Important Information Regarding AAPP’s Documentation Process (2016)

Dear loyal supporters of AAPP,

The transition to Burma’s first democratically-elected civilian government in half a century has presented new opportunities for legislative and policy reform, and some progression on the political prisoner issue. Close monitoring and documentation of the situation in Burma continues to be essential as violations of human, civil and political rights continue throughout the country, as well as the continued existence of political prisoners. With the changing nature of the political climate, AAPP have felt the need to change the scope of the organisation to mirror these changes. The core focus of the organisation will continue to centre around the abolishment of political prisoners in Burma, however we will expand to advocate for civil and political rights nationwide.

Across Government, there are approximately 120 former political prisoner Members of Parliament (MPs). We hold relationships with each of these individuals. It is these invaluable contacts, as well as 16 years’ expertise in the protection of civil, political and human rights which make us uniquely qualified to expand AAPP in this way and stand aside from other organisations working in the same area. AAPP, is, and will continue to be, an independent organisation unaffiliated with any political parties in Burma.

AAPP will continue the monitoring and documentation of the situation in Burma. Alongside ND-Burma, for whom AAPP is a key member, document human rights abuses across the country. We will lobby for legislative, judicial, penal and institutional reform; and we aim to continue and increase the scope of our transitional justice training, expanding into human rights and human rights documentation trainings. AAPP work closely with other human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and hold good working relationships with the United Nations and OHCHR. On request we will provide help to organisations and MPs, and actively engage with Civil Society Organisation and Human Rights Defender Forums.

Specifically regarding monitoring, documentation, and evaluation, these changes will become evident with the publication of our December Chronology, in early January 2017. Our hope is to create a more efficient, and analytically effective document which can be used as an advocacy tool. AAPP is going to focus not only on the documentation of political prisoner issues, detailing information regarding arrests, charges, detentions, trials, sentences, conditions of imprisonment, releases and restrictions on former political prisoners, but also more broadly document restrictions on civil and political rights, legislation and policy developments, and institutional reform.

The structure of the Chronology will change. Publicly disseminated will be a one-two page analysis of the month’s events. The media stories, collected and verified by AAPP, will be available for download (alongside our political prisoners lists) on the AAPP website.

The figures presented in the ‘Summary of the Current Situation’ on the title page will follow the current format. In accordance with our definition for Political Prisoners, we will continue to present total numbers for all three categories of political prisoner:

1) Convicted individuals currently serving sentences in prison for political activities;
2) Individuals who are currently awaiting trial inside prison for political activities;
3) Individuals who are currently awaiting trail outside prison for political activities.

On behalf of all members of staff at AAPP, we want to thank each and everyone one of you for your continued support, and hope you will continue to stand by us in our fight for the freedom of all political prisoners, the absence of all violations of human, civil and political rights, and the formation of a truly democratic nation.

In solidarity,

Ko Tate Naing (Secretary), and Ko Bo Kyi (Joint-Secretary)

Contact details:
Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary: +66 (0) 81-2878751
Bo Kyi, AAPP Joint Secretary: +95 (0) 9-425308840
Email: info@aappb.org
Download for statement chronology-statement-english