[SWAN]Shan Women's Action Network

Actions by international network partners:

11 April 2003: Statement made by ACFOA at the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva

11 April 2003: Statement made by APWLD the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva

Press releases

20 December 2002: AID/WATCH condemns Australian Government support for brutal Burmese military dictatorship

25 November 2003: United calls for justice for Shan women in Burma by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Alt-sean, Forum Asia and Friends Without Borders

13 October 2002: IID Systematic Rape of Burmese Women by Junta's Men Bared

8 October 2002: Downer collaborates with Burmese military rapists

24 September 2002: Win Aung Visit: Human Rights Activists Fear for Safety of Rape Victims

22 July 2002: Report exposes Burmese army's systematic rape of Shan women

25 June 2002 ; Free Burma Coalition press release

Action alerts & Petitions

10 March 2003: Letter to Amnesty International

8 March 2003: Open letter to the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Professor Pinheiro

3-14 March 2003: Violence Against Women: Trends and Patterns in Asia Pacific

24-31 December 2002: Letter of concern to UN agencies in Burma by Equality Now

25 November 2002: Fax campaign of 'Stop Licence to Rape in Shan State signed by more than 2, 000 individuals & organizations to the Office of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York City, offices of UN agencies in Geneva and Bangkok, plus embassies and to Thai government officials and parliamentarians.

5 September 2002: 93 Thai women's groups submitted a petition to the Thai Prime Minister to put pressure on the Burmese regime for political reform and to ensure the safety and security of people working to restore peace and democracy in Burma, especially SWAN and SHRF, the authors of Licence to Rape.

Online petition:

5 September 2002: Four Thai-based regional orgnizations placed an online petition to "Stop Licence to Rape in Shan State", Burma for the international community, which can be viewed and signed at

<http://www.petitiononline.com/Forumasi/petition.html>

25 July 2002: Action Alert : Call your Senators and ask them to sign a letter demanding an end to mass rapes in Burma by Free Burma coalition!

July 2002: Peace Women: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom's Campaign on Burma

Public Forums

6 February 2003: VSO Conference:

13 December 2002: Forum Asia organized a Public Forum on Licence to Rape at Naresuan University, Phisanulok, Thailand. 2 SWAN representatives gave presentation in Thai to students at Naresuan University

24 November 2002 (Supported by Forum Asia)

Candle Lighting: Peaceful demonstration in front of Burmese Embassy, Bangkok

Organized by Women's Network, Thailand (Picture in the 25 November Nation newspaper)

25 November 2002: International Day on Elimination of Violence against Women Activities

Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia / BSGM organized candlelight vigil in front of the Burma ( Myanmar ) Military's office of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

25 November 2002: A panel on "Stop Licencing Rape" organized by Migrant Action Program (MAP), Forum Asia (Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development) and the Women's Studies Center, Faculty of Social Sciences at Chiangmai University, Thailand.

28 October 2002: Public Forum organized by Forum Asia on 'Sexual Violence Against Ethnic Women in Burma and Thailand' at Foreign Correspondents' Club Thailand in Bangkok.

9 October 2002: The seminar on "Licence to Rape" at Faculty of Law, Thammasat University in Bangkok organised by Women and Youth Studies Project, Thammasat Univesity , Thai Action Committee for Democracty in Burma, Forum-Asia and Alliance for Progress of Women.

September 5 2002: Book launch of the Thai version of "Licence to Rape" at a seminar entitled "Ending Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls in Burma." organized and sponsored by the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA). [Opened by Somchai Homlaor, Secretary-General of Forum. Panelists were Chairperson of Foreign Affairs Committee of the Thai Senate, Senator Kraisak Choonhavan, Ms Subhatra Bhumiprabhas and Ms Pennapha Hangthong, translators of Licence to Rape, Ms Virada Somsawat from the Women's Studies Centre of Chiang Mai University, Ms Sunee Chaiyarot of the Human Rights Commission of Thailand and Ms Thicha Na Nakorn of the Women and Constitution Network of Thailand. ]

Translations of Licence to Rape

7 November 2002: German translation of Licence to Rape was launched online.

5 September 2002: Thai translation of Licence to Rape launched.

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