Burma: Rohingya activist detained
Event- Country
- Myanmar
- Initial Date
- Jul 15, 2013
- Event Description
On 15 July 2013, Mr. Kyaw Hla Aung was taken by police from his home in Thet Kae Pyin, Sittwe, and since then has been held in police custody for questioning. To date, he is being held for questioning reportedly based on accusations relating to protests against the verification exercise within the Muslim village and internally displaced persons (IDP) areas that took place on 26 April 2013. On 26 April 2013, the local government of Rakhine State began implementing a "verification exercise' among Muslim IDPs and villagers currently present in Sittwe Township to provide the Government with accurate household and population data to implement short and long term development plans. The exercise was reportedly conducted by a joint team of immigration officials, police and the border security force (Nasaka). Village household holds and IDPs were reportedly given leaflets informing them about the exercise, and meetings were held with community leaders between 7 and 25 April 2013. In these meetings, the community leaders were told that non-cooperation would be considered a refusal to comply with the rule of the law and that legal action would be taken accordingly. When being told of the forms requiring Muslim IDPs and villagers to be registered as Bengali, the community leaders reportedly repeatedly stated the unwillingness of community members to be registered as Bengali. The exercise began in Thet Kae Pyin and Baw Du Pha, where several individuals objected to being registered as Bengali. In both locations, children from the local schools, reportedly went into the street and shouted they were Rohingya. Observers described the incident as small in scale and mainly involving children and youths. Some stones were allegedly thrown that resulted in some members of the verification team being lightly injured. Following these incidents the verification exercise was suspended. Mr. Kyaw Hla Aung is 74 years old and is in ill health with high blood pressure and swollen joints, and is often in pain from his arthritis and cannot move easily. He takes medication for both. Concerns are expressed that the detention of Mr. Kyaw Hla Aung may be linked to his human rights activities as a community leader. Further concerns are expressed for his physical and psychological integrity while in detention, especially in light of his weak health condition which requires adequate medical treatment.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Intimidation and Threats
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Minority Rights
- Right to Protest
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 20.1444444
Longitude: 92.8969444
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 26 April 2013, Mr Kyaw Hla Aung, a Rohingya Muslim community leader and human rights defender, was held in police custody for questioning. It is thought that his detention was in relation to his participation in protests against the population verification exercise and for supporting a movement aiming to create a Rohingya State. As of 30 August 2013, he was still in police custody. 24/07/13: JUA sent to Burma by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; and the Independent Expert on minority issues. 30/08/13: brief but substantive response by Burma.