[RE: UA-112-2004: BURMA: Complaints against forced labour blocked and victims punished issued on 3 September 2004; UP-11-2005: Four officials sentenced to prison for forced labour in Kawmhu Township, Yangon Division; UP-63-2005: Local officials seek revenge against villager who obtained first successful forced labour prosecution; UP-68-2005: Preliminary hearing against villager who obtained first successful forced labour prosecution completed]
Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has again received further information from the Yoma-3 News Service (Thailand) about the court case against a villager who obtained the first successful conviction of forced labour against government officials (UP-11-2005; for full details of the recent case see UP-63-2005.). The newest information relates to a number of developments in the hearings against the villager, Ma Su Su Nwe, on the ground that she defamed the officials concerned.
According to the information, the Kawhmu Township Court heard on June 12 that the Township Peace and Development Council had issued an order to demolish the houses of two witnesses appearing on the side of Ma Su Su Nwe in the court. However, local officers of the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development denied having received the order. The two persons and their families are reported to have moved their relatives and belongings into a local monastery fearing that the houses would be pulled down without notice.
Interestingly, U Sein Ohn, the older brother of U Sein Paw, the principal official alleging defamation, has also appeared in court on behalf of the defendant Ma Su Su Nwe.
In another development, it has been reported that the court judge was changed, seemingly in order to obtain a conviction against Ma Su Su Nwe. For this hearing, the judge who earlier found two men, U Ohn Myint and U Khin Zaw guilty of defamation against local officials in Henzada Township (see UP-55-2004 and UP-64-2004) has been transferred to Kawhum Township Court. Observers have interpreted this to mean that the authorities aiming to manipulate the decision by bringing in an unsympathetic judge.
News of a decision in the case is expected soon.
Readers should be reminded that on June 4 the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which has a liaison office in Burma, said that:
“The Government [of Burma] should give clear assurances that no action would be taken against persons lodging complaints of forced labour, or their representatives, in order that the Liaison Officer could fully continue to accept and channel such complaints to the competent authorities…”
Please refer to an earlier update on this case (UP-63-2005) for a sample letter to send to the authorities, and UP-64-2005 for updated contact details for the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar.
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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