Take Action Against Human Rights Abuses in Burma
- by: The OH! Campaign
- recipient: The United Nations, the European Union and ASEAN
You might be personally against human rights violation, but your country could be funding the oppression of the Burmese people. What is your stand?
Burma, a country rich in resources, attracts many foreign investors. Large-scale projects are being launched, such as the deep-water sea port in Dawei, hydropower plants and the Burmese section of the Asian Highway. These projects are praised as the catalyst for economic growth in the ASEAN region, as well as bringing economic prosperity to Burma.
However, the media reports have only told one side of the story. What no one seems to want to acknowledge is that these projects are contributing towards increased violence and abuse against the oppressed peoples of Burma, including struggling ethnic minorities such as the Karen, the Mon, the Kachin and the Shan. Land is being confiscated sans compensation, creating thousands of Internally Displaced People living without shelter, food or even clean water.
The Burmese military army is also pushing deeper into the jungle %u2013 attacking villages, raping women, kidnapping children and forcing people into slavery %u2013 so as to free up land for these big projects.
Since Burma has no strict anti-pollution laws, businesses will not have any impetus to run their operations in environmentally-friendly ways. This could cause large-scale devastation, especially since the Dawei seaport plans to include oil refineries, steel mills, petrochemical complexes, fertiliser factories and shipbuilding yards, etc.
It is unacceptable that the international community has done so little in the face of so much torture and suffering. Economic sanctions will be futile as long as there are so many foreign investors willing to pour billions of dollars into ventures in Burma.
The international community should no longer turn a blind eye to the terror perpetuated by the Burmese government and private companies, and do more to bring about an end to such brutality.
We, the undersigned, find it unacceptable that the violence and human rights abuses in Burma are not only going unchecked, but are being funded by multi-billion-dollar business agreements by international investors.
Big projects such as the Dawei deep-water sea port, hydropower plants and the Burmese section of the Asian Highway, are heralded as ushering Burma into a new era of prosperity. These projects promise increased job opportunities for the Burmese people, as well as increased revenue for the country.
However, behind the promises of wealth and progress, these large-scale projects are robbing the people of Burma of their lands and livelihoods, creating thousands of Internally Displaced People living without shelter, food or clean water. Military violence is also escalating as villagers are killed or coerced into labour. On top of that, lack of anti-pollution laws would further contribute towards the environmental devastation of Burma%u2019s landscape.
We do not believe that economic prosperity should be gained at the expense of the oppressed or of the environment. We call on international governments and organizations to pressure the Burmese government into stopping this cruel violence and oppression. We also ask for the companies and corporations investing in Burmese projects to be transparent and accountable on issues such as human rights and the environment.
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