Burma Campaign UK
The Myanmar military continues to secure supplies of aviation fuel — involving companies from Asia and Europe — despite air raids that have killed and maimed civilians and forced thousands from their homes, reports Al Jazeera. Amnesty International, Global Witness and Burma Campaign UK said they had identified more companies involved in aviation fuel transactions, …
The latest round of EU sanctions imposed on the junta were welcomed by advocacy groups, reports the Voice of America (VOA). Burma Campaign UK said, “This round of sanctions is well targeted, focusing on suppliers of aviation fuel, arms brokers, military procurement entities and members of the Burmese military and associated bodies.” “These sanctions will …
Myanmar’s energy minister, businessmen, high-ranking military officers and private companies will be subject to asset freezes and travel bans, reports Al Jazeera. “These new EU sanctions are right on target, aimed at limiting air strikes and supplies of arms and equipment, as well as targeting individuals responsible for serious human rights violations,” said Anna Roberts, …
The Ukraine war has dominated Western attention but a fraction of the same support could tip the conflict’s balance in favor of pro-democracy forces, reports the Asia Times. “For many countries around the world, the Myanmar crisis has been forgotten,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “It may be understandable that a crisis …
The regional bloc is more likely than the EU or the US to accept the military regime’s planned sham poll as legitimate, reports the Asia Times. “There is simply no question of the British government accepting whatever regime which follows any military-organised elections as legitimately representing the will of the people,” said Mark Farmaner, director …
Zoya Phan, Burma Campaign UK’s Campaigns Manager, an ethnic Karen and long-time political activist, briefly met with King Charles III on 1 February, reports Mizzima. The exchange took place at a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the contribution of East and Southeast Asian communities to the United Kingdom. Charles III was quick to recognize Zoya …
Two years after the coup, women are defying the generals’ misogyny by overturning gender stereotypes and mounting political and armed resistance, writes Zoya Phan, Burma Campaign UK’s Campaigns Manager, for Chatham House. Despite having killed at least 2,300 pro-democracy activists and arbitrarily detaining 16,000 more, the country’s military rulers, the Tatmadaw, are facing unprecedented resistance. …
Burma Campaign UK welcomed new UK sanctions targeting suppliers of aviation fuel to the Burmese military, but claimed they do not go far enough, reports Mizzima. Anna Roberts, BCUK’s Executive Director said: “The British government is spot on, targeting suppliers of aviation fuel to the military, but they need to go further and faster to …
Thank you to all our supporters that wrote to the Foreign Secretary calling on the UK government to impose sanctions on aviation fuel. Here is their response:
The streets of Yangon were completely empty today as citizens carried out a nationwide “silent strike” to protest the military coup that plunged the country into a deadly civil war exactly two years ago, reports the Telegraph. The junta announced a six-month extension to the state of emergency, likely delaying elections. Read Telegraph article (behind …
“The military is boasting about nationalism and independence but they are ultimately dependent on Russia and China for their survival” says Zoya Phan, Burma Campaign UK’s Campaigns Manager, in a recent interview with the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. “At the same time, Western countries are still involved in the supply chain in …
Following another sell-out year the Vale Earth Fair collective has been able to donate £9,000 each to three humanitarian causes, reports Channel Eye. One of these is Burma Campaign UK, and Karin Valtersson, their Campaigns Officer, attended the Vale Earth Fair on behalf of the organisation last year. Karin Valtersson said: “Campaigning works, but successes …
Guernsey’s Vale Earth Fair 2022 was the event’s most profitable year since it began 46 years ago, reports the BBC. The annual music festival is run by volunteers and all profits are donated to charity. The 2022 festival sold out and was able to donate £27,000, split equally between three humanitarian causes. Burma Campaign UK …
Global action is needed to topple Myanmar’s criminal junta boss, reports New Zealand’s Otago Daily Times, quoting the Guardian article below. Burma Campaign UK’s director Mark Farmaner said the UN security council’s first-ever resolution on Myanmar does not go far enough, with no mention, for example, of a long-sought global arms embargo. “Russia, China and …
Self-serving calculations explain China’s decision not to veto last month’s first-ever UN security council resolution on Myanmar, which called for an end to violence and the freeing of all political prisoners, says the Guardian. Following Beijing’s lead, Russia also abstained. Now comes the hard part: ensuring the junta complies. Burma Campaign UK complains the UN …
BBC Burmese interviews Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, about the UN Security Council Resolution on Burma. Mark Farmaner said it is a very significant, historic moment, but the resolution does not go far enough. Neither calling for a global arms embargo nor addressing the genocide of the Rohingya, it will have no practical …
The United Nations Security Council has adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years, which demands an end to violence and calls on the country’s military rulers to release all political prisoners, reports Al Jazeera. Burma Campaign UK welcomed the resolution but said it would have “no practical impact” and that imposing a global …
Burma Campaign UK has welcomed new sanctions against the Myanmar junta announced by the British government, this time focused on perpetrators of sexual violence, reports Mizzima. “These new sanctions are welcome, but the pace of implementation of sanctions is far too slow,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “There were reports of sexual …
Burma Campaign UK has called on the Qatari government – currently hosting the football world cup – to stop allowing cargo vessels owned by the Myanmar military to dock at ports in Qatar, reports Mizzima. “By allowing Burmese military-owned vessels to use Qatari ports, Qatar is helping the Burmese military to raise funds to commit …
Almost 6,000 people are being released from prison in Burma, including Britain’s former ambassador Vicky Bowman and her husband, and the activist Mya Aye, a leader of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, reports the Guardian. That still leaves a record high of 13,000 political prisoners in detention. “Despite the record number of political prisoners, they barely …
BBC Burmese interviews Montse Ferrer, lead researcher on Amnesty International’s new report on the national and international corporate actors involved in the supply of aviation fuel to the military. The programme includes an interview with Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UK’s Director, on the need to stop the supply to help end airstrikes, and the practicalities …
The United States and European Union have announced new sanctions against Myanmar’s military regime aimed at officials, companies and arms dealers, reports Al Jazeera. “The EU has the right policy, to cut off sources of revenue and arms to the Burmese military, but they are not implementing it fast enough,” Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma …
Puma Energy, the foreign business that has been mainly involved in the aircraft oil supply chain since 1997, is pulling out of Burma, reports the Karen media/news company Salween Press. Amnesty International’s investigation into the oil exporting company, and the request to the fuel exporting companies to stop exporting aircraft to prevent civilian casualties, have …
Up to 80 people have been killed, local celebrities and civilians among them, after the junta dropped four bombs on a celebration in Kachin State, reports VICE Media News. Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK, described the attack as a “dramatic escalation,” characterising the junta as desperately “lashing out” against its adversaries. “They’re …