Burma (Myanmar): Independent and transparent investigations needed

On Wednesday – one month after the murder of the leading Muslim government advisor in Burma (Myanmar) – the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) criticized that the authorities don’t seem to be eager to resolve the case. Further, the STP demanded independent and transparent investigations into the background of the crimes. In a letter to state president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the human rights organization criticized the poor information policy of the Ministry of the Interior as a clear sign that Burma is still far from real democratization, a rule of law, and transparency of government action. Ko Ni had been murdered at Yangon Airport on January 29, 2017. The crime had gotten worldwide attention because the lawyer was a prominent critic of the country’s armed forces and of Buddhist nationalism with its “religious and racial laws” which serve to exclude Muslims and Christians.

“The background of the murder must be resolved, immediately and unconditionally! The disastrous information policy can be seen as an attempt to cover up the political motives behind the assassination attempt and the possible involvement of the military,” stated Ulrich Delius, the STP’s Asia-expert, in Göttingen. During the first press conference on the crime (on February 25), Kyaw Swe, Minister of the Interior, and Major General Zaw Win, Head of Police, had mentioned “extreme nationalism” as well as “a personal grudge” as likely motives. “The crime must be resolved – urgently! For Burma, the politically motivated murder of a prominent Muslim government adviser – and the possible involvement of the military forces – might be of an explosive nature. The country is facing increasing international criticism for the way the Muslim Rohingya minority is treated,” Delius said.

As was revealed, the assassination had been planned for at least one year, and more than 100,000 Euros were provided to recruit gunmen, to organizing gun training, and to secure escape routes. Three people – including the murderer – were arrested, and a fourth person is still wanted. Two of them are former members of the armed forces. Apparently, whoever ordered the murder had been “annoyed" about Ko Ni’s political activities and had thus decided to eliminate him, the investigators had stated laconically.

Header Photo: European Parliament via Flickr