Burma Campaign UK
Calls For DFID Burma Census Inquiry Top 1,000 More than a thousand people have written to Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development, calling for an inquiry into why the Department for International Development (DFID) spent £10m on Burma’s disastrous census earlier this year. DFID has not yet responded to these calls. It triggered …
Burma Campaign UK Tribute to General Saw Tamla Baw, Former President of the Karen National Union Burma Campaign UK sends its condolences to the family and friends of General Saw Tamla Baw, and to all the Karen people, on his passing. General Saw Tamla Baw dedicated his life to working for freedom, democracy and self-determination …
Burma Campaign UK Wins Appeal Against Decision To Keep Burma Army Training Details Secret Burma Campaign UK has been notified by the British Ministry of Defence that we have won our appeal against a decision not to release course materials used on the course which the Burmese Army is taking part in. However, the Ministry …
Religious conversion law threatens religious freedom in Burma/Myanmar Over 80 organizations from civil society worldwide today call on the Government of Burma/Myanmar to scrap proposed legislation that would unlawfully restrict the right to freely choose a religion. If adopted, this law would violate fundamental human rights and could lead to further violence against Muslims and …
55 Organisations Worldwide Call For Action For Peace On Kachin Anniversary Three years ago today, the Burma Army broke a 17-year ceasefire with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and unleashed a major new military offensive against the Kachin people. Since 9 June 2011, over 120,000 Kachin people have been displaced, forced to flee their homes. …
Burma Signing Sexual Violence Declaration Should Not Just Be PR Exercise Burma Campaign UK today called on the government of Burma to immediately publish what concrete actions it will take, within a specific timeframe, to actually implement the ‘Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict’, which it has finally signed. Under President Thein …
Members of the European Burma Network are deeply concerned that refugees from Burma living in camps in Thailand are being pressured to return to Burma prematurely because of cuts in aid. The international community, and in particular the European Union, is pursuing policies which could in effect force refugees from Burma back into the country …
Media Release from US Campaign for Burma (Washington, D.C.) – Today, President Obama continued the national emergency with respect to Burma. This follows the call for renewal from U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB) and 28 other human rights organizations on May 6 (see letter here). President Obama cited Burma’s nascent political opening, ongoing conflict and …
Burma Campaign UK is calling on Tony Blair to disclose what his involvement is with President Thein Sein of Burma. Tony Blair has visited Burma on around three occasions, and is believed to be providing some kind of advisory role to the President. However, for the past year he has been refusing to disclose exactly …
Burma Campaign UK today launches a campaign calling on British Foreign Secretary William Hague to personally intervene to secure the release of jailed DVB journalist, Zaw Pe. Zaw Pe is a video journalist working for the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB). In August 2012 Zaw Pe and another man, Win Myint Hlaing, whose son is …
The Burmese government’s ongoing persecution of ethnic minorities, detentions of political prisoners, and recalcitrance on constitutional reform mandate renewal of sanctions (Washington, D.C.) – Today, the U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB), along with 28 other human rights organizations, called on President Obama to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma. The national emergency provides …
1. We believe that current faith–based political activities, including the arguments against interfaith marriage currently taking place in the country, are not in accordance with the objectives of the peaceful coexistence of all faiths and the prevention of extreme violence and conflict, but are instead events and ideas designed to distract the public before the …
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned Burma of possible international consequences if they continue to “tolerate impunity” for human rights abuses against the Rohingya. Speaking at a meeting of the Partnership Group on Myanmar in New York on 25th April, the Secretary General stated: “In the pursuit of the human rights agenda, any impression …
Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire MP has backed ‘a comprehensive and transparent mechanism’ to review cases of political prisoners in Burma. He voiced his support in a letter responding to letters from the public about political prisoners in Burma. Burma Campaign UK has been asking supporters to write to the British government, calling on British …
Burma Campaign UK today urged President Thein Sein to immediately release Nay Myo Zin, Win Cho and all remaining political prisoners, and to fully repeal Article 18 of the Peaceful Procession and Peaceful Assembly Law. Nay Myo Zin and Win Cho are former political prisoners who have been jailed again for their peaceful activities. On …
Statement by the Women’s League of Burma The Women’s League of Burma welcomes a new report by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that calls for Burma’s government to investigate crimes of sexual violence, and highlights the need for constitutional reform to bring the military in Burma under civilian oversight. The Secretary-General’s new annual report on …
Burma Campaign UK has filed an official complaint with the Information Commissioner regarding the failure of the British Ministry of Defence to properly respond to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request regarding training being given to the Burmese Army. The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights. Burma …
As the United Nations Security Council prepares to hold a debate on sexual violence in conflict on Friday 25th April, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on the government of Burma to fully investigate crimes of sexual violence, and work with the United Nations to protect and assist survivors. Since 2012, the …
Burma Campaign UK is deeply sad to learn of the death of U Win Tin. U Win Tin was a hero of Burma’s democracy movement. He was never intimidated, never lost hope, and never stopped working for a genuinely democratic Burma. U Win Tin was a journalist who challenged censorship and campaigned for media freedom. …
Burma Campaign UK today publishes a new Briefing Paper, ‘Rape and Sexual Violence by the Burmese Army’, which details how the Burmese Army has used rape and sexual violence with impunity for decades, and reports of rape and sexual violence have continued since Thein Sein became President and reforms began. Burma Campaign UK is calling …
Burma Campaign UK welcomes the new quarterly human rights update on Burma published today by the British Foreign Office. The update summarises human rights developments in Burma for the months of January-March 2014. Burma Campaign UK has strongly criticised past quarterly updates for giving misleading and false information, and downplaying serious human rights abuses in …
Burma Campaign UK is calling on Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development, to conduct an inquiry into the decision making process which led to the Department for International Development (DFID) giving the government of Burma £10m ($16m) of British aid money for Burma’s controversial census. Many organisations in Burma, and outside Burma, including …
Press Release from Shan Human Rights Foundation A villager distributing invitations to his son’s ordination ceremony was beaten, stabbed and robbed by Burma Army troops of LIB 515 in Tang Yan Township, northern Shan State on 23rd March 2014. On that day, Sai Sarng, age 46, from Murng Kao, Tang Yan township, had gone to …
Burma Campaign UK today launches a new poster campaign to highlight how the British government’s new soft engagement policy on Burma is failing to deliver human rights improvements. The first poster in the series highlights how Thein Sein broke his promise while visiting the UK last year to release all political prisoners by the end …