Media Advisory For Immediate Release: February 1st, 2021 In the early hours of February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military detained Burmese de facto leader Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures from her ruling party. The Myanmar military’s move comes after days of escalating threats to the civilian government by … Read more
International Campaign for the Rohingya Applauds Dayton City Commission for Passage of World’s First End Genocide Resolution For Immediate Release: December 30th, 2020 The International Campaign for the Rohingya applauds the Commission of the City of Dayton for its unanimous passage of world’s first municipal resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Matt Joseph, both condemning genocide and … Read more
Press Advisory: December 30th, 2020 Tonight, Dayton (Ohio) City Commissioner Matt Joseph will introduce a world’s first municipal resolution condemning genocide and other crimes against humanity. This Dayton End Genocide Resolution also affirms the City of Dayton’s duty to educate about and help end genocide and other crimes against humanity. The resolution further recognizes the … Read more
October 20, 2020 The Honorable Michael R. PompeoSecretary of StateU.S. Department of State2201 C Street NWWashington, D.C. 20520 Dear Secretary Pompeo, We write to you as 34 organizations deeply concerned about the plight of the Rohingya people. We are grateful that the United States will be co-hosting a global donor conference this month to rally … Read more
Media Release From International Campaign for the Rohingya For Immediate Release: June 5th, 2020 Kirin Seeking “Alternatives” to its Partnerships with Myanmar Military As part of its “strategic review” of its operations in Myanmar, Kirin announced today that it is “exploring alternative structural options” for the ownership of its breweries in Myanmar. Kirin’s breweries in … Read more
We can pressure Kirin every day without even leaving our homes. Here’s how to do it. To recap, Kirin is in joint ventures, Myanmar Breweries and Mandalay Brewery, with the Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL), a Burmese military-owned conglomerate. Through its joint ventures, Kirin is legitimizing and funding the Myanmar military as it faces charges … Read more
Press Release: January 23, 2020 International Community Must Press Myanmar to Comply With International Court of Justice Ruling International Campaign for the Rohingya today welcomed the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for provisional measures to be taken by the government of Burma to prevent what the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar described … Read more
Media Release From Burma Campaign UK and International Campaign for the Rohingya For Immediate Release: Tuesday 7th January 2020 Western Union Drops Military Myawaddy Bank As Its Agent Burma Campaign UK and International Campaign for the Rohingya today welcomed notification from Western Union that it has stopped using the military-owned Myawaddy Bank as one of … Read more
Press Release: December 18, 2019 With Its Acquisition, New Belgium Joins the Growing Boycott of Kirin Brands International Campaign for the Rohingya deplores the decision yesterday by New Belgium shareholders to approve the company’s acquisition by Japanese mega-brewer Kirin. “With this decision, New Belgium and its flagship beer, Fat Tire, will join the growing boycott … Read more
Press Release: December 10, 2019 US sanctions Burma army chief Min Aung Hlaing International Campaign for the Rohingya welcomes the announcement today by the U.S. Treasury Department that it has added Burma’s army chief, Min Aung Hlaing, to the list of those individuals sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act. “This sanction of Burma’s army chief, … 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