29 November 29, 2003

We have received fresh news disclosing the Burmese military regime's obvious discrimination in education against politically affiliated people.

The case was aired by British Broadcasting Corporation (Burmese Service) in its 28 November Evening Program. A daughter of U Min Swe, an elected Member of Parliament from NLD, was forced out of her winning opportunity to further her education in Hiroshima University of Japan. He said in the interview by BBC that he believed his daughter was expelled among selected 15 candidates because of his involvement in the politics. She is a graduate in Master of Education degree and currently serving as a high school teacher.

Min Naing, in-charge person of ABFSU (FAC), said, "This is one of the apparent human rights violations by the military regime. It always tries to force the people to be away from country's struggle for democracy by creating climate of fear among the public. This case further call for the United Nations and international community at large to speed up its effort to stop the military regime's human rights violations and push it to make
substantive dialogue with the democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in order to solve the country's political and economic problems. We strongly urge the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to seriously look into this case and reassure above mentioned teacher's winning opportunity to further her education."

There were previously a number of cases like this one of the Burmese military regime's severe violations of human rights such as not issuing passport, not granting pilgrimage trip, and not giving the chance to study abroad to politically activated people.

Foreign Affairs Committee All Burma Federation of Student Unions http://www.abfsu.net