Workers Protest Labour Dispute Law in Mandalay

The Federation of Trade Unions Myanmar headed a protest of some 600 workers in Mandalay on Sunday, calling for amendments to the 2012 Settlement of Labor Dispute Law, which, they say, completely favours employers.

Some 600 union members marched around two industrial zones in the outskirts of the city, according to the union’s information officer Thet Hnin Aung. […]

Villagers Urge Reopening of Rangoon Access Road for Students

RANGOON — Villagers from Kyi Myin Dine Township have spent the past five days urging the reopening of an access road, the closure of which has added an hour to the commute of school students each morning.

The children of Oo Mya Ngar Sin Village, on the western bank of the Rangoon River, are regularly ferried to Ahlone Township to attend the No. 7 High School, the closest institution catering to primary, middle and high schooling. At the Ahlone ferry terminal, students walked 250 meters along an access road to reach the school. […]

Activists Call for Constitutional Change to Empower Women

Burmese women’s rights advocates added their voices to the contentious debate on amending Burma’s Constitution this week, urging charter changes to promote gender equality during the Beijing+20 regional review forum held in Bangkok.

Burmese women’s representatives, both from the government and civil society organizations, as well as exiled women’s activist groups, attended the Asia-Pacific Conference on Beijing+20 in the Thai capital from Monday to Thursday. The Beijing+20 gathering offered a review of Asia-Pacific countries’ progress on women’s empowerment and gender equality. […]

Students Rally against Education Law

Four hundred students held a march through Rangoon on Friday, begining at the central railway station and culminating in a sit-in demonstration outside the town hall. The protest continued until evening and coincided with US President Obama’s visit to the former capital.

The protest was staged in opposition to the National Education Law, signed into effect by President Thein Sein on 30 September. […]

Mon Students Propose Law Guaranteeing Ethnic Language Teaching

The Organising Committee for the Mon State Students Union will propose that all ethnic students should be given the right and opportunity to study their own ethnic language in school according to Organising Committee member Ko Phone Myat Moe.

The proposal will be made at the All Burma Students Emergency Conference being held at the Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS) in Rangoon (Yangon) on 12th and 13th November. […]

Kachin Church Groups Continue Drug Eradication Campaign

Across Kachin state local drug eradication committees backed by church groups are continuing their drug elimination efforts amidst what many Kachin say is a full blown crisis in their state.

On November 11th at Man Wing Gyi village in Bhamo district, campaigners distributed pamphlets and set up posters along the roadside. […]

Protesters Allege Corruption of Judge in Irrawaddy Division

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division — More than 200 locals staged a demonstration in front of the local courthouse against the rulings of a judge in Pantanaw Township, Irrawaddy Division, last week.

Pantanaw locals allege that the township judge, Thida One, has taken bribes, issued unjust rulings, delayed trials and refused defendants’ bail […]

“Unsafe Natural Heritage” Photo Exhibition (1-3/11/2014)

Photo Exhibition titled “Unsafe Natural Heritage” was held at the office of Magway Region Farmer Union in Magway from 1st November to 3rd November, 2014, jointly organized by Magway Region Farmer Union and Badeidha Moe Civil Society Organization with the support of Ko Aung Kyaw Kyaw. The photos recorded are from 6 townships that Kyaukphyu-Kumin natural gas pipelines pass through.

Kachin Civil Society Groups Rally for Two Jailed IDPs

Kachin civil society groups held a public gathering in Shwezet church in the Kachin State capital Myitkyina on Tuesday to show their support for two Kachin IDPs, Brang Yung and Lahpai Gam, who were arrested by Burma Army soldiers in mid-2012 and allegedly severely tortured. […]

Burmese Journalists Call for Govt Protection

Burmese journalists took to the streets in Rangoon on Sunday to mark the UN International Day to End Impunity For Crimes Against Journalists. The demonstration was staged to send a message to the Thein Sein government to take active measures to protect reporters within the country.

About 100 demonstrators gathered in solidarity in front of Rangoon City Hall wearing black wrist bands to protest what they say is an ongoing repression of media freedom in Burma and the continuing arrest of reporters […]