 Gain independence in the late 1940s  However, suffered from the “divide and rule” policy of colonialism  While building their democracy, a civil war was sparked in Burma

 Fell under the dictatorship of the military regime in the 1960s  Ever since then human rights have been oppressed and many innocent people have been killed  Towards the 1980s, democratic protests were made and more civilians and Buddhist monks were killed in a series of massacre and protest clampdowns

 Aung San Suu Kyi, a democracy activist and a human rightist, was held under home arrest despite her party winning 60% of the votes and 80% of the parliament seats  The military regime refused to acknowledge the votes and cancelled the election results

 Amnesty International, the Free Burma Coalition, Human Rights Watch are all alerted by the human rights violation in Burma by the military regime  The United Nations International Labour Organisation (ILO) also says that there is forced labour in Burma, to which the ruling military junta denies

 In Thailand, there are many refugees who have escaped from Myanmar and Asian nations are offering support to them  However, due to the rich resources in Myanmar (cheap labour, oil, timber, natural gas), many countries have turned a blind eye to the human rights violation

“No Freedom of Speech” (Political dialogue) - Been governed by the military regime since A new generation of military leaders came to power and promised that the government would transit to democratic - However, when the election results were released, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won more votes than the ruling government which then, refused to transfer power to the winners

(i) “No Freedom of Speech” (Political Dialogue)  Supporters of democracy then tracked down and arrested  Members of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party were arrested and attacked  Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest since 2003

(i) “No Freedom of Speech” (Political Dialogue)  Despite the pledges made for democracy, supporters were all arrested and did not have any right to express their opinions  No genuine political dialogue between the military regime and the party leaders

(ii) Violence on the minority races - Myanmar is home to 135 different ethnic groups - Social pact between races are fragile and there have been many uprisings - However, the military army who perceived themselves as the guarantor of national unity, stepped us against the rebel minorities

 Violence on the minority races - Violation of human rights included - Forced relocation - Rape - Torture - Razing of villages - Public executions

 Forced labour - Conscription of local villages by the government to work without pay like building infrastructure, is a common practise found in Myanmar - Censored by the International Labour Organization (ILO)

 Forced labor (Sexual)  While the men worked as labourers, the females were treated as sex slaves for military junta  173 incidents of rape by the military junta in 5 years (25% of the rape resulted in death)

 Almost all declaration of human rights have been violated by the Military Army in Myanmar  Shows that all human rights are actually inter- dependant  Mainly will be focusing on Article 9, 18, 19

 Article 9 No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile However, the military army actually arrested many supporters of democracy (especially Aung San Suu Kyi’s party who had won the elections) without any particular reason

 Article 18 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. However, many different ethnic groups were not allowed to believe in their own religion and had to follow the military’s belief. Defiance would lead to them being abused

 Article 19  Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.  As stated, many of the civilians in Myanmar voted for democracy, however the military junta refused defeat, therefore, disallowing the country to have their opinions of how they should run the goverment

 Worse natural disaster recorded in the history of Myanmar  2 nd May 2008  138,000 Casualties / Over 80,000 people were killed  Damage estimated to be over $10 billion

 Military junta’s blockage of aid  On 9 May 2008, the junta officially declared that their acceptance of international aid relief would be limited to food, medicines and other supplies as well as financial aid, but would not allow additional foreign aid workers or military units to operate in the country.

 “The generals (Myanmar’s military regime) thought it was just another typical cyclone, where the army would hand out some rice and a few tarps and that would be it”  French and U.S. naval ships carrying aid supplies waited just offshore for more than two weeks while the generals dithered. Finally, lacking permission to deliver the aid, the ships withdrew