Burma (Myanmar) has been under continuous authoritarian rule since 1962. The military junta in control is now known as the State Peace and Development Council. Human rights violations have been widespread, with minority groups bearing a greater proportion of the abuse. It is estimated that one million Burmese can be classified as internally displaced persons, while another million are refugees or undocumented migrants in Thailand or other neighboring countries. Burma is fifth on Minority Rights Group International’s (MRG) list of peoples under threat for discrimination; the Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Mons, Rohingyas, Shan, Chin and Wa groups are all included in this list.
Separatist rebellions surface intermittently but are crushed by the military. The military leadership also holds and tortures thousands of political prisoners who support democracy. The government consistently arrests students and politicians, and implements policies of forced relocation in order to prohibit pro-democracy activists from organizing. Human rights abuses swelled in 1998 when the military government cracked down on pro-democracy activists during a period of widespread civil unrest. Thousands were arrested or fled to Thailand, or sought protection from ethnic minority opposition groups.
Ethnic minorities, such as the Karen, Karenni, and Shan groups are victims of particularly grave human rights abuses. Many minority groups also accuse the military regime of implementing policies which marginalize ethnic minorities economically and deny them their social, cultural, and religious rights. Furthermore, rape and sexual violence and torture are widespread tools of war used by the military against women belonging to a variety of ethnic minority groups.
Although the international community generally has been critical of the government in Burma, the current regime is gaining support from many of its Asian neighbors despite its human rights record. China provides large amounts of military equipment to Burma, and countries and territories including India, Taiwan and Hong Kong are in the process of expanding relationships with the military leadership.
*Map Credit: UN DPKO
Latest News
| 5 May 2010 | Burma| US Envoy Looks at Myanmar Trip: Officials |
| 8 Apr 2010 | Burma| Rights-Burma: Displaced Children Getting Traumatised - Report |
| 8 Mar 2010 | Burma| Burmese Rape Survivors Speak Out |
| 18 Feb 2010 | Burma| No Refuge for Myanmar's Forgotten People |
| 30 Dec 2009 | Burma| Rohyingya to Be Sent Back to Myanmar |
| 17 Dec 2009 | Burma| Report: Blast in Northern Myanmar Kills 7 |
| 17 Dec 2009 | Burma| Op-Ed: "Where Impunity Reigns" |
| 11 Dec 2009 | Burma| U.N. Security Council Criticized for Failure to Act Against Abuses in Burma |
| 30 Nov 2009 | Burma| EU Seeks More Flexible Camps |
| 28 Nov 2009 | Burma| Op-Ed: "Burma's Minorities Must Not Be Overlooked" |
| 23 Nov 2009 | Burma| UN Slams Burma over Forced Labor Practices |
| 17 Nov 2009 | Burma| Shan Culture in Burma Being ‘Erased’ |
| 6 Nov 2009 | Burma| Scant Details on Reaction to U.S. Envoys' Burma Visit |
| 5 Nov 2009 | Burma| Statement of Scot Marciel, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs |
| 5 Nov 2009 | Burma| Minority Communities Say Burma Development Projects Lead to Abuses |
| 5 Nov 2009 | Burma| In Northern Myanmar, a Rebel Stronghold on Alert |
| 2 Nov 2009 | Burma| Myanmar Rohingyas Swap Suppression for Squalor |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Burma| "Wave of Arrests" in Burma |
| 29 Oct 2009 | Burma| Press Release: "Japan: Protect Burmese Rohingya Seeking Asylum" |
| 27 Oct 2009 | Burma| Religious Freedom Yet to Be Won in Burma: New Report |
| 26 Oct 2009 | Burma| Commentary: "A Glimmer of Light for Burma" |
| 22 Oct 2009 | Burma| Press Conference by Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar |
| 21 Oct 2009 | Burma| U.S. to Send Mission to Myanmar |
| 9 Oct 2009 | Burma| Burmese Dissident Leader Meets Western Diplomats |
| 1 Oct 2009 | Burma| US Diplomat Outlines Obama Approach on Burma |
| 30 Sep 2009 | Burma| Burma-US Meeting Held in New York |
| 30 Sep 2009 | Burma| Op-Ed: "Burma Wild Cards" |
| 28 Sep 2009 | Burma| Editorial: "Burma Review" |
| 25 Sep 2009 | Burma| Burma's Junta Intensifies Bid for Unification |
| 24 Sep 2009 | Burma| Burmese Opposition Supports New U.S. Approach |
| 23 Sep 2009 | Burma| Visit by Burmese Official Hints at U.S. Policy Shift |
| 18 Sep 2009 | Burma| Waiting for New Bloodshed |
| 17 Sep 2009 | Burma| Myanmar Tells Ethnic Minorities to Join Elections |
| 13 Sep 2009 | Burma| Myanmar Military Urges Ethnic Groups to Become Frontier Forces |
| 4 Sep 2009 | Burma| UNHCR Seeks Access to Burmese Refugees in China |
| 3 Sep 2009 | Burma| Column: "Burma's Rising Toll: The Junta Widens a War on Ethnic Groups" |
| 1 Sep 2009 | Burma| Refugees Returning to Burma, Many Fearful |
| 31 Aug 2009 | Burma| Commentary: "Webb Woefully Unaware of Burma's Problems" |
| 31 Aug 2009 | Burma| US Pressures Myanmar as Nervous Refugees Head Home |
| 29 Aug 2009 | Burma| Fleeing Battle, Myanmar Refugees Head to China |
| 26 Aug 2009 | Burma| Thousands Flood into China After Myanmar Army Standoff |
| 24 Aug 2009 | Burma| Minority Group Flees Genocide |
| 20 Aug 2009 | Burma| Eastern Burma: Another Darfur? |
| 20 Aug 2009 | Burma| Myanmar Troops Gain on Rebels as Villagers Flee |
| 19 Aug 2009 | Burma| Camp Below the Cliffs, Home for New Myanmar Refugees |
| 16 Aug 2009 | Burma| Webb Visit May Offer Opening With Burma |
| 14 Aug 2009 | Burma| Senator in Myanmar to Meet Leader |
| 13 Aug 2009 | Burma| Security Council Cancels Meeting Over Myanmar Verdict |
| 12 Aug 2009 | Burma| UN Human Rights Chief Joins Call For Release of Myanmar Opposition Figure |
| 12 Aug 2009 | Burma| Op-Ed: "Pressuring the Burmese Junta" |
| 12 Aug 2009 | Burma| Burma's Cunning Plan To Keep Democracy At Bay |
| 12 Aug 2009 | Burma| The Human Face of Burma's Tragedy |
| 11 Aug 2009 | Burma| U.N. Security Council to Meet on Suu Kyi Sentence |
| 7 Aug 2009 | Burma| Putting Burma's Junta on Trial |
| 13 Jul 2009 | Burma| Secretary-General, Briefing Security Council, Calls Myanmar's Refusal to Grant Meeting...Lost Opportunity |
| 4 Jul 2009 | Burma| Myanmar's Human Rights Record Matter of "Grave Concern," Says Ban |
| 2 Jul 2009 | Burma| Should Ban Ki-moon visit Burma? |
| 26 Jun 2009 | Burma| UN Envoy Arrives in Myanmar for Latest Visit |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Burma | Myanmar Rebels to Abandon Base, Vow to Fight On |
| 10 Jun 2009 | Burma | Myanmar Ethnic Groups Call for UN Investigation into Karen Exodus |
| 8 Jun 2009 | Burma| Burma's Karen Flee Army Offensive |
| 4 Dec 2008 | Ban Voices 'Growing Frustration' at Lack of Progress in Myanmar |
| 14 Nov 2008 | Burma| “Myanmar finds crimes to fit harsh punishments” |
| 12 Nov 2008 | Burma| “Burmese jail sentences condemned” |
| 22 Oct 2008 | Burma| “Full democracy in Myanmar will take generations to achieve – UN expert” |
| 19 Oct 2008 | Burma| “Post-cyclone aid divides Myanmar between the helped and the helpless” |
| 19 Oct 2008 | Burma| “Enhanced dialogue among all parties vital for Myanmar’s political future – Ban” |
| 7 Oct 2008 | Burma| “UN expert outlines steps for improving human rights” |
| 25 Sep 2008 | Burma| “Myanmar writhes in the grip of its junta” |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Burma| "Cyclone survivors must work for food" |
| 14 May 2008 | Burma/ R2P| "To protect sovereignty, or to protect lives?" |
| 7 May 2008 | Burma| "Myanmar Faces Pressure to Allow Major Aid Effort" |
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