Support for the NLD’s Decision to not Register Under Unjust Laws

Yesterday, the National League for Democracy (NLD) decided that it would not register as a political party under the junta’s unjust laws and flawed constitution. One hundred and thirteen Central Committee members from across Burma took the decision unanimously […]

Junta’s Announcement of Election Laws Paints Dire Image

On 8 March, the Burma’s military regime announced it had enacted the election law for this year’s polls, but did not set a date for the general election. State-run television reported that details of the laws would be published as supplements in the junta’s newspapers over the coming days. So far, the Union Election Commission and Political Parties Registration Laws have been made public, painting a dire image of the elections that lay ahead.

From what has been released so far, here are some notable points […]

Nationality Verification deadline passes; deportations begin

Days after the 2 March deadline for registering intent to complete the Nationality Verification process, Thai authorities are already scaling up deportations of migrant workers.

According to a spokesperson from Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association (YCOWA), there has been a sudden spike in the detention and deportation of migrants today in the Thai-Burma border town of Mae Sot. […]

Nationality Verification deadline extended

According to internal documents, the Thai government has extended the deadline for migrant workers to submit their completed Nationality Verification application from the original 28 February deadline until 31 March. Migrant workers have been given until 2 March to register at local employment departments and sign an agreement to complete the process. Any migrant workers […]

Rising Concerns as Migrant Workers’ Nationality Verification Deadline Approaches

Human rights and migrant worker organizations are concerned that over 1.3 million migrant workers—the majority of whom are Burmese—could be deported from Thailand if they fail to enter the nationality verification process before 28 February.

In January, the Thai Cabinet passed a resolution allowing for a two-year extension of work permits for the migrants provided that they were willing to submit biographical information to their home governments prior to 28 February. […]

Nyi Nyi Aung Unjustly Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

Today, Burma-born American Nyi Nyi Aung was unjustly sentenced to 3 years in prison with hard labour. He was sentenced under three different sections for a total of 5 years, however the judge commuted his sentence to 3 years. The court unjustly found Nyi Nyi guilty of forging a national identity card, failing to declare […]

Repatriation of Karen Refugees Halted for Time Being

According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, the repatriation of refugees from Burma’s Karen State has been halted for the time being. Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said that the Foreign Ministry wants “to dispel any concerns that their return would not be on a voluntary basis.” Friends of Burma (FOB) has informed us that it has not […]

Karen Refugees to be Forcibly Repatriated to Burma

Thai authorities have announced that they will begin repatriating up to 3,000 ethnic Karen refugees to a land-mined war zone, on 5 February. These refugees from Burma’s Karen State fled the SPDC’s offensive in June, and are currently staying in temporary camps in Tha Song Yang, Tak Province, Thailand. The Thai authorities claim that these […]