Renewed Arakan State Violence Underscores Government’s Failure to Protect Minorities and to Prevent Ethnic Cleansing

Renewed communal violence in Arakan State has exposed the Burmese government’s failure to stop ethnic cleansing, protect minority groups, especially Muslim Rohingya, and implement reforms to address the root causes of human rights violations targeting these groups, said the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation, the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma) […]

Burma’s Parliament: Fundamental Reforms Still Blocked

From 4 July to 7 September, Burma’s Parliament held its fourth session. Despite efforts by some opposition MPs, regime officials and USDP MPs continued to block fundamental legislative reforms, including the repeal of existing oppressive laws and the adoption of progressive legislation. In addition, the regime failed to introduce the much-heralded media law […]

Burma: Release All Remaining Political Prisoners Now and Respect Civil and Political Rights

The Burmese authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all remaining political prisoners and fully respect the civil and political rights of the Burmese people, including former political prisoners, said the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organization, the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma). In her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Norway in June, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also appealed for the earliest, unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners […]

International Monitoring and Protection of all Civilians from Religious and Ethnic Violence Needed in Western Burma

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) of Indonesia, and Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) of Indonesia are deeply alarmed by the continued sectarian violence in Rakhine State in western Burma since 3 June 2012, which has resulted in fatalities, injuries, destruction of property and displacement of residents. We appeal for immediate international attention to this disaster […]

The War in Kachin State: A Year of More Displacement and Human Rights Abuses

In the past year, the Tatmadaw has deployed nearly 25% of its battalions to Kachin State, escalating its war with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and bringing further suffering to civilian populations in Kachin State and Northern Shan State.

Tatmadaw soldiers have constantly targeted civilians in Kachin State and Northern Shan States as part of their military operations against the KIA. Human rights abuses have included extrajudicial killings, rape of women, arbitrary arrests, torture, forced displacement, the use of human shields, forced labor, and the confiscation and destruction of property. All of these systematic abuses would be considered war crimes and/or crimes against humanity under international law […]

Civil Society Calls on Leaders to Promote a People-Centered ASEAN During Burma/Myanmar’s Chairmanship in 2014

Two hundred and sixty-three (263) people signed a letter urging ASEAN Heads of State to promote a genuine people-centered ASEAN and the free and meaningful participation of the regional civil society during Burma/Myanmar’s chairmanship of the regional bloc in 2014. The letter was signed by participants of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum (ACSC/APF 2012) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 29 to 31 March […]

Letter to ASEAN Heads of State

We write to you today to share our serious concerns about ongoing human rights violations in Burma/Myanmar, ahead of the ASEAN Summit on 3 and 4 April in Phnom Penh. We would like to request that you use this opportunity to urge President Thein Sein and his government to take meaningful steps towards a democratic transition, peace and national reconciliation as well as to put an end to gross human rights violations in the country […]

APSOC Condemns Restrictions on ASEAN Civil Society Conference-ASEAN Peoples Forum 2012 in Cambodia

The Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) along with its allied regional networks strongly condemns the restrictions imposed on an independent civil society gathering in Cambodia this week in the run-up to the ___ ASEAN summit […]

Urgent Reforms Are the Real litmus Test of Government’s Commitment to Change

In the lead-up to the by-elections on 1 April, which are already marred by irregularities and censorship [1], rights groups have stressed that key benchmarks have not yet been met. The international community must press for urgent steps to meet these benchmarks […]

Burma’s By-Elections: Still Short of International Standards

While the by-elections have limited political significance, they are important because they are being championed as an indicator of progress by the international community after the sham 2010 polls. Despite the hype, the bulk of laws and regulations […]