Arakan CSOs call for end to abuses in Myanmar on Human Rights Day

By DMG 10 Dec 2021

DMG Newsroom
10 December 2021, Sittwe

Civil society organisations in Arakan State called for an end to human rights abuses in Myanmar on December 10, celebrated internationally as Human Rights Day.

The CSOs noted that Myanmar’s people have suffered various human rights abuses since the military coup in the country on February 1.

At present, the Myanmar military is focusing on committing human rights abuses instead of democratic reforms, said Daw Saw San Nyein Thu, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Initiative Organization.

“Myanmar had been undergoing democratic reforms since 2010. Instead of moving toward more democratic change, it is very ugly that such a military coup has led to human rights abuses. From this point on, we look forward to moving in the direction of democracy with discussions that are truly progressive,” she told DMG.

U Khaing Kaung San, director of the Wun Lark Rural Development Foundation, said human rights continue to be violated in Myanmar.

“Both ethnic [Rakhine] and Muslims are losing their human rights. … In recognition of Human Rights Day, even when people take to the streets, they have to get permission from the authorities to show that human rights are still being violated,” he said.

He expounded, noting that as long as the military government rules the country’s people under these laws, it is the government that is violating human rights.

Civil society and human rights organisations have documented many civilian casualties and arbitrary detentions during the two-year armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State.

Tens of thousands of IDPs have returned home, as an end to the fighting in earnest has prevailed for more than a year. Many more remain in displacement camps and hope to return home, but are unable or unwilling to do so due to the risk of landmines, nearby military deployments, lack of shelter, job scarcity and other hardships wrought of the mental and physical damages of war.

Dozens more arrested on suspicion of AA affiliation remain in detention, some for many months.

“Some people have been detained for months without evidence of terrorism. It is a violation of human rights and arbitrary detention,” said U Mrat Tun, director of the Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Group.

“IDPs have not been able to return home yet,” said Ma Khin Myint Zaw, director of Women Generation. “In addition, there are … restrictions imposed by the Myanmar military on food supplies for IDPs, such as travel restrictions. There are still human rights violations in Myanmar. On today, Human Rights Day, I would like to call for an end to human rights abuses in Myanmar,” she said.

Women Generation organised a rose distribution campaign in the Arakan State capital Sittwe to mark Human Rights Day.

The campaigners distributed the white roses, along with the slogan “Let’s reduce inequality and promote human rights,” to passersby on Friday.