new job, and claim compensation to which we would be entitled. But so far however, we have not been given any further information and are only provided with this small wage each month, which is not enough to support a family.'

Until now, there has been no intervention by the Ministery of Labour or any other workers organisations concerning the legal closure of the factory and the distribution of compensation amongst its employees. When New Wave factory was contacted for further information, an official explained that the closure is nothing to do with the September protests but there is not only a genuine lack of raw material supplies, but also a lack of demand for the products.

When the Ministery of Labour was contacted, there was no official available to respond to the enquiry. It is reported that there are some other factories in Hlaing Thar Yar Industrial Estate, which have also shut down due to the shortage of raw material supplies.

More often than not, pro-government media and newspapers blame the closures of factories on trade and economic sanctions imposed by the USA and the West, even though there are many other alternative suppliers who will do business with the government. More importantly there is no mention of how, as a country's Government, they propose to achieve a solution to these difficulties and assist the impoverished and powerless workers to endure the consequent unemployment.