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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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,
- Action Against Military Coup
- Action Against Myanmar Military Coup Sydney
- Albany karen Community
- All Burma IT Students’ Union
- All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) – Australia Branch, NSW
- All Young Burmese League (AYBL), NSW
- American Baptist Churches USA
- American for Rohingya
- American Kachin Community (Portland and Vancouver)
- Anti-Myanmar Dictatorship Movement, VIC
- Anti-Myanmar Military Dictatorship Network, VIC
- Arakan Rohingya Union
- Arizona Kachin Community
- Association Suisse Birmanie
- Associazione per l’Amicizia Italia Birmania
- Aung San Suu Kyi Park Norway
- Australia Burma Friendship Association, NT
- Australian Burmese Muslim Organisation, VIC
- Australian Chin Community (E. Melbourne Inc), VIC
- Australian Karen Organisation (AKO) ACT Chapter
- Australian Karen Organisation (AKO) Queensland
- Australian Karen Organisation (AKO) WA Chapter
- Australian Karen Organisation (AKO), NSW
- Bamar Community Tasmania, TAS
- Baptist World Alliance
- Bay Area Kachin Community
- BMT Counselling, WA
- Burma Advocacy Group
- Burma Lawyer Council (BLC), NSW
- Burma Lawyers’ Council (BLC), QLD
- Burma Task Force
- Burman Suomalaiset Finland
- Burmese American Community Institute (BACI)
- Burmese Community – South Australia, SA
- Burmese Community Development Collaboration, NSW
- Burmese Community Support Group, NSW
- Burmese Medical Association Australia, NSW
- Burmese Welfare Association of Victoria, VIC
- Calgary Karen Community Association (CKCA)
- California Kachin Community
- Campaign for a New Myanmar
- Cantors Assembly
- Chin Association of Maryland, Inc
- Chin Baptist Association of North America
- Chin Community – South Australia, SA
- Chin Community in Norway
- Chin Community of Western Australia Inc., WA
- Chin Community Tasmania, TAS
- Chin Leaders of Tomorrow
- Chin Youth Organization, WA
- Crane Center for Mass Atrocity Prevention
- CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
- Dallas Kachin Community
- DEEKU, the Karenni Community of TX
- Democratic Party for a New Society, Norway
- EarthRights International
- Edmonton Karen Community Youth Organization
- Emgage Action
- Falam Community – South Australia, SA
- Florida Kachin Community
- Fortify Rights
- Free Myanmar Inc
- Friends of Rohingya USA
- Georgia Kachin Community
- Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
- Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution Japan
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution Korea
- Global Witness
- Helping Hands Burma
- Houston Kachin Community
- Industrial Training Centre (ITC) Family Sydney, NSW
- Institute for Asian Democracy
- Institute of Chin Affairs, WA
- International Association, Myanmar Switzerland
- International Campaign for the Rohingya
- International Karen Organisation
- Iowa Kachin Community
- Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
- Japan Myanmar Help Network
- Jewish Rohingya Justice Network
- Justice for Myanmar, Hope and Peace, NSW
- K’cho Ethnic Association
- Kachin Alliance
- Kachin American Community (Portland-Vancouver)
- Kachin Association Australia, NSW
- Kachin Association Norway
- Kachin Association of Australia WA Inc., WA
- Kachin Baptist Churches USA
- Kachin Community of Indiana
- Kachin Community of USA
- Kachin Cultural and Literature Association
- Kansas Karenni Community, KS
- Karen American Association of Wisconsin
- Karen Association of Huron, SD
- Karen Baptist Churches USA
- Karen Community – South Australia, SA
- Karen Community of Akron, OH
- Karen Community of Austin, Texas
- Karen Community of Canada (KCC)
- Karen Community of Czech Republic
- Karen Community of Finland
- Karen Community of Hamilton
- Karen Community of Iowa, IA
- Karen Community of Ireland
- Karen Community of Israel
- Karen Community of Kansas City, KS & MO
- Karen Community of Kitchener & Waterloo
- Karen Community of Leamington
- Karen Community of Lethbridge
- Karen Community of London
- Karen Community of Louisville, KY
- Karen Community of Minnesota
- Karen Community of North Carolina
- Karen Community of Ottawa
- Karen Community of Regina
- Karen Community of Saskatoon
- Karen Community of Syracuse, NY
- Karen Community of Thunderbay
- Karen Community of Toronto
- Karen Community of Windsor
- Karen Community of Winnipeg
- Karen Community Society of British Columbia (KCSBC)
- Karen Organization of America
- Karen Organization of Illinois, IL
- Karen Society of Buffalo
- Karen Society of Nebraska
- Karen Thai Group
- Karen Youth Education Pathways
- Karen Youth Networks
- Karen Youth of Norway
- Karen Youth of Toronto
- Karen Youth Organization
- Karenni Association – Norway
- Karenni Baptist Convention of America
- Karenni Community of Amarillo, TX
- Karenni Community of Arizona
- Karenni Community of Arkansas
- Karenni Community of Austin, TX
- Karenni Community of Bowling Green, KY
- Karenni Community of Buffalo, NY
- Karenni Community of Chicago, IL
- Karenni Community of Colorado
- Karenni Community of Connecticut
- Karenni Community of Dallas, TX
- Karenni community of Des Moines, IA
- Karenni Community of Florida
- Karenni Community of Fort Wayne, IN
- Karenni Community of Fort Worth, TX
- Karenni Community of Georgia
- Karenni Community of Grand Rapid, MI
- Karenni Community of Houston, TX
- Karenni Community of Idaho
- Karenni Community of Indianapolis, IN
- Karenni Community of Lansing, MI
- Karenni Community of Lousiville, KY
- Karenni Community of Massachusetts
- Karenni community of Minnesota
- Karenni Community of Missouri
- Karenni Community of New Jersey
- Karenni Community of North Carolina
- Karenni Community of Portland, OR
- Karenni Community of Rockford, IL
- Karenni Community of San Antonio, TX
- Karenni Community of Sioux Falls, SD
- Karenni Community of Utah
- Karenni Community of Utica, NY
- Karenni Community of Washington
- Karenni Community of Wisconsin
- Karenni Community, VIC
- Karenni Society Finland
- Karenni Society of Omaha, NE
- Karenni Youth of Minnesota, MN
- Karenni-American Association
- Karenni-American Catholic Association
- Karenni/Kayah Community, WA
- Kayahlilaykloe, Austin, MN
- Kayin Community Tasmania, TAS
- Kentucky Kachin Community
- Korea Karen Organization
- Korea Karen Youth Organization
- L’chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty
- Louisiana Kachin Community
- Maryland Kachin Community
- Matu Burma Foundation
- Matu Chin Community – NSW
- Matu Chin Community – South Australia, SA
- Me Boun Foundation
- Michigan Kachin Community
- Mindat Chin Community, NSW
- Mindat Community – South Australia, SA
- Minnesota Kachin Community
- Mizo Community – South Australia, SA
- Mizo Society of America (MSA)
- Mon Families Group, VIC
- Mon National Council (MNC), ACT
- Mon National Council (MNC), NSW
- Myanmar Action Group Denmark
- Myanmar Baptist Churches in Norway
- Myanmar Baptist Churches USA (MBC,USA)
- Myanmar Campaign Network
- Myanmar Catholic Community In Norway
- Myanmar Community Coffs Harbour (MCC), NSW
- Myanmar Community in Norway
- Myanmar Democracy and Peace Committee, VIC
- Myanmar Democratic Movement (MDM), WA
- Myanmar Diaspora Group Finland
- Myanmar Engineering Association of Australia
- Myanmar Hindu Community – Norway
- Myanmar Muslim Organization – Norway
- Myanmar Professionals Association Australia, NSW
- Myanmar Refugee Policy Group
- Myanmar Solidarity Platform
- Myanmar Students’ Association Australia, NSW
- Myanmar Students’ Association Australia, QLD
- Never Again Coalition
- New York City Burmese Community
- New York Kachin Community
- NLD Organization Committee (Int’l) Norway
- NLD Solidarity Association (Australia), QLD
- NLD Solidarity Association (Australia), VIC
- NLD Solidarity Association (NSW chapter), NSW
- No Business with Genocide
- North Carolina Kachin Community
- Norway Falam Community
- Norway Matu Community
- Norway Rvwang Community
- NSW Karenni (Kayah) Communities, NSW
- Omaha Kachin Community
- Oversea Karen Organization Japan
- Overseas Burmese Christian Fellowship (Allston)
- Patriotic War Veterans of Burma (PWVB), QLD
- Peace and Justice Committee of Chin Baptist Churches USA
- Pennsylvania Kachin Community
- Perth Myanmar Youth Network, WA
- Pyit Taing Htaung Social Club, WA
- Queensland Kachin Community (QKC), QLD
- Queensland Myanmar Youth Collective, QLD
- Queensland Rohingya Community, QLD
- Red Campaign Nirvana Exhortation Group, WA
- Remonya Association of WA (Mon Community)
- Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
- Rochester Karenni Community, NY
- Rohingya American Society, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Rohingya Community in Norway
- Rohingya Cultural Center of Chicago, IL, USA
- Rohingya Society of Greater Nashua, NH, USA
- Rohingya Student Network
- Rohingya Student Unity Rights
- Save Myanmar San Francisco
- Save Myanmar USA
- Shwe Youth Democratic Alliance (SYDA), VIC
- Society for Humanistic Judaism
- Sons and Daughters of Khmer
- South Carolina Kachin Community
- STAND
- Students for a Free Burma
- Sydney Friends for Myanmar Unity, NSW
- Tennessee Kachin Community
- The New York Board of Rabbis
- The Sentry
- Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
- United States Campaign for Burma
- United States Chin Coalition
- Utica Karen Community
- Victoria Myanmar Muslim Community Inc., VIC
- Victorian Myanmar Youth (VMY), VIC
- Virginia Kachin Community
- Washington Kachin Community
- We Are One (Oregon)
- We Pledge CDM (Australia), NSW
- West Virginia Kachin Community
- Western Australia Myanmar Community, WA
- Western Australia Myanmar Democracy Network
- Women Activists Myanmar
- World Rohingya Organization, Jackson Height, NY
- Youth for democratization of Myanmar (UDM)
- Zo Christian Church of Logansport.
- Zo Community – South Australia, SA
- Zo National Fundraising Committee (ZNFC)
- Zomi Association Australia Inc., NSW
- Zomi Association Australia Inc., VIC
- Zomi Christian Fellowship of Norway
- Zomi Community – South Australia, SA
- Zomi Community Norway
- Zomi Community Queensland, QLD
- Zomi Unnkuan Portland, Oregon