Peaceful Spirit in September 2007
October 7, 2009
This September marks the 2nd anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, which recognizes the peaceful demonstration of Buddhist monks in 2007 and the brutal treatment they received from the ruling regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The Buddhist monks were simply demanding peace, but the regime gave them riot police and soldiers with bullets and beating. Read more
Fracturing Ceasefires and Regional Security Threats
September 7, 2009
Burma’s ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), has moved forward with its 7-points roadmap towards ‘Disciplined Democracy’ by pressuring ethnic armed opposition groups to participate in this political process without guarantee of any rights for their people. Read more
Wait and See for ASEAN Human Rights Commission
July 31, 2009
There are still many human rights violations committed by the State against its citizens in some ASEAN countries, especially Burma or Myanmar. While the ASEAN leaders are agreeing to form the ASEAN HR Commission, there is increased oppression by the SPDC against its opponents in Burma. Read more
SPDC’s will to oppose ‘National Reconciliation’
June 26, 2009
The international community has been paying serious attention to the trial against Burma prodemocracy
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, but the military regime’s State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) has tried to change that attention by attacking the Karen National Union (KNU)
and the Karen people. Read more
Outraged but not surprised
May 28, 2009
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial. The circumstances are unexpected — even ridiculous — but the trial should not be surprising. The Lady’s house arrest, which had already been extended once — illegally, was set to end with the month of May. Read more
Militarization in ethnic areas obstacle to national reconciliation
April 22, 2009
In order to have control over the different ethnic areas and the non-Burman population, the current military regime had adopted a policy of militarization. What is meant with this militarization policy?
First, the SPDC is deploying more military troops with various battalions and artillery regiments in the areas where the fighting happens and then moved thousands of troops to there. Then they also moved soldiers’ families and created soldiers’ villages. In order to create soldiers’ villages, they confiscate more land. Read more
Considerations on Human Rights and Political Progress
March 30, 2009
There has been a new process of international community’s involvement for the national reconciliation in Burma. Recently, an ASEAN Summit, the Thai Foreign Minister and an official from US State Department have attempted to engage with the regime to encourage national reconciliation in the country. Read more
Regime still fails to improve human rights before the 2010 election
February 24, 2009
Although the Burmese military regime is planning to register new political parties and hold elections in 2010, it has made no concrete progress or plan to improve the human rights in the country.
Just recently, the United Nations Human Rights Special Rapporteur visited Burma to learn about the human rights situation. After the visit, he announced that there has been no improvement. Arbitrary arrest, detention of political and social activities, forced labor and forced relocations in rural ethnic areas all still continue. Read more
People will be forced to support SPDC parties in 2010 Elections
January 29, 2009
In Mon State and other parts of Burma, the local authorities from the ruling military regime have started ‘public relations’ activities to encourage the people to support government-supported political parties in coming 2010 Elections. Read more
Long sentences and transfers handed out to political prisoners part of preparations for 2010 Elections
December 22, 2008
During the last few months, political and social activists as well as Buddhist monks have been subject to unfair trials at the hands of Burma’s military regime. Hundreds were given long sentences up to 65 years, and hundreds already imprisoned were sent to remote locations far from their families. Read more