This week, the Gainesville City Commission is set to bring up a resolution affirming its opposition to genocide. There are a few reasons this is important.
First of all, it provides the city a chance to promote the values of the people who live here. It also provides an opportunity to educate the community about the problem of genocide and other crimes against humanity that are occurring today.
The United States has a long tradition of this kind of action. During the American Revolution, towns passed similar resolutions boycotting goods made in Britain. The Boston Tea Party is the most famous example of this. Efforts to boycott goods made in Britain helped win the war.
More recently, actions have been taken by towns and localities to express opposition to apartheid in South Africa, outrage at the genocide in Darfur and to do more to combat climate change. These are all international issues that have been tackled by local communities. This is the pure essence of the “think global, act local” mentality.
While we think of genocide as something that happened a long time ago, in a place far away, that is just not true. Genocide Watch has issued genocide emergencies, warnings and watches for 16 countries. Moreover, American companies such as Chevron, Apple and Nike are either actively funding or profiting from crimes against humanity.
Chevron is the biggest corporate investor in Myanmar (Burma). It owns the Yadana gas field and pipeline, which makes billion of dollars for the Myanmar military. That military has committed genocide against the Rohingya and, on Feb. 1, orchestrated a coup. Since then, they have murdered more than 250 peaceful protestors.
Since 2017, more than 1 million people have been detained in China and put in forced labor camps. These people include Uyghurs, Kazaks, Kyrgyz and Hui minorities. They are kept under constant surveillance and have no freedom. They are responsible for processing 20% of the cotton used by the global apparel industry.
Nike shoes are made in these forced labor camps. Apple uniforms are made there, too. The region supplies the world with more than just cotton. It also produces sugar, tomatoes, coal and polysilicon. Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola and other American companies lobbied against the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act last year.
Closer to home, Genocide Watch put out a report on the United States earlier this year. Genocide Watch has documented a set list of steps all genocides follow. They report that former President Donald Trump had started all of them but the process was stopped by constraints within the U.S. Constitution, but warns that we are not immune from such horrors.
They conclude, “The parallels to Nazism should make your blood run cold. Trump has promoted policies that are chillingly similar to Nazi policies. He is supported by neo-Nazis and Congressmen and Senators too cowardly to oppose him … Make no mistake about it. The January 6th invasion of the Capitol was the prelude to a Trump attempted coup d’état. By a 232 to 197 vote to impeach supported by only ten Republican Congresspersons, Trump was stopped. For now. Take Trump’s intended insurrection seriously. It (genocide) can happen here.”
Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
That is as true today as it was then.
Gainesville is a diverse and welcoming place. It’s progressive outlook and people make it uniquely situated to lead the country on this important issue.
Alyson Chadwick is a digital campaign strategist with No Business with Genocide and the International Campaign for the Rohingya.
Petition to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO)
We, the undersigned, representing concerned citizens, civil society organizations, and advocates for human rights, urgently call upon theUnited Nations Security Council (UNSC)and theInternationalLabour Organization (ILO)to take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis resulting from the forced conscription law imposed by the military junta in Myanmar.
Background:
OnFebruary 10, 2024, the military junta in Myanmar announced its illegitimate enforcement of the People’s Military Service Law (Nº 27/2010), compelling up to 50,000 people per year to serve in the military for up to five years. This forced conscription isa blatant violation ofinternational law and fundamental human rights, threatening peace, stability, and the well-being of the people of Myanmar. It poses a significant threat in Myanmar and the region for several reasons:
Illegitimate military:The Myanmar military began an attempted coup in February 2021, and since then has no longer been working in service to the nation of Myanmar. Rather, it now operates under the command of an unelected and illegitimate military junta. Under this leadership, the military has launched a nationwide campaign of heinous crimes against the people of Myanmar in an attempt to suppress and control them. To date, the military haskilledover4,500 people, andarrestedmore than26,000including the President, State Counsellor, elected members of parliament, journalists, pro-democracy activists, religious leaders and others. Over 20,000 remain incarcerated. The military has committed massacres, indiscriminate airstrikes, artillery shelling, sexual and gender-based violence, mass torture and mass arson. As a result,2.4 million peoplehave fled their homes since the attempted coup began.
Forced Conscription of Women, Children, Professionals and Retirees:The junta’s decision to use conscription is widely understood among Myanmar people as a desperate attempt to compensate for its growing combat losses and defections. The junta’s State Administration Council (SAC) will forcibly recruit civilians, includingmenaged18-35 years,womenaged18-27 yearsand professionals such as doctors and engineers. Those who refuse will facea five-year jailterm. This adds to the junta’s illegitimate use of other forms of forced recruitment such as the Reserve Forces Law (2010) under which wives and children of soldiers aged over 15 are currently forced to undergo military training and retired or discharged military personnel are forced to serve for unspecified lengths of time. The junta’s forced recruitment is an extreme measure, particularly in relation to children and retirement aged people. Further, the forced recruitment of young women is especially egregious given the junta’s ongoing use of sexual violence.
Exacerbation of Violence:
The implementation of forced conscription by the military junta escalates the already unprecedented violence in Myanmar. As the junta faces growing resistance from democratic forces, it resorts to forced conscription as a means of psychological warfare to terrorize the population into submission. This escalation of violence further destabilises the country and heightens tensions within communities. (1)
Use of Human Shields and Atrocities:
The military junta has a track record of using civilians, including women and children, as human shields, minesweepers, and porters. Forcing conscription provides the junta with a ready pool of recruits to exploit in these dangerous roles, exposing them to the risk of abuse, torture, and even death.
Moreover, the junta’s history of committing atrocities, including sexual violence against women, raises serious concerns about the safety and well-being of those subjected to forced conscription.
Civilian Backlash and Fallout:
The announcement of forced conscription has triggered a major backlash among Myanmar’s civilian population, leading to widespread fear, anger, and resistance. Many young people are considering drastic measures to evade conscription, such as fleeing the country or joining resistance forces. This mass opposition to conscription is likely to further destabilize the country and contribute to social unrest
Humanitarian Crisis and Refugee Outflow: Forced conscription has already led to a rush of people seeking to leave Myanmar, leading to overcrowding and chaos at border crossings. This mass exodus poses humanitarian challenges for neighbouring countries and increases the risk of conflict spillover. Moreover, the targeting of specific ethnic and religious groups, such as the Rohingya, for conscription further exacerbates existing tensions and raises concerns about potential genocide or ethnic cleansing.
Petition:
1. We call upon theUnited Nations Security Council (UNSC)to:
Immediately convene an emergency meeting to address the crisis in Myanmar and propose a binding resolution under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
Directly address the Myanmar crisis with relevant partners to manage its consequences, as relying solely on ASEAN has proven ineffective and contributed to escalating regional instability in Southeast Asia.
Imposing targeted sanctions especially on providing insurance to jet fuel import; banning the import of jet fuel into Myanmar; and a comprehensive arms embargo against the military junta to halt the enforcement of the Conscription Law and prevent further human rights violations.
Refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court or establish an ad hoc tribunal to hold perpetrators of atrocities accountable.
2. We call upon theInternational Labour Organization (ILO)to:
Reject the forced conscription law imposed by the military junta in Myanmar as a grave violation of international labour standards and fundamental human rights.
Take decisive action against the State Administrative Council (SAC) for illegitimately forcing this law, which has a documented history of committing heinous crimes against humanity, including sexual violence against women, forced portering, and the use of civilians as human shields. Such actions constitute egregious violations of human rights and demand immediate accountability.
Condemn the use of forced labour and take immediate action to investigate and monitor instances of forced conscription in Myanmar.
Provide technical assistance and support to the legitimate government of Myanmar, theNational Unity Government (NUG),Ethnic Representation Organisations (ERO), andcivil society organizationsto address forced labour, protect the rights of affected individuals.
Conclusion:
The forced conscription law imposed by the military junta in Myanmar represents a severe threat to peace, stability, and human security in the region. We urge the United Nations Security Council and the International Labour Organization to act swiftly and decisively to address this crisis and uphold the principles of justice, dignity, and human rights for all.
