Foreign Secretary: Dismissal of National League for Democracy appeal in Burma “deeply disappointing”

The Burmese Supreme Court today dismissed an appeal by Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, against its dissolution in May 2010 under draconian election laws. Reacting to the decision, the Foreign Secretary said: “This is deeply disappointing, if not unexpected, news. Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy […]

Universal Periodic Review of Burma: Deny, Dismiss and Dodge, Military Regime Unwilling to Face up to Massive Human Rights Abuses

On the occasion of the Universal Periodic Review of the human rights situation in Burma at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 January, FIDH, Altsean-Burma and BLC deplore the military regime’s blanket denial of the serious human rights abuses and the entrenched impunity that prevails in the country. The organisations welcome the engagement by a number of Member States in their dialogue with regime officials […]

Universal Periodic Review of Burma: Total Denial in the Face of Widespread and Systematic Human Rights Violations

Today, the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva examined Burma’s human rights record as part of its first Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Burma’s ruling military regime sent a large delegation to Geneva, led by Deputy Attorney General Dr. Tun Shin, who categorically denied state-orchestrated widespread, systematic and persistent human rights violations against the people of Burma […]

Statement on the Sixth Congress of the Women’s League of Burma

The Sixth Congress of the Women’s League of Burma was held in a liberated area near the Thai-Burma border from 24 – 26 January 2011. It was attended by fifty-nine representatives from member organizations including program coordinators, regional focal points and members of the Advisory Team.

The Congress reviewed the programs, amended the constitution, laid down future strategic work plans for two years’ term. The Congress also analyzed the current political situation […]

Burma: UN Should Tackle Rights Crisis as New Parliament Convenes

Junta Window Dressing Ahead of First UN Rights Review

The review of Burma’s human rights record at the United Nations this week should reflect reality and not the false promises of the military, Human Rights Watch said today.

Burma will face its first-ever Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the Human Rights Council in Geneva on January 27, a process all member states must undergo every four years to ascertain each country’s progress on human rights […]

Canadian Delegation Has Resolution Passed on Burmese Democracy at APPF Conference

For the first time in the forum’s history, members of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) discussed the advancement of democracy in Burma today, following the tabling of a proposed resolution by the Canadian Delegation at the APPF conference in Ulannbattor, Mongolia […]

Leading a Common Approach to the Commission of Inquiry on Burma

Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) and Canadian civil society organizations would like to encourage the Government of Canada to play an active role in the international call for the implementation of a UN ‘Commission of Inquiry’ into gross human rights violations, specifically ‘crimes against humanity’ and ‘war crimes’ in Burma. Such an inquiry could investigate reports of human rights and humanitarian law violations in Burma, through the mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, the Security Council, the General Assembly, or the office of the Secretary General […]

Burma Faces First-ever Review of Human Right Record at UN

Burma’s human rights record will come under scrutiny at the United Nations in the country’s first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 27 January […]

Burma’s Largest Coal Project Poisons Communities Near Famed Inle Lake

Burma’s largest coal mine and coal-fired power plant, located thirteen miles from Burma’s famous Inle Lake in Shan State, are polluting waterways, threatening the health of local populations, and displacing villages, according to a report released today […]

Burma’s Grave Human Rights Situation Stands Before the UN’s Review

Representatives from the Burma Forum on the Universal Periodic Review (BF-UPR), a coalition of fourteen human rights and civil society organizations, are currently in Geneva to raise concerns over the grave human rights situation in Burma ahead of the country’s first Universal Periodic Review on 27 January. The Review comes at a time when Burma is under the international spotlight, due to the recent release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the controversial November elections which were neither free nor fair, and the forthcoming first session of the new Parliament on 31 January […]