APWLD Celebrates a New Human Rights Mechanism for Women and Children in Southeast Asia

March 16, 2010  •  By Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development  •  Tags: ACWC, ASEAN, Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development  •  Read more ➤

Burma: UN Should Move on International Inquiry

(New York) – The United Nations should not delay the setting up of an international inquiry to address possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, Human Rights Watch said today. On March 15, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, presented his progress report on […]

Activists assail Burmese junta’s election law, reiterate demands for reform

“Unless the military rulers of Burma seriously initiate tangible political reforms, the 2010 elections will be widely perceived as incredible and undemocratic. Any election law designed only to ensure victory for the military dictators is a garbage not worth recycling.”

Thus said Free Burma Coalition-Philippines (FBC-Phils) spokesperson Egoy Bans in reaction to election laws announced by Burma’s military government […]

Statement on SPDC’s 2010 Election Law

1. We the KNU strongly condemn the SPDC military regime for the ‘Election Laws’ dated March 8, 2010, promulgated by the SPDC Chairman Senior Gen. Than Shwe. The Election Laws exclude legitimate leaders of the people, including those of the ethnic organizations, from the elections the SPDC is going to hold in this year, and giving excessive powers to the Election Commission which will be filled with persons handpicked by it.[…]

ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) is outraged by the election laws recently announced by the military government of Myanmar

Repeated calls for assurances that the upcoming elections will be free and inclusive have gone unheeded as the new laws make clear the regime’s absolute lack of commitment to democratic principles to ensure free, fair and inclusive elections.

Under the new election laws all political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, are excluded from forming or participating in political parties and from contesting seats in the national and state assemblies. Certain provisions of the new laws appear to specifically target Aung San Suu Kyi, forcing her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) which overwhelmingly won in the previous 1990 elections, to expel her should it wish to register with the new Election Commission and contest the upcoming elections.[…]

Open Letter to Senior General Than Shwe

Dear Senior General Than Shwe,

The Parliamentary Friends of Burma (PFOB) has noticed the announcement by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) of new electoral laws in preparation for the planned elections this year.

We are very disappointed with the electoral laws, which exclude Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and more than 2,100 political prisoners from political participation […]

Salween Rally Calls on Burma’s Neighbors to Halt Dam Plans

Hundreds of villagers from both Burma and Thailand joined affected peoples from around the world in marking International Day of Action for Rivers yesterday as plans by China, Thailand and India steam ahead to dam all of Burma’s major rivers.

Five hundred farmers and fisher-folk gathered on the Salween River and shared their concerns about the impending construction of five massive dams planned on the river with performances and prayers to protect the Salween. […]

PM Calls Election Terms in Burma “Restrictive and Unfair”

The Prime Minister has called the terms of the Burmese election laws “restrictive and unfair” and called for an urgent meeting at the UN in New York to discuss these developments.

The laws have been published ahead of the election in the country later this year […]

Press Release on Recommendation of UN Special Rapporteur

The Karen National Union (KNU) warmly welcomes and earnestly supports the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Tomás Ojea Quintana’s recommendation to the UN for establishing a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Burmese SPDC military government.

We the KNU are fully in agreement with his recommendation, which is firmly based on his findings and the findings of his predecessors. It states the gross and systematic nature of human rights violations and the lack of taking action against the perpetrators, indicating that it is a state policy that involves authorities at all levels, in the executive, military and judiciary. […]

Human Rights Council Burma Debate Monday – Must Approve Commission of Inquiry

European Karen Network (EKN) calls on members of the Human Rights Council to support a recommendation by Mr. Tomás Ojea Quintana, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, that the UN consider setting up an inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by the Burmese dictatorship. […]