human rights

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has told a prominent UK based Burma pro-rights group that the British Government continues to receive “deeply troubling” reports of the use of sexual violence in Burma’s conflict zones. The letter, addressed to Burma Campaign UK, was written in response to thousands of letters calling for action to end sexual violence in Burma, that were…

The human rights situation in Burma is moving too slowly, says Fortify Rights a non-profit human rights organization based in Southeast Asia, with positive political progress being undermined by a festering civil war in the country’s north. “Positive political changes have come to Burma but the human rights situation is deeply concerning,” said Matthew Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights.…

The use of ‘section 18’ – also known as the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law – to punish and restrict activist’s highlights the lack of rule of law in Burma, with the Burma based human rights group the Assistant Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) highlighting cases of abuse of the law and urging immediate judicial reform. Karen News can…

British MP, Valerie Vaz delivered more than 2,000 letters from supporters of Burma Campaign UK on 12 September to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, calling for action to end sexual violence against women in Burma. Burma Campaign UK called on the British government to highlight Burma when Foreign Secretary William Hague travels to New York for a major meeting at…

A leading women’s activist has been jailed after leading a peaceful protest against copper mine project, sparking outrage from human rights groups, including Burma Campaign UK. Naw Ohn Hla, a former political prisoner and leading member of the Democracy and Peace Women Network, was arrested on August 13th after staging an unauthorized protest against a government backed copper mine project…

Human Rights Watch warns that Burma’s draft association law fails to meet international human rights norms and should be revised, warning that it permits “excessive government control” over civil society groups. Burma’s draft Law Relating to the Forming of Organizations, made public on July 27, 2013, threatens civil society groups, says HRW. The draft associations law contains a number of…

Following on from his dramatic fact finding trip to Burma last week, when his car was attacked by religious fanatics, Mr Tomas Ojea Quintana, a United Nations special rapporteur on human rights, paid a visit to the Thai-Burma Border to meet with civil society groups. Mr. Quintana met with the border-based groups in the Thai town of Mae Sot to…

Burma’s government has received harsh criticism for arbitrarily arresting a 74 year-old human rights activist in July and keeping him under arrest despite reports that he is in poor health and cannot get proper medical attention. The elderly man, Kyaw Hla Aung has been in arbitrary detention in Sittwe Police Station No. 1 in Myanmar’s Rakhine state since July 15th.…

RANGOON – The 88 Generation Students began its silver jubilee commemoration activities today in Rangoon. The silver jubilee celebrations started at 8am on August 6th and will end on August 8th at the Myanmar Convention Centre in Rangoon. The members of 88 Generation said in a statement that they were “encouraged by the spirit of unity today at this 25th…

Villagers accuse a Burma Army Battalion commander, based in Wah Kla (Wa Daw) in Southern Burma, of demanding villagers use their private vehicles to travel him around the area. Naw Hser Tha U Htoo, from Wah Kla village, told Karen News. “The battalion commander demands villagers use their cars on a regular basis. Sometimes it’s twice a day or once…