Women, Peace, and Security News archive: SE Asia & the Pacific
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2007 Asia & Pacific News Archive

Philippines: Filipina executive elevates rape case to UN
December 03, 2007- (Inquirer) It was the sight of her eleven-year-old daughter that convinced Karen Verdito to seek justice for her rape 11 years ago. Now, the injustice faced by other victims of sexual assault has driven her to seek the intervention of the United Nations.

Burma: Violence against Women Serious Problem in Burma
November 28, 2007 – (The Irrawaddy) Burmese authorities keep a careful watch on the home of Tar Tar and monitor her daily activities when she leaves her house. Pro-junta supporters stand around on the street corners of her neighborhood.

Burma: US Wants UN to Investigate Reports of Rape by Burmese Army
October 17, 2007 - (The Irrawaddy) Saying the Burmese military is using rape as an instrument of systematic repression against ethnic minorities, the US on Tuesday urged the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to conduct an investigation into such cases.

Burma: The women of Burma have always been a force to reckon with
October 5, 2007 - (The Irrawaddy) As the mother of a four-month-old baby, Nilar Thein should be at home now, caring for her little daughter. Instead, she’s a fugitive with a price on her head, in hiding from Burmese government forces desperate to silence her and other outspoken activists.

Burma: Women Activists in Hiding
September 27, 2007 – (The Irrawaddy) Among the Burmese pro-democracy activists in hiding are many courageous and committed women who have played leading roles in the recent demonstrations against sharp price increases in fuel, which began on Aug 19. Authorities have been hunting down at least two dozen activists.

Burma: Freedom for Burma - China is propping up another despotic regime
September 26, 2007 (The Wall Street Journal) With tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators bravely protesting on the streets of Burma, the world's attention has finally turned to that Southeast Asian country and the brutal military dictatorship that controls it.

Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi appears at protest in Burma
September 23, 2007 – (Telegraph.co.uk) A Buddhist monk in Burma has described how Aung San Suu Kyi came out of her home and paid her respects to monks protesting against the ruling military junta.

Burma: Nobel Women’s Initiative- The Nobel Women’s Initiative condemns Burma arrests
September 1, 2007 – (Burmanet.org) The Nobel Women’s Initiative condemns the Burmese government for its continued suppression of the democratic rights of its citizens and calls for the immediate release of all protestors arrested for participating in demonstrations against the regime’s exorbitant increase in fuel prices. It is unacceptable that the citizens of Burma be denied the right to free speech and peaceful protest.

Burma: Women's groups in exile lambast Burmese junta
August 29, 2007 - (Mizzima News) Burmese women's groups in exile today came own heavily on the Burmese military junta and condemned it for the brutal crackdown and abusive treatment of peaceful protesters, particularly women.

Burma: Arakanese activist receives Yayori award-Saw Yan Naing
August 21, 2007 – (Burmanet.org) An ethnic Arakanese human rights activist in Bangladesh has been named the third Yayori Award recipient by Japan-based women’s rights groups. Saw Mra Raza Linn, the chairperson of the Rakhaing (Arakan) Womens Union and a member of the Women’s League of Burma was awarded the prize for her consistent contributions to and energetic support of peace and democracy in Burma, and her efforts to oppose human rights violations and violence towards women and children.

Fiji: Gender violence common in Fiji
August 15, 2007 - (Fiji Times) The cases of gender-based violence are most prominent in Fiji compared to other Pacific islands, says Doctor Wame Baravilala, UNFPA's adviser in reproductive health.

PhiliPpines: Women peace activists call for renewed talks with MILF
August 13, 2007 - (www.inquirer.net) At the end of their four-day peace and solidarity mission, women peace activists from the Asia-Pacific region on Monday called for the resumption of peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

PhiliPpines: Int’l women's group to hold peace mission in Basilan
August 08, 2007 - (Sun.Star Zamboanga) A group of foreign women leaders, representing various women's rights and advocates associations in the Asia Pacific region, will visit Basilan on August 10 to 12, 2007. Dubbed as the "International Women's Peace Mission to Basilan," the mission aims to check the well-being of women and children in Basilan who are affected by the ongoing military operations there.

Burma: Burma Army continues to rape and kill as national convention re-convenes
July 20, 2007 - (Asian Tribune) Rape, torture, forced labour and killings continue in Burma as the military regime this week re-convened its National Convention to draft a constitution for the country.

PhiliPpines: Female peace activist killed inside her hut
June 28, 2007 - (Manila Standard Today) A communist sympathizer turned peace advocate was shot and killed by armed men believed to be communist guerrillas in Quezon province Monday night, her group said yesterday.

Solomon Islands: Guadalcanal woman Ms Apollonia Bola Talo Winner of the Secretary of State Award
June 21, 2007 - (People First Network) The Embassy of the United States of America in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea announced Ms. Apollonia Bola Talo, Director of Voluntary Services for NGOs and the National Council of Women, is Solomon Islands’ National winner of the Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage.

FIJI: Rights abuses worry women
June 18, 2007 - (The Fiji Times Online) WOMEN and children cannot be expected to make contributions towards the restoration of parliamentary democracy in an environment where people are fearful because of the continued abuse of human rights, says the National Council of Women.

Timor-Leste: ‘I Can’ Campaign Celebrates Women’s Political Potential in Timor-Leste
June 11, 2007 - (UNIFEM) Continuing the commitment to women's participation in all spheres of public life in Timor-Leste, UNIFEM has launched the Hau Bele ("I Can") campaign. This campaign, directed at women's empowerment, will coincide with Timor-Leste's parliamentary election period, yet its relevance reaches far beyond the country's Election Day, 30 June 2007.

Fiji: Independent Technical Assessment of Fiji election timetable
May 11, 2007 - (femLINKPACIFIC) The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat today announced that a team has been engaged to carry out an independent technical assessment of Fiji’s election timetable.

Indonesia: Women shut out of peace building
May 02, 2007 – (The Jakarta Post) Experts on peace, women and religious affairs said Tuesday that women's roles in peace negotiations, and even in day-to-day activities, are still not recognized, especially for women living in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province.

Bouganville: Enduring Police Brutality
April 11, 2007 - (SAHRDC) In 2005 and 2006, human rights organisations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued reports condemning the widespread and routine use of violence by police in PNG. The reports detailed that detainees, including women and children, are being subjected to torture, rape and other forms of violence while in police custody. Failing to use internal or legal instruments to bring police to account, victims are rarely provided with redress.

Burma: Burmese army using rape to terrorise villagers, says report
April 2, 2007 – (Guardian Unlimited) Sharon, a Chin woman who escaped to India after being raped by Burmese soldiers. Rape is being used as a "weapon" to terrorise villagers in Burma leading to a refugee influx in neighbouring India, a new report claims.India, a new report claims .

Burma: International Women's Day-Burma
March 7, 2007 - (Refugees International)The widespread rape of ethnic women and girls by Burmese soldiers is a well-known and well-documented problem. Refugees International’s report, No Safe Place: Burma’s Army and the Rape of Ethnic Women focused on the problem in 2003. Since then, violations against ethnic women continue.

Cambodia: Girl, 6, embodies Cambodia's sex industry
January 26, 2007 - (CNN) At an age when most children might be preparing for their first day of school, Srey, 6, already has undergone trauma that is almost unspeakable. She was sold to a brothel by her parents when she was 5. It is not known how much her family got for Srey, but other girls talk of being sold for $100; one was sold for $10. Before she was rescued, Srey endured months of abuse at the hands of pimps and sex tourists.

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