[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282995__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"282995","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/282995","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282995__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282995__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__282995__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003E(Rangoon) \u2013 Burma is in the middle of an enthusiastic election campaign, with party signs all over Rangoon. But one party, the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP), has no billboards. Its office \u2013 unlike the frenzy in the bigger parties \u2013 is almost empty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/26452\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/nov_3_pix.jpg?itok=Dh0Z9joj 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/nov_3_pix.jpg?itok=Zo5-iuwn 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/nov_3_pix.jpg?itok=Zo5-iuwn\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022850\u0022 alt=\u0022Candidates from the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP). \u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003ECandidates from the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP).\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2015 Human Rights Watch\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EEighteen people had hoped to stand as candidates for the DHRP, but 15 were disqualified by the Union Election Commission (UEC) under sections 8(a) and 10(e) of the elections laws. Section 8(a) disqualifies a candidate if their parents were not citizens when the candidate was born. Section 10(e) stipulates that a candidate should have lived in the country for the past 10 years continuously.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat do all these people have in common? They are Muslims.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMost Muslim candidates in Burma have been excluded because of discriminatory citizenship laws. It is not just candidates that are disqualified. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim voters, most of whom had been able to vote in elections five years ago, have now been removed from the voter lists.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause it is unsafe, one of the DHRP\u2019s three approved candidates, Khin Zaw Myint, has not been to his constituency in Maungdaw since he filed the papers for his candidacy\u2014and even then, unlike his competitors, he had to request security. There are only 23,813 eligible voters left in his constituency because a chunk of the electorate are disenfranchised Rohingya Muslims. \u201cThe problem is that the voters that would support me don\u2019t have their name on the voter list,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EHe would still like to campaign. \u201cI want to ask the voters to help me resolve the problems in Rakhine state, tell them that we can work together to overcome the situation, ensure peaceful co-existence of our communities, and bring development.\u201d But his competitors have already threatened to protest if he shows up. He says this is unfair. \u201cIf the UEC says there will be a free and fair election, why are they not ensuring that I can campaign?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe DHRP is not new to politics. Its founder, Kyaw Min, won a seat in the 1990 election. After the election results were annulled by the military, he joined the Committee Representing the People\u0027s Parliament led by Aung San Su Kyi. In 2005, he, his wife and their three children were arrested. They spent seven years in prison until they were released under a 2012 amnesty for political prisoners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-left embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--left\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/26451\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/nov_3_2.jpg?itok=T0m30KvQ 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/nov_3_2.jpg?itok=zgJHRYiI 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2015\/nov_3_2.jpg?itok=zgJHRYiI\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022850\u0022 alt=\u0022Khin Zaw Myint, a candidate for the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP). \u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003EKhin Zaw Myint, a candidate for the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP).\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2015 Human Rights Watch\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ERohingyas like Kyaw Min have long been part of Burmese politics. Their exclusion now is linked to the racist Buddhist nationalist movement led by the Ma Ba Tha, which demonizes Muslims and wants then evicted from Burma as illegal immigrants. The campaign has gained such strength that the term \u201cRohingya\u201d is barely mentioned, even by Aung San Su Kyi. President Thein Sein used the term in a meeting with Human Rights Watch in February 2014, but under pressure from the Ma Ba Tha and others he and his government have claimed that the Rohingya do not exist and angrily attack those who use the term. When the DHRP first filed for registration, they wanted to be called the Rohingya Democracy and Human Rights Party. They were refused.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EKyu Kyu Win, another DHRP candidate, is preparing for her first car rally to seek votes for the regional constituency in Yangon before campaigning ends. Until now, she has restricted her efforts to door-to-door meetings, distributing flyers. She was a little nervous. \u201cI hope no one throws any stones,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite the risks and the flawed election process, however, the DHRP wants to take part. They believe that political representation is the only way to protect minority rights and end the campaign of religious hatred. \u201cThey say so many terrible things about us. Monks make hate speeches against Muslims. They say we are Al Qaeda,\u201d said party secretary Kyaw Soe Aung, a political prisoner for 11 years. \u201cWith such suppression, people can be tempted. Al Qaeda can come. That is why we want to take part in the elections. We have to show that Muslims are peaceful and want to help the country. We have only one weapon. Our prayers to Allah.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]