Human Rights Day Coincides with UN Secretary-General's Visit to Thailand

The world celebrated the 59th anniversary of Human Rights Day on Monday.

The day coincided with the arrival in Thailand of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a 3-day visit.

Burmese activists chant slogans during a rally outside the UN regional office before the arrival of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday [Photo: AP]

Ban Ki-moon said on the UN Web site, “It is our duty to ensure that human rights are a living reality— that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. It is often those who most need their human rights protected who also need to be informed that the Human Rights Declaration exists— and that it exists for them.”

However, in Burma Ban's words have little meaning, for the Burmese people have suffered human rights abuses during the past four decades of military rule. The September crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations, led by Buddhist monks, was the latest example.

The UN Human Rights Rapporteur to Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, said recently that at least 31 people, including Buddhist monks, were killed and up to 4,000 people were arrested during the military government's crackdown. 

At least 52 monasteries have been raided by soldiers since September and hundreds of monks were arrested, said a Burmese Human Rights group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma).

Tate Naing, the secretary of the AAPP, said in reality, the death toll might be higher than current estimates because no one can get accurate information in Burma.

“Even the UN human rights rapporteur's investigations are limited because the military junta watches and controls his every footstep in Burma,” said Tate Naing.

A recent example of human rights abuse involved Aye Myint Than, the mother of a student activist, Noble Aye, who was arrested in August.

Aye Myint Than is losing many of her citizenship rights because the authorities have refused to return her identity card after she was arrested.

Aye Myint Than, who herself is a former political prisoner, told The Irrawaddy on Monday she has tried to get her identify card back.

“I went and ask at the identity card office in Rangoon for my ID card, which I have applied for since I was released," she said. "They told me that the Special Branch Police ordered them not to give my ID card back, I am worried now about visiting my daughter who is in Insein Prison, because by prison rules I cannot see her without an ID card.

“I cannot go outside of Rangoon since my release because I do not have ID card. If I go outside Rangoon without an ID card, I could be arrested. I feel I am losing citizenship in my native land.”  

Similar state-approved harassment of activists and their family members are common in Burma.

The parents of student activist, Sithu Maung, who has been detained since October, were arrested in mid- November. Peter and Nu Nu Swe were detained after they failed to open the door when troops came to their house looking for their son.

Upon Ban Ki-moon's arrival at Bangkok on Monday, he said the international community’s “patience is running out” with military-ruled Burma and its failure to make progress toward democracy.

Nyan Win, a spokesperson of the National League for Democracy, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the NLD hoped Ban would endorse the UN proposal which calls real dialogue between Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta.