Statement No. (3/2015) The Visit to Insein Central Prison

1. A team from the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, comprising of Commission Members U Zaw Win, U Yu Lwin Aung, Dr Nyan Zaw and Dr Daw Than Nwe, accompanied by the staff of the Commission visited the Insein Central Prison in Yangon Region on the 17 and 18 of February 2015. The visit was made under Sections 43, 44 and 45 of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Law. The team divided into four groups and inspected the prison as follows […]

Myanmar: Freedom for All Prisoners of Conscience Must Follow Activist’s Release

The release of peaceful activist Dr Tun Aung, jailed simply for trying to prevent communal violence, is a positive step, but authorities in Myanmar should also free the dozens of other prisoners of conscience still behind bars, Amnesty International said […]

Statement No. (1/2015) On the Inquiry of Riots of 22nd December 2014 at Latpadaungtaung Copper Mine Project in Salingyi Township

1. News was received on the 22nd of December 2014, of riots between the villagers and the security forces resulting in the death of one Daw Khin Win, aged 53 years of Moe-Gyo-Pyin (middle) village, in Sagaing Region, Salingyi township, during Latpadaungtaung Copper Mine Project fencing activities. It also resulted in the injury of 11 police force personnel as well as 11 villagers. Moreover, the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission received complaint letters asking the Commission to investigate into the truth of the matter […]

Myanmar: UN expert to assess human rights situation in Rakhine and Northern Shan States

GENEVA (5 January 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, will undertake her second official visit to the country from 7-16 January 2015. Ms. Lee will gather first-hand information on the current human rights situation in the Rakhine and Northern Shan States, among other issues […]

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 […]

As the Burma Army Fires Live Rounds, the MNHRC Fires Blanks

The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) once again proved the futility of its existence with a deeply unsatisfactory investigation into the murder of journalist Aung Kyaw Naing, a.k.a. Ko Par Gyi by the Burma Army. Rather than providing meaningful avenues for redress for the victim and his family, the investigation report serves to act as a cover for the Burma Army, which is continuing to commit such human rights abuses throughout Burma’s ethnic areas.

Ko Par Gyi was a freelance journalist covering the conflict between the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the Burma Army when he was taken into military custody. Five days later he was tortured before being shot to death. The marks of torture were obvious to Ma Thandar, Ko Par Gyi’s wife, when she viewed the dead body. After calls from human rights groups as well as the US State Department, for an independent investigation, President Thein Sein consequently asked the MNHRC to conduct an investigation, the results of which were released on 2 December 2014.

The MNRHC investigation report, however, does not address the key issues surrounding this case, is full of inconsistencies, and does not include key pieces of evidence. It does not provide any explanation of the signs of torture that were clear on his body. The report claims that there had been a fight in which the gun had gone off; however, according to forensic experts that Ko Par Gyi’s wife has spoken to, he had been shot five times, one of which was point blank through the chin, implying that he had been shot four times before being killed. […]

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, […]

Who Killed Ja Seng Ing?

On 13 September 2012, Shayam Ja Seng Ing, a 14 year old Kachin girl, was fatally
injured in Sut Ngai Yang village, Hpakant Township, Kachin State. Her father,
Shayam Brang Shawng, and multiple eyewitnesses allege that she was shot and
killed by Myanmar Army soldiers during a period of indiscriminate gunfire. The
Myanmar Army alleges that she was killed by a mine detonated by the Kachin
Independence Army (KIA) […]

Myanmar Military Allegedly Killed 14-Year-Old School Girl

(Yangon, 6 December 2014) The Government of Myanmar should initiate an investigation into the death of Ja Seng Ing, a 14-year-old school girl from Kachin State, said the Ja Seng Ing Truth Finding Committee (the Committee) in a report released today. According to eyewitnesses, Ja Seng Ing was shot and killed by Myanmar Army soldiers in Sut Ngai Yang village, Hpakant Township, Kachin State on 13 September 2012 […]

Par Gyi Killing Highlights Continuing Impunity in Southeast Myanmar

The recent killing by the Myanmar Army of the journalist Aung Kyaw Naing, also known as Par Gyi, highlights the need to end impunity in Southeast Myanmar, according to the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), a leading community based organisation in the region. […]