MPs Call for Release of U Gambira after his Re-arrest in Myanmar

JAKARTA, 21 January 2016 – Parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia today raised concern at the re-arrest of former monk and pro-democracy leader U Gambira in Myanmar on alleged immigration offences, and called on authorities to ensure his immediate and safe release […]

Walking into Beatings, Running Away from Gunfire

This week has seen the various organs of the state being employed to oppress and commit violence against students marching for education reform, workers striking for their rights, and ethnic nationality Kokang fleeing conflict. Thus we have seen the use of guns, thugs, repressive laws, and police brutality, exposing not just the range of the tools of government subjugation of its people, but the depths to which it will go to maintain power.

In downtown Rangoon on 5 March, 2015, around 200 people gathered to show their solidarity with the student marchers, currently barricaded by police in the town of Letpadan, 85 miles from Rangoon. This solidarity demonstration was violently broken up, not just by police, but by a gang of thugs, employed by the police to create disturbances and assault the protestors. These thugs, wearing red armbands with the word ‘duty’ are reminiscent of Swan Ah Shin group, who were used by the previous military regime in the Depayin Massacre in 2003 in which members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) were murdered, as well as the 2007 Saffron Revolution. Eight protestors were also detained overnight, including three members of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society group. Meanwhile, the 100 students barricaded in Letpadan remain, with 500 police officers surrounding them, as the government refuses to allow them to continue their march to Rangoon.

Arakanese Remembered Monk Revolution in Sittwe

The people of Burma remembered the monk revolution in various parts of the country. The Arakanese capital city of Sittwe also held the commemoration ceremony where 90 monks received donations from the devotees.

The 8th anniversary of monk revolution was jointly organized on 27 September by the Arakanese Young Monk Association (for maintaining discipline and welfare to the people), Youth Association of Mizzan Quarter (in Sittwe) and the students & youths of Mizzan Duarter […]

The Saffron Revolution: A Call to International Action

During the peaceful demonstrations in 2007 which marked Myanmar’s ‘Saffron Revolution’, thousands of monks participated in democratic rallies against the military rule across Myanmar. Despites a government crackdown on internet and mobile links to the outside world, images were shown worldwide of mass arrests and indiscriminate government-violence upon peaceful civilian protesters.

We, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) thus strongly condemns the widespread brutality, systemic use of torture, solitary confinement, enforced disappearance and cruel and degrading treatment undertake by this illegitimate regime […]

Rally for the Commemoration of 4th years of Saffron Revolution: We Want Real Change for Burma

On the 4th anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, Solidaritas Indonesia for ASEAN People (SIAP), KontraS, Imparsial, FPPI, PBHI,LBH Pers and YLBHI, as Indonesian civil society who is also part of the community of the ASEAN people […]

Statement on the 4th Anniversary of the Saffron Revolution

“We Want Real Change in Burma, Not Public Relations Games”

On the 4th anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, an alliance of Burma‐related organizations in Chiang Mai has organized this candlelight vigil and rally to call on the international community to maintain pressure on Burma’s regime until it carries out a genuine democratic transition by immediately and unconditionally releasing all political prisoners and ending impunity for human rights abusers […]

Activists Demand Real Change in Burma Rather than the Regime’s “Charm Offensive”

In September 2007, the world witnessed Burma regime’s violent crackdown on the thousands of monks and people from Burma peacefully demonstrating for change in Burma. Four years later, 2,000 political prisoners including 222 monks remain behind bars. Those responsible for the brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators in 2007 are still in power behind a democratic façade thanks to the sham elections in 2010. They continue to run the country with impunity, free to continue committing serious human rights violations, especially in ethnic areas.

To remember those who sacrificed their lives for their country and to remind the world to keep an eye on what’s happening in Burma, as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi asked this week, groups inside Burma and around the world are hosting events calling on the international community to maintain pressure on Burma’s regime until it carries out genuine democratic transition, beginning with the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and bringing an end to impunity for human rights abusers […]

Leaked internal report reveals the staggering scale of those arrested during Saffron

On this day, the 4th anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, a leaked internal document from the Special Branch of the police force reveals for the first time the exact number of those who were arrested and detained during Saffron […]

We Want Real Change in Burma, Not Public Relations Games

On the 4th anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, an alliance of Burma-related organizations in Chiang Mai has organized a candlelight vigil and rally to call on the international community to maintain pressure on Burma’s regime until it carries […]

Americans Demand President Obama Show Global Leadership in Ending Crimes against Humanity in Burma

Today the U.S. Campaign for Burma delivered 13,000 petition signatures from American citizens to the Obama administration, calling on them to provide stronger global leadership to end crimes against humanity in Burma. The petition signatures were delivered today to mark the 4thanniversary of Burma’s military regime’s violent […]