Burma: activist attacked, police fail to act
Event- Country
- Myanmar
- Initial Date
- Oct 22, 2013
- Event Description
On 22 October 2013, two military Special Branch officers came to Aung Zaw Oo's house at 3:45 p.m. They reportedly offered the removal of Aung Zaw Oo's name from a political activists watch list in exchange for his signature on a written statement committing him not engage in political activities. Aung Zaw Oo reportedly rejected this request. On 24 October 2013, as Aung Zaw Oo was leaving an internet caf_, a man on a motorbike ran into him. Aung Zaw Oo narrowly escaped serious injury. On 26 October 2013, a man on a motorbike again reportedly tried to run him over from behind. On 27 October 2013, as Aung Zaw Oo was on his way to a bus station a motorbike reportedly ran into his right arm. Following this, Aung Zaw Oo informed the police special branch of these three incidents. On 3 November 2013, while Aung Zaw Oo was driving his motorbike home from work, another motorbike reportedly intentionally crashed into him. Aung Zaw Oo was reportedly left unconscious by the impact, with his motorbike badly damaged. He woke up two hours after the incident with severe head pain, and received five days of treatment in Taungyi Sissan Tun Hospital. He is reported to still be experiencing head pain, backbone pain, and pain from a rib injury. Aung Zaw Oo reportedly informed the police about the incident and was told that this was a case for the traffic police. He then went to the traffic police office and asked to file a case. On 8 November 2013, the traffic police reportedly told Aung Zaw Oo that his claims were false and that the location of the incident was incorrect. They subsequently asked Aung Zaw Oo for proof of ownership of his motorbike, which he was not able to provide, and was subsequently reportedly accused of receiving stolen property. When Aung Zaw Oo went to the hospital to request his medical records, he was reportedly told by the hospital staff that the police had ordered them not to provide Aung Zaw Oo with his records. One of the motorbikes that hit Aung Zaw Oo is reported to have had a 969 sticker and a sticker depicting a leaf on one of the knee guards of the driver, allegedly indicating that he was a youth member of the 969 movement.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Reprisal as Result of Communication
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Minority Rights
- Right to liberty and security
- Right to property
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 20.7836333
Longitude: 97.0353611
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 22 October 2013, Mr Aung Zaw Oo, a 33 year old Muslim social activist from Taunggyi in Shan State, was asked by military Special Branch officers to sign a written statement committing him not to engage in political activities in exchange for the removal of his name from a political activists watch list. Following his refusal to do so, he was reportedly intentionally hit on three separate occasions by motorcycles. Police have reportedly failed to take up his case, despite the fact that he was seriously injured. It is likely that the alleged attacks are related to his civil society work in Rakhine State.