Newsletter No[1].7

ARRC Weekly Newsletter

52, Jalan Hang Kasturi 50050, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Tel/Fax.(603) 2072 1305. Email:[email protected]

March 18, 2009

Volume 1, Issue 7

Special Branch of Intelligence Arrests 10 Human Rights Activists in Arakan State Sittway, Mar 13—Democratic Voice of Burma’s online news posted the arrest of Ma Thein Thein Yin-27 in Sittway on March 3 under the charge of having connection with the overseas media. She was taken to Ann,the western military command, for interrogation.

Before Ma Thein Thein Yin was arrested, on March 6, four young men, age ranging from 18 to 32, from Mruk Oo were stopped at Pay Ma Don, the military check point in Ann Township. The military officers found documents contained with having connection with and trained on Thai-Burma border by Network for Democracy Development (NDD) and National Council of Union of Burma (NCUB). The four young men,whose friends refuses to mention their names in this newsletter, confessed to the police that John Dow, 32, was given training by Political Deference on Thai-Burma border for three months. Another three young men were new recruits and would be trained on the ThaiBurma border. Unfortunately, their jorney to Thai-Burma border ended up in the hands of brutal and cruel military officers. They have been detained and charged with treasons by the Ann police. Seven days after the four activists were arrested on March 13, another four students in Mruk Oo Township were apprehended by the Special Branch agents for having connection with Thai-Burma border based human rights and political organization.

An Arakanese Man Murdered Kuantan-Malaysia, Mar 13—Than Win, 28, was murdered in Kuantan. His body was found by the police on the roadside at 3 AM. The body has been autopsying at Kuantan Hospital. He was a UNHCR recognized refugee from Arakan State of Burma.

His brother, John Dow-not real name, went to the mortuary and indentified the body and confirmed he is his late brother. John Dow said, “Than Win was believed to be beaten with iron bars by a group of people.The back of his head was broken and his face was severely damaged. He was difficult to indentified at first, but his ears vividly illustrated the body was my brother.” Police is investigating the murder case. Two of Than Win’s friends, John Dow 1 and John Dow 2, were arrested after they went to the police station to ask information about the murdering case. His Burmese girlfriend is also being held at the police station for further investigation.

Newsletter Background ARRC Newsletter is issued to inform ongoing problems and responses of the Arakanese refugees from Union of Burma in Malaysia to the related organizations and individuals working for refugees and migrant workers rights and aids. The idea Starts after “Asia pacific consultation on refugee Rights” meeting was successfully held in Kuala Lumpur on November 19-2008.

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March 18, 2009

Volume 1, Issue 7

Local Authorities Extort 300,000 Kyats each from Home Comers from Malaysia Kyutaw-Arakan State, Mar 13—Local police and soldiers in Tanma Village extorted 300,000 Kyats each, about $300, from the parents whose sons and daughters were in Malaysia and when they were coming back to their home, the local residents reported. If their parents did not pay the money, their sons and daughters would be arrested by the local authorities.

In January, Maung Maung-not real name-was preparing to retune home. His parents told him they had to pay 300,000 Kyats to the local authorities. Because the authority ordered all the villagers to report them before their sons and daughters come back to the village, Maung Maugn’s parent followed the order, he told ARRC. The local police and soldiers have collected VCDs from Malaysia that was recorded social events,meetings and conferences of the Arakanese community. They then played theVCDs and scanned the events and indentified the villagers who were seen on the scenes of video show . The authority thought that the Arakanese community in Malaysia is against the Burmese junta and is involved in community social events overseas.

Correction On the ARRC Weekly Newsletter No. 6, there were several mistakes. In column one whereas the newsletter mentioned Kyaw Tun’s broken leg and suffering got no helps from UNHCR was miscommunication between ARRC coordinator and UNHCR so that helping the patient to be treated at the hospital did not materialize. It caused frustration the patient and the organization. On page 2 and column 4 where it said the parent worried deceases might infect the children because they live under one roof with HIV and TB patient. This was an overly statement because the children live in up stair. We apologize for these misstatements.

NO SALAR Y; NO WORKERS’ SALARY RIGHTS A man who is a member of ARRC fled from the job at a factory in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur as he was scolded and sometimes beaten by the boss and moreover he was not paid one-month salary for January of this year. He started the job as a general worker at that factory after two days he arrived on 6th January, 2008 and worked there for nearly five months with work permit. At first the boss treated him well and paid him salary regularly but later after three months the boss scolded him whenever he accidently made mistakes while working and sometimes even beat him cruelly. So he got disappointed gradually and no longer wanted to work at that factory. So he decided to leave that job as soon as he got the salary at the end of the month.

However he got to know his plan couldn’t realize when the boss refused to pay him the salary at the end of that month. Moreover what the worse for him was that the boss did not give him back his passport.Now he was sure that he would have much trouble because he had to stay without permit in this period of arresting many more illegally staying and working people from other South East Asia countries than before. So he came to ARRC office to complain the lack of humanity of the boss. ARRC is now trying to handle this case of losing workers’ rights in Malaysia by cooperating with other NGOs which are also struggling for the human rights. This event is not unusual in Malaysia as it is very common among the foreign workers in Malaysia.

Announcement of Inter net Internet Training An internet center has opened at the ARRC office for refugees who are willing to hock up internet and connection with the world. The center opens from 9 AM to 8 PM. The charge for internet using is RM 3 per hour. The instructor teaches basic skill of internet and internet explorer in free of charges. For further information, you can call at 03-2072-1305.

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