Burma Campaign UK is calling on members of the United Nations Security Council to take up the issue of increased Burmese Army military offensives in Shan State and Kachin State when they discuss the situation in Burma this morning.
The meeting is being held to discuss the results of the election held on 8th November.
On 6th October the Burmese Army launched a new military offensive in Shan State. 14 battalions are involved in the military offensive and civilians are being targeted indiscriminately. Two civilians were shot by the Burmese Army on election day, including a 15 year old child. These attacks violate the Geneva Convention and meet the definition of war crimes. More than 7,000 people have been displaced by the new military offensive and the Burmese Army and government are obstructing humanitarian aid to them. This also violates international law.
In Kachin State on 14th November the Burmese Army launched new attacks near Monyin, involving ground troops, helicopters and fighter jets. One bomb reportedly landed in a school compound.
“It would be an abrogation of their responsibility for members of the United Nations Security Council to have a meeting on Burma which fails to address the increasing number of military offensives by the Burmese Army”, said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Conflict in ethnic states was one of the reasons the Security Council deemed they needed to put the situation in Burma on their agenda, but almost ten years later, the Burmese Army is still launching offensives and is still violating international law. With the Burmese Army being outside the control of the next NLD government, the UN Security Council can’t just wait for the next government and hope things change.”
The UN Security Council should make a formal statement today calling on the Burmese Army to halt all military offensives, respect international law and ensure free humanitarian access for aid to those displaced and affected by conflict. If the Burmese Army ignores the UN Security Council, then targeted sanctions targeting the military, its members and associated business should be considered. The power of the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court should also be used as leverage to persuade the Burmese Army to halt military offensives and abide by international law.