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We Demand an End to the Violence and Immediate Release of Women Human Rights Defenders in Myanmar

27 May 2021
Asia

We come together to support the call by our sisters in Myanmar to stop the increasing attacks on the fundamental rights of protesters fighting for democracy. Women actively involved in the protests are continuously harassed. Justice groups in Myanmar have documented that 47 women have been killed as of 30 April 2021.

We are outraged at the political killings and the impunity with which the grave abuses are being committed by the police and the military since decades ago and now intensively on a nationwide level.

Around 800 women, including young LGBTQ+ and civil disobedience activists have been arrested. Those arrested are beaten, abused, sexually harassed, and denied healthcare. Trade union leader Ma Myo Myo Aye’s health situation worsened since she got arrested on April 15. She is being denied access to health care from a doctor or her family members.

We condemn the neglect of ailing political prisoners being denied medical attention, and the unjust arbitrary arrest and detention of women and LGBTQ+ protesters in Myanmar.

We denounce the continuous sexual, verbal harassments, physical and mental tortures of women and LGBTQ+ political prisoners. Ethnic minorities and trans women in particular are experiencing humiliation and abuse inside jail.

We call for the immediate release of all women and LGBTQ+ human rights defenders and all political prisoners who were arrested since the 1st of February 2021, when the military junta took power;

We call on the military junta to end the attacks and crackdown on protesters and their families, and accept that the National Unity Government (NUG) is the only legitimate government of Myanmar;

We call on the international community to stand with women of Myanmar, give adequate support to address their situation, and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Together, let us stand firm in solidarity with our sisters of all ages and sectors fighting against the Military Dictatorship in Myanmar.

Signatories:

    1. Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process, Myanmar
    2. AMIHAN, Philippines
    3. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
    4. Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law, and Development (APWLD)
    5. Asia Pacific Network of Environmental Defenders (APNED)
    6. Asosiasi LBH APIK Nasional, Indonesia
    7. Backyard Politics, Thailand
    8. ahaghari, Philippines
    9. Blue Diamond Society, Nepal
    10. Burmese Women’s Union (BWU)
    11. Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU)
    12. Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation (CFSWF)
    13. Cambodian Young Women’s Empowerment Network (CYWEN)
    14. Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC), Philippines
    15. Center for Women’s Resources (CWR), Philippines
    16. Center of Advocacy for Women, Persons with Disability and Children (SAPDA), Indonesia
    17. Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL)
    18. Count Me In! (CMI!) Consortium [Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), CREA, Just Associates (JASS), Mama Cash, Red Umbrella Fund, Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights (UAF), UAF-Africa, and WO=MEN]
    19. DemOlolt International, NGO, Mongolia (DOI)
    20. Dhivya EThiraj, South India (Tamilnadu)
    21. Fahmina Institute, Indonesia
    22. Federasi Serikat Pekka Indonesia
    23. Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities of Nepal
    24. Feminista, Thailand
    25. Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM)
    26. Forum Aktivis Perempuan Muda Indonesia (FAMM-Indonesia)
    27. FSBPI (Indonesian United Union Federation) – Indonesia
    28. GABRIELA National Alliance of Women, Philippines
    29. Gabriela Youth, Philippines
    30. Gender at Work (G@W)
    31. Gender Equality Network (GEN), Myanmar
    32. Girls for Peace, Philippines
    33. Green Peace, Indonesia
    34. Huma , Indonesia
    35. Institute Hak Asasi Perempuan, Indonesia
    36. Institute of Women’s Empowerment (IWE), Indonesia
    37. JALA PRT, National Networking of Domestic Worker Advocacy, Indonesia
    38. Jaringan Perempuan Indonesia Timur (JPIT), Indonesia
    39. JASS (Just Associates)
    40. Kapal Perempuan, Indonesia
    41. Karapatan Alliance Philippines
    42. Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK), Philippines
    43. Koalisi Perempuan Indonesia untuk Keadilan dan Demokrasi, Indonesia
    44. Kontras, Indonesia
    45. Lila Pilipina, Philippines
    46. LOOM, Nepal
    47. Migrant Care, Indonesia
    48. Milk Tea Alliance Indonesia
    49. Mon Women’s Organization (MWO), Myanmar
    50. Movimentu Feto Foinsae – Timor-Leste (MOFFE-TL)
    51. Myanmar Women Human Rights Defenders
    52. Non-Binary Thailand
    53. Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK), Philippines
    54. PEKKA Foundation (PEKKA – Indonesia)
    55. Perempuan AMAN, Indonesia
    56. Perempuan Mahardhika (Free Women), Indonesia
    57. Perkumpulan Suara Kita (Our Voice), Indonesia
    58. PERMAMPU Consortium, Indonesia.
    59. Power Up!
    60. Progressive Voice
    61. Protection International
    62. Punganay – Cagayan Valley Indigenous People’s Alliance, Philippines
    63. Purplecode Collective, Indonesia
    64. Putera Pertiwi, Indonesia
    65. Rumah Kita Bersama (Rumah KitaB), Indonesia
    66. SABOKAHAN Unity of Lumad Women, Philippines
    67. Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (SAMAKANA), Philippines
    68. Sangsan Anakot Yawachon Development Project, Thailand
    69. Savy Amira Sahabat Perempuan WCC, Indonesia
    70. School of Feminist, Thailand
    71. SERUNI (Serikat Perempuan Indonesia)
    72. SHero, Thailand
    73. Sisters2Sisters
    74. Solidaritas Perempuan Indonesia
    75. Tanggol Bayi (Defend Women), Philippines
    76. Tavoyan Women’s Union (TWU), Myanmar
    77. ThaiConsent
    78. VDay Thailand
    79. Wahana Lingkungan Hidup (Walhi), Indonesia
    80. WomanHealth Philippines
    81. Women on Web, Indonesia
    82. Women’s Equality Association (WEA), Malaysia
    83. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)
    84. Women’s Hand Myanmar Foundation (WHMF)
    85. Women’s League of Burma (WLB)
    86. Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau (WLB), Philippines
    87. Women’s Organizations Network (WON) Myanmar
    88. Women’s Studies and Resource Center (WSRC) Davao, Philippines
    89. Workers’ Association of Valenzuela (WAV), Philippines
    90. Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial (Hivos), Indonesia
    91. Yayasan Pantau, Indonesia
    92. Yayasan Perlindungan Insani Indonesia
    93. Yayasan Srikandi Lestari, Indonesia
    94. Young Feminist from Salawin River, Thailand

    #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners

    #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar

    #StandWithMyanmar

    #Sisters2Sisters

    #StayWithDefenders

    Joint letter
    Women Human Rights Defenders