Mingalabar, welcome to the first edition of Doh Athan.
In our first Burmese language episode we will explain to you what human rights are, whether they exist in Myanmar and how they affect your life.
You will hear opinions from the public, rights experts and what State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi recently told the World about human rights in Myanmar.
We will also look at how the international community and the Myanmar government define human rights. Click the links below to listen on either Soundcloud or YouTube.
Thank you for listening.
English transcript
Win Zar Ni Aung: Mingalabar, welcome to Doh Athan, a new weekly Human Rights podcast from Frontier Myanmar, I am Zar Ni.
Our pioneering audio programme, the first of its kind in Myanmar, will give the opportunity to show a spotlight on human rights issues that affect people across the beautiful country.
In our first episode we will explain what human rights are and how they affect your life.
You will hear opinions among public and the views of human rights experts in Myanmar.
We will also look at how the international community and the Myanmar government both define what human rights are.
And we will hear what State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi recently told the world about human rights in Myanmar.
In a speech in Nay Pyi Taw last month, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said: “We have never been soft on human rights in this country. Our government has emerged as a body committed to the defence of human rights. Not of any particular community rights, but of the rights of all human beings within the border of our country.”
But what exactly are human rights? Doh Athan asked a number of people that question:
U Myo Aung: Human rights are providing not only the rights for me but also for others. Most people say like that in short.
Daw Khin Swe Myint: I have heard the words “human rights”, but I don’t know about it definitely.
Ma Htet Htet: How I understand about human rights, ugh it is hard to say. The thing I know is even the colour, the religions, and the standard whether you are rich or poor, everyone has their own rights.
Ko Nyi Nyi: I have heard the word “human rights” on TV and radio. But, I don’t really know what the human rights are.
Win Zar Ni Aung: As you’ve heard, Daw Suu mentioned in her speech that their government has emerged to protect human rights. But, there is still a question in peoples’ minds.
So how do the authorities define what human rights are?
The United Nations states that rights are essential to all human beings regardless of their nationality, where we live, gender, national or ethnic origin, skin colour, religion, language or whether you are rich or poor.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed by the UN General Assembly in Paris in 1948 as a consequence of the Second World War. Myanmar was one of the first countries to sign up to the declaration.
In Myanmar, there is no specific official definition for human rights. However, the constitution says the state recognizes the human rights of citizens like the right to health and education and a fair trial.
It also stipulates that Myanmar will abide by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Myanmar also has a National Human Rights Commission, which has the power to investigate the violations of constitutional rights.
To make it even clearer, we’ve spoken to human rights experts in Myanmar.
Cherry Zahau, a Yangon-based human rights activist, said the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights shows that everyone has the right to recognition in Myanmar no matter who they are.
U Win Mra, chairman of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission said these rights are important to the development of our country.
Nickey Diamond of human rights organisation Fortify Rights said that the concept of human rights is wide ranging and critical to the happiness of people.
As you have heard, human rights is a complex issue – especially in Myanmar.
It is not just conflict areas that are affected by human rights.
Everyone in Myanmar has the right to a standard of living that is adequate for their health and for the well-being of their family. This includes food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services.
Human rights also include access to education, the right to a fair trial and equality no matter your background.
Next week we will discuss whether human rights in Myanmar have changed in the last two years under the NLD government.
We hope you enjoyed the first edition of Doh Athan.
This programme was put together this week by Zar Ni and Htet Htet.
You can read the above-mentioned news and other interesting articles via Frontier Myanmar’s website and Facebook pages and you can share your thoughts on these pages freely.
Please stay tuned for next Wednesday’s episode which can be found on Frontier’s website and Facebook pages.
The project to support human rights reporting is a partnership between Frontier Myanmar and Fondation Hirondelle, funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Myanmar.
Thanks for staying with us while broadcasting. Have a nice day.
