BURMA: Curfews lifted, but people still fearful
Updated
Burma's military government has lifted dusk-to-dawn curfews in the country's main cities of Rangoon and Mandalay. The curfews were imposed amid widespread protests by tens of thousands of monks and civilians last month. However, the whereabouts and safety of thousands of Buddhist monks who took part in the protests are unknown.
Presenter: Girish Sawlani
Speakers: Burmese pro-democracy activist Khin Ohmar
OHMAR: I just talked to a few people that I know and what they are saying is the lifting of the curfew doesn't make any difference now because people are with this whole continuous rage and such for the activity of the people on the ground are still very concerned and the others still very afraid. And the other is that the law doesn't permit people gathering more than five still exists. How people react to it is difficult to say..
SAWLANI: Is this an indication that the military regime now believes that it has ultimately stamped out the anti-government uprising?
OHMAR: Well, this is clearly a sign of how they have already cracked down on the pro-democracy activists across the country. It also says on the other hand that they actually will like to show to the international community and still try to deceive, by saying that we've lifted our curfew. So they have this whole propaganda, the plan to deceive the international community.
SAWLANI: The lifting of the curfew, is this a bad sign for the pro-democracy movement?
OHMAR: Well, yes and no. Yes, because it shows they have already picked up all those on their list, but also on the other hand, lifting the curfew actually is good, because there's a whole new generation, very committed to the movement are still there in the country. So lifting the curfew is good for the people's movement.
SAWLANI: We know that thousands still remain locked up. But it's been reported that a number of prominent detainees have been released. Why did the government release them?
OHMAR: This is not a new case for the Burmese regime. This is still the old game they've been playing all over the past 18 years, especially when the pressure comes, particularly from the United Nations and especially now if the United Nations Security Council body. So in response to that, pressure from the United Nations Security Council, what they will do is they will continue to buy the time, by releasing one or two prominent activists from time to time, so that this is going to portray like they are doing something good. And that is what they usually do, especially before the General Assembly resolution.
SAWLANI: Does the lifting of the curfew then signal the end of pro-democracy activism for the time being?
OHMAR: No, I wouldn't say so. What I know from the people on the ground is that compared to 1988, now if you look into the border situation, I just think there will be an influx of activists fleeing across the border, because this is what we did back in 1988. But now, in terms of the crackdown, the means that they use are even more serious than back in 1988. You are not seeing many people fleeing the country, particularly this last August and September movement gave birth to the whole new generation of the activist. So you don't see the people who are involved in the demonstrations who are leaving the country.
SAWLANI: Now, the Buddhist monks, they were such a prominent feature during the protests, and reports now suggest that they aren't many left, even in the monasteries. It seems their whereabouts are unknown. So what's happened to them?
OHMAR: We know where they are. One place is called the General Technology Institute. It is actually a diplomat compound. That's where they have detained hundreds of more than 1,600. Also there is another place in Kachin state, and that also a very concentration camp like area and hundreds of Buddhist monks been already transferred to that place.
SAWLANI: Do you know their condition?
OHMAR: Very bad, there are many witnesses, people who went into those areas. They were called to do construction or bring in the food or whatever and they actually seen with their own eyes. They gave out their testimony to the Burmese medias and talked to the people in their local. They saying the Buddhist monks being liked forcibly disrobed, beaten up and also there are many like very rude inappropriate things that the soldiers are forcing the monks to do and they kick them, they push them to the ground, and they ask the monks to just lie down on the ground with no Buddhist monks robes and things like that are really happening.
