Campaign News

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 …

At least 60 people have reportedly been killed and more than 100 injured by Burmese military airstrikes on a music festival in Kachin State, reports the New Musical Express. The event was celebrating its 62nd anniversary since the founding of Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO). Burma Campaign UK tweeted “Horrific reports of 60 killed & 200 …

The exiled National Unity Government’s first Rohingya representative branded the execution of four human rights activists “prison murders”, reports i News. Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, senior advocacy officer at Burma Campaign UK, had known one of the four, Ko Jimmy, all her life as he was a close friend of her father, also a jailed …

After long campaign by rights groups, Puma Energy decided to withdraw from Burma, reports the Karen media/news company Salween Press. Zoya Phan, Campaign manager at Burma Campaign UK said, “Puma Energy is leaving Burma. It means our campaigns play crucial role to pressure foreign companies as well as Burmese military junta. Pressure on companies providing …

Aung San Suu Kyi and her economic advisor, Australian economist Sean Turnell, have been sentenced to three years behind bars on espionage charges, reports United Press International. In total, Suu Kyi has been sentenced to more than 20 years’ imprisonment since being arrested in the February 2021 coup. Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, …

The British government has announced that in principle it will support the referral of Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC) weeks after the US made a similar announcement, reports Mizzima. “This is a significant and welcome step by the British government, building on their recent announcement that they would join the Rohingya genocide case …

In a programme on how practical it is to get the Rohingya back home from Bangladesh, BBC Burmese interviews Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “The Rohingya refugees have no good options at all”, says Mark Farmaner. “The government of Bangladesh should be engaging with the NUG (National Unity Government), and also engaging more …

A leaked document reveals that three Chinese energy companies appealed to the Burmese junta for help importing liquified natural gas from the Russian government, reports Frontier Myanmar, as the regime’s economic policies wreak havoc on the energy sector. “The desperate and convoluted steps these companies are taking to try to keep operating is another example …

Karin Valtersson, Burma Campaign UK’s Campaigns Officer, writes in Labour Hub calling for the new Foreign Secretary to sanction aviation fuel, to increase resources for the sanctions process and to increase humanitarian aid to Burma. She writes “The new Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly MP, should make it one of his priorities in office to put …

Vicky Bowman, the British Ambassador to Myanmar from 2002-2006, and her husband, artist Htein Lin, were arrested by local authorities on 24 August, reports the Byline Times. According to Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, since the 2021 coup “the military has been in a fight for its domestic survival” and “will do anything …

Burma Campaign UK’s Karin Valtersson was at Vale Earth Fair in Guernsey this Bank Holiday weekend. A great event and supporting the work of Burma Campaign UK for more than 20 years. Thank you to everyone involved! Karin Valtersson speaking at Vale Earth Fair

VIcky Bowman is among several foreigners who have been arrested in Burma, reports the New York Times. Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UK, called Ms. Bowman’s detention “shocking and surprising news … Vicky is no friend of the Burmese military, but she has been careful not to make public comments attacking the military. She has opposed …

The Myanmar military’s recent arrest of a former British ambassador is an example of “hostage diplomacy,” activists and opposition politicians say. The detention of the ex-diplomat came as Britain moved to further isolate the Southeast Asian regime, reports the Washington Post. Military leaders are “in a fight for their survival,” said Mark Farmaner, director of …

Myanmar’s military junta has detained Britain’s former ambassador to the country, as well as her husband, a prominent artist, reports the Guardian. The arrests of Bowman and Htein Lin were likely planned by the military for some time, said Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK. “The military feel themselves to be kind of …

Britain’s former ambassador to Burma could be jailed for five years after she was arrested by the country’s ruthless junta, reports the Express. Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK, called Ms. Bowman’s detention “shocking and surprising news.” Hours after Ms Bowman’s arrest, Britain announced that it was imposing new economic sanctions against companies …

Local and foreign criticism has been coming out on Dr. Noeleen Heyzer’s first visit to Myanmar with the position of United Nations Special Ambassador. So, is it really necessary to have a UN special diplomatic position? BBC Burmese interviews Anna Roberts, executive director of Burma Campaign UK, about yet another UN Special Envoy being used …

New UN Special Envoy Noeleen Heyzer has made her first visit to Burma, reports Luxembourg’s RTL Today. Rights groups said they had little optimism her visit would persuade the military to end its bloody crackdown and engage in dialogue with opponents of its coup. “UN envoys have visited when the military told them to, stayed …