Activists Demand Canada and EU to Join the U.S and Call for UN Resolutions to Establish Commission of Inquiry

War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity in Burma Should Be Stopped and the Generals Be Held Accountable

(August 18, 2010, Washington, DC) After months of rigorous grassroots campaign led by United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) and repeated requests from the U.S. lawmakers, the Obama administration finally agreed to support the establishment of an UN-led Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity and war crimes taking place in the Southeast Asian country of Burma.

The USCB, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights supporters working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in Burma, welcomes and supports the decision of the U.S. administration, reported by the Washington Post and Foreign Policy Blog today. Aung Din, former political prisoner and Executive Director of USCB said, “This is the right and timely action by the Obama administration responding to the power hungry and brutal military generals in Nay Pyi Taw, who are seeking to wipe clean their bloody hands and obtain underserved legitimacy through a sham constitution put into effect through a sham election.”

“This is a clear message that the United States will not recognize the generals’ show-case election and will hold them accountable for their human rights abuses against their own citizens, especially against ethnic minorities of Burma,” Aung Din continues. He demands, “the U.S., along with the Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Australia, and Slovakia, which have expressed support for the UN-led Commission of Inquiry, should call on the European Union and Canada to work together to organize UN resolutions, asking UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to set up the Commission, in the upcoming UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council meetings in September, where China and Russia cannot exercise veto powers to kill the resolution.”

Three weeks ago, on July 30, a bipartisan group of 32 Senators, led by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Judd Gregg (R-NH), sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling for the U.S government “to support the establishment of a UN-led Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity and war crimes” in Burma. In June 2009, nearly 60 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), wrote to President Obama urging him to take action on Burma at the UN Security Council. Since last May, the USCB has organized campaigns and rallied thousands of free Burma activists to send emails to President Obama to support the UN-led commission of Inquiry in Burma.

In May 2009, the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School released a groundbreaking report; entitled “Crimes in Burma” commissioned by five prominent international judges and war crimes prosecutors. The report concluded that for years the United Nations has documented widespread and systematic human rights abuses in Burma committed by successive military regimes, but has failed to take effective action. Detailed information about crimes against humanity perpetrated by Burma’s military regime can be found at http://uscampaignforburma.org/crimesagainsthumanityinburma.

In March 2010, at the 13th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Burma, Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana of Argentina endorsed the call of Burma activists around the world and urged the United Nations “to consider the possibility to establish a commission of inquiry with a specific fact finding mandate to address the question of international crimes” in Burma. Mr. Quintana’s recommendation to establish a UN Commission of Inquiry is supported by his two predecessors, Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2000-2008) of Brazil (“End Burma’s System of Impunity, Opinion, The New York Times, May 27, 2009), and Professor Yozo Yokoda (1992-1996) of Japan (“Challenging Impunity in Myanmar, Opinion, The Jakarta Post, June 6, 2010).
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U.S. Campaign for Burma
1444 N Street, NW Suite #A2
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: (202) 234 8022
Fax: (202) 234 8044
info@uscampaignforburma.org
www.uscampaignforburma.org

War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity in Burma Should Be Stopped and Generals Held Accountable

(July 30, 2010, Washington, DC) Two days after President Obama signed into law, the one-year extension of U.S. sanctions against the military regime in Burma, that was unanimously approved by both House and Senate, a bipartisan group of 32 Senators sent a letter (as attached) to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today, calling for the United States government “to support the establishment of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry to investigate whether crimes against humanity and war crimes took place” in the Southeast Asian country of Burma.

The United States Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in Burma, welcomes and supports the call made by the U.S. Senators. Aung Din, former political prisoner and Executive Director of USCB urged the Obama administration “to pay strong and serious attention on Burma, where over 50 million people are suffering egregious human rights violations under the most brutal military regime for decades, and take leadership in making an UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma a reality”.

In the letter, Senators wrote to Secretary Clinton that “While your administration continues along a path of sanctions and pragmatic engagement with Burma, we believe that such a commission will help convince Burma’s military regime that we are serious about our commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law for the people of Burma”. The letter was organized by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) and cosigned by 30 other Senators including Michael Bennet (D-CO), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Richard Burr (R-NC), Roland Burris (D-IL), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Robert Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Al Franken (D-MN), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Kay Hagen (D-NC), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Mark Udall (D-CO), George Voinovich (R-OH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). In June 2009, nearly 60 members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to President Obama urging him to take action on crimes against humanity in Burma at the UN Security Council.

“This letter addresses the frustration of U.S. lawmakers over the shortcomings of Obama’s pragmatic engagement with the regime”, says Aung Din. “Members of Congress, who have long experiences in dealing with dictatorial regimes around the world, know very well that without significant pressure and serious leadership, engagement will never produce a positive outcome,” continues Aung Din.

The U.S. Campaign for Burma and allied organizations around the world have called for the international community to establish a UN commission of inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimes humanity in Burma since May 2009, when the report, entitled “Crimes in Burma”, commissioned by five prominent international judges and war crimes prosecutors, and produced by the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School, was released. The report found that for years the United Nations has been on notice of severe, indeed widespread and systematic abuses in Burma that appear to rise to the level of state policy, but failed to take effective action yet. Detailed information about crimes against humanity conducted by the Burma’s military regime can be found at http://uscampaignforburma.org/crimesagainsthumanityinburma.

In March, at the 13th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Burma, Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana of Argentina endorsed the call and urged the United Nations “to consider the possibility to establish a commission of inquiry with a specific fact finding mandate to address the question of international crimes” in Burma. Mr. Quintana’s recommendation to establish a UN commission of inquiry is supported by his two predecessors, Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2000-2008) of Brazil (“End Burma’s System of Impunity, Opinion, The New York Times, May 27, 2009), and Professor Yozo Yokoda (1992-1996) of Japan (“Challenging Impunity in Myanmar, Opinion, The Jakarta Post, June 6, 2010).

Since Mr. Quintana made his recommendation, at least four countries, Australia, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, and Slovak Republic, expressed their support for the establishment of a UN commission of inquiry. Many other governments are also interested in potentially supporting the call, but are waiting to see what position the United States takes, whose Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe said in June that “the United States was considering supporting the proposed Commission of Inquiry into possible international humanitarian law violations in Burma, as suggested by the Special Rapporteur.” As organized by the USCB, thousands of activists have sent emails to President Obama since May, urging him to support the UN-led commission of inquiry in Burma. However, no one has yet to receive any response from the White House.

Read Dear Colleague Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

(July 22, 2010, Washington, DC) One week after members of the House of Representatives unanimously approved the extension of economic sanctions against generals in Burma; their fellow lawmakers in the Senate today overwhelmingly approved the measure with a vote of (99-1), and sent it to the White House for the signature of President Obama. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) voted in favor of the resolution and Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY) is the only senator who voted against it.

The U.S. Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in Burma, today welcomes and supports the unanimous decision of the U.S. Senate to extend sanctions against the military junta that rules the Southeast Asian country of Burma with guns, threats and oppression, and conducts crimes against humanity under a system of impunity. The House Joint Resolution 83 (H.J. RES. 83), the renewal of import restrictions contained in the “Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003” and an identical resolution of the one approved by the House yesterday, was introduced by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), cosponsored by 66 additional Senators, the largest amount of cosponsorship the legislation has ever received, and approved by unanimous consent today.

“I am very proud of my country’s Members of Congress. No matter how the regime attempts to manipulate the world, they do not fall for the regime’s act. Their support for Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy and ethnic minorities are consistent and stronger than ever,” says Jennifer Quigley, Advocacy Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. “To continue to cut the economic lifeline of generals who abuse the citizens of Burma is essential and that is what the U.S. Congress is responsibly and effectively doing,” Jennifer Quigley continues.

In 2003, after the regime’s failed assassination attempt against Aung San Suu Kyi during her organizational tour in Depayin, in middle Burma, in which pro-junta thugs attacked, beat, and killed members of her party, the U.S. Congress imposed strong and comprehensive sanctions on the junta by passing the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act. Measures included in the Act are an import restrictions, a ban on loan and assistance from international financial institutions, freezing assets of the junta and their families, expansion of the visa ban to members of the junta, its militia, and those responsible for killing Aung San Suu Kyi’s supporters. The import restrictions, which effectively stop the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars every year to the generals’ pockets, is the only measure required to renew annually. Since 2003, the U.S. Congress has never failed to extend the measure as the situation in Burma has not improved and does not satisfy the concerns of the United States.

While putting Aung San Suu Kyi and over 2,100 democracy activists and Buddhist monks in prison, and continuing an aggressive military campaign against ethnic minorities, the junta has been trying to finalize its plan to create a permanent military dictatorship through a sham constitution and a showcase election this year. Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) that won a landslide victory in the 1990 election, and its allied ethnic political parties decided to boycott the election and call on the international community to not recognize it. Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD and ethnic allies have called for the junta to stop its unilateral action and start negotiations with democracy forces through a tripartite dialogue between the military, NLD and ethnic representatives. # # #

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Aung Din
Executive Director
U.S. Campaign for Burma
1444 N Street, NW, #A2
Washington 20005
Tel: (202) 234 8022
Fax: (202) 234 8044
Cell: (301) 602 0077
aungdin@uscampaignforburma.org
www.uscampaignforburma.org

(July 14, 2010, Washington, DC) The U.S. Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in Burma, today welcomes and supports the unanimous decision of the U.S. House of Representative to extend sanctions against the military junta that rules the Southeast Asian country of Burma with guns, threats and oppression, and conducts crimes against humanity under a system of impunity. The House Joint Resolution 83 (H.J. RES. 83), the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, was introduced by Congressmen Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), cosponsored by 20 additional House Members and approved by a voice vote today.

“The U.S. Congress is sending a clear message to the junta. Sanctions will not be lifted until and unless there are real changes in Burma including the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, and the establishment of a meaningful political dialogue,” says Aung Din, a former political prisoner and the Executive Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. “This is also a clear signal that the U.S. Congress will not recognize the junta’s sham election or its outcome,” Aung Din continues.

In 2003, after the regime’s failed assassination attempt against Aung San Suu Kyi during her organizational tour in Depayin, in middle Burma, in which pro-junta thugs attacked, beat, and killed members of her party, the U.S. Congress imposed strong and comprehensive sanctions on the junta by passing the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act. Measures included in the Act are an import restrictions, a ban on loan and assistance from international financial institutions, freezing assets of the junta and their families, expansion of the visa ban to members of the junta, its militia, and those responsible for killing Aung San Suu Kyi’s supporters. The import restrictions, which effectively stop the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars every year to the generals’ pockets, is the only measure required to renew annually. An identical resolution has been introduced in the Senate and cosponsored by 68 Senators, led by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).  The Senate companion bill is expected to be voted on soon.  Since 2003, the U.S. Congress has never failed to extend the measure as the situation in Burma has not improved and does not satisfy the concerns of the United States.

While putting Aung San Suu Kyi and over 2,100 democracy activists and Buddhist monks in prison, and continuing an aggressive military campaign against ethnic minorities, the junta has been trying to finalize its plan to create a permanent military dictatorship through a sham constitution and a showcase election this year. Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) that won a landslide victory in the 1990 election, and its allied ethnic political parties decided to boycott the election and call on the international community to not recognize it. Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD and ethnic allies have called for the junta to stop its unilateral action and start negotiations with democracy forces through a tripartite dialogue between the military, NLD and ethnic representatives. # # #

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U.S. Campaign for Burma
1444 N Street, NW, #A2
Washington 20005
Tel: (202) 234 8022
Fax: (202) 234 8044
info@uscampaignforburma.org
www.uscampaignforburma.org

(June 18, 2010, Washington, DC) Over 340 people from 29 countries and 44 American states have already pledged to stage a symbolic 24-hour house arrest in their homes on June 19, 2010 to show their solidarity with the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Aung San Suu Kyi of a Southeast Asian country of Burma. She has been detained by the one of the most brutal military regimes in the world. She has spent more than 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest. The U.S. Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in Burma, organizes these solidarity acts to raise awareness of the struggle of the people of Burma.

On June 19, 2010, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65^th birthday , over 340 activists will ‘arrest themselves’ in their homes for 24 hours, invite over their families, friends and co-workers, share Burmese food, watch documentary films featuring the military regime’s campaign of ethnic cleansing, and  discuss how best they can help the people of Burma break free from military rule. To transform knowledge into action, participants will give signatures on a petition calling for President Obama to support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimes humanity in Burma, recommended by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Burma.

“I hope, from these events, President Obama will hear the voices of activists who want to see  peace  in Burma, loud and clear, urging him to take effective leadership to apply collective and effective pressure on the military regime,” says Aung Din, a former political prisoner and Executive Director of the US Campaign for Burma.

While putting Aung San Suu Kyi and over 2,000 democracy activists and Buddhist monks in prison, the regime has been trying to finalize its plan to create a permanent military dictatorship through a sham constitution and a showcase election this year. Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy that won a landslide victory in the 1990 election, and its allied ethnic political parties decided to boycott the election and call on the international community to not recognize the undemocratic election.

From the beginning, USCB has urged the U.S. government to set a time frame for its engagement with the regime and prepare an appropriate response. As the U.S engagement with the regime, which started since September last year, does not produce any positive result after 10 months, “what we need now is a decisive action of the United States, beginning with increasing targeted financial and banking sanctions, rejecting the regime’s election plan, and calling for the UN to establish a commission of inquiry,” continues Aung Din.

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U.S. Campaign for Burma
1444 N Street, NW, #A2
Washington 20005
Tel: (202) 234 8022
Fax: (202) 234 8044
info@uscampaignforburma.org
www.uscampaignforburma.org

The United Nations Urged to Reject the Military Regime’s Election in Burma

Crimes against Humanity by the Regime Should Be Investigated

(March 29, 2010, Washington, DC) The United States Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in the Southeast Asian country of Burma, wholeheartedly supports the decision of the National League for Democracy (NLD), to boycott the regime’s sham election. The NLD is the legitimate leader of Burma’s democracy movement and the decision was made unanimously by over 100 NLD leaders during a meeting today at party headquarters in Rangoon. The NLD, led by the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Recipient, Aung San Suu Kyi, won a landslide victory in the 1990 election, held by the same military regime, which refused to honor the election result and never convened a Parliament.

20 years later, the regime issued a set of electoral laws on March 8, 2010, and officially abolished the 1990 election result. With these laws, NLD was forced to accept the regime’s new constitution, which was written by the regime’s cronies and designed to establish a permanent military dictatorship in Burma. The constitution was then approved by a fraudulent vote in 2008, in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which devastated major parts of the country and claimed more than 140,000 lives. The regime threatened to abolish the NLD if it does not (1) expel Aung San Suu Kyi and other party members who are serving prison terms, (2) contest in the 2010 election, and (3) re-register at the Election Commission within 60 days. Today, with their decision not to register at the Commission, NLD leaders sent a clear message to Than Shwe, paramount leader of the military regime, saying that they will not bow to the pressure and injustices of the regime.

“This is a courageous call by the NLD leaders and I am very proud of them,” says Aung Din, Executive Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. “They all choose to continue to stand together with Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, as well as the people of Burma by rejecting the regime’s sham election. They made history,” continues Aung Din. Ethnic political parties and the people of Burma welcomed the NLD’s decision. The United Nationalities Alliance, a coalition of 12 ethnic political parties that won altogether 67 seats in the 1990 election, announced a few days earlier that they would not participate in the election.

Tensions between the regime and ethnic ceasefire groups at the border areas are extremely high, as well. Several armed ethnic groups have called on the regime to revise its constitution, refused to disband their troops and will not contest in the election. The regime has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers to ethnic minority areas while ethnic troops prepare to protect their homelands.

“The United Nations must intervene in Burma right now,” said Aung Din. “It should reject the regime’s election. It should apply effective pressure on the regime to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and start a meaningful political dialogue. The United Nations also must set up a commission of inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimes humanity in Burma as recommended by Special Rapporteur Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana.” said Aung Din.

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U.S. Campaign for Burma
1444 N Street, NW, #A2
Washington 20005
Tel: (202) 234 8022
Fax: (202) 234 8044
info@uscampaignforburma.org
www.uscampaignforburma.org

U.S. Campaign for Burma

Press Release
March 11, 2010

Media Contact: Jennifer Quigley at (202) 234 8022
Full Report of UN Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana is attached.

(March 11, 2010, Washington, DC and New York) The United States Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in a Southeast Asian country of Burma, today wholeheartedly welcomes and supports the call made by UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Burma, Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana, to the United Nations institutions “to consider the possibility to establish a commission of inquiry with a specific fact finding mandate to address the question of international crimes”[1] in Burma, also known as Myanmar. Mr. Quintana made this call in his report to the current 13^th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is being held in Geneva from March 1^st to 26^th, 2010.

In his 30-page report to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur who visited Burma recently from February 15 to 19, 2010, touches all issues related to human rights violations by the regime, such as incarceration of over 2,200 political prisoners, severe conditions at detention centers, lack of due process of law, lack of freedom of expression, assembly, and association, serious flaws in the regime’s self-created constitution, attacks against civilians in conflict areas, recruitment of child soldiers, discrimination against ethnic minorities, especially the Muslim population, lack of sufficient spending on health and education, ignorance of food crises in Chin States and other areas, and spread of HIV/AIDS among the general population.

The Special Rapporteur concludes that “Given the gross and systematic nature of human rights violations in Myanmar over a period of many years, and the lack of accountability, there is an indication that those human rights violations are the result of a state policy that involves authorities in the executive, military, and judiciary at all levels”. [2]Mr. Quintana recommends that “According to consistent reports, the possibility exists that some of these human rights violations may entail categories of crimes against humanity or war crimes under the terms of the Statue of the International Criminal Court.”[3]

“I am very much encouraged by the recommendation made by Mr. Quintana”, said Aung Din, Executive Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. “This is the first time in the nearly 20 years of UN involvement in my country that an UN official made a credible, meaningful and important recommendation to help transform the situation in Burma. I hope the UN Security Council and other UN institutions will act accordingly to set up a commission of inquiry, suggested by the Special Rapporteur without further delay. This is the time for action”, continues Aung Din.

Burma’s human rights and democracy movement has been calling for many years on the United Nations and the international community to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, conducted by the regime with impunity. Burma’s military regime is among the world’s most brutal dictators, locking up over 2,200 political prisoners while carrying out a scorched-earth war on ethnic minority civilians.  A recent report, entitled “Crimes in Burma”, by Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Law Clinic found that the UN system has well documented compelling evidence that the regime is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity under a climate of impunity, without taking any action.  Mr. Quintana’s predecessor, Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, penned an opinion piece in the New York Times calling on the UN Security Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry that would investigate crimes against humanity in Burma.  [See: “End Burma’s System of Impunity”, New York Times, May 27th, 2009. Pinheiro stated: “The Security Council took similar steps with regard to Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. The situation in Myanmar is equally as critical.”

[1] Progress report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana, A/HRC/13/48, 5 March, page 30, item number 122
[2] Id, Page 29 and 30, item number 121
[3] Id, Page 30, item number 121

U.S. CAMPAIGN FOR BURMA: PRESS RELEASE

MARCH 10, 2010
Media Contact: Jennifer Quigley at (202) 234 8022

(March 10, 2010, Washington, DC and New York) The United States Campaign for Burma today strongly denounces the military regime in Burma that has ruled the Southeast Asian country for nearly five decades, for its failure to release all political prisoners, including 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and banning them from participating in the upcoming election. The regime recently released five laws to govern the process of the election. The Political Parties Registration Law, dated Mar 8, 2010, clearly bans Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and all political prisoners from not only participating in the election, but also from forming and joining a political party. It also forces her party, the National League for Democracy, to dismiss her and other members, who are in prison, from the party, if they want to continue to exist legally within 60 days.

Recently, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon took credit for the regime’s release of these election laws, by saying that “That is what I had been urging the Myanmar authorities to do as soon as possible.” He also said that “without the participation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all key political prisoners, the elections would not be inclusive.”

“There are some international players, who want the regime to hold the election, and who want the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in it. The regime’s election laws clearly prohibits their participation. The international community should remove their focus from the sham election and should apply effective pressure on the regime for the release of all political prisoners in Burma and cease all hostilities against ethnic minorities”, says Aung Din, Executive Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma.

The United Nations, United States, European Union, ASEAN and the international community have been calling for the military regime to initiate a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, her party NLD, and ethnic representatives, for a peaceful political settlement. But the regime has ignored their demands, focusing instead on its own path towards permanent military rule. In 2007, the regime’s handpicked delegates drafted a constitution that enshrines military rule. In May 2008, the regime approved the draft constitution by force and fraud, while the country was devastated by tropical cyclone Nargis, which claimed over 140,000 lives. Now, the military regime is planning to hold the election sometime in 2010 to put the constitution into effect. The constitution also states Burma is to have one army.  To ensure this becomes a reality the regime has been drastically increasing pressure on Burma’s ethnic ceasefire groups to agree to their Border Guard Force plan, which would disarm and disband the majority of these groups, without any political guarantee of ethnic rights.  Tensions are extremely high between the regime’s troops and ethnic ceasefire groups, who refuse to disarm their armed forces. Both sides are preparing for war and the possibility of intensifying civil war in border area is almost certain in the near future.  Efforts by the Chinese government to prevent the regime from attacking the ethnic ceasefire groups and creating instability on China’s western border have proven unsuccessful, concerted international action by the UNSC is necessary to prevent the outbreak of armed conflict in the immediate future.

“This is the time for United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting on Burma and produce an effective resolution, calling for the regime to stop its intimidation and threats against ethnic ceasefire groups and start a genuine negotiation with democracy forces and ethnic representatives to avoid mass protest, instability, and civil war,” continues Aung Din. “Refusal by the regime should lead to an establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma and a ban on arms exports to Burma by the UNSC. I am hoping that President Obama and Secretary Clinton will lead this international initiative without further delay,” said Aung Din.

For Immediate Release:

(Photos, map and additional information from Free Burma Rangers and CIDKP are enclosed and attached)

February 10th, 2010
Contact: Jennifer Quigley (732) 606-7508

(Washington, DC and Bangkok) While Burma’s military regime has been trying to disarm ethnic ceasefire groups at the China-Burma border with its so-called “Border Guard Force” plan, its soldiers have escalated military offensives against ethnic Karen people in eastern Burma this week, destroying not only villages but also a vital mobile health clinic, that sent thousands of villagers and health workers fleeing for their lives.

At 9:00 am on February 8, 2010, 200 soldiers of the regime (from Light Infantry Battalions No. 362 and 367, under No. 10 Military Operational Command) attacked Tee Mu Ta Village in Nyang Lay Bin District, destroying a mobile health clinic and 38 homes of internally displaced families.  Following this, at 6:00 pm on the same day, the regime soldiers continued on to K’Dee Mu Der village and burned the village of 15 homes, a middle school, and a nursery school.  In total, because of these attacks, 50 families from Tee Mu Ta and 30 families from K’Dee Mu Der villages have been forced to flee and are now hiding in the jungle.  Both villages are approximately 100 kilometers from the Thailand-Burma border, the equivalent of a 4-5 day journey by foot across hilly terrain (see attached map).

These attacks follow the previously reported attacks last month on ten villages in Nyang Lay Bin District by Burmese soldiers, in which 4 villagers were shot, one decapitated, sending at least 2000 villagers into hiding (see attached information and photos).

Denial and destruction of health services provided by back-packed health workers, is a key component to the military regime’s ethnic cleansing campaign. For years, humanitarian aid organizations have been denied access to ethnic minority areas of Burma and community-based health workers are routinely targeted by the regime soldiers. Aung Din, Executive Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma said: “Mobile health clinics are always targeted by the regime’s troops because they provide life-saving services to Karen and other ethnic minority villagers, who are under continuous and inhumane attack by the regime. This is a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions and the principal of medical neutrality, further evidence of the regime’s crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

Although the clinic was burned to the ground by the regime soldiers, clinic staff, in hiding with the displaced villagers, is courageously continuing to provide essential services, which include malaria control, treatment to landmine victims, and clean delivery.  In addition to essential medical services, the attack has disrupted the clinic’s village health worker program, malaria control program, reproductive health program, and vitamin A and deworming program for the community. These brave health workers and villagers continue to be at risk of further attacks by the Burmese army.

Aung Din states: “These attacks are further evidence of the urgent need for the United Nations to take effective action to stop war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, perpetrated by the regime with impunity.”

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• FBR REPORT: Photos of Families Fleeing, Burma Army, and a Villager Killed (1 February, 2010)
• FBR REPORT: Photos from One of the Areas (Kweh Der, Ler Doh) Attacked by Burma Army (29 January, 2010)
• FBR REPORT: Update of Burma Army attacks, murders, displacements and forced labor in Karen state (21 January, 2010)