CHRO

Date: 16 June 2003

Stanley Peter Dromisky

House of Commons

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A6

Dear Honorable Mr. Dromisky,

We, the undersigned residents of Thunder Bay, who have come to settle to the city from the Southeastern Asian country of Burma, are writing this letter to bring to your attention our deep concern over the ongoing political crackdown in Burma. We have learnt that the military junta ruling Burma is mounting a massive violent campaign against pro-democracy opponents in the country, resulting in scores of arrest, death and disappearance of democracy activists.

On May 30, 2003, the military regime orchestrated a violent assault on the convoy of Burma’s democracy leader, and Noble Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters who were touring the county’s northern region. The incident left at least 70 dead, scores disappeared and injured. Of particular concern is the fate of Aung San Suu KYi who is being detained incommunicado in an unspecified military camp outside of the capital Rangoon.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy won the country’s last democratic elections in 1990 with an overwhelming majority of 82 percent of the legislative seats. But the military regime, which came to power after slaughtering thousands of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators, refused to recognize the election results, and has since embarked on a campaign of terror against dissidents. Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the last 15 years under house arrest, and her release in late 2001 had given new hopes for the country’s return to democracy from nearly 50 years of military rule.

The re-arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the latest violent crackdown on democracy movement is a clear indication that the military junta ruling Burma, which calls itself the State Peace and Development Council is neither interested in political reform nor has any intention to return power to the people of Burma. Further, the regime has been waging a brutal genocidal war against the country’s ethnic minorities resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the displacement of millions of civilian populations.

Virtually all governments, including Canada and the United States, have denounced the latest crackdown in Burma. In the United States, the Senate has already overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban all imports from Burma, freeze the assets of junta officials within the United States, and impose a visa ban on all senior officials of the regime as well as leaders of organizations and persons associated with the junta. The European Union is also contemplating on implementing similar measures against the regime.

We believe that Canada with its unique position in the world, and as a nation with the tradition of peace and humanitarian commitments in the world, has tremendous leverage in affecting real political change in Burma. It is also in the interest of Canada to take a leading role in ending five decades of brutality and violence the people of Burma have been suffering at the hands of the military junta. According to the RCMP, more than half narcotic imports in Canada originated in Burma. Various credible international organizations have also revealed the close links between the Burmese military officials and international narco-smuggling rings that operate inside Burma.

Canada has previously led efforts to bring an end to repressions and inhumanities in South Africa, Haiti, Yugoslavia and elsewhere in the world. The ongoing crackdown on freedom and democracy in Burma is a clear indication that current measures in place against the regime in Burma are ineffective.

As members of your constituency, we therefore, strongly appeal to you to take leadership in getting the government of Canada initiate urgent measures to help end repression and human rights violations in Burma. We also strongly request that efforts towards these measures embody the followings:

1. An immediate action to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, and other detainees, as well as all political prisoners in Burma

1. Implementation of strong economic sanctions in the forms of import and investment bans and others

1. The continuance of existing diplomatic and political pressures on Burma with the view to forcing the regime to enter into political dialogue with the NLD and representatives of ethnic nationalities that would lead to a return of genuine democracy, peace and human rights in Burma

1. Finding appropriate means to get the United Nations Security Council address the Burmese situation in order to put to a stop the ongoing genocide, religious persecution, and systematic human rights abuse against various ethnic groups in the country. (In this regard, his honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham, in his policy speech at a UN reform conference in New York, has recently made it clear Canada’s commitment to supporting the UN in taking punitive measures against member states which have failed to live up to their Charter obligations, measures that would include membership suspension and expulsion)

1. Through appropriate diplomatic channels, putting effective pressure on Burma’s neighboring countries to stop supporting and engaging the military regime

Additionally, we’ve learnt that Canada will be represented at this week ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We implore your immediate personal communication to the Foreign Minister asking him to get concerned regional parties involve in helping to secure the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Burma. This will send a strong message to the Burmese military junta that their brutal policies and trickery will not be tolerated by the international community.

Sincerely,

(Individual names omitted*)

(*More than 40 individuals, mostly of Karen and Chin, residing in Thunder Bay, Ontari

June 3, 2003

Rockville

Chin Human Rights Organization deeply deplores and condemns yet another violent crackdown on members of the National League for Democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi by Burma’s ruling military regime, State Peace and Development Council.

According to credible sources inside Burma, as reported by the Washington-based National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) as well as other groups, the motorcades in which pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters were traveling, were violently attacked by members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, a proxy force of the ruling junta, which has been responsible for harassing and threatening Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues on their tour across the country. The latest incident represents a complete lack of humanity and civilized conduct on the part of the SPDC, and such action has served to put into serious question the regime’s purported commitment to political reform and national reconciliation in Burma.

The people of Burma had expressed their overwhelming support for Aung San Suu Kyi in the 1990 general elections by decisively voting for the National League for Democracy party. Despite persistent attempts by the regime to annihilate the NLD and its supporters, Aung San Suu Kyi continues to represent the true wills of the people of Burma. Subjecting her and her party members and supporters to violence and brutality constitutes both disrespect for, and a criminal act against the people of Burma.

The extraordinarily large crowds that showed up to greet Aung San Suukyi and her colleagues in different parts across the country, including the people of Chin State, indicates the people’s unwavering support for her and the National League for Democracy. During her recent visit to Chin State, authorities attempted to scale down the number of people showing up to greet Aung San Suu Kyi by forcibly sending away all government employees to outside of town ahead of her visit. The consistent pattern of harassment and threats encountered by Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues in their entourage makes it clear that the latest incident of violence was deliberately planned and instigated by the State Peace and Development Council.

CHRO also deplores the indefinite closure of universities depriving students across Burma of their right to education. The right to education is an indivisible part of universal human rights to which everyone is entitled. It is much deplorable that students are seen as constituting a potential threat to regime stability in Burma. Indefinite closure of schools has affected the same generation three times in less than two decades, and it is essential that the international community see this as a problem not only for the Burmese society but also as a dangerous hindrance to the development of humanity.

The United Nations and the international community at large have in the past consistently deplored the systematic violations of human rights in Burma, and have repeatedly called on the ruling military regime to show respect for human rights in the country. However, the fact that the military regime has continued to violate human rights in defiance of international opinion shows that the time has come for such rhetoric to be translated into concrete actions on the part of the international community. In view of the latest incident of an open violence directed at Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters, it is important that international inaction does not contribute to more violence and brutality being perpetrated by the Burmese military regime against Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters, and the citizens at large.

Press Release

October 20, 2003

The Burmese Generals are lying to The World

SPDC and USDA Forcibly Rally Thousands of Chin People against Their Wills in Support of Gen. Khin Ngunt Seven Points “Roadmap to Democracy”

The Chin Human Rights Organization deeply deplores and condemns the act of State Peace and Development Council SPDC and it’s henchman-organization Union Solidarity and Development Association USDA for forcing the Chin people against their wills to rally in supports of “Gen. Khin Ngunt’s seven point roadmap to democracy” in Haka, the capital of Chin state on October 16, 2003.

Chin Human Rights Organization have confirmed that all the students and government employee in Haka were forced to attend the rally threatening that any one who refuse to participate in the rally will be expelled from their school or their job. All major towns in Chin states such as Falam, Matupi, Mindat, Thantlang, Tiddim, and Tonzang are compelled to send representatives to participate in the rally. Furthermore, residents of Haka town and nearby villages were forced to send one person per household to attend the rally. Any household that fails to attend the rally is subject to fine 1,000 Kyats and necessary punishment by higher authority (Kyat is Burmese currency). Those who participate in the rally are divided into three columns, and each column had to wear the Burmese traditional dress in uniform.

On October 17, 2003 the SPDC’s newspaper New Light of Myanmar covered the story of forced-rally in Haka under the title of “Mass rally held in Chin State to support Prime Minister’s clarification on seven-point political roadmap”. The newspaper deliberately tried to deceive the readers by attacking the pro-democracy opposition party and praising the achievements of the military junta. The junta’s newspaper printed in Rangoon was unable to spell correctly all the names of the Chin individuals mentioned in their story.

Under the Burmese military junta, the Chin people are suffering rampant human rights violations such as religious persecutions, forced labor, arbitrarily arrest, torture and abuse against women which resulted thousands of Chin to flee from their home countries.

In fact, the Chin people a long with the whole Burma have expressed their wills to democratic change in 1988 by protesting against the Burmese Socialist Program Party BSPP even in the smallest village in Chin state. Again in 1990 general election in Burma, the Chin peoples showed their wills to democratic change by decisively voting for pro-democracy candidates in Chin states and Burma as a whole. In April 2003, while Aung San Suu Kyi was visiting Chin state, ten of thousands of Chin people greeted her in spite of the Junta’s threatening the local people that those who meet Aung San Suu Kyi will be severely punished.

The rally organized by USDA under the guidance of SPDC in Haka, Chin state on October 16, clearly depicted that Burmese military junta called State Peace and Development Council is trying to consolidate its hold on power by deceiving the whole world that the people of Burma supported their illegal leadership.

The United Nations and the international community at large have in the past consistently deplored the systematic violations of human rights in Burma, and have repeatedly called on the ruling military regime to show respect for human rights in the country. However, the fact that the military regime has continued to violate human rights in defiance of international opinion shows that the time has come for such rhetoric to be translated into concrete actions on the part of the international community. Chin Human Rights Organizationwww.chro.org For More information please contact: Salai Bawi Lian Mang, Director, CHRO at 510 595 1872

October 18, 2003

Washington DC

The rally, entitled as “- A mass rally, organized by the Union Solidarity and Development Association, held in support of the Prime Minister’s clarification on seven policies and programmes of the State (roadmap) in Vamthu Maung Sports Garden in Haka, Chin State” and published in the New Light of Burma from YANGON, 17 Oct ,2003 was a big lie of the Burmese Generals to deceive the world.

The rally was a repetition of the exact procedure how the illegitimate “Constitution of Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma 1974 , was adopted in false referendum by forcing the people at gun point to vote in support of the constitution in this way.

All those who read and gave speeches in the rally were all government servants now or before who would be not only expelled from their job but arrested, tortured and jailed if they refuse to read this pretended support in fear of the military arrest and torture.

The whole Chin population as a Christian State who practice democracy in their Christian religious institutions are in full support of democracy and federal form of the Union constitution in which Chin State could join the federal Union as a conststituent state of the federal Union.

This was clearly shown by the population rejecting to vote the Generals-supported-candidate Pu Van Kulh, Ex Colonel and Minister of Social Welfare in the Cabinet of the late dictator General Ne Win and Member of State Council under the socialist constitution 1974, Member of politburo of Burma Socialist Program Party(BSPP) / National Unity Party(NUP) and voted me for their representative as a Member of parliament in the 1990 Burma general election.

This assembly and rally clearly showed how the generals are trying to lie blatantly to the world. Their stupid trick cannot be hidden and the world is on the side of the Chin population and the democratic forces of the Union led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The generals by trying to lie the world in this way are certainly digging their own pit-fall into which they would fall not before long.

Not only that they forced them to lie at gun point, the buildings shown in this article also are all to lie as if the buildings here are in the Chin State. The buildings shown in the picture in that news paper with the article there are in Burma proper, not the buildings in the Chin State. There have not been such a single building like these modern building structure in the Chin State as it has been neglected to establish even the infrastructure to minimally develop the state within the period of the military rule.

Lian Uk,

Member of Parliament Elect

Haka Constituency, the capital of the Chin State

Now in political exile, USA

Press Release

Chin Human Rights Organization

Date: May 19, 2004

Ottawa

Burma’s Junta Guilty of Mounting A Campaign of

Ethnocide Against Chin Christians

Chin Human Rights Organization announces the release of a report entitled “Religious Persecution: A Campaign of Ethnocide Against Chin Christians in Burma.” A compilation of facts gathered over the last eight years, the report exposes disturbing evidences of religious persecution against Chin Christians by Burma’s ruling military junta State Peace and Development Council. The report details cases of abuse by Burmese authorities toward one of the country’s major ethnic groups who are predominantly of Christian faith. The Chins inhabit a hilly region of Burma’s western frontier. Over half a million Chins are living in the Chin State and more than 90 percent of them are Christians. The total population of Chin living in the whole of Burma and neighbouring countries is estimated to number 2 millions. This report reveals that the military junta ruling Burma is mounting an active campaign to eliminate the Chin religion, culture and race as part of a policy to ‘Burmanize’ the country.

Since 1999, the United States has singled out Burma as a few countries in the world that violate religious freedom. This report adds yet more evidence to the fact that Burma’s ruling junta, despite its ongoing effort to portray itself as pursuing serious reforms on political and human rights conditions of the country by resuming the stalled National Convention, is responsible for discriminating and persecuting minority religious and ethnic groups in the country.

The 140-page report documents horrifying incidents of abuse by members of the Burma Army, often on direct orders of senior military officials, against Chin Christians. This report also reveals that there is an ongoing effort by the ruling military regime to force-convert Chin Christians to Buddhism, the country’s dominant religion.

The report says that military officials in high command often order the destruction of symbolic Christian crosses planted on mountain peaks by local churches. These crosses are then replaced with Buddhist pagodas or other Buddhist religious statues, often forcing Chin Christians to make human and financial contribution for the construction. This report demonstrates that Burmese authorities are also responsible for deliberately hampering efforts by Christian congregations to freely conduct their religious affairs by denying them permission to hold conferences and worship services and by subjecting Christian activities to strict and discriminatory regulations.

Religion is an important part of Chin society and culture. This report gives clear evidence that Burma’s ruling military regime State Peace and Development Council is responsible for conducting a policy of ‘cultural genocide’ or ethnocide against the Chin people, one of Burma’s distinct society. The report, however, carefully notes that members of the ruling regime, rather than Buddhist religion, are responsible for the persecution of Chin Christians.

For More Information Please Contact;

In Canada: Salai Za Uk Ling (Telephone): 807 577 4903

In the United States: Salai Bawi Lian Mang (Telephone) 510 595 1872

In Thailand: Victor Biak Lian (Telephone) (66) 782 539 41.

Online version of the report is available at

URL: www.chro.org

Chin Human Rights Organization

50 Bell Street N.#2

Ottawa, CANADA

ON, K1R 7C7

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www.chro.org

July 24, 2004

Chin Human Rights Organization expresses its deep sorrow at the demise of Dr. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe, the Shan prince of Yawnghwe, this morning in Vancouver, Canada. Son of the first President of an independent Union of Burma Sao Shwe Thaike, Dr. Chao Tzang, also known as Eugene Yawnghwe, was a fine revolutionary, an accomplished academic and a tireless campaigner for human rights and democracy in Burma. Dr. Yawnghwe dedicated his entire life to working for the freedom of his people, the Shans, and of all the people of Burma from tyranny, inhumanity and oppression.

Before General Ne Win took over power, Chao Tzang Yawnghwe tutored English at the Department of English at Rangoon University. Soon after the military coup of 1962, Chao Tzang Yawnghwe went underground to join the Shan resistance in 1963. A prominent member of the Shan revolution, Chao Tzang Yawnghwe was among the Shan delegation that held peace talks called by General Ne Win in December 1963. A year later, Chao Tzang’s mother, Burma’s first lady and Mehadevi of the Yawnghe chaired the Shan State Army, a merger of two Shan revolutionary organizations. Chao Tzang Yawnge later rose to the position of General Secretary of the Shan State Progress Party, a political wing of the Shan State Army.

In 1985, due to health reasons Yawnghwe left the Shan revolution in order to begin a new life in Canada. Chao Tzang later earned his PhD in Political Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. A true believer of freedom and human rights, Dr. Chao Tzang rejoined the revolution after the 1988 popular uprising in Burma. Since then, he had held various position of eminence and was co-founder and a member of Presidium of the United Nationalities League for Democracy (Liberated Area) UNLD/LA, Advisor to the National Reconciliation Program NRP, Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity and Cooperation Committee, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma and Chair of the Working Committee of the Ethnic Nationalities Council. He was also instrumental in helping to draft the state Constitutions for the ethnic nationalities.

A scholar who committed all his life to the freedom of Burma from tyrannical rule, Dr. Yawnghwe firmly believed in the important role of the world community in helping to realize his dreams: the smooth transition from military rule to a system of federalism and democracy in Burma. He said in his article Burma Analysis 2003, “Success for any process of political change (or transition) in Burma in the direction of democratization to which the SPDC claims to be committed to as well and the sustainability of the outcomes will necessarily depend on the focus of the international community on the problems, conflict, and issues that have confronted the peoples of Burma for many dismal decades.”

The death of Dr. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe is an irreplaceable loss to the continuing fight for equality, self-determination, federalism and democracy in Burma. He was a hero, a revolutionary, an intellectual and a dedicated activist during whose leadership the ethnic nationalities have learned to so much to advance their cause. Dr. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe will always be gone, but he will always be remembered as a leader, a revolutionary, a federalist and democrat who dedicated all his life for the freedom of the people of Burma.

CHRO offers its most profound condolence to the family and friends of Dr. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe.

May his soul rest in peace.

Chin Human Rights Organization

July 24, 2004

November 24, 2004

Ottawa

Chin Human Rights Organization welcomes the release last week of Burmese student leader Min Ko Naing and some prisoners of conscience by the State Peace and Development Council SPDC.

The unconditional release of all political prisoners is a fundamental necessity in bringing Burma on the path of political and human rights reform. As such, the SPDC must release all remaining political prisoners as a first step towards the process of democratic transition and national reconciliation.

In announcing the intended release of nearly 4,000 prisoners last week, the SPDC admitted that the prisoners were “inappropriately” arrested and jailed by the dissolved National Intelligence Bureau (NIB). There are well over one thousand political prisoners still in Burmese jails, including Aung San Suu Kyi who is still under house arrest. The SPDC should acknowledge that “improper deeds” were employed by the NIB to imprison these people, and accordingly grant freedom to all remaining political prisoners.

The intelligence service was responsible for intimidating, torturing and employing terror tactics against the populace, deliberately obstructing legitimate activities of political parties. The SPDC should reverse the “inappropriate actions” of the intelligence service and restore the rights of legitimate political parties to freely conduct their affairs.

Chin Human Rights Organization

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www.chro.org

Ottawa

December 2, 2004

An ex-Parliamentarian, Pu Hrang Nawl was a revolutionary and visionary leader, who led the first Chin rebellion agianst General Ne Win’s military coup of 1962. His early influence in Chin nationalism made Hrang Nawl one of the world’s youngest Parliamentarian when he was elected in 1956 to the Chamber of Nationalities at a mere age 21. In 1961, his reelection to serve another term in the Chamber of Nationalities was cut short by General Ne Win’s military coup of 1962.

In 1963, in reaction to the coup det’at, Hrang Nawl helped establish the United Chin Government, which later became instrumental in building a momentum for the Chin revolt against Ne Win’s Revolutionary Council.

Hrang Nawl was arrested in 1966 by Indian government and subsequently extradited to Burma, where he was tried for treason and jailed until his release in 1974 in a general amnesty. He spent 8 years in prison in solitary confinement.

Pu Hrang Nawl will be remembered for his heroism, visionary leadership and sacrifice for the cause of his people. He is to be credited for the rise of modern Chin nationationalism.

Chin Human Rights Organization expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Pu Hrang Nawl.

May his sould rest in peace!

Chin Human Rights Organization

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www.chro.org

Chin Human Rights Organization

Aizawl: 13 January 2005

A Christian cross in Chin State’s Matupi town was vandalized and destroyed by Burmese troops on direct order of Colonel San Aung, Cheif of Tactical Command No. 2 for Chin State, a local man has just informed Chin Human Rights Organization. The order was carried out under the supervision of Lt. Colonel Aung Kyaw, commander of Infantry Battalion (204) stationed in the area. Sometime in learly December, during the night, a group of Burmese soldiers ripped apart white ceremic tiles and slab of marbles covering the 50-foot tall contrete structure cross, and then blackpainted it with oil residue. A report coming from inside Chin State says that the cross was completely torn down on January 3, 2005, on the eve of Burma’s independence celebration.

The cross had been standing on top of Mount Boi, south of Matupi Town for the last two decades. In 2000, local Christians from various denominations with monetary contributions by Matupi residents working in Thailand, replaced a wooden cross with 50-foot and 15×5 cubic feet concrete structure at the cost of 3.5 million Kyats. The reconstruction was completed in 2003.

“It is both heart wrenching and humiliating,” complained the local resident who says that the cross was the site for prayer and religious gathering for local Christians. The site of the cross is now sealed off and designated as part of an army base for Light Infantry Battalion 204. Christians are now prohibited from going up the mountain. It is also being reported that the military regime is planning on erecting a Buddhist pagoda on the very same spot.

In April of 2004, Burma’s ruling military junta State Peace and Development Council ordered the destruction of another cross in the same area. A wooden cross erected on Mount Lung Tak, located 5 miles from Matupi Town was demolished by Burmese troops from the same battalion. The cross that was destroyed last week is considered to be one of the last remaining crosses in major townships in Chin State. Chin people are overwhelmingly Christians and local people plant crosses on tops of hills and mountains besides their village and towns as symbols of their faith or in remembrance of early Christian missionaries and pioneers or for other historical and religious significance of the sites.

on Sunday, January 30th for Persecuted Chin Christians in Burma

January 20, 2005

Dear friends and Chin supporters,

Chin Human Rights Organization invites you to join a global action in protest of the latest destruction of a Christian cross in Chin State by Burma’s ruling military regime. We call on all Chin people in and outside of Chinland, friends and supporters of Burma’s human rights and democratic movement around the world to observe Sunday, January 30th as a Day of Prayer for persecuted Chin Christians in Burma. We especially encourage Chin communities and supporters living in the capital cities of Asia, Europe and North America to stage a protest in front of Burmese Embassy.

On January 3, 2005, the Burmese military regime has destroyed yet another Christian cross in Matupi Township of Southern Chin State. Measuring 50 feet in height and built with solid concrete by multi-denominational churches in Matupi, the cross was considered to be one of the few remaining crosses in Chin State. During the last several years beginning in mid 1990s, the military regime has dismantled at least half a dozen crosses in Matupi, Tonzang, Hakha, Falam and Thantlang townships and has demolished several church buildings. In many cases, through illegal taxes and forced labour exacted from local Christians, the military regime has built Buddhist pagodas to replace these crosses.

The regime has no justifiable cause for the removal of those crosses and construction of Buddhist pagodas in a land where the people are predominantly Christians. The intent behind its action, however, is unmistakably clear. The regime is vigorously pursuing a policy of religious persecution against Chin Christians in order to expand the influence of Buddhism in Chinland. The ultimate goal is to gain control of the Chin people by annihilating their culture, religion and ethnic identity. The destruction of crosses, church buildings and persecution of Christian religious leaders are evidently designed to crush the will and psychology of Chin Christians to preserve and defend their religious, cultural and ethnic identity.

While the military junta alone is responsible for encroaching upon religious freedom and persecuting Chin Christians under the guise of national unity, we invite people of all religion including our Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu friends to join us in prayer for Chin Christians in Burma.

The military regime has persistently ignored calls by the United States and the larger international community to respect human rights and religious freedom of all its citizens. But we can together help to ameliorate the suffering of our people by showing to the world we are united against the reprehensible actions of the Burmese military junta.

An internationally synchronized action is certain to bring an impact on our cause. It is high time that we act together in unity and send a strong message to the junta it cannot get away with its reprehensible actions.

Chin Human Rights Organization

www.chro.org

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