UN court orders Myanmar to protect Rohingya Muslims – New York Times
The New York Times reports on the International Court of Justice at The Hague’s ruling that Burma must take action to protect Rohingya Muslims, who have been killed and driven from their homes in what the country’s accusers call a campaign of genocide.
The decision is the first international court ruling against Burma over its military’s brutal treatment of the Rohingya. While the court has no enforcement power, any member of the United Nations can request action from the Security Council based on its rulings.
“The chances of Aung San Suu Kyi implementing this ruling will be zero unless significant international pressure is applied,” said Anna Roberts, executive director of Burma Campaign UK.
Burma Campaign UK publish boycott list – Frontier Myanmar
Frontier Myanmar’s new daily email briefing reports on Burma Campaign UK’s new “boycott list” encouraging consumers and companies to avoid military-linked businesses.
“Buying goods and services from the military increases their revenue and this revenue is used to fund their operations, building their military capacity,” said Burma Campaign UK. The boycott list includes Red Ruby cigarettes, the Central Yangon Hotel, and more than a dozen beer brands.
Britain in the world – Parliament debates foreign policy – Hansard
MPs today debated the foreign policy priorities set out by the new British government. Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry MP called out Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “shameful inaction in holding Myanmar to account for its genocidal treatment of the Rohingya” during his time as Foreign Secretary. Bob Blackman MP raised how the UK need to help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh with aid, and support their repatriation to Burma under safe and secure conditions.
Western Union cuts ties with military-owned bank – the Irrawaddy
The Irrawaddy Business Roundup reports that Western Union, a US-based global financial transfer service, has cut ties with the military–owned Myawaddy Bank in light of accusations that the military is responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In December 2018, Burma Campaign UK named and shamed a total of 49 companies worldwide that do business with the military in its “Dirty List” of firms. Western Union has now been removed from that list.
Western Union’s ESG reset – Directors & Boards
Western Union announced this week that the company decided to stop using Myawaddy Bank, owned by the military, as one of its agents. The bank has come under fire for the relationship given that the Myanmar military has been accused by the United Nations of genocide.
The decision comes nearly three months after Western Union’s CEO Hikmet Ersek was featured in Directors & Boards about the release of the company’s first environmental, social and governance report.
After the story ran, Directors & Boards was contacted by Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, and a follow-up story about Western Union’s apparent ESG disconnect ran in Directors & Boards’ next issue.
Mark Farmaner credited Directors & Boards’ story for increasing the pressure on the company.
Military shrugs off Western Union decision to cut ties with army-owned bank – Radio Free Asia
After U.S.-based Western Union terminated its agent contract with Myawaddy Bank, a Burmese military spokesman played down the effect that the decision would have, according to a report by Radio Free Asia.
Western Union was one of about 80 companies worldwide on Burma Campaign UK’s “Dirty List” of firms doing business with Myanmar’s military. BCUK and 32 other organisations issued a joint statement in October 2018 calling on Western Union to stop doing business with Myawaddy Bank.
Western Union cuts ties with Myawaddy Bank – Myanmar Times
Myanmar Times reports that Western Union has terminated its contract with the Tatmadaw-owned Myawaddy Bank, becoming the latest foreign company to disassociate itself from military-associated companies.
“This is a significant step forward in our campaign to stop international companies funding genocide and crimes against humanity in Burma,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK.
Western Union ‘cuts ties’ with military’s bank – Anadolu Agency
The Turkish Anadolu Agency reports that leading global money transfer service Western Union has stopped using a military-owned bank as one of its agents in Burma.
Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, said that Western Union is the biggest company so far to end a business relationship with a military-owned company.
“This move will put more pressure on other companies to also stop doing business with the military,” he told Anadolu Agency. “Companies doing business with the military are helping to pay for genocide of the Rohingya and other human rights violations.”
Western Union drops military Myawaddy Bank as its agent – Rohingya Vision
The TV channel Rohingya Vision interviewed Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, following Western Union’s decision to drop military Myawaddy Bank as its agent as a result of BCUK’s Dirty List campaign.
End of the union – Frontier Myanmar
Frontier Myanmar report in their new daily email briefing that Burma Campaign UK claimed victory when Western Union dropped its partnership with the military-affiliated Myawaddy Bank, after a joint pressure campaign with the International Campaign for the Rohingya.
BCUK said Western Union told it in an email: “Western Union has ended its contract with Myawaddy Bank, effective immediately.”