Myanmar Peace Process Must Address Protection Concerns: NGO Report

Village Survey in Myanmar identifies challenges for poverty alleviation, displaced persons and local governance

The Border Consortium (TBC), an NGO that works with the displaced and conflict-affected people of Myanmar, today released findings from its annual survey which describe chronic poverty, protracted displacement and weak governance as the starting point for conflict transformation. Eleven civil society organisations in South East Myanmar collaborated with TBC to conduct the survey in 209 villages spread across 6 states and regions […]

Villagers Confined After Burma Army Shelling of Shan Ceasefire Group Near Thai Border

Ethnic Padaung villagers of Ho Ha, in Ho Mong township, southern Shan State, were confined in their village for three days after Burmese Army soldiers attacked the nearby base of a Shan ceasefire group earlier this week.

On October 26, 2013, about 30 Burmese troops from Light Infantry Battalion 287, led by Major Min Zaw Lin, fired 60 mm mortar shells at Tab Kawng Hsarng, a base of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) […]

Ongoing Burmese Army Atrocities in Kachin State are Undermining the Peace Process

New documentation by the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) exposes recent atrocities by Burmese government troops against Kachin civilians, despite ongoing peace negotiations.

KWAT’s new update documents abuses committed in Nhka Ga village, near Putao, northern Kachin State, in September 2013 […]

2nd Anniversary of Sumlut Roi Ja Abduction Highlights Impunity in Burma

Today marks the second anniversary of Sumlut Roi Ja, an ethnic Kachin woman, being abducted by the Burmese Army. She is still missing, presumed dead.

Sumlut Roi Ja is a 28-year-old mother who was arrested by Burmese Army soldiers on October 28th 2011 while working on a family’s farm near her village Hkai Bang, close to the China border […]

Burmese Government Troops Use Villagers as Human Shields After Attacks Against Ceasefire Group in Central Shan State

On October 13, 2013, Burmese government troops forced 18 villagers to walk between them as human shields while returning to their base, after attacking a Shan ceasefire group in Kunhing, close to the Salween River, in central Shan State.

About 80 Burmese troops from Light Infantry Battalion 150, based at Mong Zarng, 30 miles north of Kunhing, had attacked the Shan State Army-South during October 10 to 12, firing mortar shells and causing over 100 people from the village of Paeng Ner, southeast of Kunhing, to flee their homes […]

Burmese Army Attack and Loot Kachin IDP Camp

On the morning of Tuesday 22nd October, the Burmese Army launched an offensive at Namlim Pa and Mung Ding Pa village tracts in Mansi Township, Southern Kachin State. This happened after the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) re-positioned to re-open the Kaihtik-Bhamo motorway […]

Statement on Land and Natural Resource Management

The Karenni Civil Society Network (KCSN) organized a workshop on land and natural resource management on 18-20 October, 2013 at a location on the Thai-Karenni border. 48 participants from 16 local civil society groups attended the workshop and agreed to the following points […]

Civil Society Prepare for Open and Inclusive ASEAN Civil Society Conference

Civil society organizations called for open and inclusive ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC) / ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (APF) to be held next year ahead of the Summit, and presented their action plan for organizing the conference.

“Myanmar has now taken up its responsibility as the chair of ASEAN. We hope that this will include providing the space for civil society from Myanmar to come together with civil society groups and networks from the region to discuss issues that matter to us and make recommendations to the ASEAN governments,” said U Aung Myo Min, Executive Director of Equality Myanmar […]

Rights Commission Says Use of Torture in Prison Riot Breached Human Rights

The use of torture during last month’s prison riot in southern Myanmar was a violation of human rights, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The NHRC statement comes after commission officials last month made an inspection tour of Kawthaung Prison in Taninthayi Region, where the riot occurred on September 13. One prisoner was killed and seven others were injured during the incident […]

133 Ethnic Civil Society Organizations Express Concern and Reservation Regarding Foreign Military Engagement with the Burmese Military

Today, October 17, 2013, 133 civil society organizations, representing 15 of Burma’s ethnic nationalities, submitted a joint letter to President Barack Obama of the United States, Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott of the Commonwealth of Australia expressing great concern and reservation regarding their military engagement with the Burmese military. Along with details of human rights atrocities and ongoing conflict the Burmese military continues to perpetrate, the joint letter pens explicit preconditions that must be met prior to any military engagement and states the criteria for military engagement should it move forward […]