As the third Panglong conference starts after its months-long delay, it is more important than ever for the public to be able to freely assemble and express their views to the Myanmar Government, military, leaders and members of society regarding the ongoing decades-long civil war and ensuing humanitarian crisis unfolding throughout the country. Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right that helps to shape and promote democracy, and if used as a proper tool, it promotes public discourse and diversity as well as contributing to much needed changes in society.

Progressive Voice will be launching a new briefing paper, “Time to Hear Our Voices: Freedom of Assembly and the Youth Peace Movement in Myanmar,” focusing on the restrictions and practices in the operation of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law (PAPPL) in Myanmar by examining the two recent peaceful assemblies organized by youth in Myitkyina and Yangon. The briefing paper also highlights the civil war and humanitarian needs of ethnic people in armed conflict areas, while providing analysis of the shortcomings in the PAPPL that are used to prevent and repress peaceful assemblies and to charge organizers with criminal offenses, and which allow biased and arbitrary enforcement. The paper examines the additional discrimination and harassment faced by female human rights defenders and activists, and offers recommendations to the Myanmar Government, Myanmar military and the international community to promote and protect the right to freedom of assembly of all citizens in Myanmar. The report will be available in both English and Burmese. The event will be held only in Burmese language.

When: 12 July, 2018 at 14:00

Where: BEST WESTERN Green Hill Hotel; 12, Pho Sein Road I Tamwe Township; Yangon

Speakers:

Dr. Nyo Nyo Thin, former Independent Member of Parliament

Aung Khaing Min, Executive Director of Progressive Voice

Ei Ei Moe, organizer of a youth-led protest in Yangon

Lum Zawng, organizer of a youth-led protest in Myitkyina

Contact:

Aung Khaing Min, Executive Director, Progressive Voice

+95 (0) 92 6100 9995, [email protected] / [email protected]

Download this Media advisory in English HERE.

ဤမီဒီယာ ဖိတ္ၾကားလႊာ ျမန္မာဘာသာ ကို ဤေနရာတြင္ ရယူပါ။