Taking the EU-Myanmar Partnership to the Next Level: An EU Strategy in Support of Myanmar’s Reforms

The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission have today adopted a Joint Communication that sets out a vision for ambitious and forward-looking EU engagement with Myanmar as the country’s transition enters its next phase […]

IMF Staff Concludes Visit to Myanmar

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Yongzheng Yang visited Myanmar during May 12−20 to assess macroeconomic developments and discuss economic policies with the authorities […]

Statement of Ethnic Community Development Forum and the Customary Land Protection Committee Concerning Myanmar’s National Land Use Policy (Draft)

On November 1 and 2, 2014 representatives of more than 30 organizations of civil society and farmers networks came together in a workshop to review and analyze the draft national land use policy of Myanmar. […]

Announcement of Treasury Sanctions Against Aung Thaung

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Aung Thaung, a senior official of the Burmese Government, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13448. This action specifically designates an individual, Aung Thaung, and does not designate any Burmese government entity. […]

Pro-Business or Pro-Poor?

Making Sense of recently unveiled Draft National Land Use Policy

October 18, 2014 saw the official unveiling by the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar of its much-awaited draft national land use policy. Once it is finalized, the new policy will guide the establishment of a new overarching framework for the governance of tenure of land and related natural resources like forests for years to come. As such, it is of vital importance.

This preliminary assessment aims to shed light on the key aspects of the draft policy and its potential implications for the country’s majority rural working poor, especially its ethnic minority peoples, although they are not the only ones whose future prospects hinge on how this policy making process will unfold. […]

Myanmar Takes Global Lead on Company Ownership Transparency

25 oil and gas companies in Myanmar have set a global precedent by publishing who their real owners are, said Global Witness in a new report published today.

“People need to know who is buying up their most valuable assets – this is a global first in one of the places you might least expect it,” said […]

Navigating Paths to Justice in Myanmar’s Transition

1. Introduction

Since President Thein Sein and his government took office in 2011, Myanmar’s transition has unfolded at a pace that has surprised many and earned the acclaim of western governments, financial institutions, and private-sector investment analysts.1 The Burmese population of approximately 60 million has endured more than a half-century of military dictatorship, armed conflict, economic dysfunction, and political repression.2 A meaningful transformation into a peaceful society that enjoys economic development and functions democratically now seems plausible, though it is far from guaranteed. Ultimately, the blanket immunity afforded by the 2008 Constitution shields the acts attributable to prior regimes from any form of accountability.3 Whether the reform process will evolve to include measures that address the massive and systematic injustices of the past remains less certain.

Call for an International Legally Binding Instrument on Human Rights, Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises

We, the undersigned organisations, Concerned about the continuing abuses and violations of human rights occurring all over the world which directly or indirectly engage the responsibility of business enterprises; Concerned also that such abusive conduct often disproportionately impacts women, who comprise the majority of workers in the most vulnerable sectors, peasants, indigenous peoples, persons living […]

Economics of Peace and Conflict

This report aims to clarify the complex processes of solving economic grievances related to the peace process. Examining how these efforts work and how the different actors, policies and projects make up a larger framework may help in assessing how well they respond to the roots of conflict. It especially tries to understand how the many different ministries, committees, international donors, CBOs, businesses (domestic and foreign) and NSAGs work together, overlap, or contradict each other in achieving economic and development goals for national peace […]

Rights Groups Express Strong Concern About Weak Requirements for U.S. Investment in Burma

After submitting a detailed comment to the U.S. Department of State expressing concern over weak reporting requirements for U.S. companies considering investing in Burma, EarthRights International, Freedom House, Physicians for Human Rights, U.S. Campaign for Burma and United to End Genocide issued the following statement […]