Burma Campaign UK
Burma Campaign UK today urged President Thein Sein to immediately release Patrick Kum Jaa Lee and all other political prisoners in Burma. On 14th October, Kachin activist Patrick Kum Jaa Lee was arrested without a warrant and taken to Hlaing Township police station for questioning. He was arrested for allegedly sharing a picture of an …
Everyone at Burma Campaign UK was very sad to hear the news that our Patron and friend, Sue Lloyd Roberts has died. Sue was an absolute force of nature, determined to overcome any obstacles to report from some of the most remote and difficult places in the world. In the 1990s she went undercover to …
Statement by the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) As President Thein Sein takes the spotlight at the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement this week, KWAT urges that he be challenged for his failure to seek justice in the case of the rape-murder of the two Kachin teachers last January. The facts of this heinous …
Burma Campaign UK is calling on Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire MP to ensure his department stops issuing misleading statements and instead explain why he has not asked the Burmese government to release British political prisoner Phil Blackwood. “When called out about abandoning a British political prisoner in a Burmese jail, the response of the …
Burma Campaign UK today accused Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire MP of failing in one of his most fundamental duties, the support and protection of British citizens overseas. Hugo Swire, the Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, has abandoned Philip Blackwood, a British political prisoner serving hard labour in Burma’s notorious Insein Jail. Philip …
Press release from The Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (Burma) and Former Political Prisoners Society The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP) and Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) jointly call for the release of all political prisoners prior to the signing of the National Ceasefire Agreement and the 2015 General Election, if national peace …
Media release from Campaign for Freedom of Information 140 media bodies, campaign groups and others [1] have written to the Prime Minister expressing ‘serious concern’ at the government’s approach to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The organisations are particularly concerned at the Commission on Freedom of Information, announced on July 17th this year. They say …
Press release from ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) JAKARTA, 21 August 2015 – The Myanmar Parliament’s passage of two bills targeting religious minorities constitutes an attack on religious freedom and threatens to stoke inter-communal tensions and violence less than three months ahead of critical general elections, said ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) today. …
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 …