US Group Honours Burma Activist

Veteran pro‑democracy campaigner Min Ko Naing has been awarded the Citizen of Burma Award 2026 by a US‑based organisation, recognising his decades of resistance against military rule. The ceremony took place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Saturday.

Born Paw Oo Tun, Min Ko Naing — whose name means “Conqueror of Kings” — first rose to prominence during the 1988 uprising. He was jailed in 1989 and spent 15 years behind bars before his release in 2004. Following the 2021 coup, he went underground and now continues his activism from exile. The award, which carries a $10,000 prize, has previously gone to figures including Aung San Suu Kyi.

Organisers said he was chosen for his work “against military dictatorship from the 1988 pro‑democracy uprising to the Spring Revolution alongside the people.” His recognition comes as Burma remains mired in conflict, with the military entrenched in power and opposition groups continuing to resist.

Rights Groups Push ICC Action

At the same time, human rights organisation Fortify Rights and seven Rohingya groups have urged the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army leader Ata Ullah. They accuse him of war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing killings, torture and abductions in Burma’s northern Arakan State and refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Ata Ullah was detained in Bangladesh in March 2025, but campaigners warn he could be released without facing trial. They argue ICC intervention is vital to prevent further abuses and deliver justice to victims. The call follows the ICC prosecutor’s request last year for a warrant against Burma’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing over the 2017 crackdown that forced more than 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh.

A Country in Crisis

The award and ICC calls highlight the scale of Burma’s turmoil: a celebrated activist honoured abroad, rights groups demanding international justice, and a nation still gripped by violence and repression.

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