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BURMA
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&
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BN 2013/1096: May 22, 2013
IMPUNITY STILL REIGNS IN BURMA:
ROHINGYA PERSECUTED, MUSLIMS TARGETED,
KACHIN ATTACKED
 The Burmese regime’s refusal to implement
INSIDE
reforms that will stop impunity has resulted in a
2..ARAKAN STATE UNREST
surge of serious human rights violations that have
TURNS INTO PERSECUTION OF
ROHINGYA
displaced 250,000 people and killed hundreds since
2..Regime fails to prevent unrest,
June 2011.
targets Rohingya
 This includes state-linked anti-Muslim violence that 2..Mass arrests of Rohingya
spread from the western state of Arakan to the 3..Regime-appointed commission fails
to provide accountability
central regions of Mandalay and Pegu (Bago), as
3..Rights of Rohingya still denied
well as a new war in the northern state of Kachin.
3..Rohingya IDPs endure prison-like
conditions in Arakan State
 In all cases, regime authorities either actively
3..Regime obstructs aid efforts in
participated in perpetrating the abuses or failed to
Arakan State
protect civilians from violence. Authorities also 4..Rohingya boat people exodus
intensifies
denied victims access to justice and blocked
4..ANTI-MUSLIM
VIOLENCE HITS
access to humanitarian assistance.
BURMA
 From June to October 2012, several waves of 4..Anti Muslim attacks kill dozens,
displace thousands
sectarian violence affect 14 of 17 townships in
5..UN says regime involved in the
Arakan State, killing 211 people and displacing at
violence
least 140,000 people. At least 31 mosques and 14 5..Muslims prosecuted, jailed
monasteries are destroyed. The authorities’ 5..Rangoon situation tense
passive reaction to the racially-motivated violence 6..Buddhist monk U Wirathu and ‘969’
spearhead anti-Muslim campaign
causes it to spread to another 14 townships in
6..REGIME STEPS UP MILITARY
other parts of the country during March-May 2013.
OFFENISVES IN KACHIN AND
SHAN STATES
The fresh wave of violence displaces thousands
6..Tatmadaw escalates attacks
more and leaves at least 45 dead.
against the Kachin Independence
 The regime-appointed commission tasked with
Army
investigating the violence in Arakan State fails to 7..Minimal aid for over 100,000 Kachin
IDPs
hold anyone accountable for human rights abuses 7..Attacks,
abuses, displacement
committed during the unrest. In addition, it refuses
continues in Shan State
to
acknowledge
Rohingya
identity
and 7..POLITICAL PRISONERS: AT
LEAST 164 STILL BEHIND BARS
recommends more militarization of the region and
the “temporary” segregation of Buddhist and
Muslim communities.
 The UN suggests that the regime is complicit in anti-Muslim attacks and says it
has “not done enough” to tackle the organized mobs that incite hatred and
attack Muslim communities.
 The regime launches a new war in Kachin State in June 2011 that has so far,
displaced over 100,000 people, burned 200 villages, and damaged 66 churches.
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 In December 2012, the Tatmadaw dramatically escalates its offensive against the
Kachin Independence Army. Tatmadaw attacks continue unabated in 2013. In
Shan State, from January to May, clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Shan
State Army-South, Shan State Army-North, and the Ta-ang National Liberation
Army have occurred in at least seven townships.
 Almost 200 political prisoners remain behind bars. In addition, the regime
revokes a prison amnesty to a former political prisoner and orders him to serve
the remainder of his original prison sentence.
ARAKAN STATE UNREST TURNS INTO PERSECUTION OF ROHINGYA
Regime fails to prevent unrest, targets
Rohingya
From June to October, several waves of
sectarian violence hit Arakan State.
According to official figures, the violence
resulted in the death of 211 people including 152 Rohingya - the displacement
of at least 140,000 people, and the
destruction of 10,689 buildings.1 However,
various organizations estimated that the
actual death toll was much higher.2 Burmese
Rohingya Organization UK said that, within
June alone, at least 650 Rohingya had been
killed in the unrest.3 In April, the US
Commission on International Religious
Freedoms (USCIRF) estimated that over
1,000 Rohingya had been killed as a result
of the violence.4
Violence was reported in 14 of 17 townships
in Arakan State, with the regime failing to
protect both Rohingya and Rakhine
communities. However, in many cases,
regime
authorities,
including
police,
Tatmadaw, and Na Sa Ka, were actively
involved
in
human
rights
abuses,
predominately targeting the Rohingya
population.5 Rampant violations continued
throughout and after the unrest. They
included
arbitrary
arrests,
forced
displacement, extrajudicial killings, rape,
torture, destruction of property, and
restrictions on religious activities and
freedom of movement.6
Mass arrests of Rohingya
terms 93 of the 875 Rohingya arrested for
their alleged involvement in the unrest.8
The regime failed to take any serious steps
to determine the individuals responsible for
the attacks and instead carried out arbitrary
mass arrests of Rohingya.7 On 27 March,
the regime said it had sentenced to prison
The regime also targeted high-profile
Rohingya activists. On 21 November, a
court in Akyab, Arakan State, sentenced
former National Democratic Party for Human
Rights MP elected in the 1990 elections Tun
2
“newly-coined word”.19 On 27 February,
President Thein Sein insisted that his
administration had “no plan” to amend the
1982 Citizenship Law and introduced
additional restrictions instead.20
Aung aka Nurul Haque to 12 years in prison
for his alleged involvement in the unrest.9
On 12 February, regime authorities in Akyab
briefly detained prominent Rohingya activist
Aung Win in order to prevent him from
meeting UN Special Rapporteur on human
rights in Burma Tomás Ojea Quintana.10
Rohingya IDPs endure prison-like
conditions in Arakan State
Regime-appointed commission fails to
provide accountability
In April, the UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported
that at least 140,000 people remained
displaced in Arakan State.21 At least 90 per
cent of IDPs were Rohingya.22 The regime’s
policy of segregation has forced Rohingya
IDPs to live in closed camps described as
“open air prisons.”23 The UN and other
humanitarian agencies have consistently
warned of terrible conditions in IDP camps.
On 7 December, UN Under-Sec-Gen for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief
Coordinator Valerie Amos said that
conditions for Rohingya living in an IDP
camp in Myebon, Arakan State, ranked
“among the worst” she had seen, with
overcrowding, “appalling” sanitation, and
limited access to water.24 In February, UN
Special Rapporteur on human rights in
Burma Tomás Ojea Quintana said that
Rohingya IDPs lacked adequate healthcare
and that the Myebon IDP camp “felt more
like a prison than a camp.”25 Many children
in camps suffered from severe malnutrition
and reports revealed that some starved to
death.26
Rohingya IDPs remained highly vulnerable
ahead of the May-September rainy season.
On 19 April, UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) said it was “seriously
concerned” over the more than 60,000
Rohingya IDPs living in makeshift shelters in
flood-prone areas of Arakan State.27
UNHCR called for “urgent action” to improve
conditions for IDPs and urged Burma’s
regime to immediately address shelter,
water, and sanitation needs to avert a
potential “humanitarian catastrophe.” 28
The 27-member commission appointed by
President Thein Sein on 13 August to
investigate sectarian violence in Arakan
State failed to hold anyone accountable for
human rights abuses committed during the
unrest.11
On 29 April, after several deadline
postponements, the commission - which did
not include any Rohingya representatives released its long-overdue report.12 The
report refused to acknowledge Rohingya
identity and only referred to them as
‘Bengali’.13 It said that “rapid population
growth” among Muslims in Arakan State had
undermined the peaceful coexistence
between Buddhists and Muslims.14 As a
result,
the
report
recommended
implementing birth control programs for
Muslims.15 The report said that the
“temporary
separation”
of
the
two
communities
should
continue
and
recommended
doubling
the
security
presence in the region “to control and
prevent” further violence.16 It also made the
bizarre recommendation that authorities
should use the 1982 Citizenship Law - under
which the overwhelming majority of
Rohingya would not be considered as
citizens - to determine whether they should
be granted citizenship.17
Rights of Rohingya still denied
Support for the rights of Rohingya failed to
gain traction in Naypyidaw. On 6 November,
the National Assembly shelved a proposal to
amend the 1982 Citizenship Law introduced
by USDP MP Tin Mya, following objections
from several MPs.18 On 20 February,
Immigration and Population Deputy Minister
Kyaw Kyaw Win used question time in the
People’s Assembly to reiterate the regime’s
position that Rohingya were not an ethnic
group of Burma, saying ‘Rohingya’ was a
Regime obstructs aid efforts in Arakan
State
The
regime
continued
to
hamper
humanitarian efforts in Arakan State. In
December, regime authorities prevented the
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) from providing an IDP camp in
3
Pauktaw with new tents.29 In the same
month, it was reported that Tatmadaw
soldiers failed to intervene as Rakhine
Buddhists in Myebon blocked aid agencies
from delivering supplies to Rohingya IDPs.30
In addition, as of 15 May, four INGO staff
remained detained in Buthidaung prison on
charges
described
by
UN
Special
Rapporteur on human rights in Burma
Tomás Ojea Quintana as “unfounded.” 31
several weeks. From October to April, an
estimated 440 Rohingya perished at sea.36
Thailand either detained Rohingya arriving
on its shores or turned them back out to sea.
On 7 February, a Thai official said that 5,899
Rohingya boat people had entered Thailand
since October.37
Large numbers of Rohingya continued to
seek refuge in Malaysia. On 21 February,
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) said that an estimated 1,800 boat
people had arrived in Malaysia since the
beginning of the year.38 In March, at least
274 Rohingya boat people reached
Malaysian shores.39
Aid agencies faced ongoing hostility from
Rakhine communities in Arakan State. In
February, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
urged regime authorities to “do more” to halt
threats and intimidation directed at its staff
from some members of the Rakhine
community.32
Bangladesh continued to push-back
Rohingya fleeing persecution and sectarian
violence in Arakan State. On 12 December,
Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) said
that Bangladesh had pushed back 4,751
Rohingya since June.40 In January and
February, BGB personnel pushed back at
least 238 Rohingya.41
Rohingya boat people exodus intensifies
Following the latest wave of unrest in
Arakan State and the start of the ‘sailing
season’33 in October, the exodus of
Rohingya boat people intensified. Women
and children were increasingly among those
boat people setting out to sea from Burma
and Bangladesh.34 From October to March,
around 25,000 Rohingya left Burma on
boats.35 Large numbers of Rohingya died at
sea as boats sank or those aboard died of
starvation and dehydration during the
perilous journeys that could last up to
Singapore denied Rohingya boat people
entry.42 Indonesia and Sri Lanka both
sheltered Rohingya who ended up within
their territories.43 From February to April,
Indonesian fishermen and authorities
rescued at least 334 Rohingya boat people
they found off the Indonesian coast.44
ANTI-MUSLIM VIOLENCE HITS BURMA
Anti-Muslim attacks kill dozens, displace
thousands
violence continued during the next two
days.48 Buddhist mobs rampaged through
the town’s Muslim quarter.49 Over 1,170
houses and 13 mosques were destroyed
during the unrest.50 Rioters, including some
Buddhist monks, also attacked and
threatened several reporters who were
covering the unrest for local and foreign
news agencies.51
In March, religious violence struck Central
Burma, with anti-Muslim attacks reported in
four townships in Mandalay Division and
eight townships in Pegu Division. Extremist
Buddhist
mobs
targeted
Muslim
communities during rioting that left 44 dead
and displaced over 12,800.45
On 21 March, a mob attacked and razed an
Islamic boarding school in Meikhtila’s
Mingalar Zayone quarter.52 Thirty-two
Muslim students (aged between 14 and 24)
and four teachers were believed to have
been killed in the attack.53 People’s
Assembly NLD MP Win Htein, who
witnessed the killing of eight people during
The violence began in Meikhtila, Mandalay
Division, on 20 March, after an argument
between a Muslim shop owner and two
Buddhist customers served as the trigger for
riots that quickly spread to several areas of
the city.46 Police failed to contain the
violence and stood idle as attacks
unfolded.47 Despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew,
4
the attack, said that “police stood and
watched” as violence unfolded.54
“organized mobs” that incited hatred and
attacked Muslim communities.64
The regime eventually restored a tense calm
after President Thein Sein declared martial
law in Meikhtila on 22 March and the
Tatmadaw deployed hundreds of troops to
key areas in the city.55
Muslims prosecuted, jailed
The regime publicly vowed to adopt tough
measures against rioters. On 28 March, in a
televised address to the nation, President
Thein Sein blamed “political opportunists
and religious extremists” for sowing hatred
between faiths and warned that he would
“not hesitate to use force as a last resort” to
quell religious violence.65
As of late April, over 8,000 Muslim IDPs in
Meikhtila remained sheltered in seven
prison-like camps that were off-limits to
journalists.56 Police at a camp holding more
than 1,600 IDPs said they had orders to stop
IDPs from leaving.57
On 3 April, the regime said that authorities
had arrested 142 people in connection with
the late March violence in Central Burma.66
Despite the overwhelmingly anti-Muslim
nature of attacks perpetrated by Buddhist
mobs, the regime was quick to prosecute
and jail Muslim individuals.
As the situation in Meikhtila stabilized,
attacks targeting mosques and Muslimowned property occurred in other areas of
Mandalay Division. On 23-24 March, arson
attacks were reported in Yamethin, Lewe,
and Tatkon Townships.58 From 25 to 28
March, attacks spread to Pegu Division’s
Okpho, Gyobingauk, Nattalin, Zeegone,
Thegon, Mon, Minhla, and Letpadan
Townships.59
On 11 April, a court in Meikhtila Township,
Mandalay Division, sentenced three Muslims
(the owner of a gold shop, his wife, and an
employee) to 14 years in prison each for
their involvement in a brawl with Buddhist
customers on 20 March in Meikhtila - the
incident which allegedly sparked the deadly
riots in the town.67 On 22 April, a closeddoor trial of seven Muslims accused of the
20 March killing of 45-year-old Buddhist
monk U Thawbita in Meikhtila, Mandalay
Division, began at a Meikhtila District
Court.68 On 23 April, a court in Kyaukkyi
Township, Pegu Division, sentenced a 42year-old Muslim man to two years in prison
on charges of “insulting” religion, after he
removed a ‘969’ sticker from a local shop.69
In late-April and early May, anti-Muslim
violence spread further, with attacks
reported in Rangoon Division and Kachin
State. On 30 April, mobs in Rangoon
Division’s Taikgyi Township ransacked two
mosques and set ablaze more than 100
Muslim-owned homes, killing one person. 60
On 2 May, a mob of about 30 people
destroyed Muslim-owned shops and houses
in Hpakant Township, Kachin State.61
UN says regime involved in the violence
Rangoon situation tense
The UN cited several troubling aspects of
the anti-Muslim violence, including possible
regime complicity. On 26 March, UN SecGen’s Special Advisor on Burma Vijay
Nambiar said that Muslims were “clearly
targeted” during the violence and that the
attacks were carried out with “brutal
efficiency.”62 On 28 March, UN Special
Rapporteur on human rights in Burma
Tomás Ojea Quintana said that he had
received reports of “state involvement in
some acts of violence.”63 Ojea Quintana also
said that the regime had “not done enough”
to address the spread of discrimination and
prejudice against Muslim communities
across the country or to tackle the
Despite an attack by a mob of hundreds of
Buddhists on an Islamic religious school in
Rangoon’s Thaketa Township on 17
February, riots largely spared the former
capital.70 However, following the violence in
Central Burma, the situation in Rangoon
was tense as rumors swirled of imminent
anti-Muslim attacks.71
On 2 April, tensions increased following an
early morning fire at a Muslim boarding
school in Rangoon’s Botataung Township,
which killed 13 children.72 The regime
deployed riot police after around 150
5
Mandalay’s Masoeyein Monastery. He is
known for his nationalistic, xenophobic, and
anti-Muslim views.80 U Wirathu has
described himself as the “Burmese Bin
Laden” whose “militancy is vital to counter
aggressive expansion by Muslims”.81 In
2003, the military regime jailed U Wirathu for
inciting
anti-Muslim
violence
near
Meikhtila.82 He was released in January
2012 during one of the regime’s mass
releases of prisoners.83 In September, U
Wirathu led an anti-Rohingya protest in
Mandalay to condemn the “terrorism of
Rohingya Bengalis.”84
Muslims gathered outside the burned
building on suspicion that the fire had been
deliberately set.73 After a hastily conducted
investigation, on 10 April, the regime said
that the fire was caused by an “overheated
voltage regulator.”74
Muslim communities remained wary of
possible attacks by extremist Buddhist
mobs.75 In some areas, Muslim residents
organized neighborhood watch patrols.76
Buddhist monk U Wirathu and ‘969’
spearhead anti-Muslim campaign
Following the unrest in Arakan State, the socalled ‘969’ movement increasingly fueled
anti-Muslim sentiment in Burma. The three
numbers which make up the movement’s
name each refer to the attributes of Buddha,
his teachings, and the Sangha (Buddhist
monkhood).77 The movement has become a
symbol evoking Buddhist nationalism and
solidarity and has urged Buddhists to shun
Muslim businesses.78 ‘969’ stickers and
materials were widely circulated in Meikhtila,
Mandalay Division, and areas of Pegu
Division in the lead-up to the March
violence.79
Although U Wirathu denied playing a role in
the recent anti-Muslim violence, he
repeatedly made hateful and inflammatory
comments.85 In a late-February speech, U
Wirathu warned Buddhists in Burma against
buying from Muslim shops because, he
contended, the money spent would
empower “evil Muslims” to destroy the
Buddhist “race and religion.”86 In early April,
he wrote of a Muslim “conspiracy” to take
over Burma.87 He also referred to mosques
as “enemy bases” and warned that Muslims
were diluting Burma’s Buddhist identity. 88
Revered former Buddhist monk U Gambira
labeled U Wirathu “dangerous” and said that
the regime should “take action against
him.”89
The group’s reputed leader, 45-year-old
Buddhist monk U Wirathu, is an abbot in
REGIME STEPS UP MILITARY OFFENISVES IN KACHIN AND SHAN STATES
Waingmaw, Chipwi, and Hpakant.92 Despite
President Thein Sein’s 18 January ceasefire
order to troops, Tatmadaw attacks have
continued in the Lajayang area of Momauk
Township.93 Two recent rounds of talks
between the regime and the Kachin
Independence Organization (KIO) on 4
February and 11-12 March have failed to
stem ongoing Tatmadaw attacks.94 In April,
Tatmadaw troops clashed with KIA forces in
five townships in Kachin and Northern Shan
States.95
Tatmadaw escalates attacks against the
Kachin Independence Army
The Tatmadaw continued to attack Kachin
Independence Army (KIA) positions in
Kachin and Northern Shan States almost
two years since the conflict broke out on 9
June 2011. In December, the Tatmadaw
dramatically escalated its offensive against
the KIA and used fighter jets, helicopters,
artillery, mortars, and cluster bombs during
military operations.90 It was reported that
between 24 December and 7 January, the
Tatmadaw carried out 119 air strikes on KIA
positions in and around Laiza in Momauk
Township, Kachin State.91
The Tatmadaw’s ongoing offensive claimed
further civilian lives. In January, Tatmadaw
artillery fire killed five civilians, including an
eight-year-old boy.96 The regime has
staunchly defended the military’s actions by
repeatedly making the disingenuous claim
that the Tatmadaw’s attacks were conducted
in “self-defense.”97
In January, the Tatmadaw launched a final
push for the KIA headquarters in Laiza.
Fighting occurred almost daily and was
reported in four townships - Momauk,
6
Minimal aid for over 100,000 Kachin IDPs
Attacks, abuses, displacement continues
in Shan State
Since June 2011, the ongoing fighting
between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin
Independence Army (KIA) has displaced
over 100,000 civilians.98 After obstructing
the delivery of aid to IDPs in KIA-controlled
areas throughout the ongoing conflict, on 5
February, the regime announced that it
would allow the UN and INGOs to provide
humanitarian assistance to all IDP camps
across the state.99 However, the regime
failed to provide a timeframe for the
commencement of assistance and continued
to hinder the delivery of local aid to IDPs. 100
In
February,
only the
International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was
able to deliver humanitarian aid to KIAcontrolled areas in the form of surgical and
other medical supplies.101 On 23 April, a UN
spokesperson in Rangoon said that although
the regime had agreed “in principle” to allow
the UN to deliver humanitarian aid to IDPs in
KIA-held areas of Kachin State, official
permission had not yet been granted.102 As
of 15 May, no UN deliveries of aid to IDPs in
KIA-held areas had been reported.
Despite ongoing ceasefire talks, fighting
persisted in Shan State. From January to
May, clashes between the Tatmadaw and
the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), the
Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), and the
Ta-ang National Liberation Army (TNLA)
occurred in at least seven townships across
Shan State.103
In mid-April, the Tatmadaw stepped up its
offensive against the SSA-N, with attacks
focused on SSA-N positions in Tangyan
Township, Shan State. On 14-15 April,
Tatmadaw troops committed serious human
rights abuses against civilians during the
offensive. Tatmadaw troops forced a group
of around 50 youths to act as human
shields, raped an eight-year-old girl, and
arbitrarily detained 19 civilians.104 It was
reported that almost 2,000 people had fled
to Tangyan to escape Tatmadaw attacks
and abuses in their villages.105
POLITICAL PRISONERS: AT LEAST 164 STILL BEHIND BARS
Despite the regime’s slow release of political
prisoners, at least 164 dissidents remain
behind bars. In April and May, the regime
freed only a limited number of dissidents in
its two latest releases of prisoners - 10 since
the dissolution of the SPDC. On 23 April,
President Thein Sein ordered the release of
93 inmates from prisons across the
country.106 Among those freed in the
amnesty were 59 political prisoners.107 On
17 May, the regime released 23 inmates,
including 19 political prisoners, in an
amnesty ahead of Thein Sein’s visit to
Washington.108
formation.111 However, several civil-society
representatives who sit on the committee
criticized Naypyidaw for failing to release
many dissidents identified by the committee
as political prisoners.112
In addition, the regime released most
dissidents only conditionally. As a result,
regime authorities can order former political
prisoners to serve the remainder of their
original prison sentence if they are convicted
again of a criminal offense.
1
HRW (22 Apr 13) All You Can Do is Pray - Crimes
Against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya
Muslims in Burma’s Arakan State; OCHA (Apr 13)
Humanitarian Bulletin Rakhine State, Myanmar; NLM
(01 Nov 12) Announcement regarding conflicts in
Rakhine State; NLM (22 Aug 12) Union Minister Lt-Gen
Thein Htay meets Rakhine State Conflicts Investigation
Commission Members
2
AFP (29 Oct 12) Death toll from Myanmar unrest
reaches 88; Reuters (09 Jun 12) Myanmar steps up
security after Muslim-Buddhist violence; AFP (12 Jun
12) Security forces patrol strife-hit Myanmar state;
Kaladan News (09 Jun 12) 100 Rohingyas killed and
500 wounded in Maungdaw; Kaladan News (10 Jun 12)
Breaking News: Nearly 1000 houses burnt down in
Sittwe, over 100 killed, more than 300 wounded;
On 7 February, the regime announced the
formation of a committee tasked with
reviewing the cases of the remaining
political prisoners in order “to grant them
liberty.”109 The 19-member committee,
chaired by President’s Office Minister Soe
Thein, includes regime officials, members of
political parties, and representatives from
civil society groups, such as the AAPP and
the 88 Generation Students.110 The
committee has met three times since its
7
Kaladan News (17 Jun 12) Muslims are not protected in
Arakan: Nurul Islam, President of ARNO; Irrawaddy (18
Oct 12) Fresh Military Faces for New Parliament
Session
3
Mizzima News (28 Jun 12) British lawmakers hear
testimony on Rakhine State unrest
4
USCIRF (30 Apr 13) 2013 Annual Report - Burma
5
HRW (05 Jul 12) Burma: Mass Arrests, Raids on
Rohingya Muslims; AI (19 Jul 12) Abuse Against
Myanmar’s Rohingya Erodes Recent Progress; Equal
Rights Trust (02 Jul 12) Burning Homes, Sinking Lives:
A situation report on violence against stateless
Rohingya in Myanmar and their refoulement from
Bangladesh; VOA (20 Jul 12) Report: Rights Abuses
Persist Against Burmese Muslims; Al Jazeera (08 Aug
12) 'Mass graves' for Myanmar's Rohingya; For details
of cases of human rights violations against Rohingya
from October to April please see Altsean-Burma Human
Rights Chronology available at http://bit.ly/QMuKxS
(2012) and http://bit.ly/13K8n6z (2013)
6
HRW (17 Nov 12) Burma: Satellite images show
widespread attacks on Rohingya; HRW (05 Jul 12)
Burma: Mass Arrests, Raids on Rohingya Muslims; AI
(19 Jul 12) Abuse Against Myanmar’s Rohingya Erodes
Recent Progress; Equal Rights Trust (02 Jul 12)
Burning Homes, Sinking Lives: A situation report on
violence against stateless Rohingya in Myanmar and
their refoulement from Bangladesh; VOA (20 Jul 12)
Report: Rights Abuses Persist Against Burmese
Muslims; OHCHR (04 Aug 12) Statement of the Special
Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in
Myanmar; HRW (Aug 12) The Government Could Have
Stopped This: Sectarian Violence and Ensuing Abuses
in Burma’s Arakan State; Kaladan News (19 Aug 12)
No Eid prayer in Maungdaw
7
HRW (22 Apr 13) All You Can Do is Pray - Crimes
Against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya
Muslims in Burma’s Arakan State
8
HRW (22 Apr 13) All You Can Do is Pray - Crimes
Against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya
Muslims in Burma’s Arakan State
9
Irrawaddy (23 Nov 12) Religious Leader Jailed for
Stirring Arakan Strife
10
DVB (12 Feb 13) Prominent Rohingya human rights
activist arrested in Sittwe
11
RFA (29 Apr 13) Rakhine Report Recommends
Security, Aid Boost
12
NLM (09 May 13) Committee for scrutinizing the
remaining prisoners of conscience reconstituted
13
RFA (29 Apr 13) Rakhine Report Recommends
Security, Aid Boost
14
AP (29 Apr 13) Myanmar government panel
recommends family planning, security boost to stem
sectarian clashes; BBC (29 Apr 13) Burma report backs
security boost for Rakhine; RFA (29 Apr 13) Rakhine
Report Recommends Security, Aid Boost
15
AP (29 Apr 13) Myanmar government panel
recommends family planning, security boost to stem
sectarian clashes; BBC (29 Apr 13) Burma report backs
security boost for Rakhine
16
AP (29 Apr 13) Myanmar government panel
recommends family planning, security boost to stem
sectarian clashes; AFP (29 Apr 13) Myanmar's strifetorn region needs aid, troops: report; BBC (29 Apr 13)
Burma report backs security boost for Rakhine
17
Reuters (29 Apr 13) Myanmar should deploy more
troops in volatile state –commission; Irrawaddy (29 Apr
13) Use Controversial Citizenship Law to Assess
Rohingya’s Rights: Govt Report
18
NLM (07 Nov 12) Proposal to revoke Myanmar
Citizenship Law -1882 put on record; EMG (07 Nov 12)
MPs block amendments to 1982 Citizenship Law
19
NLM (21 Feb 13) No ‘Rohingya’ race in Myanmar,
says Deputy Minister; EMG (24 Feb 13) No 'Rohingya'
in Myanmar ethnic groups, deputy minister says
20
DVB (01 Mar 13) Thein Sein: ‘With freedom comes
responsibility’
21
OCHA (Apr 13) Humanitarian Bulletin Rakhine State,
Myanmar
22
TRF (10 May 13) Myanmar monsoon threatens
catastrophe for Rohingya; IRIN (02 May 13) Prospects
for Rakhine reconciliation dim
23
Guardian (13 Jul 12) Burma ‘creating humanitarian
crisis’ with displacement camps in Arakan
24
UN OCHA (07 Dec 12) UN humanitarian chief asks
donor community in Myanmar for immediate support
25
UNIC Yangon (16 Feb 13) Statement of the Special
Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in
Myanmar
26
CNN (26 Nov 12) Terrorized, starving and homeless:
Myanmar's Rohingya still forgotten; NYT (05 Nov 12)
Charity Says Threats Foil Medical Aid In Myanmar;
UNICEF (23 Nov 12) UNICEF scales-up response, calls
for stronger combat against child malnutrition in
Rakhine State
27
UNHCR (19 Apr 13) As the monsoon approaches,
fears rise for displaced in Myanmar's Rakhine state
28
UNHCR (19 Apr 13) As the monsoon approaches,
fears rise for displaced in Myanmar's Rakhine state
29
Guardian (20 Dec 12) Trapped inside Burma's
refugee camps, the Rohingya people call for recognition
30
BBC (13 Dec 12) Burma's displaced Rohingya suffer
as aid blocked
31
UNIC Yangon (16 Feb 13) Statement of the Special
Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in
Myanmar
32
MSF (07 Feb 13) Myanmar: Humanitarian emergency
in Rakhine state
33
The ‘sailing season’ denotes a period from
October/November
until
March/April
in
which
meteorological conditions are more favorable for
journeys by sea.
34
UN News Center (22 Feb 13) UN concerned about
refugees crossing ‘deadliest stretches of water’ to flee
homes
35
Reuters (14 May 13) SPECIAL REPORT-In
Myanmar, apartheid tactics against minority Muslims
36
AFP (31 Oct 12) 130 missing in Rohingya boat
sinking: Bangladesh; Xinhua (07 Nov 12) 50 rescued,
about 60 still missing as illegal immigrants' boat sinks
off Bangladesh; AFP (08 Nov 12) Search on for 50
missing after Bangladesh sinking; Canberra Times (12
Dec 12) Singapore turns away rescued boat people;
Reuters (18 Feb 13) Myanmar migrant survivors tell of
throwing dead overboard; AFP (03 Feb 13) Sri Lanka
rescues 138 Bangladeshis and Myanmar nationals from
a sinking boat; PTI (02 Mar 13) 108 Myanmarese
detained for crossing into Indian waters
37
AFP (07 Feb 13) Nearly 6,000 Rohingya refugees
enter Thai waters: army
38
UNHCR (21 Feb 13) UNHCR urges action to prevent
boatpeople tragedy in Bay of Bengal
39
Star (12 Mar 13) Rohingyas leave homeland only to
face uncertain fate at sea; AFP (11 Mar 13) Malaysia
rescues 136 Myanmar refugees
8
40
Narinjara News (15 Dec 12) 4,751 Burmese nationals
repatriated to Burma during communal violence
41
Kaladan News (14 Jan 13) More Rohingyas arrested
in Bangladesh-Burma border; Kaladan News (17 Jan
13) 85 Rohingyas pushed back to Burma within two
days; Kaladan News (17 Feb 13) 57 Rohingya pushed
back to Burma
42
Phuketwan (12 Dec 12) Boatpeople Rescue Ship Still
Stranded Off Singapore
43
AFP (03 Feb 13) Sri Lanka rescues 138
Bangladeshis and Myanmar nationals from a sinking
boat; Reuters (18 Feb 13) Myanmar migrant survivors
tell of throwing dead overboard
44
Jakarta Post (28 Feb 13) Islands in focus: 121
Rohingya refugees stranded in Aceh; AFP (27 Feb 13)
Over 100 Rohingya asylum seekers rescued off
Indonesia; Bangkok Post (27 Feb 13) Rohingya claim
Thais shot at them; AFP (01 Mar 13) 63 Rohingya
rescued off Indonesia; AFP (08 Apr 13) Indonesia
detains 80 Rohingya near remote islands; Jakarta Post
(16 Apr 13) Mauk Police net 16 migrants from Myanmar
45
OCHA (27 Mar 13) Myanmar: Meikhtila intercommunal violence Situation Report No. 2 (as of 27
Mar 2013)
46
RFA (20 Mar 13) Curfew Declared as Riots Erupt in
Meikhtila; Reuters (21 Mar 13) New curfew declared
after 10 killed in central Myanmar riots; RFA (21 Mar
13) Violence in Burmese City Takes Deadly Toll; NLM
(22 Mar 13) Meiktila placed under curfew as from 8 pm,
20 March Effective action to be taken against those
who led riot
47
RFA (20 Mar 13) Curfew Declared as Riots Erupt in
Meikhtila; Irrawaddy (21 Mar 13) Killed, 24 Injured as
Buddhists and Muslims Clash in Central Burma; RFA
(21 Mar 13) Violence in Burmese City Takes Deadly
Toll; NYT (23 Mar 13) Toll Rises as Sectarian Violence
in Myanmar Spreads to Nearby Villages; DVB (22 Mar
13) Martial law declared in Meikhtila as mobs threaten
journalists
48
NLM (22 Mar 13) Meiktila placed under curfew as
from 8 pm, 20 March Effective action to be taken
against those who led riot; AFP (22 Mar 13) Mobs roam
streets of riot-hit Myanmar town; VOA (22 Mar 13)
Buddhist-Muslim Clashes in Burma Continue; Reuters
(22 Mar 13) Myanmar riots stoke fears of widening
sectarian violence; DVB (22 Mar 13) Martial law
declared in Meikhtila as mobs threaten journalists; AP
(22 Mar 13) Emergency declared in Myanmar town
where riots left 6,000 homeless
49
NYT (21 Mar 13) Sectarian Clashes Are Reported in
Central Myanmar; NYT (23 Mar 13) Toll Rises as
Sectarian Violence in Myanmar Spreads to Nearby
Villages; Irrawaddy (23 Mar 13) Army Restores Calm in
Meikhtila after Deadly Sectarian Clashes
50
OCHA (10 Apr 13) Myanmar: Meikhtila intercommunal violence Situation Report No. 4 (as of 9 Apr
2013); RFA (26 Mar 13) Burma Told to Take Swift
Action Against Rioters
51
EMG (21 Mar 13) Curfew imposed to contain
religious riot in Mandalay Region town; NYT (23 Mar
13) Toll Rises as Sectarian Violence in Myanmar
Spreads to Nearby Villages; AFP (22 Mar 13) Bodies in
streets of riot-hit Myanmar town; AP (22 Mar 13) Death
toll rises to 20 in Myanmar riots; DVB (22 Mar 13)
Martial law declared in Meikhtila as mobs threaten
journalists; Irrawaddy (22 Mar 13) State of Emergency
Declared as Death Toll Rises in Meikhtila; RFA (22 Mar
13) Armed Burmese Monks Threaten Journalists in
Meikhtila; CPJ (25 Mar 13) Journalists threatened in
sectarian violence in Burma; EMG (08 Apr 13) Hardliner
blames communists and subversives for Meikhtila riots
52
PHR (05 Apr 13) Burma’s Leaders Should Take
Steps to Investigate and Prevent Anti-Muslim Violence;
Irrawaddy (09 Apr 13) 32 Students Allegedly
Massacred in Recent Meikhtila Violence
53
PHR (05 Apr 13) Burma’s Leaders Should Take
Steps to Investigate and Prevent Anti-Muslim Violence;
Irrawaddy (09 Apr 13) 32 Students Allegedly
Massacred in Recent Meikhtila Violence
54
Irrawaddy (09 Apr 13) 32 Students Allegedly
Massacred in Recent Meikhtila Violence
55
NLM (23 Mar 13) Declaration of State of Emergency;
Reuters (23 Mar 13) Troops impose uneasy calm on
violence-torn Myanmar city; RFA (23 Mar 13) Move to
Restore Order in Meikhtila After Violence; VOA (23 Mar
13) Burma Army Patrols Riot-Struck City; AP (23 Mar
13) Myanmar's army takes control of central city,
imposing tense calm after violence kills dozens; AFP
(23 Mar 13) Soldiers patrol riot-hit Myanmar town;
Irrawaddy (23 Mar 13) Army Restores Calm in Meikhtila
after Deadly Sectarian Clashes
56
Reuters (30 Apr 13) Muslim victims of Myanmar
unrest face uncertain future
57
Reuters (30 Apr 13) Muslim victims of Myanmar
unrest face uncertain future
58
AP (25 Mar 13) Five mosques and dozens of homes
torched in Myanmar; AFP (24 Mar 13) Myanmar
communal unrest spreads: officials; Reuters (25 Mar
13) Myanmar government struggles to contain antiMuslim hostility; RFA (23 Mar 13) Move to Restore
Order in Meikhtila After Violence; AP (25 Mar 13)
Deadly violence between Myanmar’s Buddhists,
Muslims spreads to 2 more towns in heartland; AP (24
Mar 13) Buddhist-Muslim violence spreads in Myanmar;
Reuters (25 Mar 13) Myanmar government struggles to
contain anti-Muslim hostility
59
Irrawaddy (26 Mar 13) Govt Vows to End Anti-Muslim
Riots, As Fresh Violence Hits Pegu Division; DVB (26
Mar 13) Sectarian violence spreads as mobs target
Muslim communities in Pegu; Irrawaddy (26 Mar 13)
Govt Vows to End Anti-Muslim Riots, As Fresh Violence
Hits Pegu Division; AFP (27 Mar 13) Mob torches
mosque in fresh Myanmar unrest: police; Irrawaddy (27
Mar 13) More Anti-Muslim Riots Reported Overnight;
DVB (27 Mar 13) Mob assaults mosque, houses in
Pegu division; Irrawaddy (27 Mar 13) More Anti-Muslim
Riots Reported Overnight; RFA (27 Mar 13) Warning
Shots Fired in Bago Clashes; EMG (27 Mar 13)
Simultaneous riots break out in western Bago;
Irrawaddy (28 Mar 13) Anti-Muslim Attacks Hit Two
More Pegu Division Towns; DVB (28 Mar 13) Two more
Burma towns under curfew as violence spreads; RFA
(28 Mar 13) Burmese Security Forces Fire on Rioters;
Irrawaddy (28 Mar 13) Anti-Muslim Attacks Hit Two
More Pegu Division Towns; DVB (28 Mar 13) Two more
Burma towns under curfew as violence spreads; RFA
(28 Mar 13) Burmese Security Forces Fire on Rioters;
NLM (29 Mar 13) Strict security measures taken in
Minhla, Moenyo; Xinhua (29 Mar 13) Riot intensifies in
3 areas in Myanmar central part
60
AP (01 May 13) Several Myanmar villages burned as
new anti-Muslim violence kills 1, injures at least 9
61
AFP (05 May 13) Police arrest two in new antiMuslim unrest in Myanmar
62
VOA (26 Mar 13) UN Official Says Muslims Targeted
in Burma
9
63
83
OHCHR (28 Mar 13) Religious violence in Myanmar,
the consequences of Government inaction in tackling
prejudice and discrimination – UN expert
64
UN News Center (28 Mar 13) Myanmar authorities
must do more to stop spread of violence – UN
independent expert
65
AP (28 Mar 13) Myanmar's president says force
could be used to end unrest; NLM (29 Mar 13) As a
nation it is our firm belief that only an inclusive
democratic society based on equality for all citizens will
ensure peace and stability, especially in a multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic and multi-faith country such as ours
66
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (03 Apr 13) Briefing by
Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin
to the diplomatic corps on record incidents
67
Xinhua (12 Apr 13) Myanmar court sentences 3
defendants to prison for Meikhtila riot; Irrawaddy (12
Apr 13) Muslim Gold Shop Owners Imprisoned for
Meikhtila Unrest
68
Myanmar Times (24 Apr 13) Second hearing begins
in Meiktila trial; Irrawaddy (23 Apr 13) Seven Muslims
Accused of Killing Monk Face Trial in Meikhtila; EMG
(26 Apr 13) Seven suspects on trial for killing a
Buddhist monk; AP (12 Apr 13) Myanmar sentences 3
Muslims to 14-year prison terms after last month’s
sectarian violence
69
DVB (25 Apr 13) Muslim jailed for removing Buddhist
logo from shop
70
DVB (21 Feb 13) Religious attack in Rangoon wreaks
havoc on local community; Myanmar Times (25 Feb 13)
Building sealed after violent religious clashes in Yangon
71
AP (25 Mar 13) Myanmar warns violence could
threaten reforms; NYT (25 Mar 13) Worries Over
Violence Prompt Shutdown in Myanmar; Irrawaddy (25
Mar 13) After Rumors, Rangoon Muslims Fear Attacks;
Xinhua (26 Mar 13) Death toll rises to 40 in Myanmar
riot: media; DPA (25 Mar 13) Agitators try to spread
sectarian unrest to Yangon, politician says; EMG (26
Mar 13) Jittery township in Yangon unnerved by
rumours of mosque attacks
72
Xinhua (02 Apr 13) 13 children confirmed killed in
mosque school fire in Myanmar's Yangon
73
AP (02 Apr 13) Electrical fire kills 13 children at
Yangon mosque that sheltered orphans, Myanmar
police say
74
DVB (11 Apr 13) Government to prosecute two
administrators following school fire
75
AFP (14 Apr 13) Myanmar's Muslims fear toxic fallout
of reform; Irrawaddy (23 Apr 13) Seven Muslims
Accused of Killing Monk Face Trial in Meikhtila
76
AP (02 May 13) In Myanmar, Living in Fear Amid
Religious Violence
77
Irrawaddy (02 Apr 13) Nationalist Monk U Wirathu
Denies Role in Anti-Muslim Unrest
78
Independent (09 Apr 13) 'They stood shouting at us
to come out and be killed': Anti-Muslim violence in
central Burma has left thousands of people homeless
79
The Straits Times (10 Apr 13) 969 'behind sectarian
violence'; Myanmar Times (10 Apr 13) Monks speak out
against misuse of '969'
80
Reuters (08 Apr 13) SPECIAL REPORT - Buddhist
monks incite Muslim killings in Myanmar
81
DVB (25 Feb 13) Controversial monk handed
‘freedom of religion’ award
82
BBC (04 Apr 13) What is behind Burma's wave of
religious violence?; Reuters (08 Apr 13) SPECIAL
REPORT - Buddhist monks incite Muslim killings in
Myanmar
Irrawaddy (4 Apr 13) Student Activist on Trial for
Alleged Role in Anti-Muslim Riots
84
AFP (03 Sep 12) Monks rally in support of plan to
deport Rohingya
85
BBC (04 Apr 13) What is behind Burma's wave of
religious violence?
86
Global Post (27 Mar 13) Myanmar’s '969' crusade
breeds anti-Muslim malice
87
DVB (04 Apr 13) In riots’ wake, govt charges alleged
member of nationalist movement
88
Reuters (08 Apr 13) SPECIAL REPORT - Buddhist
monks incite Muslim killings in Myanmar
89
Reuters (08 Apr 13) SPECIAL REPORT - Buddhist
monks incite Muslim killings in Myanmar
90
Reuters (20 Jan 13) Myanmar rebels say army
ignoring president's ceasefire; Free Burma Rangers (21
Jan 13) FBR Report: Burma Army Attacks Against the
Kachin Since Ceasefire Declared; Kachin News Group
(26 Jan 13) Burma army uses cluster bombs to take
key KIO position near Laiza
91
SHAN (09 Jan 13) Newsflash
92
Mizzima News (02 Jan 13) Kachins says air strikes
are continuing; Karen News (06 Jan 13) FBR confirm
Burma military attack Kachin with chemicals; EMG (15
Jan 13) Vital road remains shut in Kachin, food prices
surge
93
Reuters (18 Jan 13) Myanmar government
announces ceasefire with Kachin rebels; Kachin News
Group (08 Feb 13) Despite talks Kachin conflict
continues
94
RFA (04 Feb 13) Kachin Peace Talks Held
95
Kachinland News (13 Apr 13) Burmese government
soldiers set forest fires near KIA frontline posts; Free
Burma Rangers (13 Apr 13) FBR Report: Attacks
Continue as the Burma Army Maneuvers in Kachin
State; SHAN (26 Apr 13) Burmese military launching
two parallel campaigns; Kachinland News (29 Apr 13)
Kachin troops continue fight against Burmese army and
forest fires
96
Irrawaddy (30 Jan 13) Govt, KIO Agree to Meet, as
Conflict Claims More Civilian Victims; AFP (14 Jan 13)
Kachin rebels say three dead in Myanmar strike
97
NYT (19 Jan 13) A Cease-Fire With Rebels in
Myanmar Doesn’t Hold; Irrawaddy (21 Jan 13) Despite
Donor Love-in and Ceasefire Pledge, Kachin War
Continues; NYT (20 Jan 13) New Clashes Reported
Between Army and Rebels in Myanmar; AFP (10 Jan
13) Myanmar denies using chemical weapons on
rebels; RFA (24 Jan 13) Kachin Towns Reel From
Blackout
98
IPS (12 Jan 13) U.S. Urged to Stem Broader Ethnic
Violence in Myanmar
99
Irrawaddy (05 Feb 13) UN Allowed to Help Kachin
Civilians in Rebel Areas
100
Kachin News Group (04 Feb 13) Burma army blocks
aid group from entering Hpakant
101
ICRC (28 Feb 13) Myanmar: Aid reaches victims of
violence in Kachin
102
Irrawaddy (24 Apr 13) Kachin Relief Hampered by
Concern for Safety of Aid Convoys, Travel Prohibitions
103
DVB (08 Jan 13) Shan rebels warn govt over recent
clashes; DVB (25 Feb 13) Armed group claims military
attacking sites slated for resettlement; SHAN (14 Mar
13) Peace vs Burma military build-ups and clashes in
central Shan State; SHAN (19 Mar 13) Burma army
shell heavy artilleries at RCSS/SSA Homong bases;
Kachinland News (02 Apr 13) Burmese army increases
troops as the two sides prepare for talk; Free Burma
10
Rangers (13 Apr 13) FBR Report: Attacks Continue as
the Burma Army Maneuvers in Kachin State; DVB (10
May 13) Burmese army seizes Shan rebel outpost after
latest attack
104
SHRF (22 Apr 13) Summary of human rights
violations committed by Burma Army troops during
military offensive in Tang Yan, Shan State, from 14-15
April 2013
105
SHRF (22 Apr 13) Summary of human rights
violations from 14-15 April 2013
106
AP (23 Apr 13) Myanmar pardons 93, including
political prisoners; NLM (24 Apr 13) Amnesty granted
for 93 prisoners; Xinhua (23 Apr 13) Myanmar releases
some 93 prisoners
107
AP (23 Apr 13) Myanmar pardons 93, including
political prisoners
108
AAPP (17 May 13) AAPP (B) urges Government of
Burma to release all remaining political prisoners
109
AFP (07 Feb 13) Myanmar committee to 'grant
liberty' to dissidents; Xinhua (07 Feb 13) Myanmar to
grant amnesty to remaining political prisoners; NLM (07
Feb 13) Committee to be formed to grant liberty to
remaining political prisoners
110
AFP (07 Feb 13) Myanmar committee to 'grant
liberty' to dissidents; Xinhua (07 Feb 13) Myanmar to
grant amnesty to remaining political prisoners; NLM (07
Feb 13) Committee to be formed to grant liberty to
remaining political prisoners; EMG (24 Feb 13) Number
of remaining political prisoners to be reviewed
111
EMG (13 May 13) Myanmar's remaining political
prisoners to be listed in a week: Zagana
112
EMG (22 Apr 13) President Office’s committee for
political prisoners criticized by its members; EMG (24
Apr 13) Amnesty granted to 93 prisoners in Myanmar;
Myanmar Times (25 Apr 13) Prisoner release draws
criticism from activists; EMG (27 Apr 13) Govt goes its
own way in political prisoners’ release: committee
members
11