Burma: Escalate International Pressure Ahead of November 7 Polls

Elections a Blueprint for Continued Military Rule

(New York) – The national elections announced by Burma’s military government for November 7 are designed to further entrench military rule with a civilian facade, Human Rights Watch said today. The United Nations, the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and concerned governments should seize Burma’s announcement of the first elections in more than 20 years to exert greater scrutiny over a deeply flawed process and press for the release of more than 2,000 political prisoners […]

CSW Urges International Community to Reject Burma’s Sham Elections

CSW is urging the international community to reject Burma’s upcoming election, which the military regime announced today would be held on 7 November. Election laws issued earlier this year and Burma’s new constitution both make any hope of a free and fair election impossible. With imprisoned democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi excluded, the election constitutes a whitewash for the ruling military junta […]

Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne urges military government to allow free and fair campaign and polling process.

In response to today’s announcement of the date for elections in Burma to be held on 7 November 2010, Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne said:
“These elections are set to be held under deeply oppressive conditions designed to perpetuate military rule. The Burmese people should have a real chance to vote for change. Instead, the first opportunity in twenty years for Burma’s people to have a more open, stable and prosperous society has been missed.[…]

Republican Leader calls Burmese Junta’s announcement a ‘mockery of the democratic process’

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Friday on the announcement by the Burmese junta that their election will be on November 7, 2010:
“Although the Burmese junta will characterize the charade it announced today as an election–an exercise that only the junta considers meaningful–November 7, 2010 will be just another day in Burma, marked by continued government oppression and hardship for its people. […]

AAPP denounces inappropriate prison transfers of elderly Political prisoner, Gen. Hso Ten

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP) received information that General Hso Ten was transferred to three different prisons in one week, in a cruel ploy to further weaken the already sick and elderly political prisoner.

General Hso Ten, 74 years old, a Shan ethnic politician, is currently serving a 106 year prison sentence. He suffers from heart problems, diabetes and has cataracts. The authorities have repeatedly denied him adequate medical care[…]

Canada Under Increased Pressure To Support UN Inquiry Into War Crimes

Canadian Friends of Burma and Burma Campaign UK have joined forces to call on the Canadian government to support a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.

For many years the United Nations has been documenting horrific human rights abuses which may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity […]

Burma: EU Should Endorse International War Crimes Inquiry

Raise Commission of Inquiry in UN Resolution on Burma

(Brussels) – European Union member states should publicly support the establishment of an international Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in September, Human Rights Watch said in a to EU foreign ministers today […]

One Year on from Suu Kyi Sentencing – A Year of Inaction by UN

On the eve of the first anniversary of Aung San Suu Kyi being sentenced to 18 months under house arrest, the Burma Campaign UK called on the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to stop dithering and start acting to bring change to Burma […]

Karenni people oppose new Salween dam plans by SPDC and Chinese investors

On the occasion of the 62PndP anniversary of the Karenni national resistance movement, the KDRG strongly denounces the new plans by the Burmese military regime and Chinese investors to build a giant hydropower dam on the Salween River in Karenni State[…]

Statement on 22nd Anniversary of 88 Democracy Uprising

Today we commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the historic events of 8th September 1988, when monks, students and people from all walks of life in Burma fought to bring an end to the military dictatorship. The spirit of ‘88 is still with us, and we will never cease to fight for democracy, national equality and the end of dictatorship.[…]