The Burmese military is building up troops and equipment in Chin State
and neighbouring areas in North-Western Burma. Rockets are being fired
into towns, setting buildings ablaze.
We are concerned a large-scale military offensive against civilians could
be imminent, leading to a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe. Tell the
UN Security Council to act now to prevent a catastrophe.
This troop build-up is happening in an
area where there has been strong resistance to the military coup, and
already the military have been using jets to bomb towns and villages, and
have killed dozens of people as well as forcing thousands to flee their
homes.
The UN Human Rights Commissioner has issued a strong statement, saying:
“We urge the
international community to speak with one voice, to prevent the
commission of further serious human rights violations against the people
of Myanmar. Influential states must prevail on the Tatmadaw to
de-escalate the situation, protect civilian lives and property, and
ensure access to humanitarian aid for those who need it.”
But the UN Security Council has failed to act, despite warnings.
For Burma Campaign UK, the current situation has echoes of the situation
in Rakhine State in 2017, in the run-up to the military offensive against
the Rohingya in 2017.
We called on the UN Security Council to act then, but they failed to do
so. We must force them to act now.
We can’t predict for sure that the military are planning another large-scale
military offensive against civilians, but based on past experience we
can’t take the risk and stand by and do nothing.
The British government has responsibility for Burma issues at the UN
Security Council. Email
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss now
calling on her to convene an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to
discuss the crisis in North-Western Burma.
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