Burma

While the recent political reforms in Burma show promise for the country’s future, Burma’s long-neglected healthcare system faces a number of challenges before it can deliver effective and affordable care to the people of Burma. Although Burma’s government increased spending on health care in 2013, the rise brought healthcare spending to 3.9 percent of the country’s total budget. While the…

Naw Day Wah Htoo lives in Mae Ra Ma Luang refugee camp on the Thai Burma border and talks to Karen News about her life living on the margins. Karen News reports. “Living in a refugee camp we are not allowed to go outside to find work. When I hear talk about refugee repatriation, I have doubts about it as…

Following a series of attacks on Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia that have so far resulted in six deaths and 20 people injured, an spokesperson from Air Bagan said the airline will offer free flights to Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia who want to return home. The Air Bagan spokesperson told Karen News that they would also organize domestic flights…

Britain’s Foreign Office Minister says investigation into ethnic conflict in Burma is needed. Britain’s Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi noted in parliament that “independent investigative work” is required for “an informed assessment as to whether ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity have been committed” in Burma. The statement came on Wednesday, 5 June, in which Baroness Warsi was speaking in…

Journalists working in Karen State claim that officials are stopping them from covering news stories, attending meeting or news events held by government departments. In the latest incident, journalists claim that on June 1 they were barred, while they were gathering news, from a meeting traffic rules and regulations held by the Karen State Land Transportation Department (Ka Nya Na)…

Colonel Ner Dah Mya, a son of General Saw Bo Mya, met and discussed with Burmese civil society groups in Sydney during a recent visit to Australia. The Australian Karen Organization (AKO) organized the meeting and discussion that was attended by 30 people from Burma including ethnic nationalities such as Kachin, Mon and Karen living in Sydney. Members of the…

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the 8th anniversary of the memorial lighting prayer service for people who have died from HIV/AIDS held at Inn Yar Lake Hotel last week. Speaking at the memorial service, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi urged people not to discriminate against people with HIV. Speaking at the ceremony, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said. “People…

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should make improving human rights in Burma a key priority during his visit to the country , the New York based Human Rights Watch said in a statement released to coincide with Mr Abe’s visit. Mr Abe’s three-day visit to Burma, started on May 24th and will be the first by a Japanese leader in…

Following three days of discussion representatives from organizations working on refugee issues along the Thai-Burma border, refugee representatives, civil society groups, political leaders agreed that the current situation in Burma is not safe for refugees to return. Over 40 representatives including the United Nation High Commission on Refugee, Refugee Camps Committees, The Border Consortium, Karen National Union, Thai official from…

A Burmese migrant labour activist organization had been awarded the International Labour Rights Award for its contribution to the labour rights movement and exposing work-related rights violations. The International Labour Rights Forum (ILRF) jointly honoured the Burmese Migrant Workers Network (MWRN), based in Bangkok, and Thailand’s State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) for their “groundbreaking” efforts. In a statement released…