Joint Statement on Calling AICHR to Release ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

We, the undersigned civil society organizations and networks from Southeast Asia, express our grave concern and disappointment over the continuing secrecy in the drafting process of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) […]

Burma’s Resource Curse: The Case for Revenue Transparency in the Oil and Gas Sector

Burma is rich in natural resources, particularly natural gas and oil. Yet instead of using these resources for the country’s development through industry and job growth, military leaders have been exporting them for over a decade […]

Oral Statement Prepared for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Burma in 19th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

FIDH and and its member organization Altsean-Burma welcome the report by the Special Rapporteur and his emphasis on the situation political prisoners, institutional reforms, and accountability for gross human rights violations […]

Progress Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar

The recent wave of reforms has had a positive impact on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. The upcoming by-elections on 1 April 2012 will be a key test of how far the Government has progressed in its reform process. There is, however, a risk of backtracking on the progress achieved to date. At this crucial moment in the country’s history, remaining human rights concerns and challenges should be addressed, and justice and accountability measures, as well as measures to ensure access to the truth, should be taken […]

ASEAN Should Support and Promote a Credible and Transparent Process of Peace and Reconciliation in Myanmar and Mechanism of Human Rights Protection

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) today welcomed the upcoming visit of ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan to Myanmar on 20 February but noted its continued […]

Safeguarding Human Rights in a Post-Ceasefire Eastern Burma

The ongoing ceasefire negotiations between the Government of Myanmar and the Karen National Union present an important opportunity for bringing lasting peace and improved human rights conditions to local people in eastern Burma […]

Burma’s NHRC: An Empty Gesture (updated version)

The international community should not welcome the creation of Burma’s NHRC until it complies with the Paris Principles

On 5 September, Burma’s regime announced that it had established a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) charged with promoting and safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens in accordance with the 2008 Constitution.

While the creation of a NHRC could be seen as a positive step, it should be welcomed with skepticism […]

Burma’s Democratic Facade: Human Right Abuses Continued

In Burma (also known as Myanmar), the new President Thein Sein (former Gen. Thein Sein) has attempted to move towards democratization or a democratic transition, by establishing a dialogue with pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and allowed her party […]

All the information I’ve given you, I faced it myself: Rural testimony on abuse in eastern Burma since November 2010

Human rights abuses faced by ethnic communities across rural eastern Burma have continued since November 2010, and are consistent with patterns KHRG has documented since 1992. Drawing from a dataset of 1,270 oral testimonies, sets of images and documentation […]

Burma’s NHRC: Cheerleader for the Regime

On Saturday, the world celebrated International Human Rights Day. However, in Burma, this anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights marked yet another year without any improvement in the human rights situation of the people.

The newly formed National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) used the occasion to release a statement praising the regime’s commitment to human rights.

In its statement, the NHRC referred to the importance of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The NHRC is right these two texts are of high importance. In fact, they are of such importance that, if the NHRC was an independent effective human rights body, it would have surely called on the regime to ratify these two fundamental instruments […]