CSW Urges UN Human Rights Council to Renew Rapporteurs’ Mandates and Investigate Crimes Against Humanity in Burma and North Korea

The United Nations Human Rights Council will consider new resolutions on Burma and North Korea next week, in which the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma and the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in North Korea will be reviewed. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today urged the Human Rights Council to renew the mandates of both rapporteurs “without hesitation” and to support the calls for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity in both countries […]

Burma Faces First-ever Review of Human Right Record at UN

Burma’s human rights record will come under scrutiny at the United Nations in the country’s first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 27 January […]

CSW Renews Call for UN Inquiry into Crimes Against Humanity in Burma Following New Evidence of Violations in Chin State

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) welcomes the release today of a major new report highlighting human rights violations against the Chin people in Burma, just over a week before Burma is due for a Universal Periodic Review of its human rights record at the United Nations.

The report, Life under the Junta: Evidence of Crimes against Humanity in Burma’s Chin State, published by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), winners of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, provides further evidence of crimes against humanity perpetrated by Burma’s military regime […]

Burma’s Chin People Face Continuing Poverty and Human Rights Violations in Aftermath of Sham Election

Forced labour, religious discrimination and acute poverty continue to cause intense suffering in Chin State, western Burma, according to testimonial evidence received by a delegation led by Baroness Cox, Chief Executive of the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART), which returned last week from the India-Burma border […]

Burma: Visit to the India-Burma Border

“We have been ruled by the army for 48 years. The army has killed our hopes.” – A Chin pastor

“The elections amount to nothing more than a change of clothes for the military. They are completely unacceptable.” – A Chin refugee

In eastern Burma, the regime is carrying out military offensives against ethnic civilians, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and rape, torture, forced labour and killings. Civilians, including women, children and the elderly, are sometimes shot at point-blank range. In western and northern Burma, the regime is also cruelly suppressing the ethnic nationalities, although the tactics vary […]

Burmese Regime Continues Brutal Campaign Against Ethnic Civilians

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is concerned by reports that despite the welcome release of Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and a high-level visit by UN Burma envoy Vijay Nambiar, the regime continues to perpetrate grave violations of human rights against ethnic civilians, including military attacks and forced labour […]

CSW Welcomes Release of Aung San Suu Kyi and Calls for Dialogue in Burma

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest. It is not yet clear if any conditions are attached to her release. CSW continues to call for the unconditional release of the estimated 2,100 other political prisoners currently in jail. CSW urges the military regime to end its offensives against civilians in ethnic states and renews its call for the international community, led by the UN, to convince the regime to enter into a meaningful dialogue with the democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and the ethnic nationalities […]

Reports of Intimidation and Arrests in Ethnic Areas During Burma’s Elections

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has received reports of harassment, intimidation, violence and arrests in several of Burma’s ethnic states, during and immediately following the sham elections three days ago.

In Maungdaw, northern Arakan State, at least 38 Rohingyas were reportedly arrested on election day, and other arrests were reported in other towns. Supporters of a Rohingya party, the National Democratic Party for Development (NDPD), were arrested and tortured last week in Maungdaw […]

“Failure to Investigate Crimes Against Humanity in Burma will Embolden the Generals,” says UN Rapporteur

The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, has said the international community has a responsibility to investigate crimes against humanity in Burma, in his latest report to the UN General Assembly.

“Failing to act on accountability in Myanmar will embolden the perpetrators of international crimes and further postpone long-overdue justice,” said Mr Quintana […]

US Congress Calls on Burmese Regime to Recognize Rohingyas as “Full and Equal” Citizens of Burma

US Congressman Christopher Smith has today introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on Burma’s military regime to immediately recognize the Rohingya people “as full and equal citizens of Burma”, and to lift all restrictions on movement, marriage and access to education. The resolution also calls for an end to the regime’s campaign of religious and ethnic persecution “amounting to crimes against humanity throughout Burma” […]