Burma Campaign UK at Vale Earth Fair
Burma Campaign UK’s director Mark Farmaner and his family were at Vale Earth Fair in Guernsey this weekend, raising money for the campaign for democracy in Burma with a throwing competition. Three poo’s for a pound, if you hit Min Aung Hlaing three times, win a lolly!
Big thanks as ever to Vale Earth Fair for their support for the campaign over so many years.
US jet fuel sanctions welcomed as tool to curb junta air strikes – Radio Free Asia
Myanmar’s shadow government, armed resistance and activists have welcomed the US Treasury Department’s expansion of sanctions targeting those who procure jet fuel the military regime uses in air strikes against civilians, reports RFA.
Amnesty International, Global Witness and Burma Campaign UK have issued reports urging the international community to sanction large energy companies that sell jet fuel to the junta, as well as the transportation and insurance companies that help the regime procure it.
Burma Campaign UK Director Mark Farmaner praised Washington’s response this week, calling it “one of the best things the U.S. government can do to prevent the human rights abuses and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.”
US expands sanctioning powers targeting Myanmar’s jet fuel industry amid airstrikes – Centre Daily Times
The Biden administration has expanded its Myanmar sanctions regime to target foreigners involved in the Asian nation’s jet fuel industry, reports the Centre Daily Times.
Applauding the sanctions, Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, said “The US has been playing whack-a-mole sanctioning Burmese linked companies involved in aviation fuel which then just change name or ownership. With this new determination the USA can now start sanctioning international companies and stop aviation fuel reaching Burma in the first place.
“The UK and EU must now follow the USA and ban UK and EU companies from being involved in aviation fuel deliveries to Burma.”
UN Security Council condemns Myanmar military over ‘unrelenting violence’ – Al Jazeera
Members of the United Nations Security Council – with the exception of veto-wielding China and Russia – have condemned the “unrelenting violence” raging across Myanmar following a closed-door briefing on the crisis, reports Al Jazeera.
The US Treasury Department announced it was further expanding its sanctions on Myanmar to include foreign companies or individuals helping the military procure jet fuel.
“The US has just put all international companies on notice that if they are directly or indirectly involved in the supply of aviation fuel to Burma, they could face sanctions,” Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK said. “Limiting aviation fuel deliveries is one of the most effective things the [US] can do to address the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Burma.”
CSOs criticize UN OCHA’s current approach that ‘supports the Myanmar junta’s war of terror’ – Mizzima
A joint statement of 514 civil society organisations (CSOs) said that the current approach of UN OCHA (the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) will embolden the Myanmar junta to further its war of terror across the nation.
Burma Campaign UK published the statement, reports Mizzima, in response to UN OCHA’s visit to Myanmar, including a meeting with coup leader Min Aung Hlaing.
The CSOs asked UN OCHA and other UN humanitarian agencies to cut ties with the illegal criminal junta and pivot to delivering aid in collaboration or partnership with local humanitarian, civil society and ethnic groups, and the National Unity Government.
Will India’s Myanmar policy overshadow hosting G20 summit? – Mark Farmaner in Mizzima
India will be hosting the prestigious G20 summit for the first time, writes Burma Campaign UK’s director Mark Farmaner for Mizzima.
India’s policy towards neighbouring Myanmar could, and should, overshadow the summit. The G20 will bring together countries which have sanctioned the Myanmar military and are trying to prevent the supply of revenue and arms to the military with those which are actively arming and funding the military.
It’s not just President Modi’s arming of the Myanmar military which should be raised at the summit. Concern for human rights and support for democracy is simply not a factor in Indian foreign policy making towards Myanmar.
Modi has paid no diplomatic price for this unprincipled approach. The G20 summit is an opportunity to change this.
Another UK retailer to boycott ‘blood gemstones’ from Myanmar – the Irrawaddy
UK retailer John Lewis and Partners will stop sourcing gems from Myanmar, reports the Irrawaddy.
“John Lewis have done the right thing by deciding to stop sourcing from Burma,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK.
Burma Campaign UK is not calling for a blanket ban on gems from Myanmar. Rather, it is calling on companies to ensure the gems they sell have not been sourced in a way that provides money to help the junta buy weapons and/or fund a military that continues to commit atrocities.
John Lewis Partnership’s decision to stop buying gems from Myanmar follows an announcement in June by TJC—one of the biggest TV shopping channels and online jewellery retailers in the UK—that it had stopped selling rubies and gems from Myanmar.
John Lewis to stop sourcing gems from Burma – Professional Jeweller
National department store, John Lewis Partnership, has informed Burma Campaign UK that it will cease gem sourcing from Burma, reports the Professional Jeweller.
Burma Campaign UK had written to John Lewis, along with approximately 40 other retailers, asking them to ensure that – if they sell gems from Burma – they make sure that their sourced gemstones have not contributed to or helped fund the Burmese military.
Director of Burma Campaign UK, Mark Farmaner said: “John Lewis have done the right thing by deciding to stop sourcing from Burma.
“Retailers must ensure that the gems they sell haven’t helped pay for the bombs and the bullets the Burmese military are using against the people of Burma.”
Anna Roberts interviewed on Sky News
Anna Roberts, Executive Director at Burma Campaign UK, was interviewed on Sky News at lunchtime today.
“There are daily airstrikes by the military against civilians across the country. But those airstrikes rely on aviation fuel and Britain can play an important part by imposing sanctions on the supply of aviation fuel”, said Anna Roberts.
“This year British aid to Burma has been cut by around 50% and since the coup a staggering 70%. There are ways that the British government can increase funding to these civil society networks that are keeping people alive and safe.
“We need to see the international community using every pressure lever available, be that through targeted economic sanctions, through arms embargoes, through international justice.”
Myanmar mining and mineral export including jade falls by about 28% – Mizzima
Burma’s export of minerals including jade fell by about 28% in the first three months of this fiscal year, reports Mizzima.
Global Witness has urged the international community to boycott gems and jade mined in Myanmar and called for banning the export of these precious stones and minerals.
Burma Campaign UK says that the army fully controls the mining and trading of the gemstones mined in Myanmar, and could earn about US$2 billion from this business annually. From the the sale of these gemstones the army can buy arms and ammunition to be used in human rights violations in the country.