Open letter to UK Foreign Secretary: sanction all companies involved in supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar
The Honorable James Cleverly
Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
United Kingdom
13 December 2022*
Open letter to UK Foreign Secretary: sanction all companies involved in supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar
Dear Minister,
To mark International Human Rights Day and in solidarity with the Myanmar people who bravely continue to defend their rights and democracy against the Myanmar military junta, we, the 550 undersigned Myanmar, regional and international organizations, call on the Government of the United Kingdom (UK Government) to immediately take action to ensure no British companies is involved, directly or indirectly, in the supply of aviation fuel to the Myanmar military junta. We further call for your decisive, stronger actions to end the Myanmar military’s onslaught of horrendous crimes.
The illegal coup attempt launched by the Myanmar military in February 2021 has led to gross human rights violations nationwide, and caused an unprecedented human rights and humanitarian crisis. Terrorizing attacks by the junta, most notably airstrikes, have taken more than 2,500 lives and displaced over 1.2 million people, with exact numbers are expected to be much higher. Civilians have been consistently targeted and under constant threat of aerial attacks, including in schools, medical facilities, religious sites and people fleeing for their lives.
The junta’s intensified aerial attacks have been enabled by aviation fuel, supplied and brokered by foreign companies. The supply chain of aviation fuel from foreign ports have direct links to war crimes being committed daily by the junta. We note that British companies have provided insurance services to vessels delivering aviation fuel to Myanmar. As long as the supply chain is allowed to continue, the junta’s atrocities will take more lives and exacerbate the massive displacement. The junta’s countless war crimes and crimes against humanity have been permitted to rage on for the past 22 months. It is time the international community issued a complete ban of arms flow to cut its supply to this international criminal entity.
The UK Government’s commitment to values of democracy and human rights must be reflected in your responses in effective and meaningful actions to address the deepening catastrophes in Myanmar. We note the UK Government’s previous actions in support of the Myanmar people’s efforts to end this illegal attempted coup to protect the rights of the Myanmar people, including sanctions on war criminals and junta-linked businesses, and support for the opening of a National Unity Government’s office in your country who legitimately represents the Myanmar people. We further welcome the UK Government’s delayed support for The Gambia case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. However, more decisive, practical actions are urgently needed to end ongoing aerial attacks and atrocities in Myanmar. Your government’s pledge to address the conflict-related gender violence must also prioritize women and girls in Myanmar’s plight.
We earnestly appeal to you to immediately sanction Burmese companies and state-owned enterprises involved in the supply of aviation fuel to the junta. We further call on the UK Government to impose an immediate ban on British companies involved in any aspect of aviation fuel supply to Myanmar. It is essential that the UK Government ensure sanctions on the delivery of aviation fuel to Myanmar which covers the provision of services such as insurance, accreditation and verification services to vessels and infrastructure used to supply aviation fuel to Myanmar. As the Myanmar military has previously seized commercial-grade aviation fuel from suppliers, we believe that a complete ban on supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar is essential.
We welcome the role the UK Government has played in seeking the coordination of the implementation of sanctions to date. We request you seek allies such as Australia, Canada, the United States and the European Union to join you in sanctioning aviation fuel supplies to Myanmar. As Myanmar civil society, we are aware that such sanctions on aviation fuel could impact commercial domestic flights. However, we believe that the humanitarian benefit of reducing atrocious airstrikes far outweigh any inconvenience caused by sanctioning fuel supplies.
Lastly, we entrust the UK Government to pass a UN Security Council resolution which places a comprehensive global arms embargo on Myanmar. The resolution must cover all weapons, munitions and equipment, as well as military training and assistance.
As the people of Myanmar sacrifice their livelihood and future for a federal democratic Myanmar which upholds human rights and equality for all, the UK Government must utilize all tools at your disposal to stop atrocities committed by the illegal military junta on a daily basis and protect the lives of Myanmar civilians.
For more information, please contact:
- Naw Wahkhushee, Karen Peace Support Network, [email protected]
- Khin Ohmar, Progressive Voice, [email protected]
- Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UK, [email protected], tel. +447941239640
Signed by 550* Myanmar, regional and international organizations including 314 organizations who have chosen to not disclose their name:
*The total number of signatories to the open letter was updated on 13 December 2022.
- 8888 Generation (New Zealand)
- Action Committee for Democracy Development (Coalition of 14 grassroots networks)
- Active Youths Kalaymyo
- Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
- Albany Karen Community
- All Burma Democratic Front in New Zealand
- All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) – Australia Branch
- All Young Burmese League (AYBL)
- Alliance for Democracy in Myanmar (Western USA)
- Alliance for FREE Burma Solidarity
- ALTSEAN-Burma
- Anti-Junta Forces Coordination Committee – Mandalay (AFCC)
- Anyar Taw Eain
- ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
- Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
- Asian Cultural Forum on Development Foundation (ACFOD)
- Asian Democracy Network (ADN)
- Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
- Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
- Association Suisse-Birmanie
- Auckland Kachin Community NZ
- Auckland Zomi Community
- Australia Chin Communities Council Inc.
- Australian Karen Organisation (AKO)
- Ayeyarwaddy Journalist Society (AJS)
- Ayeyarwaddy West Development Organization (Magway Region)
- Ayeyarwaddy Youth Network
- Back Pack Health Worker Team
- Blood Money Campaign
- Burma Action Ireland
- Burma Campaign UK
- Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN)
- Burma Lawyer Council (BLC)
- Burma Medical Association
- Burman suomalaiset Finland
- Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA)
- Burmese Community Development Collaboration (BCDC)
- Burmese Community Group (Manawatu, NZ)
- Burmese Community Support Group (BCSG)
- Burmese Medical Association Australia (BMAA)
- Burmese Muslim Association (BMA)
- Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
- Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organization New Zealand
- Cambodian Americans and Friends for Democracy and Human Rights Advocates
- Campaign for Popular Democracy (CPD)
- CDM Support Team Mandalay (CSTM)
- Chin Community of Auckland
- Chin Human Rights Organization
- Civil Information Network – CIN
- CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
- CRPH Funding Ireland
- Dawei Development Association
- Delta News Agency
- Dhanu Youth Organization
- Doh Atu – Ensemble pour le Myanmar
- Dooplaya Karen Community Development Group (DKCDG)
- Educational Initiatives Prague
- Ethnic Myanmar Communities Council of Australia Inc.
- European Karen Network (EKN)
- European Rohingya Council
- Federal FM Mandalay
- Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
- Food Not Bombs Kawthoolei လှုပ်ရှားမှု အဖွဲ့
- Foundation of Khmer Samaki, USA
- Free Rohingya Coalition
- Freedom and Labor Action Group
- Future Light Center
- Future Thanlwin
- General Strike Coordination Body
- Generation Wave
- Grass-root People
- Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF), Thailand
- Human Rights Educators Network
- Human Rights Foundation of Monland
- India For Myanmar
- Industrial Training Centre (ITC) Family Sydney
- Info Birmanie
- Initiatives for International Dialogue
- Inlihtan Peninsula Tenasserim
- Institute for Asian Democracy
- Inter Pares
- International Association, Myanmar-Switzerland (IAMS)
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- Justice 4 Rohingya UK
- Justice For Myanmar
- Kachin Association Australia (KAA)
- Kachin National Youth Network – KNYN
- Kachin State Civilian Movement- KSCM
- Kachin Women’s Association Thailand
- Karen Community Association UK
- Karen Community in Norway (KCN)
- Karen Community of North Carolina
- Karen Community of Syracuse
- Karen Human Rights Group
- Karen Organization of America
- Karen Peace Support Network
- Karen Society of Buffalo
- Karen Swedish Community (KSC)
- Karen Women’s Organization
- Karenni National Women’s Organization
- Karenni Society Finland
- Karenni Society New Zealand
- Keng Tung Youth
- Kyaukse University Students’ Union – KUSU
- Laiza Youth Committee
- Let’s Help Each Other
- LGBTIQ Strike of Mandalay
- Los Angeles Myanmar Movement (LA2M)
- Mandalay Regional Youth Association
- Mandalay Youth Association
- Matu Chin Community – NSW/UPU Chin Association
- MeBoun Foundation
- Medical Family Mandalay (MFM)
- Metta Campaign Mandalay
- MIIT Student Strike Column
- Minbu Farmer Group
- Mindat Chin Community NSW
- Minhla Development Organization
- Mon National Council (MNC)
- Monywa Peoples’ Strike Steering Committee
- Mwetaung Area Development Group (MADG) Chin State
- Myanmar Action Group Denmark
- Myanmar anti-military coup movement in New Zealand
- Myanmar Campaign Network (Australia)
- Myanmar Community Coffs Harbour (MCC)
- Myanmar Community Group Christchurch New Zealand
- Myanmar Community Group Dunedin New Zealand
- Myanmar Cultural Research Society (MCRS)
- Myanmar Diaspora Group Finland
- Myanmar Engineering Association of Australia (MEAA)
- Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
- Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
- Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
- Myanmar Professionals Association Australia (MPAA)
- Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
- Myaung Education Network
- Myaung Medical Team
- Naphe Development Organization
- Nelson Myanmar Community Group New Zealand
- Netherlands-Myanmar Solidarity Platform
- Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma)
- New Rehmonnya Federated Force (NRFF)
- New Zealand Doctors for NUG
- New Zealand Karen Association
- New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
- NLD Solidarity Association (NSW chapter)
- NSW Karenni (Kayah) Communities
- Nway Oo Guru Lay Myar
- Overseas Mon Association, New Zealand
- Pakokku Youth Development Council
- Progressive Voice
- Pwintphu Development Organization (Magway Region)
- Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
- Rohingya Action Ireland
- Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
- Save and Care Organization for Ethnic Women at Border Areas
- Save Myanmar Fundraising Group (New Zealand)
- Sea Junction
- Shan Community (New Zealand)
- Shan MATA
- Sisters 2 Sisters
- Social Democracy Think Tank, Thailand
- Southern Youth Development Organization
- Swedish Burma Committee
- Sydney Friends for Myanmar Unity
- Synergy Social Harmony Organization
- Ta’ang Students and Youth Union
- Ta’ang Women’s Organization
- Tamar Institute
- Tanintharyi MATA
- Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB)
- The Free Burma Campaign (South Africa)
- The Ladies
- U.S. Campaign for Burma
- Union for Civil Liberty Association
- Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
- Universities Kachin Literature and Culture Association Yangon (Yangon JLH)
- Utica Karen Organization
- Victoria Myanmar Youth
- We Pledge CDM (Australia)
- White Coat Society Yangon
- Women Advocacy Coalition Myanmar (WAC-M)
- Women’s League of Burma
- Women’s Peace Network
- Yangon Medical Network
- Young People for Social Democracy Movement, Thailand
- Youths for Community-Myaung
- Zo Community Australia Inc.
- Zomi Association Australia Inc.
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Additional 314 organizations have chosen to not disclose their name.
