Burma Campaign UK
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Burma Campaign UK (BCUK;
It does this by:
- Raising public awareness of issues in Burma
- Increasing international pressure on the UK government, the European Union, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations to take action in any way.
- Helping to co-ordinate and build Burma campaign groups elsewhere, creating a global movement for democracy in Burma
- Providing support and training to Burmese exile organisations and individuals, empowering those who have fled the regime to educate others and raise awareness of the suffering in Burma
It has two directors, Anna Roberts and Mark Farmaner. Patrons include
Reaction to the 2007 protests
Following the
Achievements
By working with other groups around the world Burma Campaign UK has:
- Persuaded the United Nations Security Council to place Burma on its permanent agenda [citation needed]
- Successfully lobbied the European Union to increase targeted sanctions against Burma [citation needed]
- Encouraged more than 100 companies to end their involvement in Burma, including: Rolls-Royce, British American Tobacco, and Premier Oil
Campaigns
- Free Aung San Suu Kyi:
This is linked with another aim of BCUK to free all political prisoners. BCUK set up a petition to be sent to
- Crises in eastern Burma:
The government's repression of individuals and communities residing in eastern Burma has been deemed as ethnic cleansing by BCUK. BCUK also highlights the issues of forced labour in the region and displacement, as 66,000 people have been forced to leave their homes during the past 12 months. Rape is used as a weapon against women and disease is most densely concentrated on Burma's borders, as the regime blocks aid from these communities. Information from numerous sources including the Karen Women's Organisation and Karen Human Rights Group can be found on the BCUK website. BCUK is also pushing for a UN arms embargo against the regime.
- United Nation's Security Council:
Following a report published in 2005 by Václav Havel and Desmond Tutu that showed that Burma fits the criteria for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) intervention. BCUK calls on UNSC members to pass a resolution requiring the regime to work with the United Nations in restoring democracy to Burma, and to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners.
- Aid to Burma:
Burma is one of the most
- Economic sanctions:
BCUK has campaigned for targeted sanctions against the regime for many years. These sanctions are designed to pressure the regime to enter into dialogue with the democracy movement. In 2007 they claimed victory as the European Union imposed new sanctions against the regime. BCUK is now calling for targeted financial sanctions to be imposed against Burma by both the UK and EU. BCUK revealed that in 2008 the number of companies with links to Burma had actually increased.[2]
- Insurance campaign:
Insurance companies from all over the world, including ones from countries with economic sanctions against the regime, help to insure foreign companies in Burma that provide vital income to the regime. Money made from these foreign companies will not go to the starving people, it will be used to fund the military machine that oppresses the people. BCUK advocates, among other aims, that the EU issue a ban on the provision of insurance services from member states to companies inside Burma. Due to pressure from BCUK certain companies have been forced to respond.[3]
- Total Oil:
The
Celebrity support
Burma Campaign UK supporters include Damien Rice, Annie Lennox, Maxi Jazz, Emma Thompson, Anna Friel, Tony Robinson, Maureen Lipman, Jay Kay, Joanna Lumley, Esther Rantzen, Kabir Bedi, Sir Ian McKellen and Gillian Anderson.[4]
References
- ^ "Brown promises pressure on Burma"; retrieved 10 October 2007
- ^ "More firms 'have ties with Burma'". 3 June 2008.
- ^ "Business & Human Rights : Links". Archived from the original on 27 April 2011.
- ^ "Stand with the women of Burma to end rape and sexual violence". Burma Campaign UK. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2016.