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Madame Chair,
Anti-Slavery International would like to inform the Commission
that deprivation of civil and political rights in Burma also results
in denial of economic, social and cultural rights.
The Rohingya Muslims in Northern Arakan State are the worst
affected. They are discriminated against on the basis of race and
religion and are denied citizenship rights. A policy of severe restrictions
of their movement aims at containing them, and food insecurity is
deliberately created to induce flight to Bangladesh. Policies of
exclusion become policies of expulsion through food deprivation.
Madame Chair,
This past year, a new refugee influx of more than 10,000 Rohingya
has been reported in Bangladesh. The high price of rice, caused
by shortage but also by a ban on transportation of this essential
food, has led already impoverished families into starvation.
Food insecurity is used as a tool to target and compel the most
vulnerable Muslim population into leaving the country and once they
flee, their names are deleted from their family lists, preventing
them from ever returning home.
Food security is affected by several major human rights violations:
1) Compulsory labour deprives villagers of their daily income.
In 2002, it again increased with more frequent sentry duty and
the building of a new army camp [in Kha Moung Seik] and two "model
villages" for Buddhist settlers in Maungdaw Township. Other
forced labour such as brick baking, shrimp farm maintenance, bamboo
and woodcutting produces commercial benefits for the army and
the NaSaKa. This was a particular issue of concern to the ILO
on its field visit in Northern Arakan State in January 2003.
2) There have been many complaints of a significant increase in
illegal taxation and extortion. Forced contribution in material,
provisions and cash is widespread, and the rare payment for compulsory
labour is usually cancelled out by increase of arbitrary taxation,
or arrests for minor offences and demands for high bribes in exchange
for release. Since 2002, Muslim couples had to pay exorbitant
fees to get permission to marry.
3) Restriction of movement is a major constraint on decent livelihoods
for Muslims. It curtails their economic activities by blocking
access to markets and employment in other areas.
4) The system of licence and brokerage, whereby exorbitantly-priced
business licences are sold for monopolies for trading in specific
commodities, prevents villagers from gaining a fair income for
their produce.
5) Confiscation of land to build villages for new Buddhist settlers
and expansion of military facilities continues. Local authorities
have also begun to implement land policies very strictly, leading
to a number of evictions. Families who had built their houses
on land registered as paddy fields decades ago were suddenly issued
with expulsion orders and forced to dismantle their homes.
Madame Chair,
The right to food lies at the core of human rights ensuring physical
and mental well being. Access to food should not be used as a tool
of oppression and expulsion, and we would therefore urge the Commission
to pursue all possible measures to guarantee this right to the Rohingya
Muslims of Arakan State as well as to all people in Burma.
Thank you. |
