Summary Report: 2019 was a year of stalled and broken ceasefires against the backdrop of a faltering peace process that has failed to deliver on its much-touted promises. In place of formal talks this year were informal meetings intended to keep the momentum of peace building efforts present and engaged. Meanwhile, fighting remains active in […]
Summary Report: Important steps forward were made towards justice and accountability this month for human-rights violations committed by armed actors and security forces in Burma. The Gambia submitted a case to the United Nations highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging Burma had violated the Geneva Convention. State Counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi has declared she […]
By AUNG ZAW 22 November 2019 The news has sent shockwaves through the Myanmar public: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will travel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to contest an accusation of genocide, and lead the country’s legal defense team. The decision was welcomed with excitement by a majority of social media […]
Letter from Zeyar Lwin and Paing Ye Thu members of the Peacock Generation in Myanmar Seven members of the Peacock Generation—Kay Khine Tun, Zayar Lwin, Paing Pyo Min, Paing Ye Thu, Zaw Lin Htut, Su Yadanar Myint and Nyein Chan Soe —were arrested in April and May 2019 after they performed Thangyat, a traditional performance […]
By SAN YAMIN AUNG 1 November 2019 YANGON—Activists, human rights defenders, journalists and ordinary citizens face a growing threat of imprisonment for voicing opinions critical of the Myanmar army and government. Laws that criminalize various types of expression have been used to put several critics of the government and military—especially those who challenge the military-drafted 2008 Constitution […]
The Arakan Army will investigate the source of a viral Facebook video showing the brutal murder of a civilian, a spokesperson for the group said Wednesday. The Tatmadaw, meanwhile, accused the AA of committing, filming and sharing the murder to terrorize and control local populations. “We have never made propaganda,” Tatmadaw spokesperson Col Win Zaw […]
Seeking Justice in Burma October 2019 Summary Report A worrying trend of disregard for human rights continued in October with civilian casualties mounting; predominantly in Rakhine State where tensions between the Burma Army and Arakan Army remain tense.
30 October 2019 Five performers were sentenced to one year in prison at a Yangon court today for poking fun at the military in a satirical play over the Burmese New Year. Peacock Generation troupe members Kay Khine Tun, Zayar Lwin, Paing Pyo Min, Paing Ye Thu and Zaw Lin Htut have already spent months in […]
Amnesty International has gathered fresh evidence that the Myanmar military is continuing to commit atrocities against ethnic minorities in the north of the country, with civilians bearing the brunt of offensives against multiple armed groups. The conflicts show no sign of abating, raising the prospect of further violations. A new report, “Caught in the middle”: Abuses […]
Seeking Justice in Burma August-September 2019 Summary Report: Throughout August and September, human rights violations were committed against the backdrop of peace negotiations, particularly in northern Shan, Rakhine and Kachin states. Despite reports that the Burma Army and armed groups agreed ‘in principle’ on a draft ceasefire at the beginning of September by the end […]