Investigation on Crimes Against Humanity is Critical to Building Peace and Fostering National Reconciliation in Myanmar

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) welcomes the efforts of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, to ensure that justice and accountability measures […]

European Union Must Support UN Burma Crimes Inquiry

The European Parliamentary Caucus on Burma calls upon the European Union to officially support a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity, and include its establishment in the United Nations […]

Quintana Sees Through Burma Regime’s Public Relations Tricks

Throughout the course of the past few weeks the regime has put a great deal of effort into burnishing its image, taking a number of steps aimed at appearing to be responsive to international demands for democratic change. Sadly, most of these steps are simply window dressing and have not reduced the incidences of human rights abuses in Burma.

One action the regime has taken that is designed to improve its reputation internationally is the very public meeting between President Thein Sein and opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But all talks between Daw Suu and the regime have focused on avoiding “conflicting views” rather than engaging in the genuine dialogue necessary for national reconciliation. Similarly, the second session of parliament opened this past week as part of the regime’s campaign to appear as if it has transitioned to civilian government. Given that 76% of the seats are held by MPs from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, this parliament is still little more than a rubber stamp for the military regime […]

Situation Update: The UN Must Establish a Commission of Inquiry in Burma

Despite the expectations of the international community, there has been no genuine progress towards democracy and peace since the November 2010 elections.

This briefer outlines the regime’s manipulative program of window dressing and it’s failure to take concrete steps towards meaningful democratic reforms. It concludes with recommendations to the United Nations, including the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into serious human rights violations in Burma […]

European Union Must Include Crimes Inquiry In UN General Assembly Resolution

The undersigned members of the European Burma Network call on the European Union to include the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma […]

Statement Supporting Establishment of UN-COI into War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity in Burma

The Forum of Burmese in Europe ( F B E ) has resolved in its 17th Conference held in Paris on July 29-30, 2011 that the Forum unanimously supports the establishment of the UN-mandated Commission of Inquiry (UN-COI) into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma […]

Rohingyas Call On EU to Support UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma

Over a period of many years the Burmese military dictatorship has been persistently violating international law. Grave human rights violations and abuses have been committed across the country. They are widespread, systematic and consistent against […]

Letter to US Secretary of State Clinton letter to Clinton about Rape as a Weapon of War and UN Commission of Inquiry in Burma

A bipartisan group of 13 women senators sent a letter to US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. The Senators expressed their concern about the recent reports of the use of rape as a weapon of war in the ongoing armed conflict between the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups, and urged Secretary Clinton to pursue the establishment of an international Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma […]

Human Rights Commissioner of Thailand Expresses Support for a Commission of Inquiry in Burma

The Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand has expressed his personal support for a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma, as an important mechanism to “check and balance the power and accountability of the military regime” […]

The Spirit of the 1988 Uprising Lives On – Activists Call for UN Commission of Inquiry

Twenty-three years after the 8 August 1988 nationwide people’ s uprising, groups inside Burma and around the world hosted events that demonstrated that the desire for freedom remains as strong today as it was in 1988. On that fateful day in 1988, hundreds of thousands of people, young and old, men and women, from all walks of life and a range of ethnic groups, took to the streets as part of a student led movement for democracy. Burma’s military regime, headed by General Ne Win, sensed a profound threat to its grip on power and cracked down hard on the protesters, killing at least 3,000 and imprisoning and torturing many thousands more […]