NZ Myanmar News

10/11/2024

https://toitutetiriti.co.nz/pages/hikoi-mo-te-tiriti-2024-information-page

28/04/2024

Nelson

28/04/2024

Auckland

28/04/2024

Wellington

01/04/2024

01/04/2024

News release 1 April 2024

MYANMAR KIWIS CALL ON GOVT TO REFUSE VISAS TO MILITARY REGIME

New Zealanders of Myanmar descent are asking the Government to refuse visas to officials of that country’s military junta due to attend a meeting of ASEAN countries New Zealand is hosting later this month.

Spokesperson for the Keep out the Butchers of Myanmar! campaign Phyo Sandar Soe said the community was outraged New Zealand was planning to host the representatives of an illegal regime that was killing its own people in large numbers, torturing political prisoners, and was not recognised by the New Zealand Government.

“Since the military took power three years ago neither New Zealand nor Australia have allowed the illegal regime’s officials to attend meetings they have hosted. To do this now would set a terrible precedent.”

The campaign has asked Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters to make sure the Government refuses visas for the officials.

Thomas Pahlun from the Keep out the Butchers of Myanmar! campaign said the Government should explain to ASEAN hosting the military regime’s officials here was inconsistent with New Zealand’s call for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar, and would be unacceptable to the New Zealand public.

Pahlun said the campaign wanted New Zealand to hold the line with Australia which had an effective visa ban place prevent the junta’s officials attending meetings in Australia.

Campaign spokesperson Stanley Saw said New Zealand had condemned the military coup three years ago and consistently called for the restoration of democracy.

“We can’t understand why the Government seems to have changed its position now. Hosting the military junta’s officials would give the regime a propaganda win it desperately craves, at the very time the country’s democratic resistance has been making significant advances against the junta” said Saw.

“The people of Myanmar are suffering at the hands of this murderous regime. It has killed more than 4800 civilians. It burns down villages and bombs displaced persons camps. It has no representation at the United Nations. It is not the legal government of Myanmar and it should not be recognised as such.”

The campaign brings together the many ethnic communities which make up the Myanmar diaspora in New Zealand, and has written an open letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters asking for the visas to be refused. It will also launch a petition on 1 April 2024.

Contact: Phyo Sandar Soe (Wellington) 022 5947596, Thomas Pahlun (Wellington) 021 2368308
Stanley Saw (Auckland) 021 937980.
Attached: The campaign’s letter to Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

24/01/2024

Applications are now open for two new advisors to join the New Zealand Refugee Advisory Panel (NZRAP) for a two year term from 2024 to 2026. Please see here for more information. Applications will close 22 February 2024, at 5pm.



Established in mid-2022, the NZRAP is by and for refugees and former refugees in Aotearoa New Zealand and works towards effective and meaningful participation in the development of refugee settlement strategies and policies by working directly with government. This means ensuring refugee and former refugee interests, perspectives, and knowledge inform and influence strategic direction and policies on international, regional, and national refugee issues. As well as including representatives with lived refugee experience in New Zealand Government delegations to global meetings on refugee issues. The NZRAP works in partnership with Immigration New Zealand and is supported by the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies.



We welcome applications from all those with lived experience of forced displacement currently residing in Aotearoa New Zealand with an in interest in shaping policies that affect the lives of refugees. In particular, we encourage applications from people from underrepresented groups and people living in the South Island to ensure diversity of experiences and perspectives.

19/12/2023

INTERPRETER STANDARDS TRANSITION SUPPORT - IMPORTANT INFORMATION [UNCLASSIFIED]