Human rights in Myanmar (known as Burma to those who do not recognize the ruling military junta) are a long-standing concern for the international community and human rights organizations. There is general agreement that the military regime in Myanmar is one of the world's most repressive regimes. The State Peace and Development Council (Burmese: ; IPA: ; abbreviated SPDC) is the official name of the military regime of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Prime Minister of Myanmar is a high-ranking official in the government of Myanmar (or Burma). ... General Soe Win (born 1948?) is the Prime Minister of Myanmar. ... Political parties in Myanmar lists political parties in Myanmar (Burma). ... The National Unity Party (Taingyintha Silonenyinyutye) is a political party in Myanmar (Burma). ... Elections in Myanmar are a rarity. ... General elections were held in Myanmar on 27 May, 1990. ... Official language Burmese Headquarters In Exile in Rockville, Maryland,United States Prime Minister Sein Win Constitution December 18, 1990 national anthem Kaba Ma Kyei Web site Website of the NCGUB National Coalition Government of the Union Burma (NCGUB; Burmese: ???) is an exile government headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. ... The flag features a yellow dancing peacock, which has been a sign of freedom in modern Burmese history. ... Aung San Suu Kyi (Burmese: ; MLCTS: ; IPA: ); born 19 June 1945 in Yangon (Rangoon), is a nonviolent pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), and a noted prisoner of conscience. ... The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy is a political party in Myanmar (Burma), representing the interests of the Shan minority. ... Burma is divided into 7 states and 7 divisions: Categories: | | ... // International disputes There is sporadic conflict with Thailand over the alignment of the border. ... The renaming of Burma into Myanmar in the English language, decided by the Burmese military regime in 1989, has led to controversy. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ...

The Freedom in the World 2004 report by Freedom House notes that "The junta rules by decree, controls the judiciary, suppresses nearly all basic rights, and commits human rights abuses with impunity. Military officers hold most cabinet positions, and active or retired officers hold most top posts in all ministries. Official corruption is reportedly rampant both at the higher and local levels." [1] This map reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World, concerning the state of world freedom in 2005. ... Impunity means exemption from punishment or loss.[1] In the international law of human rights, it refers to the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice and, as such, itself constitutes a denial of the victims right to justice and redress. ...

Brad Adams, director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, in a 2004 address described the human rights situation in the country as appalling: "Burma is the textbook example of a police state. Government informants and spies are omnipresent. Average Burmese people are afraid to speak to foreigners except in most superficial of manners for fear of being hauled in later for questioning or worse. There is no freedom of speech, assembly or association." [2]

Personal freedom

Forced labour

According to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions several hundred thousand men, women, children and elderly people are forced to work against their will by the administration. Individuals refusing to work may be victims of torture, rape or death. Unfree labour is a generic or collective term for those work relations, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will by the threat of destitution, detention, violence (including death), or other extreme hardship to themselves, or to members of their families. ... Claiming 157 million members in 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). ...

The International Labour Organization has continuously called on Myanmar to end the practice of forced labour since the 1960s. In June 2000, the ILO Conference adopted a resolution calling on governments to cease any relations with the country that might aid the junta to continue the use of forced labour. [3] The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations to deal with labour issues. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

Freedom of speech and political freedom

A 2004 Amnesty International report names more than 200 individuals imprisoned between 1989 and 2004, who are among more than 1,300 political prisoners who, according to the organization, have been imprisoned after unfair trials. The prisoners, including National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, have "been wrongfully denied their liberty for peaceful acts that would not be considered crimes under international law", Amnesty International claims. [4]. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Freedom is the right, or the capacity, of self-determination, as an expression of the individual will. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ... A political prisoner is someone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image are deemed by a government to either challenge or threaten the authority of the state. ... The flag features a yellow dancing peacock, which has been a sign of freedom in modern Burmese history. ... Aung San Suu Kyi (Burmese: ; MLCTS: ; IPA: ); born 19 June 1945 in Yangon (Rangoon), is a nonviolent pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), and a noted prisoner of conscience. ... General Thura Tin Oo (born March 3, 1927 in Pathein), (often referred to as U Tin Oo) is a retired general, former commander in chief of the armed forces of Union of Myanmar, highly decorated solider, pro-democracy activist and deputy leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in...

The Freedom House report notes that the authorities arbitrarily search citizens' homes, intercept mail, and monitor telephone conversations, and that the possession and use of telephones, fax machines, computers, modems, and software are criminalized. This map reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World, concerning the state of world freedom in 2005. ...

See also: Myanmar Wide Web The Myanmar Wide Web (MWW) is the intranet maintained by the military government of Myanmar (aka Burma). ...

State-sanctioned torture and rape

A 2002 report by The Shan Human Rights Foundation and The Shan Women's Action Network, Licence to rape, details 173 incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence, involving 625 girls and women, committed by Burmese army troops in Shan State, mostly between 1996 and 2001. The authors note that the figures are likely to be far lower than the reality. According to the report, "the Burmese military regime is allowing its troops systematically and on a widespread scale to commit rape with impunity in order to terrorize and subjugate the ethnic peoples of Shan State. The report illustrates there is a strong case that war crimes and crimes against humanity, in the form of sexual violence, have occurred and continue to occur in Shan State. The report gives clear evidence that rape is officially condoned as a 'weapon of war' against the civilian populations in Shan State." Furthermore, the report states that "25% of the rapes resulted in death, in some incidences with bodies being deliberately displayed to local communities. 61% were gang-rapes; women were raped within military bases, and in some cases women were detained and raped repeatedly for periods of up to 4 months." [5] Torture is defined by the United Nations Convention Against Torture as any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Sexual assault is any physical contact of a sexual nature without voluntary consent. ... The military of Myanmar, officially known as Tatmadaw (Burmese: ; MLCTS: ; IPA: ). is the primary military organisation responsible for the territorial security and defense of Union of Myanmar. ...

In a 2003 report, "No Safe Place: Burma's Army and the Rape of Ethnic Women", Refugees International document the widespread use of rape by Burma’s soldiers to brutalize women from five different ethnic nationalities. [6] 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Refugees International is an NGO headed by Ken Bacon. ...

Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International also report frequent torture of prisoners, including political prisoners.

Children's rights

According to Human Rights Watch [7], recruiting and kidnapping of children to the military is commonplace. An estimated 70,000 of the country’s 350,000-400,000 soldiers are children. There are also multiple reports of widespread child labour. Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... Child laborers coming out of a dye factory, Dhaka, Bangladesh Child labor (or child labour) is the employment of children under an age determined by law or custom. ...

See also

Current events/Southeast Asia Portal

• Rohingya people

Image File history File links Portal. ... Flag of the Rohingya The Rohingya are a minority Muslim ethnic group in Northern Rakhine State, Western Myanmar. ...

External links

• Human Rights Watch: Burma
• Burma Campaign UK
• Amnesty International report on prisoners of conscience
• International Confederation of Free Trade Unions' Burma Campaign
• Freedom House's Burma ratings
• Licence to rape, a report on the Burmese military regime's use of sexual violence in Shan State, by The Shan Human Rights Foundation and The Shan Women's Action Network
• Karen Human Rights Group, Documenting the voices of villagers in rural Burma
• Refugees International on Burmese refugees
• Burma Project (Open Society Institute)
• The Free Burma Coalition
• Censorship in Burma: IFEX
• Focus on Myanmar The Boston Globe. November 16, 2005
• Burma Labour Solidarity Organisation]
• Asian Human Rights Commission - Burma homepage
• Rule of Lords Weekly column on human rights & the rule of law in Burma & Thailand