Burma Campaign UK
The three Brotherhood Alliance (3BA) of armed ethnic organisations has earned success in Myanmar against the troops of the military junta and taken part of the largest state of Shan, including two cities on the border with China, reports Jungle World. The said goal of the 3BA was to stop the criminal enterprises in cities …
Zoya Phan, programme director of Burma Campaign UK, spoke at the first General Assembly of the World Liberty Congress in Vilnius, Lithuania, where 200 human rights and freedom activists, former political prisoners, political dissidents, opposition leaders, international human rights lawyers, and many more, from 56 countries dominated by autocratic regimes came together.
Burma Campaign UK has updated its Boycott List of products and services produced by companies owned by the Burmese military, reports Mizzima. “The vast range of products and services provided by military-owned companies demonstrates their importance to the Burmese military and the dominant role that they have always played in the economy,” said Mark Farmaner, …
Myanmar’s regime is holding a gems emporium, a major revenue earner for the junta, in Naypyitaw, selling more gems than previous events, reports the Irrawaddy. There has been an increasing interest in [selling gems in] dollars or euros amid a hard currency crisis as foreign investment fell and western countries imposed sanctions. The National Unity …
BBC Burmese interviews Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, following the recent ASEAN summit’s statement strongly condemning the continued acts of violence in Myanmar. ASEAN reaffirmed support for its Five-Point Consensus: an immediate end to violence in the country; dialogue among all parties; the appointment of a special envoy; humanitarian assistance by ASEAN; and …
Nant Zoya Phan, programme director of Burma Campaign UK, and Naw Wahkushee, director of Karen Peace Support Network, write in Myanmar Now: “In our decades of interactions with presidents, prime ministers, government ministers and diplomats all over the world, one flawed assumption has underpinned their understanding and approach to our country. That assumption is that …
Rishi Sunak did not even raise Indian arms sales to the Burmese military when he met Prime Minister Modi at the G20 summit, reports Mizzima. Karin Valtersson, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK said: “Instead of human rights, Rishi Sunak appears to be prioritising economic opportunities, and India as a bulwark against China. However, with …
The UK government”s total aid to Rohingya refugees halfway through this financial year is £16.9 million, which represents an 85% cut since 2019-2020, reports Mizzima. “Over one million people, the majority of whom are children, are at risk of severe malnutrition and even death. The attempted military coup in Burma makes return of Rohingya to …
44 organisations from around the world, including Burma Campaign UK, have urged the G20 countries – heads of state and governments of which are meeting in New Delhi – to pay their focused attention to the crisis unfolding in Myanmar, reports India’s The Wire. “As representatives of the world’s foremost economies, you possess the influence …
Despite international condemnation of the 2021 coup and terror campaign against Myanmar’s civilians, India, the world’s largest democracy, has been deepening ties with the regime, reports the Irrawaddy. As New Delhi is set to host the G20 summit, Burma Campaign UK has called on members to pressure India to stop supporting Myanmar’s junta. Myanmar’s civilian …
As India prepares to host the prestigious B20 Business Summit, ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi in September, the role of Indian companies in funding and arming the Burmese military is receiving more attention, says Burma Campaign UK. BCUK has added seven more Indian companies to the ‘Dirty List’ of international companies funding …
Burma Campaign UK’s director Mark Farmaner and his family were at Vale Earth Fair in Guernsey this weekend, raising money for the campaign for democracy in Burma with a throwing competition. Three poo’s for a pound, if you hit Min Aung Hlaing three times, win a lolly! Big thanks as ever to Vale Earth Fair …
Myanmar’s shadow government, armed resistance and activists have welcomed the US Treasury Department’s expansion of sanctions targeting those who procure jet fuel the military regime uses in air strikes against civilians, reports RFA. Amnesty International, Global Witness and Burma Campaign UK have issued reports urging the international community to sanction large energy companies that sell …
The Biden administration has expanded its Myanmar sanctions regime to target foreigners involved in the Asian nation’s jet fuel industry, reports the Centre Daily Times. Applauding the sanctions, Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, said “The US has been playing whack-a-mole sanctioning Burmese linked companies involved in aviation fuel which then just change name …
Members of the United Nations Security Council – with the exception of veto-wielding China and Russia – have condemned the “unrelenting violence” raging across Myanmar following a closed-door briefing on the crisis, reports Al Jazeera. The US Treasury Department announced it was further expanding its sanctions on Myanmar to include foreign companies or individuals helping …
A joint statement of 514 civil society organisations (CSOs) said that the current approach of UN OCHA (the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) will embolden the Myanmar junta to further its war of terror across the nation. Burma Campaign UK published the statement, reports Mizzima, in response to UN OCHA’s visit …
India will be hosting the prestigious G20 summit for the first time, writes Burma Campaign UK’s director Mark Farmaner for Mizzima. India’s policy towards neighbouring Myanmar could, and should, overshadow the summit. The G20 will bring together countries which have sanctioned the Myanmar military and are trying to prevent the supply of revenue and arms …
UK retailer John Lewis and Partners will stop sourcing gems from Myanmar, reports the Irrawaddy. “John Lewis have done the right thing by deciding to stop sourcing from Burma,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. Burma Campaign UK is not calling for a blanket ban on gems from Myanmar. Rather, it is calling …
National department store, John Lewis Partnership, has informed Burma Campaign UK that it will cease gem sourcing from Burma, reports the Professional Jeweller. Burma Campaign UK had written to John Lewis, along with approximately 40 other retailers, asking them to ensure that – if they sell gems from Burma – they make sure that their …
Anna Roberts, Executive Director at Burma Campaign UK, was interviewed on Sky News at lunchtime today. “There are daily airstrikes by the military against civilians across the country. But those airstrikes rely on aviation fuel and Britain can play an important part by imposing sanctions on the supply of aviation fuel”, said Anna Roberts. “This …
Burma’s export of minerals including jade fell by about 28% in the first three months of this fiscal year, reports Mizzima. Global Witness has urged the international community to boycott gems and jade mined in Myanmar and called for banning the export of these precious stones and minerals. Burma Campaign UK says that the army …
Junta troops raided the office of state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) in Naypyitaw yesterday, detaining some senior officials for interrogation, reports the Irrawaddy. The raid was allegedly prompted by the leak of information about a secret bank account set up by the office to allow the regime to bypass international financial sanctions. MOGE …
The junta rely more on the use of jet fighters and helicopter gunships, reports Mizzima, since the People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) have gained significant ground. Well over 50 per cent of the country is effectively out of the control of the junta and the military have suffered ground troop losses. Amnesty International’s research for their …
One of Britain’s biggest TV shopping channels and online jewellery retailers, TJC, is withdrawing Burmese rubies from sale, reports the Irrawaddy. TJC’s move came after Burma Campaign UK challenged 40 of the UK’s major jewellery firms to prove the gems they sell are not sourced from Myanmar in ways that help fund the military regime. …