SOLD OUT: Launch of China Pipeline Project Unleashes Abuse Across Burma

Construction of various project components to extract, process, and export the Shwe gas – as well as oil trans shipments from Africa and the Middle East – is now well underway. Local peoples are losing their land and fishing grounds without finding new job opportunities […]

Situation Update: The UN Must Establish a Commission of Inquiry in Burma

Despite the expectations of the international community, there has been no genuine progress towards democracy and peace since the November 2010 elections.

This briefer outlines the regime’s manipulative program of window dressing and it’s failure to take concrete steps towards meaningful democratic reforms. It concludes with recommendations to the United Nations, including the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into serious human rights violations in Burma […]

Burma’s Navy Attacks on Civilians’ Livelihood

A Report on Land Confiscation and Human Rights Violations on Kywe Thone Nyi Ma Island, Yebyu Township, Tenasserim Division

Although Burma’s new supposedly civilian-led government has been in power since March 2011, human rights violations and abuses are still committed by the troops of Burmese Army, which receive backing from the current ruling party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) […]

Occasional Paper 10B: Agrofuels – A boost of Energy for the Mekong Region?

This background paper seeks to brief readers on the extent of the development, production and consumption of agrofuels, particularly liquid fuels for transport, in the Mekong region. The area of focus comprises the countries of the Mekong River Basin, that is, flowing downstream north to south, the southernmost prefectures of China (Yunnan and Guangxi), Lao PDR, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam […]

Endangered Elephants in Megatha Forest, Karen State, Burma

Megatha Forest is a 156 sq km protected Wildlife Sanctuary in Karen State. The Karen Social and Environmental Action Network (KESAN) sent a study team to the forest. The team spent two years looking for elephants and talking to local people and forest officials about elephants and other biodiversity […]

Burma’s Environment: People, Problems, Policies

Burma is currently facing many threats to the natural environment and sustainable livelihoods, such as construction of large dams, oil and gas extraction, mining, deforestation, large-scale agricultural concessions, illegal wildlife trade and climate change […]

Burma Briefing No. 14: War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity in Burma

For twenty years the United Nations has documented human rights abuses in Burma which may be in violation of international law. In March 2010 the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma called on the UN to establish a Commission of Inquiry into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. Later that year, with no serious moves being made to establish an inquiry, he repeated his call, stating: “Failing to act on accountability in Myanmar will embolden the perpetrators of international crimes and further postpone long-overdue justice.” Burma’s democracy movement is also calling for a UN Commission of Inquiry, and human rights groups worldwide are supporting that call […]

Save Mong Kok from Coal

The Italian-Thai Power Company has entered into agreements with the Burmese military regime to develop an open-pit coal mine and power plant at Mong Kok in eastern Shan State, to export both coal and power to Thailand […]

Post-election Burma: Impunity still reigns, women and children more vulnerable to crimes

Since the 7 November elections, Burma’s regime has continued to perpetrate crimes against humanity and war crimes with total impunity. Reports of serious international crimes have increased significantly in line with the escalation of the ongoing Tatmadaw offensives in Kachin, Shan, and Karen States […]

We have waited and seen enough: ASEAN must support a Commission of Inquiry

Eight months after Burma’s November 2010 elections, democracy remains an illusion and sparks of war are flying

This briefer explains the lack of progress since the election, in light of continued political repression, escalating armed conflict and ongoing human right violations. It calls on ASEAN to take immediate action to address these issues in its member country and set an example for the region […]