Burma Campaign UK
Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new briefing paper responding in detail to the British government’s misleading claims and the selective use of information that it uses to defend Burma’s reform process and its own trade-led policy. The briefing paper is available here. In November 2014, Aung San Suu Kyi said that for the past …
Burma Campaign UK has confirmed reports that two ethnic Kachin teachers were raped by Burmese Army soldiers overnight on 19th/20th January. Burma Campaign UK is calling on the British government to implement provisions in its Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and dispatch a team of experts to Burma to investigate the case. Burma Campaign UK is …
The influential Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Parliament has published a report today which calls on the British government to support the re-imposition of European Union sanctions on Burma in 12 months’ time if there is no improvement in the situation of the Rohingya, and if all political prisoners are not unconditionally released. The …
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, more than 2,000 campaign postcards are being delivered to the British Foreign Office calling on Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to support the establishment of an international investigation into rape and sexual violence committed by the Burmese Army. The postcards were signed by supporters of …
Following a debate on human rights in Burma in the British Parliament yesterday evening, Burma Campaign UK today accused the British government of being in denial about the reality of the reform process in Burma. Burma Campaign UK called on the British government to formally accept that the reform process in Burma has stalled, that …
Burma Campaign UK today accused Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire of sticking his head in the sand, trying not to see or talk about human rights problems in Burma which don’t fit the positive picture he is trying to present. The accusation comes following his ducking questions in the British Parliament yesterday about the growing …
The Information Commissioner’s Office, which monitors adherence to the Freedom of Information Act 2000, has issued a decision notice that the Ministry of Defence breached the Freedom of Information Act by failing to disclose details of military training being given to the Burmese Army. The decision by the Information Commissioner stated: “By failing to disclose …
Burma Campaign UK Wins Appeal Against Decision To Keep Burma Army Training Details Secret Burma Campaign UK has been notified by the British Ministry of Defence that we have won our appeal against a decision not to release course materials used on the course which the Burmese Army is taking part in. However, the Ministry …
Burma Signing Sexual Violence Declaration Should Not Just Be PR Exercise Burma Campaign UK today called on the government of Burma to immediately publish what concrete actions it will take, within a specific timeframe, to actually implement the ‘Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict’, which it has finally signed. Under President Thein …
Members of the European Burma Network are deeply concerned that refugees from Burma living in camps in Thailand are being pressured to return to Burma prematurely because of cuts in aid. The international community, and in particular the European Union, is pursuing policies which could in effect force refugees from Burma back into the country …
Burma Campaign UK has filed an official complaint with the Information Commissioner regarding the failure of the British Ministry of Defence to properly respond to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request regarding training being given to the Burmese Army. The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights. Burma …
Burma Campaign UK welcomes the new quarterly human rights update on Burma published today by the British Foreign Office. The update summarises human rights developments in Burma for the months of January-March 2014. Burma Campaign UK has strongly criticised past quarterly updates for giving misleading and false information, and downplaying serious human rights abuses in …
Burma Campaign UK today launches a new poster campaign to highlight how the British government’s new soft engagement policy on Burma is failing to deliver human rights improvements. The first poster in the series highlights how Thein Sein broke his promise while visiting the UK last year to release all political prisoners by the end …
Burma Campaign UK today called on the United Nations, the Department for International Development (DFID) and other donors to Burma’s census to withdraw their political, technical and financial support in order to avoid further endorsement of discriminatory policies against the Rohingya being applied in the census. The United Nations Population Fund and international donors went …
A delegation of women from Burma spoke in the British Parliament today about ongoing human rights abuses, aid, and the political situation in Burma. (Picture attached) The delegation of three women are on a ten day visit to the UK. The delegation consists of Jessica Nhkum from Kachin Women’s Association Thailand, Rosalinn Zahau from Chin …
Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new briefing paper – Downplaying Human Rights Abuses in Burma – analysing the most recent quarterly human rights update on Burma produced by the British Foreign Office. The briefing paper is available here. Every quarter, the British Foreign Office publishes updates of ‘countries of concern’ as part of its …
DFID funded Burma census could trigger violence Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new Briefing Paper, ‘Burma’s Census – Not Worth Dying For’, calling for the upcoming census in Burma to be postponed. The Briefing is available here. Burma is due to hold its first census in 30 years from 30th March to 10th April. …
As the British government faces a growing number of questions about Burma in the British Parliament, including relating to controversial policy decisions, the government is increasingly resorting to avoiding giving a straight and clear answer to questions, probably in order to avoid proper scrutiny of its policies. Burma Campaign UK is today publishing a new …
The British government are spending £87,850 on military training for the Burmese Army without setting any preconditions on their improving human rights and supporting democratic reform. Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new briefing paper, ‘Training War Criminals? – British Training of the Burmese Army’, examining the British government’s controversial military training to the Burmese …
Burma Campaign UK has published a new statement responding to a letter from the British government about its policy on political prisoners in Burma. The statement argues that the British government letter was misleading in several ways, and that the British government is paying lip service to human rights in Burma. Burma Campaign UK has …
Burma Campaign UK today delivered 1,000 letters calling on the Foreign Secretary William Hague to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to set up a permanent and independent review committee for political prisoners and secure their immediate unconditional release. Although there have been releases of many high profile political prisoners, hundreds of activists are still …
The British Foreign Office has finally released details of the costs incurred for Burma’s President Thein Sein visiting the UK in July 2013. The invitation to President Thein Sein was controversial, given the limited nature of Burma’s reforms and the scale of human rights abuses still taking place. The British government did not secure …
British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said in a letter to Burma Campaign UK that the British government; ‘continue to receive deeply troubling reports of the use of sexual violence in Burma’s conflict zones’. The letter was in response to thousands of letters and campaign postcards calling for action to end rape and sexual …
133 Ethnic Civil Society Organizations Express Concern and Reservation Regarding Foreign Military Engagement with the Burmese Military Today, October 17, 2013, 133 civil society organizations, representing 15 of Burma’s ethnic nationalities, submitted a joint letter to President Barack Obama of the United States, Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, and Prime Minister Tony …