Page 6


 


 


NEWS


 


International update


 


 


Amnesty International supports campaign to release Bahraini teachers’ leader


 


Amnesty International has joined the campaign to press for the release of a Bahraini teachers’ trade union leader.


 


The NASUWT has played a leading role in the fight to secure the release of Mahdi Abu Dheeb, President of the Bahraini Teachers’ Association (BTA).


 


Mahdi has been imprisoned, where he has been subject to abuse and denied medical care since 2011 for organising and leading teacher protests during the country’s uprising. The Bahraini authorities have also applied continuing pressure upon Vice-President Jalila al-Salman and members of the BTA.


 


The NASUWT has supported the campaign from the beginning, promoting the cause of Mahdi Abu Dheeb in representations to the UK Government, the trade union movement and the Bahraini authorities. The Union's strategy has also included awarding Jalila al-Salman the NASUWT International Solidarity Award in 2013 to recognise and highlight her work in the continuing campaign.


 


The NASUWT is supporting the push by Amnesty International and Educational International to call for the release of Mahdi Abu Dheeb.


 


Supporters are being asked to send an email or postcard to the UK Ambassador to Bahrain, urging for Mahdi’s immediate and unconditional release. Details of how to complete this and send it off can be found at www.nasuwt.org.uk/bahrain.


 


What you can do


 


1) Campaign for the release of Mahdi Abu Dheeb through the resources found at www.nasuwt.org.uk/bahrain.


2) Encourage friends and colleagues to become involved in the campaign.


3) Contact, or keep up the contact with, your MP to press them to call for the release of Mahdi, using the NASUWT’s Contact Your MP facility at www.nasuwt.org.uk/contactyourmp.


 


read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/bahrain


 


 


Urgent need to end sexual violence in Burma


 


For many decades, the Burmese Army has been using rape as a weapon of war against ethnic women and girls. Even though ‘reforms’ began three years ago, women continue to be subjected to rape, including gang-rape and other forms of sexual violence, committed by the Burmese Army. The Burmese government has repeatedly denied sexual violence is taking place and this continues to this day with impunity.


 


The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Burma has documented cases of sexual violence by the Burmese Army in the past 20 years. The latest report of the Women’s League of Burma, Same Impunity, Same Patterns, highlights more than 100 rape cases where Burmese Army soldiers have sexually abused ethnic women. Recent cases include a 12 year old girl raped in front of her mother, the rape of a disabled woman, and many gang-rapes in which the victims were killed.


 


Despite these abuses clearly violating international law, the British Government has yet to take any steps to tackle impunity, despite saying this is a priority for the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, in which Burma is included.


 


At Burma Campaign UK, we work together with the women of Burma, calling on the British Government to support the establishment of an international investigation into rape and sexual violence perpetrated by the Burmese Army. If we can make Burmese Army soldiers and their commanders afraid that for the first time they might be held accountable for their crimes, we can start to reduce incidents of rape. Your support can help stop rape in Burma.


 


Please join our campaign: www.burmacampaign.org.uk


 


Zoya Phan is Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK. Her autobiography, Little Daughter, is published by Simon & Schuster.


 


read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/Burma


 

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20