Burma

In September 2007, WOMEN took a LEADING ROLE in the most important civil society uprising in 20 years:

Struggling against the military dictatorship in Burma, women were central to the mobilisation of the initial protests against rises in fuel prices and thus ‘opened the way’ for monks, students and the general population.

And suffered the consequences:

Several high-profile women activists have been forced into hiding as authorities have raided their homes and distributed "wanted persons" leaflets to checkpoints in Rangoon and other cities. For example, independent media reported that Nilar Thein, a member of the 88 Generation group who led one of the first demonstrations against fuel prices in Rangoon, had to leave her 4 month old baby behind and go into hiding. Similarly, Freedom Award winner Su Su Nway, who also led a demonstration in Rangoon, was dragged away, but managed to escape and is now also in hiding. Pro-democracy activist Mie Mie and HIV/AIDS activist Phyu Phyu Thin have also allegedly gone into hiding. All of these women have previously spent time in prison for their pro-democracy activities [1].

 “At the time, a girl wasn’t sure whether to lie down or stand up. A riot police [officer] hit the girl on the side of her face with his baton. The girl collapsed. She was in her 20s – there was blood running down her face, and her skull might have been broken. I’m not sure if she died. No one was able to help her. If we put our heads up, they would hit us and kick us with their boots.”  

- Htun Kyaw Kyaw, describing arrests on September 27 [3]

Current Situation of Women Activists [4]:

Out of those arrested during last September's violent crackdown on peaceful protests led by monks, 106 women remain in detention, including six nuns. On the 23^rd November 2007, The Women's League of Burma (WLB) in Bangkok launched an International campaign to free women human rights defenders in Burma with the release of a report "Courage to Resist" detailing how women activists have been hunted down, assaulted, tortured and framed with false charges, and their family members threatened and held hostage.

Breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women and elderly grandmothers have been the target of the regime's paramilitary forces and secret police. Women have also been used by the regime in their smear campaigns against activists, and forced to admit on camera to having sexual affairs with monks.

"We are gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of activists on the run and all political prisoners in prisons and detention centres throughout Burma," said WLB spokesperson Paw Hset Hser. "We are particularly concerned that the women, including nuns, recently detained are facing gender and sexual violence in addition to the other deprivations and unacceptable conditions in the prisons."

The WLB is urging governments around the world to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all women human rights defenders and other political prisoners in Burma, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and to guarantee women activists on the run a safe return home and reunion with their families. WLB is also calling for the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women to conduct a mission of inquiry to Burma.

So far (18^th December 2007) only one pregnant woman has been released and the Military Regime continues to hunt down activists. Prominent women activists such as Nilar Thein are still in hiding.

Sources:

[1] [2] AWID (Association of Women’s Rights in Development) Friday File: Women's participation in the Burma uprising, 28^th September 2007

[3] Human Rights Watch: Repression of the 2007 Popular Protests in Burma, December 2007