Forced Labour Against The Rohingya Persists in the Aftermath of the June 2012 Communal Violence in North Arakan/Rakhine State

The systemic and discriminatory practice of forced labour against the Rohingya, has continued, or even intensified, across large areas of North Arakan/Rakhine State in Burma/Myanmar, since deadly communal violence broke […]

Burma: Farmers Rise Up at Land Grab by Army-Owned Company

The Asian Human Rights Commission has followed closely reports in recent weeks of an uprising by farmers against a takeover of a large area of agricultural land in upper Burma by an army-owned company and a private partner. The land grab, in the Letpadan Mountain Range of Sarlingyi Township, Sagaing Region, is of some 7800 acres of fertile land, to make way for copper mining […]

Thailand: Refugee Policies Ad Hoc and Inadequate

Closed Camps, No Work Authorization Lead to Stagnation and Abuse

Thailand’s policies governing refugees on its soil are making them vulnerable to arbitrary and abusive treatment despite the country’s decades of experience as host for millions of refugees […]

Resolution of 13 September 2012 on the Persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar

The European Parliament, having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma/Myanmar, and in particular that of 20 April 2012[1], having regard to the progress report of 7 March 2012 by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar […]

Karen Community Based Organizations Release Position Paper on Refugees’ Return

Today a grouping of Karen Community Based Organizations (KCBOs) released their collective position in response to recent news about the repatriation of refugees. The position paper outlines the pre-conditions and processes necessary for a successful and voluntary return of refugees from several camps along the Thai-Burma border […]

Burma: Lawyer Who Returned Believing Situation Changed Jailed

An Open Letter from the Asian Human Rights Commission to the President of Myanmar/Burma

Dear President

We regret to learn that a lawyer who returned to Myanmar from exile abroad at your behest has been imprisoned on the unjust charges from which he fled in the first place. We urge that the conviction imposed on him be quashed and that he be released from prison immediately […]

Burma: Chin Activists in London to Highlight Violations of Religious Freedom

A delegation of ethnic Chin activists from Burma will visit London this week, to highlight violations of religious freedom by the government in Burma […]

China: Stop Expelling Refugees

Forced Return of Kachin to Burma Violates International Law

In late August 2012, the Chinese government forcibly returned at least 4,000 ethnic Kachin refugees to a conflict zone in northern Burma in violation of international law, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

Human Rights Watch said that the Chinese government carried out the forced returns without having provided the Kachin refugees a process for determining their claims to refugee status […]

Ethnic Chin Christians from Burma Denied Religious Freedom, Coerced to Convert to Buddhism

Christian Chin from western Burma are denied religious freedom and face coercion to convert to Buddhism as a result of state policy, according to a new report by the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) […]

Release of CFOB Policy Statement: “Navigating the Thaw: Burma-Canada Relations in 2012 and Beyond”

Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) announces the release of its recent country report on Burma-Canada relations, “Navigating the thaw: Burma-Canada Relations in 2012 and beyond”. This prospectus report on Canada-Burma relations comes at an historical and critical juncture between the two countries […]