Burma Campaign UK’s campaigns manager refused visa to Burma
Zoya Phan, Burma Campaign UK’s campaigns manager, has been refused a visa to attend the unveiling of a statue of her father Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan on the ninth anniversary of the Karen leader’s murder.
Support a UN Inquiry into the Rohingya crisis
Now the British government is considering whether or not to back a UN inquiry into the Rohingya crisis. Such an investigation could help reduce human rights violations and set out a roadmap for ensuring human rights for the Rohingya.
Mass rape, murder and torture – ask your MP to help stop this
Ask your MP to sign a new motion in Parliament calling on the British government to back a UN Inquiry into the Rohingya crisis. We need the British government to back a UN Inquiry and propose it at the Human Rights Council.
Devastating cruelty against Rohingya detailed in UN human rights report
Mass gang-rape, killings – including of babies and young children, brutal beatings, disappearances and other serious human rights violations by Myanmar’s security forces in a sealed-off area north of Maungdaw in northern Rakhine State have been detailed in a new UN report.
UK government admits human rights not included in Burma Army training
In answer to a question by Tom Brake MP, the Defence Minister Mike Penning said “There is currently no specific programme module within this training which focuses on the issue of human rights”.
British aid is being used to train Burma’s brutal army – Daily Mail
The Daily Mail reports that millions of pounds of Britain’s aid has been spent on training foreign soldiers – including the Burmese army that is accused of killing and raping its own people.
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tom Brake MP told the Daily Mail: ‘The Burmese army are amongst the worst human rights abusers in the world. Why on earth is our aid cash being used in aid of their repression?’
Rohingya Crisis: Burma’s government accused of whitewash – Vatican Radio
Vatican Radio reports that human rights groups have accused Burma’s government of trying to cover up abuses against Rohingya civilians in Rakhine State.
In an interview with Vatican Radio, the Executive Director of the Burma Campaign UK, Anna Roberts said, “the fact that this [the Burmese government’s own] commission has no independence or credibility just underlines the need for an independent investigation, one that should be led by the UN.”
Families of Kachin Teachers still waiting for justice – Burma News International
Burma News International reports on Burma Campaign UK’s petition to the British government to do more to help stop the rape of ethnic women in conflict divided Burma.
BNI quotes Zoya Phan, campaigns manager at Burma Campaign UK: “The British government should … stop training the Burmese Army until they take concrete action to end impunity for rape, and take other steps to prevent rape.”
Families of Kachin Teachers still waiting for justice – Karen News
Karen News reports that Burma Campaign UK delivered a petition to the British government to do more to help stop the rape of ethnic women in conflict divided Burma, and quotes Zoya Phan, the campaigns manager for Burma Campaign UK: “It has been two years now since the two Kachin teachers were brutally raped and killed by the Burmese military and there is still no justice”.
Calls for justice on anniversary of teachers’ murders – Myanmar Times
Two years after the murders, and one year after the National League for Democracy promised to bring the perpetrators to justice, the bereaved families of two Kachin teachers are no closer to knowing who raped and killed their daughters. At memorial services in Yangon, Muse and Myitkyina yesterday, civil society organisations and community leaders expressed disappointment about the continued lack of attention to the case.
This report from the Myanmar Times quotes Zoya Phan, campaigns manager at Burma Campaign UK: “Given the fact that the NLD-led government has taken no steps to end impunity for sexual violence in conflict, it is time for the international community to act on this.”