Tony Blair’s Secret Involvement With Burma’s Government

Burma Campaign UK is calling on Tony Blair to disclose what his involvement is with President Thein Sein of Burma.

Tony Blair has visited Burma on around three occasions, and is believed to be providing some kind of advisory role to the President. However, for the past year he has been refusing to disclose exactly what his role is, and what kind of advice he is providing. The British Foreign Office, which helped to arrange at least one of his visits to Burma, has turned down a freedom of information request asking for the details and purpose of his visit […]

Chairman’s Statement of the 24th ASEAN Summit: “Moving forward in Unity to a Peaceful and Prosperous Community”

1. The 24th ASEAN Summit, under Myanmar’s Chairmanship theme, “Moving forward in Unity to a Peaceful and Prosperous Community”, was held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from 10 to11 May 2014. The Summit was chaired by the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, His Excellency U Thein Sein. The Summit was attended by the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States and the Secretary-General of ASEAN. Thailand was represented by its Deputy Prime Minister of its caretaker government as special envoy […]

Burma: Open Letter to President Thein Sein on the Abolition of the Death Penalty

FIDH and its member organization, the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma), urge you to take bold steps to abolish the death penalty in Burma. Burma has not carried out an execution since 1988. As a result, it is among the world’s de facto abolitionist countries. However, during the Universal Periodic Review […]

BURMA: Letter to President Obama on Continuing National Emergency

Dear President Obama,

Our organizations urge you to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma. Since May 20, 2013, the Burmese government has failed to substantively address any of the concerns that informed the renewal of Executive Order 13619 […]

President Obama Must Renew Burma Investment Sanctions

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB), along with 28 other human rights organizations, called on President Obama to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma. The national emergency provides the authority for the ban of U.S. investment in the Burmese military and the authority for the Reporting Requirements for Responsible Investment in Burma. This authority is set to expire this month. Last week, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom also pressed for the renewal of the national emergency […]

British Government Backs Burma Political Prisoner Review Mechanism

Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire MP has backed ‘a comprehensive and transparent mechanism’ to review cases of political prisoners in Burma. He voiced his support in a letter responding to letters from the public about political prisoners in Burma […]

Thein Sein Must Release Nay Myo Zin and Win Cho

Burma Campaign UK today urged President Thein Sein to immediately release Nay Myo Zin, Win Cho and all remaining political prisoners, and to fully repeal Article 18 of the Peaceful Procession and Peaceful Assembly Law […]

Ongoing Sexual Violence in Burma Requires International Investigation

Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new Briefing Paper – Rape and Sexual Violence by the Burmese Army – which details how the Burmese Army has used rape and sexual violence with impunity for decades, and reports of rape and sexual violence have continued since Thein Sein became President and reforms began. Burma Campaign UK is calling for an international investigation to be established, as it is clear that President Thein Sein and the Burmese Army are unwilling to address this issue, and the international community cannot allow these abuses to continue […]

DFID Should Conduct Inquiry Into Burma Census Funding

Burma Campaign UK is calling on Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development, to conduct an inquiry into the decision making process which led to the Department for International Development (DFID) giving the government of Burma £10m ($16m) of British aid money for Burma’s controversial census […]

New Poster Campaign Highlights UK Burma Policy Failure

Burma Campaign UK today launches a new poster campaign to highlight how the British government’s new soft engagement policy on Burma is failing to deliver human rights improvements […]