Why calls for a no-fly zone won’t take off – Mark Farmaner writes in Mizzima
Calls for a no-fly zone over Myanmar are justified but will not result in a no-fly zone. The obstacles are too big to overcome. Efforts spent on calling for a no-fly zone will be wasted, writes Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UK’s Director, for Mizzima.
Options for stopping or reducing airstrikes are limited. One of the most effective would be a ban on the supply of aviation fuel, which even sympathetic Western countries have not implemented so far, despite calls from hundreds of Myanmar civil society organisations.
Sanctions on arms brokers providing arms and equipment for aircraft have started to be implemented but more are needed. Chinese, Russian, Indian and Pakistani companies providing aircraft and arms should also be sanctioned.
Human rights groups call to suspend aviation fuel to Myanmar – AIN Online
A new report by Amnesty International, Global Witness, and Burma Campaign UK into the continued sale of aviation fuel to Myanmar’s military has exposed more firms involved in the country’s supply chain, reports Aviation International News. This includes insurance, shipping, and financial services firms, exemplifying claims that a vast web of foreign and multinational companies are enabling war crimes in Burma.
The organization’s statements follow Amnesty’s 2022 investigation report that asserts civil aviation fuel was diverted for military use.
In light of last week’s report, Amnesty International, Global Witness, and Burma Campaign UK are reiterating calls to suspend the supply of aviation fuel until additional safeguards are implemented.
Why including refugees in peacebuilding matters – News Drum
The need to secure women’s participation in peacebuilding has been recognised for decades by the UN, but it fails to acknowledge the role of refugee women in peacebuilding, reports News Drum.
Refugee women from Myanmar have been active in peacebuilding for many years: Naw Zoya Phan (Burma Campaign UK’s Campaigns Manager) was elected as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
Yet most international peacebuilding projects did not engage with refugees outside Myanmar. Refugees, including refugee women, should be included as active participants in repatriation discussions.
New shipments of aviation fuel revealed despite the military’s war crimes – Mizzima
Aviation fuel shipments to Myanmar have continued despite ongoing war crimes, Amnesty International and Global Witness said after they identified more companies involved in the supply chain, reports Mizzima.
In November 2022 Amnesty International published Deadly Cargo, a report on the country’s aviation fuel supply chain that links national, regional and global companies to the Myanmar military.
Amnesty International, Global Witness and Burma Campaign UK have now identified other companies involved in aviation fuel transactions, which are likely to have reached the military in recent months.
Myanmar military gets new aviation fuel supplies despite abuses – Al Jazeera
The Myanmar military continues to secure supplies of aviation fuel — involving companies from Asia and Europe — despite air raids that have killed and maimed civilians and forced thousands from their homes, reports Al Jazeera.
Amnesty International, Global Witness and Burma Campaign UK said they had identified more companies involved in aviation fuel transactions, following up on an investigation into the aviation fuel supply chain last year that found supplies for civilian aviation were being diverted to the military.
New EU sanctions more effectively target Myanmar junta – VOA News
The latest round of EU sanctions imposed on the junta were welcomed by advocacy groups, reports the Voice of America (VOA). Burma Campaign UK said, “This round of sanctions is well targeted, focusing on suppliers of aviation fuel, arms brokers, military procurement entities and members of the Burmese military and associated bodies.”
“These sanctions will take time to have an impact, which is why we need the EU to speed up the implementation of sanctions — two rounds a year is not enough,” Mark Farmaner, executive director of Burma Campaign UK, told VOA. “Monitoring and implementation of EU sanctions is up to individual EU member states. There is no transparency about how they monitor sanctions or action taken regarding breaches of sanctions.”
EU imposes new sanctions on military-ruled Myanmar – Al Jazeera
Myanmar’s energy minister, businessmen, high-ranking military officers and private companies will be subject to asset freezes and travel bans, reports Al Jazeera.
“These new EU sanctions are right on target, aimed at limiting air strikes and supplies of arms and equipment, as well as targeting individuals responsible for serious human rights violations,” said Anna Roberts, executive director of Burma Campaign UK. “The EU has the right approach, but they are moving too slowly to implement these sanctions. The delay in cutting off sources of revenue, arms and equipment is costing lives. Two years on from the coup, there are hundreds of companies and individuals which should be sanctioned, but have not been. The EU is implementing the right policy, but far too slowly.”
Myanmar’s overlooked but not-yet-forgotten war – Asia Times
The Ukraine war has dominated Western attention but a fraction of the same support could tip the conflict’s balance in favor of pro-democracy forces, reports the Asia Times.
“For many countries around the world, the Myanmar crisis has been forgotten,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “It may be understandable that a crisis on their doorstep means governments pay more attention to Ukraine, but it is frustrating that if just a few percent of the action against Russia was applied against the Myanmar military it could help to tip the balance in favor of people resisting the military coup attempt.”
Myanmar election ploy threatens to split ASEAN and West – Asia Times
The regional bloc is more likely than the EU or the US to accept the military regime’s planned sham poll as legitimate, reports the Asia Times.
“There is simply no question of the British government accepting whatever regime which follows any military-organised elections as legitimately representing the will of the people,” said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK. “Sympathetic governments are looking to the National Unity Government to create a clear alternative to the military election agenda, which means making the concessions on federalism necessary to bring ethnic armed organisations, ethnic political parties and civil society on board to create a unified front. This hasn’t happened yet.”
Zoya Phan meets with King Charles III – Mizzima
Zoya Phan, Burma Campaign UK’s Campaigns Manager, an ethnic Karen and long-time political activist, briefly met with King Charles III on 1 February, reports Mizzima. The exchange took place at a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the contribution of East and Southeast Asian communities to the United Kingdom.
Charles III was quick to recognize Zoya as Karen from her ethnic dress. “The King seems to have a keen interest in Burma,” Zoya told Mizzima. “At one point he wants to visit Burma if there are genuine democratic reforms.” Zoya thanked the King for his support for Burma and told him about ongoing junta attacks targeting civilians and how people in Burma are desperate for help.
“As Karen we don’t want to be ruled by the British or the Burman. We want autonomy and control over our own lives, land, and natural resources.”