BURMA: CSW URGES RAKHINE STATE GOVERNMENT TO HALT PLANS TO DEMOLISH ROHINGYA MOSQUES

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today calls on the Rakhine (Arakhan) State Government, Burma, to halt plans to demolish more than 3,000 buildings associated with the Rohingya population on the pretext that they have been built illegally. This includes 12 mosques and 35 madrasas in the Muslim-majority townships of Maungdaw and Buthidaung […]

BURMA: NGOS URGE GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS MINORITIES

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), together with over ten other organisations working for human rights in Burma, today calls on the government of Burma to take urgent action to protect vulnerable religious minorities in the country, following two recent violent attacks on Muslims […]

Burmses Government Urged to Promote Freedom of Religion for Belief for All

In a joint statement with Jubilee Campaign at the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) today, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) urged the government of Burma to repeal or amend the 1982 Citizenship Law which discriminates against the Muslim Rohingya and to promote the right to freedom of religion or belief for all […]

Burma: Calls for Tolerance and Respect During elections

The disenfranchisement of a significant proportion of the population in Burma, and ongoing human rights violations including discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, are among the issues of concern ahead of the national elections on 8 November […]

Burmese Democracy Activist Sentenced to Two Years Imprisonment on Defamation Charges

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is concerned at reports that Htin Lin Oo, the former information officer of the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been handed a two-year prison sentence following his conviction on charges of insulting religion […]

Burma: Action Urged On Stranded Rohingya Refugees

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has called on the British government to press for EU Foreign Ministers meeting today to discuss the case of Rohingya refugees who are currently stranded in the Andaman Sea […]

Burma: Use Of Religious Defamation Laws Indicate Deterioration in Fundamental Freedoms

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) continues to be deeply concerned about the violations of freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in Burma, amid growing religious intolerance, as illustrated by two current cases of “religious defamation.” […]

Burma’s Religious Conversion Bill is “Major Setback for Religious Freedom and Human Rights”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has expressed profound concern that a new law restricting religious conversions, passed earlier this week by the upper house of Burma’s parliament, would be a major setback for religious freedom and human rights in the country. […]

Multi-Faith Network Urges Secretary Kerry to Raise Religious Freedom Violations with Burmese Government

Members of the US-based International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable, a multi-faith informal group of organizations and individuals advocating for freedom of religion or belief, have written to US Secretary of State John Kerry ahead of his visit to Burma, urging him make it a priority to discuss reported violations of freedom of religion or belief with the government […]

CSW Calls on UN General Assembly to Address Violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Burma

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today urged the United Nations General Assembly to focus on continuing violations of human rights, including abuses of freedom of religion or belief, in the forthcoming annual resolution on Burma.

While significant changes have taken place in Burma during the past two years, including the release of many political prisoners, the participation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Parliament, increased space for civil society, political actors and the media, and the agreement of fragile, preliminary ceasefires with most armed ethnic resistance organisations, grave violations of human rights continue to be perpetrated, in particular against religious and ethnic minorities […]