Taiwan shipping giant Evergreen stops using Myanmar junta linked port – Mizzima
Taiwan shipping giant Evergreen Marine has said it would no longer send its ships to dock at a military-owned port terminal in Myanmar, reports Mizzima, as a growing number of companies cut ties with junta-linked businesses.
Junta-linked companies run three ports in commercial hub Yangon, according to Burma Campaign UK. In 2020 global shipping giant Maersk announced it would stop using military-owned ports after a campaign against companies doing business with the military.
Evergreen Marine stops using military-owned ports in Burma – Hellenic Shipping News
Evergreen Marine, a Taiwanese company which is the world’s fourth largest cargo shipping company, has informed Burma Campaign UK that it will no longer use the Burmese military-owned Hteedan Port Terminal in Yangon, reports Hellenic Shipping News.
The company has now been removed from Burma Campaign UK’s ‘Dirty List’ of companies linked to the Burmese military or human rights violations in Burma.
“The decision by Evergreen to stop using military-owned ports is very welcome and is one less source of revenue for the military,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “Evergreen are a huge and market leading shipping company which now refuse to use Burmese military-owned ports. Any shipping company using military ports is helping to fund human rights violations by the Burmese military.”
Myanmar parents disown their dissident children amid junta’s threats – South China Morning Post
Notices in state-owned newspapers announcing families have cut ties with their anti-coup relatives have become a frequent occurrence in Myanmar, reports the South China Morning Post. It follows the junta targeting families of opposition activists, with the army saying it would seize properties and arrest anyone sheltering protesters.
“Family members are scared to be implicated in crimes,” said Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, senior advocacy officer at Burma Campaign UK. “They don’t want to be arrested, and they don’t want to be in trouble.” But, she said of the disowning notices: “Unless they do it properly with lawyers and a will, then these things don’t really count legally. After a couple of years, they can go back to being family.”
Myanmar’s UN envoy under fire for proposing ‘power share’ with military – the Guardian
The UN special envoy to Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, has been widely rebuked for suggesting that pro-democracy activists should negotiate a power-sharing agreement with the country’s military, reports the Guardian.
Almost 250 civil society organisations including Burma Campaign UK published a statement condemning the comments, warning they risked emboldening the military to commit “grave crimes with total impunity”.
Zoya Phan, coordinator of the European Karen Network and campaigns manager for Burma Campaign UK, said Heyzer’s comments had been made on the same day the military launched more airstrikes against civilians in south-eastern Karen state, also known as Kayin state. “The Burmese military was in a power sharing with the NLD-led government before the coup. However, the attacks against ethnic people didn’t stop. With the Burmese military, our country will have no positive future.”
Myanmar shuts shop to defy junta on coup anniversary – France 24
Streets emptied and shops shuttered across Myanmar as people defied junta orders to go about their business with a silent strike on the first anniversary of the military coup, reports France 24.
Following Washington’s lead, Britain imposed sanctions against Attorney General Thida Oo, Supreme Court Chief Justice Tun Tun Oo and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Tin Oo, all of whom were closely involved in the “politically motivated” prosecution of Aung San Suu Kyi.
“The Burmese military are using ever more brutal and desperate tactics to try to cling on to power,” said Anna Roberts, Burma Campaign UK’s Executive Director, welcoming the fresh sanctions. “The British government is doing exactly the right thing… however, they need to speed up the pace of new sanctions. It is vital to maximise pressure now while the military are more vulnerable.”
Two democracy activists sentenced to death – Devdiscourse
A closed military court in Myanmar has sentenced a lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party and a prominent democracy activist to death, India’s Devdiscourse reports.
“The Burmese military has handed out death sentences to prominent activists, Ko Jimmy & Zeyar Thaw. This may be the latest attempt by the military to crush dissent & hopes of the people… but protests & resistance grows daily, so does our determination to uproot this military,” Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, Burma Campaign UK’s Senior Advocacy Officer, said on Twitter.
Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to 4 more years in prison – CBC News
Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to four more years in prison on charges of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies and violating coronavirus restrictions, reports Canada’s CBC News.
“Throwing a plethora of criminal charges at Aung San Suu Kyi … reeks more of desperation than confidence,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK.
“A new mass movement was born which doesn’t depend on a single leader. There are hundreds of small groups organizing and resisting in different ways, from peaceful protest, boycotts and armed resistance.”
US and France fail to block gas revenue to Myanmar junta – Mizzima
Rights groups and NGOs are criticising the US and France for their failure to sanction the Myanmar regime and block revenue from gas extraction, reports Mizzima.
American oil giant Chevron, and French oil giant Total, are part of a consortium of companies operating the Yadana gas field in Burma. Before the surge in global gas prices in the past year, the project was estimated to earn the military around $400 million dollars annually.
According to Burma Campaign UK, Chevron and Total are too embarrassed to reveal exactly how much the project is earning the military now.
Christmas Eve massacre – Global Bar Magazine
At least 35 civilians including children and mothers were burned alive in their cars and massacred by junta troops on Christmas Eve while fleeing a clash in Kayah state, reports Sweden’s Global Bar Magazine.
Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, tweeted in response to the UN Relief Chief’s call for the authorities to investigate: “The UN Relief Chief is the only person in the world who doesn’t know who carried out the Christmas Eve Massacre. Asking the perpetrators to investigate their own crimes is what the international community did for decades. It created a sense of impunity & encouraged more crimes.”
Suu Kyi imprisonment: will the EU impose sanctions on Myanmar? – Deutsche Welle
Critics are urging the EU to impose fresh sanctions on the military junta after the sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi, reports Germany’s Deutsche Welle.
Suu Kyi’s sentencing “is just the latest in a long list of reasons why the EU should impose more targeted sanctions on the military,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “It’s been almost six months since the EU imposed any new sanctions, which will be encouraging the military to believe the EU won’t take any further action.”
“The EU is waking up to the fact that the ASEAN-led process won’t go anywhere and that they have to be more proactive instead of hiding behind ASEAN,” Mark Farmaner added.