The Myanmar Human Rights Commission (MHRC) will set up sub-commissions in states across the country, according to chairperson Win Mya.
Published on Monday, 06 October 2014 06:55
The Myanmar Human Rights Commission (MHRC) will set up sub-commissions in states across the country, according to chairperson Win Mya.
The MHRC was formed in September 2011 and got a rejig in late September to conform with the Myanmar Human Rights Commission Law, which was passed by the Union Parliament in March. The newly formed commission now has more power to deal with human rights issues.
Win Mya said: “So far, the MHRC has received over 7,000 complaints over three years. The commission received many complaints shortly after its inception. And we have received 20-25 complaints on average per day since then. But there were fewer complaints later.
“Since its inception, the commission has been able to draw more attention from the people. And it cannot be said that people have lost interest in this matter due to the decreasing number of complaints. We hold daily meetings to deal with these complaints. Then, we have to submit our reports to the government.
“According to this complaint mechanism, we are not seeking answers to problems by legal means. We serve as a mediator … We find a solution to the problem while giving advice to people. For instance, we inform a government department about the problem. We cannot force them to answer it. We can find a solution to the problem only when they cooperate. Critics alone cannot seek a solution. We try to get a solution to problems through mutual cooperation and understanding,” he said.
Thanks to the MHRC’s efforts, some cases have reached agreement. Under the Myanmar Human Rights Commission Law, the commission can form sub-commissions.
The MHRC has undertaken public education programmes in 38 townships. Currently, it is conducting human rights training courses for government officials in seven states. This programme will go on till the end of this year.
Knowledge dissemination focuses on the universal declaration on human rights, ways to provide humanitarian assistance and deal with human rights issues in areas affected by conflict, plus human rights law.
The commission also investigates unreported cases.
