Asian firms urged to do their ‘duty’ – Thomson Reuters Foundation
Asian businesses are coming under intense pressure to cut ties with the Burma military after this month’s coup, with activists questioning whether such ventures benefit the wider population or fuel human rights abuses.
The coup ended a decade-long democratic transition when businesses entered Burma after international sanctions were lifted. Many of these firms formed partnerships with the military.
Thomson Reuters Foundation reports that Burma Campaign UK, which has published a list of more than 100 firms linked to the military, called for “targeted sanctions” against military-owned and controlled companies and their business associates.
Behind Myanmar’s military coup – Mark Farmaner writes in Labour Hub
Since the military coup, the EU and UK have announced they are considering targeted sanctions on the military, writes Burma Campaign UK’s Director in Labour Hub. Rohingya activists, Burma Campaign UK, the Labour Party and even UN investigators have been calling for this for years.
The people of Myanmar are crying out for international support. They are risking their lives protesting for their freedom. The least we can do is back them up by stopping British companies doing business with the military, business which helps them to fund genocide and military coups.
Armoured vehicles roll into cities as internet shut down – the Guardian
Burma’s internet has been cut overnight, hours after armoured vehicles rolled into several cities, prompting fears for the fate of protesters and warnings by diplomats that “the world is watching”.
A statement put out by a group of ambassadors including the envoys from the EU, US, UK and Canada, said “We call on security forces to refrain from violence against demonstrators and civilians, who are protesting the overthrow of their legitimate government … The world is watching.”
“While the international community is condemning the coup, Min Aung Hlaing is using every tool he has to instigate fears and instabilities,” said Wai Hnin Pwint Thon from Burma Campaign UK on Twitter.
Election officials detained ‘in bid to prove fraud’ – the Guardian
Burma’s military government is detaining officials of the Union Election Commission (UEC) in night-time raids and asking them to provide evidence that November’s election was rigged, according to a senior member of the organisation.
Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, told the Guardian he was aware of the detentions. “In the middle of the night security forces in plainclothes are forcing their way into homes and taking people away,” he said.
“In recent nights there has been a wave of arrests of UEC officials. No one knows where they are or what is happening to them. The number of political prisoners in Myanmar has more than doubled since the coup.”
EU provided crowd control training to Myanmar police units – the Guardian
The EU has suspended its crowd control training to specialist Myanmar police units alleged to have been involved in a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, after the military staged a coup that has triggered the largest protest movement in the country in more than a decade.
“This is a military-controlled police force involved in genocide, and that should be a red line for not providing training,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “At the end of the day they’re likely to follow military orders if asked to shoot on protesters or put down an uprising.”
Will more Singapore investors pull out of Burma? – the Online Citizen
Singapore is the largest foreign investor in Burma, followed by Hongkong (China). Will more Singapore investors pull out, asks Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform the Online Citizen.
Several Singapore-run businesses have been linked to the military by Burma Campaign UK. The Online Citizen lists 11 Singapore-run companies that are on BCUK’s Dirty List for their role in assisting the military to continue to commit human rights violations.
Japanese beer giant Kirin Holdings said last week that it would scrap its beer alliance with Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company (MEHL) after the United Nations claimed that MEHL was linked to the Myanmar military. BCUK has taken Kirin off its Dirty List.
Infosys and other Indian firms face flak for maintaining ties with military-controlled companies – Deccan Herald
Infosys is among the Indian companies being criticised for continuing business ties with companies controlled by Burma’s military after the military coup.
The Deccan Herald reports that Burma Campaign UK placed Infosys, the Adani Group, HAL and other Indian companies on a “dirty list”, a list of businesses around the world that conduct business with the military.
UK vote on genocide claims – the Guardian
A joint letter signed by 20 civilian groups including Burma Campaign UK, the World Uyghur Congress and Yezidi Emergency Support, which says the UK has played a key role in the past five years leading the fight to protect the Yazidis when Isis was trying to wipe them out, calls for a role for the UK courts in determining genocide.
Last month UK MPs rejected a Conservative-proposed role for the courts in determining genocide, but peers reasserted their support for the measure by a huge majority. The government has bundled the vote together with a separate Labour proposal on human rights and trade deals, making it less likely to pass.
Min Aung Hlaing ‘Wanted’ Poster
Wai Hnin Pwint Thon interviewed – Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera reports on the seizure of power by the Burmese army, who have declared a state of emergency and detained civilian leaders.
Al Jazeera interviewed Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK, on the arrest of her father Mya Aye, one of the leaders of the 88 Generation, the pro-democracy group dating from the student-led uprising against military rule in 1988.