May Chronology 2018
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MAY CHRONOLOGY 2018 Summary of the Anti-war protestor detained in Rangoon Current Situation: 262 individuals are oppressed in Burma due to political activity: 36 political prisoners are serving sentences, are awaiting trial inside 57 prison, 169 are awaiting trial outside Accessed May 2018 © Reuters prison. WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK MAY 2018 1 ACRONYMS AA Arakan Army ABSFU All Burma Federation of Student CSO Civil Society Organization DPNS Democratic Party for a New Society EAO Ethnic Armed Organization KIA Kachin Independence Army IDP Internally Displaced Person JMC Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee MEC Myanmar Economic Corporation MNHRC Myanmar National Human Rights Commission NCA Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement NLD National League for Democracy ONGC Oil and Natural Gas Corporation PAPPA Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Act SEZ Special Economic Zone USDP Union Solidarity and Development Party UWSA United Wa State Army 2 MAY 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS POLITICAL PRISONERS .................................................................. 4 ARRESTS ............................................................................................................................................ 4 CHARGES ............................................................................................................................................ 4 TRIALS ................................................................................................................................................ 6 SENTENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 7 CONDITIONS OF IMPRISONMENT .......................................................................................... 8 RELEASES .......................................................................................................................................... 8 FORMER POLITICAL PRISONERS ......................................................................................... 11 RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS .............11 LAND RIGHTS................................................................................................................................ 13 INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS .........................................................19 REFERENCES ...................................................................................21 3 MAY 2018 POLITICAL PRISONERS ARRESTS for the rescue of over 2,700 people trapped 50 Jade Miners Detained in Kachin State by the fighting, as well as an end to the Following Wage Protest Military offensive. On 15 May, a police officer in the Lone Khin On 9 May, two of the protest leaders, Lum jade mining region of Kachin State reported Zawng and Sut Seng Htoi, were fined that 50 miners were detained on Tuesday 30,000 Kyats (US $22.20) each by after a dispute over unpaid wages with their Myitkyina Township Court for breaching employer, Yadana Shwe Eaik, turned violent Article 19 of PAPPA. Their charges relate to the night before. both the mass rally and the sit-in protest in More than 100 mine workers gathered on the town’s Manau grounds. The two were the afternoon of 14 May at the company’s charged by Police Colonel Than Oo, who offices to demand their wages. The workers also served as prosecutor in the case. had not received their salaries, and the According to the officer, they confessed to arguments turned into a protest in the having violated the law by failing to ask for evening. The police were there negotiating permission to stage the protest. between the workers and the company. On 16 May, the Northern Command of the Some of Yadana’s heavy machinery was Military also sued Lum Zaung along with destroyed, and a building was set on fire. two other protest leaders, Zau Jat and Nang Protesters were dispersed by the police, Pu, for defamation under Section 500 of the who fired warning rounds into the air. Penal Code. Although only one case was 50 mine workers were subsequently opened to include all three leaders, each of detained on the same day and will be sued them were charged individually in different on several counts, including vandalism, locations. The defamation charge allows arson, theft, unlawful gathering and bail, which was granted to Zau Jat and Lum insulting police. Three civilians received Zaung on May 16, and carries a maximum minor injuries during the violence and two year imprisonment as well as a fine. reports emerged that one man had been They appeared in court on May 21, when killed. Nang Pu applied for bail. Zau Jat argued that they should only have CHARGES been sued under Article 19 of PAPPA, due to the fact that they did not defame the Myitkyina, Kachin State: Charges Military. Defence lawyer, Mung Seng Tu, Brought Against 3 Antiwar Activists has requested the case’s annulment due to On April 30, between 3,000 and 5,000 anomalies in the case, including the fact Kachin locals demonstrated in Sitapu Ward that the accusations from different in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, locations are combined into one case. The against ongoing clashes between the Township court will hear the case again on Military and the KIA. On May 3, roughly June 4. 300 others renewed the demonstration and staged a sit-in camp until 6 May, calling 4 MAY 2018 Rangoon: 9 Protest Organizers detained on May 12, are as follows: Thet Arrested/Released on Bail, Total of 18 Swe Win, Moe Thway, Paing Ye Thu, Maung Charged under PAPPA Saung Kha, Htet Khaing Soe, Shar Yamon, Ei Ei Moe, Thinzar Shoon Let Yee, and Lin 18 protest organizers in Rangoon have Htet Naing a.k.a James. been charged after holding a protest of approximately 300 people on 12 May in One of the activists who was detained on Rangoon as a show of support for victims May 12, Zayyar Lwin, is now facing of fighting between the Military and the additional charges after he criticised police KIA in Kachin State. The protesters had at a poem-reading event in Rangoon on been denied permission by authorities to May 14. After the poem recital, Zayya Lwin march from a major junction in Tamwe said officers told him they would charge Township to downtown Rangoon. On the him under Section 19 of PAPPA, which evening of May 12, the activists instead could see him sentenced to an additional negotiated with police to hold a sit-down three months in jail. Two others, Khand protest at the junction for less than half an Min Htet, the poetry reading ceremony hour. organizer, and poet Shwe Kyel Moe a.k.a Ye Wind Aung, were also charged under As the protesters were dispersing, police Section 19 of PAPPA. They both appeared officers and people in plain clothes in Kyauk Tada Township Court on May 21. stormed into the crowd, beating protesters and arresting others. A total of nine They refused to provide a reason for the activists were detained. Police released charge, and asked Zayyar Lwin to them on bail the next day. The names of accompany them to the police station. He those detained are as follows: Zayyar Lwin, refused, telling them to send an official Tin Htut Paing, Thein Min Soe a.k.a Phoe letter laying out the charges. Zayyar Lwin Soe, Myat Kyaw, Htar Htar Nwe, Oak Soe was imprisoned for more than nine months Paing, Ye Htut Lwin, Khin San Dar, and in 2015 for protesting against the Military’s Pyae Phyo Naing. participation in Parliament. One of those mentioned above, Khin San On 31 May, eight of the 18 anti-war Dar, belongs to the Kaman ethnic minority protesters submitted a letter addressed to in Arakan State, and is one of Burma’s most top Government officials, including Aung well-known peace and interfaith activists. San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, “Five of [the police officers] grabbed my demanding that action be taken against the arm and threw me into the truck even violent police officers who arrested them though I told them I would come along. I during the protest and raising concerns can’t move my arm up, and I’m still in over freedom of speech. pain”, she said after her release. Rangoon: 4 Anti-War Protesters Charged 18 activists, including the nine who were under PAPPA detained, were then charged with allegedly On 7 May, police officer Myo Thet from the violating Section 20 of PAPPA, which Kyauktada Township Police Station in covers disturbing the peace and holding a Rangoon filed a complaint against Kaung protest without permission. It carries a Htet Kyaw, Zayya, Ye Aung Aye, and Myo maximum penalty of one month in jail and Saw, who are members of ABSFU and a fine of 10,000 kyats (US $7.49). The DPNS, for organizing an anti-war protest in names of those charged, but who were not 5 MAY 2018 Rangoon without official approval. On May 19, over 500 Karen people from Bilin Township, Mon State, protested in front of the NLD party headquarters in Pyay: Two Activists Charged under Rangoon to demand compensation for over PAPPA for Protest March 1,300 acres of farmland which had been confiscated in 1984 and 1985. Three On May 6, two people began marching from protest leaders, Naw Aye Aye Kyaing, Tin Pyay Township, Bago region to Myitkyina, Lone and Soe Moe, were arrested by Bahan Kachin State. They were arrested by police Township Police. The police charged them when they reached Aunglan Township, under Section 20 of PAPPA. Magwe region during the march. Authorities sent them back to Pyay and Pyay police force charged them for Lawsuit Filed Against 4 Protesters allegedly violating Article 19 of PAPPA. Under PAPPA They were later released on bail. On May 8, police in Ann Township,