BURMA: Letter to Secretary Blinken on Airstrike That Killed More Than 80 People in Burma’s Kachin State
Re: Open letter from 288 diaspora, community organizations, and NGOs calling for concrete U.S. 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