SWAN's
Actions:
17
March - 25 April 2003: SWAN's
Position Paper For the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights
Since 1992, the UNCHR has passed resolutions each year
on the situation of human rights in Burma. The reports by the UN Special
Rapporteurs on Burma submitted to the UN General Assembly since 1992 have
contained an abundance of summaries of testimonies of extreme human rights
violations committed by the Burmese military regime, including military
rape.
In the 1994 report, one recommendation reads, "The Government
of Myanmar should take the necessary steps to bring the acts of soldiers,
including privates and officers, in line with accepted international human
rights and humanitarian standards so that they will not commit arbitrary
killings, rapes and confiscations of property, or force persons into acts
of labour, portering, relocation or otherwise treat persons without respect
for their dignity as human beings."[Emphasis added] The Special Rapporteur
on Burma's 2003 report contains similar recommendations. Read
more!
3-14
March 2003: Military
Rule in Burma Spells Licence to Rape
31 January 2003: Petition
letter to Australian Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Downer and Shadow
Minister Kevin Rudd regarding Australian government-sponsored human rights
trainings for the Burmese military regime
23 January 2003: Letter to the Philippines'
Senate with the collaboration
of IID (Manila) conveying SWAN's calls regarding the resolution on Burma.
13 January 2003: Letter to women legislators
and Chairperson of House of Representatives, Philippines, with the collaboration of IID (Manila), regarding
the resolution on Burma.
Lobby
initiatives
10 December 2002: SWAN representative met officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, Office of Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Office of the
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs as well as
a number of senators and discussed several issues particularly on Burma's
military rape, Shan refugees
in Thailand, and Australian government supported HR trainings in Burma
The meeting were organized and facilitated by
Aid/Watch. (www.aidwatch.org.au)
Shan
woman: Australia's HR trainings for Burma do little to stop violations
27- 29 November 2002: Gave
briefing on Licence to Rape to women legislators at the House of Representatives,
Philippines, & meeting with ZONTA International (civic women's organization)
at Club Filipino, Greenhills, San Juan.
15
October 2002: SWAN representative
testified at US Congressional hearing on Sexual violence against Shan
women
30-31 August 2002: Submission
of a paper on sexual violence committed by the SPDC's army against ethnic
women in Burma at the Asia Pacific NGO Consultation meeting with the UN
Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women organized by Asia Pacific
Forum on Women, Law and Development & Law Trust in Colombo, Srilanka.
2-7 January 2003: Asia Social Forum in Hydrabad, India as a member
organization of the Women's League of Burma (WLB), SWAN
attended the forum and testified military rape of Shan women and other
ethnic women in Burma and calling on social activists around the world
to organize campaigns to oppose investment in Burma, and stop aid
to the regime until irreversible changes are made towards peace and democracy
in Burma.
9 - 10 December 2002: Global
Alliance of Justice Education Regional Conference on
26 November 2002
Conference in Berlin discusses future
of Burma
2-3 November 2002: Burma Special Plenary at the Asean People's Forum, Parallel Forum of ASEAN
+ 3 Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, supported by Alt-sean.
8 October 2002 : Burma Public Conference in Ottawa, Canada, organized by Inter Pares and
Canadian Friends of Burma.
6- 16 October 2002: Exposure
and public awareness campaign trip to the Philippines organized by Alt-sean &
IID Manila.
2-10 October 2002:
21- 23 September 2002:
- Leaflets: Licence to Rape leaflets in Shan, Burmese, Thai and English. Available through Burmese networks and Thai networks.
- Posters: "Stop Licence to Rape" posters were produced
on the occasion of International Day on elimination of violence against
women. Available at SWAN partner's offices: APWLD, MAP, Forum Asia &
Altsean-Burma.
- Translation of Licence to Rape:
Burmese version is out!
- Translations of "Licence to Rape": in Shan version will be
out soon!!!