CHRO

Agence France Presse

(AFP) October 25: A rights group that advocates for Myanmar ‘s ethnic Chin minority Wednesday applauded the US government for waiving a law that would allow Chin refugees to come to the United States .

More than 80,000 Chin refugees currently live in Malaysia , India and Thailand . Many fled their homes in western Myanmar due to fighting between Chin rebels and the country’s oppressive military regime.

“This will give the Chin the opportunity to live a normal life,” said Amy Alexander, legal consultant for the Chin Human Rights Organization.

The waiver exempts the Chin from a provision in a US anti-terrorism law — put in place after the September 11 attacks — which bars refugees who have supported armed groups from resettling in the country.

Many Chin refugees provided support for the Chin National Front or its armed wing, the Chin National Army, which has battled Myanmar ‘s military regime for autonomy since 1988. Myanmar ‘s government stands accused by rights groups of killings, torture, rape and other abuses against ethnic minorities.

The secretive regime is also regularly criticized over the treatment of political opponents, particularly prodemocracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for most of the past 17 years.

The Chins, who are 95 percent Christian in a mostly Buddhist nation, have also been persecuted for their religious beliefs.

Many fled to neighboring countries where they have received few protections, often unable to work, attend school or access social services.

“The Chins are living in pretty deplorable conditions in exile,” Alexander said. “They are treated as illegal immigrants.”

The waiver could allow up to 2,000 Chin refugees into the US annually, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization.

In addition to the Chins, the Karen, another ethnic minority in exile in Thailand , received the same waiver in August.

“Hopefully this is a sign that the US is looking to extend waivers to other groups,” Alexander said. Some 17 ethnic groups have battled Myanmar ‘s government to seek autonomy for their regions. Although most have now signed ceasefires, the Chin have not. A 2002 Human Rights Watch report estimated that the Chin National Army had about 500 fighters.

Mungpi
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

October 20, 2006 – The Chin Human Rights Organisation today welcomed the decision of the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to allow Burmese refugees into the United States even if they have supported rebels fighting against the Burmese government.

Rice exercised her discretionary exemption authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, to allow Chin refugees to resettle in the United States even if they have provided “material support” to the Chin National Front or Chin National Army.

“This is a welcome message,” said Victor Biak Lian, a member of the board of directors of the CHRO, adding that the waiver would generate new hope to the many vulnerable Chin refugees, who have been on-hold for resettlement to the United States .

Chin refugees from Burma have fled mainly to Malaysia , Thailand , and India in order to escape the random human rights violation of the junta.

Under the exemption order, those who are accepted “must meet all other eligibility requirements for resettlement — including that they pose no danger to the safety and security of the United States ,” said the announcement of the US state department on Thursday.

“Exercising the exemption authority allows the United States to resume significant processing of the thousands of extremely vulnerable ethnic Chin refugees living in Malaysia and elsewhere,” said the announcement.

Under the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the REAL ID Act of 2005, persons including refugees and asylum seekers who have provided support of any kind including material support to “terrorist organizations” and people engaged in “terrorist activities” are barred from entering US territory.

However, rights advocates, campaigners and critics have severely criticized the law, which was principally aimed to protect US citizens from terrorism, saying it has negatively impacted refugees and asylum seekers whose very reason of becoming refugees and asylum seekers is terrorism.

The CHRO, which has been advocating and lobbying the US government to waive the US law for Chin asylum seekers, in their statement released earlier this year admitted that a majority of Chin asylum seekers and refugees have provided some form of support at some point in their lives to the Chin National Front.

However, both the CNF and CNA, which have been waging a low-level rebellion against the Burmese military junta since 1988, are not on the State Department’s list of international terrorist organizations.
“This move (exemption order) shows that the US understands that Burmese pro-democracy organisations (both armed and non-violent groups) are not terrorist
groups as claimed by the Burmese junta,” said Victor Biak Lian.

The decision will now allow the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve eligible Chin refugees for admission to the United States .

The Burmese junta, however, claimed that there are no Burmese refugees and the so-called refugees are families and relatives of terrorists, who the junta term as ‘destructive elements’ wishing to create mayhem and instability inside the country.

The Secretary of State has twice previously exercised this same inapplicability authority with respect to Karen refugees in camps in Thailand who were found otherwise eligible except for having provided material support to the Karen National Union or the Karen
National Liberation Army.

By Shah Paung
Irrawwaddy
Fri 20 Oct 2006: Ethnic Chin refugees in Thailand , Malaysia and India are to be allowed to resettle in the US as long as they meet all eligibility requirements, the US State Department announced on Thursday.

Applications would be considered even if refugees had provided “material support” to Chin rebel groups such as the Chin National Front and its military wing, the Chin National Army, the announcement said.

One requirement for eligibility is that applicants pose no security threat to the US . Welcoming the US announcement, Victor Khensang, an official of the Chin Human Rights Organization, said refugees who were supporters of the CNF or CNA posed no threat to the US .

Applications for resettlement will be screened by the US Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Victor Khensang said that although the US decision to open its doors to Chin refugees represented no long-term solution it nonetheless would help those in difficulty. “This process cannot solve the main problem, but it can solve some part,” he said.

In June, an immigration judge in the US refused a resettlement request by a Chin woman, resident in Texas , on the grounds that she had given support to the CNF, which is involved in hostilities with the Burmese army along Burma ’s border with India .

In another development, Washington is to allow 2,700 ethnic Karen refugees from Tham Hin camp in Thailand to resettle in the US . Some 1,100 have arrived so far.

WASHINGTON-Oct 19, 2006 (AFP) – The United States has waived a law to accept thousands of refugees from Myanmar ‘s Chin state currently living in Malaysia , Thailand and India , the State Department said Thursday. Most of them had fled to the neighbouring nations after battling the military junta in Myanmar .

A stringent anti-terrorism law passed after the September 11, 2001 attacks prevent people who provide “material support” to armed groups from resettling in the United States .

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice “exercised her discretionary exemption authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, so that Chin refugees living in Malaysia , Thailand , and India can resettle in the United States ,” a State Department statement said. She took the action “even if they had provided ‘material support’ to the Chin National Front (CNF) or Chin National Army (CNA),” groups that had been battling the Myanmar military, the statement said.

But it added that the applicants must meet other eligibility requirements for resettlement, “including that they pose no danger to the safety and security of the United States . “This determination will allow the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve otherwise eligible Chin refugees for admission to the United States,” the statement said.

The Department of Homeland Security is the agency responsible for adjudicating refugee applications for the US Refugee Admissions Program. “Exercising the exemption authority allows the United States to resume significant processing of the thousands of extremely vulnerable ethnic Chin refugees living in Malaysia and elsewhere,” the statement said.

Rice has previously exercised the same authority to accept Myanmar ‘s Karen refugees in camps in Thailand . Myanmar ‘s military junta is regularly criticized by governments and human rights groups over the treatment of political opponents, particularly Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for most of the past 17 years.

The UN Security Council in September backed a US proposal to put the issue of political repression and human rights violations in Myanmar on its formal agenda. pp/mac .

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
US Department of State
Washington , DC
October 19, 2006
The Secretary of State, on October 11, exercised her discretionary exemption authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, so that Chin refugees from Burma living in Malaysia , Thailand , and India can resettle in the United States even if they have provided “material support” to the Chin National Front (CNF) or Chin National Army (CNA). The applicants must meet all other eligibility requirements for resettlement — including that they pose no danger to the safety and security of the United States . This determination will allow the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve otherwise eligible Chin refugees for admission to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security is the agency responsible for adjudicating refugee applications for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

Exercising the exemption authority allows the United States to resume significant processing of the thousands of extremely vulnerable ethnic Chin refugees living in Malaysia and elsewhere.

The Secretary of State has twice previously exercised this same inapplicability authority with respect to Karen refugees in camps in Thailand who were found otherwise eligible except for having provided material support to the Karen National Union or the Karen National Liberation Army.

2006/944
Released on October 19, 2006
http://www.state. gov/r/pa/ prs/ps/2006/ 74761.htm

By Tara Horn
www.chinlandguardian.net
December 9, 2006-Kuala Lumpur: The Chin Refugee Committee was awarded the Suaram Human Rights Award on December 8, at the annual Suaram Tribute to Human Rights Defenders dinner in Kuala Lumpur. Suaram is a Malaysian non-governmental organization “committed to defending and campaigning for human rights in Malaysia and other parts of the world.” Suaram, or Suara Rakyat Malaysia, began in 1989 and is now the leading human rights organization in Malaysia.

The Tribute to Human Rights Defenders dinner was held in conjunction with World Human Rights Day on December 10, to pay tribute to those who work to promote and defend human rights in Malaysia. About 500 guests from civil society, political parties, media, and international embassies attended the dinner.

The dinner began with opening remarks from Yap See Seng, who called on the Malaysian government to respond to the request, made in 2004, for a country visit by Hina Jilani, the United Nations Special Representative to the Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders. After the opening remarks, Suaram also presented a video statement from Said Zahari, a prominent human rights leader in Malaysia and Singapore. Zahari urged human rights organizations to move beyond protests and develop new strategies for raising awareness among the people of how human rights relate to their daily lives, and for getting them involved in standing up for their own rights everyday.

During dinner, The Chin Refugee Committee’s 20-member cultural troupe performed the Chong Lai Zonh dance in traditional Chin dress. There were also dinner performances by an orang asli, or indigenous Malay, group, and Malaysian singer Mei Chern.

The much anticipated Suaram Human Rights Award 2006 was presented later in the evening by Dr. Kua Kia Soong, the director of Suaram. In total, there were four nominees for the award this year. The three additional nominees were the Bukit Jelutong villagers, a community of plantation workers who fought against unlawful evictions by the plantation giant Guthrie, the Article 11 coalition, a network of groups that campaigned for the constitutional right to freedom of religion, and the Broga No Incinerator Committee, which campaigned against a mega incinerator project at the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. The Chin Refugee Committee was jointly awarded the honor along with the Bukit Jelutong villagers.

The Chin Refugee Committee was established in 2001 to support Chin refugees in their pursuit of safety in Malaysia. The CRC staff, all volunteers from the Chin community, advocates for the protection and registration of Chin refugees with the UNHCR and assist individuals with the registration process. They also assist refugees with obtaining care or protection in times of crisis, and network with the police, government, and local NGOs to increase awareness of and services available to the community. There are currently estimated to be around 20,000 Chin in Malaysia. Victor Kham Bil, founder, and Philimon Sang, Coordinator of CRC, accepted the award on behalf of the committee. Victor says of the award, “It will shed light on the situation of the Chin for NGOs, and really show that the CRC is working hard to protect the Chin. They will know that the CRC is something. It is very rewarding and very encouraging, and it will encourage all the CRC members to work harder than before – they will know that even the NGOs in Malaysia recognize our work.” The CRC was nominated for the award by Chin Human Rights Organization, an advocacy group that initiated the formation of the committee in 2001.

The annual Suaram Human Rights Award was initiated in 1999 to recognize local communities and collectives in their outstanding and inspiring endeavors to protect and promote human rights in Malaysia. Both winners will receive as their prize a space to attend the Asia Training and Study Session on Human Rights in Bangkok for two weeks next year. The prize is sponsored by the Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia), a regional human rights organization with more than 30 members in the Asian region.

By Michelle Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Mon, Feb. 12 2007 04:18 PM ET http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061104/25778.htm

WASHINGTON – A delegation of Chin and Kachin activists from Burma was the first of its kind to meet with top U.S. officials to testify against “gross” human rights violations by Burma’s military regime against the country’s Christian minority, indicated a report.

“This has been the first time the Chin and Kachin people have been able to raise a voice at very high levels politically in the United States and the European Union,” reflected Salai Bawi Lian Mang, director of the Chin Human Rights Organization, in a statement.

“We believe our cry has been heard and now the world must act.”

Members of the delegation, organized by U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide, finished a week-long visit to Washington, D.C. on Monday.

The delegation met with John Hanford, ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom; senior policy advisors to the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; representatives of the National Security Council at the White House; and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The activists also met with Congressional and Senate members and staffs, including Congressman Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.) and the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Burma is designated as a “Country of Particular Concern,” by the U.S. State Department for its severe religious freedom violations.

Washington was the delegation’s last stop on a tour to brief world leaders on the discrimination and persecution of the military’s regime against Christians in Burma. Other stops on the tour included London, Brussels and Berlin.

“This has been a truly historic opportunity to raise international awareness about the plight of the Chin and Kachin peoples in Burma, and to urge the international community to take action to bring an end to the suffering of all the people of Burma,” said CSW’s advocacy officer for South Asia, Benedict Rogers, who traveled with the delegation, in a statement.

The Chin and Kachin ethnic groups, in which 90 percent of the population is Christian, are severely persecuted by Burma’s pro-Buddhist military regime.

Reports have exposed that Christians are forced by the regime to tear down crosses and churches and replace them with Buddhist pagodas and statues. Christian Chin and Kachin women are raped, and children from Christian families are taken from their parents and placed into monasteries to become novice monks under the false pretense of sending the children to receive a good education. The parents are not told that their children are being sent to a monastery and in some cases the parents never see their child again.

Christians are also forced to contribute financially to Buddhist projects.

Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, recalls in a recent column that “for many years, crosses dotted the mountaintops and villages of the Chin’s homeland.” However, now there are no crosses left on the mountaintops. Instead, the Chin and other Burmese Christian have become the “preferred targets of one of the world’s most brutal regimes.”

Last month, a British newspaper reported on a secret document authored by the Burmese military regime ordering a wipeout of Christians in the country. The document, which the regime denies responsibility, gave step-by-step instructions on how to eliminate Christians, capitalizing on the fact that “the Christian religion is very gentle,” claims the Telegragh.

In addition to religious freedom, Chin and Kachin activists informed government officials about Burma’s problems with human trafficking, sexual violence and forced labor.

“We will continue to do all we can to highlight the gross violations of human rights perpetrated by Burma’s brutal military regime, including the violations of religious freedom, the use of rape as a weapon of war and other crimes against humanity,” concluded Rogers.

Delegation members included representatives of the Chin Human Rights Organization, the Women’s League of Chinland and the Kachin Women’s Association – Thailand.

by Jennifer Gold
Christian Today
Tuesday, February 13, 2007, 9:28 (GMT)
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/burma.delegation.concludes.europe.us.awareness.tour/9526.htm
A delegation of Chin and Kachin activists from Burma has finished a visit to Washington DC last week, where they briefed senior US government officials on the continuing violations of human rights by Burma’s military regime.

The visit follows the launch of the Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) report, ‘Carrying the Cross: the military regime’s campaign of restriction, discrimination and persecution against Christians in Burma’ and is the final phase of a tour which included visits to London, Brussels and Berlin.

On Wednesday 7 February, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper, considered the mouthpiece of the junta, carried statements from the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Myanmar, Myanmar Council of Churches and Yangon Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) denouncing the findings of the report and claiming that it was designed to obstruct religious harmony in the country.

The delegation met the US ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, Ambassador John Hanford, and senior policy advisers to the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, as well as the National Security Council at the White House and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. The delegation also met with Congressional and Senate members and staff, including Congressman Joseph Pitts and the office of House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In a briefing organised by the Congressional Human Rights Caucus Task Force for International Religious Freedom, the delegation highlighted violations of religious freedom in Burma, as well as human trafficking, sexual violence and forced labour. The group also met with church organisations and human rights groups during the week.

The delegation included representatives of the Chin Human Rights Organisation, the Women’s League of Chinland and the Kachin Women’s Association-Thailand

The author of ‘Carrying the Cross’, CSW’s Advocacy Officer for South Asia Benedict Rogers, who travelled with the delegation said: “This has been a truly historic opportunity to raise international awareness about the plight of the Chin and Kachin peoples in Burma, and to urge the international community to take action to bring an end to the suffering of all the people of Burma. The findings in the report are based on the testimonies of Christians in Burma, as well as documentary evidence.

“This week’s statements from the Myanmar Council of Churches and the Catholic Bishops Conference contradict statements made by these church bodies in the past, as cited in the report, suggesting the junta’s reaction to the report is only a desperate attempt to divert attention from the truth of the findings. We will continue to do all we can to highlight the gross violations of human rights perpetrated by Burma’s brutal military regime, including the violations of religious freedom, the use of rape as a weapon of war and other crimes against humanity.”

Salai Bawi Lian Mang, Director of the Chin Human Rights Organisation, said: “This has been the first time the Chin and Kachin people have been able to raise a voice at very high levels politically in the United States and the European Union. We believe our cry has been heard and now the world must act.”

by Jennifer Gold
Christian Today
Posted: Friday, January 26, 2007, 10:14 (GMT)
Representatives from the Chin and Kachin ethnic groups in Burma met earlier in the week with the UK Minister of Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Ian McCartney MP.

It was the first time that Chin and Kachin representatives have met with a UK Foreign Office minister, and the meeting lasted approximately an hour.

The delegation raised concerns about religious freedom violations in Burma, and called on the British Government to urge the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief to conduct a thorough investigation into the situation in Burma.

The delegation encouraged the British Government to call on the European Union to send a strong signal to the regime in Burma that the current human rights violations in the country are not acceptable, and that China and Russia’s veto of a UN Security Council resolution on Burma does not give the regime a green light to commit these violations.

They also called for the EU to strengthen its common position on Burma, including meaningful targeted economic sanctions, when this is reviewed in April.

The delegation urged the British Government to put pressure on China, India and ASEAN to use their influence on the regime to progress towards a peaceful solution for the country.

Sexual violence in Chin State, forced labour and the situation in Kachin State were also discussed.
Victor Biak Lian, from the National Reconciliation Programme of the Union of Burma, says: “The overwhelming message from our delegation was the need for meaningful tripartite dialogue between the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the National League for Democracy and the ethnic nationalities, but we need the international community to put pressure on the SPDC if we are to achieve this.

“We are therefore privileged to be given this time with the Minister and we thank him for his efforts in helping to bring Burma to the UN Security Council’s agenda. We hope the UK Government takes forward our proposals to help secure a peaceful future for Burma.”

Benedict Rogers, CSW’s Advocacy Officer for South Asia and author of the recent report Carrying the Cross, said: “The military regime’s campaign of restriction, discrimination and persecution against Christians in Burma, says: “Today’s meeting was very positive and we found the Minister engaging and sympathetic. The UK supported the proposed UN Security Council resolution on Burma. We therefore call on the UK to use its diplomatic influence to continue to build international efforts for change in Burma.”

The Aizawl Post
March 10, 2007
Aizawl: Chin Christians around the world has issued a joint statement yesterday condemning the Burmese military regime State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) for it’s systematic persecution against Chin Christians in Burma and urged the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief to investigate violations of religious freedoms in Burma.

The statement was initiated by Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) and endorsed by Chin community around the world, including Chin Baptist Fellowship of America (CBFA) comprise with 13 Chin Churches in USA and Canada, Chin Churches in Australia along with Chin Christian Fellowship in Denmark, and Norway Chin Christian Fellowship.

Apart from Chin Churches around the world, there are several political and social organization that endorse the statement calling for the UN to investigate. Chin National Council comprise with major Chin political parties and several civil society organizations such as Chin Forum, Chin Freedom Coalition, Chin National Community in Japan, Chin Community in Norway, Chin Student Union in North America, Malaysia and India are also in the list among those who endorse the statement.

Burma’s ruling military government has an extraordinary record on rampant human rights violations. However, according to CHRO, persecution against Christian is a major concern in Chin state where 90% of Chins are Christians.

Burma is branded by the US Department of State as country of particular concern for religious persecution against minority religions such as Christian in the country.

During January and February this year a delegation of predominantly Christians from Burma; Chin and Kachin have launched advocacy campaign in European Union and the United States.

The delegation led by London based Christian Solidarity Worldwide comprised with Chin Human Rights Organization, Women League of Chinland, and Kachin Women Association. The mission was widely covered by several international media and applause by Chin community worldwide as milestone achievement for persecuted Christians in Burma.

The delegation has met with high profile government officials and several faith based rights organization in Europe and in the United States. The delegation had met with UK Minister of Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Ian McCartney MP, several MP from Britain and European Union, officials from German Foreign Affairs in Europe.

In the United States, the delegation have met with official from the White House, several senior officials from the US State Department Including Ambassador Hanford, Ambassador Reese, and Senior policy advisor to secretary of State, and several Senators including office of Republican Presidential candidate Senator Sam Brownback and House of Representatives at the Congress including Congressman Joseph Pitt and office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“When the present Burmese military regime started militarization in Chin state since the early 1990s, the Chin Christians helplessly watch the crosses they have planted destroyed one by one and replaced by Buddhist pagodas where they were forced to contribute money, labor and construction materials” said Salai Bawi Lian Mang of Chin Human Rights Organization during a briefing organized by US Congressional Human Rights Caucus Task Force for International Religious Freedom at the Congress.

In January CSW launched a report entitled Carrying the Cross: The Military Regime’s Campaign of Restriction, Discrimination, and Persecution Against Christians in Burma. And in the following week an Early Day Motion was introduce in the British House of Commons urging the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief to investigate violations of religious freedoms in Burma.

On March 10, the Day of Prayer for Burma will be held at St Michael’s Church, Chester Square, London where MP John Bercow will join and speak on the British government’s policy towards Burma.

In 2004 CHRO published “Religious Persecution: A Campaign of Ethnocide Against Chin Christian In Bumra”