Canada urged to impose comprehensive sanctions on Myanmar’s oil and gas sector – DVB
A coalition of 92 Canadian and international human rights organizations has called on Ottawa to expand its sanctions against Myanmar to cover its entire oil and gas extraction sector, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma.
Prominent advocacy leaders, including Minn Tent Bo of Burma Campaign UK, emphasized that economic interests must not supersede human lives, urging Canada to take decisive action to cut off foreign currency streams enabling the regime’s campaign of violence against civilians. “Canada has shown leadership on Burma before and should now take the next step by targeting the entire oil and gas supply chain,” said Minn Tent Bo.
92 organisations call on Canada to impose sanctions on Burma’s oil and gas sector – Mizzima
Ninety-two Canadian organisations and international human rights groups have called on the Government of Canada to expand its sanctions framework on Burma to cover the entire oil and gas extraction sector, reports Mizzima.
The joint letter, signed by Burma Campaign UK, warns that foreign companies continue to generate revenue for the Burmese military through their involvement in the industry.
Minn Tent Bo, Advocacy Officer at Burma Campaign UK, said: “The oil and gas sector remains one of the Burmese military’s most important sources of revenue. Oil and gas revenues help finance the military’s campaign of repression, including air strikes that target civilians, schools, hospitals and places of worship.”
Rohingya refugees: a “ping pong” game Malaysia shouldn’t play – Hatena Blog
The situation for Myanmar’s Rohingya minority has once again taken a deeply troubling turn, as news breaks of Malaysia’s alarming plan to deport around 5,000 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, says Japanese blogging platform Hatena Blog.
Burma Campaign UK has launched a global campaign, calling this forced return “refugee ping pong,” pushing vulnerable people back and forth between nations without considering their safety. They emphasize that returning Rohingya to Myanmar would expose them to horrific human rights violations, including forced conscription by the military, arbitrary detentions, execution, sexual violence, and a complete denial of freedom of movement and legal citizenship.
Email the Malaysian government
Malaysia repatriation condemned – Frontier Myanmar
Burma Campaign UK yesterday launched a campaign calling on the public to email the government of Malaysia demanding that it stop the repatriations, reports Frontier Myanmar.
“Playing refugee ping pong, handing Rohingya refugees to the Myanmar military at the same time as the Myanmar military pursues genocidal policies designed to force Rohingya to flee, is not a solution to this crisis,” said BCUK director Mark Farmaner.
BCUK condemned Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for inviting regime president Min Aung Hlaing for an official visit to discuss the repatriation of thousands of Rohingya. “The Myanmar military will interpret the Malaysian government’s approach as weakness, and do everything it can to exploit that weakness,” Mark Farmaner said.
Rights group condemns planned repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar refugees from Malaysia – DVB
Burma Campaign UK has issued an urgent call to the government of Malaysia to immediately halt plans to deport approximately 5,000 Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar, reports the Democratic Voice of Burma.
Burma Campaign UK highlighted that the push for repatriations comes amid escalating anti-Rohingya prejudice and hate speech within Malaysia.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim plans to invite regime leader Min Aung Hlaing to Kuala Lumpur to negotiate refugee returns. BCUK described the invitation as a major diplomatic miscalculation that provides the military regime with perceived legitimacy in exchange for accepting deportees.
Malaysia: don’t hand over Rohingya refugees to Burmese military – Mizzima
Burma Campaign UK has called on the government of Malaysia to halt its planned handover of 5,000 Rohingya refugees to the Burmese military, reports Mizzima.
“Instead of countering hate speech, the Malaysian government is pandering to it,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Playing refugee ping pong, handing Rohingya refugees to the Myanmar military at the same time as the Myanmar military pursues genocidal policies designed to force Rohingya to flee, is not a solution to this crisis.”
Malaysia: don’t hand over Rohingya refugees to Burmese military – Progressive Voice
Burma Campaign UK today called on the government of Malaysia to halt its planned handover of Rohingya refugees to the Burmese military, reports Progressive Voice. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has also invited the head of the Burmese military regime, Min Aung Hlaing, to visit Malaysia.
“The Malaysian government is putting the lives of thousands of Rohingya in danger for the sake of a few days of positive headlines, whilst at the same time preparing to roll out the red carpet for the head of the military which created this crisis in the first place,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “The Myanmar military will interpret the Malaysian government’s approach as weakness, and do everything it can to exploit that weakness.”
Zoya Phan speaks to UN Human Rights Council
“These resolutions should not be the end of the process. It should be the start of the process. Every diplomat should be working hard to implement it. Every government should be working on that. It is time to turn words into action.”
Watch Burma Campaign UK’s Programme Director, Zoya Phan’s powerful video message to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Other speakers at today’s session in Geneva included Tun Khin, President of BROUK, the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.
Watch full session (Zoya Phan starts at 14.40 in, Tun Khin starts at 01.34.40 in)
Boycott list checker – DVB
Do you want to know which international companies are helping to finance, arm or equip the brutal Burmese military? Or are you based in Burma and want to avoid buying goods and services from military-owned companies?
Check out the interactive dashboard of our ‘Dirty List’ and ‘Boycott List’ created by DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma) English News.
Thailand’s grand welcome for visiting Myanmar leader sparks condemnation – the Independent
Thailand is facing criticism for rolling out the red carpet for Myanmar’s junta-chief-turned-president who is accused of committing crimes against humanity, reports the Independent. Rights advocates said Thailand risked helping rehabilitate a military ruler accused of overseeing brutal abuses during his country’s civil war.
“Min Aung Hlaing has taken Myanmar back to the path of full military dictatorship, not democracy,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “Bestowing Min Aung Hlaing with the credibility and acceptance he craves is political miscalculation which will harm both Myanmar and Thailand.”