Librarian's Choice
Librarian's Choice
Source/publisher:
"Common Dreams"
Date of publication:
2018-10-11
Description:
"Adopting healthy and more plant-based diets globally could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the food system by more than half...Amid fresh warnings from United Nations researchers that there is a closing window to enact the "rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented" societal changes needed to prevent a climate catastrophe, a new study of the global food system underscores the environmental necessity of a massive reduction in meat consumption worldwide.
Considering projections that the world?s population could grow to 10 billion by 2050, "Options for Keeping the Food System Within Environmental Limits", published Wednesday in the scientific journal "Nature", found that mitigating the climate crisis requires overhauling the current system by shifting toward more plant-based diets, improving technologies and management, and slashing food waste by at least half.
"Feeding a world population of 10 billion is possible, but only if we change the way we eat and the way we produce food," study co-author Johan Rockström of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany told the Guardian. "Greening the food sector or eating up our planet: this is what is on the menu today."..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-14
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
"The Guardian"
Date of publication:
2018-10-08
Description:
"Urgent changes needed to cut risk of extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty, says IPCC...The world?s leading climate scientists have warned there is only a dozen years for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.
The authors of the landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released on Monday say urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to reach the target, which they say is affordable and feasible although it lies at the most ambitious end of the Paris agreement pledge to keep temperatures between 1.5C and 2C..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-09
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
"Nature"
Date of publication:
2018-10-08
Description:
"...Humanity has a limited window within which it can hope to avoid the more dire effects of climate change, according to climate report...Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels would be a herculean task, involving rapid, dramatic changes in the way that governments, industries and societies function, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). But even though the world has already warmed by 1 °C, humanity has 10 to 30 more years to kick its carbon habit than scientists previously thought.
The world would have to curb its carbon emissions by at least 49% of 2017 levels by 2030 and then achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in order to meet this target, according to a summary of the latest IPCC report, released on 8 October. The report draws on research conducted since nations unveiled the 2015 Paris climate agreement, which seeks to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global temperature increase to 1.5-2 °C. ..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
International Panel on Climate Change
Date of publication:
2018-10-08
Description:
an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty... Assessments of climate change by the IPCC, drawing on the work of hundreds of scientists from all over the world, enable policymakers at all levels of government to take sound, evidence-based decisions. They represent extraordinary value as the authors volunteer their time and expertise. The running costs of the Secretariat, including the organization of meetings and travel costs of delegates from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, are covered through the IPCC Trust Fund..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-08
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
"Harvard Gazette"
Date of publication:
2018-04-17
Description:
"...The talk, ?The Art of Energy Revolution: From Ultra-High-Voltage Power Grid to Global Energy Interconnection,” was sponsored by the Harvard-China Project, East Asian Legal Studies, and Harvard Global Institute.
Since 2004, Liu has been working with colleagues on ultra-high-voltage (UHV) electricity transmission. Initially proposed to solve energy shortages in his rapidly growing country, such transmission is, in Liu?s words, ?a key technology for ultra-large energy grids,” several of which are now functional in China. Highly efficient, the technology can transport more electricity over longer distances, effectively revolutionizing the practicality of green power and enabling outreach to underserved areas..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-07
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Regional production and transmission, Solar power
Language:
English
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Source/publisher:
"Nikkei Asian Review"
Date of publication:
2018-09-28
Description:
"Beijing yields as more countries become wary of Belt and Road debt trap...Myanmar has agreed to scale down a Chinese-led port project in the western state of Rakhine, slashing the initial price tag to $1.3 billion from $7.2 billion over concerns about excessive debt.
The development is located in the special economic zone of Kyaukpyu, a natural harbor facing the Indian Ocean that is suited for large ships. They already have oil pipelines running to China and a port capable of docking 300,000-ton tankers.
"Myanmar has been highly successful in re-negotiating the Kyaukpyu deep-sea port," said Sean Turnell, an economic advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. "Myanmar?s model of dealing with Kyaukpyu could be replicated by other countries as well."
Myanmar was able to reduce its financial burden while saving face for China, which intends to make the zone a key point in its Belt and Road Initiative..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-05
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
e Tekkatho
Description:
56 links on methods of/approaches to education
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-04
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
more
Source/publisher:
UN Human Rights Council (39th Session)
Date of publication:
2018-09-27
Description:
Co-sponsors: "Albania,* Andorra,* Australia, Austria,* Belgium, Bulgaria,* Canada,* Croatia, Cyprus,* Czechia,* Denmark,* Estonia,* Finland,* France,* Germany, Greece,* Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,* Italy,* Latvia,* Liechtenstein,* Lithuania,* Luxembourg,* Malta,* Monaco,* Montenegro,* Netherlands,* New Zealand,* Norway,* Pakistan,† Poland,* Portugal,* Romania,* Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,* the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,* Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: draft resolution"...(adopted:- 35 in favour, 3 against, 7 abstentions)
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-03
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish
Format :
pdf pdf pdf pdf pdf pdf
Size:
164.31 KB 351.21 KB 532.58 KB 377.77 KB 391.86 KB 200.89 KB
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Source/publisher:
Amnesty International
Date of publication:
2018-09-27
Description:
"Responding to the UN Human Rights Council?s adoption of a resolution on Myanmar in Geneva today, Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International?s Crisis Response Director, said:
?Today?s resolution is an important step forward in the fight for accountability in Myanmar, making the prospect of justice possible for the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities who have suffered atrocities at the hands of the country?s security forces..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-03
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Channel NewsAsia
Date of publication:
2018-09-25
Description:
"The New Silk Road is China?s grand trillion-dollar strategy to link up 65 countries and 4.4 billion people. In this episode, we look at a massive Chinese petrochemical hub which has been built in Kyaukphyu, Myanmar, close to where the Rohingya crisis is still unfolding. How will this project shape Myanmar?s economy?"
Date of entry/update:
2018-10-03
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English (narration plus translation of Burmese)
more
Source/publisher:
US Dept. of State
Date of publication:
2018-08-00
Description:
The document was originally completed in August 2018 but issued on 24 September 2018...EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "The Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR),
with funding support from the Bureau of
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL),
conducted a survey in spring 2018 of the
firsthand experiences of 1,024 Rohingya refugees
in Cox?s Bazar District, Bangladesh. The goal of
the survey was to document atrocities committed
against residents in Burma?s northern Rakhine
State during the course of violence in the
previous two years.
The survey used a representative sample of
refugee camp populations to provide insights into
the violence they witnessed. Any hearsay
testimony was not recorded. Survey results
reveal the pattern of events refugees experienced.
There may be cases when multiple refugees
reported witnessing the same event, so the
percentages from this survey should not be
extrapolated to come up with a definitive overall
number of events. The National GeospatialIntelligence
Agency (NGA) worked with INR to
map and analyze the resulting data (see Map 1).
The results of the survey show that the vast
majority of Rohingya refugees experienced or
directly witnessed extreme violence and the
destruction of their homes. They identified the
Burmese military as a perpetrator in most cases.
• Most witnessed a killing, two-thirds witnessed an injury, and half witnessed sexual
violence (see Figure 1).
• Rohingya identified the Burmese military as a perpetrator in 84% of the killings or
injuries they witnessed.
• Three-quarters say they saw members of the army kill someone; the same proportion say
they witnessed the army destroying huts or whole villages. Police, unidentified security
forces, and armed civilians carried out the rest of the observed killings.
• One-fifth of all respondents witnessed a mass-casualty event of killings or injuries (either
in their villages or as they fled) with more than 100 victims.
1
The two main phases of violence—the first in October 2016 and the second beginning in August
2017—followed attacks against Burmese security forces by the Rohingya insurgent group
Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). The vast majority of reported incidents against
Rohingya took place from August to October 2017. The survey shows that the military, which
used the ARSA attacks to justify its so-called counterinsurgency operations in northern Rakhine
State, targeted civilians indiscriminately and often with extreme brutality.
• Forty-five percent of refugees witnessed a rape, and the majority of rapes witnessed were
committed, in whole or in part, by the army. Overall, nearly 40% of refugees saw a rape
committed by members of the Burmese security services—either police or military—
including 18% who saw them commit a gang rape.
• Members of the security services, as well as non-Rohingya civilians in some cases,
targeted children and pregnant women.
• Those who were left behind because they were elderly, sick, or otherwise infirm were
frequently found dead when their relatives returned to check on them.
The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale,
widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the
Rohingya residents. The scope and scale of the military?s operations indicate they were wellplanned
and coordinated. In some areas, perpetrators used tactics that resulted in mass
casualties, for example, locking people in houses to burn them, fencing off entire villages before
shooting into the crowd, or sinking boats full of hundreds of fleeing Rohingya."
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-28
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
726.79 KB
Local URL:
USSDR-2018-08-Docs-NRS-red.pdf
USSDR-2018-08-Docs-NRS-red.pdf more
Source/publisher:
Asian Legal Information Institute
Description:
Useful chronological repository of laws from 1839-1951 contained in the "Burma Code"
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-21
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
General Index of "The Burma Code"
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
United Nations - Human Rights Council
Date of publication:
2018-08-27
Description:
"လက်ရှိအစီရင်ခံစာတွင် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံဆိုင်ရာ သီးသန့်လွတ်လပ်သော နိုင်ငံတကာအချက်အလက် ရှာဖွေရေးမစ်ရှင်၏ အဓိကတွေ့ရှိချက်များနှင့် အကြံပြုချက်များကိုတင်ပြထားသည်။ ဤစီရင်ခံစာသည် ကုလသမ္မ၏ တရားဝင်ဘာသာပြန်မဟုတ်ပါ၊။ အင်္ဂလိပ်ဖြင့်ရေးသားဖော်ပြထားသောစာအုပ်မှတ်တမ်း (A/HRC/39/64)ကို တရားဝင်မူရင်းအဖြစ်ကြည့်ရှုပါ။ နောက်ဆုံးဖြစ်ပေါ်ခဲ့သော တိုးတက်ပြောင်းလဲမှုများကို ထင်ဟပ်ဖော်ပြနိုင်ရန် လက်ရှိအစီရင်ခံစာကို နောက်ဆုံအနေနှင့် တင်ပြရန်သတ်မှတ်ထားသော ရက်ထက်ကျော်လွန်၍တင်သွင်းခဲ့သည်။ အသေးစိတ်တွေ့ရှိချက်များကိုသိရှိလိုပါက အစီရင်ခံစာ(A/HRC/39/CRP.2) ကိုကြည့်ပါ"
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-19
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
Burmese
Format :
pdf
Size:
808.6 KB
Local URL:
A_HRC_39_64-bu.pdf
A_HRC_39_64-bu.pdf more
Source/publisher:
United Nations - Human Rights Council (A/HRC/39/CRP.2)
Date of publication:
2018-09-17
Description:
Conference Room Paper...
Summary:
"The Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding
Mission on Myanmar in its resolution 34/22. In accordance with its mandate, the Mission
focused on the situation in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States since 2011. It also examined
the infringement of fundamental freedoms, including the rights to freedom of expression,
assembly and peaceful association, and the question of hate speech.
The Mission established consistent patterns of serious human rights violations and
abuses in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States, in addition to serious violations of international
humanitarian law. These are principally committed by the Myanmar security forces,
particularly the military. Their operations are based on policies, tactics and conduct that
consistently fail to respect international law, including by deliberately targeting civilians.
Many violations amount to the gravest crimes under international law. In the light of the
pervasive culture of impunity at the domestic level, the mission finds that the impetus for
accountability must come from the international community. It makes concrete
recommendations to that end, including that named senior generals of the Myanmar
military should be investigated and prosecuted in an international criminal tribunal for
genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The present document contains the detailed findings of the Mission. Its principal
findings and recommendations are provided in document A/HRC/39/64."
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-18
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
11.13 MB
Local URL:
FFM-HRC_39-Detailed_findings-red.pdf
FFM-HRC_39-Detailed_findings-red.pdf more
Source/publisher:
United Nations - Human Rights Council
Date of publication:
2018-09-18
Description:
The webcast is dated 17 September but I think it might be the 18th (OBL Librarian)...
Interactive dialogue with:
- Fact-finding mission on the situation of human rights in MyanmarA/HRC/39/64
Item:4 - Human rights situations that require the Council?s attention
- 17th Plenary Meeting
39th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council.
HRC extranet (information on daily updates, draft documentation, copies of oral statements etc.)
SPEAKERS
Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Chairperson of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Introduction)
Myanmar (Country Concerned), Mr. Kyaw Moe Tun
Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC), Mr. Farukh Amil
European Union, Mr. Peter Sørensen
Liechtenstein, Mr. Peter Matt
Lithuania, Mr. Andrius Krivas
Canada, Mr. Bob Rae
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr. Julian Braithwaite
Kuwait, Mr. Abdullah Alkhubaizi
Thailand, Mr. Sek Wannamethee
Slovenia, Mr. Tomaz Mencin
Estonia, Ms. Triinu Kallas
Malaysia, Mr. Amran Mohamed Zin
France, Mr. François Gave
Sweden, Ms. Veronika Bard
Pakistan, Mr. Farukh Amil
Switzerland, Ms. Jasna Lazarevic
Germany, Mr. Ralf Schroer
Republic of Korea, Mr. Yoon Sangkuk
Philippines, Mr. Mr. Evan P. Garcia
Indonesia, Mr. Hasan Kleib
Finland, Ms. Terhi Hakala
Denmark, Mr. Morten Jespersen
Saudi Arabia, Mr. Abdulaziz Alwasil
Tunisia, Ms. Intissar Ben Attitallah
Russian Federation, Mr. Evgeny Ustinov
Austria, Ms. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
Netherlands, Ms. Monique T.G. Van Daalen
Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Chairperson of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Comments and answers)
Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Member of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Comments and answers)
Mr. Christopher Dominic Sidoti, Member of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Comments and answers)
Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Chairperson of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Comments and answers)
Japan, Mr. Ken Okaniwa
Croatia, Ms. Vesna Batistic Kos
Spain, Ms. Estibauz Lopez de Goicoechea
China, Mr. Dahai Qi
Czech Republic, Mr. Ludvik Eger
Australia, Ms. Elizabeth Wilde
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Mr. Manuel Enrique García Andueza
Georgia, Mr. Victor Dolidze
Iran (Islamic Republic of), Mr. Zolfaghuri
Costa Rica, Ms. Elayne Whyte Gómez
Iraq, Ms. Bushra Al-Nussairy
Bangladesh, Mr. Shameem Ahsan
Belgium, Mr. Thomas Steven
Greece, Mr. Michail Manousakis
Montenegro, Mr. Milorad Šcepanovic
Luxembourg
Iceland, Ms. Edda Björk Ragnarsdottir
Poland, Mr. Zbigniew Czech
Ireland, Ms. Sarah Keating
Norway, Mr. Hans Brattskar
Turkey, Ms. Beliz Celasin Rende
Slovakia, Mr. Igor Kucer
New Zealand, Ms. Jillian Dempster
Jordan, Ms. Saja S. Majali
Viet Nam, Mr. Duong Chi Dung
Lao People?s Democratic Republic, Mr. Kham-Inh Khitchaseth
Nepal, Mr. Deepak Dhital
Algeria, Mr. Mehdi Litim
Maldives, Ms. Aishath Shahula
Afghanistan, Ms. Elaha Ebadi
Human Rights Watch (Joint Statement), Mr. John Fisher
Human Rights Law Centre, Mr. Daniel Webb
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Ms. Wai Wai Nu
Center for Reproductive Rights, Ms. Paola Salwa Daher
Article 19 - International Centre Against Censorship, Ms. Lucy Bye
International Commission of Jurists, Mr. David Abbott
Human Rights Now, Ms. Armi Javier
Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Ms. Claire Denman
Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Chairperson of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Final Remarks)
Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Member of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Final Remarks)
Mr. Christopher Dominic Sidoti, Member of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar (Final Remarks)
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-18
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
United Nations - Human Rights Council
Date of publication:
2018-09-18
Description:
18 Sep 2018 - Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar
Subject:
Publication of Full Report of the Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar and Presentation to the HRC
Speakers:
• Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Chairperson, Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar
• Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Member of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar
• Mr. Christopher Sidoti, Member of the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-18
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Night and Day Productions
Date of publication:
2007-10-00
Description:
Down the Irrawaddy by cruise ship from Bhamo..."really superb documentary, beautifully made, beautifully photographed, with almost no tourists and without the loud pop music that everyone else seems to think obligatory for their travel movies "
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-10
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English (some credits)
more
Source/publisher:
khamkoo.com
Description:
A rich collection of online books including on Buddhism
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-09
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Online Books - general lists
Language:
English, Burmese, Shan
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Source/publisher:
Transcend
Date of publication:
2018-09-08
Description:
About 3,760 results (8 September, 2018)..."TRANSCEND has as its mission: To bring about a more peaceful world by using action, education/training, dissemination and research to transform conflicts nonviolently, with empathy and creativity, for acceptable and sustainable outcomes..." Founded by Johan Galtung, Manager TRANSCEND University Press, Rector TRANSCEND Peace University...
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-08
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
International Criminal Court (No: ICC - RoC46(3) - 01/18)
Date of publication:
2018-09-06
Description:
"... In a historic decision, the ICC...granted the Prosecutor jurisdiction to investigate and possibly prosecute the crime against humanity of deportation of Rohingya to Bangladesh as well as persecution and other inhumane acts..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
International Criminal Court (Myanmar)
Language:
English (French available)
more
Source/publisher:
"New Mandala"
Date of publication:
2018-08-16
Description:
"One of the rationales underlying the persecution of the Rohingya by the Burmese state is that they are ?illegal immigrants from Bangladesh”, having flooded Rakhine State (formerly known, and referred to here, as Arakan State) over the last century. But how valid are such claims in the face of available evidence?
The border between Bangladesh and Burma is extremely porous and has been poorly guarded on both sides for long stretches of time; smuggling of all kind of goods, including narcotics, is a common feature there, and often happens with the connivance of corrupt officials. Moreover, the grip of the Burmese state in border areas is very tenuous, and Northern Arakan is no exception.
Nobody, however, has provided any evidence of massive waves of ?illegal Bengalis”. Nevertheless, the government and institutions linked to it have repeated such claims over and over again, and they are believed by many Burmese..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-03
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
International Crisis Group (Asia Briefing N°151)
Date of publication:
2018-08-28
Description:
"...At the midpoint of the Aung San Suu Kyi government?s five-year term, Myanmar is
at a crossroads. The Suu Kyi administration faces enormous international opprobrium
over the Rohingya crisis ? the flight of over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh
due to a brutal army counter-insurgency campaign ? as well as domestic opposition
to the concessions needed to address international concerns. Yet the government?s
challenge is not only political. Its performance to date on issues from peace talks
with Myanmar?s numerous insurgencies to the economy shows that it is not adept at
formulating strategy or implementing policy. Even were the government to develop
the political will to respond constructively to the Rohingya crisis or other problems,
progress is likely to be limited. This means that, in addition to the external pressure
that continues to build, principled diplomatic engagement is also vital to translate
that pressure into at least some meaningful steps forward.
In 2011, Myanmar embarked on a remarkable and largely unanticipated transition
away from 50 years of isolationist and authoritarian military rule. The transition culminated
in broadly free and fair elections in 2015, a landslide victory for the National
League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party, and the peaceful transfer of power to
an administration headed de facto by Aung San Suu Kyi ? the military regime?s longtime
nemesis and an international democracy icon..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-03
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Aljazeera (Inside Story)
Date of publication:
2018-08-22
Description:
Very few Rohingya have returned to Myanmar, and some of those that went back were tortured and thrown in jail, HRW says..."More than 700,000,000 Rohingya fled a military crackdown in Myanmar?s Rakhine state last year to refugee camps in Bangladesh.
But very few have returned, and those that have, have not been welcomed back.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says some have been tortured and thrown in jail.
There are reports of interrogations at gunpoint, and of burns and electric shock treatment designed to force confessions that they were affiliated to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a group set up, in its words, to defend Rohingya against persecution by the Myanmar government and military, who have been accused of ethnic cleansing.
HRW has stressed the need for international protection before the mainly Muslim Rohingya will be able to return to Myanmar safely.
So, will the repatriation take place? Will the governments be able to guarantee the Rohingya?s safety? And what is at stake?"
Date of entry/update:
2018-09-01
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
UN Security Council
Date of publication:
2018-08-28
Description:
"The United Nations Security Council will be briefed by Secretary-General António Guterres, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett, and UN Development Programme (UNDP) Associate Administrator Tegegnework Gettu on the situation in Myanmar and the Rohingya refugee crisis. The UK Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN, Lord Ahmad, will chair the meeting."
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-31
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Fortify Rights
Date of publication:
2018-08-30
Description:
"The Government of Myanmar has blocked humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of Kachin civilians forcibly displaced by civil war for more than seven years and in violation of the laws of war, Fortify Rights said today in a new report. The authorities should immediately provide local and international aid groups with free and unfettered humanitarian access to all internally displaced persons in need.
?Consecutive governments and the military have willfully obstructed local and international aid groups, denying Kachin civilians access to aid,” said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights. ?This may amount to a war crime, giving even more reason for the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.”
While widely known that displaced civilians in Kachin State lack adequate access to aid, there have been few details to date about why and how aid fails to reach those in need. ?They Block Everything”: Avoidable Deprivations in Humanitarian Aid to Ethnic Civilians Displaced by War in Kachin State, Myanmar details how Myanmar authorities—particularly the Myanmar military?have weaponized the denial of humanitarian aid in Kachin State for years. The government has willfully imposed restrictions on access to food, healthcare, shelter, water, and sanitation to tens of thousands of Kachin displaced by ongoing war between the Myanmar Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the largest non-state ethnic armies in the country.
The new report finds that the Chinese government privately urged Myanmar authorities and non-state ethnic armies to prevent the U.N. and international humanitarian aid organizations from operating on the Myanmar side of the border near China?s Yunnan Province, where tens of thousands of Kachin civilians are displaced and in need of aid.
There are currently more than 106,000 ethnic civilians in more than 140 displacement sites in Kachin and Shan states due to ongoing armed-conflict and human rights violations.
Based on 195 interviews conducted primarily in Kachin State during a five-year period (2013-2018), the 68-page report documents the ways in which the Government of Myanmar imposes unnecessary travel restrictions on humanitarian aid organizations. Fortify Rights visited more than 20 displacement camps in Kachin State between 2013 and 2018 and interviewed survivors and eyewitnesses of violations, internally displaced persons, U.N. officials, representatives of international and national humanitarian aid organizations, Kachin Independence Organization representatives, and KIA soldiers.
From June 2017 to June 2018, the Government of Myanmar unconditionally approved only approximately five percent of 562 applications submitted by international humanitarian agencies seeking ?travel authorization” to assist displaced communities in government-controlled areas of Kachin State. Even fewer requests were approved for aid agencies seeking access to areas under the control of the KIA. Aid organizations have all but stopped submitting requests to the civilian government to access displaced populations in KIA-controlled territory, regarding attempts as futile.
?They block everything,” said ?Zau Raw,” a 60-year-old displaced Kachin man in KIA-controlled territory, referring to the Myanmar military. ?All trucks that are trying to cross into KIA-controlled areas are blocked.
The authorities also block or obstruct humanitarian access to government-controlled territory.
The government?s travel-authorization process for aid groups in Myanmar effectively acts as a restriction on aid and humanitarian access to displaced populations in violation of international humanitarian law. The onerous and vague measures imposed through the travel-authorization process involve civilian authorities and have not only led to undue delays in the delivery of aid to people in need but have completely obstructed humanitarian operations in some areas of Kachin State.
While the Myanmar military is largely responsible for hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to Kachin civilians, the previous administration of President Thein Sein (2011 to 2016) and the current administration of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi (2016 to present) demonstrated continuity in their respective policies to deprive war-affected Kachin civilians of adequate humanitarian aid.
Due to the lack of essential aid, displaced civilians in Kachin State reported increased food insecurity, avoidable health-related deaths, poor living conditions, and protection concerns, according to the Fortify Rights report.
The report finds that without ready access to basic and lifesaving aid and assistance, displaced civilians are forced to take risky journeys in search of food and essential items outside displacement camps, exposing them to the dangers of landmines and armed conflict in Myanmar as well as exploitation and arbitrary arrest and detention in China. Aid workers seeking to circumvent the Myanmar authorities? restrictions face similar risks to deliver aid to displaced populations on the Myanmar-China border.
Local aid organizations are under increasing threat in Kachin State. For example, on May 21, the Kachin State Minister of Security and Border Affairs accused the Kachin Baptist Convention—one of the largest providers of aid to displaced communities in KIA-controlled areas—with allegedly violating Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act for delivering aid in areas under the control of the KIA, which the Myanmar government has labeled as a ?terrorist” group. Conviction under Article 17(1) carries a three-year prison sentence and/or a fine.
?Depriving civilians of aid in an attempt to overcome an ethnic army is a perverse, unlawful, and ineffective strategy,” said Matthew Smith. ?All parties to this war have a duty to protect civilians and that includes by ensuring access to adequate aid.”
The Government of Myanmar?s willful deprivation of humanitarian aid to displaced civilians in Kachin State violates both international human rights law and international humanitarian law, also known as the laws of war. Under international humanitarian law, all parties to armed conflict are obligated to ?facilitate the free passage of humanitarian assistance” and ensure aid workers have ?rapid and unimpeded access to the internally displaced.” The Government of Myanmar?s commitments under international human rights law obligates it to protect and promote the rights to food, health, housing, water, and sanitation for displaced populations in the country.
On August 27, the U.N. Fact-Finding Mission released findings that Myanmar authorities ?frequently and arbitrarily denied” humanitarian aid to civilians in Kachin State. The independent mission said that Myanmar?s top generals should face prosecution for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan states. On May 1, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee noted that ?any willful impediment of relief supplies” to civilians in Kachin State ?may amount to war crimes under international law.”
By failing to provide aid and imposing restrictions on humanitarian aid organizations seeking to assist displaced populations in need, the Myanmar government has failed to meet its obligations under international law. Certain authorities responsible for willfully denying lifesaving aid to Kachin civilians may be liable for war crimes.
The U.N. Security Council should urgently refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court to investigate and potentially prosecute those responsible for human rights violations in Kachin and northern Shan states, Fortify Rights said.
?Kachin civil society has long exposed how the military?s crimes are part of a longstanding campaign against ethnic communities,” said Matthew Smith. ?The i
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-30
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.63 MB
more
Source/publisher:
Human Rights Council
Date of publication:
2018-08-27
Description:
The 3 members of the Fact-finding Mission gave presentations on their report, the final version of which will be submitted to the Human Rights Council on 18 September, and took questions from the press in Geneva. See also the report HCR39/64 and the Alternate Link, below.
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-28
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
BBC
Date of publication:
2018-08-27
Description:
"A UN report has said top military figures in Myanmar must be investigated for genocide in Rakhine state and crimes against humanity in other areas.
The report, based on hundreds of interviews, is the strongest condemnation from the UN so far of violence against Rohingya Muslims.
It says the army?s tactics are "grossly disproportionate to actual security threats". Myanmar rejected the report.
At least 700,000 Rohingya fled violence in the country in the past 12 months.
The report names six senior military figures it believes should go on trial and sharply criticises Myanmar?s de facto leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, for failing to intervene to stop attacks..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-27
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Human Rights Council (A/HRC/39/64) Advance Edited Version...19 pages
Date of publication:
2018-08-27
Description:
Summary:
"The Human Rights Council established the independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar in its resolution 34/22. In accordance with its mandate, the mission focused on the situation in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States since 2011. It also examined the infringement of fundamental freedoms, including the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful association, and the question of hate speech.
The mission established consistent patterns of serious human rights violations and abuses in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States, in addition to serious violations of international humanitarian law. These are principally committed by the Myanmar security forces, particularly the military. Their operations are based on policies, tactics and conduct that consistently fail to respect international law, including by deliberately targeting civilians. Many violations amount to the gravest crimes under international law. In the light of the pervasive culture of impunity at the domestic level, the mission finds that the impetus for accountability must come from the international community. It makes concrete recommendations to that end, including that named senior generals of the Myanmar military should be investigated and prosecuted in an international criminal tribunal for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes."
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-27
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya, International Criminal Court (Myanmar), Atrocities against Groups - documents, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Statements, reports, press briefings and webcasts on Myanmar by fact-finding entities mandated by the Council
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
256.68 KB
Local URL:
A_HRC_39_64-AE.pdf
A_HRC_39_64-AE.pdf more
Source/publisher:
"The Guardian"
Date of publication:
2018-08-27
Description:
"Mission concludes army has carried out ?gravest crimes? against Rohingya in Rakhine and minorities elsewhere...Myanmar?s military has been accused of genocide against the Rohingya in Rakhine state in a damning UN report that alleged the army was responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity against minorities across the country.
The UN report said it found conclusive evidence that the actions of the country?s armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw, ?undoubtedly amounted to the gravest crimes under international law” in Rakhine as well as in Kachin and Shan, states also riven by internal conflicts.
The UN investigators were denied access to Myanmar by the government but interviewed 875 witnesses who had fled the country. They found that the military were ?killing indiscriminately, gang-raping women, assaulting children and burning entire villages” in Rakhine, home to the Muslim Rohingya, and in Shan and Kachin. The Tatmadaw also carried out murders, imprisonments, enforced disappearances, torture, rapes and used sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and enslavement ? all of which constitute crimes against humanity.
I am a Rohingya refugee: we will become like animals if we stay in these camps
Noor Ilyas in Jamtoli refugee camp, southern Bangladesh
Read more
In northern Rakhine, the mission also found evidence of mass extermination and deportation..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-27
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
UN Human Rights Council
Date of publication:
2018-08-27
Description:
Links to the text of the report, background material, Webcast of press briefing, satellite images.
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-27
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
"The Guardian"
Date of publication:
2018-08-24
Description:
"Members of parliament have called for Myanmar military to be brought to justice for its ?murderous operation?...More than 130 members of parliament, across five countries in south-east Asia, have demanded that Myanmar be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the most united condemnation from the region since the violence began against the Rohingya a year ago.
In a joint statement released by Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights, they called for the Myanmar military to be ?brought to justice” for its ? murderous operation in Rakhine State”...".....See also further Rohingya articles on the page
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-25
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
International Criminal Court (Myanmar)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Human Rights Watch
Date of publication:
2018-08-21
Description:
"Myanmar authorities have tortured and imprisoned Rohingya refugees who returned to Rakhine State from Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch said today. The mistreatment reinforces the need for international protection, including United Nations monitors on the ground, before Rohingya will be able to return safely to Myanmar.
?The torture of Rohingya returnees puts the lie to Myanmar government promises that refugees who return will be safe and protected,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director. ?Despite Myanmar?s rhetoric guaranteeing a safe and dignified return, the reality is that Rohingya who go back still face the persecution and abuses they were forced to flee.”
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-21
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya, Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Climate State
Date of publication:
2018-08-08
Description:
Earth Could Spiral Into A ?Hothouse? State Even If We Reduce CO2 Emissions, Warns New Report... https://www.inquisitr.com/5019576/earth-could-spiral-into-a-hothouse-state-even-if-we-reduce-co2-emissions-warns-new-report ...Read the study paper: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/07/31/1810141115 ...
Tipping Elements ? the Achilles Heels of the Earth System https://www.pik-potsdam.de/services/infodesk/tipping-elements ...
The Climate State of the Holocene and Anthropocene (Rates of Change) http://climatestate.com/2018/08/08/the-climate-state-of-the-holocene-and-anthropocene-rates-of-change ...
Additional sources:
Donald Trump?s Paris Exit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulcj3gkAbLo
Rockström: The Earth System https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkXcIu1USDk
Lester Brown: Climate mobilization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jsR3yXtr8
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-11
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Climate Change science - multiple issues
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Proceedings of the National Acadamy of Sciences of the USA
Date of publication:
2018-08-06
Description:
Abstract: "We explore the risk that self-reinforcing feedbacks could push the Earth System toward a planetary threshold that, if crossed, could prevent stabilization of the climate at intermediate temperature rises and cause continued warming on a ?Hothouse Earth” pathway even as human emissions are reduced. Crossing the threshold would lead to a much higher global average temperature than any interglacial in the past 1.2 million years and to sea levels significantly higher than at any time in the Holocene. We examine the evidence that such a threshold might exist and where it might be. If the threshold is crossed, the resulting trajectory would likely cause serious disruptions to ecosystems, society, and economies. Collective human action is required to steer the Earth System away from a potential threshold and stabilize it in a habitable interglacial-like state. Such action entails stewardship of the entire Earth System—biosphere, climate, and societies—and could include decarbonization of the global economy, enhancement of biosphere carbon sinks, behavioral changes, technological innovations, new governance arrangements, and transformed social values"...
Earth System trajectories, climate change, Anthropocene, biosphere feedbacks, tipping elements...Authors also include Ricarda Winkelmann, and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber...N.B. references with links to full-text documents
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-09
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Climate Change science - multiple issues
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
"The New York Times Magazine"
Date of publication:
2018-08-01
Description:
Editor?s Note:
"This narrative by Nathaniel Rich is a work of history, addressing the 10-year period from 1979 to 1989: the decisive decade when humankind first came to a broad understanding of the causes and dangers of climate change. Complementing the text is a series of aerial photographs and videos, all shot over the past year by George Steinmetz. With support from the Pulitzer Center, this two-part article is based on 18 months of reporting and well over a hundred interviews. It tracks the efforts of a small group of American scientists, activists and politicians to raise the alarm and stave off catastrophe. It will come as a revelation to many readers — an agonizing revelation — to understand how thoroughly they grasped the problem and how close they came to solving it." Jake Silverstein
Date of entry/update:
2018-08-03
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Griffith Asia Institute
Date of publication:
2018-05-00
Description:
Preface to the Third Edition:
"Since the first version of this bibliography was released in 2012, the outpouring of books, reports and other
publications about Burma (Myanmar) that was noted in earlier editions has continued. Indeed, over the past few
years it seems to have picked up in both pace and range, although not always in quality. As one observer bluntly
put it a few years ago, ?There is a vast quantity of literature on Burma/Myanmar, some of it quite
unreadable?.
While many of these works have been posted online, and are only available in soft copy, most have been
released in hard copy, and in English. Even if the print run was quite small, this has entitled them to a mention in
this third and expanded edition. The newest works fall into a number of categories, which can easily be identified
by comparing the contents pages above with those of earlier editions. Broadly speaking, they cover academic works, official reports, travelogues and tourist guides, books for the general reader, and older works that have
been reprinted to meet a popular demand..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-07-30
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
350.org
Date of publication:
2013-04-21
Description:
"The fossil fuel industry is killing us. They have five times the amount of coal, gas and oil that is safe to burn - and they are planning on burning it all. Left to their own devices, they?ll push us past the brink of cataclysmic disaster - life as we know it will be irrevocably altered "forever. Unless we rise up and fight back. DO THE MATH chronicles "America?s leading environmentalist" Bill McKibben in a David-vs-Goliath battle to fight the fossil fuel industry and change the terrifying math of the climate crisis. Bill McKibben is going after Big Oil, Big Coal, and Big Gas directly - energizing a movement like the ones that overturned the great immoral institutions of the past century - such as Apartheid in South Africa. Putting his body on the line to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline and leading universities and institutions to divest in the corporations destroying our livelihoods, McKibben is uniting the growing global majority that view the climate crisis as the most important moral issue of the day. The film also features a veritable who?s who of the climate movement including Dr. James Hansen (Frmr. Director, NASA?s Goddard Institute for Space Studies), Naomi Klein (Author, The Shock Doctrine), Van Jones (CNN Correspondent & Author, The Green Collar Economy) Lester Brown (President, Earth Policy Institute), Michael Brune (Executive Director, Sierra Club), Bobby Kennedy Jr. (President, Waterkeeper Alliance) Majora Carter (Founder, Sustainable South Bronx), Phil Radford (Executive Director, Greenpeace), James Gustave Speth (Co-Founder of NRDC), among others."
Date of entry/update:
2018-07-28
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Climate State
Date of publication:
2018-07-17
Description:
One of the most cited scholars in history, Noam Chomsky speaks at St Olaff College May 2018, discussing the Epics, Anthropocene, the 6th Extinction and climate change actions.
Date of entry/update:
2018-07-27
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
WOMEN AND CHILD RIGHTS PROJECT (WCRP) THE HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF MONLAND (HURFOM)
Date of publication:
2018-07-00
Description:
"Sexual violence against children continues to rise
in Mon State and Mon areas of southern
Burma...Since WCRP?s last report on sexual
violence against children was released in
March 2017, we have documented an
additional 14 cases of sexual violence
against children in Mon State. In May
2018,
Mawlamyine
Police
Station
released statistics
showing a 42% increase
in the number of cases they received
regarding
sexual
violence
against
children in Mon State.
Mon State police
received a total of 61 rape cases in 2017.
Forty-four out of these 61 cases were of
child rape.
This increase in reported rapes in Mon
State is part of a Burma-wide trend. In
February, the Ministry of Home Affairs
released crime statistics for 2017, which
showed that 1,405 rapes were reported
across Burma in 2017, including 508 rapes of adult women and 897 rapes of
children. In 2016, 1,100 sexual assault cases were recorded, 429 against adults and 671
against children. This represents a 27% increase in the total number of recorded
rapes, and a 33% increase in recorded child rapes..."
Date of entry/update:
2018-07-26
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.3 MB
Local URL:
A-girls-life-was-destroyed-en-red.pdf
A-girls-life-was-destroyed-en-red.pdf more
Source/publisher:
Karen HumanRights Group, Karen Rivers Watch
Date of publication:
2018-06-00
Description:
Executive summary:
"In Southeast Myanmar, electrification rates are among the lowest in the country, particularly in rural, conflict-affected areas near the border of Thailand.(1) Myanmar?s ambitious National Electrification Plan (NEP) aims to provide electricity access to all Myanmar households by 2030.(2) In response to the NEP and other national development goals, Myanmar?s Energy Master Plan (MEMP) projects electricity demand to rise by 10 percent annually through 2030.(3) To meet future demands, Myanmar must expand its energy infrastructure. Currently, hydropower comprises two-thirds of Myanmar?s electricity generation capacity.(4) Both the MEMP and alternative visions of electricity infrastructure development in Myanmar rely on hydropower as a key source of electricity through 2050, and include provisions for the export of hydropower to neighboring countries.(5)
Myanmar needs to acknowledge and address a number of salient concerns if it is going to use hydropower to meet its future electricity needs. Most of Myanmar?s abundant hydropower resources are located in ethnic areas, particularly Kayin, Kayah, Kachin, and Shan States, all of which are sites of ongoing ethnic conflicts and armed tension.(6) In many cases, development of large dams in ethnic areas has resulted in conflict, severe social and environmental impacts for local communities and human rights violations.(7) The overwhelming majority (42 of 50) of large hydropower projects planned in Myanmar in recent years have been situated in ethnic areas.(8) With many more projects slated for development in these areas, this report highlights how hydropower projects impact ethnic communities in Southeast Myanmar.
This report aims to encourage reforms in the hydropower sector by building comprehensive recommendations for policymakers and hydropower developers. The report supports recommendations using the results of new research highlighting how hydropower projects have impacted ethnic communities in Southeast Myanmar. Report commentary assesses the degree to which Myanmar?s legal and regulatory frameworks measure up against international best standards and practices for hydropower governance. The report concludes with comprehensive recommendations on how to strengthen these national frameworks in order to provide greater social and environmental safeguards for rural ethnic communities impacted by hydropower dams."
Date of entry/update:
2018-07-25
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
1.7 MB 1.61 MB
more