PSPD in English Int. Solidarity 2015-03-12   2248

[Statement] South Korean NGOs condemns the Myanmar government’s brutal crackdowns against protesters

South Korean NGOs condemns the Myanmar government’s brutal crackdowns against protesters

Any attempt to undermine democracy is unacceptable.

 

Last March 10, Myanmar’s law enforcement personnel and their hired thugs brutally assaulted and forcibly dispersed the protestors opposing the retrogressive National Education Law, and in this process, many were arrested or injured. For about a month, student activists assembled in Yangon to hold peaceful marches and protests against the National Education Law that curtails academic freedom and restricts the autonomy of teachers and students. The Burmese government’s violent crackdown on student activists is symbolic of the rapidly shrinking democratic space in Myanmar.

 

The international community has been intently watching the series of open, reformative measures that began to take place with the Thein Sein regime in 2011. However, in her report published at the 28th UN Human Rights Council currently convening in Geneva, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Ms. Yanghee Lee called attention to the serious state of human rights violations in Myanmar by referring to the Burmese government’s suppression of Muslim minorities, the civil war with minorities on the Chinese border, and the human rights violations of local civilians due to development projects. Ms. Lee also stressed that ensuring the right to assembly and freedom of expression of the Burmese citizens is an urgent task.

 

Even though the international community is still showing concern over the human rights situation in Myanmar, the Burmese government responded to the peaceful protest of students with violence. What’s more serious is the fact that hired thugs were mobilized for the Burmese government’s violent breakdown. The hired thugs, who were sporting red armbands that read “Duty”, joined law enforcement personnel to indiscriminately assault student activists in the process of arresting and forcibly dispersing the protests. Besides this student protest, these thugs have also shown up to the Korean Garment factory workers’ protest on March 4, and were seen using violence against female workers.

 

In light of Myanmar’s coming November presidential election, the issue of democracy and human rights in Myanmar is a problem of interest not only for Myanmar, but also for the international community. Democratic space in Myanmar was barely created with the sacrifices and efforts of a great number of people. If the Burmese government fails to deviate from its past behaviors of silencing students, workers, and displaced people with violence, then that little space will also soon completely disappear. The Burmese government must stop the violent breakdowns of peaceful protests and guarantee the freedom to peaceful assembly. Additionally, the government must immediately release all arrestees and attempt to communicate with the protesters. The more violently the Burmese government responds, the harder it will be for Myanmar to escape the disgrace of being a human rights violating country, and this will definitely not help Myanmar’s development.

 

The civil society of Korea will be in active solidarity with the Burmese citizens in support of Myanmar’s democracy and human rights.

 

March 12, 2015

 

 

 

Advocates for Public Interest Law

Energy and Climate Policy Institute for Just Transition

Human Rights Law Foundation Gong Gam

Institute for Law and Human Rights in Society

Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy

Korean House for International Solidarity

MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee

ODA WATCH

People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy

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