FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights
and its member organization in Burma
Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma
and its partners
Joint Press Release
Burmese government urged to investigate the enforced disappearance of Sumlut Roi Ja
October 28, 2014 – On the third anniversary of the abduction of Sumlut Roi Ja, an ethnic Kachin woman from Burma, we, the undersigned organizations, call on the Burmese government to thoroughly investigate her enforced disappearance and hold the perpetrators accountable.
On 28 October 2011, Burma Army soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion 321 abducted 28-year-old Sumlut Roi Ja along with her husband and father-in-law from their family farm near Hkaibang Village, Momauk Township, Kachin State.
Soldiers suspected the three had ties to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) – an ethnic armed opposition group. The soldiers ordered the three at gunpoint to carry corn to their outpost on Mubum mountain. Sumlut Roi Ja’s husband and father-in-law managed to escape, evading the soldiers’ gunfire, on the way. Witnesses saw Sumlut Roi Ja at the camp several days before she disappeared.
Sumlut Roi Ja’s family members filed numerous petitions asking authorities to disclose her fate or whereabouts. However, both military and civilian authorities have consistently refused to investigate Sumlut Roi Ja’s disappearance and prosecute the soldiers who abducted her. In March 2012, Burma’s Supreme Court rejected a writ of habeas corpus submitted by Sumlut Roi Ja’s husband two months earlier. The Supreme Court claimed there was no evidence that the army had detained Sumlut Roi Ja before her disappearance. Burma Army officials even denied having detained her. Sumlut Roi Ja is still missing and presumed dead.
The case of Sumlut Roi Ja underscores the ongoing serious human rights violations perpetrated by the Burma Army in Kachin State, including the deliberate targeting of civilians in conflict, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detention, and violence against women. More than 70 cases of sexual violence by Burma Army soldiers against women and young girls in Kachin State and Northern Shan State have been recorded between the resumption of conflict between the Burma Army and the KIA in June 2011 and June 2014. At least 20 of the victims were killed.
As 2014 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chair, Burma has a particular responsibility to uphold the principles of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), which stipulates that all individuals have a right to life and to personal liberty and security and that no person shall be subject to arbitrary arrest, search, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty. The AHRD also recognizes the right of every person to an effective and enforceable remedy for violations of rights granted by the constitution or by law.
We, the undersigned organizations, urge the Burmese government to:
Establish an independent and impartial parliamentary commission with a mandate to investigate the disappearance of Sumlut Roi Ja and identify the perpetrators.
Ensure that perpetrators in this case are brought to justice, regardless of rank or position.
Sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) and incorporate its provisions into national law as a matter of priority.
Immediately cease violations of international humanitarian and human rights law against ethnic minority civilians in conflict and ceasefire areas, including violence against women.
List of signatories
88 Generation (Peace & Open Society)
Action Committee for Democracy Development
Action for Dignity and Development
All Arakan Students’ & Youths’ Congress
ALTSEAN-Burma
Arakan Youth Network and Development Organization
Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances
Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition
Bago EITI
Bago Youth Network
Bridge – Kachin
Burma Campaign UK
Burma Partnership
Center for Youth and Social Harmony
Chin Youth Network
Civil Authorize Negotiate Organization
Community Response Group
Community Youth Center – Karenni
Cordillera Peoples Alliance (The Philippines)
Danu Youth Network
Democratic Party for New Society
Denmark Kachin Community
Equality Myanmar
Ethnic Youth Network
Farmer Rights and Development Organization
Farmers Union- Magwe
FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights
Focus on the Global South
Fortify Rights
Forum for Democracy in Burma
Free Burma Campaign (South Africa)
Free Burma Coalition-Philippines
Genuine People’s Servants
Green Network Sustainable Environment Group
Grow Back for Posterity
Hands in Unity
Highlander Associations (Cambodia)
Humanity Institute
Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Network
IFI Watch Myanmar
Info Birmanie
Institute for Asian Democracy
Jinghpaw Laili Laika hte Htunghking Hpung
Justice and Peace Commission – Catholic Bishop Conference Myanmar
Justice for Peace Foundation (Thailand)
Kachin Alliance
Kachin Association Japan
Kachin Association Norway
Kachin Association of Australia
Kachin Canadian Association
Kachin Community in Europe
Kachin Communities Netherlands
Kachin Development Networking Group
Kachin Farmers Network
Kachin National Organization
Kachin Peace Network
Kachin State Urban Rural Mission
Kachin Women Association Japan
Kachin Women Peace Network
Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand
Kachin Women Union
Kachin Youth Central –Ginjaw Ramma
Kachin Youth Organization
Kaladan Development Foundation
Kapaeeng Foundation (Bangladesh)
Karen Development Committee
Karen Environmental and Social Action Network
Karenni National Women’s Organization
Karenni Network of Women Organizations
Karenni State Youth Network
Karenni Youth and Women Organization
Karen Women Empowerment Group
Karen Women’s Union
Karen Youth Network
Karuna Myanmar Social Services
Kham Ho Center
Lachid Literature and Culture Association
Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (Nepal)
Magwe EITI Watch Group
Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability
Myit Makha Watch Group
Naga Youth Network
National Alliance of Indigenous Peoples Organizations in the Philippines
National Network for Education Reform
National Youth Forum
Nau Shawng Education Network
ND-Burma
Network for Democracy and Development
New Zealand Kachin Community
NGO Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities (Nepal)
NGO Gender Group
Paoh Youth Organization
Partners Relief & Development
Paung Ku
Public Network Bago
Pyo Khin Thit Foundation – Maubin
Rainfall Gender Study Group
Research and Translation Consultancy Cluster
Sha-it Social Development Foundation
Shan Youth Network
Shwe Gas Movement
Social, Economic and Gender Research Institute
Spectrum
Students and Youth Congress of Burma
Taang Students and Youth Organization
Taang Women Organization
Taang Youth Network
Tavoyan Women’s Union
Tavoyan Youth Network
The Seagull-Mandalay
Thuriya Sandar Environmental Protection
Triangle Women Support Group
Union Lahu Youth Organizations
Voice of Women
We For All (Japan)
Women Initiative Network for Peace
Women Peace and Security Initiative
Women Peace Network – Arakan
Women Political Action 2015 – Myanmar
Women’s Organizations Network Myanmar
Won-Lark Foundation
Wunpawng Ning Htoi
Yangon School of Political Science
Zomi Youth Network
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