ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

 

 Acronyms

 

AAPP                               

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners

AAPPB                             

Assistance Association of Political Prisoners- Burma
AASYC All Arakan Students and Youth Congress

ABFSU  

All Burma Federation of Student Unions
ABFSU-FAC  All Burma Federation of Student Unions – Foreign Affairs Committee

ABMU                              

All Burma Muslim Union

ABSDF                             

All Burma Students’ Democratic Front

ABSFU                             

All Burma Federation of Student Unions

ADSL                               

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
AFP Agence France Presse
AHRC Asian Human Rights Commission

AIDS   

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AIR

All India Radio

ALA Arakan Liberation Army
ALD Arakan League for Democracy
ALP Arakan Liberation Party
ALRC Asian Legal Resource Center
AP Associated Press
APFWLD Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
ARNO Arakan Rohingya National Organization
ARV Anti-retroviral treatment
ASEAN Association of South-East Asian Nations
BAD Border Area Development
BBC Burma Border Consortium

BBC                                 

British Broadcasting Corporation

BCN                                 

Burma Centrum Nederlands

BERG                               

Burma Ethnic Research Group

BESU                               

Basic Education Student Union
BI Burma Issues
BLC Burma Lawyers Council
BLSO Burma Labor Solidarity Organization
BMA Burma Media Alliance
BMA Burmese Media Association
BSI Bureau of Special Investigation
BSPP Burmese Socialist Program Party
BWU Burmese Women’s Union
CAD Culture and Arts Developers
CATW Coalition against Trafficking in Women
CBC Calvary Baptist Church 
CD Compact Disk
CEC Central Executive Committee
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CESCR Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
CHRF Chin Human Rights Foundation 
CHRO Chin Human Rights Organization
CICC Center for the International Cooperation for Computerization
CID Criminal Investigations Department
CIDKP Committee for Internally Displaced Karen Persons
CNF Chin National Front
COMMIT Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking
CPB Communist Party of Burma
CPJ Committee to Protect Journalists
COMMIT Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking
CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child
CSW Christian Solidarity Worldwide
CU Cultural University
DAB Democratic Alliance of Burma
DDSI Directorate of Defense Services Intelligence
DKBA Democratic Karen Buddhist Army
DPDC District Peace and Development Council
DPNS Democratic Party for a New Society
DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid
DOTS Directly Observed Treatment Short Course
DPDC District Peace and Development Council
DPNS Democratic Party for A New Society
DSI Defence Service Intelligence
DVB Democratic Voice of Burma
ECS Economic Cooperation Strategy
ENC Ethnic Nationalities Council
EP Employee Pass
ERI EarthRights International
ESCAP

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

EU European Union
E-visa Electronic Visa
FBR Free Burma Rangers
FEC Foreign Exchange Certificates
FOT Field Observation Team
FRC Foreign Resident Card
FTI Federation of Thai Industries
FTUB Federation of Trade Unions – Burma
FTUK Free Trade Unions-Kawthoolei
GAIL

Gas Authority India Ltd.

GBA Gankaw Baptist Association
GDP Gross Domestic Product
HQ

Head Quarters

HRDU Human Rights Documentation Unit
HREIB Human Rights Education Institute of Burma
HRP Hongsowatoi Restoration Party
HRW

Human Rights Watch

HURFOM Human Rights Foundation of Monland
IB Infantry Battalion
ICFTU International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
ICG

International Crisis Group

ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross
ICT Information and Communication Technology
ID

Identity

IDC Immigration Detention Centers
IDP

Internally Displaced Persons

ILO International Labour Organization
IMNA Independent Mon News Agency
INGO International Non Governmental Organization
IOM International Organization for Migration
IRD Internal Revenue Department
IT Information Technology
ITBMU International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University
KB Kanbawza Bank
KCBA Kuki Chin Baptist Association
KDA Kachin Defence Army
KHRG Karen Human Rights Group
KIA

Kachin Independence Army

KIC Karen Information Committee
KIO Kachin Independence Organization
KNA Karen National Association
KnA

Karenni Army

KNAHR Karenni News Agency for Human Rights
KNDA Karenni National Defence Army
KNG

Kayan National Guard

KNLA Karen National Liberation Army
KNLP Kayan New Land Party
KNPLF Karenni National People’s Liberation Front
KNPP Karenni National Progressive Party
KnSO Karenni National Solidarity Organization
KNU

Karen National Union

KORD Karen Office for Relief and Development
KRC

Karen Relief Committee

KSDP Karenni Student Development Program
KSWC Karenni Social Welfare Committee
KVTBA Kabaw Valley Thadou Baptist Association
KWO Karen Women’s Organization
LDF

Lahu Democratic Front

LIB

Light Infantry Battalion

LID Light Infantry Division
LNO Lahu National Organization
LPO Labor Protection Office
MAMD

Mon Army, Mergui District

MAN Muslim Agency for News
MANA

Myanmar Anti-Narcotic Association

MAP Migrant Assistance Program Foundation
MART Myanmar Agricultural Produce Trade
MAS Military Affairs Security
MCWA Maternal and Child Welfare Association
MI Military Intelligence
MMA Myanmar Medical Association
MMCWA Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association
MNA Myanmar Nurses Association
MNDAA Myanmar National Democracy Alliance Army (MNDAA-Kokang)
NCGUB National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
MNLA

Mon National Liberation Army

MOB Myanmar Oriental Bank
MOGE Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise
MOI Thai Ministry of the Interior
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MP Member of Parliament
MRA Monland Restoration Army
MRC

Myanmar Red Cross

MSF Medecins sans Frontieres
MTA Mong Tai Army
MUB Myanmar Universal Bank
MWEA Myanmar Women's Entrepreneurs Association
NC

National Convention

NCGUB National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
NCSM

Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland 

NCUB National Council of the Union of Burma
NDAA

National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA-east Shan State)

NDA-K New Democratic Army-Kachin
NDD Network for Democracy and Development
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NIB National Intelligence Bureau
NLD National League for Democracy
NLD-LA National League for Democracy-Liberated Area
NLD-LA (Youth) National League for Democracy-Liberated Area (Youth)
NLD-LA (Women) National League for Democracy-Liberated Area (Women)
NMG Network Media Group
NMSP New Mon State Party
NSC National Security Council
NSCN National Socialist Council of Nagaland
NUPA National United Party of Arakan
NWCWA        National Working Committee for Women's Affairs
OCMI  Office of the Chief of Military Intelligence
ONGC Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
OSS     Office of Strategic Studies
PABs   Provincial Admissions Boards
PDC    Peace and Development Council
PHR     Physicians for Human Rights
PLF     Palaung Liberation Front
PLO     Pa-O Liberation Organization
PNO    Pa-O National Organization
POC    Persons of Concern
PR       Permanent Resident
PR       Public Relations
PSB     Press Scrutiny Board
PSLP   Palaung State Liberation Party

PSRB                                 

Press Scrutiny and Registration Board
PTT-EP Petroleum Authority of Thailand Exploration and Production Public Co. Ltd
PYAN Palaung Youth Action Network.
PYNG Palaung Youth Networking Group
RFA     Radio Free Asia
RI Refugees International
RM Ringgit
RNA Rohingya National Alliance
RPDC Electric Power Development Company
RPG Rocket Propelled Grenade
RSF Reporters sans Frontieres
SDA Seventh Day Adventist
SDC Special Detention Centre  
SEARC Southeast Asia Research Centre
SEARIN South East Asia Rivers Network
SHRF Shan Human Rights Foundation
SID Special Investigations Department
SLORC State Law and Order Restoration Council
SMNC Sangha Maha Navaka Committee
SNLD Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
SPDC State Peace and Development Council
SPIF Special Police Information Force
SSA Shan State Army 
SSNA

Shan State National Army

STD Sexually Transmitted Disease
SUARAM Suara Rakyat Malaysia
SWAN Shan Women's Action Network
SYCB Student Youth Congress of Burma
SYUF Student and Youth Union Front 
TB Tuberculosis
TBBC Thai Burma Border Consortium
TPDC Township Peace and Development Council
U.S. United States
UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UK United Kingdom
UN United Nations
UNA United Nationals Alliance
UNAIDS Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS
UNDP United Nations Development Program
UNESCO United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund
UNHCR United Nations High Commission on Refugees
UNICEF United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund
UNLD-LA United Nationalities League for Democracy – Liberated Area
UPE Universalization of Primary Education
USA United States of America
USCRI U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
USDA Union Solidarity and Development Association
UWSA United Wa State Army
UXO Un-Exploded Ordinance
VBSW Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors
VOA Voice of America
VPDC Village Peace and Development Council
WCDRB Working Committee for Demonstration Restoration in Burma
WFP World Food Program
WHO World Health Organization
WLB Women's League of Burma
WNA Wa National Army
WNO

Wa National Organisation

YCOWA

Yaung Chi Oo Workers’ Association

YMA Young Mizo Association

 

 

Abbreviations

 

a.k.a

also known as

approx.           

approximately

Brig.

Brigadier

Capt.

Captain

Comdr. 

Commander

Col.

Colonel

Cpl.

Corporal

ft.                    

feet

Gen.                

General

Ind.                 

Independent

Lt.                   

Lieutenant

kg.                  

Kilogram

km.                 

Kilometer

Maj.                

Major

m.                   

meter

mm.                 

millimeter

n.a.                  

not available

Rev.

Reverend

Sd.                  

Signed with signature

Sgt.                 

Sergeant

sq.                   

square

 

Terms

 

baht

monetary unit of Thailand (see “Measurements”)

Bo

military commander

crore

monetary unit of India (see "Measurements")

Daw

an honorific used to address an adult female

furlong

(see “Measurements”)

Kawthoolei

Karen name for the Karen nation

Khun

polite form of address in the Thai language

Ko

Burmese form of address to a young male

kyat

monetary unit in Burma

longyi

Burmese word for sarong

Ma

Burmese form of address to a young female

Mahn

Burmese form of address to a Karen male

Maung

Burmese form of address to a young male

Mehm/Min

form of address to a young Mon male

Mi

form of address to a Mon female

Nai

Burmese form of address to an adult Mon male

Naw

Burmese form of address to a Karen female

plah

Karen measurement of distance, from elbow to fingertip (1 plah is under 2 feet)

pya

100 pyas = 1 kyats

pyi

eight-condensed-milk tins

Sai

Burmese form of address to a young Shan male

Sangha

Buddhist order of monks

Sao

male of Shan royal descent

Saw

form of address to a Karen male

Sayadaw

presiding monk of a Buddhist monastery

Shwedagon

The Great Pagoda in Rangoon

Tatmadaw

Burmese Armed Forces

Thakin

master; lord (used to address the British colonial rulers; later politicized by the Burmese independence movement in the 1930s)

tickle

(see “Measurements”)

tin

(see “Measurements”)

tract (village)

area consisting of 4-6 villages

U

an honorific used to address an adult male in Burma

viss

(see “Measurements”)

 

Measurements

 

acre

1 acre = 4,840 sq. yards = 0.407 hectare

 

2.471 acres = 11,960 sq. yards =  1 hectare 

 

640 acres = 1 sq. mile = 2.590 sq. kilometers

baht

1 baht = 100 satang

crore

1 crore = 10 million

FEC

1 FEC = US$1 = kyat 6.5 (official)

 

1 FEC = kyat 750 (unofficial)

furlong

1 furlong = 220 yards (1/8) mile = 201 meters

lakh

1 lakh = 100,000

tin

1 tin = 16 pyi

1 pyi

(rice/condensed milk tin) = approx. 250 ml

viss

1 viss = 3.6 lbs = 1.633 kg

 

622.22 viss = 1 long ton (2,240 lbs) = 1.016 metric tons

 

NOTE ABOUT SPELLINGS:

 

Since there are no standardized transcriptions in the Roman alphabet for Burmese, Mon, and other ethnic languages, words are spelt in a variety of ways, according to different spelling conventions or by how they sound. In addition, spellings have further been confused by the ruling junta’s official Burmanization of well-known English terminology (e.g. Myanmar for Burma).

 

In order to avoid confusion and politicization, this report will restrict its use of language to the established and more widely-accepted anglicized spellings.

 

A list of alternative spellings are provided as follows:

 

Ayeyarwady: Irrawaddy

Bagan: Pagan

Bago: Pegu

Bamar: Burman

Dawei: Tavoy

Hinthada: Henzada

Hpa-an: Pa-an

Kayah: Karenni

Kayin: Karen

Kyaing Don: Kengtung

Magway: Magwe

Mawlamyine: Moulmein

Muang Tai: Mong Tai

Myeit: Mergui

Myanmar: Burma

Pathein: Bassein

Pyay: Prome

Sittoung: Sittaung

Sittwe, Sittway: Akyab

Tanintharyi: Tenasserim

Thandwai: Sandoway

Thanlwin: Salween River

Taungyin: Moei River

Yangon: Rangoon

 

5

Go to Top

Table of Contents

Facts on Human Rights Violations