Support Now! Enough of “Wait and See”

By National Council of the Union of Burma • July 31, 2011

For more than six decades, successive juntas have waged military and political war in many manners within Burma. In their latest military attacks, fighter jets from Russia and helicopters from India bought with funds received from offshore oil and gas ventures are being used against ethnic nationalities.

In 2003, the National Council of the Union of Burma requested the United Nations to intervene in the ongoing humanitarian crisis. In 2008, we requested intervention again on the blockage of humanitarian support for victims of Cyclone Nargis. Both times, the requests were squashed by China and Russia at the preliminary discussions at the UN. Even India, although with an interest different from that of China, was against UN intervention.

It is indeed much deplorable that Burma’s natural resources located in the areas of the ethnic nationalities are exploited extensively by these two neighbors. Yet when the junta starts killing the ethnic nationalities of these areas, not only do these two neighboring countries turn a blind eye, but they also step in with financial and military support for the junta.

We put on record that all the investment and joint venture contracts signed with both the SPDC and the Thein Sein government without consultation or agreement with the ethnic nationalities in the area will be scrutinized comprehensively All businesses with the SPDC and Thein Sein government will be thoroughly investigated for links to the funding of armed conflict, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Those international companies whose investments are connected to the ongoing civil war and other abuses will face international legal action, both as responsible corporations as well as accomplices to crimes against humanity.

The UN’s call for restraint is welcomed by the Burmese junta. Instead of a direct approach where the junta is told to stop attacking its own people, the UN’s call on those defending themselves not to do so, puts both sides on equal footing. This seriously distorts the reality of the conflict, where the ethnic groups are acting in self-defense against the systematic abuses of the Burmese Army Systematic forced labor, forced relocation, recruitment and the use of child soldiers and rape of women have all been committed by troops of the successive juntas. These crimes continue today, whether the leaders are in military uniform or civilian clothes. Worse yet is when the junta uses planes to bomb its own people, as it has begun to do.

Before the election, the World had said, “Wait and see”. The world is still waiting after the election, watching while planes bomb our brothers and sisters.

We have heard enough of diplomatic speeches and development theories. There has been enough talk of lifting “non-enforced” sanctions. Those who promote development before human rights and democracy, are responsible for the growth of the junta’s military arsenal due to the investments from their countries.

Burma is a multi-ethnic country with peoples, who have their own traditions, cultures, literatures and heritage. These peoples have the right to internal self-determination. Their rights are to be respected.

Military attacks cannot provide the solution to a political problem. Many dictators have lost for depending upon military strength alone to solve political conflicts.

Recently Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had offered to mediate for Peace and end to the Civil war. All concerned ethnic nationalities responded in a positive way.

We now have two partners of the Tripartite process openly offering and welcoming a solution to Dialogue, Peace and and end to the Civil War. We also believe that the Thein Sein Government will agree to a dialogue leading to Peace and end to the Civil War.

We support the initiative of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the responses of Saw David Tharkabaw(KNU), Nai Htaw Mon ( NMSP), La Nan (KIO) and the ethnic organizations.

We call on the United Nations Security Council to impose arms embargo on Burma, in order to prevent the continued slaughter of innocent civilians.

We call upon individual countries to take unilateral action, starting with action against the finances of the junta. This direct impact will stop the junta from buying of new weapons used to attack the people of Burma.

We call on the international community to support the initiative for Peace and end to Civil War now so that a solution can be found for Burma.

Contact:
U Maung Maung 66 8 6054 9152
U Aung Moe Zaw 66 8 1281 5350

Tags: Armed Conflict, Dialogue, National Council of the Union of Burma

This post is in: Press Release

Support Now! Enough of “Wait and See”

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