Blog Elements – Page 377

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Reporters from Rakhine-based Western News forced into hiding by junta

November 22, 2021/in News

The outlet’s editor-in-chief has vowed to continue publishing stories despite an attempt by soldiers to raid its offices last week Several journalists from Western News, a media outlet based in the Rakhine State capital of Sittwe, have gone into hiding after soldiers and police tried to locate their office for a raid last week, the […]

CALL ON INTERPOL TO BAN THE ILLEGAL JUNTA FROM REPRESENTING MYANMAR AT ITS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

November 22, 2021/in Member statements, Press Releases and Statements

22 November 2021 To: Kim Jong Yang, INTERPOL President; Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL General Secretary; the INTERPOL Executive Committee and INTERPOL Member Countries Subject: Call on INTERPOL to ban the illegal junta from representing Myanmar at its General Assembly Dear INTERPOL President Kim Jong Yang INTERPOL Vice Presidents Benyamina Abbad and Šárka Havránková INTERPOL General Secretary […]

Reporters from Rakhine-based Western News forced into hiding by junta

November 22, 2021/in News

CALL ON INTERPOL TO BAN THE ILLEGAL JUNTA FROM REPRESENTING MYANMAR AT ITS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

November 22, 2021/in Member statements, Press Releases and Statements

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Reporters from Rakhine-based Western News forced into hiding by junta

November 22, 2021/in News

The outlet’s editor-in-chief has vowed to continue publishing stories despite an attempt by soldiers to raid its offices last week

Several journalists from Western News, a media outlet based in the Rakhine State capital of Sittwe, have gone into hiding after soldiers and police tried to locate their office for a raid last week, the publication’s chief editor has said.

Wunna Khwar Nyo told Myanmar Now that junta personnel travelled around Sittwe in five police and military vehicles on Friday evening looking for the location of the Western News office.

“They questioned people in the neighbourhood regarding our location so that they could raid us. All of the people from our office have been forced into hiding now,” said Wunna Khwar Nyo. The junta forces have so far been unable to locate the office, he added.

At least ten of the outlet’s journalists are now in hiding. It is unclear if authorities have filed any charges against them.

Friday marked the seventh anniversary of a Myanmar military attack on a rebel base in Laiza, Kachin State, that killed 23 cadets including eight members of the Arakan Army (AA).

Wunna Khwar Nyo suggested a Western News report about an event in Sittwe to mark the anniversary is the reason the outlet was targeted. The outlet has been subjected to intimidation by junta authorities before, he added.

In June the news team was summoned by the ministry of border affairs and security and told the junta did not like to be referred to as the military council and disliked the outlet’s coverage of rights abuses in Rakhine, he said.

“We didn’t stop writing news after the warning. I think they were holding a grudge against us for that,” Wunna Khwar Nyo said. The outlet will continue to publish stories even though its journalists are in hiding, he added.

Earlier this year the junta filed charges against the editor-in-charge and a reporter from the Rakhine-based Development Media Group. The outlet’s editor-in-chief, Aung Min Oo, is facing charges from 2019 but like his colleagues has so far evaded arrest.

The military council has revoked the publishing licenses of nine media outlets, including Myanmar Now, since seizing power in the February 1 coup.

More than 50 journalists remain in junta custody, according to Detained Journalists Information Myanmar.

Myanmar Now News

CALL ON INTERPOL TO BAN THE ILLEGAL JUNTA FROM REPRESENTING MYANMAR AT ITS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

November 22, 2021/in Member statements, Press Releases and Statements

22 November 2021

To: Kim Jong Yang, INTERPOL President; Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL General Secretary; the INTERPOL Executive Committee and INTERPOL Member Countries

Subject: Call on INTERPOL to ban the illegal junta from representing Myanmar at its General Assembly

Dear INTERPOL President Kim Jong Yang
INTERPOL Vice Presidents Benyamina Abbad and Šárka Havránková
INTERPOL General Secretary Jürgen Stock
INTERPOL Executive Committee Delegates
Khaled Jameel Al Materyeen
Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi
Jean-Jacques Colombi
Rogerio Galloro
Robert Guirao Bailén
Destino Pedro
Olushola Kamar Subair
Jannine Van den Berg
and Member Countries

We, the undersigned 259 organizations, call on INTERPOL to immediately ban the Myanmar military junta from representing Myanmar as a member of INTERPOL. We demand you ensure that the military junta is excluded from the upcoming 89^th INTERPOL General Assembly and all benefits and future cooperation that membership entails.

According to media reports, the Myanmar military junta’s police force is currently representing Myanmar in INTERPOL and its members, led by the Head of Police and Deputy Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant-General Than Hlaing, will act as delegates for the Myanmar government at the INTERPOL General Assembly. This is a matter of grave concern to us and raises serious credibility issues for INTERPOL itself for the following reasons:

The military junta does not represent the government of Myanmar. The international community has refused to recognise the military junta as the legitimate government of Myanmar and has prevented members of the military junta from participating in international forums including the UN General Assembly, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the ASEAN Summit.
The attempted coup on 1 February 2021, under the leadership of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing by violent means violated the Myanmar Constitution, international law and the principle of rule of law.
The head of the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar recently stated that since the attempted coup the Myanmar military junta’s widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population amounts to crimes against humanity.
The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, composed of international experts including former members of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar and a former Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, has recently argued that, in addition to crimes against humanity, the Myanmar military is engaging in terrorism and should be classified as a terrorist organization.
General Than Hlaing, as the junta’s Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Chief of Police, is directly responsible for decision making concerning repressive policies and violent actions committed by police against peaceful demonstrators and is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma.
For this and other reasons, Lt. General Than Hlaing has been placed by the European Union under a travel ban and asset freeze as of 3 March 2021.
Targeted sanctions against Lt. General Than Hlaing also remain in place by the US, UK, and Canada (overview with links here).
Lt General Than Hlaing has been appointed to lead operations in Chin State. Escalating military attacks against civilians there and in Sagaing and Magwe Regions have caused rights groups to draw similarities to “clearance operations” used to violently oppress the ethnic Rohingya population – now at issue in the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice

INTERPOL’s vision is to connect police for a “safer world” and to support security for the world’s citizens. The people of Myanmar are in dire need of safety and security. The single biggest threat to their security is the Myanmar military junta, who is attempting to represent Myanmar in INTERPOL and use the General Assembly as a platform for political gain and international legitimacy. This will embolden the Myanmar military to continue to commit international crimes with blanket impunity.

We note that countering the threat of terrorism is the first of INTERPOL’s seven Global Policing Goals, and INTERPOL has a responsibility to counter and disrupt terrorism wherever it occurs, including in Myanmar.

We draw your attention to condemnation by the UN Security Council regarding the junta following the February 2021 coup, including a November 2021 statement by the Council’s President Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez citing “deep concern at further recent violence across Myanmar”.

We note that upholding human rights is central to INTERPOL’s mandate. We implore you to meet the commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated in Article 2 of the Constitution of the ICPO-INTERPOL. Recognizing the Myanmar military junta, responsible for systemic and grave human rights violations would be a clear violation of this article.

We appeal to you to adhere to INTERPOL’s commitment to political neutrality stated in Article 3 of the INTERPOL Constitution. Awarding an unlawful military junta that lacks domestic and international recognition with legitimacy would violate this article, and amount to a partisan intervention that would embolden the military to continue to commit international crimes with total impunity.

Instead of legitimizing the military junta through INTERPOL membership, we appeal to you to uphold international law by supporting the ongoing investigation at the International Criminal Court concerning crimes of genocide against the Rohingya, and future investigations, to bring all perpetrators of Myanmar atrocities to account. The Myanmar military must be recognized as a terrorist organization, not recognized as representatives of the Myanmar people who are the very victims of the junta’s daily barrage of violence that INTERPOL aims to protect.

We therefore call on INTERPOL to:

Ban the Myanmar military junta from INTERPOL, including the 89^th General Assembly.
Support efforts to bring Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Lt Gen Than Hlaing and all other perpetrators of atrocity crimes to justice by identifying and arresting suspects.
Take all measures available to prevent the Myanmar military junta’s continued acts of terrorism by disrupting terrorism movement and tracing and disrupting their international revenue and arms supply networks.

At this fragile and crucial time in Myanmar, INTERPOL and their member countries must act in the interests of the safety and security of Myanmar people, victims and survivors of crime and in accordance with international law and norms.

—–

For more information, please contact:

Khin Ohmar, Progressive Voice, info@progressive-voice.org
Veronica Pedrosa, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, veronica@aseanmp.org
Annie Boyajian, Freedom House; Boyajian@freedomhouse.org

Signed by:

8888 Generation (New Zealand)
Action Committee for Democracy Development
Activists Group for Human Rights ‘BARAM’
Albany Karen Community, Albany
All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress
All Burma Democratic Face in New Zealand
ALL FOR LITTLE ONE
Alliance for Gender Inclusion in Peace Process (AGIPP)
Alternative Solutions for Rural Communities (ASORCOM)
ALTSEAN-Burma
Arizona Kachin Community
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights – APHR
Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
Asian Dignity Initiative
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
Auckland Kachin Community NZ
Auckland Zomi Community
B-Farm
Blood Money Campaign
Boat People SOS
Burma Action Ireland
Burma Campaign UK
Burma Human Rights Network
Burma Rohingya Organisation UK
Burmese Relief Center – Japan
Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
Burmese Women’s Union
Calgary Karen Community Association (CKCA)
California Kachin Community
Campaign for a New Myanmar
Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights Committee (CENTRAL)
Chin Community of Auckland
CHRF
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Citizen of Burma Award-New Zealand
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Coalition to Abolish Modern-day Slavery in Asia (CAMSA)
Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL)
Committee for Religions Freedom in Vietnam
COVIL
CRPH & NUG Supporters Austria
CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
CRPH Funding Ireland
Dallas Kachin Community
DANA
Decency & Clarity
DEEKU-Karenni Community of Amarillo, TX
Democracy for Myanmar – Working Group (NZ)
Democracy, Peace and Women’s Organization – DPW
DONEUIDONG
Dongjadong Sarangbang
Edmonton Karen Community Youth Organization
Education Community Woorijari Social Cooperation
Equality Myanmar
European Karen Network
Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
Federation of General Workers Myanmar
Federation of Workers’ Union of the Burmese Citizen in Japan
Freedom House
Future Light Center
Future Thanlwin
Gangbuk Housing Welfare Center
Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC)
Gender Equality Network
Georgia Kachin Community
Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy (GM4MD)
Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
Gwangju Asia sisterhood
Gyeonggi Association of Self-Sufficiency Promotion Center
HANBARAGI
Houston Kachin Community
Human Rights Foundation of Monland
Incorporated Organization Shilcheon Bulgyo
Independent Trade Union Federation (INTUFE)
Info Birmanie
Initiatives for International Dialogue
International Campaign for the Rohingya
International Child Rights Center
International Karen Organisation
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Iowa Kachin Community
Jangsuwon
JCMK
JPIC of Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Junta Denouncing Committee Korea
Justice For Myanmar
Kachin American Community (Portland – Vancouver)
Kachin Community of Indiana
Kachin Community of USA
Kachin Gender Star Group
Kachin Women’s Association Thailand
Kaesong Tourism Center
Kansas Karenni community, KS
Karen American Association of Milwaukee, WI
Karen Association of Huron, SD
Karen Community of Akron, OH
Karen Community of Canada (KCC)
Karen Community of Czech Republic
Karen Community of Finland
Karen Community of Hamilton
Karen Community of Iowa, IA
Karen Community of Ireland
Karen Community of Israel
Karen Community of Kansas City
Karen Community of Kitchener & Waterloo
Karen Community of Leamington K
Karen Community of Lethbridge
Karen Community of London
Karen Community of Minnesota, MN
Karen Community of North Carolina
Karen Community of Ottawa
Karen Community of Regina
Karen Community of Saskatoon
Karen Community of Thunderbay
Karen Community of Toronto
Karen Community of Windsor
Karen Community of Winnipeg
Karen Community Society of British Columbia (KCSBC)
Karen Human Rights Group
Karen Organization of America
Karen Organization of Illinois, IL
Karen Thai Group
Karen Women’s Organization
Karen Youth Education Pathways
Karen Youth Networks
Karen Youth of Norway
Karen Youth of Toronto
Karen Youth Organization
Karenni Civil Society Network
Karenni Community of Arizona, AZ
Karenni Community of Arkensas, AK
Karenni Community of Austin, TX
Karenni Community of Bowling Green, KY
Karenni Community of Buffalo, NY
Karenni Community of Chicago, IL
Karenni Community of Colorado, CO
Karenni Community of Dallas, TX
Karenni community of Des Moines, IA
Karenni Community of Florida, FL
Karenni Community of Fort Worth, TX
Karenni Community of Georgia, GA
Karenni Community of Houston, TX
Karenni Community of Idaho, ID
Karenni Community of Indianapolis, IN
Karenni Community of Massachusetts, MA
Karenni Community of Michigan, MI
Karenni Community of Minnesota, MN
Karenni Community of Missouri, MO
Karenni Community of North Carolina, NC
Karenni Community of Portland, OR
Karenni Community of Rockford, IL
Karenni Community of San Antonio, TX
Karenni Community of Sioux Falls, SD
Karenni Community of Utah, UT
Karenni Community of Utica, NY
Karenni Community of Washington, WA
Karenni Community of Wisconsin, WI
Karenni Human Rights Group
Karenni National Women’s Organization
Karenni Society New Zealand
Karenni Society of Omaha, NE
Karenni-American Association
Keng Tung Youth
Kentucky Kachin Community
Kijamii Table
Kim Wan Sik (MR)
Korea Christian Solidarity for Democracy and Human Rights in Myanmar
Korea Karen Organization
Korea Karen Youth Organization
Korea Women’s Associations United (KWAU)
Korean House for International Solidarity
Korean Solidarity for Overseas Community Organization
Let’s Help Each Other
Louisiana Kachin Community
Maryland Kachin Community
May18 Seoul Memorial Society
Metta Campaign Mandalay
Michigan Kachin Community
Migrant Health Association in Korea WeFriends
Milk Tea Alliance (Friend For Myanmar)
MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee
Minnesota Kachin Community
Myanmar Accountability Project
MYANMAR Action Supporters
Myanmar Community Austria
Myanmar Democratic Force (Denmark)
Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
Myanmar Family Community in Ireland
Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
Myanmar Students Organization
Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
National Clergy Conference for Justice and Peace
NeT Organization
Network for Advocacy Action
Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma)
Neutinamu
New Bodhisattva Network
New York Kachin Community
New Zealand Doctors for NUG
New Zealand Karen Association
New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
No Business With Genocide
North Carolina Kachin Community
NUG & CRPH Supporter Denmark
Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica
Olive Organization
Omaha Kachin Community
Organization of Social Welfare Service Bokumjari
Oversea Karen Organization Japan
Overseas Mon Association. New Zealand
Pa-O Youth Organization
Pennsylvania Kachin Community
People’s Initiatives for Development Alternatives
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
Progressive 3.0
Progressive Korea
Progressive Voice
Pyeongchang
Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
RCSD/FSS Chiang Mai University
Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
SAMYANG CITIZENS NETWORK
SARANGBANG Group for Human Rights
Save and Care Organization for Ethnic Women at Border Areas
Save Myanmar Fundraising Group (New Zealand)
Shan Community (New Zealand)
Shan MATA
Sisters 2 Sisters
Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
Social Action for Community and Development (SACD)
Solidarity for Another World
South Carolina Kachin Community
Support Group for Democracy in Myanmar (Netherlands)
Supporters group for migrant workers in Korea
Suwon Migrants Center
Swedish Burma Committee
Synergy – Social Harmony Organization
Ta’ang Women’s Organization
Ta’ang Legal Aid
Tanintharyi Women Network
Tennessee Kachin Community
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
The People Center for Development and Peace (PDP-Center)
Tongirinreoygeo
Union of Karenni State Youth
US Campaign for Burma
Utica Karen Community, NY
Virginia Kachin Community
Washington Kachin Community
West Virginia Kachin Community
With Gilbut Welfare Foundation
Women Advocacy Coalition – Myanmar (WAC-M)
Women’s League of Burma
Women’s Peace Network
Youth of Kim Dae-jung Foundation
Youth Resource Development Program (YRDP)

Download PDF.

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