Revisiting Human Rights in Myanmar

On 23 May 2012, Amnesty International concluded its first official visit to Myanmar since 2003. This report illustrates Amnesty’s general impressions of the current human rights situation, and looks at five specific topics: political imprisonment, rule of law, ethnic minorities, accountability, and economic, social and cultural rights.

Annual Report 2012: Myanmar

The government enacted limited political and economic reforms, but human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law in ethnic minority areas increased during the year. Some of these amounted to crimes against humanity or war crimes […]

Catalyst for Conflict

Foreign investments are causing increasing conflict and abuses in northern Burma despite recent ceasefire agreements and talk of reform in the country, according to a briefing paper released by the Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization […]

Uncertain Ground: Landmine Use in Eastern Burma

This report focuses on field information received between January and December 2011. Key updates relating to the use of landmines in 2012 were also included, however due to the sheer volume of information that KHRG regularly receives, all field information received since the beginning of 2012 has […]

Untold Miseries: Wartime Abuses and Forced Displacement in Kachin State

In his March 2011 inauguration speech, Burmese President Thein Sein emphasized the importance of ending Burma’s several ethnic armed conflicts, declaring that more than 60 years of ethnic warfare in Burma were due to “dogmatism, sectarian strife, and racism.” Burma’s ethnic minorities had, he said […]

The Use of Rape as a Weapon of War in Burma’s Ethnic Areas

With a population of over 50 million people, Burma is comprised of eight major ethnic nationalities: Burman, Shan, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Chin, Kachin and Arakan. Burma’s ethnic groups demand equality, autonomy […]

Progress Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar

The recent wave of reforms has had a positive impact on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. The upcoming by-elections on 1 April 2012 will be a key test of how far the Government has progressed in its reform process. There is, however, a risk of backtracking on the progress achieved to date. At this crucial moment in the country’s history, remaining human rights concerns and challenges should be addressed, and justice and accountability measures, as well as measures to ensure access to the truth, should be taken […]

Burma’s NHRC: An Empty Gesture (updated version)

The international community should not welcome the creation of Burma’s NHRC until it complies with the Paris Principles

On 5 September, Burma’s regime announced that it had established a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) charged with promoting and safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens in accordance with the 2008 Constitution.

While the creation of a NHRC could be seen as a positive step, it should be welcomed with skepticism […]

Leaflet on Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes

This leaflet explains in very simple terms what are crimes against humanity and war crimes, including targeted attacks against civilians, deportation or forcible transfer of population, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, murder, rape or other forms of sexual violence, enslavement and enforced disappearance of persons.

Individuals and solidarity organizations are welcome to print and distribute this leaflet to raise public awareness about the ongoing crimes being committed in Burma […]

All the information I’ve given you, I faced it myself: Rural testimony on abuse in eastern Burma since November 2010

Human rights abuses faced by ethnic communities across rural eastern Burma have continued since November 2010, and are consistent with patterns KHRG has documented since 1992. Drawing from a dataset of 1,270 oral testimonies, sets of images and documentation […]