JANUARY NEWSLETTER 2020

HUMAN RIGHTS DISCUSSION

Human Rights Lectures Provided in Ma-Ubin District and Rangoon Division

Figure 1HR Lecture

In January, AAPP provided a total of 4 basic human rights lectures in Pantanaw Township, Ma-Ubin District, 4 lectures in South Dagon Township in Rangoon and one lecture in Kyimyindaing Township in Rangoon and one lecture in Hlaing Tharyar Township in Rangoon. A total of 2,515 attended the lectures. 

• In Pantanaw Township, AAPP provided 4 lectures to students and teachers of 4 Basic Education High Schools. A total of 1,362 students and teachers attended the lectures. 
• In South Dagon Township, AAPP provided three lectures to over 1,090 students and teachers of three Basic Education High Schools. Moreover, AAPP provided 1 lecture to 60 students of the free education school of the National League for Democracy Education Network in South Dagon Township.
• In Kyimyindaing Township, AAPP provided 1 lecture to 34 students of the free education school of the National League for Democracy Education Network.
• In Hlaing Tharyar Township, AAPP provided 1 lecture to 50 people including students, sewing students and teachers of the Suu Vocational Institute.

At the beginning of discussions, U Aung Myo Kyaw and Ko Wanna Nwel introduced AAPP members and talked about the background of AAPP and its activities. Lectures were provided by AAPP representatives, Ko Wanna Nwe, Ko Kyaw Oo, Ko Khin Maung Win, Ko Myo Tun and AAPP’s graduates of Human Rights Training Of Trainers (TOT) courses, Ma Tin Win Maw Htwe and Ma Thanda Soe. The main topics discussed were the history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), humanitarian law, eliminating discrimination, and the side effects of drugs. Then, we showed movie clips about responsibility and accountability, and there was a question and answer session with participants. At the end of each presentation, AAPP distributed the universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) pamphlets to raise awareness amongst the participants. 

ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING

Discussion about Medical-Healthcare Conditions in Prison

Figure 2 Healthcare Discussion

On January 7, Mr. Jamie Uhrig (Supporting communities by working in patient health, population health, and human rights) and Doctor Myo Win visited AAPP’s office in Rangoon. Then, AAPP officials gave them a museum tour. Following this, U Bo Kyi, AAPP Joint Secretary, U Aung Myo Kyaw, AAPP Rangoon Office Chief, Ko Zaw Moe, AAPP’s Documentation and Research Chief, Deputy of Foreign Affairs and U Kyaw Soe Win, Chief of MHAP, held a meeting with them to discuss Medical & Healthcare conditions inside prisons.

Representatives of the British Embassy for Myanmar Visited AAPP 

Figure 3 Discussion with British Embassy

On January 10, Mr. Rupert Dewey (Joint Head of Myanmar Unit, in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and Ko Zaw Naing Oo (aka) Ko Khaing Thurein (Political Officer) visited AAPP’s office in Rangoon. AAPP officials gave them a museum tour. Following this, U Bo Kyi, AAPP Joint Secretary, and Ko Zaw Moe, AAPP’s Documentation and Research Chief, Deputy of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with them to discuss AAPP’s current activities and the current political and human rights situations in Burma.

Coordination Meeting on Human Rights Violation

Figure 4 Cordination meeting on Human Right Violations

On January 11, AAPP organized the Coordination Meeting on Human Rights Violation at AAPP’s Rangoon Office. Members of AAPP, Genuine People’s Servant (GPS), Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP),  Future Light Center (FLC), Than Lwin Citizen Empowerment, New Myanmar Foundation, The Ta’ang Students and Youth Union (TSYU), All Arakan Students’ & Youths’ Congress (AASYC), Equality Myanmar, PEN Myanmar, Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma) attended the meeting and discussed laws related to human rights abuses, issues to be addressed and future plans including points to include when amending laws that are not in line with human rights.

Representatives of Canada Embassy Visited AAPP Office 

Figure 5 Discussion with Canadian Embassy

On January 14, Helen Bao, First Secretary – Political Affairs of Canada Embassy, and Khine Lynn Thu, Advocacy and Political Affairs Officer, visited AAPP’s office in Rangoon. AAPP officials gave them a museum tour. Following this, U Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary, U Aung Myo Kyaw, AAPP Rangoon Office Chief, Ko Zaw Moe, AAPP’s Documentation and Research Chief, Deputy of Foreign Affairs and U Kyaw Soe Win, Chief of MHAP, met with them to discuss AAPP’s current activities, the political and human rights situations in Burma.

Representatives of International Republican Institute Visited AAPP Office 

Meeting with IRI

On January 17, International Republican Institute’s Natalie Trisilla (Associate Director for Evidence and Learning Center for Global Impact), Kimberly Ratcliff (Senior Evaluation Associate – Office of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning) and Ma May Myo Thwel visited AAPP’s office in Rangoon. AAPP officials gave them a museum tour. Following this, U Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary, U Aung Myo Kyaw, AAPP Rangoon Office Chief, U Soe Naing, Chief of Finance Department, Ko Zaw Moe, AAPP’s Documentation and Research Chief, Deputy of Foreign Affairs and U Kyaw Soe Win, Chief of MHAP, met with them to discuss AAPP’s current activities & the political and human rights situations in Burma.

Coordination Meeting on Human Rights Violation (Second Time)

Meeting on Human Right Violations

On January 22, AAPP organized the Coordination Meeting on Human Rights Violation (Second Time) at AAPP’s Rangoon Office. Members of AAPP, Genuine People’s Servant (GPS), Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP),  Future Light Center (FLC), Than Lwin Citizen Empowerment, New Myanmar Foundation, The Ta’ang Students and Youth Union (TSYU), All Arakan Students’ & Youths’ Congress (AASYC), Equality Myanmar, PEN Myanmar, Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma), Athan, Seagull, Tavoyan Women’s Union (TWU), SYNERGY, Independent Lawyers’ Association of Myanmar (ILAM), Open Myanmar Initiative (OMI), Pro-Peace Network (PPN-Mdy), POINT, Ta’ang Women’s Organization(TWO) နှငျ့ Generation Wave (GW) attended the meeting and discussed to participate in the coalition process.

The Life Which Need Protection Workshop on Human Rights Abuses in Burma

The life we need protection workshop

On January 23, The Life Which Need Protection Workshop on Human Rights Abuses in Burma was held in Metta Venue in South Okkalapa Township, Rangoon. U Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary, U Aung Myo Kyaw, AAPP Rangoon Office Chief, Ko Zaw Moe, AAPP’s Documentation and Research Chief, Deputy of Foreign Affairs and U Wunna Nwel AAPP Human Rights Trainer, and members of AAPP, Genuine People’s Servant (GPS), Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP),  Future Light Center (FLC), Than Lwin Citizen Empowerment, New Myanmar Foundation, The Ta’ang Students and Youth Union (TSYU), All Arakan Students’ & Youths’ Congress (AASYC), Equality Myanmar, PEN Myanmar, Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma), Athan, Seagull, Tavoyan Women’s Union (TWU), SYNERGY, Independent Lawyers’ Association of Myanmar (ILAM), Open Myanmar Initiative (OMI), Pro-Peace Network (PPN-Mdy), POINT, Ta’ang Women’s Organization(TWO), Generation Wave (GW) and Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO) attended the meeting and discussed factors that lead to human rights abuses, participation in the coalition process and future plans.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme Visited AAPP Office 

Figure 9 UN Human Settlement Program Meeting

On January 26, Field Programme Manager Mr.Vishnu Prasad and Shoko Sakuma of United Nations Human Settlements Programme visited AAPP’s office in Rangoon. AAPP officials gave them a museum tour. Following this, U Aung Myo Kyaw, AAPP Rangoon Office Chief, and Ko Zaw Moe, AAPP’s Documentation and Research Chief, Deputy of Foreign Affairs, met with them to discuss AAPP’s past and current activities.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

Attended the “Gender, Gender Role and Gender Power Training and discussion

Figure 10 Gender Training

On January 2, the training and discussion about Gender, Gender Role and Gender Power were conducted at AAPP office. The training and discussion were led by Naung Latt and AAPP members attended the training and discussion. 

International Visited Mae Sot AAPP Office

Figure 11 Visitors to AAPP Musuem

On January 29, 10 students from Washington University of the United States, January  30, 6 visitors from France, England, Malaysia and Japan visited the AAPP office in Mae Sot, Thailand. Ma Moe Pang Phyu from AAPP gave them a museum tour and then explained and discussed AAPP’s current activities, the political and human rights situations in Burma.

MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MHAP)

Training

AAPP Provided “Self-care and Stress Management Training”

From January 18 to January 19, U Htin Aung, AAPP-MHAP trainer, provided “Self-care and Stress Management” Training to 29 participants at the Political Leadership (Batch-6)(1st Term) Training of Sandhi Governance Institute.

Figure 12 Selfcare training

A number clients completed their counseling sessions and 12 female clients are receiving their treatment. 

Center in Yangon on every Saturday in January, three female clients are receiving counseling. 

In January 2020, two supervisors and 11 counselors visited to Hgnet Aw Sann Youth Training Center (Juvenile prison) on every Monday and Friday. In January 2020, 25 male clients are receiving their counseling sessions.

In January 2020, two female counselor and two male counselors are providing counseling to three female trainees and five male trainees of Disable Adult Vocational Training Center in Yangon.

In January 2020, AAPP-MHAP Yangon team counselors are also providing CETA mental health counseling services for former political prisoners and their family members, other vulnerable population such as HIV patients, victims of human trafficking, victims of raped and poverty effected population in Yangon area.

AAPP-MHAP Mandalay team counselor is providing CETA mental health counseling services for former political prisoners and their family members, other vulnerable population in Mandalay area.

Counseling 

In January 2020, AAPP-MHAP Yangon team 3 (1 supervisor and three counselors) travelled to Pakokku Township, Magway Region to provide counseling to former political prisoners and their family members. The supervisor and counselors are providing mental health counseling services to nine female and nine male clients. 

In January, four female counselors visited to Women Vocational Training Center in Yangon on every Saturday and Sunday. Four female

AAPP-MHAP Mae Sot team provided CETA mental health counseling services for migrant population, the victims of human trafficking, sex workers and victims of civil war in Myanmar. In January,  five female and four male clients were completed their counseling sessions and 21female and 16 male clients are receiving their treatment

For more information:

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Tate Naing (Secretary)
+95(0) 9428 023 828

U Bo Kyi (Joint-Secrtary)

+95(0) 942 503 8840

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