Total Reform Is Needed to Make AICHR Independent, Effective and Relevant to the ASEAN Peoples

The performance of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) has been disappointing and wanting, epitomized by the lack of transparency, failure to consult with civil society organizations and no demonstrable progress in protecting and promoting human rights, according to a civil society assessment report on the performance of the AICHR for the period of October 2010 to December 2011 […]

Human Rights Groups Resist State Department Efforts to Prematurely Reward the Burmese Regime

Nine human rights organizations are calling on the United States government to prioritize democracy and human rights in Burma by exercising caution when it comes to the relaxation of sanctions. In a letter to President Obama dated April 24, 2012, the groups urge […]

APF Offers Assistance to Myanmar’s New NHRI

The APF and representatives of Myanmar’s newly established national human rights institution have identified a number of areas for initial cooperation, following a visit to the south-east Asian country this month by APF secretariat Director Kieren Fitzpatrick and APF Senior Consultant Professor Chris Sidoti […]

European Parliament Calls on the MNHRC to Intensify its Work of Promoting and Safeguarding the Fundamental Rights of Citizens

In a resolution dated 20 April, the European Parliament, among other things, called “on the National Human Rights Commission to intensify its work of promoting and safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens.” This statement came only few days after Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative announced that she has launched a programme to help the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission.

We welcome this statement as the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission is not yet an independent and effective mechanism to promote and protect human rights for the people of Burma.

We hope that the European Union will work closely with the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission in order to ensure it respects the Paris Principles. These principles are minimum conditions that must be met for a national human rights institution to be considered independent and effective in protecting and promoting the rights of the people […]

Catherine Ashton Launches a Program to Help the MNHRC

After decades of internal repression, we see dramatic and hopeful changes taking place in Burma. Here is a democratic transition unfolding in a peaceful, collaborative fashion, –acclaimed by the domestic electorate and the international community. Myanmar […]

AICHR’s Consultation on ASEAN Human Rights Declaration: Too Little Too Late

The ASEAN human rights Commission appears to plan a one-off, token “consultation” with civil society, and only after it will have finalized, most if not all, the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration – this is outrageous and utterly unacceptable, said the Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights (SAPA TFAHR), a coalition of non-governmental organizations in Southeast Asia […]

UN Security Council Must Address War Crimes in Burma

As the United Nations Security Council meets today to discuss developments in Burma, Burma Campaign UK called on Council members to address attacks against ethnic minority civilians by the Burmese Army, which have escalated in the past year […]

South Korean Corporate and Government Should Not Exploit Burma’s Liberal Movement

Recently the movements such as nomination Aung San Suu Kyi, in Burma election have shown positive progressive movement of democratization in Burma. However, even after the official liberalization, it is still plausible to say that Burma is still being controlled […]

Joint Statement on Calling AICHR to Release ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

We, the undersigned civil society organizations and networks from Southeast Asia, express our grave concern and disappointment over the continuing secrecy in the drafting process of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) […]

IFIs must “engage with the Burmese people”

Over 20 civil society groups from Burma, also known as Myanmar, have written to the heads of the IMF and World Bank requesting that the IFIs involve grass roots actors in their newly revived activities in the country and that their operational policies “guarantee maximum transparency, accountability, social inclusiveness and safeguards”. International NGO Human Rights Watch has also written to Bank president Robert Zoellick calling on the Bank to “actively engage with the Burmese people” and ensure that “no one who engages with the Bank shall face reprisals” […]