Burma

October 15, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) and ranking member U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), sent a letter to two high-ranking European Union officials urging the EU to join U.S. efforts to increase pressure on the military dictatorship in Burma.    » read more »

15 October 2007 -- Japan has canceled nearly $5 million in aid to Burma over the military's government crackdown that resulted in the shooting death of a Japanese journalist.

Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Tuesday that the move reflected the present situation in Burma and last week's U.N. Security's Council's statement criticizing the crackdown.

Japanese video journalist Kenji Nagai was killed September 27 while filming the crackdown on protesters in Rangoon.    » read more »

October 3, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today on the ongoing protests in Burma:    » read more »

02 October 2007 -- Sylvester Stallone says he and his "Rambo" sequel movie crew recently witnessed the human toll of unspeakable atrocities while filming along the Burma border.

"I witnessed the aftermath - survivors with legs cut off and all kinds of land mine injuries, maggot-infested wounds and ears cut off," he told the Associated Press in an October 1 phone interview. "We hear about Vietnam and Cambodia and this was more horrific."    » read more »

10/01/2007 -- Amnesty International is today urging the United Nations Security Council to immediately impose a comprehensive and mandatory arms embargo on Myanmar, as accounts mount of killings, serious injuries and mass detentions of peaceful protestors by the Myanmar authorities.    » read more »

McConnell, McCain, Brownback join Kerry, Reid in supporting measure in support of democratic activists

October 3, 2007 -- WASHINGTON D.C. – Senator John Kerry announced today that this afternoon the Senate unanimously approved the resolution he introduced condemning the harsh military crackdown on Buddhist monks and pro-democracy protestors in Burma. Sen. Kerry spoke out on the Senate floor last week in strong support of the Burmese people and the monks who had risked their lives demanding a return to democracy.    » read more »

02 October 2007 -- The top United Nations human rights official has condemned the Burmese military government for what she calls its "shocking" repression of peaceful opposition protests.

Louise Arbour says Burma must give a "full account" of the number of protesters killed and wounded by Burmese security forces who crushed the massive protests last week.

Arbour was speaking Tuesday in Geneva at a special session of the U.N. Human Rights Council called by the European Union to discuss the situation in Burma.    » read more »

October 1, 2007 -- For the last several days the world has watched the images of monks as they courageously and peacefully demand democracy in Burma – and the military junta's violent response. A regime that claims to be impervious to international criticism has moved to close off media and communications access to stem the flow of those images out of the country. The generals apparently believe that, without pictures, the world will eventually lose interest and move on. We must not allow this to happen.    » read more »

Council Should Act on Other Urgent Issues

(Geneva, September 28, 2007) – The Human Rights Council's decision to hold an urgent full-day meeting on the situation in Burma is a welcome step, for Burma and for the council, Human Rights Watch said today. Fifty-three states called for the special session, which will be held on October 2, 2007.    » read more »

28 September 2007 -- ATLANTA -- The political crisis in Myanmar has reached alarming proportions this week. Peaceful demonstrations led by religious leaders who desire justice, freedom, and democracy have been met by brutal force from the military government, the extent of which is not yet known.    » read more »

September 26, 2007 -- "In Burma, thousands of ordinary citizens, inspired by their religious leaders, are calling for change in their long-suffering nation. We are witnessing the power of the human spirit -- and the power of non-violent protest consistent with Buddhist tradition. Yet tragically, today, in spite of the peaceful nature of this protest, the Burmese government began another brutal crackdown -- beating demonstrators, firing tear-gas and arresting hundreds.    » read more »

26 September 2007 -- No country has greater influence on Burma's military leaders than China, Burma's biggest trading partner and staunchest defender. While Beijing publicly says it will not get involved in Burma's latest crisis, however, experts say it is likely Chinese officials are working behind the scenes to promote a peaceful solution. But it seems the Burmese generals are not listening.

Burma expert Sean Turnell of Australia's Macquarie University says China's influence on Burma is enormous.    » read more »

17 September 2007 -- A White House report says Burma and Venezuela failed during the past year to make substantial efforts to curb drug trafficking or cooperate with the United States on the issue. Venezuela and Burma were among 20 countries listed in the report as major drug-producing or narcotics-transiting countries.

Officials here say being on the list of major drug-producing or transit countries does not necessarily mean a government is not trying to deal with the problem.    » read more »

Protests Continue in Wake of Convention’s End

New York, September 5, 2007 – The conclusion of Burma’s National Convention on Monday shows that Burma’s military intends to ignore public sentiment and remain in power indefinitely, said Human Rights Watch today.

“The end of the national convention heralds neither reform nor change in Burma,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “It merely marks the end of a long, drawn-out chapter of faits accomplis designed by the military to stay in power.”    » read more »

04 September 2007 -- A U.S. rights organization says a group of jailed Burmese activists are staging a hunger strike to demand medical treatment for an injured colleague.

The Washington-based U.S. Campaign for Burma says 41 detained pro-democracy activists have been on a hunger strike since August 30.

It says they are demanding treatment for another jailed activist whose leg was broken during his arrest by Burmese police.    » read more »