AJC, CPJ, ICJ: OUTCOMES DOCUMENT ON BANGKOK CONSULTATION ON MYANMAR

 

On 11 November, the Asia Justice Coalition, the Centre for Peace and Justice of Brac University (Bangladesh), and the International Commission of Jurists released an outcomes document with expert recommendations at a consultation organised in Bangkok last month to renew focus and joint efforts relating to the situation in Myanmar. The documents provide an overview of the proceedings, panel summaries, and recommendations.

 

HRW: ‘ASEAN: ACT TO STOP MYANMAR MILITARY ABUSES’

 

On 1 November, Human Rights Watch called upon the ASEAN to support tougher sanctions and new measures to cut off the Myanmar junta’s foreign currency revenues and impose embargos on arms and aviation fuel. HRW further called for the suspension of Myanmar from ASEAN.

 

AI: ‘COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENTS MUST STAND UP FOR PEOPLE IN MYANMAR’

 

On 3 November, Amnesty International called upon the governments to ensure that companies headquartered in their countries are not linked to or contribute to human rights abuses through the supply chain of aviation fuel to the Myanmar military. In its report entitled ‘Deadly Cargo: Exposing the supply chain that fuels war crimes in Myanmar’, AI reported how Puma Energy, majority-owned by global commodity giant Trafigura, has played a key role in supplying the Myanmar military since 2015 through its Myanmar entities.

HRW: ‘IN POST-COUP MYANMAR: ‘DEATH SQUADS’ AND EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS’

 

On 3 November, Human Rights Watch reported the widespread and systematic abuses in Myanmar since the coup, including extrajudicial killings and torture, that amount to crimes against humanity. HRW called upon the United Nations Security Council, regional bodies such as the ASEAN and concerned governments to push for accountability for crimes against humanity.

 

FORTIFY RIGHTS: ‘ASEAN: SUSPEND MYANMAR JUNTA PARTICIPATION’

 

On 10 November, Fortify Rights called upon the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reject a proposal to maintain the Myanmar junta’s full participation in all ASEAN meetings apart from summits and foreign minister’s meetings.

 

ICJ: MILITARY REGIME’S NEW “LAW” AIMS TO FURTHER DECIMATE THE FUNCTION OF CIVIL SOCIETY

 

On 22 November, the International Commission of Jurists called for the annulment of the Myanmar military promulgated Organization Registration Law and for an end to the stifling of activities of independent civil society. According to ICJ, the Law is plainly non-compliant with international human rights law and standards, imposing serious obstacles to the exercise of freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, expression and information, and the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs. 

HRW: ‘MYANMAR JUNTA RAMPS UP LANDMINE USE’

 

On 20 November, Human Rights Watch reported that from February 2021 to September 2022, 157 civilians were killed and 395 injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in Myanmar and about one-third of the casualties were children. HRW called upon the state parties to the Mine Ban Treaty to condemn Myanmar’s use of antipersonnel landmines.

 

BROUK: WEBINAR ON ‘JUSTICE FOR ROHINGYA’

 

On 23 November, the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK held a webinar on ‘Justice for Rohingya: Nearing 3 Years of the Genocide Case Against Myanmar’ with Tun Khin, Akila Radhakrishnan, M. Arsalan Suleman, Naomi Kikoler, and May Sabe Phyu.

AJC SECRETARIAT ACTIVITIES

 

On 22 November, the secretariat head Dr. Priya Pillai wrote a blogpost calling upon the international community to keep the momentum and work on the next steps towards a treaty on Crimes Against Humanity. On 4 November, the secretariat head was in conversation with Sania Farooqui on ‘challenges to Human Rights and Democracy in South Asia’. Senior Legal Fellow Jen Keene-McCann participated in a two-day Australia and international criminal law workshop at the University of New South Wales. She spoke on opportunities for centering international Justice in Asian domestic jurisdictions and the secretariat’s broader research agenda.

OHCHR:  'MYANMAR: UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE DEEPLY CONCERNED BY NEW NGO LAW'

 

On 28 November, the UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia (OHCHR) stated that it is deeply concerned about the potential negative impact on civic space and human rights of new rules regulating the registration of non-profit organizations in Myanmar. The military’s so-called State Administration Council unilaterally imposed a text making registration compulsory for both national and international non-governmental organizations and associations.

 

IRRAWADDY: 'MYANMAR JUNTA DEFENSE MINISTER SNUBBED BY ASEAN'

 

On 22 November, the Irrawaddy reported that the Myanmar junta’s defense minister General Mya Tun Oo was excluded from the ongoing meeting of Southeast Asian defense chiefs by host country Cambodia.

 

AL JAZEERA: ‘MYANMAR MILITARY RELEASING TURNELL, KUBOTA, BOWMAN: REPORTS’

 

On 17 November, Al Jazeera reported that the Myanmar military has released a former British ambassador, an Australian economist and a Japanese journalist under amnesty – along with more than 6,000 other prisoners on “humanitarian grounds”.

 

REUTERS: ‘ASEAN LEADERS CALL FOR TIMELINE ON MYANMAR PEACE’

 

On 12 November, the Reuters reported that at the 40^th and 41^st ASEAN Summit, the leaders upheld the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. The leaders concluded a need for "concrete, practical and measurable indicators with a specific timeline."

AP NEWS: ‘UN EXPERT QUESTIONS SINCERITY OF MYANMAR’S PRISONER RELEASE’

 

On 21 November, the Associated Press reported that the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar cautioned reading more into the release of prisoners by the Myanmar military. According to him, the release of thousands of prisoners in Myanmar is likely an attempt by its military-controlled government to “create a veneer of progress” in the country to sway international opinion.

 

UNSR: ‘UN EXPERT URGES REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO PLAY ENHANCED LEADERSHIP ROLE TO ADDRESS MYANMAR CRISIS’

 

On 21 November, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar urged the Republic of Korea to take even stronger action to help reverse the international community’s failure to address the crisis in Myanmar like publicly denouncing the coup, imposing an arms embargo, and issuing a moratorium on forced returns of Myanmar nationals back to Myanmar.

 

UN SG: 'URGENT ACTION NEEDED FOR THE VOLUNTARY RETURN OF ROHINGYA REFUGEES'

 

At the ASEAN Summit, on 12 November, the UN Secretary-General urged the authorities of Myanmar to listen to their people, release political prisoners, and get the democratic transition back on track immediately. He further called upon all countries, including ASEAN members, to seek a unified strategy towards Myanmar, centred on the needs and aspirations of the country’s people.’

 

REUTERS: ‘US, EU ADD MORE SANCTIONS AS MYANMAR VIOLENCE DEEPENS’

 

On 9 November, the Reuters reported that the US and EU have announced new sanctions against Myanmar military officials, companies and arms dealers. The EU sanctions apply to 19 more individuals and entities, and the US sanctions blacklist an arms dealer and his company.