Burma Campaign UK
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 …
Channel 4 News report on the near-total internet blackout in Burma, where the leaders of a military coup are facing a rising tide of protests. The streets of the city of Yangon were filled with angry demonstrators, demanding the release of the country’s elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi who was detained following the army …
Carrying just a small bag, Mya Aye was escorted from his home in the dead of the night by soldiers just as an internet blackout shrouded the country and a dawn coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi. “He prepared a little backpack by the door with clothes and toothpaste,” said Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, Burma …
Statement by International Karen Organisation The International Karen Organisation condemns the military coup on 1st February. We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to arrests of human rights and democracy activists. The International Karen Organisation supports the growing calls in Burma since the coup for a boycott of military companies. We …
Justice For Myanmar and Burma Campaign UK are separate independent organisations which have both been calling for international action against the economic interests of the military, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar. We oppose any form of broad, untargeted sanctions against Myanmar which could impact ordinary …
UK Civil Society Joint Statement on the Prevention of Atrocities in Myanmar Members of the UK Atrocity Prevention Working Group and its friends call upon Her Majesty’s Government to act swiftly, comprehensively and with conviction in response to the unjustifiable seizure of power from Myanmar’s fragile democracy. A robust, coordinated response Having orchestrated genocide in …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed an announcement from Kirin that they will end their business relationship with the Burmese military. Kirin are in two joint ventures with the Burmese military, Myanmar Brewery and Mandalay Brewery. Until now Kirin had resisted calls to end its joint venture with the military, despite its business partner being accused …
Statement by Members of the European Burma Network The European Burma Network (EBN) unequivocally condemns the military coup in Burma, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi, government ministers, regional chief ministers, pro-democracy activists and all other civilians arrested during the coup. We urge the Commander-in-Chief and the military …
Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained in Monday’s coup, was charged after police said they found four illegally imported handheld radios at her home. The police said the reason for detention was “to question witnesses, request evidence and seek legal counsel after questioning the defendant”. Burma Campaign UK commented: “The reality is that they …
25 MPs from all sides of the House of Commons questioned the Minister of State for Asia, Nigel Adams, following his update on the coup in Burma. Watch the debate (starts at 14.53pm)
The Burmese military, led by Min Aung Hlaing, has arrested many political leaders and human rights activists, including Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, in night time raids. They have declared a state of emergency for one year. Governments, including the UK have issued statements of concern or condemning the coup, but none …
Joint Statement The undersigned groups today denounced an apparent coup in Myanmar, and associated violence, which has suspended civilian government and effectively returned full power to the military. On 1 February, the military arbitrarily detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy. A year-long state of emergency …
Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK, has told TIME that the military coup in Burma may have been engineered for personal reasons. “This could be being driven by the personal ambitions of Min Aung Hlaing, who was due to retire in six months,” he told TIME. “He has also used his position to …
Burma Campaign UK today called for a robust international response to the military coup in Burma which took place this morning. This should include sanctions against military companies and support for a global arms embargo. The UK already has its own arms embargo. The latest campaign actions are here. The Burmese military, led by Min …
Burma Campaign UK today urged the British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, to put pressure on Aung San Suu Kyi to release all political prisoners in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi has kept almost all repressive laws in place, and they are being used against critics of the government and military. State media controlled by the …
Statement from Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) On the six-year anniversary of the rape-murder of two Kachin teachers in Kawng Kha village, Muse District, KWAT reiterates our calls for justice and an end to ongoing Burma Army aggression and persecution of civilians in northern Burma. Early in the morning of January 20, 2015, the bodies …
Statement from Rakhine, Muslim (Rohingya), and other minority communities in Burma. Participants from Rakhine, Muslim (Rohingya), and other minority communities have held series of meetings since October 2020. All communities have expressed consent and reached the following consensus: Whereas all our diverse communities confirm that we are united and belong to the Fatherland of Arakan, …
Statement from the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) The Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) condemns escalating artillery attacks by the Burma Army in Mutraw (Papun) and Kler Lwe Htoo (Nyaunglebin) districts of northern Karen State, which have displaced over 3,700 villagers, and killed a village chief on January 12. On 15th January, Infantry Battalion LIB …
By Wai Hnin Pwint ThonCampaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK Earlier this month, the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) published a very insightful paper on the situation of political prisoners in Burma, and Aung San Suu Kyi’s record in handling the problem. It is a welcome report as the issue of political prisoners has fallen …
Japanese beer corporation Kirin has said that an assessment of its ties with the Myanmar military was “inconclusive” as to the company’s role in human rights abuses and military operations. Burma Campaign UK and other rights groups have expressed disappointment in Kirin’s announcement. “Kirin are making themselves look ridiculous trying to claim they can’t find …
In the week Facebook has suspended US President Donald Trump for inciting violence, Burma Campaign UK repeats its call to Facebook to stop the Burmese military using Facebook to recruit members, and to stop the Burmese military promoting its businesses on Facebook, profits from which help fund genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. “Donald …
Japanese beer giant Kirin said an investigation into whether money from its joint ventures with the Burmese military had funded rights abuses was “inconclusive”. Burma Campaign UK, which has placed Kirin on its “Dirty List” of international companies doing business with the military, denounced the findings of Kirin’s report as “farcical”. “Kirin are making themselves …
Deloitte’s investigation into the Japanese brewer Kirin’s links to the Burmese military has proved “inconclusive”, the company has said. Burma Campaign UK today described as “farcical” Kirin’s assertion that after a year-long investigation regarding two joint ventures with the Burmese military, it cannot establish whether the military uses profits for military purposes. “Kirin are making …
Burma Campaign UK today described as ‘farcical’ Kirin’s assertion that after a year-long investigation regarding two joint ventures with the Burmese military, it cannot establish whether the military uses profits for military purposes. Kirin is in two joint ventures with the Burmese military, Myanmar Brewery and Mandalay Brewery. Kirin has been placed on the ‘Dirty …