Burma Campaign UK
British government receiving; ‘disturbing reports of the use of sexual violence by the military in Burma.’ On International Women’s Day, Burma Campaign UK is calling on members of the United Nations Human Rights Council to ensure that the Council continues to investigate serious human rights abuses in Burma, including sexual violence. There have been moves …
Burma Campaign UK is today calling on Hugo Swire MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to pressure Burma’s military-backed government to agree to the formation of a joint domestic and international board, with the involvement of the UN, to investigate how many innocent civilians and political activists remain in Burma’s jails and …
UK Government Report: Human Rights Abuses Continue In Burma The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office published its Human Rights and Democracy report for 2011 on July 10th. The report highlights on-going serious human rights abuses in Burma, despite some welcome reforms, stating in its introduction: “2011 was marked by some unexpected and positive political developments …
Media Release From Kachin Women’s Association – Thailand Gang-rape in church highlights Burma Army impunity for sexual violence in Kachin conflict The gang-rape and prolonged torture of a woman in a church near the Kachin-China border town of Pang Wa in early May show the ongoing impunity for sexual violence enjoyed by the Burma Army. …
Media Release from Karen Worldwide Representatives from Karen organizations worldwide today call for genuine peace throughout Burma and for national reconciliation towards the establishment of a federal union. They also appealed to the international community, especially the European Union and the United States, to maintain pressure on the Burmese Government until there is tangible political …
Press release by the Shan Women’s Action Network and the Shan Human Rights Foundation Over 30,000 displaced by Burma Army attacks face humanitarian crisis in northern Shan State Numbers of villagers fleeing Burma Army atrocities have soared to over 30,000 during recent intensified attacks against the Shan State Army North (SSA-N), causing a dire humanitarian …
Media release from Shan Human Rights Foundation and Shan Women’s Action Network The Burma Army is clearly authorizing rape as a terror tactic in its offensive against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), according to information documented by the Shan Women’s Action Network (SWAN) and the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF). On July 5, 2011, a …
Press release from Kachin Women’s Association Thailand Kachin women demand immediate end to Burmese regime’s use of rape as a weapon of war in northern Burma offensive The Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) is demanding an immediate end to the Burmese military regime’s widespread use of sexual violence in their offensive against the Kachin Independence …
Jeremy Browne MP, Minister of State at the Foreign Office with responsibility for Burma, has written to Burma Campaign UK stating that the government of Burma should ‘reinstate ceasefire agreements with a view to a lasting political settlement.’ The letter, dated 10th June 2011, comes as the Burmese dictatorship has broken the third ceasefire agreement …
The British government has stated in the British Parliament that it is ‘deeply concerned’ about the Burmese Army breaking its ceasefire with the Shan State Army North. It also stated that ‘only a genuine process of national reconciliation leading to a just political settlement can bring peace and stability to the country and its neighbours.’ …
The European Parliamentary Caucus on Burma is extremely concerned by the current situation in Shan State, Eastern Burma, and in other ethnic states, where conflict is increasing. Reports from the Shan Human Rights Foundation and Shan Women’s Action Network have exposed an increase in serious human rights abuses since the dictatorship ruling Burma broke a …
On 13th March 2011 the dictatorship in Burma broke a 22 year long ceasefire agreement with the Shan State Army – North. 3,500 Burmese Army soldiers took part in a military offensive in north-central Shan State, an area with a population of 100,000. Sixty-five clashes were reported in the first three weeks of the dictatorship …
Burma Campaign UK today urged Vijay Nambiar, the UN Special Advisor on Burma, not to ignore the current crisis in Shan State during his visit to Burma. Nambiar is visiting Burma to assess the willingness of Burma’s new dictator, Thein Sein, to enter into dialogue and implement democratic reforms. There has been a major increase …
Burma Campaign UK today called on the British government to publicly condemn the dictatorship in Burma for breaking ceasefire agreements with ethnic organisations in Burma, including breaking the ceasefire with the Shan State Army – North. The dictatorship in Burma is threatening to plunge the country into conflict, which will lead to a major human …
Press release by Shan community based organisations Shan community groups strongly denounce the current Burma Army offensive against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) and atrocities against civilians, including shelling of Buddhist temples, gang-rape and using women as cannon fodder. On March 13, 2011, ignoring repeated calls for peaceful dialogue, Burma’s military regime broke its 22-year-long …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed what will amount to a doubling of UK aid to Burma. News of the increase was reported by The Independent today. Burma Campaign UK has been lobbying the British government to continue increasing aid to Burma, which was a commitment of the previous Labour government, and which had been supported …
On the same day UN Burma envoy Vijay Nambiar visited Rangoon, the Burmese Army fired mortar bombs at a civilian village in Karen State, breaking international law. Thousands of ethnic Karen have fled a new Burmese Army military offensive in Karen State, along the Thailand Burma border, in the past two weeks. The fighting began …
Press release from Shan Women’s Action Network SWAN strongly denounces the Burma Army build-up around the Shan ceasefire area in Ke See township, central Shan State, which led to the rape of a young disabled woman on the eve of the November 7 election. Since November 3, more than 1,000 new troops have been deployed …
Burma Campaign UK today warned that Burmese Army attacks on a Karen armed faction in Myawaddy Town in Karen State, Burma, could be just the first example of many such attacks against armed ethnic groups, creating a major humanitarian and human rights crisis. Burma Campaign UK has repeatedly called on the international community to take …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed Lithuania’s backing for a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma. The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed its support directly to Burma Campaign UK. Lithuania is the 8th member of the European Union to publicly support an inquiry. The other EU members are …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed Netherlands backing for a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma. The expression of support was in response to a draft Resolution in the Netherlands Parliament calling on the government to support an Inquiry, and also work for the establishment of an Inquiry to …
Burma Campaign New Zealand welcomes the New Zealand Government’s endorsement of a Commission of Inquiry on Burma Wellington, New Zealand The Burma Campaign New Zealand applauds the New Zealand Government for their decision to support the establishment of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry into crimes against humanity in Burma. New Zealand joins the United …
The Burma Campaign UK today called on the United Nations and international community to seize the opportunity created by the KNU declaring a one-day ceasefire to turn it into a nationwide ceasefire. The Karen National Union, the largest armed group which has not signed a ceasefire with the dictatorship, has announced it will observe a …
For Immediate Release Canadian Friends of Burma September 3, 2010 Ottawa – Canadian Friends of Burma has learned that the Government of Canada is to support a UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma, according to a spokesperson to the Canadian Foreign Minister. “Canada supports both the UN Special Rapporteur’s work on human rights abuses in …