Over 1,000 in Mandalay Protest Mining Activities

The mining sector in Burma continues to receive flak, with protestors taking to the streets in Wetthay and Phetshay villages in Thabeikkyin, Mandalay.

On 30 August, the villagers protested against the encroaching mining activities on village land and the displacement of more than 150 households. Aimed at gold mining companies such as Myanmar Golden Pwint, Shwe Pyi Thar and Htarwarra, along with other metal mining companies in the region, the protestors condemned the breaching of boundary lines by these companies and expanding mining activities onto legally recognized village land […]

Reform of the Police and the Judiciary is a Matter of Urgency

Over recent weeks, there has been a spate of unprovoked attacks by the Burma Police Force on peaceful, innocent civilians. On 14 August, nearly 50 police personnel in Mandalay Region shot at a group of around 200 farmers from Nyaung Wine Village, Singu Township. According to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a 30-year-old mother of two, Ma San Kyin Nu, is allegedly one of the victims, and has been admitted to Mandalay General Hospital for urgent medical treatment as a result of her injuries. The farmers were protesting against the fact that over 6,000 acres of their land was confiscated in 1991 by the 121 Logistic Battalion of the Burma Army – without any compensation being provided – by continuing to plough their fields.

After the police violence, the protesting farmers prevented police from making any arrests; however, later, another 100 police arrived and blockaded the entire village. Local residents then took matters into their own hands and briefly detained about 40 police officers, angered at the brutal approach of the police to the land conflict. Although the policemen were eventually released after negotiations, the dangers and risks of uncontrolled police violence and impunity are evident: blood has been shed and anarchy has prevailed. Even if police allegations that the protestors were armed with slingshots is true, under no circumstances is the use of live ammunition by police or other state security forces on civilian protestors proportionate or justified.

Furthermore, on 14 May, All Burma Federation of Students Union (ABFSU) member Kaung Htet Kyaw was beaten by police during a suppression of a farmers’ protest in Thegon Township in Pegu Region. Kaung Htet Kyaw sustained severe head injuries. ABFSU responded by releasing a statement denouncing police mistreatment [..]

Burma Uses Old Tactics to Silence the People

Enact a repressive law, use thugs to crackdown, arrest and imprison protesters – it’s a strategy that never gets old for the Burmese authorities.

With the ongoing implementation of such a strategy, it has become more clear than ever that Burma does not tolerate critical voices that question the acts of the government or its cronies. The country has witnessed crackdowns and widespread and systematic arrests of peaceful demonstrators and activists throughout President Thein Sein’s term in office. Many of them have been charged under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law, as well as Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code, and the number is growing every day.

The latest crackdown came on 7 December in Michaungkan Quarter of Thingungyun Township, Rangoon, where more than 200 protestors were demanding the return of land that they claimed was confiscated by the Burma Army in 1990, the time when protesting against the military regime was out of the question. At least 8 protestors were injured as a group of men in civilian clothes armed with batons who claimed to be “cleaning workers from the army” attacked the peaceful protestors. Since the protest started on 26 November, two protest leaders have been arrested and sentenced to three months in prison each. Township authorities have told the demonstrators to disband their protest site or face forceful removal […]

Arrest of Human Rights Defender, Mr Tin Htut Pai

On 3 December 2013, Mr Tin Htut Pai was arrested for his involvement in commemorating the one-year anniversary of the protests against the Letpadaung mining project. Tin Htut Pai is currently detained at Insein prison, where he is able to meet his family members but has not been permitted to see his lawyer […]

TPP Tax Payers Decry Unjust Taxation

Last Saturday, Nov. 23, locals gathered in quarter 3 of Three Pagodas Pass (TPP) on the Thai-Burmese border to protest against alleged unjust taxation.

At around 9:00 AM more than 10 TPP tax-payers publicly opposed Daw San San Aye, the head of Kyarinnseikkyi township [Karen State] revenue department, as she was meeting with politicians, local authorities and quarter administrators […]

Call to End the War Against Civilians in the Kachin Region of Burma

Today, members of the Kachin community living in the United States held a demonstration to demand an end of the war against civilians in the Kachin region of Burma in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Since the war escalated in the Kachin region, civilians have endured mass atrocities and abuses by the Burma Army […]

Villagers Demonstrated Against an Arakanese Court Order

A group of villagers have staged a protest demonstration on Thursday in front of Kyauk Pru township court in Arakan following the court passed a verdict for imprisonment of ten community leaders.

The protesters, nearly 500 villagers expressed their dissatisfaction on the court order for three months imprisonment to their leaders, said U Hla Myint Kyaw, president of Kyauk Pru social network […]

Civil Society Commemorates International Peace Day in Burma

On 21 September, civil society from Burma and the region marked the International Day of Peace with many activities to highlight the urgent need for lasting peace in Burma.

Civil society in Rangoon organized a large event, including many young activists who were charged under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law and are still facing charges for marching on International Day of Peace last year. Around 300 people from 60 different civil society organizations marched through 8 townships from City Hall to the People’s Park, shouting slogans “May the Union be peaceful,” “Build national reconciliation” and “Stop war.” Though plagued by constant heavy rain, the event, unlike previous years, was held with permission of local authorities. It was also attended by high-level government officials, including government peace negotiator, Minister Aung Min, and Minister of the President’s Office, Soe Thein.

Members of civil society, after giving the opportunity for the government officials to make speeches, publicly stated their demands for peace, right in front of the ministers. They called for the immediate cessation of the Burma Army’s offensives in Kachin State, a nationwide ceasefire, and most important of all, the realization of federalism through an all-inclusive national conference, reinforcing the statement endorsed by thousands of people on the 8888 Silver Jubilee […]

The Women’s League of Burma Condemns the Violent Handling and Arrest of Peaceful Women Activists in Monywa

The Women’s League of Burma strongly condemns the violent handling and arrest of Naw Ohn Hla and nine other women who were staging a peaceful protest against the Letpadaung copper mine in Monywa on August 13 […]

Farmers Across Burma Ask Thein Sein for Help

A movement among farmers to win back confiscated land has spread widely across the country, with protesters in Burma’s biggest city and several other divisions urging President Thein Sein to step in and help.

In downtown Rangoon, more than 200 landowners gathered at Sule Pagoda on Thursday and called on Thein Sein to give back land that was confiscated by the government more than two decades ago […]