“Where is the international community? Why are countries turning a blind eye to the suffering of the people in Burma?”
Dear John
“Where is the international community? Why are countries turning a blind eye to the suffering of the people in Burma?”
This is what community activists from Burma are asking. Every day this week the Burmese military has been launching intense airstrikes against civilians in Karen State, Burma. Before dropping the bombs, they use drones to identify targets, including civilians hiding in the jungle. Villagers are living in constant fear and have to keep moving from hiding place to hiding place.
There are currently around 200,000 displaced civilians in Karen State alone and more than 700,000 people who have been forced from their homes across Burma. The majority have been forced to flee because of air strikes or the threat of air strikes.
“Stopping supplies of aviation fuel must be a priority as ending airstrikes is probably the single most effective action that can be taken to stop mass displacement and the humanitarian crisis being created by airstrikes”.
International Karen Organisation
Local communities are calling for international action. They want sanctions to stop the supply of aviation fuel to the military. If the jets can’t fly, they can’t bomb.
Villagers from Karen State forced to flee airstrikes by the Burmese military appeal for action.
Last month the UK brought in a new round of sanctions targeting Burmese arms brokers and Russian aircraft parts suppliers for supplying equipment to the Burmese military. This is very welcome but more needs to be done, and with much greater urgency.
The human rights and humanitarian crisis in Burma needs a much faster British government response and stopping the supply of aviation fuel to the Burmese military must be a top priority.
Burma doesn’t manufacture aviation fuel. It depends on imports.
