Ko Htay Kywe’s Speech in Geneva

Ko Htay Kywe, a former political prisoner and leader of the 88 Generation Students, gave this speech on the human rights situation in Myanmar at a diplomatic briefing in Geneva, Switzerland on 1 March. He called for the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar to continue to encourage the government to carry out systematic reforms to establish rule of law. He also called for the ongoing mandate of the Special Rapporteur as well as the opening of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Myanmar.

Burma Still Requires the UN Human Rights Council’s Attention

This week 22 organizations from Burma released a statement calling on the 22nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to maintain its resolution on the situation of human rights in Burma under item 4 as “Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention” and to renew the full mandate of the Special Rapporteur Tomás Ojea Quintana. Serious human rights challenges that require the Council’s attention remain as the events of this week illustrate.

Border Security Forces in Arakan State allegedly raped 13 young Rohingya women. This highlights the serious remaining issues of the rampant culture of impunity for security forces and the Burma Army and the decades-long discrimination against the Rohingya organized and perpetuated by the government.

In Kachin State, despite ceasefire talks, fighting continued this week making more and more victims on the civilian side […]

Civil Society Calls on UN Human Rights Council to Address Serious Human Rights Challenges in Burma/Myanmar

Civil society organizations from Burma/Myanmar are urging the United Nations Human Rights Council 22nd session to address the serious human rights violations that are challenging the country’s reform process. Today, 22 organizations released a statement […]

Burma/Myanmar: Serious Human Rights Challenges Require the Continued Attention of the Human Rights Council

Civil society organizations from Burma/Myanmar urge the United Nations Human Rights Council (Council) to remain seized of the serious and ongoing human rights abuses occurring in Burma/Myanmar. The government has undertaken a series of noteworthy developments in the past two years which have been important and necessary steps towards democratic reform, however such developments remain […]

Is Germany Siding With Burma To Downplay Human Rights Abuses?

Members of the European Burma Network today called on Germany to come clean over whether it is working behind the scenes to have Burma downgraded as a priority for the United Nations Human Rights Council. The European Burma Network which brings together advocacy organisations working for human rights and democracy in Burma […]

Targeting and Torturing Public Enemies Through the Unlawful Associations Act in Myanmar

In January 2013, the Asian Legal Resource Centre released a special dossier of 36 cases brought by personnel of the Myanmar armed forces and police under the 1908 Unlawful Associations Act, against people accused of contact with the Kachin Independence Army […]

Savage Torture in Ordinary Criminal Cases

One misconception about the use of torture in Myanmar is that it has been a form of human rights abuse most commonly associated with the cases of political prisoners, and therefore in the current period we should expect the incidence of torture to diminish as political conditions change […]

ASEAN Must Support Efforts to Renew Mandate for UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) today called on Indonesia and other ASEAN member states to support calls for the United Nations Human Rights Council to maintain its resolution and renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for human rights on Myanmar to continue to monitor the situation there […]

Oral Statement Prepared for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Burma in 19th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

FIDH and and its member organization Altsean-Burma welcome the report by the Special Rapporteur and his emphasis on the situation political prisoners, institutional reforms, and accountability for gross human rights violations […]

Progress Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar

The recent wave of reforms has had a positive impact on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. The upcoming by-elections on 1 April 2012 will be a key test of how far the Government has progressed in its reform process. There is, however, a risk of backtracking on the progress achieved to date. At this crucial moment in the country’s history, remaining human rights concerns and challenges should be addressed, and justice and accountability measures, as well as measures to ensure access to the truth, should be taken […]