Vox Pop // Thai Elections from a Myanmar perspective
A Male Face as the Future of Burma’s Democracy? Women Say No
On March 8th, 2023, Women’s League of Burma (WLB) joined a rally in the streets of Chiang Mai for International Women Day and held an exhibition with the satirical title “Manels: All Male Panels of Burma”. Manels – a word play of ‘Male’ and ‘Panel’ is not new to the feminist movement, but it was the first time that it was used in the Myanmar context.
Junta Forces Destroy the Oldest Burmese Catholic Church
“In the early morning, the military burned down churches, monasteries, orphanages, the public hall, and public schools. The military already burned down our village four times. Only 14 houses are left and a hundred disappeared in the last fire” says a resident from Chan Thar village. The oldest Burmese Catholic Parish, dating from 1894, was also destroyed in the assault.
No Mercy No Media for Political Prisoners in Rakhine
The junta’s recent actions risk provoking the restarting of an active conflict. Although the SAC released more than 7000 prisoners for Independence Day across the country, not a single political prisoner from Rakhine was included. Moreover the junta threatened families not to talk to the media about their relatives being arrested.
The March of Myanmar Women
Chiang Mai, North Thailand // On International Women’s Day, the city hosted the first Myanmar’s Women’s summit by the Thanakha International Gender Tekkatho. The Old Town streets were taken by women and their allies for an inclusive rally.
After two years of darkness, a Sagaing village goes up in flames
Two years after the coup d’Etat, people from a village in Sagaing Division told their stories of struggling to access electricity and Internet. Three weeks later, the village was burned to the ground by junta soldiers.
Myanmar Youth Seeks Japan as a Work and Study Eldorado
Eight out of ten young people are trying to flee the country, crippled by worsening insecurity and precariousness. Early this year, thousands of them got the results of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) they passed in the hope of being allowed to study and work there.
Energy, Money, and Security: for whom?
Early 2022, the Yadana pipeline to supply Thailand with natural gas has been handed over from French TotalEnergies to Thai PTTEP. The Myanmar generals now rack up more profits than ever.
Hope for international support rise as US Senate passes Burma Act Bill
United States// After many years of attempting to pass a version of the “Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022” (as known as BURMA ACT), both houses of the U.S. Congress have finally passed the bill. This welcomed development comes after multiple failed attempts in 2019 and 2021. On December 16th, President Biden […]
The women fighting on the eastern frontline
Despite the risks, hundreds of women choose to join resistance fighters’s groups after the military coup, united in their outrage as well as their commitment to a democratic and non-discriminatory future for Myanmar.