UK lawmakers demand new sanctions on Myanmar military – DVB
MPs from across the political spectrum staged a rare display of total partisan unity, collectively demanding that the British government escalate sanctions, pursue international justice, and protect humanitarian aid sent into Myanmar, says DVB in its report of the Westminster Hall debate. The government’s defensive response drew swift, scathing condemnation from civil society leaders observing the proceedings from the gallery.
Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK, said. “Minister Hamish Falconer was forced to respond by listing ‘golden oldies’ of the things the Foreign Office did in the past, talking from the sidelines about not being on the sidelines. Given the cross-party support for stronger action… the lethargy from the Foreign Office as airstrikes and the death toll increases is inexplicable.”
Burma Campaign UK releases updated boycott list – Mizzima
Burma Campaign UK has released an updated list of products, brands, and services owned or controlled by the Myanmar junta’s military or its business conglomerates, reports Mizzima. An additional 16 new products and businesses have been added to the updated Boycott List.
Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at Burma Campaign UK, said: “Every time a military-owned product is bought, money goes towards the Burmese military. The military still carries out airstrikes every day, including on schools and hospitals, arresting people at will, torturing them and committing other serious human rights abuses. We ask governments, embassies, international organisations and international non-governmental organisations to check the Boycott List and make sure they are not unknowingly supporting the military.”
UK Parliament debates British government support for human rights in Burma
At a Westminster Hall debate today, MPs from across political parties united in calling for stronger action by the British government. Speakers included Rushanara Ali MP and Sir Jeremy Hunt MP, Co-Chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Burma, for which Burma Campaign UK acts as secretariat.
Anna Roberts, Executive Director of BCUK, commented: “There was unanimous cross-party support for new sanctions and stronger action from the British government, and once again we saw nothing new from the British Foreign Office.”
Read BCUK’s report of the debate
Read Hansard report of the debate
Watch the debate on Parliament TV
BCUK staff with Jeremy Hunt, Rushanara Ali and Benedict Rogers of Fortify Rights
India should have offered Myanmar’s leader ‘handcuffs, not a red carpet’ – the Independent
India faces growing criticism over its decision to roll out the red carpet for Min Aung Hlaing, reports the Independent. Rights groups say it risks legitimising a former general allegedly responsible for genocide.
Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK, told the Independent that Mr Modi’s current policy is driven by a desire to counter China’s influence, but that New Delhi would be better served in the long run by supporting a democratic Myanmar which might be less dependent on Beijing.
“Modi will be calculating that being the first to invite general Min Aung Hlaing since he appointed himself president will buy more goodwill and influence for India,” he said. “India’s current approach to Myanmar has doomed them to play second fiddle to China, as India can’t compete economically or politically with China and its UN Security Council seat and global clout.”
Burma Campaign UK dismisses rumours on sanctions – DVB
Burma Campaign UK told the Democratic Voice of Burma that the British government hasn’t revealed any sanctions against the Arakan Army (AA) over its alleged mass killings and human rights violations against the Rohingya, as well as other ethnic minorities, in its territory. The rumours about possible sanctions against the AA emerged three months after Burma Campaign UK called on London to take action.
“There’s no indication that the U.K. government is considering sanctions against the AA,” Anna Roberts, the executive director of Burma Campaign UK, told DVB in an interview. While the UK government could freeze AA assets and ban its members from traveling to the UK, such measures would be “largely symbolic” like those which have been imposed against the regime following the 2021 coup.
Read DVB TV News post in Burmese
Burma Campaign UK urges SED energy chief to halt Myanmar military funding – Mizzima
Burma Campaign UK is calling on the Chief Executive of SED Energy Holdings to terminate his company’s involvement in gas extraction projects within Myanmar, reports Mizzima.
“Companies operating in Burma’s gas and energy sectors are contributing to the funding of the military, as gas represents a key source of revenue for the regime,” said Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “SED Energy Holdings is profiting from Burma’s blood-stained oil and gas sector. This must end now.”
Europe shouldn’t buy Myanmar junta’s Suu Kyi ploy – Asia Times
The question for Europe today is not whether Min Aung Hlaing and his lieutenants have changed their ways, argues an opinion piece in the Asia Times. The question is whether Europe has changed its habits.
The EU still has sanctions in place. But sanctions will be ineffectual and meaningless if Europe shifts its diplomacy to acknowledge the generals’ new look.
The UK has a different but related problem. Burma Campaign UK has recently warned that the minister’s statement has echoes of the mistakes Britain made after 2010. By welcoming a move from prison to house arrest for Suu Kyi, London risks giving the generals what they crave: a small reward for a staged gesture.
Burmese Embassy in UK forced to cancel so-called open dialogue event – Mizzima
Burma Campaign UK welcomed news that an ‘open dialogue’ event planned by the Burmese Embassy in London has been cancelled, reports Mizzima.
The Embassy is currently under the control of the Burmese military. The so-called open dialogue event is part of a new public relations offensive by the Burmese military as they desperately seek international recognition after sham elections in late 2025 and early 2026.
A small celebratory protest still went ahead outside the embassy yesterday.
Embassy event in UK cancelled after call for boycott – DVB
Burma Campaign UK welcomed news that a planned “open dialogue” event for diplomats hosted by the Burma Embassy in London had been cancelled, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma.
“This is a humiliation for the military-controlled embassy in London,” Minn Tent Bo, advocacy officer at Burma Campaign UK, said. “It was ridiculous that they ever thought they could get away with holding an open dialogue event when open dialogue is banned in Burma.”
Campaign success: ‘open dialogue’ event cancelled
The planned ‘open dialogue’ propaganda event organised by the Burmese Embassy in London was cancelled after Burma Campaign UK and Stars of Myanmar Friendship called for the event to be boycotted, organised a protest during the event, and urged Ambassadors likely to be invited not to attend. A small celebratory protest went ahead outside the embassy instead.
Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at Burma Campaign UK said:
“This is a humiliation for the military-controlled embassy in London. It was ridiculous that they ever thought they could get away with holding an open dialogue event when open dialogue is banned in Burma. We will block any attempt by the embassy to seek legitimacy and we continue to campaign for the military attaché, Captain Soe Aung, to be deported from the UK.”
Minn Tent Bo outside the Burmese embassy