Khun Bedu
Encyclopedia
Khun Bedu is an ethnically Karenni Burmese political activist, currently imprisoned for organizing protests against the 2008 Constitutional Referendum
.
In 2008, the State Peace and Development Council
, Burma's military government, announced a referendum for a new constitution which guaranteed that one quarter of all parliamentary seats would be reserved for military officers, that the Ministry of Home Affairs would fall exclusively under military control, and that Burmese citizens married to foreigners would be ineligible for office, apparently disqualifying leading opposition figure and Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
. Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy
, called on eligible citizens to vote "no" in the referedum, and claimed their campaign was violently suppressed by government officials as a result.
and Demo Soe, Kayah State
. On 27 April, the words "no" and "vote no" began to appear on government signs, and on 30 April, group members sprayed a large "X" on a sign by the Loikaw city hall reading "To be a prosperous and developed nation, let’s support the referendum". The protesters also released balloons with attached signs reading "no", sent rafts from banana tree wood or bathing cups floating down the Beluchong River with small flags reading "vote no", and distributed copies of the video of the lavish wedding of Than Shwe
's daughter.
On 10 May 2008, authorities arrested Khun Bedu, Khun Kawrio, and Khun Dee De and charged them with organizing the protests against the state. Amnesty International
reported that the men were then tortured for fifteen days, with the techniques including beatings by guards, forced kneeling on stones, suffocation with plastic bags, waterboarding
, and prolonged exposure to hostile weather. Khun Bedu and Khun Kawrio were sentenced to 37 years of imprisonment apiece, and Khun Dee De to 35 years.
. Amnesty International
considers him a prisoner of conscience
and called for his immediate release. The British ambassador to Burma reportedly also pressed the government to release Khun Bedu.
In 2010, British
Shadow
Treasury Minister
David Hanson
spoke out on behalf of Khun Bedu and other Burmese political prisoners, stating that "Just days before the Burmese elections I want to show my support for those political prisoners who are unfairly imprisoned purely for speaking out against an unjust regime ... We must not forget them and must each do our bit to remind the world of their plight."
Burmese constitutional referendum, 2008
A constitutional referendum was held in Burma on 10 May 2008 according to an announcement by the State Peace and Development Council in February 2008. According to the military government, the new Constitution of Burma will ensure the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy"...
.
Involvement in protests
In 2004, Khun Bedu joined the human rights group Kayan New Generation Youth (KNGY). He was appointed the group's joint secretary on 12 August 2007. In this role, he led trainings on human rights issues, community organizing, constitutional issues, and election systems.In 2008, the State Peace and Development Council
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
, Burma's military government, announced a referendum for a new constitution which guaranteed that one quarter of all parliamentary seats would be reserved for military officers, that the Ministry of Home Affairs would fall exclusively under military control, and that Burmese citizens married to foreigners would be ineligible for office, apparently disqualifying leading opposition figure and Nobel
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
. Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
, called on eligible citizens to vote "no" in the referedum, and claimed their campaign was violently suppressed by government officials as a result.
Arrest and imprisonment
The KNGY human rights group also announced its opposition to the referendum. Khun Bedu, along with Khun Kawrio and Khun Dee De, reportedly organized members to protest the vote in LoikawLoikaw
Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State in Burma . It is located near the State's northern tip, just above an embayment on the Pilu River. The inhabitants are mostly Kayah...
and Demo Soe, Kayah State
Kayah State
Kayah State is a state of Myanmar. Situated in eastern Myanmar, it is bounded on the north by Shan State, on the east by Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, and on the south and west by Kayin State. It lies approximately between 18° 30' and 19° 55' north latitude and between 94°40' and 97° 93' east...
. On 27 April, the words "no" and "vote no" began to appear on government signs, and on 30 April, group members sprayed a large "X" on a sign by the Loikaw city hall reading "To be a prosperous and developed nation, let’s support the referendum". The protesters also released balloons with attached signs reading "no", sent rafts from banana tree wood or bathing cups floating down the Beluchong River with small flags reading "vote no", and distributed copies of the video of the lavish wedding of Than Shwe
Than Shwe
Senior General Than Shwe is a Burmese military leader and politician who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011. During the period, he held key positions of power including commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and head of Union Solidarity and...
's daughter.
On 10 May 2008, authorities arrested Khun Bedu, Khun Kawrio, and Khun Dee De and charged them with organizing the protests against the state. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
reported that the men were then tortured for fifteen days, with the techniques including beatings by guards, forced kneeling on stones, suffocation with plastic bags, waterboarding
Waterboarding
Waterboarding is a form of torture in which water is poured over the face of an immobilized captive, thus causing the individual to experience the sensation of drowning...
, and prolonged exposure to hostile weather. Khun Bedu and Khun Kawrio were sentenced to 37 years of imprisonment apiece, and Khun Dee De to 35 years.
International attention
Khun Bedu is currently serving his sentence in Taungoo prison of Bago DivisionBago Division
Bago Region is an administrative region of Burma, located in the southern central part of the country. It is bordered by Magway Region and Mandalay Region to the north; Kayin State, Mon State and the Gulf of Martaban to the east; Yangon Region to the south and Ayeyarwady Region and Rakhine State...
. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
considers him a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
and called for his immediate release. The British ambassador to Burma reportedly also pressed the government to release Khun Bedu.
In 2010, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Shadow
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
Treasury Minister
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
David Hanson
David Hanson (politician)
David George Hanson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Delyn since 1992. He was the Minister of State for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing from 2009 to 2010...
spoke out on behalf of Khun Bedu and other Burmese political prisoners, stating that "Just days before the Burmese elections I want to show my support for those political prisoners who are unfairly imprisoned purely for speaking out against an unjust regime ... We must not forget them and must each do our bit to remind the world of their plight."