November 02

Burma And Its 2008 Constitution. International Center For Transitional Justice

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Impunity prolonged: Burma and its 2008 constitution

This site provides free access to the full text of a report published in 2009 by the International Center for Transitional Justice. ISBN: 978-1-936064-02-1. The 45 page report provides an analysis of the 2008 constitution which promised greater democracy for the people of Burma / Myanmar. It includes coverage of examples of human rights abuses in Burma and the house arrest of opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.From: Intute.ac.uk
http://www.ictj.org/static/Asia/Burma/ICTJ_MMR_Impunity2008Constitution_pb2009.p
August 12

Burma: Free Access To Book Online

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Dictatorship, disorder and decline in Myanmar

This site provides free access to the full text of the book Dictatorship, Disorder and Decline in Myanmar edited by Monique Skidmore and Trevor Wilson which was published by ANU E-press in December 2008, ISBN 9781921536335 (Online). The 240 page book provides a good introduction to the political, economic and social situation in Myanmar Burma) under the military government. It includes coverage of opposition to the government by the National League for Democracy (NLD), the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and human rights abuses. It also assesses the impact of the regime on economic and social development in the region.From Intute.ac.uk

http://epress.anu.edu.au/myanmar02_citation.html

May 20

Burma/Myanmar

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Myanmar: Human Security Gateway resources
The Human Security Gateway is a joint project of the Human Security Centre (HSC) Group and Simon Fraser University It aims to provide researchers with a searchable database of links to key websites, full-text reports, journal articles, news items and fact sheets relating to human security worldwide. Human security is defined as the protection of individuals from wars, civil wars and violence. It website enables users to search or browse by country or topic. Topics covered include: peace keeping operations, children and armed conflict, international humanitarian law, gender and security and refugees. Each resource has an added description of content. The section on Myanmar / Burma includes coverage of human rights abuses, political repression, the fate of human rights campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi and issues relating to refugees and ethnic groups in the region. materials available from the early 1990s onwards. From Intute.ac.uk
http://www.humansecuritygateway.info/search.php?advanced=yes&regions[]=163

Case study of human security in Burma: a checkerboard of insecurity
This site provides free access to the full text of a paper written by Dominic Bowen, Information and Security Manager with Australian Aid International which was published in 2008. The 11 page paper provides a brief introduction to the history of state insecurity in Burma / Myanmar and the security challenges it faces in the 21st Century.
http://www.aai.org.au/operations/thailand/2008/31-march/burma-case-study-bowen.p

Ashin Mettacara
This blog is maintained by a young Burmese Buddhist monk Ashin Mettacara. Its aim is to reveal to the world human rights abuses taking place in Burma. In 2008 it was awarded best Asian blog by the weblog awards. The site provides excellent coverage of news stories and comment from within Burma/ Myanmar. Topics covered include the state of democracy, human rights, the fate of Aung San Suu Kyi and discussion of repression by the government. It includes photographs, comment and some video clips.
http://www.ashinmettacara.org/
May 22

Cyclone Nargis And Burma’S Constitutional Referendum

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Cyclone Nargis and Burma’s Constitutional Referendum
Source: Congressional Research Service (via OpenCRS)

Cyclone Nargis struck the coast of Burma in the evening of May 2, 2008 and cut a path of destruction across the southern portion of the country. The storm left in its wake at least 22,000 dead, 41,000 more missing, and extensive damage to the nation’s premier agricultural areas. Some have speculated that the final number of dead could reach 100,000. Vital infrastructure was destroyed by the storm, severely limiting the ability to assess the loss of life and provide assistance to the survivors. In addition, much of Burma’s most productive agricultural land has been severely damaged; some experts expect that it will take up to two years for Burma’s production of rice, seafood, pork and poultry to recover, and that the nation may face chronic food shortages and the need for international assistance for many months.

Burma’s ruling military junta quickly faced both domestic and international criticism for its response to Cyclone Nargis, including accusations that it failed to provide adequate warning, its slow emergency response, and its reluctance to allow international relief workers into the country. The United States has offered $3.25 million in relief aid, and is willing to send in relief teams, if they can secure the necessary visas from the junta. Even before Cyclone Nargis struck, the junta was already facing a highly controversial referendum on a proposed constitution scheduled for May 10, 2008 that could shape U.S. and other countries’ policies toward Burma. As a consequence, the evolution and implications of the humanitarian crisis are inextricably linked to Burma’s political situation and its relations with the international community. In a widely criticized move, although the military junta decided to postpone the vote for two weeks in some of the more damaged areas of Burma, it indicates it still intends to hold the constitutional referendum in most of Burma on May 10, 2008. Critics have called for the cancellation or postponement of the vote for all of Burma. In addition, some experts are speculating that Cyclone Nargis may precipitate major political change in Burma, including the destabilization of Burma’s military regime. The junta was already under domestic and international pressure to cancel the constitutional referendum. Local dissatisfaction with the speed and quality of the junta’s provision of emergency assistance may heighten domestic opposition to the junta and its proposed constitution. Also, rising food prices and food shortages may feed popular discontent, much like fuel price increases led to protests in Burma of September 2007. This report examines the scope of and response to the disaster, as well as its links to Burma’s political situation and U.S. policy. The report will be updates as circumstances warrant.

+ Full Report (PDF; 300 KB)

March 30

ARTICLE 19

Africa Human Rights Burma/Myanmar Tibet Freedom of Speech Freedom of Information Trackbacks (0)

ARTICLE 19 is a human rights organisation with a specific mandate and focus on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide.

Africa: http://www.article19.org/work/regions/africa/index.html  See also: Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

Burma: Campaign to Free Aung San Suu Kyi

Tibet:    Tibet: Dialogue and Respect for Free Expression, the Legitimate Response
October 18

Human Rights In Myanmar

United Nations Human Rights Burma/Myanmar Trackbacks (0)

The report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar has been transmitted to the General Assembly (A/62/223). Learn more about Special Rapporteurs on the website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, including the previous Special Rapporteur's reports on Myanmar. Documentation related to the recent Security Council meeting on Myanmar is available from the UN Documentation Research Guide.

Permanent Link: Human Rights in Myanmar UN Pulse

October 11

U.N. Special Rapporteur On The Situation Of Human Rights Myanmar

United Nations Human Rights Burma/Myanmar Trackbacks (0)
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights Myanmar This is the official website of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights Myanmar. It provides information on the remit of the UN in Burma/ Myanmar and the results of its investigations. It includes access to all press releases, statements and human rights reports made about the situation in Bruma since 1992. These cover human rights abuses made by the Burmese military government against pro-democracy human rights activists including Aung San Suu Kyi. From Intute.ac.uk
http://www.ohchr.org/english/countries/mm/mandate/index.htm
October 04

Burma: Diplomacy Monitor, And Myanmar Government's Mission At The U.N.

United Nations International relations Burma/Myanmar Trackbacks (0)

Myanmar: Diplomacy monitor resources Diplomacy Monitor is maintained by the St Thomas University School of Law. It provides real time tracking of Internet published diplomacy documents worldwide. This includes materials from major international organisations, such as the United Nations and European Union, and individual national governments (such as the UK, France, US, Russia and China). Materials covered include: press releases, communiques, speeches, statements, papers and reports. This section of the site provides access to materials relating to Burma/ Mayanmar. They include coverage of the 2007 protests by Burmese monks, statements made by the Burmese military government about pro-democracy campaigners such as Aung San Suu Kyi.
http://diplomacymonitor.com/stu/dm.nsf/nationsourced?openform&cat=Myanmar

Permanent Mission of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations This is the official website of the Burmese government delegation to the United Nations. It provides access to information, news and recent statements made by Burma/ Myanmar at the UN. These include responses by the Burmese government to accusations of human rights abuses against pro-democracy campaigners such as Aung San Suu Kyi.
http://mission.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Myanmar/

From Intute.ac.uk 

October 03

Threat To The Peace: A Call For The UN Security Council To Act In Burma, And An ASEAN Web Site On Burma

Afghanistan Burma/Myanmar Trackbacks (0)

Threat to peace BurmaThis is the website of a campaign sponsored by ALTSEAN-Burma on behalf of a global network of concerned individuals, activists and organizations who support human rights and democracy in Burma. It contains news reports about the human rights situation on Burma and abuses committed against campaigners such as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The site includes the full text of the report "Threat to the Peace: A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in Burma” which was commissioned by Vacláv Havel, former President of the Czech Republic, and Desmond Tutu and produced by DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.
http://www.unscburma.org

ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC)The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) is an international grouping of legislators from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Cambodia who are campaigning for human rights reforms in Burma/ Myanmar. The website provides free access to press releases, briefing papers and resolutions relating to Burma. They include indictments of the Burmese military government, and coverage of abuses committed against pro-demcoracy campaigners such as Aung San Suu Kyi. Materials date from 2004 onwards.
http://www.aseanmp.org/

From Intute.ac.uk

October 02

Geospatial Technologies And Human Rights: Burma/Myanmar

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Geospatial Case Studies in the Media

Myanmar’s Descent, Seen From 150 Miles Up
    (NYT) Sept. 29, 2007

 

Satellite Images May Show Myanmar Abuses
    (Washington Post) (Miami Herald) Sept. 28, 2007

 

From: http://shr.aaas.org/geotech/news.shtml

October 02

Burma: "Bloggers Silenced As Curbs Bring Internet Blackout" The Guardian

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Bobbie Johnson and Randeep Ramesh in New Delhi
Monday October 1, 2007
The Guardian 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2180758,00.html

The shutdown of communications in Burma has slowed information to the outside world to a trickle, with the number of reports to one exile group cut by half and websites with the .mm Burma suffix being unavailable, campaigners said yesterday...

October 02

Burma: "If You Want To Support The Monks, Then Call Gary Player To Account" The Guardian

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Western interests in Burma contribute to the oppression of its people. Let's put pressure on the companies responsible 

George Monbiot
Tuesday October 2, 2007
The Guardian 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,,2181656,00.html 

 

...All these companies have felt some pressure already, thanks to the work of The Burma Campaign UK, which includes them on its "dirty list". But I have stumbled across one western firm that most Burma campaigners appear to have missed. It is run by one of the world's most famous sportsmen, the golfer Gary Player...

...Golf, to most of us, looks like a harmless, if mysterious, activity, but in Burma it is a powerful symbol of oppression. Some of the country's courses have been built on land seized from peasant farmers, who were evicted without compensation...

Also: 

  Lloyd's of London is rapped for Burma link

September 26

Burma/Myanmar

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The Irrawaddy is published by the Irrawaddy Publishing Group (IPG). IPG was established in 1992 by Burmese citizens living in exile and is not affiliated with any political party or organization. The Irrawaddy seeks to promote press freedom and access to unbiased information. [Latest new: Soldiers open fire on demonstrators. Burma/Myanmar time is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of SA local time.]

http://www.irrawaddy.org/

 

Alternative Asean Network on Burma: campaigns, advocacy and capacity-building for human rights

The BARD is a comprehensive online tool designed to provide activists and researchers with all the information they need to produce their own reports or briefers for advocacy purposes. It contains 15,000 categorized, up-to-date, ready-to-use news articles on Burma; background information, facts and figures on key Burma issues; chronology of events organized by month, year, and issue; links to relevant websites.

http://www.altsean.org/BARD.htm

From Intute.ac.uk: 

 Burma/ Myanmar resources: International Crisis Group This site is maintained by leading think tank the International crisis Group. It provides free access to its collection of press releases, briefing papers and full text reports published since 2000 which relate to the political and humanitarian situation in Burma Myanmar. They include coverage of human rights, the military regime and abuses committed against pro-democracy campaigners such as Aung San Suu Kyi and National League for Democracy.
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2958&l=1

Burma/ Mayanmar: Human Rights Watch resources This website provides free access to a large collection of resources relating to Burma Myanmar which have been published by leading research group Human Rights Watch since approximately 1989. They include press releases, briefing papers and full text reports. Topics covered include: human rights abuses; the Burmese military regime; refugees and the plight of pro-democracy campaigners such as Aung San Suu Kyi.
http://hrw.org/doc/?t=asia&c=burma

Myanmar resources: Amnesty International This website is maintained by leading human rights group Amnesty International. It provides free access to a large collection of press releases, briefing papers and reports published about Myanmar Burma since approximately 2005. They include coverage of the state of democracy, human rights abuses by the Burmese military regime and conditions endured by pro-democracy campaigners such as Aung San Suu Kyi
http://web.amnesty.org/library

 

July 08

John Pilger's Writings

Vietnam Burma/Myanmar Trackbacks (0)

Burma: John Pilger articles

Vietnam: John Pilger writings