Campaign News

Take action to free these political prisoners – Rohingya community leaders, Ba Thar, Kyaw Khin, Kyaw Myint and Hla Myint, who have been jailed for calling themselves Rohingya.

Lots of questions and discussion on Burma in the British Parliament last month. Read everything that happened here.    

(Photo credit: Mizzima) The date for Burma’s general elections this year has finally been announced as 8th November. Unfortunately, it is impossible for any election to be free and fair under the current conditions in ‪Burma‬. As Aung San Suu Kyi has stated, “There will be no fair elections with the current constitution.” ‪Our upcoming …

Article in Asian Correspondent: The constitution has already ensured that the election result can be neither free nor fair, as it gives unelected army officers the balance of power in parliament. Ultimate power still lies with Min Aung Hlaing rather than the electorate whose votes seem less about democratic self-determination and more about providing a …

The crisis of Burma’s Rohingya Muslim continues to escalate with little to no international action to improve the lives of a persecuted minority. Calling them by their name “Rohingya” has become something of a challenge to Burmese officials who pressure foreign officials not to use the word. Anna Roberts, executive director of the Burma Campaign …

At the UNISON conference in Glasgow this week, where delegates are writing messages of support and solidarity for union leaders Naing Htay Lwin and Myo Min Min who are currently detained in Insein Prison. Take action yourself to free them here.    

Mark Farmaner of Burma Campaign UK, a Myanmar-focused rights group that uses the country’s former name, told Anadolu Agency Friday that although the military has released hundreds of child soldiers in recent years, the practice of recruiting and using children has continued. “It is astonishing and irresponsible for UNICEF to continue to praise the military …

International Business Times UK spoke with Anna Roberts, executive director at Burma Campaign UK, about the persecution of the Rohingya which has reportedly lead to massacres.     See the interview and article here.  

Our campaign to free political prisoner Htin Lin Oo is featured in this Reuters’ article: Myanmar’s government “should be encouraging writers like Htin Lin Oo to promote interfaith tolerance in the country, rather than sending him to jail,” Wai Hnin of the Burma Campaign UK said in a statement. Read the article here.

Quoted in The Observer today: The employment minister, Priti Patel, was part of a team of spin doctors paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to help a tobacco giant counter negative publicity, including that surrounding its joint venture with one of the world’s most brutal military regimes. “BAT’s factory in Burma was jointly owned with …

“The Myanmar government has already played a clever tactical game. By first casting doubt about attending the summit, then agreeing to, they are being praised just for turning up. ASEAN members have now toned down their criticism of Myanmar’s anti-Rohingya policies for fear Myanmar might pull out”. Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK is …

Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer of Burma Campaign UK is quoted in Mizzima. “Naw Ohn Hla has been jailed numerous times simply for her peaceful political activities. There are many activists like her who still face arrest and harassment by Thein Sein’s government,” said Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer at ‪Burma‬ Campaign UK. “The government uses repressive …

Our statement calling on Ban Ki-moon to negotiate access for humanitarian aid in Rakhine State is featured in Mizzima News: “Twenty-seven international humanitarian aid and advocacy organisations have written today, 20 May, to the United Nations Secretary-General, urging him to give his “personal attention” to the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, Myanmar (Burma) and to …

A letter from Glenys Kinnock, member of the House of Lords and Patron of Burma Campaign UK, is in The Guardian: Tahmima Anam (This migrant crisis will change our world, 20 May) is right. The root causes of the Rohingya boat people’s crisis must be addressed with greater breadth and urgency. It is welcome news …

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Article in Huffington Post today by Mark Farmaner, director at Burma Campaign UK: “Thousands of Rohingya refugees from Burma lie starving in boats off the coasts of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Dehydrated and desperate, they are forced to drink their own urine in sight of countries which should be offering them sanctuary. Attention is rightly …

Article in Myanmar Times by Mark Farmaner, director at Burma Campaign UK: “For most people in Myanmar, who have no electricity supply or an unreliable supply, this might seem like good news. But can Myanmar, which ranks second as the country most vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, afford to go down the path …

April 21, 2015 is the first anniversary of the death of U Win Tin – journalist, democracy activist, founding member of the National League for Democracy, and one of Myanmar’s most high profile and respected political prisoners who spent over 19 years in prison. At home and abroad, people will be donning blue shirts in …

Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, told Mizzima: “This conviction is all about the government playing to Buddhist nationalists ahead of the election. How can posting an image of Buddha wearing headphones on Facebook be considered defaming Buddhism, but shooting and torturing monks and attacking monasteries in 2007 isn’t?”   The full article is …

Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK is quoted in Mizzima: “Despite admitting there are setbacks, they have not announced any change of approach or policy. They are literally doing business as usual. Admitting there is a problem is an essential first step to dealing with a problem, now they need to change their …

Our statement about the crackdown on student protesters is reported in Mizzima: “Burma Campaign UK is concerned about the muted response of the international community to the crackdown on protesting students, which stands in stark contrast to statements and actions taken after similar crackdowns by the previous regime. This mirrors a general reluctance to strongly …

Burma Campaign UK Director Mark Farmaner is quoted in the International Business Times: “Burma is an authoritarian country and if police were told not to use violence, it is very unlikely they would have behaved this way. Burma has been under authoritarian law for decades so police don’t act without permission. I believe the Burmese …

Quoted in The Irrawaddy, Mark Farmaner, director of the Burma Campaign UK, said any further training should be contingent on a repeal of repressive laws in Burma. “[The] EU training Burma’s police in crowd control can only be effective if their political masters are willing to accept that people have the right to protest,” Farmaner …