Myanmar coup 5 years on – Mark Farmaner interviewed by France 24
1 February will mark five years since the military re-took control in Myanmar in a coup that ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The military celebrated the anniversary by declaring a sweeping win for their political party in a general election, widely denounced as a sham. But according to Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, in an interview with France 24, the five years since the coup have gone “horrifically wrong” for the military junta, which has lost control of vast swathes of the country to armed rebel groups.
Mark Farmaner calls for support for the bottom-up democracy being built by local administrations in the border areas, and for the UK government to impose more targeted sanctions on the military, for which there is cross-party support.
Burma Campaign UK’s evidence to UK aid inquiry published
The International Development Committee, a Commons Select Committee, has published Burma Campaign UK’s evidence submission to its new inquiry into the future of UK aid. The inquiry was set up to examine how the UK can continue to deliver high impact international aid and development assistance in the face of a 40% budget cut as the Government seeks to fund increased defence spending in the name of national security.
BCUK’s submission says that cuts in aid to Burma of around 70% at their peak could not have been made based on need as they happened at a time when Burma faced a dramatic and unprecedented
increase in humanitarian need after the 2021 coup. It is not only aid which has been reduced, but also coherent and strategic policy and decision making.
BCUK recommends that the UK return to stable annual budget planning, resume its leadership role and consider broader human rights repercussions and whether the aid cuts will undermine broader UK foreign policy towards Burma.
Ethnic cleansing survivor – Zoya Phan interviewed by LADbible
Burma Campaign UK’s Programme Director, Zoya Phan, shares her incredible story of growing up under military dictatorship in Burma with LADbible TV.
“Born in the remote jungle, Zoya’s childhood ended the moment she saw a decomposing body floating down the river where her siblings played. Years later, under a brutal regime of ethnic cleansing Zoya and her family were forced to flee as bombs rained down on their home. Despite the ongoing threats to her life and surviving three assassination attempts, Zoya continues to follow in the footsteps of her parents and fight for the freedom of the Karen community and the people of Burma.”
Religious Minority Persecution in Myanmar – UK Parliament debate
Today the British Parliament held a debate on religious persecution in Myanmar, moved by Jim Shannon MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief. Burma Campaign UK briefed MPs beforehand and many raised issues we had highlighted, including it being more than a year since any new sanctions on the Burmese military, and cuts in UK aid.
MPs praised BCUK for our work. Seema Malhotra MP, Foreign Office minister for Indo-Pacific, said: “I thank those in the Burma Campaign … who continue to bring a lot of information to Parliament.” Luke Akehurst MP and Catherine West MP commended BCUK on the consistency of its support for human rights.
The 90 minute debate concluded with a request that the Government commit to publishing regular assessments of freedom of religious belief and human rights in Myanmar, using independent monitoring.
China suddenly loves elections… in Burma – Labour Hub
“When western countries impose targeted sanctions or take other steps to promote human rights and democracy in Burma, China complains”, writes Burma Campaign UK’s Director Mark Farmaner in Labour Hub. “Western countries are interfering in the internal affairs of another country, they say.
“China interferes in the internal affairs of Burma more than any country since British colonial occupation. They arm the Burmese military and they fund the Burmese military. At the same time, China destabilises the Burmese military by selectively arming some ethnic armies on the China-Burma border which administer autonomous areas. They want a subservient ally, not an all-powerful one.
“China decided that the Burmese military would be most subservient to their interests, and swung behind them, cutting off arms to the resistance and, of all things, telling the Burmese military they had to hold elections.
“The British government must lead in not only rejecting these elections, but the Chinese-backed military-installed regime which will follow.”
Zoya Phan interviewed by Karen Vibes
Burma Campaign UK’s Programme Director, Zoya Phan, was interviewed about the military dictatorship’s sham elections by Thailand-based Karen Vibes, which aims to inform, educate, and entertain with Sgaw Karen, Pwo Karen, English and Burmese language.
BCUK urges London to toughen stance as junta prepares ‘sham’ election – Mizzima
Burma Campaign UK has called for a revision of the British government’s approach to Myanmar, warning that the UK has slipped from “leaders to laggards” on human rights, reports Mizzima. The call comes as Myanmar’s junta moves ahead with what are widely seen as “sham elections” beginning 28 December.
“When British government ministers have the political will, the UK can be very effective at mobilising international action to assist the people of Burma in their struggle for freedom,” said Mark Farmaner, BCUK’s director. “While the Burmese military implement new sham elections as part of their plan for eternal rule, the British government needs to be proactively cutting off their supply of money and arms.”
The election is a side-show – the real future of Burma is already being built – Mizzima
Across the country in areas freed from Burmese military occupation, a bottom-up federal nation is being built, writes Naw Wahkushee, Director of Advance Myanmar’s partner Karen Peace Support Network, for Mizzima. Local people are finally in charge of their land and natural resources, and for the first time have a say in how they will be governed, with new local constitutions being consulted on.
An example of this is highlighted in a new report, ‘Retaking our Eastern Border’ by the Karen Peace Support Network. Local administrations such as the Karen National Union in Kawthoolei [the Karen name for Karen State], which administer areas freed from Burmese military occupation, need international support to provide essential services to local populations and improve governance.
Supporting the development of local administrations free from Burmese military rule is the most effective approach to long term stability in Burma.
UK leadership imperative as Myanmar’s crisis deepens ahead of junta’s announced sham elections: UN expert
A UN expert today urged the UK to help mobilise international opposition to the Myanmar military junta’s claim that the election that it will stage later this month is legitimate, while taking other measures to strengthen its support of human rights in Myanmar.
“I am heartened by the United Kingdom’s rejection of the junta’s election scheme,” said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, at the end of his visit to the UK. “I urge the UK Government to proactively reach out to other Governments to ensure they do the same. A strong, coordinated rejection of these sham elections is essential to deny the junta the means to fabricate credibility and legitimacy … The UK can play a decisive role — and now is the moment to act.”
Zoya Phan, BCUK’s Programme Director, meeting Tom Andrews on his visit to the UK.
25 Karen groups join Karen National Union in rejecting the regime’s 2025-26 elections – DVB
Twenty-five Karen civil society groups “overseas,” led by the Karen National Union (KNU), have condemned the regime’s 2025-26 elections which are scheduled to begin on December 28, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB).
“This sham election is not about political reform or genuine peace in the country. History has already shown that the Burmese military is not interested in genuine peace and democracy, they just want to consolidate their power and continue their authoritarian rule,” Zoya Phan, the programme director at Burma Campaign UK, told DVB.
“If Thailand and other neighboring countries want stability in Burma, working with ethnic revolutionary organizations and allies is their best option. You can see Karen State as an example where the KNU works to bring stability, services, and rule of law to the areas under its control.”