human rights

The case of a Burma Army soldier raping and murdering a 28-year-old woman in Shan State throws government promises of an end to sexual violence in doubt, a human rights organisation has claimed. The Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) said the murder happened in Ho Pong Township in the State’s south on June 6. The soldier subsequently charged with the…

The Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Burma government and relevant authorities to “prosecute the perpetrators” of an attack on the owner of the Eleven Media Group. The Burmese media reported that slingshot-wielding assailants attacked Than Htut Aung, the owner of the Eleven Media Group last Tuesday. The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement condemning the attacks. The CPJ…

In 1997 the Burma Army forced Karen people from the Mutraw (Papun) District in Karen State from their homes. Many of these people were practicing animists. During the forced displacement, villagers unable to live on their land were many of their deity’s lived, lost many aspects of their Karen animism beliefs. Despite living in displacement, fear and hardship, five Karen…

Human rights watchdog, Freedom House issued a statement condemning the contempt of court charges filed against 17 journalists in Burma. Freedom House said in their statement that the contempt of court charges filed against the 17 journalists was an indicator of the lack of press freedom in Burma. Freedom House’s executive vice president, Daniel Calingaert said. “This action is indicative…

Following a statement issued by the Karen Women Organization calling for Burma government and international community to respect the right of refugees on World Refugees’ Day, representatives of the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees met with Karen community based organization on June 23, to discuss repatriation issues. The meeting’s included presentation of the UNHCR’s roadmap on refugee repatriation and…

On Tuesday, the Burma government handed down a two year jail sentence to writer, Htin Lin Oo for criticizing religious extremism in a speech. The Burma Campaign UK in a media statement, urged the British “Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to pressure the Burmese government to ensure the immediate unconditional release of Htin Lin Oo and the remaining political prisoners in…

Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia’s policy of pushing boats of asylum seekers from Burma is‘cold-hearted,’ Human Rights Watch said in a statement released to the media. The International Organization for Migration estimates that as many as 8,000 Rohingya asylum seekers and Bangladeshi migrants are in desperate need of aid and are believed to be stranded in the Andaman Ocean and Malacca…

The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK released a media statement on Wednesday 13 May, requestin,g “ASEAN member states to launch an urgent rescue operation for thousands of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis stranded in boats off the coasts of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.” The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK called on ASEAN to “address the root causes of the crisis by pressuring the…

Fortify Rights, a human rights organization that has been documenting the persecution of Myanmar’s ethnic Rohingya said in a media statement released on Wednesday 13 May that, “Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia should immediately coordinate search and rescue operations for Rohingya asylum seekers and possible survivors of trafficking from Myanmar and Bangladesh who are stranded at sea.” Fortify Rights urged the…

This year’s Friend’s Without Borders Foundation art and cultural festival held at Chiang Mai University Art Centre commemorates the work of Karen human rights activist, Pawlachee Rakchongcharoen, also known as Billy. The Festival runs from 8 to 12 of May. The 2015 festival sub-title, Rak Chongcharoen (Salute to Love), honors the human rights and environmentalism work of Billy. Billy was…