Blog Elements – Page 302

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PENNY WONG FROM 688 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS

June 29, 2022/in Press Releases and Statements

The Honorable Penny WongMinister for Foreign Affairs,Parliament House,Canberra ACT 2600 29 June 2022 Open letter to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong from 688 civil society organisations Re: Urgent change of course and action needed on Myanmar Dear Minister Penny Wong, We, the undersigned 688 Burma/Myanmar, regional and international civil society organisations, welcome your appointment as […]

Almost 100 Civilians Tortured to Death by Myanmar Regime Since Coup

June 27, 2022/in News

Myanmar’s military regime has tortured to death at least 95 people in interrogation centers and prisons since last year’s coup, said rights groups who called on the international community to help end the junta’s atrocities. Among those tortured to death were National League for Democracy officials and members, student activists, young resistance fighters, peaceful protesters, […]

OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PENNY WONG FROM 688 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS

June 29, 2022/in Press Releases and Statements

Almost 100 Civilians Tortured to Death by Myanmar Regime Since Coup

June 27, 2022/in News

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

OPEN LETTER TO AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PENNY WONG FROM 688 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS

June 29, 2022/in Press Releases and Statements

The Honorable Penny Wong
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Parliament House,
Canberra ACT 2600

29 June 2022

Open letter to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong from 688 civil society organisations

Re: Urgent change of course and action needed on Myanmar

Dear Minister Penny Wong,

We, the undersigned 688 Burma/Myanmar, regional and international civil society organisations, welcome your appointment as Foreign Minister and note the Australian Labor Party’s commitment to seek “strong and enduring relations with the people of Myanmar” when in government. We note your past comments that Australia “cannot be a bystander to a direct attack on Myanmar’s democracy” and your call for the Australian government “to take a stand” for democracy in Myanmar and to impose targeted sanctions. We acknowledge the Australian government’s commitment to appoint a Special Envoy for Southeast Asia and for increased aid to the region and to implement a ‘First Nations Foreign Policy’.

We are writing to urge you to hear our voices, as we struggle for a federal democratic Myanmar that upholds human rights for all and to protect Burma/Myanmar’s cultures, livelihoods and fragile ecosystems that are under dire threat by the illegitimate military junta.

Since the illegal coup attempt on February 1, 2021, the illegitimate junta has waged a terror campaign against the people of Myanmar, amid widespread and mass resistance. There have been more than 10,000 armed clashes, which include attacks on civilians through indiscriminate shellings and airstrikes, and over 2,000 people have been murdered by the junta. Around 440,000 people have been forcibly displaced since the coup attempt, as the junta carries out deliberate attacks, killing, torturing and raping, and destroying houses, villages and food supplies across the country. In Sagaing Region, the junta torched over 5,600 houses in February to April 2022 alone. The junta’s criminal conduct amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity, which it commits with total impunity.

The junta has devastated the economy, which has shrunk around 30%, causing widespread food insecurity. The junta has weaponized telecommunications, ordering internet shutdowns in large swaths of the country, blocked access to information through censorship and targeted the people for surveillance. Journalists have been targeted with murder, arrest and torture, as well as doxing campaigns and the dissemination of hate speech and disinformation.

ASEAN is complicit in the junta’s terror campaign. Since the attempted coup, ASEAN has continued to legitimize the junta and ignore the voices of the people. Its failed Five-Point Consensus was agreed with the illegitimate junta alone, which has ignored its own pledge to implement it. ASEAN has repeatedly invited the junta to meetings, events and military training, providing cover for ASEAN members and Australia to engage with war criminals, emboldening their crimes in Australia’s name. The ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar defers to the illegitimate military junta and has failed to engage with Myanmar’s legitimate government, the National Unity Government (NUG), the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs) and civil society.

The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), an intergovernmental humanitarian disaster management body supported with Australian taxpayer funds, does not have the capacity to handle humanitarian aid in a conflict setting where the perpetrator and the clear aggressor is the partner in delivering aid. It is rather exacerbating the crisis in Burma/Myanmar by allowing the military to weaponize humanitarian aid, offering tactical and political advantage while lending legitimacy to the military junta who is the main perpetrator of violence that is leading to mass displacement. Civil society strongly rejects the AHA Centre’s divide-and-rule approach of meeting with EROs individually, and failure to engage with NUG, NUCC and civil society.

The Morrison Government fell shamefully short to live up to Australia’s values of and commitment to democracy and human rights. Your predecessor failed to impose targeted sanctions, failed to join efforts for international accountability, failed to recognize the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government and NUCC as the highest consultative body of Burma/Myanmar, and continually legitimized the junta through bilateral and multilateral engagement, including with Min Aung Hlaing. Australia’s Future Fund has maintained investments in businesses that provide arms and revenue to the Myanmar military junta, profiting from Myanmar’s destruction.

We therefore earnestly appeal to you to change course:

Impose targeted sanctions against the Myanmar military junta, its businesses and all those responsible for grave human rights violations.
Recognize and support the NUG as the legitimate government of Burma/Myanmar, and NUCC as the highest consultative body.
Reject the illegitimate junta’s appointment of ambassador to Australia and accept appointments made by the NUG
Do more to support the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar by delivering Australian aid cross-border through trusted local humanitarian and community-based organisations, in consultation with NUG, NUCC and EROs.
Intervene in the International Court of Justice case against Myanmar to fully support accountability for the crime of genocide against the Rohingya.
Take action to prevent Australian mining companies from continuing to explore and extract minerals, which are a source of revenue for the junta, and threaten ethnic communities and the environment.
Put an advisory in place for Australian businesses and investors to avoid any business with the Myanmar military junta and its cronies.
Ensure the Future Fund divests from all businesses that are providing arms and revenue to the military junta.
Urge the UN Security Council to impose a global arms embargo on the Myanmar military junta and to refer the Myanmar situation to the ICC.
Stop hiding behind ASEAN as an excuse for inaction on Burma/Myanmar.
Urge ASEAN to exclude the Myanmar military junta from all meetings, programs and military exercises, and to recognize NUG and NUCC. Boycott all meetings that include junta representatives.
Urge ASEAN to move beyond the Five-Point Consensus and work with NUG, NUCC, EROs and civil society to find an alternative and durable solution to the crisis in Burma/Myanmar that upholds human rights and democratic principles.
Urge ASEAN to revoke the decision reached during the Consultative Meeting on ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance to Myanmar that places the military junta in control of aid delivery. Ensure the AHA Centre ceases its divide-and-rule approach and begins inclusive consultation with NUG, NUCC, EROs and civil society. If ASEAN fails to do so, stop providing aid and technical support to the AHA Centre for Myanmar.
Commission Australia’s Special Envoy on Southeast Asia to engage with the ASEAN Special Envoy and UN Special Envoys on Myanmar to ensure joint effort by the UN and ASEAN to address the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Burma/Myanmar, in coordination with NUG, NUC, EROs and civil society.
Urge Quad members Japan and India to immediately end business with the junta, impose an arms embargo and end all military support for the junta. The Quad must recognise and support the NUG as the legitimate government and NUCC as the highest consultative body of Burma/Myanmar.

For further information, please contact:

Khin Ohmar, Progressive Voice, info@progressive-voice.org
James Thangman, Ethnic Myanmar Communities’ Council of Australia, zotmtuang@gmail.com
Salai Za Uk Ling, Chin Human Rights Organization, zauk@chinhumanrights.org

List of Signatories

List of signatories include the following 298 Myanmar, regional and international organisations and 390 Myanmar civil society organisations that have chosen not to disclose their names.

Signed by:

8888 Generation (New Zealand)
Active Youths (Kalay Myo)
Ah Nah podcast- conversation with Myanmar
Ah. La. Ka (12) Hta Khwe. Primary Education Student Union
All Burma Democratic Face in New Zealand
All Burma Federation of Trade Unions-ABFTU
All Burma Indigenous People Alliance (APIBA)
All Religions Strike Column
All Sagaing Township Basic Education Students’ Union
All Schools of Aungmyaythazan Township Strike
Alternative Solutions for Rural Communities (ASORCOM)
ALTSEAN-Burma
Anti-Junta Forces Coordination Committee (AFCC)
Arakan CSO Network
Arakan Humanitarian Coordination Team-AHCT
Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)
Association for Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
Auckland Kachin Community NZ
Auckland Zomi Community
Aung Myay Thar Zan Education School
Aung Myay Tharzan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Aung Pin Lae Main Strike Column
Australia Chin Communities’ Council Inc.
Australia Karen Organization (AKO)
Australian Burmese Muslim Organization
Australian Burmese Rohingya Organization (ABRO)
Ayeyarwaddy Youth Network
Bago Basic Education Students’ Union
Bago MATA
Bago Women Group
Bank Trade Unions Federation of Myanmar – BTUFM
BEHS-1, Hpa-An Basic Education Students’ Union
BEHS-1, Mandalay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
BEHS-11, Aungmyethazan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
BEHS-24, Mahaaungmyay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
BEHS-4, Mandalay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
BEHS-8, Aungmyethazan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Blood Money Campaign
Burma Action Ireland
Burma Environmental Working Group
Burma River Network
Burma suomalaiset, Finland
Burmese American Millennials
Burmese Canadian Network
Burmese Community Group (Manawatu, NZ)
Burmese Community in France
Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
Burmese Women’s Union
Campaign for a New Myanmar
CDM Support Team Mandalay
Chan Mya Thar Si Township People Strike Column
Chanayetharsan Basic Education Students’ Union
Check us for Safety (Ahlone)
Chin Community of Auckland
Chin Human Right Organization (CHRO)
Chin Leaders
Chin MATA
Chin Resources Center
Citizen of Burma Award – New Zealand
Coalition of Mandalay Engineers
Columns Coordination Committee
Committee Representing Mandalay Region Hluttaw
Cooperative University Student Strike Column
CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
CRPH Funding Ireland
Daik-U Basic Education Students’ Union
Daung Sit Thi
Dawei Basic Education Students’ Union
Dawei Development Association
Delta News Agency
Democracy for Ethnic Minorities Organization
Democracy for Myanmar – Working Group (NZ)
Democratic Youth Council
Demoso Basic Education Students’ Union
Dhanu Youth Organization
Doh Atu – Ensemble pour le Myanmar
Education Family (Anti – Fascists Education Strike)
Educational Initiatives Prague
Equality Myanmar
Ethnic Myanmar Communities’ Council of Australia
Ethnic Youth General Strike Committee (Mandalay)
Family Private School Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
Federal Trade Union of Kawthoolei (FTUK)
Free Rohingya Coalition
Freedom for Burma
Future Light Center
Future Thanlwin
Generation Wave
Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy (GM4MD)
Helping Hands for Burma (H2B)
Hinthada Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Hlaing Thar Yar Basic Education Students’ Union
Hopin Basic Education Students’ Union
HTY Scout Channel
Human Rights Educators Network
Human Rights Foundation of Monland
Information & Scout News (Hlaing)
Insein Scout Channel
Inter-Faith Strike Column
Interfaith Youth Coalition on Aids in Myanmar (IYCA-Myanmar)
International Association, Myanmar-Switzerland (IAMS)
Justice For Myanmar
Kachin State Women Network
Kachin Women’s Association Thailand
Kachin Women’s Union
Kadu Youth Development Association (KYDA)
Kamayut Scout Channel
Karen Environment and Social Action Network (KESAN)
Karen Human Rights Group
Karen Office of Relief and Development (KORD)
Karen Rivers Watch
Karen Student Network Group (KSNG)
Karen Women’s Organization
Karen Youth Organization (KYO)
Karenni Civil Society Network
Karenni Community Geelong
Karenni Human Rights Group
Karenni National Women’s Organization
Karenni Society Finland
Karenni Society New Zealand
Katha Basic Education Students’ Union
Kayah Liphu Youth (KLY)
Kayan Internally Displacement Supervising Committee (KIDSC)
Keng Tung Youth
Kyaikhto Basic Education Students’ Union – KBESU
Kyaikhto Students’ Union – KSU
Kyaukse Basic Education Students’ Union
Kyaukse University Interim Administrative Council
Kyauktada Strike Committee (KSC)
Kyause University Students’ Union
Kyimyindaing Scout Channel
Labor Union Federation
Labutta Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Langkho Basic Education Students’ Union
Lanmadaw,Latha & Pabedan Scout Channel
Lashio Basic Education Students’ Union
Launglon Basic Education Students’ Union
League of Labour Union
Let’s Help Each Other
Letpadan Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
LGBT Union Mandalay (LGBTIQ Strike of Mandalay)
Maha Aung Myay Township People Collective Strike Column
Mahaaungmyay Township People Strike
Mandalar College Students Strike
Mandalar University Student Strike Column
Mandalar University Student Union (Mandalay Poets’ Union)
Mandalar University Students Union
Mandalay Alliance Coalition Strike
Mandalay Based People Strike Column
Mandalay Civil Society Organization
Mandalay Engineer United Force
Mandalay Engineers Group
Mandalay People Strike
Mandalay Poets’ Union
Mandalay Private Universities Students Union
Mandalay Technology University (MTU) Students Union
Mandalay Universities, Degree and College Teachers and Staffs Strike
Mandalay University Alumni Strike
Mandalay University of Foreign Languages Students Union
Mandalay Wholesale Centers Strike
Mandalay Wholesale Strike Column
Mandalay Women Strike
Mandalay Youth Association
Mandalay Youth Strike Column
Mawkmai Basic Education Students’ Union
Mawlamyine Basic Education Students’ Union
Mayangone News
Medical Family Mandalay (MFM)
Medical University (Mandalay) Student Union
Meikhtila Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Metta Campaign Mandalay
Midwives Training School (Mandalay) Students’ Union
MIIT Student Strike Column
Minbu Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Minhla Youth Center
Mogaung Basic Education Students’ Union
Mohnyin Basic Education Students’ Union
Monywa Basic Education Students’ Union – ABFSU
Mudon Basic Education Students’ Union
Muslim Youth Network
Muslim Youth Union
Mya Taung Strike Column
Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability
Myanmar Canadian Network
Myanmar Diaspora Group Finland
Myanmar Emergency Fund – Canada
Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
Myanmar Institute of Information Technology Students’ Union
Myanmar Labour News
Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
Myanmar People from Ireland
Myanmar Railway, Region (3) CDM Strike Column
Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
National Support Team (NST)
National University of Arts and Culture (Mandalay) Students’ Union
Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma)
New Zealand Doctors for NUG
New Zealand Karen Association
New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
No (12) Basic Education Middle School Student Union
No (7) Basic Education High School Alumni Strike
No.12 Basic Education Middle School (High Branch) Basic Education Students’ Union
NOK Information & Scout Echo
North Dagon & East Dagon News
NRFF – New Rehmonnya Federated Force
Nursing Training School Students Union (Mandalay)
Nyaunglebin Basic Education Students’ Union
Overseas Mon Association – New Zealand
Oway Institute
Padaung Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Pan Pa Wati People Strike Column
Pa-O Youth Organization
Paramedical Technical University (Mandalay) Student Union
PEC Private School Basic Education Students’ Union
Pharmacy University (Mandalay) Students’ Union
Phayagyi Peace Strike Column
Private pre-school Teachers’ Association
Progressive Voice
Pyay Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Pyigyidagon Strike
Pyin Nyar Nan Daw Private School Basic Education Students’ Union
Pyin Oo Lwin Basic Education Students’ Union
Pyinmana Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
Reliable Organization
Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
Sagaing MATA
Sangha Samaga Strike Column
Sangha Union Strike
Save and Care Organization for Women at Ethnic Border Areas
Save Myanmar Fundraising Group (New Zealand)
Save the Salween Network
Sein Pan Strike Column
Shan Community (New Zealand)
Shan MATA
Sintgaing Basic Education Students’ Union
Sisters 2 Sisters
Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
Social Garden
SOS MYANMAR (ရုန်းကန်သံအဖွဲ့)
South Dagon Scouting Infos (SDG)
Southern Youth Development Organization
Strike Column of Representatives of Arbitrarily Arrested People
Strike Column of Teachers from Universities and Degree Colleges of Mandalay
Students for Free Burma (SFB)
Support Group for Democracy in Myanmar (the Netherlands)
Swedish Myanmar Supporting Community
Synergy – Social Harmony Organization
Ta’ang Women’s Organization
Taekwando Sport Association
Taekwondo Federation
Taiwan Alliance for Myanmar
Tampawadi People Strike
Tamwe Nway Oo Channel
Tanintharyi Nationalities Congress
Tanitharyi MATA
Taunggyi Basic Education Students’ Union
Technical University (Mandalay) Student Union
Technological University (Yadanabon Cyber City) Students’ Union
Technological University Mandalay (TUM) Students Union
Tha Pyay Nyo Newsletter
Thaketa & Dawbon Scout Channel
Thaton Basic Education Students’ Union
Thint Myart Lo Thu Myar Organization
Traditional Medicine (Mandalay) Students’ Union
Union of Karenni State Youth
University of Computer (Mandalay) Students’ Union
University of Computer Studies (Mandalay) Students’ Union
University of Dental Medicine (Mandalay) Students’ Union
University of Medicine (Mandalay) Students’ Union
University of Nursing (Mandalay) Students’ Union
University of Pharmacy (Mandalay) Students’ Union
University of Traditional Medicine (Mandalay) Students’ Union
US Advocacy Coalition for Myanmar (USACM)
VEC Private School Basic Education Students’ Union
Way Way Nay
Wetlet Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Women’s League of Burma
Wundwin Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Yadanabon University Students’ Union
Yadanapone University Student Union (Ya. Ta. Ka. Tha)
Yangon Revolution Force – YRF (Soft Strike Community)
Yedashe Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Youth Poets’ Union
Youth Scout For Democracy (YSD)
Youths Union
Youths Union – Pathein
Z Fighter News
Zabuthiri Basic Education Students’ Union-ABFSU
Zeegwat News
Zo Community Australia Inc.
တော်လှန်သွေးမကုန် တောင်ဒဂုံသပိတ်အင်အားစု
ဒို့မြေကွန်ရက် (LIOH)
ပွင့်ဖြူလယ်ယာမြေကွန်ရက်
မျိုးဆက်-Generations

Download PDF in English I Burmese

Almost 100 Civilians Tortured to Death by Myanmar Regime Since Coup

June 27, 2022/in News

Among those tortured to death were National League for Democracy officials and members, student activists, young resistance fighters, peaceful protesters, striking civil servants, politicians and bystanders.

In a joint statement released on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 14 local rights groups including the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Equality Myanmar, the Women’s League for Burma and the Ta’ang Civil Society Organization, stated that the junta has used horrific methods of torture on political detainees in order to terrorize opponents of military rule.

“It is now common practice for the military to torture, to extract information and enact revenge, before summarily executing with gunshots,” said the joint statement.

The statement added that it has documented evidence of torture through first-hand testimony that reveals the use of guns, clubs, knives and pliers on detainees by junta forces.

Mock executions and burials, forcing detainees to assume stress positions, deprivation of food and water for days, being forced to drink toilet water, beatings on genitals and threats of sexual assault and rape are among the forms of torture used by the regime.

In one instance, almost 30 residents of Mon Taing Pin Village in Sagaing Region were slaughtered by regime troops in May after being captured in a monastery. Their bodies were found blindfolded with their hands tied. The victims’ throats had been cut or they had been burned to death.

“We call attention to the historic use of torture by the military junta as a direct result of the impunity it enjoyed for decades. Hollow threats by international governments and regional blocs must end,” the 14 rights groups said in their statement.

They called on United Nations (UN) member states, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to put much more political pressure on the junta.

International actors must refuse engagement, dialogue, or participation in activities which lend legitimacy to the regime, and implement a comprehensive global arms embargo, more targeted financial sanctions against military conglomerates and other pro-military business interests and support the work of accountability mechanisms, such as the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Burma (IIMM), added the rights groups.

The groups also called on the UN Security Council to refer cases of torture to the International Criminal Court, to end the physical and mental torture of political prisoners.

Irrawaddy News

Spring Revolution

Civil Society Position Paper on ASEAN’s Goal of a Myanmar-Owned and -Led SolutionDecember 18, 2024 - 12:11 pm
Recommendations to ASEAN and Its Member States (1) Move beyond the 5PC to achieve a Myanmar people-led and people-centered solution to the crisis in Myanmar. ASEAN’s “Myanmar-owned and -led” approach must be backed by genuine political will that aligns with and supports the collective aspirations of the people of Myanmar. (2) Cease all pressure on […]
The Airstrikes after the journey to the China of the Junta Military LeaderDecember 10, 2024 - 1:28 pm
Operation 1027 was a coordinated military attack against the junta on October 27th, 2023. It was carried out by the Northern Brotherhood, which includes the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army. Several months later, the Three Brotherhood Alliance held three meetings to negotiate with China on January 11 […]
Human Rights Situation weekly update (September 15 to 21, 2024)September 27, 2024 - 8:26 am
Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from Sep 15 to 21, 2024 Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Shan State, Chin State, Rakhine State, and Kachin State from September 15th to 21st. The Military Junta committed arresting, occupying the properties, threatening by using power, and […]

Multimedia

GenocideSeptember 2, 2025 - 9:42 am
Crimes Against HumanityJune 16, 2025 - 7:55 am
International Humanitarian Law Cartoon AnimatonApril 29, 2025 - 8:37 am
အတိတ်မှ ဆိုးရွားသည့် အကြီးအကျယ် လူ့အခွင့်အရေးချိုးဖောက်မှုများ ထပ်မံမဖြစ်ပွားစေရေးအ တွက် အာမခံခြင်း (Guarantees of non-recurrence)February 10, 2025 - 9:58 am

ND Burma

ND-Burma formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process. The 13 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to advocate for justice for victims. ND-Burma trains local organizations in human rights documentation; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, a secure open-source software; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

ND Burma

Recent Posts