Myanmar: Pillay Concerned About Human Rights Situation in Rakhine State

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday raised serious concerns about ongoing human rights violations in Myanmar’s Rakhine state after the violence between the Buddhist and Muslim communities there, urging a prompt, independent investigation […]

UK Must Act On Arakan and Rohingya Crisis

Burma Campaign UK today called on British Foreign Secretary William Hague to end his silence on the current crisis in Burma and step up British diplomatic efforts to end the crisis. The current crisis has evolved into Burmese government led repression against the Rohingya […]

A Long Way to Go for People in Burma’s Ethnic Areas

Leaders of ten ethnic and opposition political parties met with President Thein Sein this week for the first time. The meeting in Naypyidaw afforded the opportunity for the MPs to raise key issues, including the rule of law, changes to the electoral system and peace building. However, the government’s response to an MP’s request for the inclusion of ethnic languages and literature in school curriculum was illustrative of how it views the rights of ethnic people and minorities.

Railway Minister and Thein Sein’s chief negotiator with armed ethnic groups, Aung Min, said that the government would allow teaching the Mon language and would provide US$1 million to fund it. However, Banyar Aung Moe, an Upper House MP for the All Mon Regions Democracy Party said, “[Aung Min] told us that the teaching time would be out of school hours. I am not satisfied with this as our party proposed allowing teaching in the government’s school time.”

Also this week, the speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Shwe Mann, reportedly told Banyar Aung Moe that the government agrees to set up a federal union at some point in the future in order to achieve peace. However, when looking at the reality that ethnic people face, it is easy to take such comments as those from Aung Min and Shwe Mann as little more than empty placations […]

Special Rappertour on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Should Conduct a Comprehensive Investigation for the Situation of Rohingya Muslim in Burma

KontraS received information that several acts of violence took place following the rape and killing of a Buddhist woman in late May 2012, in which the perpetrators were alleged Rohingya Muslims. Subsequently, on June 2nd, 2012 ten Muslim bus passengers were beaten to death by a mob seeking revenge for the crime. In the days that followed, there have been numerous and conflicting reports of further sectarian attacks perpetrated by both Buddhist and Muslim residents […]

Myanmar: Abuses Against Rohingyas Erode Human Rights Progress

Six weeks after a state of emergency was declared in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, targeted attacks and other violations by security forces against minority Rohingyas and other Muslims have increased, Amnesty International said today.

Communal violence in the state has also continued […]

Solidarity Activists Urge Burma’s Thein Sein to Restore Rohingyas Citizenship and Ethnic Rights; Ask UN, ASEAN to Probe Sectarian Violence in Arakan State

“The continued refusal of the government of Burma to recognize the ethnic rights, civil and political freedoms, and citizenship of the Rohingyas are clear violations of international law. Advertising reforms while violating the human rights of another section of your society is a complete paradox. Unless the regime of Burma corrects its past mistakes, all its efforts will just become an epic failure […]”

Civil Society Organisations Deeply Concerned by On-going Violence Against Stateless Rohingya in Myanmar and their Refoulement from Bangladesh

The stateless Rohingya of Myanmar have suffered from extreme persecution and discrimination for decades. They are now facing another crisis. On 3 June inter-communal violence erupted, and this has evolved into large-scale state sponsored violence against the Rohingya. Despite this, neighbouring Bangladesh is not allowing them to enter to seek refuge. The Rohingya population needs urgent measures to be taken for their protection […]

AIPMC Condemns Persecution and Killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar

As president of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC), I feel it is important to express my deep regret for the failure of the world to react appropriately to the killing and persecution of Muslim ethnic Rohingya in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

It is also regrettable that the recent visit of United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Southeast Asia occupied the attention of most international media while neglecting and thus tolerating the casualties of grave crimes against humanity in Myanmar […]

Statement No. (4/2012) of Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Concerning Incidents in Rakhine State in June 2012

A team from the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, comprising the Secretary and two Members, visited Sittway, Maungtaw, Buthidaung and Yathedaung Townships in the Rakhine State from 27 June to 1 July and held discussions with the responsible persons, religious leaders and the victims.

It is found that unexpected and unimaginable incidents occurred in the Rakhine State on 28 March and 3 June […]

Burma: Campaign Groups Call for Citizenship Law Reform

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) joins 30 other Burma campaign groups in calling for Burma’s controversial 1982 Citizenship Law to be repealed and replaced with a new law that is compatible with Burma’s obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights […]