<p>On 12 April 2011, European Union Member States will renew the European policy on Burma.</p> <p>ALTSEAN Burma, the International Federation for Human Rights, Info Birmanie and the French League for Human Rights are deeply concerned by the continued failure of the European Union to publicly support a UN Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into credible and serious allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma. The establishment of a CoI must be included in the Council Conclusions.</p>

<p>Shan community groups strongly denounce the current Burma Army offensive against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) and atrocities against civilians, including shelling of Buddhist temples, gang-rape and using women as cannon fodder.</p>

<p>(Hong Kong, April 11, 2011) Three Asian women rights defenders have received a prestigious international award for a documentary made about their respective struggles, which was shown as part of a major film festival in the Netherlands during March.</p>

<p>Bangkok/Brussels, 11 April 2011: If Thailand is to minimise the risk of renewed demonstrations and violence, it needs to ensure that forthcoming elections are free and fair and that a legitimate government is formed without any interference from the elite establishment.</p>

<p><em>Revised Draft Does Not Address Rights Concerns</em></p> <p>(Bangkok, April 7, 2011) &ndash; Cambodia&rsquo;s draft law regulating associations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) should be abandoned because it will undermine rather than promote civil society in the country, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Forum-Asia, Global Witness, Southeast Asia Press Alliance, Frontline Defenders, and FIDH and OMCT within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders said today. On April 6, a total of 62 international organizations working in Cambodia called upon the country&rsquo;s international donors to make strong public and private statements opposing passage of a law that poses the most significant threat to the country&rsquo;s civil society in many years.</p>

<p>On Monday 4th April 2011, Thailand witnessed another terrible road accident. 16 Burmese migrant workers were killed and nearly 50 injured when the truck that they were packed onto collided with another truck in Samut Sakorn Province, near Bangkok, Thailand. The workers were on their way to work at a food processing factory in Mahachai. Many of these workers had followed the new rules and regulations to have their nationality verified and held temporary passports.</p>

<p>The Internet Rights and Principles Dynamic Coalition (DC-IRP) launched on 31 March 2011 its &quot;10 Internet Rights and Principles&quot; for an Internet governance rooted in human rights and social justice.</p>

<p>At 7am on 4th April 2011, a two-row seater bus carrying more than 70 migrants from Myanmar was hit by a 10-wheeler truck in the no parking zone central lanes of a major highway leading into Bangkok in Samut Sakorn Province in Central Thailand. 16 workers were killed in this tragedy and more than 50 were treated for their injuries in hospital.</p>

<p>With rumours swirling of yet another military coup in the pipeline, along with calls from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) for a government that is selected by the palace, one can't help but wonder why so many Thais continue to be so fond of instant political gratification.</p>

<p>With the 2008 Constitution in hand, which is devoid of any guarantee for the rights of the ethnic nationalities, and after stage-managing freely the 2010 elections, which did not allow for free expression of the voters,&nbsp; the SPDC military dictatorship cast its military uniform and set up itself as a new government,&nbsp; with a civilian fa&ccedil;ade. We do not believe that this new government, under the control of the military leaders, will be able to undertake true democratic transition and ethnic reconciliation necessary for peace and stability in the country.</p>

<p>On 30 March, Senior-General Than Shwe officially dissolved the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to make way for the new Union Government, but the formal handover of power from the SPDC to the current military-dominated government appears to be no more than an effort to maintain the status quo. The Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB) strongly denounces the new government in Burma and cautions that the military dictatorship remains in full force despite its thinly veiled civilian fa&ccedil;ade.</p>

<p>A correspondent of a Mindanao-based newspaper was arrested on libel charges last 4 March 2011 at his home in Indahag village, Cagayan de Oro City. Cagayan de Oro City is approximately 789 kilometers south of Manila.</p>