The Women’s League of Burma welcomes the inclusion of two women parliamentarians in the newly formed union level Peace Committee. However, the WLB urges U Thein Sein’s government to consider a much greater increase in women’s participation as a start towards a genuine process of talks for sustainable and lasting peace.

Furthermore, in recognition of the significant role of peoples’ leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is tirelessly working for establishment of the rule of law and constitutional amendment towards democratic and lasting peace, we strongly urge U Thein Sein’s government to include her in the leading role of the union peace building process.

In order to start a sustainable and lasting peace process, the military offensives in the Kachin, Shan and all other areas must be stopped, and a nationwide ceasefire implemented. If these military offensives continue, we are concerned that the existing ceasefire agreements between the government and ethnic armed groups will break down and lead to another generation of civil war.

UNSC resolution 1325 outlines the importance of women’s participation and a gender perspective relevant to all aspects of conflict prevention, management and resolution (including organizing for peace, rehabilitation, reintegration and reconstruction).

CEDAW details the specific measures that should be taken to ensure women’s full involvement in political processes, such as peace negotiations, and in formulation and implementation of policy, including during the resolution of conflict.

As Burma is a signatory to CEDAW, we urge U Thein Sein’s government to commit to its obligation to ensure participation of women at all levels of the country’s peace building process.

We also urge the United Nations, the international community and people of Burma to call on U Thein Sein’s government and all ethnic armed groups to consider UNSC resolution 1325 and ensure participation of women at all levels of the peace building process in Burma and to ensure protection of women and girls in this situation of armed conflict.

See press release: English | Burmese

Contacts:

Nang Hseng Noung + 66 (0) 81 884 4963

Daw Tin Tin Nyo +66 (0) 81 0322 882

Saw San Nyreim Thu +66 (0) 80 792 0445

Rakhaing Women welcome U Thein Sein’s call for Burma’s exiles to return home but urges to remember that fighting is still continuing in Kachin State. RWU calls for ceasefire in the whole of Burma.

At the same time, Rakhaing Women Union emphasizes that peace and reconciliation talks should involve not only armed groups but also representatives of democratic movement, women groups and youth groups.

RWU calls on U Thein Sein’s government to comply with the United Nation’s Security Council Resolution 1325, which focuses on the importance on women participation in peace process.

Read the whole statement in: Burmese

Fifty-four civil society and community-based organizations and networks from Burma released a statement today welcoming recent efforts to establish the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) through an act of Parliament. The groups called for the drafting of this enabling law to be a credible, inclusive and transparent process. The statement includes recommended steps for the MNHRC and government of Burma to take in order for this process to be consistent with the Paris Principles.

The MNHRC was originally established by Presidential decree rather than through a law in Parliament, which is in violation of the Paris Principles that outline minimum conditions for a national human rights institution to be considered independent and effective in protecting and promoting the rights of the people. The appointment of former State Peace and Development Council ambassadors and retired civil servants close to the government illustrates the MNHRC’s lack of independence and autonomy. Furthermore, the commission has not had a clear mandate based on universal human rights standards and has not been granted operational and financial independence.

“The way in which the MNHRC was formed and has been operating is in direct contravention of international standards,” said Naw San, General Secretary of the Students and Youth Congress of Burma. “It has been a mockery of human rights institutions around the world and was clearly designed by Thein Sein’s government to win favor from the international community.”

“With human rights violations still occurring every day, especially in ethnic nationality areas, we welcome that the MNHRC and the Parliament are now trying to properly establish the commission as a credible body,” said Tin Tin Nyo, General Secretary of the Women’s League of Burma. “However, without public participation in the process, the MNHRC will be no better than it is now. Ongoing consultation with civil society is the only way the MNHRC will be able to promote and protect the people’s fundamental rights.”

In order to ensure that the enabling law drafting process is credible, inclusive, transparent and consistent with the Paris Principles, the groups recommended that the draft law must be widely publicized and disseminated, input at all stages be encouraged, inclusive consultations be held with all stakeholders, able focal persons are identified to oversee the drafting and consultation processes, adequate resources are allocated, and technical assistance sought from relevant experts and the regional network of National Human Rights Institutions.

The statement was sent to the MNHRC, President Thein Sein, Speaker of the National Assembly Khin Aung Myint and Speaker of the People’s Assembly Shwe Mann, as well as political parties with elected Members of Parliament.

For more information, please contact:

Naw San, Students and Youth Congress of Burma:+66848119594 or sycbcongress@gmail.com

Tin Tin Nyo, Women’s League of Burma: 0810322882 or tintinnyo2007@gmail.com

Lahu women demand end to destructive platinum mining in Burma’s Shan State.

Lahu women’s group is calling for an immediate end to destructive platinum mining operations in Eastern Shan State.

In a new report “Grab for White Gold: Impacts of platinum mining in Eastern Shan State,” Lahu Women’s Organization (LWO) describes how recent  platinum mining  has impacted  about 2,000 people from eight Lahu , Akha and Shan villages in the hills north of Tachilek, eastern Shan State , platinum, known as “shwe phyu’’ or white goad” in Burmese , is being extracted by Burmese mining companies and exported to China and Thailand.

Mining companies have forced villagers to sell property and land at cheap prices, and confiscated other lands without compensation. Hundreds of acres of farms and forestland have been seized, or destroyed by dumping of mining waste. Local roads have been ruined by heavy mining trucks.

Women are facing particular hardship due to diversion and contamination of water sources, now having to walk long distances to fetch water for domestic use. The influx of migrant male miners into the area has also led to a growing sex trade.

Complaints by villages to the companies and local authorities have fallen on deaf ears.

“By paying off the Burmese military, mining companies can do what they want”, said LWO researcher Na Ve Bon. In Burma’s rural areas it is still the rule of the gun”.

LWO is calling on the Burmese government to put an immediate stop to the destructive mining operations, which are not contributing to local development, but are causing poverty and environmental degradation.

Full report: English | Burmese | Lahu

Contact persons:

(Burmese)Na Ve Bon   +66 81 030 6370

(English)Rebecca         +66 80 030 8611

KWO Day is the commemoration of our work and the work of all Karen women. Karen Women Organisation (KWO) has provided leadership and services to the Karen community, particularly women and children for decades. This year we welcome the recent progress toward peace in our homeland. We are not sure yet if we will be successful, but we believe it is a time for all Karen people to make every effort to bring peace to our people. We believe women’s participation in the peace process is essential for it to be successful, genuine and to benefit the whole of our community. The need for and value of women’s participation in Peace Processes is widely recognized in the world.

Karen women have suffered greatly, like all Karen people, in the conflict with the Burmese Dictatorship from human rights violations: forced labor, the destruction of our villages, and being forced to flee for safety far away from our land. Women have had to sacrifice their fathers, husbands, and children to this struggle for our rights. We have been left to support and raise our families alone. In addition women have suffered from countless acts of sexual violence and exploitation. We have worked to maintain our families in the midst of this conflict, struggled to feed them, care for our children, provide education, and to empower ourselves.

Karen women have been leaders in all areas of the Karen society: at home, in the community, in advocacy and social welfare support, and politically. Karen Women Organisation believes we have a vital role to play in the peace process because of our experience, our point of view, and our leadership. If a lasting peace is achieved in Burma, as we all hope, women’s perspective and participation is essential for building a strong Karen State and preserving our proud culture.

The important role that women can play in peace processes in the world has been recognized many times by the International Community. The UN has passed 5 separate Resolutions calling for increased participation of women: 2 resolutions specifically relate to the role of women in Peace Processes, and 3 resolutions relate to responses to sexual violence during war.

1. Resolution 1325 and Resolution 1889 states that women’s participation is essential in decision making in peace processes, early recovery, governance and in peace operations.

2. Resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1960 demand an end to sexual violence and to hold perpetrators accountable.

Despite these international agreements, women have been poorly represented in peace processes around the world. The United Nation’s own studies indicate, “women have represented fewer than 8 percent of participants and fewer than 3 percent of signatories, and no woman has ever been appointed chief or lead mediator in UN-sponsored peace talks. Such exclusion invariably leads to a failure to adequately address women’s concerns, such as sexual and gender-based violence, women’s rights and post-conflict accountability.”

As we celebrate KWO Day today, we call for a full commitment to women’s participation in every aspect of the welcome peace process. We stand ready to do everything we can to join with other Karen leaders in making peace and freedom a reality. We have been partners in the Karen people’s struggle for justice. We are fully prepared to be partners in negotiations for peace.

Contact:

Naw Ta Mla Saw +66-810266738

Naw Myaing Po +66-895680241

Press release: English | Burmese

A new report by local researchers exposes how increasing numbers of Burmese women are toiling to support the booming economy of China’s border town of Ruili under exploitative conditions and no legal protection.

Yunnan’s rapid growth has triggered a surge of northward migration from poverty-stricken Burma. Numbers of Burmese migrants in Ruili alone have now shot up to over 100,000, working in a range of sectors including domestic work, sales, construction and manufacturing.

Forgotten Workforce, by the Burmese Women’s Union (BWU), documents stories of migrant women from different parts of Burma, particularly the drought-stricken central dry zone. None of the women had been able to find jobs in Burma although many were high school graduates.

The women’s stories reveal persistent patterns of work exploitation and mistreatment by employers in China. Many end up in dank workshops using hazardous electrical equipment and chemicals to polish Burmese petrified wood ornaments for the Chinese market.

Women also face gender discrimination, receiving lower pay than men, and sexual harassment from employers. Health and safety risks are particularly high for the hundreds of women working in the sex industry, who are often forced to have unprotected sex, and face violence from clients.

The BWU is calling on the Chinese authorities to set up mechanisms to protect the rights of foreign migrant workers, particularly women.

“If China wants to promote good relations with Burma, it can start by protecting the rights of Burmese workers on its own soil,” said Daw Noe Noe Htet San, General Secretary, Burmese Women’s Union.

In 2011, China overtook Thailand as Burma’s largest trading partner.

The full report: English | Burmese

It can be also viewed on www.burmesewomensunion.org

For further information contact:

Daw Noe Noe Htet San – 66 (0) 89- 642- 2114

Daw Tin Tin Nyo – 66 (0) 81 – 0322 – 882

People of Burma call upon U Thein Sein Government and Burma’s Army (Tatmadaw), all pro- democracy groups, resistance ethnic armed groups (both ceasefire + semi-ceasefire) all political alliances in exiles to honestly and sincerely work together towards genuine and long-lasting peace and reconciliation in Burma.

The full text of the letter:  English version | Burmese version

Please print the letter, sign it and send a scan of the signed letter to wlb@womenofburma.org or send it to P.O Box 413, GPO Chiangmai 50000 Thailand