Burma 2011: Still a Military Dictatorship

Despite the convening of the newly elected Parliament, Burma’s ‘democratically-elected’ regime is nothing more than a disguised version of the military dictatorship that has ruled Burma for the past five decades […]

Burma: Army Should Act to End Abuses

Top Military Lawyer Should Support UN Commission of Inquiry

The Burmese military leadership should adopt measures to end abuses and ensure that those responsible are held accountable, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the judge advocate general of the Burmese Armed Forces, Maj. Gen. Yar Pyae. In the letter, sent to coincide with Burma’s 66th Armed Forces Day on March 27, 2011, Human Rights Watch called on the judge advocate general, the military’s chief legal officer, to publicly order all members of the armed forces to abide by international human rights and humanitarian law […]

Q & A on an International Commission of Inquiry

In March 2010, the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Tomás Ojea Quintana, called on the UN to consider the possibility of establishing a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into crimes in violation of international law committed in Burma. Thus far, 16 states have endorsed this call to address systematic, widespread, and serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Such abuses include war crimes and possible crimes against humanity by the Burmese armed forces and non-state armed groups.

Human Rights Watch calls on relevant UN bodies to establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate reports of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Burma by all parties, and to identify the perpetrators of such violations with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable […]

Burma’s Military Regime Refuses to Address Human Rights Abuses at UN Human Rights Council

Last week, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, held an interactive dialogue with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) following the submission of his progress report to the United Nations General Assembly. Quintana painted a stark picture of Burma’s human rights situation, including the deprivation of social, economic, and cultural rights. Burma’s military regime representatives were once again unwilling to face facts and address widespread human rights violations, credible allegations of crimes against humanity, and criticisms of current political reforms […]

Quintana’s Report Illustrates Military Regime’s Failure to Promote and Protect Human Rights; Calls for Commission of Inquiry into Abuses

On 7 March 2011, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Tomás Ojea Quintana, submitted his progress report to the UN General Assembly. The information in the report reinforces Quintana’s recent assertion that “[d]espite the promise of a transition [in Burma], the human rights situation remains grave.”

The report notes that 2,189 prisoners of conscience remain in detention in Burma as of January 2011. Freedom of expression is still curtailed. Armed conflict between the military regime and ethnic armed resistance groups has continued since the November 2010 elections, and tensions remain high. Quintana notes that reports of ceasefire groups re-arming in anticipation of resumption of armed conflict. Rohingyas continue to flee persecution.

Burma’s military regime flatly denies abuses and refuses to take the necessary steps to promote and protect the basic human rights of Burma’s citizens […]

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 […]

Denmark and Latvia Support UN Burma Inquiry

Two more European countries have expressed support for international investigations into human rights abuses in Burma, following protests in London targeting six European countries. Latvia stated it supports a UN Commission of Inquiry; ‘in principle’, while Denmark stated it; ‘supports in principle the establishment of an international investigation into human rights abuses in Burma […]

Burma Briefer No. 10: Political Prisoners in Burma – A Crime Against Humanity

[…] Most attention on possible war crimes and crimes against humanity taking place in Burma has focused on attacks and persecution on ethnic minorities, particularly crimes committed against the ethnic Karen, Karenni and Shan in Eastern Burma, and against the Rohingya in Western Burma, and the Chin in the Northwest. This briefing looks at an area which has so far not received much attention, the detention and treatment of political prisoners […]

Political Prisoners in Burma – A Crime Against Humanity

Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new briefing, ‘Political Prisoners in Burma – A Crime Against Humanity’. The briefing finds, based on international law, that the detention and treatment of political prisoners in Burma should be investigated as a crime against […]

UN Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to Burma: A Must!

s the first century ends and 2011 begins as the Global Centenary Year of International Women’s Day Celebration, we start to reflect again on what we have achieved, what our hits and misses were, and be guided by the lessons […]