Burma Campaign UK
On the 27th anniversary of the crushing of the pro-democracy uprising on 8/8/88, Burma Campaign UK is calling on President Thein Sein, Speaker Shwe Mann, and all election candidates or potential Presidential candidates with a military background to publish their military records in full and their role in the crushing of the pro-democracy uprising in …
Article by Zoya Phan, Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK: “If the British government is serious about meeting this aim, it must stop avoiding the fact that most sexual violence in conflict is being committed by the Burma Armed Forces. Instead, it refuses to support proposals to establish a UN Inquiry into sexual violence in …
Burma Campaign UK offers its condolences to the family and friends of Reverend Dr. Simon, who passed away yesterday. Reverend Simon was one of those rare people whose goodness and compassion shone through. He was, quite simply, a good man. When Burma was a closed country, Burma Campaign UK brought MPs, journalists and NGOs from …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed the release of around 13 political prisoners as part of an amnesty given by President Thein Sein to almost 7,000 prisoners. 11 of the political prisoners released were cases that Burma Campaign UK has been actively campaigning on. However, releasing the prisoners in this way heralds a return to the …
Update by the Shan Human Rights Foundation On June 6, 2015, a 28-year-old Shan woman was found raped, murdered and robbed in Ho Pong Township, southern Shan State, with evidence pointing to Burma Army soldiers stationed at the nearby Light Infantry Battalion 249 outpost. After initial denial, local Burmese military officers arrested one of their …
Burma Campaign UK today urged the High Representative of the European External Action Service, Federica Mogherini, to take action to free Rohingya community leaders, Ba Thar, Kyaw Khin, Kyaw Myint and Hla Myint, and to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to reform the Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee. Ba Thar, Kyaw Khin, Kyaw Myint …
Around 30 NGOs and trade unions are demanding Thailand to end harassment of researchers and human rights defenders in the run-up to the final preliminary hearing in a criminal defamation and computer crimes case, brought by Natural Fruit against researcher and activist Andy Hall, on 20th July. The undersigned organisations are also disappointed to learn …
Over 50 MPs in the British Parliament have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) (a kind of Parliamentary petition) calling on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to personally lead negotiations for humanitarian access to Rakhine State, Burma. The MPs also call on the British Government to put pressure on the Burmese government to address the root …
Statement of Save the Salween Network The Salween/Thanlwin River is the second longest river in Southeast Asia, invaluable for the survival of the ethnic people who live along it. It not only has great historical significance but is also a vital lifeline nourishing a wide range of biodiversity. We strongly believe that the efforts of …
Media Release by The Karen Women’s Organization and Karen Women’s Empowerment Group The Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) and Karen Women’s Empowerment Group (KWEG) call for the immediate and unconditional release of Naw Ohn Hla, imprisoned in Burma for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression and opinion. Naw Ohn Hla was sentenced …
On this 2015 World Refugee Day, we stand in solidarity with the over 110,000 refugees who fled Burma to seek protection in the nine camps along the Thailand-Burma border, embodying the years of conflict and the struggle for democracy. We call on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Burma Government, the international …
56 Solidarity Groups Worldwide Call for an Immediate End to Offensives in Northern Burma/Myanmar and for the Provision of Unhindered Humanitarian Assistance to the IDPs On the fourth anniversary of the renewed war in Kachin State, 56 groups worldwide issued a statement in solidarity with the Kachin people by calling on the Burma Army to …
Statement by Members of the European Burma Network Monday 8th June marks the third anniversary of a new wave of large-scale violence against Burma’s Rohingya ethnic minority. The violence left hundreds dead and displaced more than 140,000 people. The crisis with thousands of Rohingya refugees stranded at sea as they flee Burma is a stark …
Burma Campaign UK publishes a new briefing paper today, highlighting how Burma has taken no steps to implement the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, which it signed one year ago today. The briefing paper is available here. The Declaration contained twelve commitments to prevent sexual violence in conflict. The Burmese government …
Today, the military-backed government in Burma sentenced a writer, Htin Lin Oo, to two years in prison with hard labour for criticising religious extremism in Burma. Burma Campaign UK urged Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to pressure the Burmese government to ensure the immediate unconditional release of Htin Lin Oo and the remaining political prisoners in …
Burma Campaign UK welcomes the discussion on Burma and the Rohingya due to take place at the United Nations Security Council today. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, High Commissioner for Human Rights, will brief the UN Security Council following recent international attention on thousands of Rohingya stranded at sea after fleeing Burma. Burma has been on …
Burma Campaign UK today urged Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire MP to call in the Burmese ambassador to Britain to question him regarding why people are still being arrested under the so-called right to protest law in Burma. Burma Campaign UK also urged the Foreign Office Minister to demand the military-backed government to reform the …
The Women Peace Network – Arakan (WPN-A) urgently calls upon the international community, including ASEAN governments, to act immediately to save and protect the Rohingya women and children who are currently trapped at sea. WPN-A also calls for urgent action to address the root causes of the humanitarian disaster faced by Rohingya women within Myanmar …
Thirty seven international humanitarian aid and advocacy organisations have written today to the United Nations Secretary-General, urging him to give his “personal attention” to the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, Myanmar (Burma) and to take “a personal lead” in negotiating for humanitarian access to all areas of Rakhine State. In an open letter, the NGOs …
Burma Campaign UK today called on Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to ensure that EU Foreign Ministers discuss the Rohingya refugee crisis when they meet on Monday. The European Union should apply pressure on Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia to stop pushing boats of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis back out to sea. Fleeing escalating persecution in Burma, …
Burma Campaign UK today called on ASEAN members to stop pushing boats of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis back out to sea. Thousands of people are stranded in boats at sea as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia push back boats of desperate refugees and migrants, some of whom have now been at sea for months. “Thailand, Malaysia …
Burma Campaign UK today called for the immediate and unconditional release of two union leaders, Naing Htay Lwin and Myo Min Min. They were arrested in February 2015 for protesting without the Burmese government’s permission. Naing Htay lwin and Myo Min Min are two union leaders from Rangoon who work in garment factories. Garment workers …
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stated that there is: ‘a high level of impunity for conflict-related sexual violence perpetrated by State actors’ in a recently released report to the UN Security Council. The UN Secretary-General urged the government of Burma “…to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted.” The report also stated …
On the eve of the first anniversary of the death of U Win Tin, 23 organisations today call for urgent reform of Burma/Myanmar’s Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee. On 21st April, people around the world will be wearing a blue shirt or blue clothing in memory of U Win Tin, who served nearly 20 years …