Mon State lawyers have organised a “yellow ribbon” campaign to protest against the recent appointment of former military officers to judicial positions in Burma’s Supreme Court.
According to lawyer Daw Aye Aye Moth, lawyers in Myanmar started the yellow ribbon campaign for two reasons.
First, they want to voice their disagreement with the appointment of military officers to top positions to serve in the Supreme Court. Secondly, they oppose the widespread negative criticism lawyers are facing on Facebook.
Daw Aye Aye Moth said: “The civilians have to start from step-4. They have to attend training and pass [exams] to get promotion. They can only take [exams for] promotion if they have [worked] for the required amount of time and have [the required] qualifications. But now, those who are vice director generals and director generals with 30 years of work experience cannot do anything. That is not compatible with the rules and laws.”
She also said that although in the past former military officers were appointed to the judiciary, there were not that many of them. However after 2010, military officers came into positions at the top-level of the union supreme court. Now, lawyers from Mon State are standing by and paying close attentions to the activities and campaigns organised by lawyers from Rangoon and Naypyitaw. The Mon State lawyers also have plans to conduct protest campaigns.
There will be various difficulties when it comes to contesting legal suits because former military officers have been appointed to the top positions. This also causes a major barrier to professional lawyers.
Daw Aye Aye Moth said: “Even [some] current lawyers, who graduated with law and also joined law training, make mistakes. The law is very complex and even current lawyers make mistakes. So, no matter how smart they are, text-book knowledge and actual experience are not the same.”
On 10 September, a small yellow ribbon campaign was organised in Moulmein, the Mon State capital. The lawyers association in Mon State is also planning to organise another campaign.
Lawyer Ko Hte Hein said: “Now, I have received the yellow ribbons I will share the ribbons out on when I next go to work. Because we are in a rural city, some lawyers are not very interested in this case.”
On Friday morning, in opposition to the appointment of military officers to judicial positions, lawyers in Yangon at Myanmar Media Lawyers Network’s office placed yellow ribbons on their work desks and attached them to their jackets.
Lawyers in cities across Myanmar began Yellow Ribbon campaigns after the recent appointment of 20 former military officers as vice director generals at the Naypyitaw Union Supreme Court.
Reported by Khitar Non
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
