From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: Burma: Alert
Date: 22 Dec 92 18:41:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700909:000:3128
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Dec 22 10:41:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: Burma: Alert

/* Written  4:14 pm  Dec 22, 1992 by geonet@gn.apc.org in igc:omct.sostortur */

Case BUR 221292
The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture calls upon you to
intervene on behalf of the following situation in Burma/Myanmar.
Brief description of the situation:
Antenna International, a member of the network of SOS-Torture, and
various other organisations have expressed their concern about the
human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar and have brought the
following incident to our attention.
On 16 October 1992, in the village of Hi Hpark, in the Loilem
District of Mong Nai, SLORC soldiers from the 66th Battalion, threw a
bomb into a crowd of people watching a film show and then opened fire
on the crowd.
All the villagers had been ordered to attend the film show which was
sponsored by the military.  About half an hour into the film, two
soldiers came to the door and threw a bomb into the crowd after which
they proceeded to fire into the crowd with automatic guns.  During
the incident, some 17 men, women and children were killed.
Following the incident, the villagers who wanted to bury their dead
were prevented from doing so, and the bodies were sent to Moung Nai
hospital to be examined by doctors.  The two soldiers subsequently
deserted the scene of the shooting.
This incident is by no means isolated and gives rise to serious fears
surrounding the human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar.  Indeed,
throughout this past year there have been a number of reported
incidents of human rights violations carried out by SLORC military
agents, including the wholesale destruction of villages and the
forced relocation of the population, arbitrary detention, torture,
killings, rapes and beatings.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in Burma/Myanmar to demand that they
open a thorough and impartial inquiry into the above incident in
order to identify those responsible and punish them in accordance
with the law. Insist that they guarantee the physical and
psychological integrity of the survivors at all times. Urge them to
put an end to gross human rights violations, including the use of
torture, rape, beatings, destruction of villages and forced
relocation of the population, and demand that they ensure the respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country at all
times.
Addresses:
General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Law and Order Restoration Council,
c/o Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road, Yangon, Union of Myanmar
/ Telegrams: General Than Shwe, Yangon, Myanmar / Telexes: 21393
MOFARN BM
Major General Khin Nyunt, Secretary 1, State Law and Order
Restoration Council, c/o Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road,
Yangon, Union of Myanmar / Telegrams: Major General Khin Nyunt,
Yangon, Myanmar
Major General Mya Thin, Chairman of Rakhine State Law and Order
Restoration Council, c/o Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road,
Yangon, Union of Myanmar
Geneva, 22 December 1992

Please inform us of any action undertaken, (kindly quote the code
number of our appeal in any related correspondence).
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