News

Burma’s newly appointed foreign minister, Win Aung – until last week the military regime’s ambassador to London – will be celebrating his promotion in London this weekend. The celebration organised by the Myanmar Association will be held between 12.00pm and…

Swedish mobile telephone company Ericsson, today announced that it is suspending all business links with Burma forthwith. This decision follows protests by democracy campaigners at recent Celine Dion concerts in the US, which were sponsored by Ericsson. The company had…

There has been widespread coverage that the UK government has called for new sanctions to be imposed on the regime in Rangoon. The government has in fact asked for limited measures, such as visa bans, that were imposed by the…

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), an agency of the United Nations, released a report today which accuses Burma’s ruling military of systematic and widespread use of forced labour. The report charges that “any person who violates the prohibition of recourse…

The following is the speech delivered by Thaung Htun, UN representative for the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) to the Alternative State Reception for the unrepresented peoples of Asia. Key points: – Unilateral Sanctions By UK…

Burma’s pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, has criticised UK company Premier Oil for supporting the military regime in Burma by helping it to develop off-shore gas reserves. In a new video statement smuggled out of…

In an interview on BBC 2’s Newsnight on 3 July the Government moved British Foreign policy on Burma one step closer to supporting full economic sanctions against the country. Foreign Minister Derek Fatchett said the Government would now “discourage economic…

The election of the new Labour government may prove a good omen for Burma’s democracy movement. Today as the British Ambassador hand delivered a birthday greeting to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from the new Foreign Secretary, the Government issued…

On Thursday 13 June the European Parliament (EP) unanimously adopted a resolution urging the European Commission (EC) “not to take action against the act regulating state contracts with companies with or in Burma passed on 25 June 1996 by the…

Joint Statement Karen refugees fleeing fighting in the Minthamee area, Tenasserim Division in Burma, are not being guaranteed refuge on Thai soil. Acting upon orders by the Commander of the 9th division of the Thai army, Karen civilians fleeing conflict…