People’s Movement Committee Against Military Dictatorship ( PMCAMD )
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Date . 15. 10. 2010

Subject: To support the US led effort to establish UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate

crimes against humanity/war crimes in Burma.

Firstly, we are very grateful to the Japanese Government for its relentless efforts to restore freedom
and democracy in Burma. We have learnt Japan is contemplating reducing humanitarian assistance
to Myanmar (Burma) in response to the military junta’s brutal crackdown on anti-government
protesters that led to the shooting death of a Japanese photo journalist.
We appreciate Japan’s new government call on the Burmese regime to guarantee a free and fair
election in 2010, and Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada’s call on Burmese foreign minister Nyan
Win to release all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, prior to the polls on
November 7th coming.
Japanese embassy officials in Rangoon meeting with U Win Tin, one of the top leaders of the
opposition ational League for Democracy was helpful as well.
It is quite obvious the newly elected Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is taking a more active role
in promoting democratization in Burma. The DPJ has been a strong supporter of the Burmese
democracy movement, unlike its predecessor, the Liberal Democratic Party, which rarely criticized
the Burmese junta.
Also, Japan’s recent agreement to receive 90 Burmese refugees is a positive sign for our opposition
alliances to believe that Japan is pushing forward Burma’s democratization process further and in
the right direction.
We urge the Japanese Government to support the establishment of a United ations Commission
of Inquiry and investigate crimes against humanity/war crimes taking place in Burma. We believe
such a commission would help convince Burma’s military regime that we are serious about our
commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Burma.
In March 2010, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma Mr. Tomás Ojea Quintana
had recommended that the UN consider establishing a Commission of Inquiry to investigate “gross
and systematic” human rights abuses in Burma.
Following Mr. Quintana’s recommendation, 11 countries endorsed the establishment of a UN
Commission of Inquiry on crimes against humanity/ war crimes in Burma; such a commission
would open a door for victims’ rights to truth and justice and also prevent/discourage more crimes
from being perpetrated further.
In the six-month period since the SPDC published the election laws in March, the following SPDC
crimes against humanity/war crimes have been documented:
• At least 15 extrajudicial killings.
• Systematic use of forced labor in ethnic areas.
• Six hundred people were forcibly displaced in military attacks that targeted civilians.
• At least 14 people subjected to arbitrary imprisonment.
• The continued use of torture.
• At least eight cases of rape and sexual violence.
• Systematic persecution of Rohingya communities.
• At least two children were recruited as child soldiers, and another child was killed for resisting.

Also, two youths were executed by the army personnel in Pegu last September 4 th. And all local
men folk in Hle’-gu near Pegu were subjected to severe beatings by armed military personnel.
A number of reports have documented a consistent pattern of human rights abuses by the regime in
Burma which needed to be addressed:
- the use of child soldiers,
- the destruction of villages and the displacement of ethnic minorities
- the use of rape as a weapon of war,
- extrajudicial killings,
- forced relocation and
- forced labor amongst many.

These abuses have exacerbated the regime’s intention to hold elections in 2010 based on a
constitution which preempts the participation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for
Democracy, political prisoners, religious clergy and ethnic nationalities.
President Obama stated in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech: “When there is genocide in
Darfur; systematic rape in Congo; or repression in Burma — there must be consequences. And
the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed
intervention and complicity in oppression.”
Also the European Union has called on the regime to hold a 2010 Burmese election within “a
credible, transparent and inclusive process, based on international standards” and EU Council
called for the release of all political prisoners including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The EU has stated its firm position on the 2010 elections and member states have renewed their
perennial call for the immediate release of all political prisoners, especially opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi in addition "to take the steps necessary to make the planned 2010 elections a
credible, transparent and inclusive process in line with international standards”.
The United Kingdom, France, Canada, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, etherlands, the
United States, Australia and ew Zealand have stated their support for the establishment of a
Commission of Inquiry in Burma already.
Hence, we call on the Japanese Government to support the establishment of Commission of
Inquiry to investigate on crimes against humanity/war crimes on the military regime at
aypyidaw, Burma.
We appreciate your attention on this matter and look forward to your positive response as well.

People’s Movement Committee Against Military Dictatorship ( PMCAMD )

1. 2010 People’s Movement Committee (Inland Burma)
2. 88 Generation Students (Exile)
3. All Burma Young Monks Union (ABYMU)
 4. All Burma Students Federation Union (ABSFU)
5. Overseas National Students’ Organization of Burma (ONSOB –HQ)
6. Overseas National Students’ Organization of Burma (ONSOB – Thailand)
7. Burmese Democratic Community (The Netherlands)
8. Burmese Democratic Forces (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA)
9. Burmese Democratic Forces (West Virginia, USA)
10. Burmese Democratic Forces (Singapore)
11. Association of Burmese Students (San Francisco Bay, USA)
12. Arakan League for Democracy (Exile)
13. Democratic Veterans (Burma)
14. National Democratic Human Rights Party (HQ) USA
15. Student Youths Organization (Upper Burma)
16. National Liberation Front (Inland Burma)
17. All Burma Monks Representative Committee (ABMRC)
18. World Arakan Foundation (WAF)
19. Triple Color (Japan)
20. Religion Defender Front
21. Burmese Refugee Helping Bureau (BRHB)
22. Arakan League for Democracy (Thailand)
23. Rakhine Patriotic Literacy Committee (RPLC)
24. Association of Burmese Ex-Prisoners (ABEP)
25. Burmese Students' Democratic Organization (Canada)

Contact Ø
Ashin Thavara (+91) 9953208002 J Aung Myint Htun ( 260 ) 249 7189 J Tay Za Thura (+45) 50 15
75 02 J Htun Htun ( 503 ) 334 9997 J Myat Thiha (+31) 61603181 J Khaing Aung Kyaw ( 347 ) 329
0617

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