7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
1/33
IMAGES ASIA: REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
May 1997
PART 1: REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
"Burmese Citizens Beware!"
"Malaysia and Indonesia were once Buddhist countries in history, but
unfortunately the Muslims used (their) methods (to expand their religion) so
successfully that they have become Muslim countries; Buddhism has disappeared
from these countries.... Bear in mind that the four social causes of the SLORC must
be accomplished...." - excerpts from an anti-Muslim pamphlet in Burmese,
distributed in Rangoon prior to October 1996.
A plea to Asean:
"Even if we can't fight with guns, we'll fight with words. We will tell the whole
world what is happening to us.
"The SLORC is only good at fighting. The countries who are supporting the SLORC
don't know what the SLORC is doing. I want ASEAN countries to know what the
SLORC is doing. If Burma enters ASEAN, we will have to fight. We won't surrender.
We hope ASEAN won't let them in. "We are so disappointed that Muslim countries
are supporting the SLORC. Why are they doing this? There are 7 million Muslims in
Burma; why aren't they looking at us? Please send this news to them. Today we are
suffering because of the actions of our Muslim brothers in Indonesia and Malaysia."
-Muslim refugee from Duplaya District, Karen State, March 1996
Time For Change
"A whole book can be written to substantiate the anti-Muslim movement existing in Myanmar and the
authorities turning a blind eye, not realizingthat this can lead to very dangerous and disastrous
consequences. Let saner thoughts prevail."
- Muslim observer of the riots in Mandallay, March 1996
REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
MAY 1997
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
2/33
Preface
This documentation has been compiled to summarize existing information about
recent attacks on Muslims in Burma. References within the report have been
provided wherever possible. In order to protect the identities of refugees and
those inside Burma who have given information or opinions, personal names have
been omitted or changed. The authors would like to thank Burma Net and Burma
Centrum Nederland for sharing their information on the subject, as well as the
Muslim Liberation Organisation of Burma (MLOB) and the All Burma Young Monks
Union (ABYMU). The authors would also like to thank those Burmese who assisted
with translating and finding information. For reasons of security, they cannot be
named. A great deal more information is needed to answer the many questions
that still remain about what has happened in Muslim communities in Burma in
recent months. We urge others to enlarge the search for this information and make
the full story available.
Executive Summary
Burma has a long and unfortunate history of discrimination against its Muslim
citizens. With precedents for communal violence set in the past, the State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) have found it expedient on numerous
occasions to exploit religious and ethnic tension, especially when it can be directed
towards Muslim people, to divide the public and distract attention from other
political and social issues.
Two very trenchant examples of the SLORC's real attitude towards Muslims have
come to light in 1997. During an offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU)
in Karen State during February and March 1997, Muslims were explicitly targeted
for persecution. Acts of violence, destruction, and sacrilege perpetrated by SLORC
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
3/33
soldiers against Burmese Muslims, their mosques and their properties, drove many
to flee as refugees from their homes and seek temporary sanctuary in Thailand.
In early March, attacks on Muslims and their properties broke out in Mandalay and
other Burmese cities. The authorities did not take decisive action to stop violence,
leaving terrified Muslim communities to defend
themselves. In fact, the SLORC are widely suspected of having actually instigated
the events to deflect focus from a looming crisis between themselves and the
Burmese Sangha (Buddhist clergy). Given the SLORC's history of creating religious
unrest as a distraction in times of economic and political turmoil, it should be
asked what role they have played in inciting or even orchestrating the March
anti-Muslim attacks.
Now that Burma has been accepted into ASEAN, the ASEAN nations, particularly
those which have significant Muslim populations, have a role to play in pressuring
SLORC to treat Muslims and all ethnic and religious minorities in accordance with
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We urge ASEAN members to demand
further investigation into situations occurring between February and April 1997 in
Muslim communities, to determine where the real responsibility for recent unrest
lies. As long as Burmese Muslim communities are deprived of the benefit of full
protection under the law, Muslim people in Burma will live in fear and uncertainty.
This following information has been compiled from testimonies of witnesses,statements, and other documentation of abuses against Muslims in Burma.
Background
In Burma today, there are estimated to be approximately seven million Muslims.
Large numbers of Indians of both Muslim and Hindu faiths migrated to Burma
during the colonial period. Many were employed by the British in the colonial
administration, while others became traders, landowners, and money lenders.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
4/33
Generally accorded higher status by the British, the Indians were often resented by
the Burman population and frequently became targets of Burman anti-colonialist
actions.
Muslims in Burma have frequently been the victims of discrimination. According to
Burma-specialist Martin Smith, "Even today, although no one likes to admit it,
there is an underlying prejudice by many government
officials and Burmese Buddhists in general against Christians and ethnic minority
groups, such as the Karens or Kachins, whom they still identify (sometimes in the
state-controlled media) as supporting the British under colonial rule. However, it
is the Muslims of Arakan -- and inhabitants of ethnic Indian origin in general -- who
have clearly borne the brunt of this resentment." (Martin Smith, "The Muslim
'Rohingyas' of Burma," paper delivered at Conference of the Burma Centrum
Nederlands, 11 December 1995, and Human Rights Watch/Asia, Update on the
Rohingya situation in Bangladesh and Burma, 6 October 1996.)
Both in 1978 and in 1991, the Burmese army launched campaigns which Muslim
leaders claim were aimed at forcing the Muslim population out of Burma. The
campaigns resulted both times in the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Muslim
refugees from Burma into Bangladesh, and were accompanied by gross human
rights violations. While the UNHCR is completing a repatriation scheme for over
200,000 Muslim refugees in Bangladesh, the situation in Burma itself has not
fundamentally changed: Muslims in Arakan (Rakhine)
State are still discriminated against, are not entitled to Burmese citizenship, and
their freedom of movement is restricted. Human Rights Watch/Asia stated in
October 1996 that forced labour in Arakan State "has increased in many areas to
an average of 20 days per month, and that the confiscation of land and forced
relocation of Muslim villages has also increased in Maungdaw township." Freedom
of movement for Muslims in their own area is severely restricted. (At the time o f
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
5/33
writing, Muslims from Akyab, Arakan State, were only able to travel to Rangoon if
they could pay 120,000 kyat for a black-market plane ticket; the
normal ticket price is just over 600 kyat.)
The SLORC has often tried to stir up religious and racial tensions in Burma in order
to divide the population and divert attention from other political and economic
concerns. In 1988, the SLORC provoked anti-Muslim riots in Taunggyi and Prome
during the pro-democracy movement. In May 1996, anti-Muslim literature widely
believed to have been written by the SLORC was distributed in four towns in Shan
State, leading to violent incidents.
In September 1996, the SLORC razed a 600-year old mosque in Arakan State and
used the rubble to pave roads between new military base camps in the area.
The SLORC also conducted an anti-Muslim campaign during the February-March
1997 offensive in Karen State. Several mosques were destroyed, Korans ripped up
or burned, and Muslims were driven out of Karen State. Most recently, the SLORChave been accused of instigating attacks against Muslims and of exacerbating
existing tensions between the Muslim and Buddhist communities in Central Burma.
In March 1997, it was reported that anti-Muslim riots broke out in several towns
and cities. Incidents involving monks and Muslims occurred in Mandalay, Mon Ywa,
Moulmein, Kyauk Phyu, Magwe Division, and Rangoon between 15 and 28 March.
In the English language Thai newspaper, The Nation, a picture was published of
monks attacking a mosque while Burmese security troops looked on, doing
nothing to stop the destruction. Muslim and Buddhist organisations have accused
the SLORC of redirecting these riots, which began as demonstrations by monks in
Mandalay over other issues. The monks were demanding the release of monks
from prison, and awaiting official answers from the SLORC about reported damage
to the revered Maha Myatmuni pagoda Buddha-statue.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
6/33
Muslim organizations from Burma are demanding to know why the SLORC did not
take action during the riots; and why predominantly Muslim countries in ASEAN
continue to support the SLORC, even allowing the SLORC to join ASEAN, given the
SLORC's persecution of Muslims in Burma.
LIST OF MOSQUES DESTROYED, DAMAGED OR LOOTED
(FEBRUARY - MARCH 1997)
Mandalay area:
1. Kaindan Mosque
2. Waukhan Mosque
3. Thanlan Mosque
4. Kungyan Hlwa Daung
5. Jame Mosque, Amarapura
6. Another mosque in Amarapura
7. Payagyi Mosque
8. Panset Mosque
9. Aledaung Mosque
10. Ashechore Mosque
11. Anauk Choke Mosque
12. Dunun Mosque
13. Seinpan Mosque
14. Panlachan Mosque
Pakkoku:
1. Surti Mosque
2. Bengali Mosque
3. One mosque, name unknown
Pegu Division:
1. Surati mosque, Prome
2. Kharkahr mosque
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
7/33
3. Shwekyarbin mosque
4. 3 mosques confirmed damaged in Pegu, no names given
Rangoon:
1. Yankin (Kanbe) Mosque
2. Pazundaung Mosque (twice)
3. Eidgah Mosque
4. 48th Street Mosque & school
5. Myiningone Mosque
6. Sanchaung Mosque
7. Two mosques in Kyimyindaing
8. Ayethakar quarter mosque in Ahlone township
9. Wartan Street mosque
10. Bangarlisu mosque, Thein Pyu Road
11. No. 7 Quarter mosque, South Okkalapa township
12. Muslim school at Tharkaeta township
Kyaikdon:1. Inside of mosque and Muslim school destroyed
Gaw Bay:
1. Mosque destroyed
Naw Bu:
1. Mosque destroyed
Day Nga Yin:
1. Mosque destroyed
Kyaung Don:
1. Mosque destroyed
Kaninbu:
1. Mosque & Muslim school destroyed
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
8/33
Pa Glaw Ni:
1. Mosque valuables looted, placed in Buddhist temple, then wooden mosque
dismantled.
NUMBER OF MOSQUES KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED IN 1997: 42
Mandalay:
Events in Mandalay sparked the nation-wide unrest that occurred in March. The
SLORC and many of the press reports have portrayed the March riots as simply the
result of communal conflict over a sexual harassment case involving a Buddhist
woman and a Muslim man. The unmarried woman was not raped, but publicly
humiliated by unwelcome attention from the man, who tried to take her hand
against her will. The case had been settled to the satisfaction of all the parties
concerned before the riots occurred. After negotiation with local Ya Wa Ta (LORC)
authorities, the Muslim family agreed to give the Buddhist family 30,000 kyat as a
settlement. Nonetheless, the incident was used to inflame anger against Muslimsduring the March disturbances. Reports from Buddhist clergy and local people at
the time of the riots, however, state that Buddhist-Muslim conflicts were only used
to deflect attention from the real sources of crisis: long-simmering conflict
between the SLORC and the Mandalay Sangha (monks).
Monks in Mandalay began organising to protest over a period of months, following
increasing pressure on the Sangha from the SLORC. The following is a chronology
of some key events:
In April 1996, the SLORC issued Order 85 to restrict the movements of the
Sangha. The order restricted members of political parties and their families
from being ordained. Many young monks felt the order was unfair.
During April and May five monks demonstrated, and three were
subsequently arrested.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
9/33
September 1996 Lt. Gen. Myo Nyunt, Minister of Religion, sent a letter to
the senior monks' council demanding that all those who wished to be
ordained must receive approval from the SLORC.
On 6 December 1996 (simultaneous with the student demonstrations in
Rangoon and Mandalay) the monks in Mandalay formed the "Thangha
Thamagi", which translates very roughly as "Sangha Group".
On 5 February 1997 five monks traveling from Mandalay to Moulmein to
organise demonstrations were arrested at Thaton.
Many monks and lay-people were angered when it was learned from those
recently released from prison in Mandalay that a total of 16 monks had
died under various circumstances during their imprisonment. (See
appendix for a list of names).
On 22 February 1997, representatives of the SLORC met with senior
monks in Mandalay to discuss rumours that young monks were planning
demonstrations or protests against the SLORC leadership. The senior
monks were asked to control the younger monks and make sure that no
disturbances occurred. Following this, a number of monks who had beenplanning local demonstrations were arrested.
In March, dissatisfaction in the Sangha became focused on three issues:
The Mandalay monks accused the SLORC of trying to find sacred rubies
believed to give the bearer the power to defeat any enemy. The rubies were
said to be hidden in one of six monasteries, among them Maha Myatmuni
(Payagyi), possibly inside the Maha Myatmuni Buddha statue itself. As the
exact location of the rubies was unknown, all of these monasteries were
broken into by the SLORC. (This was well-known, as the military guards the
monasteries.) An inquest into this situation was ordered, and the Maha
Myatmuni Sayadaw (abbot) , U Pyin Ya Wan Tha, was requested to answer
questions from monks.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
10/33
Another reason for the monks' dissatisfaction with the SLORC may be found in
a rumour circulating in Mandalay. When H.M. Suharto, the President of
Indonesia, visited Myanmar recently, he proposed to build a grand mosque in
Myanmar, patterned on a famous Indonesian mosque, as a gift for Burma's
accession to ASEAN. It was rumoured that the SLORC had granted land held by
the Sangha in Mandalay as the site for the mosque's construction. The prospect
of this seizure of Sangha lands further provoked the monks.
Mandalay monks also demanded a list of the names of all those monks
detained as well as their unconditional release. Demonstrations were planned
for 13 or 14 March to protest the deaths of monks in custody, but SLORC
authorities learned of the plans and arrested monks and local leaders.
Demonstrations commenced later than planned, reportedly the evening of 15
or 16 March.
On 16 March, 8,000 - 10,000 monks assembled to discuss the Maha Myatmuni
Sayadaw's explanation of who was responsible for the break-ins at the sixmonasteries. At the end of the speech, some monks were not satisfied with the
explanation. Soldiers attending the gathering surrounded the monks to contain
them, and it is believed some monks were killed and injured.
After this date, the Sayadaw of Maha Myatmuni pagoda disappeared. It was
later learned that the Sayadaw was put in protective custody by the SLORC, as
he was on the SLORC "Pagoda Committee" and was custodian of the keys of the
six pagodas that were robbed. The abbot was hidden by SLORC, after he
dmitted to having given the pagoda keys to SLORC officials at the monks'
meeting on 16 March, authorities apparently fearing further questions from
the clergy. He was released during the Burmese New Year (Water Festival).
In the late afternoon or evening of 16 March, persons said to be military
intelligence personnel dressed as monks led the monks to a nearby mosque.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
11/33
They brought up the sexual harassment case involving the Muslim man,
angering monks who had not heard of the case, and started throwing bricks at
the mosque. Some monks joined the military intelligence in the attack, while
others refused to participate and left. The monks then moved on to other
monasteries and attacked them, while military personnel reportedly stood by
and even offered the monks bricks in some cases. No local people were
reported to have joined in the first attacks, according to inside sources,
because it was obvious that the SLORC authorities had instigated them. Later
some monks were said to be wearing army shorts under their robes. "On 16
March 1997 beginning at about 3:30 p.m. a mob of about 1,000/1,500
Buddhist monks and others shouted anti-Muslim slogans without an
provocation of any kind on the part of the Muslims. They targeted the mosques
first for attack, followed by Muslim shop-houses and transportation vehicles in
the vicinity of mosques, damaging, destroying, looting, and trampling, burning
the religious books, committing acts of sacrilege. The area where the acts of
damage, destruction, and lootings committed in the part of Mandalay is known
as Kaingdan. "The manner and methodical execution of the assault, attack,destruction, and hauling away of the loot prove beyond doubt that the whole
mission was pre-planned with the full knowledge of the authorities concerned,
if not their sanction or approval. It can be justifiably assumed that the persons
of lower rank had some kind of understanding with the culprits. In spite of
several requests from the victims of the attacks, authorities responsible for
providing security and maintaining law and order looked on with folded arms
and allowed the rampage to continue for 6 hours, by which time four mosques
and 90 - 100 houses and shops of Muslims had been destroyed and looted...."
- Witness to the riots in Mandalay
On the 17 and 18 March, because of the reluctance on the part of the SLORC
authorities to contain the situation, the acts of destruction and looting
continued. By the 18 March, 14 mosques and approximately 400 Muslim
houses and shops had been looted and destroyed, and in the evening, an 8 pm
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
12/33
to 4 am curfew was imposed in Mandalay. By this time, unrest had spread to
Rangoon and other cities.
Local authorities claimed that they did not take immediate action, as they were
trying to ascertain the true identities of the demonstrators and the culprits
responsible for the attacks on Muslim property. Eventually shots were fired
into the air, and at least three monks were killed during the course of the riots
by ricocheted bullets. In Mandalay, 100 monks were arrested and detained.
"...The government has a responsibility to protect the lives and properties of all the
citizens of the country. Law enforcement authorities can never be justified in
looking on with folded arms and unconcern while crimes are being committed...
(W)hen the students of the Yangon Institute of Technology started an agitation of
protest, within two hours of the incident the authorities contained it by rolling in
the city tanks, armoured cars and weapon carriers mounted with machine guns,
Bren guns, etc. as a show of strength and resolve to suppress attempts to disturb
the prevailing peace in the country, (so) why now silently (do they watch) with
folded arms when the religious edifices of a minority community (are destroyed)?"- Witness to riots in Mandalay
Prome:
In 1988, anti-Muslim riots also broke out in Prome, allegedly instigated by the
government. According to Burma-specialist Bertil Lintner:
"The official account said that the violence began when some allegedly drunk
Muslim youth insulted a young Buddhist girl outside the Let Yway Cafe in the
town's market area, and it all escalated into virtual street battles. Muslim houses
and shops were attacked and burnt down. A foreign diplomat in Rangoon
described a slightly different scenario in his dispatch back to his government at the
time: 'Other reports, however, insinuate that the disturbances may have enlarged
into anti-authority displays with their communal component being of less
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
13/33
importance. It is evident from the press reports that the police and security forces
in Prome were unable to control the crowds."
"Already after the March demonstrations in Rangoon, some people in Prome had
begun organising anti-government groups. The DDSI (Directorate of the Defense
Services Intelligence), apparently, had got wind of it, and this, Prome residents say,
was why their town was targeted for orchestrated communal clashes." (Bertil
Lintner, Outrage, p. 82)
According to Muslim sources in Prome, who have asked to remain anonymous,
during the night of 24 March 1997, three mosques in the town of Prome, Pegudivision, were attacked by hundreds of monks. During attacks on the Surati
mosque, the Kharkahr mosque, and the Shwekyarbin mosque, a total of
approximately 1,000 soldiers stood near the mosques and simply watched idly.
On the 24th and 25th, three other mosques in the town of Pegu were also attacked.
After the first attacks in Prome, military authorities imposed a curfew. According
to these sources, Prome has seven mosques for its approximately 1,000 Muslim
inhabitants. Most of the population is Buddhist, however. Sources also stated thatSLORC soldiers entered the Muslim houses, sayingthey wanted to save Muslim
areas. The Muslims do not trust the army, and asked the soldiers to guard the
mosques instead, telling them, "that is where (the looting) is happening." However,
the soldiers did not protect the mosques, which were guarded instead by the
Muslims themselves, many sleeping inside the mosques to keep them from being
damaged.
Sources in Prome also said that some of those involved in the attacks were put in
jail, but all were released after one or two days. According to them, Muslims in
Prome think that the government is behind the riots. "It is the government who did
it, they try to change the people's minds, to get their attention away from the
anti-government demonstrations."
They further stated that many Muslim families left to stay with relatives in
Rangoon, as during the rioting, "Nobody (could) go out, everyone has to stay in
their houses." Most of the Muslims in Prome are not rich, and they have no
weapons.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
14/33
Rangoon:
In October 1996, anti-Muslim leaflets were distributed in Rangoon, urgingBuddhists to boycott Muslim stores and not to marry Muslims. The leaflets accuse
Muslims of wanting to expand their territory, predicting that once the State of
Islam has taken control of the Burmese nation, Burma will become like other
Southeast Asian countries, where Buddhism once flourished but has been forsaken
for Islam. Similar leaflets were repeatedly distributed in 1996 in Mandalay and
Kalaw.
From the 15 to 28 March, damage to mosques and demonstrations by monks
in Rangoon were reported. During the attacks on the mosques, those in the
surrounding Muslim communities lived in terror. According to numerous
reports, many were too afraid to leave their homes, in some cases even to go to
work. Again, sources in Rangoon claim that the authorities did nothing to stop
the destruction, standing aside and watching the looting as it occurred. The
following information concerning events in Rangoon comes from Muslim
sources in Rangoon requesting anonymity.
At 4 p.m. on 22nd March 1997, about 40 monks came out of the Kaba Aye
pagoda compound, which is under the very tight control of the SLORC army,
and where the Sangha Mahanayaka (SLORC-controlled Nationwide Buddhist
Monks Committee) is based. They forcibly stopped two "Dyna" Japanese-made
pick-up buses from the No. 49 Bus Line and asked the passengers to get out,
then took the buses. About 30 minutes later, a group of men in regular civilian
clothes, but with shaved heads like monks, came out of the same compound
and left in two Dyna cars.
At around 8 p.m., army officers and soldiers from the Office of Tactical
Command came to the Kanbe Mosque in Yankin township. They told the
Muslim people taking care of the mosque that they (the soldiers) would
provide security, and that the Muslims should return home. The Muslim
leaders believed these words, and the people locked the mosque and returned
to their homes. During the night, the mosque was attacked by the Buddhist
monks. The troops arrived at the mosque just after the attack finished.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
15/33
One of the monks participating in the attack did not put his robes on properly,
and they later became loose and fell down. Onlookers nearby noticed he was
wearing the army-issue underpants which are usually worn by soldiers. Thegroup leader of the monks was seen holding some kind of mobile
communication equipment.
On the same day, local authorities of the Army Tactical Command came to the
BMO mosque in Thingangyun township and met with Muslim leaders. At the
meeting, the officials said that they would ensure the security of the mosque
and urged the Muslims to return home. They also said that if Buddhist monks
arrived at the mosque, Muslims should appeal to them to not cause trouble.
The authorities further stated that that if the monks could not be persuaded to
leave, they should be allowed to attack the mosque until they were satisfied
that they had inflicted enough damage, and SLORC would take responsibility
for reparations. Members of the Muslim community attending this meeting
refused to accept with the authorities' recommendations.
Also the same day, Lt. Gen. Myo Nyunt, Minister for Religious Affairs, held a
meeting with the leaders of six Muslim organisations. He accused the NLD of
being behind the attacks and said that the aim of NLD destructionists was to
prevent the ASEAN countries from granting Burma membership.
On 23 March 1997, monks attacked the Bangarlisu mosque on Thein Phyu
road, hurling stones at it. Observers reported that some had pistols and guns
beneath their robes.
Also on 23 March, around 50 monks were spotted roaming around Rangoon.
Some held walkie-talkies and what appeared to be mobile phones.
On the same day, authorities of the Tactical Command came to the Mosque at
135th street in Rangoon and told the Muslim people that nobody was allowed
to sleep overnight at the mosque as the soldiers were taking responsibility for
its security. Muslim leaders replied that previously the security personnel,
including the soldiers, usually arrived only after attacks, so they could not
accept that arrangement. The army officer replied that these attacks were
planned and executed by the NLD.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
16/33
PART 2: REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
In other mosques also, the army officials came and asked the Muslims not to
stay overnight, but in each case the army officials' requests were denied.
By March 24, 1997 in Rangoon, mosques in the following areas had already
been attacked:
1. Kanbe
2. No. 7 Quarter in South Okkalapa township
3. Wartan street
4. Ayethakar quarters at Ahlone township
5. At Mayangone junction
6. Near Pazundaung Post Office
7. At 48th street
Muslim sources in Rangoon state that up to this point, neither monks identified
as belonging to specific monasteries nor civilians had participated in these
attacks. Almost all of the attacks occurred only after 10:00 at night, usually
between 10:00 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. rather than during the day.
Such well-known monasteries in Rangoon as Thayattaw, Nyaungdon,
Theinphyu, and Moegaung were surrounded by troops, and monks were
prohibited from leaving the monastery grounds for any reason. The abbots at
these monasteries summoned their monks and told them not to join in these
events, saying that if they did join they should leave the monasteries forever.
Senior monks from monasteries, including those from Thayattaw, claimed that
no monks from their monasteries joined in the riots, and that their monkswere ready to help the Muslims in guarding the mosques. They also expressed
their desire to see that monks caught participating in the acts of destruction
were properly tried. A senior monk at Myenigone monastery in Rangoon told
the people that no real monks were participating in these attacks, and that he
was ashamed about the situation. * On the 24th and 25th, the mosque near the
Pazundaung Post Office was attacked for the second time.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
17/33
On 25 March in Rangoon, between 10 and 15 policemen were stationed at
every mosque.
Muslims also guarded their mosques. Military trucks roamed the streets. The
Muslim religious school at 48th street and the religious school at Tharkaeta
township in Rangoon were attacked.
In the morning, 3 food shops owned by Muslims at Mahlwagon in Rangoon
were destroyed.
On 26 March 1997 in Thuwana township in Rangoon, anti-Muslim pamphlets
urging people to destroy Muslim homes and abuse Muslim women were
distributed by an identified group of people.
At some mosques, Buddhists joined in guarding the mosque along with Muslim
people.
"After several days of attacks, a common strategy employed in the attacks
emerged: At night, monks riding in garbage collection cars from the City Municipal
Department or trucks used to carry sand or stones to construction sites
approached the mosques. They then waited for a convenient place and time for
attack. If everything was in order, they would complete their attack on the mosque
within 20 minutes. After exactly 20 minutes, they abruptly halted the attack and
left by truck. Immediately after their departure, the army trucks arrived.
"So, the conclusion of the Muslim people is that these monks are not ordinary
monks, but well trained persons wearing robes. The monks arrested by SLORC
were the real monks working hard for Buddhism and for the goodness of Burma.No persons wearing Buddhist robes who joined in these anti-Muslim attacks were
arrested by SLORC up until this date. It was clear that no monks from the famous
monasteries in Rangoon such as Thayattaw, Nyaungdone or any Buddhist people
participated in these attacks."
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
18/33
- Muslim witness to attacks in Rangoon
On March 28, 1997 at about 2:00 in the afternoon, monks from Kyaukhtatgyi
Pagoda in Rangoon marched in the streets, shouting demands calling for the
release of arrested monks. They were stopped immediately by army troops using
armoured cars. It is believed that as many as 200 monks may have been arrested
by the authorities.
Other Areas:
Mosques in other areas including Moulmein, Arakan State, Taungdwingyi in
Magwe Division, and Pakkoku in Pegu Division, are also reported to have been
attacked, however no further information is available at this time.
Duplaya District, Karen State:
Muslims began moving into Karen State at the time of Great Britain's annexation of
Upper Burma in the 1880s. The Muslim population in Karen State numbers in the
thousands, with Muslims engaging in a range of professions from farming to
shop-keeping. Many Muslims in Karen State refer to themselves in Karen as
"Pwakanyaw Thu" or "Black Karen" and consider Karen State as their homeland.
Although the Muslims tend to live in separate areas within Karen villages, relations
between Muslims and Buddhists and Christians have generally been good.
In Karen State, the SLORC has also tried to stir up anti-Muslim feelings. In August
1996, a letter came from Dammaya town to some people in Kyaikdon, Karen State
encouraging fighting between Muslims and Buddhists. According to one informant
who saw the letter, it was written in good Burmese and was unsigned. The
villagers believed that SLORC officials had written it and that the Democratic KayinBuddhist Army (DKBA), which has been working closely with the SLORC, had been
distributing copies.
In the February 1997 SLORC offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU), the
SLORC attacked the Muslim community directly. SLORC soldiers razed mosques
and destroyed copies of the Koran, ordered conversions to Buddhism, and drove
Muslims out of Karen State.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
19/33
Following is a partial list of villages where mosques were destroyed. Each mosque
has a special coffin for carrying the dead. These were destroyed in all of the named
villages, and in most cases the mosque's copies of the Koran was also either burnedor shredded.
VILLAGES WHERE MOSQUES WERE DESTROYED BY THE SLORC:
Kyaikdon: The inside of the mosque and the Muslim school destroyed,
Muslims expelled unless they became Buddhist.
Gaw Bay: Mosque destroyed
Naw Bu: Mosque destroyed and all the villagers were expelled
Day Nga Yin: Mosque destroyed
Kyaung Don: Mosque destroyed, villagers allowed to stay
Kaninbu: Mosque and the Muslim school destroyed
Pa Glaw Ni: All valuables inside the mosque looted and placed in the village's
Buddhist temple The wooden mosque was then dismantled
SLORC soldiers made it known that they were targeting Muslims and threatened to
kill any Muslims that they saw. There have also been confirmed reports of SLORC
troops killing Muslims. In Kyo Ta village, SLORC soldiers blindfolded 2 male
Muslim villagers and cut their necks. In Ti Dah Blu village, 2 Muslim villagers were
also killed.
Muslims from Karen State face a precarious future. Up to ten thousand people from
Duplaya district have left Karen State in order to escape the human rights abuses
perpetrated by the Burmese military. An anti-Muslim campaign has forced
thousands of the Muslim population from Duplaya District into Thailand. In this
area, they have been told that they cannot become citizens of Burma unless they
profess Buddhism as their religion. Many have been ordered to leave Karen State
and to return to India, although they have no connections to that country today.
For these people, leaving their homes was the last resort. None wanted to leave
their homes for refugee camps in Thailand. They fled because of ill-treatment and
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
20/33
fear of further abuse. They also fled to protect their families. The pain and
upheaval that these Muslim people have experienced should not be
underestimated.
The following are excerpts from interviews with Muslim refugees from Karen
State.
NAME : NUSA
AGE : 33
SEX : MALE
FAMILY : WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN
VILLAGE : KYAIKDON
PROFESSION : SHOP OWNER
ETHNICITY : BLACK KAREN
RELIGION : MUSLIM
After hearing that the SLORC troops were approaching Kyaikdon, Nusa and several
other families fled. He explained:
Destruction of the mosque
When we arrived at Kyaikdon we tied up the bullocks and went to the well in the
mosque compound to get water. The soldiers at the entrance warned us that we
could not enter the mosque itself, and that we should get the water as quickly as
possible. In the meantime, a SLORC column entered the village. When they saw us,
they hurled rude abuse at us like: 'You sons of bitches!' and so on.
I was getting water at the well in front of the mosque when some soldiers brought
out the Koran and I saw them ripping it up. The soldiers said:
'Don't watch! Just get your water,' pointing their gun at me. I wanted to cry but I
couldn't.
They threw the pieces of Koran on the street. When the Muslim women on the
street saw this, they cried and felt such pain. The SLORC soldiers said, 'Don't cry!
This is not a Muslim country! This is a Buddhist country! Go away!'
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
21/33
Expulsion from the village
An officer from the 202 TOC (Tactical Operation Command), 22nd LID (Light
Infantry Division) told me: 'Muslims cannot stay. If you are Muslim you mustleave.' Another one said: 'Muslims cannot stay here, you must convert to Buddhism
and put an altar in your house.'
The soldiers then ordered us to move our bullock carts out of the village within
half an hour. When we started to move from that place, the soldiers came out and
threatened us with guns. They ordered us not to pick up any of our belongings that
'had dropped' from our bullock carts. After that, we made our way back to Nam
Ngen village and then went to Ywa Thit village to meet the commander of the
SLORC troops. At Ywa Thit, the major told us were not allowed to stay in the village
and would have to stay somewhere outside the village. Therefore we moved, with
over twenty bullock carts, to the banks of a nearby stream.
Extortion
The next day the soldiers arrived and asked how many bullock carts we had with
us. They then ordered the whole group of villagers to go with them, including the
girls and 27 bullock carts. They also said that we would have to eat 'the meat that
we cannot eat' (pork). We understood clearly what they meant, and after
discussing it with the village elders, we decided to collect 150 kyats for each of the
27 bullock carts and gave the money to the soldiers. After that the soldiers bought
pork and took it to the place where they were staying. We slept at the side of the
stream for two nights.
Kidnapping
I came to the refugee camp with part of my family. On the way we heard that the
Islamic teacher of Kyaikdon had been arrested there by the SLORC. The Muslimvillagers had to pay 2000 kyat to the officer there to secure his release.
Forced to eat pork
Since I arrived here, I heard that in Azin Kyaung Paya village, the SLORC troops
forced some Muslims to eat pork [this practice is contrary to the precepts of the
Islam].
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
22/33
We have suffered so much grief at the hands of the military that I feel that if we
could get some guns now, all of the people suffering here would fight back against
this brutal regime. This feeling is felt deep in the hearts of our Muslim communityhere. We can never forgive the SLORC soldiers who destroyed our mosque and our
Koran, which is the holy center of our community.
NAME : WANASOO
AGE : 36
SEX : MALE
FAMILY : WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN
VILLAGE : KYAIKDON
PROFESSION : WAGE LABORER
ETHNICITY : BLACK KAREN
RELIGION : MUSLIM
Destruction of the mosque at Kyaikdon
My wife and some of the other villagers returned to the village from the place
where we were hiding in the jungle. They cried with grief when they saw the ruins
of our mosque. They met the SLORC soldiers near that mosque, and the SLORC
soldiers said to them, 'This is not India! Within two days two bulldozers will arrive
at this village to raze the mosque!' They noticed that the doors on the left side of
the mosque were burned down and the marble floors made up of ceramic tiles had
been pounded and destroyed by the SLORC troops. The Koran had been torn into
pieces and was scattered on the public footpath in front of the mosque. The women
in the group cried when they saw this. At that time, the soldiers told the people:
'This isnot India! All of you Muslims must leave the mosque compound within half
an hour!'
From our hiding place, we had already seen our village through a pair of binoculars.
We saw that the roof of the mosque had already been destroyed, and also that all
the roof framework had been completely destroyed by fire. The SLORC troops have
now destroyed the mosque at Kyaikdon village twice.
Once was in 1990 and the other time was this year. This time we tried tohide the
Koran in a safe place in the mosque, however the soldiers found the Koran and tore
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
23/33
it to pieces and scattered it across the road. The soldiers then killed the pigs and
cooked and ate pork curry in the mosque compound [a grave insult to Muslims].
The destruction of the mosque and the holy Koran hurts like a spear piercing myheart. Even if the SLORC were to kill me along with my family, it would not hurt as
much as this. This feeling is deep in our hearts and we will never forget this
incident.
[Another recent arrival told Wanasoo that no villagers are staying in the Muslim
quarter of Kyaikdon anymore. The SLORC tried to destroy the mosque in a series of
five explosions. This did not completely destroy the mosque - which is made of
concrete - but crackeed the ceiling and walls] Fleeing and threats of execution
According to the Karen elders who had also witnessed the destruction of the
mosque, the SLORC troops were making many problems for the Muslim
community, and it would be wise for us to leave the village for that reason.
We sent one man back to our village from our hiding place to collect news about
the movements of, and conditions under, the SLORC troops. He was a former KNLA
soldier and had been given a traveling document by a SLORC major from Light
Infantry Battalion (LIB) 205. He went back to the village and returned to our
hiding place in the evening. He told us that the SLORC troops had said that they
would kill all Muslims. He warned us to stay in a large group, and that we should
not travel separately. He advised us to run to Kawkareik.
Threats of rape and execution Two porters who escaped and arrived at Nopho told
us that the SLORC soldiers said to each other that if they had a chance to meet
Muslim women, they would rape them and then kill them.
NAME : YI SOO
SEX : MALE
AGE : 36
FAMILY : WIFE AND 7 CHILDREN
VILLAGE : MEH KA TEE HTAR
OCCUPATION : RAISES COWS
ETHNICITY : BLACK KAREN
RELIGION : MUSLIM
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
24/33
Threat of execution
When I heard the SLORC was coming, I had to run with my cows and hide. I asked a
Karen Buddhist friend to go to the SLORC troops and ask them what the policy isfor Muslims. My friend came back and told me that it is bad news for Muslims, if
the SLORC troops see any Muslims they said they will kill them.
Threat of theft
I got information that all the cows were being taken by the SLORC and the SLORC
troops were taking all the things that belonged to Muslims. So I gave my cows to
my friend to look after.
NAME : KYI WIN
AGE : 33
SEX : MALE
FAMILY : WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN
VILLAGE : PA GLAW NI
PROFESSION : FARMER
ETHNICITY : SGAW KAREN
RELIGION : CHRISTIAN
Threat of execution
The SLORC told the villagers [from Kyaikdon] that if they saw any Muslims to come
and tell them. The SLORC came and asked us, Where are the Muslims? If we catch
them we will barbecue them and eat them.
Rumour of execution
I heard that they had killed two of them [Muslims]. Then they came back and told
the villagers to go and bury the bodies. The villagers picked up their tools to go andbury the bodies. When they arrived they could not find the dead bodies. They
searched and searched but there was no trace of them. I don't know whether they
were lying or telling the truth.
Destruction of the mosque
There was a mosque in the village, but the SLORC troops dismantled it. It was
wood, and the troops told the villagers to take it, but the villagers refused. So they
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
25/33
[the SLORC soldiers] sold the wood. The SLORC troops also burned the Koran and
destroyed the Muslim coffin.
NAME : ABDUL
SEX : MALE
AGE : 54
FAMILY : WIFE AND 9 CHILDREN
VILLAGE : KYAIKDON
PROFESSION : SENIOR MEMBER OF ABMU
ETHNICITY : BLACK KARENRELIGION : MUSLIM
There was fighting in Kyaikdon on February 13th for one hour. The Muslim troops
and the SLORC troops shot each other, then the Muslims retreated into the
mountains.
Destruction of the Mosque
The SLORC soldiers used four explosives [probably mortar shells] to destroy the
mosque in Kyaikdon. I could see from a hill that it was destroyed, and the others
who were there later came out and reported the details to me.
Looting
The SLORC took everything left in the village. They said all of it belonged to
Muslims, so they took it.
Excerpts of Statements from Burmese Opposition Groups
Muslim Liberation Organisation of Burma (MLOB)
Previously known as the Arakan Liberation Organisation, established in 1980, the
LOB adopted its current name in 1987. The MLOB states that anti-government
demonstrations began in Mandalay on 17 March, after monks demanded a list of
monks currently under detention from the SLORC authorities. According to the
MLOB, "The SLORC is afraid that this kind of demonstration could lead to political
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
26/33
unrest, and may even threaten their very power base. They therefore immediately
circulated a story that the Mandalay monks' demonstrations were triggered by
Buddhist-Muslim tension following an alleged rape case." (MLOB statement, 20
March 1997)
All Burma Muslim Union (ABMU)
The ABMU statement warns people not to jump to conclusions about the unrest. "A
rumour was also released that a Burmese girl was insulted by a Muslim youth, was
angered by a group of monks lead by the girl's uncle, who is also a monk and
against the Muslims. But everyone must study the situation carefully what actually
happened." (sic) The ABMU also noted that the Burmese army have destroyed
mosques and confiscated religious and secular properties of Muslim in their recent
offensive against the KNU. Muslims living in Karen State were particularly
mistreated by the Burmese army. The ABMU claims that already in December 1996,
SLORC ordered Muslim villagers to move from Nabu village, Kawkareik township,
Karen State, within one month.
"...they don't want to see the families and any face of Kala (obscene word for
Muslims) any more after the month." (sic) The ABMU further states that
approximately 2,000 Muslims have sought sanctuary in Thailand since the
offensive began. "Muslim s were denied to resettle and at the gun point they were
chased out of the area." (ABMU statements, 4 and 20 March 1997)
Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) < RSO-Dr. Yunos, RSO- Zakaria and ARIF
does not exist anymore. They all have merged into ONE ORGANIZATION named:
ARNO >
According to the RSO, a Muslim organisation established in 1982 in Arakan State,
"It is common practice of successive ruling juntas to create an issue and make the
Muslim scapegoat whenever it faces strong dissension from the masses, and it did
try to do the same in October, 1996 by distributing leaflets that could lead to
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
27/33
communal riots in Burma." The RSO claims that SLORC instigated the recent
anti-Muslim riots. "Although the conflicting reports are still coming in from
different quarters as to the cause of the rioting, all indications have almost
confirmed that the junta master-minded the communal commotion to divert the
growing exasperation among the Buddhist monks in Mandalay following the killing
of 16 monks and the Mahamyatmuni Buddha crisis by the SLORC."
(RSO statement, 25 March 1997)
All Burma Young Monks' Union (ABYMU)
The ABYMU claims that the SLORC instigated the anti-Muslim unrest in order to"deflect possible criticism and disavow any role in the matter by saying that the
demonstration broke out when monks became angry over the alleged rape of
Buddhist woman by a Muslim man. This same kind of dissimulation was employed
by the SLORC authorities in Taunggyi and Prome in 1988, when the people rose up
in protest to demand their democratic rights." (ABYMU statements, 18 and 19
March 1997)
National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB)
According to the NCUB, "the current political crisis within the country involving
SLORC and the religious communities is being used to divert the increasing public
anger towards the military regime against real issues."
The NCUB also believes that there is a power struggle between Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt
(SLORC Secretary 1 and head of Military Intelligence) and General Maung Aye
(Army Chief of Staff). The statement quotes one student leader as saying, "This
could be a plan from a faction within the SLORC army to instigate further unrest so
that the army will be called in to stop the situation from deteriorating further.... In
order to control the possibility of a mass movement against them, the SLORC is
diverting thepeople's attention away from the real issues and creating division
within our communities." (NCUB statement, 24 March 1997)
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
28/33
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
In a video-taped address to the 53rd session of the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights, which was smuggled out of Burma, the leader of the National
League for Democracy and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi stated that
she understood the unrest in Mandalay began "because of the fact that there was
some damage done to this very, very famous and very, very revered image of the
Buddha, the Maha Myatmuni image. And the monks were angry about this, and
they thought that the authorities were in some way responsible for the -- I think it
was a crack -- which had appeared in the image." While acknowledging there are
certain places in Burma where tension does exist between Muslims and Buddhists,
she pointed to the underlying cause of religious tension. "The real source, the real
reason behind this, is I think social unrest. When there is communal strife
anywhere it is due to social economic problems. Social unrest of course is related
to such factors as political dissatisfaction and economic problems.
So we cannot just tolerate the problems between the Buddhist monks and the
Muslims, and say, well there is trouble -- there is trouble throughout the country. Itis just a symptom of the general malaise that you will find in Burma today."
List of Pertinent Questions that ASEAN countries should ask SLORC regarding the
recent anti-Muslim disturbances (taken from "Second Letter to the Supreme
Authorities of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, concerning the current situation for
Muslims in Burma," MLOB, 28 April 1997)
1. Why didn't the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) protect
mosques, houses and other Muslim property all over Burma from destruction
during March and April 1997?
2. Who will provide protection for Burmese Muslims in the future, in case of
anti-Muslim riots after the SLORC becomes a member of ASEAN?
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
29/33
3. Why did the SLORC army dynamite mosques, rip up and destroy copies of the
Holy Quoran, and order Muslims to eat pork and convert to Buddhism in Karen
State in February and March 1997?
4. Why didn't Muslims celebrate Idd Al Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice), one of
the Five Pillars of Islam, in Burma on 18 April 1997?
5. For what reason have Rohingyas repeatedly fled as refugees (in 1978,
200,000, and in 1991, 300,000) into Bangladesh?
Conclusions and Recommendations to the ASEAN Nations and the
International Community
We urge governments, organizations, and concerned individuals to:
Request clarification and a full disclosure of information about the attacks on
Muslim communities, properties, and religious sites in Burma in March.
Encourage the SLORC to treat all citizens equally regardless of ethnicity or
religion. In particular, the ASEAN Muslim nations - Indonesia, Malaysia and
Brunei - should intercede on behalf of the Burmese Muslims and demand
significant improvements in the human rights conditions in the country.
Urge the SLORC to enhance regional stability by entering into genuine
tri-partite dialogue with the country's democratic opposition and ethnic
leaders, so that the people of Burma can finally enjoy the peace and stability
for which they have been longing for so many years; and resolve internal
political conflict through political means.
Recognize that, given the SLORC's inability to respond to internal security
crises, ASEAN and all foreign investment inside Burma is at risk.
Urge the SLORC to refrain from committing human rights abuses such as rape,
extra-judicial execution, torture, etc., and to treat people in accordance with
the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, and other United Nations
human rights conventions.
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
30/33
Note that the SLORC and the ethnic nationality parties need to seek durable
solutions to the underlying political problems in Burma. It is only when
stability is realized throughout Burma that refugees, including the Muslimpeople who have been forced out of Burma, can return home and will feel
genuinely secure. Through dialogue and compromise, Burma be made a
peaceful country where civilians can live without the fear of unlawful attacks,
torture, and persecution. With Burma's recent entrance to ASEAN, ASEAN
countries are uniquely positioned and culturally suited to mediate such
negotiations.
APPENDIX -- LIST OF MONKS WHO HAVE DIED WHILE IN PRISON
The list below gives the following particulars in order specified:
No.
Name
Age
Monastery
Place of Birth
Place of Death (Labour Camp/Jail)
1. Ashin Pyin Nya Nanda
u/k
Maha Nandi The Na, Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni)
Dadar Oo Township, Mandalay
Myitkyina Hard Labour Camp, Kachin
2. Ashin Zawana
u/kMaha Nandi The Na, Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni)
Dadar Oo Township, Mandalay
Myitkyina Hard Labour Camp, Kachin
3. U Seindawara
40
Aleitaigyi, Payagyi (Middle Monastery, Maha Myatmuni)
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
31/33
Taunggyi, Shan State
Phar Kant Camp, Mokoung, Kachin State
4. U Teza
30
Saku Monastery
Lei We, Pyimana
Mokoung Jail, Kachin State
5. Ashin Teza
12
Eindawya
Na Toe Gyi Township, Myingyan
Shot 8-8-90, place of death unknown
6. U Ar Tha Pa
25
Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni)
Pa Le, Monywa
Mandalay Jail
7. Pyin Nyaing Da
30
Payagyi (Maha Myatmuni)
Matayar, Mandalay
Mandalay Jail
8. U Tiloka32
Masoyein Monastery
Taung Tha village, Myingyan
Par Kant Camp, Mokoung, Kachin State
9. U Zawana
36
Eindawya
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
32/33
Taung Tha village, Myingyan
Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State
10.Ashin Teza
u/k
Pagan Monastery
Kant Balu, Sagaing
Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State
11.Ashin Rewata
u/k
Pagan Monastery
Laung Su village, Kyauk Se
Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State
12.Ashin Kaw Wida
u/k
Pagan Monastery
Put Taing village, Kyauk Se
Myitkyina Jail, Kachin State
13.U Pyinya Thiri
30
Myadaung Monastery
Kyet Pyin village, Mogok, Shan State
Katha Jail, Mokoung, Kachin State
14.U Zaw Tika28
Anauk Htilin
Hanhai village, Mahlaing Township, Myingyan
Katha Jail, Mokoung, Kachin State
15.U Dhamma Wara Thiri
51
unknown
7/30/2019 IMAGES ASIA- REPORT ON THE SITUATION FOR MUSLIMS IN BURMA
33/33
unknown
Par Kant, Mokoung, Kachin State
16.Sayadaw U Tiloka (Abbot)
70
Shwephonepwint Monastery, Rangoon
unknown
Insein Jail, Rangoon
[END REPORT]