UK Military Ties With Libya, Somalia and Burma Must Have Human Rights Safeguards

Amnesty international has warned that any new military ties between the UK and Libya, Somalia and Burma must only be established if there are “comprehensive safeguards” against human rights abuses.

The UK’s “International Defence Engagement Strategy”, announced today by the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, outlines a 20-year non-combat strategy with first examples to include “establishing a Defence Attaché and Defence Section in the British Embassy in Burma” […]

Burma Political Prisoner Committee Welcome, But Serious Questions Remain

Burma Campaign UK today welcomed the announcement by the office of President Thein Sein that a Committee will be formed to review political prisoner cases in Burma.

The formation of the committee was originally announced in November, with a promise that arrangements would be discussed by the end of 2012. Five weeks after this deadline, the President has again announced the committee will be formed […]

UN Special Rapporteur Visit to Assess Human Rights Situation

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, will undertake an official visit to the country from 11 to 16 February 2013, which will include gathering information on the current situation in Kachin State and Rakhine State. The rights expert visits the country at the invitation of the Government […]

British MPs Support Rohingya Motion In Parliament

Burma Campaign UK today welcomed Early Day Motion 838 on Burma, tabled by members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Burma (APPG Burma). So far 57 MPs across all parties have signed the motion, calling for international observers, full international access to deliver humanitarian aid, and the repeal of the racist 1982 citizenship law in Burma. An Early Day Motion (EDM) is a kind of parliamentary petition […]

Joint Statement of the Kachin Independence Organization and the Myanmar Peace Team

Union Minister U Aung Min and KIO representatives met on 4 February, 2013, beginning at 9:00AM in Shweli (Riuli), Yunnan, China, and concluding at 4:19PM […]

Statement from the Women’s Workshop on Peace-Building and Conflict Transformation

Forty-six women representatives from 31 ethnic women’s organizations from various regions and states of Myanmar held a workshop on peace-building and conflict transformation in Yangon during January 30 – February 1, 2013.

Participating representatives issued the following position statement on the final day of the workshop […]

Burma: Rights Abuses Endanger Reform

Government’s Commitments to Change Falling Short

Burma’s human rights situation remained poor in 2012, despite some noteworthy actions by the government to adopt rights-respecting reforms, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2013 released today […]

CSW and CHRO Welcome MEP’s Letter to EU Foreign Policy Chief on Human Rights Violations in Burma

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) today warmly welcomed a letter sent by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, highlighting ongoing human rights violations in Burma […]

Karen in Europe Calls on the EU to Take Stronger Actions on the Attacks in Kachin State

Karen communities in Europe condemn the Burmese Army’s continuous attack against the Kachin people and calls on the Thein Sein government to stop making empty promises of ceasefire, and commit to a genuine nationwide ceasefire and genuine dialogue leading to a political solution in Burma […]

U Thein Sein Government Violated the Laws Associated with KIA

On the 28 January, the government owned newspaper released the news that a civilian died and three motor cycles were destroyed from the bomb blast committed by the KIA. One of the civilians exposed that the news was fabricated with false evidence. Therefore, on January 31st, the government owned newspaper had to release an apology paper […]