human rights

The Shan Human Rights Foundation issued a statement alleging that Burma Army had looted villages near Laogai. “Groups of Burma Army soldiers have been patrolling in Shan and Ta’ang (Palaung) villages near the Kokang capital Laogai, looting food and other possessions, and destroying property of local villagers, the Shan Human Rights Foundation said. The Shan Human Rights Foundation said that…

On December 22, a China-Myanmar joint venture developing a copper mine in central Myanmar announced that it had gained “broad community support” to continue the controversial project and that it would be expanding the area covered by the mine. The day ended with 56-year old Daw Khin Win shot dead and two other villagers injured as police opened fire with…

The bodies of at least three villagers found in Nam Lim Pa, Kachin State, on January 30th show signs of torture, with the remains of another four also found in a neighbouring village, locals and a humanitarian organisation have reported. Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian organisation that delivers aid to conflict zones in Burma, accused the Burma Army of being…

The Burma Campaign UK has launched a campaign calling for the release of a Burmese political activist, Sein Than, currently serving a two-year prison sentence for leading peaceful protests to support people demanding compensation or return of their land confiscated by the government’s military. In a statement released today, the Burma Campaign UK “urged people to email President Thein Sein…

Burma’s path to democratic reform and improved human rights stalled in 2014, Human Rights Watch warned in its latest world report. The New York based human rights organisation cited the widespread persecution of Burma’s ethnic Rohingya that has become a humanitarian crisis, the military’s ongoing dominance in the country’s politics, and little improvement in government transparency before the planned 2015…

The London based human rights advocacy organization, Burma Campaign UK, confirmed reports that two ethnic Kachin teachers were raped by Burma Army soldiers 19th and 20thJanuary. In a media statement Burma Campaign UK called on the British government to use its Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and send a team to Burma “to investigate the case.” Burma Campaign UK urged the…

The New York based Human Rights Watch called on the Burmese government to amend citizenship law, claiming it “fuels repression” and denies basic human rights to the country’s ethnic Rohingya minority. Brad Adams, HRW’s Asia director, said the law entrenched discrimination and must be changed. “Burma’s discriminatory citizenship law not only deprives Rohingya of citizenship, but for decades has encouraged…

An ethnic human rights organization alleged the Burma Army killed a villager in front of his family in early December. The Shan Human Rights Foundation released a media statement Wednesday, January 7 accusing the Burma Army of committing the crime. “On December 12, 2014, Burma Army troops from LIB 573 shot and killed a 32-year-old mentally ill villager, Sai Sarm…

Journalist organisations joined with world leaders in expressing condemnation and shock at an attack by masked gunmen on a newspaper in Paris on Wednesday morning. The Paris newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, was attacked by two masked gunmen, named as brothers Chérif Kouachi, 32 and Said Kouachi, 34, shouting, “God is great” in Arabic yesterday. At least 11 were killed in the…

Burmese authorities have arrested a Kachin man after he alleged his daughter was shot and killed by the Burma Army, leading to condemnation by international human rights organisations. An alliance of human rights organisations responded following the man’s arrest by sending an open letter last month to President U Thein Sein calling for the man’s release, named as Shayam Brang…