ARRC Weekly Newsletter
52, Jalan Hang Kasturi 50050, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Tel/Fax.(603) 2072 1305. Email:arrcnewsletter@gmail.com
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 Thai-
Burma 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.
ARRC Weekly Newsletter (http://arrc-newsletter.blogspot.com)
March 18, 2009
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 inde-
ntified 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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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 coordi-
nator 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 chil-
dren live in up stair. We apologize for these misstatements.
ARRC Weekly Newsletter (http://arrc-newsletter.blogspot.com)
March 18, 2009
NO SALARY; 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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