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re Medecins Sans Froniteres, Burma,
- Subject: re Medecins Sans Froniteres, Burma,
- From: cd@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 10:19:00
Subject: re Medecins Sans Froniteres, Burma, from Euro-Burmanet
Strider, please post in Burmanet News #
<hr>
Headline: Medecins Sans Frontieres: Update June 1996
Keywords: June crisis, NLD ban, National League for Democracy (NLD),
Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights, political prisoners, torture, murder,
execution, rape, Slorc abuses, refugees, MSF, Medecins Sans Frontieres,
Hlaingthayar , Shwepyitharen , Rohingyas, Karen, Mon,
Date: June 27, 1996
Source: Euro-Burmanet
Section: ebn
Rubrique: main
Euro-Burmanethas received information from the Dutch Burma desk of MSF
(Medicins sans frontieres), the international organisation of wome 3 000
volunteers working in 64 countries throughout the world. The French
section of MSF has been having a hard time with Slorc, having sent an
investigatory mission last year, whose results and approach to Slorc was
rejected last September. MSF France was forced to shut down their Rangoon
office in January. MSF France currently has five missions in Thailand,
and one on the Thai-burmese border camps to aid Karen and Mon refugees
battling malaria.
Since 1992, MSF has been active in Bangladesh, bringing aid to the
Rohingya refugees; MSF denounced forced repatriation of Rohingyas to
Burma by the Bangladesh government in a report published in January 1993.
Today, Euro-Burmanet received the following information to be soon
published in the 1995/1996 Annual Report - from the MSF Burma desk, Dutch
Section, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
For more information, please contact the MSF Burma desk manager, Jeroen
Jansen,
E-mail: hq@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(11) Burma (Myanmar)
1/ Medical facilites for minorities without rights
2/ Burma has been subject to repression and poverty for years. Daily life
is controlled by the military junta which is firmly in charge. Forty per
cent of the Burmese population belongs to one of seven eethic minorities
who are virtually without any rights: no right to full citizenship; no
right to paid work; no right to health care. In recent years, hundreds of
thousands of Burmese civilians have fled to Bangladesh and Thailand. In
1992, Burma reopened its borders after 26 years of international
isolation. In 1993, MSF started a medical aid programme for the very
poorest.
4/ Rangoon project
5/ start February 1993
" / Rangoon's townships are the direct result of the Burmese government's
'tidying mania'. Over the past years, an estimated 250,000 people have
been banished from Rangoon to former rice paddies on the far side of the
river. The townships that were erected there are flooded for half of the
year. Living conditions in this boggy area are appalling. There is little
if anymedical care, a shortage of medicines, medical supplies and clearn
drinkin water, and there are no sanitary facilities. In February 1993;
MSF started an aid project in these townships, initially focussing on
support for the small hospitals, outpataient clinics and health posts in
the townships of Hlaingthayar and Shwepyitharen and the improvement of
the water supply and sanitary facilities. Since surveys pointed to very
high sickness and mortality rates, MSF is providing essential drugs and
medical and surgical supplies, as well as training for the local health
workers. Because women and children are the most vulnerable groups in the
townships, the MSF team has set up two small mother and child care
clinics. In two feeding centers, malnourished children are given
supplementary rations. The organisation also carries out a
tuberculosis-control programme in a hospital and two health cneters and
gives information about AIDS prevention.
4/ Arakan project
5/ start January 1994
" / Because MALARIA is the MOST SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM in Arakan
Province, MSF has set up a malaria-control progrmme. Existing medical
facilities were provided with the necessary lab equipment for an accurate
and quick diagnosis of malaria. Local medical personnel are trained in
how to treat malaria patients. According to a recent MSF survey, most of
the population has become resistant to the existing drugs.
In 1996, malaria prevention and a study into the effect of other
medicines will therefore be a priority.
In 1995, many tens of thousands of Rohingyas, Burmese Muslims who fled to
Bangladesh, were forcedly repatriated. MSF wants to closely monitor the
health and living conditions of these people and to try and set up
medical provisions for this group.
This from the " 1994/95 MSF Activity Report "
Burma (The Union of Myanmar)
Context
The Burmese people continue to be victims of political repression and
international isolation. Although, in 1992, the country opened its
borders, change has been very slow in coming and the international
perception of Burma is that of a military regime which flouts universal
conventions on human rights and systematically represses its people. The
many reported cases of forced labour and child labor worry human rights
organisations. Forty percent of the population belong to one of the seven
ethnique groups in the country and, thus, havae no right to full
citizenship, income or health care. Persecution and fighting have caused
hundreds and thousands of Burmese to flee to the neigbouring countries of
Bangladesh and Thailand.
MSF Rangoon project was launched in February 1993 (and closed own this
year, in January, after a long difficult relationship with Slorc
-ed.Euro-Burmanet). The emphasis ws on making medical care accessible to
the shanty town dwellers. In the past few years, 250,000 people have been
forced by the Burmese government to move to Hlaingthayar and Shwepyithar;
two townships near the capital. Lilving conditions are abominable. Health
structures are lacking in medicine and medical material and have little
or no equipment. MSF supports
hospitals, outpatient clinics and health centres in the two townships.
An important part of the project is the registration of illness and
mortality rates. MSF supplies the necessary medicine and medical supplies
and sometimes surgical materials. Malnutrition is rife. Two feeding
centers were set up by MSF in Hlaingthayar and staff training provided.
In May 1994, MSF ran an anti-cholera campaign when the epidemic broke out
in two districts.
The Arakan project was launched in Janurary 1994. Malaraia, the country's
worst health problem, is endemic in this region which is near the border
with Bangladesh. MSF has provided existing medical structures with
necessary laboratory equipment and provided staff training.
Funding: MSF, WHO, UK Australian and Japanese governments
Expatriates: 14
This also from the Medecins Sans Frontieres Activity Report 1994-1995 :
SPEAKING OUT
Medecisns Sans Frontieres considers that speaking out on wide scale or
systematic human rights abuses to which it is a witness is an important a
part of its mission as its work in the field. There are two principal
purposes to such speaking out.
INFORMATION
In general, Medecins Sans Frontieres promotes the defence of humanitarian
principles and the right to humanitarian aid (free access to victims and
the right to control the distribution of aid). But MSF also attemps to
draw the attention of the international community to the plight of
populations in danger, particularly when they are given little media
coverage. In certain cases, MSF will encourage an international
humanitarian response (Rwanda 1995).
DENUNCIATION
Denunciation is not a tool used by MSF as a matter of course, It is its
rarity value which contributes to its effectiveness. When MSF considers
it to be in the interest of the vicims, it will denounce massive and
repeated violations of human rights and /or of humanitarian law, such as
the crime of genocide, forced movements of population, genocide, crimes
against humanity and war crimes, etc.
MSF is very aware of the ever present conflilct between giving assistance
and acting as a witness in such situations. Each case is treated
individuall as MSF weighs up the impact of witnessing against the effects
it might have in the field.
When acting as a witness in this way, all evidence and public statements
must be in agreement with the events and situations whichc are being
denounced, either because they have been experienced at first hand by
MSF, or because they involve massive violations of which MSF has
knowledge.
MSF Finances
1994 1993
Permanent expatriat posts 1239 972
Volunteers sent to the field 2950 1957
Total income $306 m* $205m
Private donors 2.4m 2.1m
* The 100% increase in budget revenue was due to the Rwanda crisis and
MSF humanitarian action there. The overall 1996 MSF budget has
significantly, and alarmingly dropped, owing to downscale operations
there.
MSF's Income in 1994
Private income: 49.4% ($151m)
European Community 24.9% ($ 76m)
UNHCR 9.6% ($ 30m)
Other funders 16.1% ($ 49m)
Spending in 1994
MSF Operations accounted for 87% of total spending, Administration costs
5%, and Communications and Fundraising, 8%.
MSF, founded in 1971 during the Biafra famine catastrophe in Nigeria, is
organised as a network made up of six operational centers (sections),
thirteen delegate offices in Europe, North America, Asia and the
Brussels-based International Office. Six operational centers arae based
in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Geneva, Luxembourg and Paris. During
emergencies, or cmajor cirises, the operational centers combine forces,
recruiting and dispatching volunteers as well as coordinating logistical
support and finances.
Each section is run by a President and a General Director. The Board of
Directors of each section is composed of volunteers. It outlines the
section's strategy.
An International Council is a quarterly meeting of the Presidents and
General Directors of the six operational centers and the Director of the
International Office. It outlines the main strategic orientations of the
MSF movement.
Members of the International Council are:
Dr. Martleen Boelaert and Dr. Eric Goemaere (MSF Belgium)
Dr. Philippe Biberson and Dr. Bernard Pecoul (MSF France)
Dr. Carlo Faber and Dr. Bechara Ziade (MSF Luxembourg)
Dr. Hans Emas and Dr. Jacques de Millano (MSF Holland)
Dr. Pilar Carrasco and Dr. Paco Sanchez (MSF Spain)
Dr. Doris Schopper and Dr. Benoit Tullen (MSF Switzerland)
Dr. Jean-Marie Kindermans (MSF International Office)
MSF Contact Numbers
Operational Centers
Dr. Hans Emas
Dr. Jacques de Millano
MSF Holland
Artsen Zonder Grenzen
Max Euweplein 40, PO Box 10014
1001 EA Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel 31 20 5208 700
fax 31 20 6205 170/72
Dr. Martleen Boelaert and Dr. Eric Goemaere
MSF
Artsen Zonder Grenzen
Rue Dupre, 94
1090 Brussels
Belgium
Dr. Philippe Biberson
Dr. Bernard Pecoul
MSF France
8, rue Saint-Sabin
75011 Paris
tel 33 1 40 21 2929
fax 33 1 48 06 6868
International Office / UN Liason Office
Catherine Harper
MSF
11 E. 26th Street
Suite 1904
NY, NY 10010
USA
tel 212 679 6800
fax 212 679 7016
Delegate Offices
Australia, Dr. Peter Hakewill, MSF, 28 Levey Street, Chippendale, Sydney
NSW 2008,
tel 61 2 319 3500
fax 61 2 319 2383
Delegate offices also in the following countries:
Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan,
Norway, Sweden, UK, USA
Euro-Burmanet
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