CSW Urges Burmese Government to Stop Violence in Western Burma

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today called on the Government of Burma to end sectarian violence in Arakan State, western Burma immediately and take steps to address the underlying causes.

In the past week, horrific violence has erupted between the majority Buddhist Rakhine (or Arakanese) people, and the predominantly Muslim Rohingyas in northern Arakan State, leaving hundreds of homes burned and many people dead […]

Burma: Protect Muslim, Buddhist Communities at Risk

The government of Burma should take all necessary steps to protect communities at risk in Arakan State after violence between Buddhists and Muslims in western Burma left an unknown number dead, Human Rights Watch said today. The government has taken inadequate steps to stop sectarian-violence between Arakan Buddhists and ethnic Rohingya Muslims, or to bring those responsible to justice.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to permit prompt access to international journalists, aid workers, and diplomats […]

Statement on the Current Peace Process and Implementation of Mega-development Projects in Karen Areas of Burma

From June 5-7, 2012, over sixty people, including local democratically-elected development committee leaders, representing about 7,000 villagers from 23 villages in two townships, met at the Karen State-Thai border to discuss the current peace negotiation process between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the government. The purpose of the forum, facilitated by Karen civil society, was to allow input by Karen farmers and other community-based groups into the current peace process and publicly share this with all relevant stakeholders […]

Kachin People Highlight Crisis and Call for an End to Conflict in Burma’s Kachin State

Kachin representatives exposed the dire situation in Kachin State ahead of tomorrow’s anniversary of one year of renewed fighting between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army. Members of Kachin civil society and exile media spoke about the 75,000 persons who have been displaced by the fighting and continue to face a humanitarian crisis with virtually no access to assistance from local or international organizations […]

CSW Calls on Burma Army to Stop Attacks on Kachin and Begin a Peace Process After One Year of War

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today urges Burma’s President Thein Sein and the country’s army to stop military offensives in Kachin State, and initiate a political dialogue and peace process with the ethnic armed group, the Kachin Independence Organisation […]

Burmese Activists Still Remain In Jail – Free Shwe Htoo!

Burma Campaign UK today strongly urged Jeremy Browne MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to pressure the military backed government to agree to the formation of a joint domestic and international board with the involvement of the UN, to investigate how many political prisoners remain in Burma’s jails […]

Support for Rights of the Child and Human Rights in Myanmar

Foreign Minister Bob Carr today announced a new $3 million package of Australian assistance for human rights initiatives in Myanmar. Senator Carr said the package would assist the Government of Myanmar to meet human rights commitments […]

CSW Condemns Religiously-Motivated Violence in Burma and Calls for Religious Freedom, Tolerance and Harmony

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today condemned rising religious intolerance in Burma, and the killing of ten Muslims in Arakan State on 3 June, and called on the government, democracy movement and all the people of Burma to work to improve inter-faith relations, protect religious freedom and promote religious harmony […]

MYANMAR: Myanmar at Risk of Land-Grabbing Epidemic

In a written statement during its September 2011 session, the Asian Legal Resource Centre alerted the Human Rights Council to the dangers posed to the rights of people in Myanmar by the convergence of military, business and administrative interests […]

Kachin and Supporters Protest at Embassy in Bangkok; Deliver Letter to President Thein Sein

Around 40 people staged a protest at the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok today to criticize the ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in Kachin State. The protesters, members of the Kachin community in Bangkok and representatives from the Overseas National Students of Burma, read out a statement and the text of a letter addressed to President Thein Sein calling for an end to the crisis situation […]