Burma

The Dark Side of Transition: Violence Against Muslims in Myanmar

Published by on October 1, 2013

International Crisis Group Following the outbreak of deadly intercommunal clashes in Rakhine State in 2012, anti-Muslim violence has spread to other parts of Myanmar. The depth of anti-Muslim sentiment in the country, and the inadequate response of the security forces, mean that further clashes are likely. Unless there is an effective government response and change in societal attitudes, violence could spread, impacting on Myanmar’s transition as well as its standing in the region and beyond. The violence has occurred in the context of rising Burman-Buddhist nationalism, and the growing influence of the monk-led “969” movement that preaches intolerance and urges a Read the full article…

Burma: Failing to Demobilize Child Soldiers

Published by on May 28, 2013

Human Rights Watch 28 May 2013 Burma has failed to make progress in ending its use of child soldiers nearly one year after signing an agreement with the United Nations (UN) to do so, Human Rights Watch said in a new paper released today. In June 2012, Burma and the UN signed a Joint Action Plan in which the Burmese government and military committed to ending all recruitment and use of children in the armed forces by December 2013. Despite clear benchmarks, the military is failing to fulfill its obligations under the plan. “One year into the Burma-UN action plan, the Burmese military has failed Read the full article…

Burma: ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ of Rohingya Muslims

Published by on April 22, 2013

Human Rights Watch 22 April 20013 Burmese authorities and members of Arakanese groups have committed crimes against humanity in a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State since June 2012, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The 153-page report, “‘All You Can Do is Pray’: Crimes Against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Burma’s Arakan State,” describes the role of the Burmese government and local authorities in the forcible displacement of more than 125,000 Rohingya and other Muslims and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Burmese officials, community leaders, and Buddhist monks organized and encouraged ethnic Read the full article…

Human Rights and Democracy: The 2012 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report

Published by on April 1, 2013

UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office April 2013 SECTION IX: Human Rights in the Countries of Concern This section contains our review of the human rights situation in 27 countries where the UK Government has wide-ranging concerns. For this year’s report, we decided to review thoroughly the criteria we use for deciding which countries are of most human rights concern to the UK. We drew on feedback from the Foreign Affairs Committee and consulted with the Foreign Secretary’s Advisory Group on Human Rights in doing so. Our geographical directors, with input from our embassies and high commissions overseas, subsequently assessed all Read the full article…

Burma: Report on the Human Rights Situation in Burma (Jan 2012-Dec 2012)

Published by on January 1, 2013

ND-Burma Introduction The annual report of Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma (ND-Burma) documented the human rights situation in Burma from December 2011-January 2013. The report provides information on human rights violations (HRVs) over this period and highlights pressing issues and trends taking place in Burma. The annual report covers human rights violations in 16 categories over all 14 states. The year 2012 has seen rapid changes in Burma that have led to dramatically increased standing in the international community. Both U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Obama made unprecedented trips to the previously shunned state. Read the full article…

Burma: Rohingya Crisis

Published by on November 16, 2012

Refworld IRIN 16th November 2012 Five months after communal violence erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the plight of the 800,000 Muslim Rohingya there has worsened: Renewed violence in late October left more than 100,000 displaced, according to the government. Clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in June 2012 razed homes and places of worship in northern parts of the state, killed an estimated 80 and displaced tens of thousands more. The government imposed a night-time curfew and declared a state of emergency in six townships, including Maungdaw and Buthidaung near the border with Bangladesh. Who are the Rohingya? Read the full article…

Burma: UKBA Country of Origin Information report

Published by on June 17, 2011

Published by UK Border Agency 17 June 2011 This Country of Origin Information (COI) Report has been produced by the COI Service, United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA), for use by officials involved in the asylum/human rights determination process. The Report provides general background information about the issues most commonly raised in asylum/human rights claims made in the United Kingdom. The main body of the report includes information available up to 15 May 2011. The ‘Latest News’ section contains further brief information on events and reports accessed from 16 May to 17 June 2011. The report was issued on 17 June Read the full article…

Burma: Religious Freedoms U.S. Report

Published by on June 2, 2011

In May 2011 the United States Commission on International Religious Freedoms published its annual report (covering 1st April 2010 - 31st March 2011). The Commission designated Burma a “country of particular concern”. Here is the Commission’s summary of religious freedom in Burma: “The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the military junta that governs Burma, remains one of the world’s worst human rights violators. The SPDC severely restricts religious practice, monitors the activity of all religious organizations, and perpetrates violence against religious leaders and communities, particularly in ethnic minority areas. In the past year, the SPDC has engaged in severe Read the full article…