Statement by the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission

The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission had made appeals to the President that at a time when the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is building a democratic nation and striving for national unity, those among prisoners […]

Cambodia vows to finalize ASEAN human rights declaration this year

Cambodia aims to finalize the drafting of an ASEAN Human Rights Declaration this year as it chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Cambodian Human Rights Committee chairman Om Yin Tieng said.

“This is a big job and needs a lot of discussions. However, we are confident that we can finalize it by this year,” said Om Yin Tieng, who is also a senior minister and chair of the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights in 2012 […]

Statement by the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission on Its Visits to the Insein Prison and Hlay-Hlaw-Inn Yebet Prison Labour Camp

An eight-member team of the Commission, headed by its Chairman visited the Insein Prison on 27 December 2011 and the Hlay-Hlaw-Inn Yebet Prison Labour Camp in Hlegu Township on 28 December 2011. Earlier a four-member team […]

An End to the Burma Army’s Offensive in Kachin State? More Empty Words and No Action

Many have hailed the recent announcement that President Thein Sein has ordered the Burma Army to cease offensive attacks on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), instructing the Army to engage only in self-defense. Indeed, were the Burma Army to put an end to the offensive that it began in June, breaking a seventeen year ceasefire, this would be a positive development. However, as of yet, this appears to be only one more instance of the regime making promises designed to satisfy the calls for change from the international community without taking real action to improve the situation for the people of Burma. Multiple credible reports indicate that Burma Army attacks on KIA positions have continued over the course of the past week, despite President’s order.

Refugees fleeing the fighting and attendant human rights abuses are in increasing danger as the weather turns colder and the makeshift camps become more crowded, increasing the risk of disease. In one positive development, the regime permitted the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, along with other UN bodies based in Burma, to visit refugees in KIA controlled areas for the first time. However, one visit from the UN cannot solve this crisis and refugees continue to be in desperate need of further assistance. The regime must grant the UN and international organizations continued access to these areas and permit them to continue to provide relief to civilians in need […]

Statement by the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission

A four-member team of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission headed by its Secretary visited Kachin State from 8 to 10 December 2011 in order to observe at first hand the civil population […]

Than Nwe, NHRC: ‘Educating on rights’

Burma’s first National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) began work in October, and has since become the focal point of aggrieved Burmese who use the body to file complaints of human rights abuses carried out by state actors. The group has also been given permission to access prisons across the country, and recently sent a team to Kachin state to meet with refugees displaced by the conflict.

Dr Than Nwe is among fifteen former ambassadors, government officials and academics who make up the NHRC. It claims independence from Naypyidaw but Burma observers have noted concern at the inclusion of ex-government officials in the rights body. Moreover, a number of those included, such as Chairman Win Mra, a former ambassador to the UN, are known to be staunch defenders of the Burmese government. But, Than Nwe, its work has already made an impact […]

Burma’s NHRC: Cheerleader for the Regime

On Saturday, the world celebrated International Human Rights Day. However, in Burma, this anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights marked yet another year without any improvement in the human rights situation of the people.

The newly formed National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) used the occasion to release a statement praising the regime’s commitment to human rights.

In its statement, the NHRC referred to the importance of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The NHRC is right these two texts are of high importance. In fact, they are of such importance that, if the NHRC was an independent effective human rights body, it would have surely called on the regime to ratify these two fundamental instruments […]

Statement by Myanmar National Human Rights Commission on International Human Rights Day

The atrocities committed during the Second World War and resultant large-scale violations of human rights shocked and galvanized the world community into embarking on serious efforts to create a world organization […]

World Must Act to End Impunity in Burma

By Aung Myo Min

Today as the world celebrates another international human rights day, people in Burma continue to face a host of serious human rights abuses.

Despite minor changes in Naypyidaw, human rights abuses, such as rape, forced labor, killings, torture and forced displacement continue to be committed by Burma Army soldiers in the northeastern part of my country, including Kachin State.

Nevertheless, the international community has overwhelmingly seen the small and reversible changes made by President Thein Sein as real reforms and as a consequence has increased its engagement with the regime […]

Shwe Gas Project Operator Daewoo Must Listen to the Local People’s Voices

Arakan people call for 24 hours of electricity from the Shwe Gas Project in Burma’s Arakan State

Arakanese anger is increasing and actions demanding 24 hours of electricity from the Daewoo- led Shwe Gas project have sparked throughout Arakan cities and rural areas in recent months.  Local campaigns featuring t-shirts, posters, stickers, and calendars bearing the message “24 Hours of Electricity Now; We Have the Right to Use Our Gas,” have sprung up in local cities across the state […]