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 […]

1,000 Letters About Burma’s Political Prisoners Delivered To William Hague

Burma Campaign UK today delivered 1,000 letters calling on the Foreign Secretary William Hague to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to set up a permanent and independent review committee for political prisoners and secure their immediate unconditional release.

Although there have been releases of many high profile political prisoners, hundreds of activists are still being arrested under repressive laws. In Kachin State and in Rakhine state, hundreds more remain in jail or are awaiting trials […]

Karen National Union Delegation Visits United Kingdom

Karen Community Association UK welcomes the Karen National Union (KNU) delegation visiting the UK from 28 October- 1 November 2013. The delegation consists of 7 members including 3 women. The delegation is in the UK to study the peace process in Northern Ireland […]

Thein Sein’s Words Must be Followed by Action

President Thein Sein completed his first visit to the UK and France on 18 July with more promises of reform and was prematurely rewarded with trade and investment discussions, military cooperation and a gloss of legitimacy. Although Prime Minister David Cameron, President François Hollande, as well President Thein Sein, paid lip-service to reform and human rights, this does not disguise the reality of a dire human rights situation, the stalled peace process, and the empty promises of reform that characterize Burma today.

One of the promises that Thein Sein made was that all political prisoners would be released by the end of the year. It has been over two years since Thein Sein assumed the office of President, and the amount of times that world leaders have pushed him on this issue has been countless. Yet there remain hundreds of people languishing in jail for their political activism, while the number of new political prisoners is increasing. On the very day that Thein Sein made this statement, a 74 year-old Rohingya human rights activist in Arakan State was arbitrarily arrested and detained. Just a few days later on 18 July, Daw Bawk Ja, a Kachin human rights activist and member of the National Democratic Force, was unlawfully detained on politically motivated charges […]

Cameron Should Demand Thein Sein Withdraw Soldiers From Ethnic States

Human rights training for Burmese Army won’t work

The Karen Community Association UK (KCA UK) today calls on Prime Minister David Cameron to press President Thein Sein to withdraw his soldiers from ethnic states to demonstrate he is genuine about wanting peace and improving human rights.

Despite a ceasefire agreement being reached between Thein Sein Government and the Karen National Union (KNU) in January 2012, human rights violations including force labour, arbitrary arrest, detention and land confiscation continue in Karen State […]

British Parliamentarians Call on Government to Prioritise Human Rights During Burmese President Thein Sein Visit

British Parliamentarians from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Burma are calling on Foreign Secretary William Hague to prioritise human rights when he meets Burmese President Thein Sein in London.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group For Democracy in Burma has recently heard evidence on a number of serious human rights issues, including the continuing recruitment of child soldiers, ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya, religious persecution against the Chin ethnic minority, and possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Burmese Army against Kachin civilians […]

Prime Minister David Cameron Should Press President Thein Sein to Stop Rohingya Ethnic Cleansing

After decades of persecution, state sponsored deadly violence against the Rohingya and Kaman Muslims was carried out in Arakan in June and October 2012 that resulted in the killing of many thousands people, massive rape and large scale destruction of villages, homes and properties and displacement of about 150,000 Muslims. In addition the evidences of mass grave have been uncovered by the creditable human rights groups […]

Burma: UK’s Cameron Should Press President on Rights

Demand Accountability for Crimes Against Humanity, Release of Political Prisoners

Britain’s Prime Minster David Cameron should urge visiting Burmese President Thein Sein to bring those responsible for atrocities against Burma’s Muslims to justice, release all political prisoners, and ensure that new legislation meets international human rights standards, Human Rights Watch said today. Thein Sein is visiting the United Kingdom from July 14 to 16, 2013 […]

UK Must Insist on Commitments from Myanmar President on Minority Rights

Ahead of President Thein Sein’s upcoming visit to London, Refugees International (RI) calls on the British government to demand action from Myanmar on protections for minority groups and citizenship for the stateless Rohingya.

“The British government has been focused on the positive reforms seen under President Thein Sein and the initial steps towards democratization in Myanmar. But these steps are reversible, and it is not in the interests of Myanmar for the international community to ignore the serious human rights abuses that persist in the country,” said RI Senior Advocate Melanie Teff […]

CSW Urges UK to Put Human Rights at the Heart of Burmese President’s Visit

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today urged the British Government to ensure that continuing grave violations of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, are put at the heart of discussions with Burma’s President Thein Sein during his visit to the United Kingdom next week […]