Burmese Rohingya Organization UK stands in solidarity with citizens of Myanmar in resisting the military coup with the aim of establishing a truly inclusive democratic system in Myanmar. We support the General Strike on Monday 22/02/2021. We urgently call on military leaders to immediately end violence against protesters by police or military forces. We call on the international community to use all available levers of power to protect Myanmar people from the Myanmar security forces.

In the past few days we have seen the escalation of violence by the Myanmar police and military. After the death of Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing on Friday at the hands of police in Nay Pyi Taw, two more protesters were murdered in Mandalay on Saturday by soldiers from Myanmar’s Light Infantry Division 33. This military division was notoriously responsible for the massacre of Rohingya in Inn Din Village in 2017.

“The killing of Myanmar civilians by Army LID 33 soldiers, is appalling,” said Tun Khin president of BROUK. “We mourn with the families of these victims. These killings bring back our own grief over the killing of so many Rohingya women, men, and children by the soldiers of LID 33 and others in 2017. We understand your pain and we are with you.” Unfortunately, this kind of violence is nothing new for the military, whether you are Rohingya, an ethnic minority, or Burmese, we are all affected by the terrorism of the military, as they continue to use any means necessary to retain power.

BROUK calls on Myanmar people and the international community to work toward the establishment of a truly democratic system. This includes guaranteeing that all marginalized and minority communities are included as equal partners. The international community was too quick to laud the ascension of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy within a system that was not truly democratic. Rohingya and other marginalized communities in Myanmar were excluded from this system. Under this facade of democracy Rohingya were not able to exercise their citizenship rights, voting rights and right to be elected. Under the previous “democratic” system extreme human rights violations continued or grew worse. “We are not interested in a return to the status quo,” said Tun Khin. “There can be no democracy unless there are basic human rights, justice, and accountability for all in Myanmar.”

The international community must learn from past mistakes by redoubling support for efforts to utilize justice and accountability mechanisms to ensure those responsible for violations in Myanmar are held to account, this includes supporting the ongoing case at the International Court of Justice and ensuring that those responsible for atrocities in Myanmar are referred to the International Criminal Court. The international community must strongly sanction military officials and military owned companies, and impose a global arms embargo.

For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 (0)7888714866.

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