Midnight Intrusions: Ending Guest Registration and Household Inspections in Myanmar

The 47-page report, Midnight Intrusions: Ending Guest Registration and Household Inspections in Myanmar, is based on analysis of the 2012 law and interviews with 90 residents of six states and regions […]

Myanmar: Abolish Mandatory Guest Registration, End Household Inspections

(YANGON—March 19, 2015) The Myanmar government should immediately end warrantless searches of private homes and abolish the requirement that all residents register overnight houseguests with government officials, Fortify Rights said in a new report released today […]

Myanmar: Free Prisoners of Conscience in Rakhine State End Ongoing Persecution of Rohingya

(SITTWE—March 14, 2015) The government of Myanmar should immediately and unconditionally release a group of five Rohingya prisoners of conscience being held in Sittwe prison, Rakhine State, Fortify Rights said today. The group includes three prominent Rohingya community leaders imprisoned earlier this week […]

Myanmar- Overturn Wrongful Conviction of Brang Shawng

(Yangon, February 18, 2015)— The Myanmar authorities should overturn the conviction of Shayam Brang Shawng on charges relating to a letter he sent to the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC), two human rights organizations said today. The Ja Seng Ing Truth Finding Committee and Fortify Rights said the conviction was unjust and retaliatory and called on the Myanmar authorities to ensure that those responsible for the death of Brang Shawng’s daughter are held accountable […]

Myanmar: Prosecute Perpetrators, Not Human Rights Defenders Authorities Threaten Media & Critics for Implicating Military in Kachin Killings

(Yangon, February 3, 2015)— Myanmar authorities should stop prosecuting and threatening journalists and human rights defenders for reporting and speaking out about human rights abuses, Fortify Rights said today […]

Myanmar: Drop Charges Against Father of Slain School-Girl

(Bangkok, December 18, 2014)— Authorities in Myanmar should drop criminal charges against human rights defender Shayam Brang Shawng, said Fortify Rights and five leading international human rights organizations in an open letter to President Thein Sein published today. Brang Shawng, 49, faces two or more years in prison for filing a complaint with the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) that alleged the Myanmar Army was responsible for the death of his 14-year-old ethnic-Kachin daughter, Ja Seng Ing […]

Open Letter: To President Thein Sein

December 08, 2014 President Thein Sein President’s Office Nay Pyi Taw Republic of the Union of Myanmar Re: Prosecution of Shayam Brang Shawng Dear President Thein Sein, We write to you to express our concerns about the criminal prosecution of Shayam Brang Shawng (hereinafter Brang Shawng), an ethnic Kachin resident of Sut Ngai Yang village, […]

How Many More Lives? Burma Army Must Immediately Halt its Offensives in Kachin State

Despite repeated calls from the international community, governments and civil society for an immediate halt to hostilities in Kachin and northern Shan State, on 19 November, 2014 the Burma Army fired several artillery missiles as “warning shots” onto the Kachin Independent Army’s (KIA) training academy in Laiza, Kachin State, killing 23 cadets and seriously injuring 20 others. Laiza is not only the KIA’s strong-hold. It is a city with over 20,000 civilians and a host to over 17,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Just days after the killing in Laiza, the Burma Army began firing shells near IDP camps. Some of the shells landed near a boarding school housing about 1,000 IDP children. These subsequent attacks near the camps threatened the lives of over 10,000 IDPs and raised much anxiety among the most vulnerable communities who have continuously fled the conflict. Fortunately, no one was hurt in these attacks, but many of the IDPs were forced to flee again in terror to the nearby jungle.

The narrative of “reform” and the sweeping political changes that have been praised and funded by the international community is quickly coming apart at the seams. While the Burma Government continues to use its rhetoric of change and democracy to encourage international governments, donors and investors to continue funding the peace process and development projects, they made one of the most deadly targeted attacks in Kachin State since the ceasefire broke down in 2011. This attack raised serious doubts among the ethnic groups who have threatened to abandon talks aimed at achieving a nationwide ceasefire accord. These talks, ongoing for nearly two years, have proved to be thus far redundant, as the Burma Army obviously has no other goal than the elimination of all ethnic armed groups without committing to any genuine, structural reforms. […]

Key Messages to World Leaders, International Governments and the UN Concerns and Requests Related to Humanitarian Situation in Kachin and Northern Shan States, Myanmar

The 25th ASEAN Summit is commencing from 11 to 13 November 2014, hosted by Myanmar in its capital, NaypyiTaw. Most prominent world leaders are gathering and discussing important matters affecting the ASEAN countries and, inevitably, the interconnected global arena. On this occasion, Joint Strategy Team for Kachin Humanitarian Response would like to urge the world leaders, international governments and the UN to pay attention to the following concerns and take immediate actions to fulfill the requests. We firmly believe that the world leaders, international governments and the UN will strongly support the protection of dignity and rights of the internally displaced persons. […]

Fortify Rights Briefing and Recommendations: November 6, 2014

In ongoing fighting in Kachin State and northern Shan State, the Myanmar Army has targeted and attacked civilians and non-military targets, and killed civilians with impunity.

For instance, in October 2011, the Myanmar Army entered Hka Wan Bang village, Kachin State following nearby clashes with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Soldiers detained and tortured three local men suspected of involvement with the KIA, two of whom spoke to Fortify Rights. Myanmar Army soldiers detained “Doi Seng,” a 27-year-old Kachin man, along with two other Kachin men and then shot and killed an unarmed Shan civilian man on a motorbike […]