Press Release: Burma Must Tackle Underlying Root Causes of Protests

(28 May 2015) The Burma Government should treat the underlying structural causes of the recent outbreak of protests in Burma rather than using violence against demonstrators, Burma Partnership said in a new briefing paper released today […]

Marching to the Same Tune? A Briefing Paper on Protests and Freedom of Assembly in Burma

Background

Facilitated by the proliferation of social media as an agent for social and political change over the last five years, mass organized protests have simmered and erupted across the globe. From the 2011 “Arab Spring” in the Middle East and North Africa, to the Occupy Movement in Western cities, from the 2013 Maidan Square Revolution in Ukraine, to the recent Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, from stifled democracy movements in Iran, Russia and Cambodia, to austerity protests in southern Europe and the 2014 race protests in Ferguson, Missouri, United States, mass protests have been a defining feature of the decade thus far. Neither is Burma a stranger to mass public protests, especially given its history of the pro-democracy student uprising in 1988 and the monk-led Saffron Revolution in 2007. While it is still premature to claim that 2015 has been another key protest year in Burma, on a par with 1988 and 2007, protests have nevertheless dominated the headlines so far this year […]

Hundereds Protest against Planned Power Plant in Mon State

More than 500 locals at Aunden Village in Mon State protested against a proposed coal-fired power plant project on Sunday.

Villagers shouted slogans, such as “No Aunden coal plant”, “Dismiss the Aunden coal power plant!”, “We don’t want Toyo-Thai Company!”, and “We don’t want coal plant in our area!” while marching through the town of Ye. […]

Two Injured as Latpadaung Protestors Clash with Police

A confrontation between protestors and police left two villagers injured near the Latpadaung copper mine project in Sagaing Division on Saturday.

One villager was injured by rubber bullets while another was injured by a slingshot after protests broke out on Laikkhun Hill. Police were attempting to fence-off the land when they were confronted by locals who have refused compensation as part of government land seizures. […]

Students Rally against Education Law

Four hundred students held a march through Rangoon on Friday, begining at the central railway station and culminating in a sit-in demonstration outside the town hall. The protest continued until evening and coincided with US President Obama’s visit to the former capital.

The protest was staged in opposition to the National Education Law, signed into effect by President Thein Sein on 30 September. […]

Myanmar: Ensure Independent and Impartial Investigation into Death of Journalist

The Myanmar authorities must ensure a comprehensive, independent, impartial and effective investigation into the death of journalist Aung Kyaw Naing, aka Par Gyi, who was reportedly killed while in the custody of the Myanmar Army in Mon State, Eastern Myanmar, earlier this month. Failure to adequately ? and transparently ? investigate such serious allegations and hold perpetrators to account would further entrench impunity in the country, and have a chilling effect on other journalists […]

Thousands in Mandalay Rally for Faith Laws

MANDALAY — Thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns and laypeople marched through downtown Mandalay on Thursday afternoon to demand that the government take action on a set of highly controversial and currently stagnant interfaith bills.

Organized by the upper Burma chapter of the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, locally referred to as the Ma Ba Tha, the rally was joined by sympathizers from several nearby townships including Sagaing, Myingyun and Mandalay’s immediate surrounds […]

Sagaing Protestors Say Drug Addicts Need Help

Protestors took to the streets of Banmauk in Sagaing Division this weekend, calling for official measures to tackle rampant drug problems in the region.

“My husband died from drug addiction and it left me scared, angry and inconsolable,” said one protestor. “I get very upset seeing young people whose lives are dictated by their drug habit – it brings tears to my eyes […]

Demanding Justice for Migrant Arakanese Youths, Demonstration in Front of Thai Consulate in New York

Around 30 Burmese nationals, most of them are Arakanese , staged a demonstration in front of Thai Consulate in New York on Friday demanding justice to two Arakanese migrant workers, who were detained in Thailand in a murder case there, said Ko Khaing Ba Khine, one of the organizers of the event in America.

The demonstrators, who assembled in front of the Consulate General of Thailand for two hours beginning on 2 pm, urged the Thai government in Bangkok to scrutinize the case fairly, where the two Arakanese youths have been accused of murdering two British citizens namely David Miller (25 years old) and Hannah Witheridge (23) […]

Michaungkan Protestors Stage One-day Hunger Strike

Protestors from Michaungkan began a hunger strike at Maha Bandula Park on Wednesday calling for the release of Sein Than, a community leader from the eastern Rangoon village who was arrested and jailed for staging an unauthorised protest in July.

The protestors have occupied the site in central Rangoon for seven months, demanding the return of seized lands […]