Myanmar: Is the US undermining the EU’s diplomatic blockade? – DW
Burma Campaign UK has accused the British government of making a “significant shift in approach”, reports Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle. The British Foreign Office hosted Win Zeyar Tun, the charge d’affaires of Myanmar’s military-controlled embassy in London, at an ASEAN diplomatic gathering.
With the US reopening talks with Myanmar’s military-backed government, and several Southeast Asian countries restarting diplomatic contacts, the EU is facing uncomfortable questions about its own boycott of the junta.
Myanmar campaigners accuse Burnham of ‘quietly’ softening stance towards military regime – the Independent
Burma Campaign UK has said the UK is “quietly” normalising relations with the sanctioned military-run regime which is trying to seek legitimacy on the global stage after the 2021 military coup, reports the Independent.
“International attention has been on US engagement with the Burmese military, but at the same time the British government appears to be quietly normalising relations with the Burmese military regime,” said Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at BCUK. “There is clearly a policy shift happening from the British government, but they seem unwilling or unable to publicly justify why they are softening their approach to the Burmese military.”
British Government: Stop weakening policy on Burmese military, says Burma Campaign UK – Mizzima
Burma Campaign UK has called on the British government to end its policy of incrementally softening its approach towards the Burmese military regime, reports Mizzima. Instead, the British government should return to imposing sanctions to cut off sources of revenue and arms to help protect people in Burma from Burmese military attacks.
“The Foreign Office claim that policy is not changing, even as policy changes in front of our eyes,” said Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at BCUK. “The meeting with Lord Leong is particularly concerning as the subject was trade promotion. The British government should be sanctioning the Burmese military, not discussing trade with them.”
UK facing backlash over 2-year sanctions pause and diplomatic outreach to Myanmar – DVB
Burma Campaign UK issued a strong condemnation of the British government, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma, accusing London of executing a quiet policy shift toward normalizing relations with Myanmar’s military regime while abandoning its commitment to sanctioning Naypyidaw.
“Inviting a representative of the Burmese military regime to meetings at government departments and being pictured with them is not critical engagement, it is normalisation and acceptance of the military regime,” said Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at BCUK.
“The British government keep saying it stands with the people of Burma, but they ignore our calls for new sanctions and instead are literally standing with representatives of the Burmese military.”
King Charles criticised by Aung San Suu Kyi’s son – the Telegraph
Burma Campaign UK has featured in news coverage criticising the British government’s change of policy towards the Burmese military, including the Telegraph’s and the Times’ reports on King Charles’ delivery of two books to imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“It is not clear if the initiative was initiated by the King or part of the Foreign Office outreach to the Burmese military,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Either way, it handed another propaganda opportunity to the Burmese military. The Foreign Office should be focusing on more important issues in Burma than negotiating book deliveries with a regime accused of genocide.”
European rights groups urge EU to shut gas sanctions loophole – Mizzima
Fourteen Europe-based rights groups have urged the European Union to close a sanctions loophole that allows European companies to keep working in Myanmar’s gas sector, reports Mizzima.
The groups include Burma Campaign UK, Fortify Rights and the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK). The joint statement said it was deeply alarming that the military could gain easier access to jet fuel while its airstrikes continue to hit civilians, schools, hospitals and religious buildings.
Read Mizzima report in English
EU urged to sanction Myanmar’s entire oil and gas sector – DVB
Fourteen advocacy groups, including Burma Campaign UK, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), and Fortify Rights, have demanded that the European Union sanction Myanmar’s entire oil and gas extraction industry, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma.
The joint statement calls on the EU to forbid European companies from working on oil and gas projects in the country.
Canada urged to impose comprehensive sanctions on Myanmar’s oil and gas sector – DVB
A coalition of 92 Canadian and international human rights organizations has called on Ottawa to expand its sanctions against Myanmar to cover its entire oil and gas extraction sector, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma.
Prominent advocacy leaders, including Minn Tent Bo of Burma Campaign UK, emphasized that economic interests must not supersede human lives, urging Canada to take decisive action to cut off foreign currency streams enabling the regime’s campaign of violence against civilians. “Canada has shown leadership on Burma before and should now take the next step by targeting the entire oil and gas supply chain,” said Minn Tent Bo.
92 organisations call on Canada to impose sanctions on Burma’s oil and gas sector – Mizzima
Ninety-two Canadian organisations and international human rights groups have called on the Government of Canada to expand its sanctions framework on Burma to cover the entire oil and gas extraction sector, reports Mizzima.
The joint letter, signed by Burma Campaign UK, warns that foreign companies continue to generate revenue for the Burmese military through their involvement in the industry.
Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at Burma Campaign UK, said: “The oil and gas sector remains one of the Burmese military’s most important sources of revenue. Oil and gas revenues help finance the military’s campaign of repression, including air strikes that target civilians, schools, hospitals and places of worship.”
Rohingya refugees: a “ping pong” game Malaysia shouldn’t play – Hatena Blog
The situation for Myanmar’s Rohingya minority has once again taken a deeply troubling turn, as news breaks of Malaysia’s alarming plan to deport around 5,000 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, says Japanese blogging platform Hatena Blog.
Burma Campaign UK has launched a global campaign, calling this forced return “refugee ping pong,” pushing vulnerable people back and forth between nations without considering their safety. They emphasize that returning Rohingya to Myanmar would expose them to horrific human rights violations, including forced conscription by the military, arbitrary detentions, execution, sexual violence, and a complete denial of freedom of movement and legal citizenship.
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