Parliamentarians Call on ASEAN Member States to Back OIC Human Rights Council Resolution on Anti-Muslim Violence in Myanmar

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) today backed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its bid to raise the issue of anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar at the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling for a prompt, full and impartial investigation into allegations of ethnic cleansing […]

Remarks by President Obama and President Thein Sein of Myanmar After Bilateral Meeting

PRESIDENT OBAMA: I want to welcome President Thein Sein to the United States of America and to the Oval Office. Last year, I was proud to make a historic visit to Myanmar as the first U.S. President ever to visit that country. And now President Sein is able to return the favor by making a visit to the United States, and my understanding is that this is the first visit by a leader of Myanmar in almost 50 years […]

PHR Issues Report Documenting Massacre in Burma; Calls for Immediate Investigation

PHR today released a report detailing the organized attacks against Muslims that took place in central Burma in late March and resulted in the killing of at least 20 children and four teachers. The report provides evidence that state authorities, who idly stood by watching the events unfold, are complicit in these crimes. The rights group also issued policy recommendations […]

Myanmar Must Avert Further Humanitarian Disaster as Cyclone Approaches

Heavy monsoon rains and a tropical cyclone threaten the lives of tens of thousands of displaced persons in western Myanmar unless the authorities immediately step up efforts to protect them, Amnesty International said. More than 140,000 individuals – mostly from the Rohingya Muslim minority […]

Burma: Telecoms Risk Complicity in Surveillance, Censorship

International telecommunications companies risk being linked to human rights abuses if they enter the Burmese market before adequate protections are in place, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Burma’s human rights reforms thus far have been inadequate, including in the Internet […]

Burma: New Doubts About Pace of Reforms

The United States should use the upcoming visit by Burma’s president to ask tough questions about the slowing pace of human rights reforms and insist on implementation of past commitments, Human Rights Watch said today. President Barack Obama is hosting a visit to Washington […]

Congressman Crowley Introduces Measure to Renew Sanctions on Burma, With Focus on Gem Imports

Today, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx) introduced the renewal of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, legislation that continues the ban on imports from Burma, particularly gems. “I remain very concerned about human rights violations in Burma, including violence against ethnic nationalities, the use of rape as a weapon of war […]

Thein Sein Again Uses Political Prisoners As PR Tools

Following reports that 23 political prisoners are being released today, just hours before Thein Sein leaves for a trip to the USA where he is due to meet president Obama in the White House, Burma Campaign UK accused President Thein Sein of blatantly using political prisoner releases as PR tools […]

AAPP (B) Urges Government of Burma to Release All Remaining Political Prisoners

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) expresses displeasure with the manner political prisoners have been released on 17 May, resulting in the release of 23 prisoners, of which 19 are confirmed to be political prisoners. While AAPP (B) welcomes the freeing of any political prisoner […]

Statement on Religious and Ethnic Violence that has Occurred in Myanmar

1. We, youth representatives of all religions, strongly condemn any insult or desecration for any reason of the national flag, which is of utmost importance to our nation.

2. We, youth representatives of all religions, including Myanmar Islam youth, unreservedly oppose the manipulative use of the Quran by those from overseas for the purpose of agitation of any kind causing outbreaks of violence.

3. We, youth representatives of all religions, including Myanmar Buddhist youth, unreservedly oppose the perpetration of violence and agitation of any kind causing outbreaks of violence and goes against the teaching of Buddha […]