Burma Campaign UK
Burma Campaign UK today repeated its call to Jeremy Browne MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to pressure Burma’s military backed government to agree to the formation of a joint domestic and international board with the involvement of the UN, to investigate how many political prisoners remain in Burma’s jails, and secure …
Burma Campaign UK today called on British Foreign Secretary William Hague to end his silence on the current crisis in Burma and step up British diplomatic efforts to end the crisis. The current crisis has evolved into Burmese government led repression against the Rohingya. Following communal violence in June, in which many Arakan and Rohingya …
Civil Society Organisations Deeply Concerned by On-going Violence against Stateless Rohingya in Myanmar and their Refoulement from Bangladesh The stateless Rohingya of Myanmar have suffered from extreme persecution and discrimination for decades. They are now facing another crisis. On 3 June inter-communal violence erupted, and this has evolved into large-scale state sponsored violence against the …
UK Government Report: Human Rights Abuses Continue In Burma The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office published its Human Rights and Democracy report for 2011 on July 10th. The report highlights on-going serious human rights abuses in Burma, despite some welcome reforms, stating in its introduction: “2011 was marked by some unexpected and positive political developments …
Recent events in Rakhine (Arakan) State, Burma, have many causes which need to be addressed. On all sides, however, there is agreement that there needs to be clarification and proper implementation of citizenship laws. Speaking in Norway on 18th June 2012, Aung San Suu Kyi said: “If we were very clear as to who are …
Burma Campaign UK today called on European governments to view the arrests of around 20-30 student and youth activists in Burma on July 6th and 7th as a warning sign of the limits of reform in Burma. The arrests took place in several cities. Some of those arrested were released from jail in January this …
On Tuesday this week, the military backed government in Burma announced the release of 25 political prisoners. Three recent released activists’ cases were highlighted as part of Burma Campaign UK’s new campaign, No Political Prisoner Left Behind, which highlights a political prisoner case every month. Aye Aung, Khun Kawrio and Than Zaw were released under …
Burma Campaign UK today called on Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, to respond to Aung San Suu Kyi’s call in her Nobel Peace Prize speech for increased funding for refugees from Burma by doubling funding for the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), which provides food and shelter to the refugees. Speaking in …
Burma Campaign UK today strongly urged Jeremy Browne MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to pressure the military backed government to agree to the formation of a joint domestic and international board with the involvement of the UN, to investigate how many political prisoners remain in Burma’s jails. Despite some positive changes …
Press Release from Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma The Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma (ND-Burma) released a new report in Bangkok today, documenting the Government of Burma’s use of torture and ill treatment against its own people since the November 2010 elections. “The international community has been applauding the government for …
Media Release From Kachin Women’s Association – Thailand Gang-rape in church highlights Burma Army impunity for sexual violence in Kachin conflict The gang-rape and prolonged torture of a woman in a church near the Kachin-China border town of Pang Wa in early May show the ongoing impunity for sexual violence enjoyed by the Burma Army. …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed Early Day Motion 2719 on Burma tabled by members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Democracy in Burma (APPG Burma). 66 MPs across all parties, called for the continued increasing of UK aid to victims of conflict in Burma. An Early Day Motion (EDM) is a kind of parliamentary …
Statement by a worldwide coalition of Burma campaigning groups “Rape is used in my country as a weapon against those who only want to live in peace, who only want to assert their basic human rights, especially in the areas of the ethnic nationalities. Rape is rife. It is used as a weapon by the …
Burma Campaign UK today urged Jeremy Browne MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to push the military-backed government in Burma to investigate the numbers of remaining political prisoners in Burma. The unconditional release of all political prisoners is an essential step towards genuine democracy and freedom in Burma. Regardless of the changes …
Statement by Members and Observers of the European Burma Network With many sanctions against the military-backed government in Burma in the process of being suspended or lifted, there is intense interest from European companies in investing and trading with Burma. Trade and investment in developing countries can help bring benefits to the local population, both …
Burma Campaign UK today urged Jeremy Browne MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma, to do more to persuade the military-backed government in Burma to release all remaining political prisoners in Burma. There have been a series of positive changes in Burma, including the release of high profile political prisoners, and Aung San …
Burma Campaign UK today welcomed an announcement by British Prime Minister David Cameron that Britain will not support EU sanctions against Burma being lifted. He has proposed sanctions be suspended instead. Germany and other EU members had been pushing for all sanctions except the arms embargo to be lifted immediately. With hundreds of political prisoners …
On the eve of Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to Burma, Burma Campaign UK called on him to highlight the serious on-going human rights abuses in the country, and the lack of legal democratic reform. Despite reforms that have taken place, and allowing the NLD to compete in recent by-elections, human rights abuses have increased …
As the United Nations Security Council meets today to discuss developments in Burma, Burma Campaign UK called on Council members to address attacks against ethnic minority civilians by the Burmese Army, which have escalated in the past year. There have been significant changes and welcome reforms in Burma, including the recent by-elections which, although not …
Burma Campaign UK today called on British Foreign Secretary William Hague to ensure the European Union maintains pressure on the military backed government in Burma until all political prisoners are released and other key benchmarks are met. Burma Campaign UK is concerned that the Foreign Office is taking too soft a line within the European …
Media Release from Trade Union Council, TUC The TUC is calling on the UK Government to ensure that no significant EU sanctions against Burma are lifted until forced labour and other serious human rights abuses have been addressed. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has written to Foreign Secretary William Hague highlighting the ongoing human rights …
Media Release from Karen Worldwide Representatives from Karen organizations worldwide today call for genuine peace throughout Burma and for national reconciliation towards the establishment of a federal union. They also appealed to the international community, especially the European Union and the United States, to maintain pressure on the Burmese Government until there is tangible political …
As Burma’s Parliament prepares for its next session, Burma Campaign UK called on the international community to pay close attention to the new budget proposed by Thein Sein’s government, as an indicator of his commitment to implementing promised reforms. Last year’s budget allocated just 1.3 percent of the government budget to health, and just over …
Burma Campaign UK has confirmed reports that a pregnant ethnic Kachin woman was shot and killed by Burmese Army soldiers on 11th January 2012. In June last year the Burmese government broke a ceasefire with the Kachin Independence Organisation, an armed political party in Kachin State, north-east Burma. “While the EU’s Baroness Ashton calls President …