Refugees from Burma 3 rd APCRR, BKK, Thailand By Victor Biak Lian
Victor Biak Lian Secretary, Strategic Department of Ethnic Nationalities Council (Union of Burma) Board of Directors (Chin Human Rights Organization, supervise Chiang Mai office) To Assist Director of Operation of Euro-Burma office, Brussels, Belgium
Senior General Than Shwe residence in Naypyidaw, a New Capital of Burma
$ 50 Million worth gift was received in this wedding
Natural resources are sold out
Burma Today o The SPDC just had an elections 0n 7 November, 2010. o The democracy movement fear that the elections will legitimize military rule and boycotted the elections. o The international community is undecided. o Aung San Suu Kyi was just released from House arrest and she calls for national reconciliation o Tension between armed resistance movement and regime is still going on
The Union of Burma SPDC command position Geographical map
Background Ethnic States 1. Arakan State, 2. Chin State, 3. Kachin State, 4. Karen State, 5. Karenni State, 6. Mon State, and 7. Shan State. Burman areas (Divisions) Irrawady Bago Magwe Mandalay Sagaing Tenesirim Yangon
Background continue: Ethnic areas The ethnic nationalities of the Union of Burma make up 40% of the population Their combined homelands cover 60% of the territory of the Union of Burma. Proper Burma The majority Burman population is about 60 % The side of proper Burman (7 divisions) is about 40% The Ethnic Issues in Burma is not a minor but a major problem, and political crisis in Burma is rooted is ethnic issues The successive government in Burma in which the role of ethnic had been minimal
The Burma Problem (Some important events) 1948 Independence from Britain 1949 Start of the Civil War in: Arakan, Karen, Karenni, & Mon States 1962 Military Coup & Start of the Civil War in: Kachin, Chin, & Shan States 1988 Start of People s Power Movement for Democracy; 1990 General Elections: NLD wins 82% of seats, UNLD wins 15% of seats, NUP wins 2% of seats, and Independents win 1% of seats 2007 Saffron Revolution 2010 SPDC held an election where USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party) won 81% seats in Upper House, Lower and States legislative House
60 years of civil war in Burma between ethnic groups and successive military governments
KIO/ KIA
The Burma Army Bombarded Shan Positions and Sent Wa Troops to Storm the Fortified Positions in 2005
Loi Tai Leng, Shan State The Front-Line: After a Fierce Battle with the Wa in 2005
Karen Revolutionary Day in Karen State
We are prisoners of our own country Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Where are we? The poorest country in South East Asia 3 millions migrant workers in Thailand One million people are being displaced within Burma About 200,000 refugees in neibouring countries (APRRN, 174,000) Burma is trying to build nuclear warhead
Rohingjah Refugees 28,000 refugees live in this Camp, Bangladesh Border and 200,000 are unrecognized refugees
Shan Refugee Village at Loi Tai Leng (Note: The number of Shan refugees are not possible to estimated in Thailand)
The biggest Internally Displaced People camp in Burma called Eh Thu Hta on the Salween River
Land mine victims
Eh Thu Hta IDP camp 5000 IDP are living in this camp
The number of Burmese refugees (Karen are majority) in 9 camps in Thailand is approximately 142,000
Chin refugees in Malaysia 90,000 refugees from ethnic background in Malaysia
Starvation 80% of the populations are under poverty line
Force Labour in Burma
Migrant workers in Mizoram, India there are 3 millions migrant workers in Thailand
Nargis Constitution and Giri Election which will not lead to a solution in the conflict in Burma
The 1994 UNGA Resolution To resolve Burma s problems and to build a sustainable democracy, there should be a tripartite dialogue amongst The Tatmadaw, Democracy advocates, and the Ethnic Nationalities. The resolution is welcomed by the ethnic groups and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi but regime refuses to accept it and instead, 7 step roadmap toward democracy in Burma was introduced.
Tripartite Dialogue Three parties: The Tatmadaw, Democracy advocates, and the Ethnic Nationalities. -OR- Three issues: Leading Role of the Tatmadaw, Democracy, and a Fair Constitutional Arrangement.
Post election 7 step road map to disciplined democracy will not lead to democracy (5 th step is Election). Ethnic resistance armies refused to accept Border Guard Force and tension is now high between regime and resistance movements Though Aung San San Suu Kyi had been released from house arrest, there are more than 2200 Political prisoners still remain Direct military to indirect military United vision, different roles, diverse action is needed
Conclusion Refugees will continue to influx into neiboring countries if fighting between ethnic resistance groups and regime Refugees worry for repatriation when the government of Myanmar (Expected to form in January) announce general amnesty International community continue support is necessary unless a political solution for Burma is found Thank you!