AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2016/17

him that they had been ordered to leave him
lame. José Jaime Macuane had publicly
addressed issues of political governance, the
ongoing clashes between FRELIMO and
RENAMO, the hidden debts and violations of
the right to freedom of expression. Those
responsible for the abduction and shooting
had not been identified at the end of the year.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
After the disclosure of hidden debts in April,
a demonstration was called anonymously via
text messages and social media. On 25 April,
the police announced that any unauthorized
demonstration would be repressed. On 28
and 29 April, the police reinforced their
presence in the streets of Maputo but no
demonstration took place.
In May, political parties without
parliamentary representation and civil society
organizations called for a peaceful
demonstration to protest against the country’s
hidden debts and political and military
instability. However, Maputo City Council
refused to allow the protest to take place.
João Massango, a leading member of the
Ecology Party, was one of the organizers of
this protest. On 20 May, he was the victim of
an attempted abduction and was beaten by
unidentified armed men believed to be
members of a death squad composed of
security officers in Maputo. Those
responsible for the attack had not been
identified at the end of the year.
1. Mozambique: Amnesty International welcomes commitment to
investigate extrajudicial executions, torture and other ill-treatment
(AFR 41/4449/2016)
2. Mozambique: Accused of being opposition member, shot at: Benedito
Sabão (AFR 41/4099/2016)
MYANMAR
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Head of state and government: Htin Kyaw (replaced
Thein Sein in March)
The formation of a new civilian-led
government did not lead to significant
improvements in the human rights
situation. The persecuted Rohingya minority
faced increased violence and
discrimination. Religious intolerance and
anti-Muslim sentiment intensified. Fighting
between the army and ethnic armed groups
escalated in northern Myanmar. The
government increased restrictions on access
for UN and other humanitarian agencies to
displaced communities. Although scores of
prisoners of conscience were released,
restrictions on freedoms of expression, of
association and of peaceful assembly
remained. Impunity persisted for past and
ongoing human rights violations.
BACKGROUND
Parliament convened for the first time on 1
February following the November 2015
elections in which the National League for
Democracy won a landslide victory. In March,
Htin Kyaw was elected as President and the
formal transfer of power took place the same
month. Aung San Suu Kyi remained
constitutionally barred from holding the
presidency but in April was appointed State
Counsellor, a role created especially for her,
which made her the de facto leader of the
civilian government. Despite this, the military
retained significant political power, with an
allocated 25% of seats in Parliament which
gave it a veto over constitutional changes,
and control over key ministries. The military
remained independent of civilian oversight.
DISCRIMINATION
The Rohingya minority
The situation of the Rohingya deteriorated
significantly after attacks on border police
outposts in northern Rakhine State in
October by suspected Rohingya militants.
Nine police officers were killed. Security
forces responded with a major security
operation, conducting “clearance operations”
and sealing the area, effectively barring
humanitarian organizations, media and
independent human rights monitors from
entering. Security forces were responsible for
unlawful killings, random firing on civilians,
rape and arbitrary arrests. 1 Tens of thousands
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