BANGKOK – The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) today backed the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and its bid to raise the issue of anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar at the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling for a prompt, full and impartial investigation into allegations of ethnic cleansing.

The 23rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) will convene from 27 May – 14 June 2013. Currently four ASEAN nations are members of the Council: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

Ambassadors to OIC nations met at the UN in New York last week to discuss the drafting of a resolution on human rights issues in Myanmar to present to the HRC, particularly concerning the persecution of the Rohingya minority and a wave of brutal sectarian violence there which has left tens of thousands of people displaced, hundreds dead and many more injured.

While it remains unlikely that a Commission of Inquiry into allegations of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar will be established at this time, as HRC members, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia should support a Human Rights Council resolution on the issue and call for an independent investigation into allegations of gross human rights violations in Myanmar, AIPMC said. This would mark a first and important step to convey to the Myanmar government that it must act immediately to prevent further violations, protect victims of abuses and work towards returning basic rights and freedoms to persecuted minorities within its borders. UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Tomás Ojea Quintana has already said that reports suggest state authorities have been complicit in anti-Muslim attacks.

“We are in the middle of a humanitarian crisis and ASEAN should be doing more to push the Myanmar government to meet its international responsibilities but the regional grouping remains ineffectual when it comes to key human rights concerns. This does not, however, prevent individual ASEAN member states from backing a resolution on Myanmar when the UN Human Rights Council convenes later this month,” said Eva Kusuma Sundari, AIPMC President and Indonesian member of parliament.

“Ongoing, systematic violence, persecution and widespread human rights violations against the Rohingya population in Myanmar, including the massacre of children, burning of homes, religious buildings and schools, as well as the denial of basic rights such as health, education, and movement necessitates a prompt, full and impartial investigation of all allegations together with binding resolutions to try to bring an end to the inhuman suffering of hundreds of thousands of people,” she added.

The persecution of Rohingya minorities in Myanmar has regional ramifications, with the continued flight of thousands of refugees, seeking shelter in other ASEAN states, including Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia; hundreds have already died at sea this year. Extremist groups in Indonesia have also used the perceived persecution of Muslims in Buddhist-majority Myanmar as justification for hate speech and retaliatory actions against Buddhists, heightening concerns of regional sectarian unrest.

The international community, ASEAN included, has refrained from intervening in the affairs of Myanmar as it continues on its road to reform, instead, giving Naypyitaw the opportunity to conduct its own investigation. But the investigation process as well as the final report and recommendations of the inquiry, released April 29, were deeply flawed. The Myanmar government had an opportunity to investigate the violence and it failed. It is now on the shoulders of the international community – the United Nations – to facilitate an independent investigation.

While there were indeed some positive recommendations in the commission’s report along with a certain acknowledgement of persecution of Muslim minorities, in general, it was marred by the many flaws in the process by which it was conducted, as well as its final assessment and recommendations. One example of the flawed recommendations was the proposal to double the number of security forces in Arakan State, despite no investigations being carried out into allegations that police and other state security forces were complicit in human rights violations.

“There were no Rohingya on the panel, two Muslim members were removed and the report refused to use the name Rohingya, instead insisting on using the term, ‘Bengali’,” said Son Chhay, AIPMC Vice President and Cambodian member of parliament.

“Census teams have also been going around Arakan State trying to force Rohingya Muslims to list themselves as ‘Bengali’ in what appears to be an attempt to marginalize the Rohingya population as part of a state policy of persecution.”

AIPMC has received credible reports of continued harassment, arrest and torture of Rohingya populations by state security forces as well as insufficient care for displaced communities and the blocking of humanitarian aid to Rohingya camps. Some 140, 000 displaced men, women and children are living in makeshift camps with little access to food, healthcare, education and other basic rights and services. Their movement remains restricted and therefore they cannot work to provide for their families, and they are being prevented from returning to the sites of their homes which were destroyed by mobs during recent communal unrest. Instead, the government is keeping them in camps while developing plans to move them to new areas, segregated from other communities. Also, judicial proceedings in other regions following ant-Muslim riots in Central Burma this year also point to institutionalised racism, with widespread arrests and disproportionately harsh sentences for Muslims.

The OIC’s initiative to bring the plight of the Rohingya and other minorities to the Human Rights Council’s attention should receive the backing of other member nations of the HRC. ASEAN member-states should also bring up related human rights concerns that are plaguing ethnic minorities across Myanmar, AIPMC said.

“Burma’s ethnic diversity could be its greatest asset; it’s the people that will ultimately define the nation, and they must draw on their diversity as a strength, not a weakness – but at present the military mindset of the government and its majority Burman leaders is preventing the country from coming together. If dialogue and diversity are not supported, and the flames of ethnic and religious hatred permitted to be fanned, then there is little hope for peace in Burma,” said Kraisk Choonhavan, AIPMC Vice President.

“It is commendable that the OIC is taking the initiative to bring the human rights issues in Burma to the UN’s attention, but this is not just an issue for Muslims, it concerns those of all faiths and nationalities – it is an issue of basic human rights and the world cannot sit back and allow it to continue.”

http://www.aseanmp.org/?p=2894

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For further information and interview requests please contact Ismail Wolff on +66 81 643 0009, or by email at ismailwolff@aseanmp.org

AIPMC is a non-profit organization comprised of regional lawmakers from both ruling and non-ruling political parties representing national parliaments in Southeast Asia that are collectively committed to promoting human rights, peace and reconciliation in Burma. Since its inaugural meeting in Kuala Lumpur, on 26-28 November 2004, AIPMC has been working towards ending human rights abuses and securing peace, stability and national reconciliation in Myanmar/Burma and the establishment of a functioning democracy.
For more information on AIPMC please see: http://www.aseanmp.org

The briefing contains case studies of 6 political prisoners who were arbitrarily arrested by the military-backed government in Burma.

The briefing paper also looks at how the review committee for political prisoners set up by the Burmese government is flawed, highlights the continued existence of almost all repressive laws, and how the release of political prisoners has been tactically used by the Burmese government to persuade the international community to lift sanctions.

“It is vital to remember that genuine democratic reform cannot happen as long as the Burmese government still keeps hundreds of political activists in jail. The international community is abandoning those remaining political prisoners by talking up the positive changes and lifting pressure on Burma while political activists are still suffering in jail, “said Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK.

The briefing is available here.

Following the violence that erupted between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Rakhine State in June and October 2012, Shadow Minister for International Development, Rushanara Ali MP, reported back from a trip to Burma where she visited Rohingya, Kaman and Rakhine camps in Rakhine State and met with NGOs, UN agencies and Rohingya activists. She said:

“I am grateful to Refugees International and Burma Campaign UK for giving me the unique opportunity to witness firsthand the catastrophic humanitarian situation that is unfolding in Rakhine State. Nearly a year since inter-communal violence first broke out, which overwhelmingly targeted the Rohingya population, tens of thousands of people are living in makeshift camps lacking food, water, sanitation, adequate shelter and access to healthcare. The violence has not only caused massive internal displacement, but also a tragic loss of life, livelihoods and property. Muslim and Buddhist communities that previously lived side-by-side remain deeply divided with violence spreading, including against Muslims in other parts of the country.

“During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet many internally displaced people who have lost their homes and are living in dire makeshift camps and informal settlements, cut off from healthcare, clean water and basic necessities. A group of internally displaced women living in a camp in Pauktaw Township told me that many women had died in their camp since the October violence began because they could not access adequate maternal healthcare or travel to the nearest hospital due to restrictions on their movements and hospitals refusing to accept Muslim patients.

“Burma is prone to cyclones and ­flooding during the rainy season. With the monsoon rapidly approaching, there are serious concerns that flooding will exacerbate the humanitarian situation and increase the risk of water-borne diseases. Most of the shelters I saw were made of tarpaulin and rice bags that cannot withstand even moderate rains. With no formal plans or any sign of action from the Burmese authorities to move these camps or provide an alternative solution to address shelter needs, one Rohingya man told me that displaced people, particularly those living near the coast, were growing fearful for their lives ahead of the upcoming rainy season.

“Displaced people are living in constant fear of violence, abuse and harassment both from the security services and from fears of a further attack from sections of the Rakhine population. One of the recurring themes that came up in my discussions was the threat to their security and personal safety, which is one of the main factors preventing them from returning to their places of origin. At the heart of this humanitarian crisis lies the question of citizenship. The Rohingya population are referred to as “Bengalis” by the authorities denying them their Burmese and ethnic citizenship rights. An urgent resolution is needed to the Rohingya’s human rights and citizenship status.”

At an event chaired by Baroness Kinnock and jointly organised by the APPG Burma and the APPG Human Rights, a video documenting Rushanara’s trip was screened. Rushanara highlighted the need for:

·      The UK government and the international community to press the Burmese authorities to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to Rakhine State and other parts of Burma.

·      The UK government and the international community to make urgent shelter arrangements ahead of the rainy season and make healthcare and sanitation urgent priorities.

·      The Burmese authorities must take steps to address the culture of marginalisation and discrimination of the Rohingya community in Burma, review and reform the 1982 Citizenship Law which renders the Rohingya stateless, denying them basic human rights.

ENDS

Notes to the editor

1.    Rushanara Ali MP visited Rangoon and Rakhine State from 27 April – 2 May 2013 with Refugees International.

2.    A video documenting Rushanara Ali MP’s trip can be found here.

3.    Rushanara Ali MP spoke at a debate on human rights in Burma in the House of Commons on 8 May in which she raised the issues of humanitarian access and citizenship rights. The full transcript of the debate can be found here.

The previous dictatorship, of which President Thein Sein was one of the most senior members, was notorious for using the strategic release of political prisoners to try to alleviate international pressure. Thein Sein has continued this policy.

Thein Sein seems to have judged, sadly apparently correctly, that the Obama administration is particularly gullible and likely to respond positively to this kind of manipulative use of political prisoner releases. Thein Sein strategically released around 100 political prisoners ahead of his visit to the USA in September 2012, and then strategically released around 50 political prisoners when Obama visited Burma in November 2012.

“The release of any political prisoner is welcome, but two years after the reform process began, people should be asking why there are still hundreds of political prisoners still in jail,” said Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “These releases are blatantly designed to get good publicity ahead of Thein Sein’s visit to the USA. It is disgraceful to use political prisoners for public relations like this.”

While hundreds of political prisoners have been released since Thein Sein became President, hundreds more have been arrested in Kachin State and in Rakhine State. The exact numbers are not known, but could mean that the overall number of political prisoners in the country has fallen by a figure in the low hundreds, rather than almost a thousand.

Thein Sein has also left almost every repressive law used to jail political prisoners in place. Almost all the releases of political prisoners have only been released conditionally, meaning that if they engage in political activities which the government does not like they can be put back in jail and have to serve a new prison term and their old prison term.

Burma Campaign UK is still verifying that those expected to be released actually have been, but it does seem that four of the 19 political prisoners released today have been highlighted as political prisoners of the month in the ‘No political Prisoner Left Behind’ organised by Burma campaign groups worldwide. They are Win Myint, Kan Min Thar, Tun Oo, and Aung Naing.

This press release was updated on 20 May 2013.

Burma has a long track record of placing restrictions on international aid, especially in ethnic states. In 2008, as Prime Minister, Thein Sein was in charge of relief efforts after Cyclone Nargis, where restrictions on international aid caused international outrage. It was only through a combination of a credible threat, with American, French and British Navy ships off the coast and able to deliver aid directly, combined with a diplomatic effort that went as high as the Secretary General of the United Nations, that the government of Burma finally backed down and allowed in international aid.

Whilst there has been a significant improvement in humanitarian access in some areas of Burma since then, many restrictions remain in place, including in Rakhine State. In areas of conflict, such as Kachin State and Shan State, violations of international humanitarian law have continued under President Thein Sein. These restrictions are costing lives.

The places facing some of the most severe restrictions on aid to internally displaced people, Rakhine State and Kachin State, have around quarter of a million people displaced by violence and human rights abuses since Thein Sein became President. As President, Thein Sein has ultimate responsibility for the restrictions on international aid.

Many of the people living in IDP camps in Rakhine State and now under threat from Cyclone Mahasen have been there for almost a year. Throughout this time international agencies have faced many restrictions on their activities, and have never had completely free access to help these IDPs.

UN humanitarian coordinator Valerie Amos said after visiting one of the camps: “I have seen many camps during my time as the ERC but the conditions in this camp rank among the worst.”

For many months international agencies and the United Nations have been urging the government of Burma to move tens of thousands of the IDPs away from low-lying areas which are liable to flooding during the rainy season, but President Thein Sein failed to act. Now thousands of IDPs face disaster as Cyclone Mahasen threatens to strike Bangladesh and Burma on Wednesday or Thursday.

Belated efforts are being made to move many IDPs, but many more have not yet been moved, and even for those being moved, many are only being moved to slightly less dangerous sites, not safe sites.

The 2012 UN General Assembly resolution on Burma expressed ‘concern’ about violations of international humanitarian law, and called for ‘unhindered’ humanitarian access.  The 2013 UN Human Rights Council resolution on Burma also expressed concern about violations of international humanitarian law in Kachin State, and restrictions on aid in Rakhine State, and called on the government to end such violations.

However, almost every General Assembly and Human Rights Council resolution in the past 20 years has raised similar concerns. The government of Burma is fully aware that such expressions of concern are purely lip-service and that it can continue with restrictions on aid, even those which violate international humanitarian law, with impunity.

A factor that will reinforce President Thein Sein’s belief that he can continue to place restrictions on aid and break international humanitarian law without facing any consequences is the decision by the European Union in April 2013 to lift all sanctions except the arms embargo. When the EU suspended sanctions in April 2012, ending restrictions on humanitarian assistance was one of the key benchmarks they set. Despite the fact that this benchmark was not met with regard to Kachin State, and new restrictions were put in place for IDPs in Rakhine state, the EU still lifted sanctions.

Burma Campaign UK has repeatedly requested that the British government make challenging humanitarian aid restrictions in Burma a greater priority, and to take steps to hold the government of Burma accountable for its violations of international humanitarian law.

“There was already a humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, and now there is a possible humanitarian disaster,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “By accepting restrictions on aid in Burma as normal and to be expected, these restrictions have been allowed to continue. Then, when disasters strike the consequences are more severe. The British government and rest of the international community have taken no action to hold President Thein Sein accountable for restricting aid in Rakhine State and for violating international humanitarian law in Kachin State, and so those violations have continued. Tens of thousands of people in Rakhine state are in much greater danger than they should have been as Cyclone Mahasen approaches. The priority now is getting people to safety, but the current crisis should be a wakeup call to the international community that they need to deliver on pledges made after Cyclone Nargis in 2008 that continued restrictions on aid would no longer be accepted.”

Action is also need to pressure the government of Bangladesh to lift its restrictions on aid to Rohingya refugees who have fled Burma. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees live in camps in the Cox’s Bazaar area of Bangladesh, which the United Nations predicts will suffer the heaviest rainfall and surge from Cyclone Mahasen.

Nic Dunlop spent 20 years photographing Burma under military rule. His new book, Brave New Burma, is an intimate portrait in words and pictures of a country finally emerging from decades of dictatorship, isolation and fear.

From the frontlines of the civil war to deceptively tranquil cities, from the home of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to the lives of ordinary people struggling to survive, Brave New Burma is both an historic collection of rare images and a powerful exposé of Burma’s crisis.

Change has come to Burma for the first time in decades. But change brings dangers, including the erasing of history and the invention of a new Burma in appearance alone. Brave New Burma is a haunting record of a country now struggling to recreate itself.

Nic Dunlop is a Bangkok-based photographer and writer represented by Panos Pictures in London. His work has been published worldwide. In 1999, he received an award from the John Hopkins University for Excellence in International Journalism for his discovery and exposure of Pol Pot’s chief executioner Comrade Duch, a story told in his book, The Lost Executioner. He also co-directed Burma Soldier, an HBO film which was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the United Nations Association Film Festival and nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing.

• Nic Dunlop will be in conversation with Fergal Keane at a special launch event 7pm, May 15th at The Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, London W2 1QJ.
• Award winning photographer, journalist and film-maker with over twenty years experience of working in Burma.
• Explores a country which has now become a major focus of Western media attention.
• It has never been more timely for a book of this kind. For the first time in decades there is talk of real change in Burma.

Author of The Lost Executioner: A Story of the Khmer Rouge (Bloomsbury, UK 2005; Walkerbooks, US 2006) a book about how he tracked down Khmer Rouge leader Comrade Duch. The book was the result of a research supported by the Fund for Investigative Journalism. Dunlop exposed Kaing Guek Eav a.k.a. Comrade Duch, the former head of Democratic Kampuchea’s dreaded special branch – the Santebal. Duch was in hiding since the Khmer Rouge’s fall in 1979, and was wanted for his crimes in personally overseeing the systematic torture of more than 15,000 prisoners. Duch was later tried and found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity becoming the first former Khmer Rouge to be tried and sentenced by the UN-backed tribunal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Dunlop received an award from the Johns Hopkins University for Excellence in International Journalism, for exposing Duch.

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He also co-directed Burma Soldier, (with Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern, produced by Julie Le Brocquy) an HBO film which was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the United Nations Association Film Festival in 2011 and nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing the following year. The film tells the story of a former soldier of Burma’s regime who was badly injured in war, witnessed atrocities committed by his own comrades and spent 15 years in prison for his activism as a member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party.

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He co-authored War of the Mines (Pluto Press 1994) with Paul Davies, about the devastation caused by
landmines.

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“An outstanding photographer who is also a talented writer.”
– John Ryle, Financial Times

“Nic Dunlop’s pioneering work in Cambodia, documenting the scourge of landmines, is reinforced by
the dark grace of his pictures from Burma. They expose the slave labour imposed by the illegitimate
regime and illuminate the heroism of Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy comrades.”
– John Pilger

Clothbound hardback
225mm x 165mm
200 pages, 120 duotone photos
Designed by SMITH
ISBN: 9781907893315
£30.00 / $48.000
PUBLISHED MAY 2013

A selection of photos from the book can be viewed here.

Their achievements are staggering: one of the original holy trinity of British punk (with the Sex Pistols and the Clash), innovators of the independent record scene and genuine punk rock superstars, they have been cited as inspirational by bands as diverse as REM, Nirvana and Green Day. They even have a long running BBC quiz show in “Never Mind the Buzzcocks” named after them. A Mojo Inspiration award in 2006 is just one of the many accolades they have received for their work.

Buzzcocks have been thrilling audiences for over thirty years.  Once called ‘the Beatles of punk’, their music blends high-octane guitar, bass and drum power with heartrending personal statements of love won and lost or dismay at the modern world to create a unique catalogue of unforgettable and immortal music – music they continue to deliver to fans old and new around the world with undiminished passion and energy. They are simultaneously true to their original ideals and open to new ideas – a happy result of their own uncompromising and individual standing.

Buzzcocks’ seminal pop treasure “Singles Going Steady” is consistently the band’s biggest selling Lp and a masterclass in genre-busting songcraft. This compilation of their first UK Top 40 hits is a classic album in every sense, an astounding collection of stunning moments such as ‘Orgasm Addict’, ‘What Do I Get?’ the anthemic ‘Harmony In My Head’ and, of course, the song that has become their calling card: ‘Ever Fallen In Love With Someone (You Shouldn’t’ve Fallen In Love With?)’. Eight studio albums, over twenty singles and EPs, a constellation of compilations, covers by other bands and songs on film soundtracks and advertisements have put Buzzcocks among the top echelons of British recording artists. 

Buzzcocks are the true godfathers of punk-pop, having laid down that infinitely superior archetype. They are also a band with a past, present, and future. It is a history the group’s members could never have imagined back in the hot punk rock summer of ‘76. Says Pete Shelley: “Looking back on it now, what’s going on is like echoes of the Big Bang. You look around you in society and the culture; so many things would not have been the same if there never was punk rock. It’s strange; it’s like a science fiction novel. But to us at the time, it just sprung naturally.”

They’re still doing it, better than anyone. Sometimes the archetype is clearly the best.  Buzzcocks – no. 1 in people’s hearts.  Icons, superstars, legends.

Other acts already confirmed for the Vale Earth Fair include also include folk legend Vin Garbutt, winner of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards “Best Live Act” Award in 2001.

Vin’s career has spanned over 40 years of constant world wide touring which must make him some kind of elder statesman of folk. His songs were inspired by the folk tradition at the beginning of his career, they still are but have transformed into gritty social comment and life observations. He is renowned for his hilarious intros but for him his song lyrics are the crux of his performance. Garbutt has been described as the undisputed master of communicating with an audience, so he is certain to bring some entertainment to the afternoon of the Vale Earth Fair.

“The final touches are still being put to the line-up, and other acts will be announced soon” said Rob Roussel, “but with Buzzcocks and Vin Garbutt already on the bill, it’s shaping up to be another classic”. 

The Vale Earth Fair will be supplying ht musical entertainment at the St Andrew’s Liberation Day celebrations at the Last Post, and upcoming fundraisers for the Vale Earth Fair also include an all day event at the KGV on Saturday 8 June.

Profits from the Vale Earth Fair are split between the humanitarian organisations the Burma Campaign UK, Free Tibet, and Bridge2Haiti. If you want to learn more about the causes the Vale Earth Fair supports, information is available at Vale Earth Fair fundraising events, and there are links on the website: http://www.valeearthfair.org.

Advance tickets are already on sale though the Vale Earth Fair website http://www.valeearthfair.org for £15 or you can pay £20 at the gate on the day. Children (12 and under) are free if accompanied by an adult.

For further information contact Rob Roussel on 07781 107698.

The EU and USA set the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Burma as one of the key benchmarks which needed to be met before the lifting of sanctions. However, the EU and USA have lifted almost all sanctions despite the fact that most political prisoners were only released conditionally, and there are still hundreds of political prisoners in jail.

Almost all the political prisoners released since 2011 have only had their sentences suspended under Burma penal code 401, rather than receiving full pardons. This means that if they are arrested again they will serve the new prison terms, and the old prison term which they didn’t finish serving will be added to it. The released political activists receive no compensation and have criminal records, which creates difficulties in finding employment and trying to rebuild their lives.

“This jailing of Nay Myo Zin shows that the EU was wrong to lift sanctions and talk about ‘remarkable progress’ in Burma,” said Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “William Hague didn’t keep his word on judging the Burmese government by their actions. He supported lifting sanctions even though the benchmark of the unconditional release of all political prisoners which he had previously insisted on had not been met.  His new soft approach with the Burmese government is effectively abandoning political prisoners in the country.”

Nay Myo Zin is a former military captain turned social activist and a founder of Myanmar Social Development Network, which is a civil society organisation that supports healthcare, informal education and farming communities. He was arrested in August 2011 and sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Electronic Transaction Act. He was released in January 2012 under a presidential amnesty.

A court hearing about the case in Thailand was expected to take place today.

Following Andy Hall exposing human rights abuses against migrant workers in their factory, the Natural Fruit company in Thailand is taking legal action for defamation which could result in his being fined more than £6.6 million, and spending seven or more years in jail.

Andy Hall managed a team of researchers producing a report on labour conditions for migrant workers in factories in Thailand. The report, ‘Cheap Has A High Price’, was published by the Finnish organisation Finnwatch, on 21st January 2013. It is available online here:
http://www.finnwatch.org/uutiset/80-serious-human-rights-violations-behind-european-food-brands

The report exposed human rights abuses at a Natural Fruit company factory in Thailand which processes pineapple products. The vast majority of the workers are migrants from Burma. The abuses include child labour, workers being hit by security staff and managers, dangerous working conditions with heatstroke and fainting common due to high temperatures, and electric shocks and other injuries, compulsory overtime, illegally low wages, unfair deductions and charges from salaries, and seizure of passports and ID papers and which are not returned on request.

By targeting Andy Hall, Natural Fruit are also trying to threaten others who try to expose their illegal behaviour. It is an attack on free speech, and threatens work to improve the rights of migrant workers in Thailand. There are an estimated 2-3 million migrant workers in Thailand, mostly from Burma, Laos and Cambodia. Around eighty-percent of all migrants in Thailand are thought to be from Burma.

“I think it’s a malicious case and I think it’s an attempt to silence me,” said Andy Hall.

“Natural Fruit must drop the charges against Andy Hall,” said Mark Farmaner, Director at Burma Campaign UK. “Instead of Natural Fruit taking Andy Hall to court, the government of Thailand should be taking Natural Fruit to court for breaking the law. If Natural Fruit don’t drop these ridiculous charges they will do even more damage to their own reputation. The solution to this problem is for Natural Fruit to treat migrant workers fairly and in accordance with the law, not shoot the messenger.”

Natural Fruit also has strong political connections in Thailand. Nai Wirat is a major shareholder, and is the older brother of Chalermchai Sri-on, who is General Secretary of the Democratic Party.

Burma Campaign UK supporters are being asked to send an email to Natural Fruit demanding the company drop the charges against Andy Hall and take action to improve the working conditions in their factory.

Andy Hall’s website about the case is here: http://andyjhall.wordpress.com/

You can take action here.

A briefing about Andy Hall’s case is available here.

Burma Campaign UK today urged Hugo Swire MP, British Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Burma to do more to push the military-backed government in Burma to release Myint Soe and all remaining political prisoners in Burma.

The unconditional release of all political prisoners is an essential step towards genuine democracy and freedom in Burma. Regardless of the changes in Burma, almost all the repressive laws which enabled the jailing of political prisoners still remain in place.

To draw attention to the remaining political prisoners, Burma Campaign UK is highlighting the case of a different political prisoner every month. The political prisoner for this month is Myint Soe.

Myint Soe is a labour activist from Burma who campaigns for workers’ rights and helps workers to set up trade unions. He was arrested in March 2013 and sentenced to 7 and half years in prison.

Myint Soe and his colleagues helped farmers in southern Burma to reoccupy their land and build temporary houses. Several years ago the government had confiscated their land. Now the area is controlled by a state-owned paper factory run by a crony company called Shwe Than Lwin.

Myint Soe was sued and falsely accused by the company that he cut eucalyptus trees in the area in order to build houses. Although Myint Soe had witnesses who provided statements that he did not cut any trees, he was arrested. He was charged under The Public Property Protection Act (1947) with the accusation of cutting the trees down, and was sentenced to 7 and half years in Thaton prison, Mon State.

“Framing a labour activist for cutting down trees shows the ridiculous lengths the Burmese government is prepared to go to silence activists,” said Wai Hnin, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. “This case shows why a permanent review mechanism is needed to investigate cases of political activists who are wrongfully jailed.”

Action can be taken on the Burma Campaign UK website at: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/campaigns/actions/free-political-prisoners/no-political-prisoner-left-behind