BURMA: Court Issues Landmark Ruling on Death in Police Custody

In a landmark ruling, a court in Burma has rejected the police version of events that led to the death of a man in their custody, and has opened the door to a charge of murder to be brought against the officers involved […]

Burmese Army Shoots Pregnant Teacher In Kachin State

Burma Campaign UK has confirmed reports that a pregnant ethnic Kachin woman was shot and killed by Burmese Army soldiers on 11th January 2012 […]

Kachin Churches Attacked, Women Raped and Civilians Killed by Military While Regime Talks of Reform

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is deeply concerned by reports that the Burma Army are directly attacking churches in Kachin State, beating pastors and church members, setting homes alight and raping, torturing and killing civilians.

According to CSW’s sources, on 16 October soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion 438 seized control of a Roman Catholic Church in Namsan Yang village, Waimaw township, where 23 worshippers, mostly women and elderly people, had gathered for the 8am Sunday service […]

Burma: War Crimes Against Convict Porters

Rampant Abuse of Prison Labor Shows Need for UN Inquiry

The Burmese army’s abusive treatment of convicts who are forced to serve as porters under dangerous front-line conditions constitutes war crimes, Human Rights Watch and the Karen Human Rights Group said in a joint report released today […]

Dead Men Walking: Convict Porters on the Front Lines in Eastern Burma

This 70-page report details abuses against convict porters including summary executions, torture, and the use of the convicts as “human shields” […]

Pegu Youths Brutally Shot to Death by the Military

Two youths were brutally shot dead in an execution-style killing by soldiers in Pegu at midnight on September 4, 2010.

Aung Thu Hein (22) and Soe Pai Zaw (18) were involved in a minor traffic accident with a military officer and a soldier, who were reportedly drunk. After quarrelling about the accident the soldiers left, but then returned with a large group of their fellow soldiers. When the armed group they found the two men, Aung Thu Hein and Soe Pai Zaw in downtown Pegu later that night, they shot them both to death. The two young men suffered multiple gunshot wounds […]

Salween Rally Calls on Burma’s Neighbors to Halt Dam Plans

Hundreds of villagers from both Burma and Thailand joined affected peoples from around the world in marking International Day of Action for Rivers yesterday as plans by China, Thailand and India steam ahead to dam all of Burma’s major rivers.

Five hundred farmers and fisher-folk gathered on the Salween River and shared their concerns about the impending construction of five massive dams planned on the river with performances and prayers to protect the Salween. […]

2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Burma

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Burma, with an estimated population of 54 million, is ruled by a highly authoritarian military regime dominated by the majority ethnic Burman group. The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), led by Senior General Than Shwe, was the country’s de facto government. Military officers wielded the ultimate authority at each level of government. […]