News
The International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women of Burma Calls for an End to Impunity
March 4, 2010
On March 2nd, the Nobel Women's Initative conducted the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women in Burma in New York, NY, hearing testimony from women of Burma who had suffered from egregious crimes such as rape and torture at the hands of the military junta. This groundbreaking event called for justice for the people of Burma and demanded that the situation be referred to the international criminal court.
From NWI's press release:
" "Women should no longer be invisible when crimes are committed against them with impunity," said Jody Williams, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. "The history of violence and oppression of women in Burma is long and sordid-and must come to an end."
A few of the women who testified are colleagues of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition, still under house arrest and a prisoner of General Than Shwe. Than Shwe is the war criminal who has reigned terror over the people of Burma for decades. World leaders have rallied in support of her freedom countless times since her Nobel Peace Prize award in 1991, passing UN resolutions almost annually and demanding the release of her and other political prisoners. But these cries have fallen on deaf ears, with the international community failing to hold General Shwe and his cronies criminally responsible. The resulting impunity has given the ruling generals of Burma even more license to escalate their power and continue to inflict violence on the people of Burma."
To see the Judges' final recommendations, please click here. To watch video of the event, please click here.
To view the press release in full, please click here.
The Global Justice Center is a New York based international human rights organization that provides leaders with legal tools and strategies for enforcing human rights law.
To arrange interviews or for more information on the situation in Burma, please contact Janet Benshoof at jbenshoof@globaljusticecenter.net or Phyu Phyu Sann at psann@globaljusticecenter.net.