BURMA: Letter to Secretary Blinken on Airstrike Killed More than 80 People in Burma’s Kachin State
BURMA: Letter to Secretary Blinken on Airstrike Killed More than 80 People in Burma’s Kachin State

BURMA: Letter to Secretary Blinken on Airstrike Killed More than 80 People in Burma’s Kachin State

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November 1st, 2022

Re: Open letter from 288 diaspora, community organizations, and NGOs calling for concrete US action in response to recent airstrikes in Kachin State and other parts of Burma.

Dear Secretary Blinken and Counselor Chollet,

The October 23rd bombing of a music festival in Burma’s Kachin State has demonstrated once again that Burma’s military junta remains unbound by international law and undeterred from its campaign of unfettered violence that has resulted in repeated atrocities against the people of Burma. 

Hundreds of civilians gathered in Hpakant that Sunday for an evening of festivities as Kachin musicians celebrated the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the Kachin Independence Organization. This celebration became the target of a horrific attack in which at least 80 people were killed, including the Kachin singer performing on stage, after multiple fighter jets dropped bombs on the peaceful gathering. The junta is reportedly refusing to allow medical personnel to bring the wounded to nearby hospitals for treatment, with reports of individuals dying from lack of urgent care – another affront that shows how little the junta cares for civilian lives.

Though this attack was exceedingly horrific, it is far from an isolated incident. Airstrikes are a core component of the junta’s efforts to supplement its increasingly isolated ground forces with a direct campaign against Burmese civilians. Burma’s National Unity Government estimates that the junta has launched over 200 airstrikes since the start of the coup, killing hundreds, destroying dozens of homes, and terrorizing civilians across the country. 

In total, post-coup violence has displaced over 1,000,000 people while the junta has reportedly killed over 2,300 civilians. The junta continues to escalate its indiscriminate attacks on and deliberate targeting of civilians, confident that the international community is too divided and distracted to push back meaningfully against junta’s violent excesses.

It is imperative that the international community end this sense of impunity and demonstrate that committing atrocities does have meaningful costs. The United States must respond to this violence with concrete and decisive action. Condemnations are appreciated, but insufficient as a response to horrors of this magnitude. 

For months, activists in Burma have called for international action that would reduce the junta’s capacity to commit atrocities, deny the junta access to funding, and begin to hold the military accountable for its crimes. In spite of the clarity of these asks from Burmese political leaders in the National Unity Government, Burmese humanitarian and civil society organizations, and the international advocacy community, US policy has failed to meet the demands of the current moment.

We, the undersigned community organizations, NGOs, and those working to promote justice, accountability, and human rights in Burma call on President Biden and his administration to decisively take the following actions:

  1. Restrict junta access to funding: Prevent the junta from receiving the revenues that fund its war of oppression against the people of Burma. Immediately place sanctions on the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise and the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, the main business entities responsible for supplying the junta with foreign currency.
  2. Restrict junta access to jet fuel: Without jet fuel, the junta cannot conduct airstrikes or transport soldiers to remote villages to terrorize local populations. Place sanctions on all companies involved in the provision of jet fuel to Burma’s military and work with international partners, and in particular Singapore, to control the shipment of jet fuel into Burma.
  3. Restrict junta access to arms: The US should push for the tabling of a UN Security Council Resolution that would place a comprehensive and coordinated arms embargo on the junta. The US should also directly sanction companies involved in the supply of arms and dual-use technologies to the junta.
  4. Address junta impunity: Join the Rohingya case at the International Court of Justice and commit to further supporting investigations into junta atrocities at other international fora.

In addition to these immediate actions we urge the Biden Administration to continue to increase its political and material support to opponents of the junta, especially the National Unity Government (NUG), the National Unity Consultative Council, and representatives of the Ethnic Resistance Organizations (EROs). The US should urge ASEAN to engage directly with the NUG and EROs, including by accepting representatives from the NUG as Burma’s representative at ASEAN meetings and forums. 

The US should also work with partners to ensure that humanitarian aid is provided in a way that does not grant legitimacy to the junta, including by providing aid through the NUG and Burmese humanitarian organizations that are unaffiliated with the junta.

The military junta continues to escalate its campaign of depraved violence even as the people of Burma risk their lives to oppose the junta’s brutality and expose its crimes. The people of Burma deserve your full support, and failure to act will simply encourage the junta to continue escalating its attacks on civilians. The US response must rise to meet the moment.

Signed,

  1. Action Against Military Coup
  2. Action Against Myanmar Military Coup Sydney
  3. Albany karen Community
  4. All Burma IT Students’ Union
  5. All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) – Australia Branch, NSW
  6. All Young Burmese League (AYBL), NSW
  7. American Baptist Churches USA
  8. American for Rohingya
  9. American Kachin Community (Portland and Vancouver)
  10. Anti-Myanmar Dictatorship Movement, VIC
  11. Anti-Myanmar Military Dictatorship Network, VIC
  12. Arakan Rohingya Union
  13. Arizona Kachin Community
  14. Association Suisse Birmanie
  15. Associazione per l’Amicizia Italia Birmania
  16. Aung San Suu Kyi Park Norway
  17. Australia Burma Friendship Association, NT
  18. Australian Burmese Muslim Organisation, VIC
  19. Australian Chin Community (E. Melbourne Inc), VIC
  20. Australian Karen Organisation (AKO) ACT Chapter
  21. Australian Karen Organisation (AKO) Queensland
  22. Australian Karen Organisation (AKO) WA Chapter
  23. Australian Karen Organisation (AKO), NSW
  24. Bamar Community Tasmania, TAS
  25. Baptist World Alliance
  26. Bay Area Kachin Community
  27. BMT Counselling, WA
  28. Burma Advocacy Group
  29. Burma Lawyer Council (BLC), NSW
  30. Burma Lawyers’ Council (BLC), QLD
  31. Burma Task Force
  32. Burman Suomalaiset Finland
  33. Burmese American Community Institute (BACI)
  34. Burmese Community – South Australia, SA
  35. Burmese Community Development Collaboration, NSW
  36. Burmese Community Support Group, NSW
  37. Burmese Medical Association Australia, NSW
  38. Burmese Welfare Association of Victoria, VIC
  39. Calgary Karen Community Association (CKCA)
  40. California Kachin Community
  41. Campaign for a New Myanmar
  42. Cantors Assembly
  43. Chin Association of Maryland, Inc
  44. Chin Baptist Association of North America
  45. Chin Community – South Australia, SA
  46. Chin Community in Norway
  47. Chin Community of Western Australia Inc., WA
  48. Chin Community Tasmania, TAS
  49. Chin Leaders of Tomorrow
  50. Chin Youth Organization, WA
  51. Crane Center for Mass Atrocity Prevention
  52. CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
  53. Dallas Kachin Community
  54. DEEKU, the Karenni Community of TX
  55. Democratic Party for a New Society, Norway
  56. EarthRights International
  57. Edmonton Karen Community Youth Organization
  58. Emgage Action
  59. Falam Community – South Australia, SA
  60. Florida Kachin Community
  61. Fortify Rights
  62. Free Myanmar Inc
  63. Friends of Rohingya USA
  64. Georgia Kachin Community
  65. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
  66. Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy
  67. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
  68. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution Japan
  69. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution Korea
  70. Global Witness
  71. Helping Hands Burma
  72. Houston Kachin Community
  73. Industrial Training Centre (ITC) Family Sydney, NSW
  74. Institute for Asian Democracy
  75. Institute of Chin Affairs, WA
  76. International Association, Myanmar Switzerland
  77. International Campaign for the Rohingya
  78. International Karen Organisation
  79. Iowa Kachin Community
  80. Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
  81. Japan Myanmar Help Network
  82. Jewish Rohingya Justice Network
  83. Justice for Myanmar, Hope and Peace, NSW
  84. K’cho Ethnic Association 
  85. Kachin Alliance
  86. Kachin American Community (Portland-Vancouver)
  87. Kachin Association Australia, NSW
  88. Kachin Association Norway
  89. Kachin Association of Australia WA Inc., WA
  90. Kachin Baptist Churches USA
  91. Kachin Community of Indiana
  92. Kachin Community of USA
  93. Kachin Cultural and Literature Association
  94. Kansas Karenni Community, KS
  95. Karen American Association of Wisconsin
  96. Karen Association of Huron, SD
  97. Karen Baptist Churches USA
  98. Karen Community – South Australia, SA
  99. Karen Community of Akron, OH
  100. Karen Community of Austin, Texas
  101. Karen Community of Canada (KCC)
  102. Karen Community of Czech Republic
  103. Karen Community of Finland
  104. Karen Community of Hamilton
  105. Karen Community of Iowa, IA
  106. Karen Community of Ireland
  107. Karen Community of Israel
  108. Karen Community of Kansas City, KS & MO
  109. Karen Community of Kitchener & Waterloo
  110. Karen Community of Leamington
  111. Karen Community of Lethbridge
  112. Karen Community of London
  113. Karen Community of Louisville, KY
  114. Karen Community of Minnesota
  115. Karen Community of North Carolina
  116. Karen Community of Ottawa
  117. Karen Community of Regina
  118. Karen Community of Saskatoon
  119. Karen Community of Syracuse, NY
  120. Karen Community of Thunderbay
  121. Karen Community of Toronto
  122. Karen Community of Windsor
  123. Karen Community of Winnipeg
  124. Karen Community Society of British Columbia (KCSBC)
  125. Karen Organization of America
  126. Karen Organization of Illinois, IL
  127. Karen Society of Buffalo
  128. Karen Society of Nebraska
  129. Karen Thai Group
  130. Karen Youth Education Pathways
  131. Karen Youth Networks
  132. Karen Youth of Norway
  133. Karen Youth of Toronto
  134. Karen Youth Organization
  135. Karenni Association – Norway
  136. Karenni Baptist Convention of America
  137. Karenni Community of Amarillo, TX
  138. Karenni Community of Arizona
  139. Karenni Community of Arkansas
  140. Karenni Community of Austin, TX
  141. Karenni Community of Bowling Green, KY
  142. Karenni Community of Buffalo, NY
  143. Karenni Community of Chicago, IL
  144. Karenni Community of Colorado
  145. Karenni Community of Connecticut
  146. Karenni Community of Dallas, TX
  147. Karenni community of Des Moines, IA
  148. Karenni Community of Florida
  149. Karenni Community of Fort Wayne, IN
  150. Karenni Community of Fort Worth, TX
  151. Karenni Community of Georgia
  152. Karenni Community of Grand Rapid, MI
  153. Karenni Community of Houston, TX
  154. Karenni Community of Idaho
  155. Karenni Community of Indianapolis, IN
  156. Karenni Community of Lansing, MI
  157. Karenni Community of Lousiville, KY
  158. Karenni Community of Massachusetts
  159. Karenni community of Minnesota
  160. Karenni Community of Missouri
  161. Karenni Community of New Jersey
  162. Karenni Community of North Carolina
  163. Karenni Community of Portland, OR
  164. Karenni Community of Rockford, IL
  165. Karenni Community of San Antonio, TX
  166. Karenni Community of Sioux Falls, SD
  167. Karenni Community of Utah
  168. Karenni Community of Utica, NY
  169. Karenni Community of Washington
  170. Karenni Community of Wisconsin
  171. Karenni Community, VIC
  172. Karenni Society Finland
  173. Karenni Society of Omaha, NE
  174. Karenni Youth of Minnesota, MN
  175. Karenni-American Association
  176. Karenni-American Catholic Association
  177. Karenni/Kayah Community, WA
  178. Kayahlilaykloe, Austin, MN
  179. Kayin Community Tasmania, TAS
  180. Kentucky Kachin Community
  181. Korea Karen Organization
  182. Korea Karen Youth Organization
  183. L’chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty
  184. Louisiana Kachin Community
  185. Maryland Kachin Community
  186. Matu Burma Foundation
  187. Matu Chin Community – NSW
  188. Matu Chin Community – South Australia, SA
  189. Me Boun Foundation
  190. Michigan Kachin Community
  191. Mindat Chin Community, NSW
  192. Mindat Community – South Australia, SA
  193. Minnesota Kachin Community
  194. Mizo Community – South Australia, SA
  195. Mizo Society of America (MSA)
  196. Mon Families Group, VIC
  197. Mon National Council (MNC), ACT
  198. Mon National Council (MNC), NSW
  199. Myanmar Action Group Denmark
  200. Myanmar Baptist Churches in Norway
  201. Myanmar Baptist Churches USA (MBC,USA)
  202. Myanmar Campaign Network
  203. Myanmar Catholic Community In Norway
  204. Myanmar Community Coffs Harbour (MCC), NSW
  205. Myanmar Community in Norway
  206. Myanmar Democracy and Peace Committee, VIC
  207. Myanmar Democratic Movement (MDM), WA
  208. Myanmar Diaspora Group Finland
  209. Myanmar Engineering Association of Australia
  210. Myanmar Hindu Community – Norway
  211. Myanmar Muslim Organization – Norway
  212. Myanmar Professionals Association Australia, NSW
  213. Myanmar Refugee Policy Group
  214. Myanmar Solidarity Platform
  215. Myanmar Students’ Association Australia, NSW
  216. Myanmar Students’ Association Australia, QLD
  217. Never Again Coalition
  218. New York City Burmese Community
  219. New York Kachin Community
  220. NLD Organization Committee (Int’l) Norway
  221. NLD Solidarity Association (Australia), QLD
  222. NLD Solidarity Association (Australia), VIC
  223. NLD Solidarity Association (NSW chapter), NSW
  224. No Business with Genocide
  225. North Carolina Kachin Community
  226. Norway Falam Community
  227. Norway Matu Community
  228. Norway Rvwang Community
  229. NSW Karenni (Kayah) Communities, NSW
  230. Omaha Kachin Community
  231. Oversea Karen Organization Japan 
  232. Overseas Burmese Christian Fellowship (Allston)
  233. Patriotic War Veterans of Burma (PWVB), QLD
  234. Peace and Justice Committee of Chin Baptist Churches USA
  235. Pennsylvania Kachin Community
  236. Perth Myanmar Youth Network, WA
  237. Pyit Taing Htaung Social Club, WA
  238. Queensland Kachin Community (QKC), QLD
  239. Queensland Myanmar Youth Collective, QLD
  240. Queensland Rohingya Community, QLD
  241. Red Campaign Nirvana Exhortation Group, WA
  242. Remonya Association of WA (Mon Community)
  243. Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
  244. Rochester Karenni Community, NY
  245. Rohingya American Society, Milwaukee, WI, USA
  246. Rohingya Community in Norway
  247. Rohingya Cultural Center of Chicago, IL, USA
  248. Rohingya Society of Greater Nashua, NH, USA
  249. Rohingya Student Network
  250. Rohingya Student Unity Rights
  251. Save Myanmar San Francisco
  252. Save Myanmar USA
  253. Shwe Youth Democratic Alliance (SYDA), VIC
  254. Society for Humanistic Judaism
  255. Sons and Daughters of Khmer
  256. South Carolina Kachin Community
  257. STAND
  258. Students for a Free Burma
  259. Sydney Friends for Myanmar Unity, NSW
  260. Tennessee Kachin Community
  261. The New York Board of Rabbis
  262. The Sentry
  263. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
  264. United States Campaign for Burma
  265. United States Chin Coalition
  266. Utica Karen Community
  267. Victoria Myanmar Muslim Community Inc., VIC
  268. Victorian Myanmar Youth (VMY), VIC
  269. Virginia Kachin Community
  270. Washington Kachin Community
  271. We Are One (Oregon)
  272. We Pledge CDM (Australia), NSW
  273. West Virginia Kachin Community
  274. Western Australia Myanmar Community, WA
  275. Western Australia Myanmar Democracy Network
  276. Women Activists Myanmar
  277. World Rohingya Organization, Jackson Height, NY
  278. Youth for democratization of Myanmar (UDM)
  279. Zo Christian Church of Logansport.
  280. Zo Community – South Australia, SA
  281. Zo National Fundraising Committee (ZNFC)
  282. Zomi Association Australia Inc., NSW
  283. Zomi Association Australia Inc., VIC
  284. Zomi Christian Fellowship of Norway
  285. Zomi Community – South Australia, SA
  286. Zomi Community Norway
  287. Zomi Community Queensland, QLD
  288. Zomi Unnkuan Portland, Oregon