Thein Sein – President of Burma

This briefing highlights Thein Sein’s decades-long involvement in human rights abuses in Burma.

Thein Sein spent 40 years as a soldier in one of the most brutal military dictatorships in the world. He spent 14 years on the ruling council of the dictatorship, including serving as Prime Minister during the crushing of the Monk-led uprising in 2007. He also spent many years based in ethnic states, where the Burmese Army committed horrific human rights abuses against the civilian population, in violation of the Geneva Conventions […]

Think Everything’s OK In Burma Now? – New Awareness Raising Campaign

Burma Campaign UK today launches a new awareness raising campaign using the strapline, ‘Think everything’s ok in Burma now?’ The awareness raising campaign is designed to draw attention to ongoing human rights abuses in Burma, and the lack of fundamental democratic reforms in the country […]

Kachin Organizations and Civil Society Groups Urge the United States Government to Renew the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act

We, Kachin civilians and activists from 30 organizations are calling on President Obama, Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Reid to renew the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, which will expire at the end of July 2013.

It is urgently needed to maintain pressure on the Burmese government to stop its policies of military aggression, and to begin a political dialogue to end the civil war in Burma […]

Human Rights Abuses Since Thein Sein Became President

It is now more than two years since Thein Sein became President, yet Burma still has one of the worst human rights records in the world. Since Thein Sein became President, human rights abuses which violate international law have actually increased. Burma Campaign UK is receiving increased numbers of reports of rape by the Burmese Army and security forces. Hundreds of political prisoners remain in jail, and almost all repressive laws remain in place […]

Burma: Ethnic Chin in Historic Hearing at the European Parliament

A public hearing on the situation of the ethnic Chin in Burma took place at the European Parliament in Brussels for the first time ever today. The event, “The struggle of ethnic Chins in a changing Burma/Myanmar” – hosted by a member of the European Parliament Working Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, László Tőkés MEP – examined some of the key challenges facing the predominantly Christian Chin people, including ongoing human rights abuses […]

Hague’s Rose-Tinted View Of Burma Undermines Human Rights

As former General Thein Sein, President of Burma, prepares to visit the UK later this week, Burma Campaign UK today launches a campaign calling on Foreign Secretary William Hague to stop taking a rose-tinted view of the situation in Burma, arguing that it undermines progress on improving human rights. Burma Campaign UK supporters are being asked to send a pair of rose-tinted glasses to the Foreign Secretary […]

Myanmar Must Look Beyond ‘Flawed’ Report to Stop Cycle of Buddhist-Muslim Violence

Recommendations in a government-backed report investigating last year’s devastating violence in Myanmar fail to effectively tackle discrimination against Rohingya Muslims and could trigger more human rights abuses, Amnesty International said.

The government-appointed Rakhine Commission this week issued a briefing on its investigation into violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Rakhine state, western Myanmar, which first erupted in June 2012 […]

CSW Urges European Union to Prioritise Human Rights in Burma, Despite Lifting Sanctions

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today urged the European Union (EU) to ensure that continuing grave violations of human rights, including religious freedom, in Burma, remain a priority, despite the decision yesterday to lift all EU sanctions on Burma apart from the arms embargo […]

Thein Sein Government Must be Held Accountable for Fresh Burma Army Atrocities in Shan State

The Shan Human Rights Foundation is gravely concerned at fresh widespread atrocities by the Burma Army against civilians in Tangy an, northern Shan State, and is calling on the international community to hold the Burmese government accountable for these abuses […]

“There is No Benefit, They Destroyed our Farmland”

This periodic update is limited in scope to provide a snapshot of overall project development. However, other impacts have been documented along the pipeline route, including environmental harms, lack of local benefits, and human rights violations, including severe human impacts in northern Shan State […]