It’s night in Myanmar now and the military is cracking down violently. In Myitkyina in Kachin State, soldiers have fired on pro-democracy protesters. All over Myanmar, the military has shut down the Internet and deployed armored vehicles apparently for use in mass arrests. Today, please strike back at this military crackdown by taking the following five … Read more
Tomorow is Valentine’s Day. It’s the biggest day for gifts of jewelry second only to Christmas. This weekend, let’s send a strong message to luxury jeweler Harry Winston, and its owner Swatch, to stop selling Burmese gems that profit Myanmar’s military. Sign our petition to Harry Winston demanding that it stop supporting the Myanmar military. For … Read more
It’s now Day 11 of the 2/1/21 Myanmar coup. Thank you for – in your thousands! – signing our petitions, turning up for protests, contacting your elected representatives, and, all the while, sharing everything you do on social media. Because of your actions, US President Joe Biden announced yesterday that the US will impose sanctions on … Read more
It’s now Day 10 of the 2/1/21 Myanmar coup. Today, we invite you to follow the money of the Myanmar military. We are still a trigger-point away from Burmese soldiers brutally cracking down on the pro-democracy demonstrators. In 1988, and again in 2007, the Myanmar military fired on peaceful protestors killing thousands. Thus far it appears our … Read more
It’s now Day 9 of the 2/1/21 Myanmar coup. When I woke this morning, I heard on NPR that the Myanmar military has started firing rubber bullets at protesters. We are a trigger-point away from Burmese soldiers brutally cracking down on the pro-democracy demonstrators. In 1988, and again in 2007, the Myanmar army fired on peaceful … Read more
Each morning I wake up and immediately check the news. I breathe a sign of relief when I learn that the military has not brutally cracked down on the pro-democracy demonstrators. In 1988, and again in 2007, the Myanmar army brutally cracked down on peaceful protestors killing thousands. Today, let’s all take the four actions outlined … Read more
International Campaign for the Rohingya & Burma Campaign UK For Immediate Release: 8 February 2021 Cloudflare Must Terminate Its Services For the Myanmar Military In the wake of the Myanmar military’s February 1st coup d’etat, Burma Campaign UK and International Campaign for the Rohingya today demanded American web services company Cloudflare terminate its services for … Read more
It’s now Day 7 of the 2/1/21 Myanmar coup. Today, people took to the streets throughout Myanmar in opposition to the military coup. In the biggest protests since the 2007 Saffron Revolution, Myanmar’s new and globally connected #2121Generation is facing down the Burmese police and soldiers. In cities around the world, people are holding protests outside Myanmar embassies … Read more
It’s now Day 6 of the #2121MyanmarCoup. As I write this blog, I’m seeing on Twitter and Facebook video of brave Burmese citizens on the streets facing down Myanmar police and soldiers. In an attempt to quell the protests of this new #2121Generation, the Myanmar military is now shutting down the Internet and phone lines. The … Read more
Media Advisory For Immediate Release: February 5th, 2021 In the wake of past genocide against the Rohingya, ongoing mass atrocities against other ethnic minorities, and recent army coup d’etat, the Myanmar military finally stepped too far for its business partner, Kirin Holdings of Japan. Kirin announced today that it would end its business partnerships with … Read more
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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.
Simon Billenness