Burma Campaign UK
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 …
We, the undersigned 17 organisations, are calling on people worldwide to wear a blue shirt or blue clothing on Tuesday April 21st, the first anniversary of the death of U Win Tin, in support of political prisoners still in jail in Burma/Myanmar. “If there are no political prisoners … I will take off my shirt …
Karen Rivers Watch Statement on the International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams On the International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams, Karen Rivers Watch renews its call for the suspension of all dam projects in Karen State and other ethnic states. Karen Rivers Watch is joining local people protesting at …
We, the undersigned organizations, strongly condemn the latest instance of brutal and indiscriminate assault by the police and vigilante groups against the students, monks, and residents in Letpadan who have been peacefully exercising their civil and political rights. We further call on the Burmese government to immediately stop the violent attacks, harassment, and arrest of …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed a new report by the British government, in which they finally admit that there are ‘a number of worrying setbacks’ in Burma’s reforms process, which are ‘of significant concern.’ The admission came in the annual human rights report by the British Foreign Office, following a months’ long campaign by Burma …
Media Release from Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) The Karen Women’s Organization has successfully completed a lobbying trip to the United Kingdom between 23-28 February 2015, to raise issues of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as well as the political situation in Karen areas and women in Burma. Naw Ta Mla Saw, Joint Secretary 1 …
Burma Campaign UK condemns the violent attacks on and arrests of protesting students in Letpadan yesterday. More than 100 students were arrested and a similar number believed injured. The crackdown exposes the shallow nature of Burma’s reform process. Burma Campaign UK is calling on the British government, European Union, USA and other donors to conduct …
Situation Update by Shan Human Rights Foundation Interviews by SHRF provide evidence that during the current conflict in the Kokang area, Burma Army soldiers have been indiscriminately shooting at civilians, causing injury and death; have used civilians as hostages for ambush; and have also tortured civilians on suspicion of supporting the Kokang armed resistance group. …
A delegation of refugees from Thailand-Burma border is visiting the UK this week, for a lobbying trip focusing on the situation of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) along the Thai-Burma border, and the need for more humanitarian assistance. The delegation spoke in Parliament at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in …
Statement from Rohingya organisations We, the undersigned Rohingya organisations, strongly condemn the order by the Chin State government to remove a 54 foot-high cross, which it claims has been erected illegally. The authorities in Chin State issued a demolition order for a 16-metre cross built by a group of Christians on a hill overlooking Hakha. …
Burma Campaign UK today launches a campaign for the release of Sein Than, a political activist serving a two year prison sentence for taking part in and leading peaceful protests in support of people demanding compensation or return of their land that was confiscated by the military. Burma Campaign UK is urging people to email …
Burma Campaign UK was today joined by Baroness Kinnock, Baroness Nye, and supporters to deliver more than 2,000 rose-tinted glasses, photo petitions and campaign postcards to the British Foreign Office as part of our campaign to persuade the British government to stop looking at Burma through rose-tinted glasses, and return to putting human rights as …
Statement by United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura: (New York, 27 January 2015) I am gravely concerned by the killing and the allegations of the rape of two young female teachers from the Kachin Baptist Convention in a village in Northern Shan State in Myanmar on …
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 …
Media Release from The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoner Society (FPPS) The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoner Society (FPPS) are calling on supporters from across the world to take photographs of their participation in our 2015 Palm Campaign. The campaign aims to show …
Women’s League of Burma – press statement on the murders in Kachin State Ongoing Sexual Violence Highlights Urgent Need For Burma Army To Stop Offensives And Pull Back Troops From Kachin Areas (Chiang Mai, January 22, 2015) The rape and murder of two female teachers in Northern Shan State early on January 20th is evidence …
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 …