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GENERAL APPEAL (Burma): Arbitrary arrests in Rangoon following bomb blasts 

Urgent Appeal General |Burma (Myanmar) | April 24, 2006

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: UG-005-2006
ISSUES: Arbitrary arrest & detention,

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has heard reports through shortwave radio broadcasts and other sources that police in at least two townships of Rangoon are arbitrarily arresting and detaining people at night, including children–then sometimes releasing them after demanding money–since bombs exploded in the city on April 20.

According to the information available so far, since the Thursday morning bomb blasts, in which no one was hurt, the Rangoon authorities have ordered tight security after 9pm at night and have been arresting people still out on the streets from that time, causing great difficulty to people still returning home from work or elsewhere. Some have been immediately charged with offences such as loitering, and put in detention. Some have been threatened with arrest and released after they have paid money.

A resident of South Okkalapa Township interviewed on the Voice of America Burmese Service on April 24 said that people in that township are being threatened with jail by ranking officers if they don’t pay from 10 to 20,000 Burmese kyat (USD 8-16). The resident estimated that some 60 persons may have been arrested from the area and immediately placed in remand so far.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) radio broadcast a very similar report from a resident of Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township on the same day, alleging that some 30 persons from there are known to have been arrested and sent to the central Insein Prison since last Thursday. The resident said that the township authorities announced that they would be checking for non-residents in the neighbourhood. After 9pm at night members of the police force, auxiliary fire brigade and government-organised security units patrol the streets in vehicles and on foot making arrests. He alleged that among the people that have been arrested are women and school children. The DVB reportedly called to the local police station where an officer on duty confirmed that 37 persons, including five children, had been sent to Insein Prison.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The AHRC has in recent times reported on various cases of abuse by the police and local officials in the cities and towns of central Burma (where conditions are less serious than more remote regions), including extrajudicial killing, rape and assault: see for instance, UP-075-2006, UP-064-2006, UA-080-2006, UP-029-2006 and UA-044-2006. Recently, the chief of police said that any wrongdoing by police would be dealt with through numerous rules and regulations (AS-070-2006). However, there is no evidence that in any but a few very exceptional cases the Burmese authorities are prepared to deal with the sorts of illegal arrests reportedly going on at present, particularly when they are coupled with special security measures to counter further bombings.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is one of only two international human rights laws that Burma has joined. The government has introduced a law in accordance with that convention, which gives special protection to children. If it is true that children have been arrested and detained with adults, as alleged, then the authorities are acting illegally under both domestic and international law.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the Minister for Home Affairs, who is also responsible for overseeing the police force, to urge the immediate release of arbitrarily detained persons, special action on vulnerable detainees, especially children, and a cessation of needless security measures that place undue restrictions on freedom of movement, thereby upsetting the right to livelihood of many town residents. Please note that for the purpose of the letter, the country should be referred to by its official title of Myanmar, rather than Burma, and Rangoon as Yangon.

Please send copies to other concerned persons in Burma and abroad, including the Minister for Social Welfare, who has the power to order that children are released from detention, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has an agreement to visit detention facilities in Burma, and the concerned human rights officials at the United Nations.

 

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Maj-Gen. Maung Oo

MYANMAR: Reported arbitrary arrests and detention of persons--including children--in South Okkalapa and Mingalar Taung Nyunt Townships, Yangon, on pretext of security

I am writing to you because I have been informed that members of the Myanmar Police Force, Auxiliary Fire Brigade, Union Solidarity and Development Association and others have been arbitrarily arresting and detaining persons in South Okkalapa and Mingalar Taung Nyunt Townships of Yangon on the pretext of security arrangements since the bomb blasts of April 20. I am especially disturbed that some of the detainees may be children and young women.

According to the information I have received, the township authorities in these places, and possibly others, have been arresting many people out on the streets after 9pm. Many have been immediately charged with loitering or a similar petty offence, and put into detention. Ranking police in South Okkalapa have reportedly been arresting and releasing people after they pay up to 20,000 kyat. One radio station broadcast a recording reportedly of an on-duty officer from the Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township Police Station confirming that 37 persons, including five children, had been sent to Insein Prison from there.

Although public security is a priority and the recent bomb blasts are a cause for concern among all peace-minded persons, I do not believe that such harassment of local people will do anything to improve security and nor will it lead to arrests of the perpetrators of the bombings or prevent similar attacks. It is just an opportunity for corrupt police and government officials to show their power and illegally extort money from people.

I therefore urge you to take the necessary steps to call an end to these operations, and have all persons arrested in recent days released without charge. Such detentions are patently illegal and unjust. They will do nothing to improve the situation of law and order in Myanmar and will instead just provoke resentment and cause hardship.

I am especially concerned regarding the situation of the at least five children reportedly also arrested and taken to Insein Prison. I note that Myanmar is a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Under section 37 of the 1993 Child Law, it is illegal for a child to be kept in custody or transported with adult prisoners, to be kept under custody any longer than necessary, and to be kept in a prison. I therefore urge you to pay special attention to ensure that any child detainees are released as a matter of the greatest priority.

I also urge you to ensure that disciplinary action be taken against any government officers suspected of having illegally arrested and detained persons or not followed correct criminal procedure, particularly regarding the arrest and detention of children. I note that in an April 9 press conference, Pol. Brig. Gen. Khin Yi assured the public that police officers suspected of wrongdoing would be punished under relevant laws and regulations. I trust that you will be keen to ensure that your government shows a strong commitment to this assurance by the police chief.

Yours sincerely

---

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

Maj-Gen. Maung Oo
Minister for Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Corner of Saya San Street and No 1 Industrial Street,
Yankin Township
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel: +951 250 315 / 374 789
Fax: +951 549 663 / 549 208


PLEASE SEND COPIES TO:

1. Lt-Gen. Soe Win
Prime Minister
c/o Ministry of Defence
Signal Pagoda Road
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel: + 95 1 372 681
Fax: + 95 1 652 624

2. Maj-Gen. Sein Htwa
Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement 
Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement
Naga Cave Pagoda Rd
Tadarlay Junction
Mayangone Township
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel: +951 665 697, 650 493
Fax: +951 650 002
E-mail: social-wel-myan@mptmail.net.mm

3. Brigadier General Khin Yi
Director General 
Myanmar Police Force
Saya San Road
Yankin Township
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel: + 95 1 549 196/ 228/ 209

4. Mr. Patrick Vial
Head of Delegation
ICRC
No. 2 (C) - 5 Dr. Ba Han Lane
Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, 8th Mile
Mayangone Township
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel.: +951 662 613 / 664 524
Fax: +951 650 117
E-mail: yangon.yan@icrc.org

5. Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro
Special Rapporteur on Myanmar
Attn: Ms. Audrey Ryan
Room 3-090
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: + 41 22 9179 281
Fax: + 41 22 9179 018 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR MYANMAR)
E-mail: aryan@ohchr.org

6. Ms Leila Zerrougui
Chairperson
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Attn: Mr Miguel de la Lama
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTENTION: WORKING GROUP ARBITRARY DETENTION)
Email: mdelalama@ohchr.org

7. Mr. Jacob Egbert Doek
Chairperson
Committee on the Rights of the Child
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9022

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme 
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)

 
 
Document Type : Urgent Appeal General
Document ID : UG-005-2006
Countries : Burma (Myanmar),
Issues : Arbitrary arrest & detention,

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