Statement by the Diplomatic Missions of Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the United Nations on Myanmar’s Elections

As Myanmar approaches historic elections on Sunday, the diplomatic missions of Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the United Nations reaffirm their support for the people of Myanmar […]

Thein Sein’s Words Must be Followed by Action

President Thein Sein completed his first visit to the UK and France on 18 July with more promises of reform and was prematurely rewarded with trade and investment discussions, military cooperation and a gloss of legitimacy. Although Prime Minister David Cameron, President François Hollande, as well President Thein Sein, paid lip-service to reform and human rights, this does not disguise the reality of a dire human rights situation, the stalled peace process, and the empty promises of reform that characterize Burma today.

One of the promises that Thein Sein made was that all political prisoners would be released by the end of the year. It has been over two years since Thein Sein assumed the office of President, and the amount of times that world leaders have pushed him on this issue has been countless. Yet there remain hundreds of people languishing in jail for their political activism, while the number of new political prisoners is increasing. On the very day that Thein Sein made this statement, a 74 year-old Rohingya human rights activist in Arakan State was arbitrarily arrested and detained. Just a few days later on 18 July, Daw Bawk Ja, a Kachin human rights activist and member of the National Democratic Force, was unlawfully detained on politically motivated charges […]

Open Letter to Alain Juppé, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, Regarding Justice and Accountability and Democratic Reform in Burma

Dear Mr Minister,

We have the honour of writing to you before your upcoming visit to Burma. We urge you to use this valuable opportunity to press the Burmese authorities to: release all political prisoners and ensure their freedom to participate in the political transition; repeal oppressive legislation; cease military offensives in ethnic areas and grant greater unfettered access to humanitarian groups; and
prioritize justice and accountability for past and on-going human rights abuses in the country […]

Burma/possible release of Aung San Suu Kyi – Statement by the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry Spokesman

Recent statements from the Burmese junta talk about Aung San Suu Kyi’s possible release on 13 November.

In no way at all can this be deemed a measure of clemency on the part of the junta. Indeed, Aung San Suu Kyi’s term of house arrest ends on 13 November this year […]

Week 28: 2010 Election Watch (14-20 September)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission announced that polls would not be held in 3,314 Villages in Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, and Shan States because “they are in no position to host free and fair elections.”
• The SPDC Election Commission rejected the application of 14 Kachin State Progressive Party members to run as independent candidates […]

France supports a Commission of Inquiry

FIDH, Human Rights Watch, Info-Birmanie and French Human Rights League demand the set-up of an international commission of inquiry

They welcome France’s statement and urge the EU to support this initiative at the UN General Assembly[…]

Total Impact 2.0: A Response to the French Oil Company Total Regarding Its Yadana Natural Gas Pipeline in Military-Ruled Burma (Myanmar)

This detailed and fact-based report refutes Total’s public response to ERI’s previous report, Total Impact. It finds that while the company may be softening to criticism and to the idea of engagement with a nongovernmental organization such as ERI, it has yet again misled the general public, investors and policymakers regarding the impacts of their […]