Burma Campaign UK
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed the latest report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma. The Rapporteur concluded that: “The pattern of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Rakhine State may constitute crimes against humanity as defined under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.” He went on to …
Re: The Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar/Burma Excellencies, We, a diverse range of civil society organizations from Myanmar/Burma, are writing to you in advance of the upcoming 25th regular session in Geneva to express our serious concerns about the lack of progress made regarding the situation of human rights in Myanmar/Burma, and to urge …
Statement by members of the European Burma Network The content of the next United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution on Burma is currently being discussed by the European Union. Members of the European Burma Network call upon European Union members to ensure the Resolution continues to highlight ongoing human rights abuses in Burma, and continues …
Press release from Palaung Women’s Organization – PWO PWO strongly condemns the Burma Army for firing shells into the village of Pan Pyat, in Kyaukme township, northern Shan State, on February 27, 2014, killing the village headman and seriously injuring two women. At 10 am on February 27, troops of Burma Army battalion 77, based …
Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new briefing paper – Downplaying Human Rights Abuses in Burma – analysing the most recent quarterly human rights update on Burma produced by the British Foreign Office. The briefing paper is available here. Every quarter, the British Foreign Office publishes updates of ‘countries of concern’ as part of its …
Media Release From David Ward MP Bradford East MP, David Ward, has highlighted the persecution being faced by the Rohingya people in Burma in Parliament, and has called on the Government to work to establish an international investigation into violations of international law against the Rohingya people. David has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) …
DFID funded Burma census could trigger violence Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new Briefing Paper, ‘Burma’s Census – Not Worth Dying For’, calling for the upcoming census in Burma to be postponed. The Briefing is available here. Burma is due to hold its first census in 30 years from 30th March to 10th April. …
The United Nations Working Group On Arbitrary Detention has issued a ruling that the Burmese government’s detention of Kachin farmer Laphai Gam is arbitrary, and demanded his immediate release. Burma Campaign UK took his case to the United Nations for review last year. The ruling by the United Nations was made public on 30th January …
Statement From Members Of The European Burma Network Members of the European Burma Network express their deep concern at reports of further massacres of members of the Rohingya ethnic group in Burma. The report by the United Nations that at least 48 Rohingya men women and children have been killed, and that police were involved, …
As the British government faces a growing number of questions about Burma in the British Parliament, including relating to controversial policy decisions, the government is increasingly resorting to avoiding giving a straight and clear answer to questions, probably in order to avoid proper scrutiny of its policies. Burma Campaign UK is today publishing a new …
Statement by Members of the European Burma Network Members of the European Burma Network today call on the Government of Burma to ensure the protection and promotion of the universal human right of freedom of religion or belief, as set out in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for all the peoples …
Burma Campaign UK today repeated its call for an international investigation into human rights abuses in Rakhine State, following the United Nations confirming that at least 48 Rohingya, including women and children, and one police sergeant, have been killed in recent attacks. The United Nations has called on the government of Burma to carry out …
Burma Campaign UK has published a new letter writing guide for political prisoners in Burma. The guide is part of the ‘No Political Prisoner Left Behind’ campaign. The letter writing guide highlights the cases of political prisoners still in jail who have featured as political prisoners of the month. It gives addresses of political leaders …
Statement by Members of the European Burma Network Members of the European Burma Network today call for the establishment of a permanent independent review mechanism to address the ongoing problem of political prisoners in Burma. The release of hundreds of political prisoners in the past three years has been long overdue and is very welcome. …
The British government are spending £87,850 on military training for the Burmese Army without setting any preconditions on their improving human rights and supporting democratic reform. Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new briefing paper, ‘Training War Criminals? – British Training of the Burmese Army’, examining the British government’s controversial military training to the Burmese …
Media Release From Women’s League of Burma [RANGOON, CHIANG MAI AND NEW YORK, NY] Today marks the launch of an important new report documenting ongoing crimes of sexual violence—over 100 cases documented since 2010, including 47 gang rapes—perpetrated by the Burmese military in ethnic regions of Burma. Same Impunity, Same Patterns – Systematic sexual violence …
Burma Campaign UK has published a new statement responding to a letter from the British government about its policy on political prisoners in Burma. The statement argues that the British government letter was misleading in several ways, and that the British government is paying lip service to human rights in Burma. Burma Campaign UK has …
Kyaw Hla Aung is a human rights defender and a Rohingya community leader from Rakhine State who promotes minority rights in the country. On 15th July 2013, he was taken from his home in Sittwe. After his arrest, he was charged with three different counts, and transferred to Sittwe Prison. When his trial began on …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomes the release of Khin Mi Mi Khaing, Myint Myint Aye and Thant Zin Htet, who have been on hunger strike since December 13th. The three were released after Pegu Divisional court accepted their appeal against the charges against them. Khin Mi Mi Khaing and Myint Myint Aye are leaders of …
On Thursday 19th December two Kachin civilians, Brang Yung and Lahpai Gam, had their sentences increased from 2 to 7 years in jail. They were already serving 2 year prison sentences after a verdict last month. It is not yet clear why their sentences were increased. Although Thein Sein promised to release all political prisoners …
Press Release from the US Campaign for Burma (Washington, DC, December 19, 2013) – Today, the U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB), along with 41 other human rights organizations, expressed concern that the Burmese government is continuing to arrest political prisoners/prisoners of conscience at alarmingly high rates. These arrests blatantly discredit the Burmese government’s claim that …
Three human rights activists, who were arrested in June, have been on hunger strike since 13th December. Khin Mi Mi Khaing, Myint Myint Aye and Thant Zin Htet were arrested for supporting farmers protests against land confiscation. They have been on trial for more than six months. They have been refused bail, and faced more …
Burma Campaign UK today highlights the case of La Ring as political prisoner of the month in our No Political Prisoner Left Behind campaign, and urged Foreign Secretary William Hague to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to repeal all repressive laws, and secure the immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners in Burma. La …
Burma Campaign UK today delivered 1,000 letters calling on the Foreign Secretary William Hague to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to set up a permanent and independent review committee for political prisoners and secure their immediate unconditional release. Although there have been releases of many high profile political prisoners, hundreds of activists are still …