Date: December 9, 2019

The United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), will begin hearings on the genocide case against Burma tomorrow. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has also allowed an investigation into crimes against humanity by Burma’s security forces to proceed. We, the Karenni Civil Society Network (KCSN), welcome and support these proceedings.

On November 11, Gambia, a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) filed a charge against Burma at the ICJ for its failure to prevent genocide against the Rohingya people and its failure to take actions against the perpetrators in Arakan State.

Burma has been suffering for civil war for over 70 years and the ethnic people have been constantly targeted by the military regime, whose troops have committed various kinds of human rights violations against ethnic people. International pressure is therefore urgently needed on the military to cease all human rights violations against ethnic people.

The accusations against Myanmar at the ICJ and the ICC will bring pressure on the Burma Army to stop war crimes in ethnic states and all human rights violations against ethnic people. It will also undermine their stranglehold on power in Burma. Therefore, we KCSN strongly support the actions taken by ICJ and ICC.

Endorsed by:
Members of Karenni Civil Society Network
– Karenni National Youth Organization (KNYO)
– Karenni National Women Organization (KNWO)
– Karenni Evergreen (KEG)
– Karenni Student Union (KSU)
– Karenni Legal and Human Rights Center (KnLHRC)
– Karenni Social Welfare and Development Centre (KSWDC)
– Karenni Refugee Committee (KnRC)
– Karenni Health Department (KnHD)
– Karenni Literacy and Culture Development Committee (KLCDC)
– Karenni Education Department (KnED)
Karenni Society Finland Ry(KnSF)
DEEKU International
Karenni-American Association (KnA)
New Zealand Karenni Society (NZKS)
Karenni Federation of Australia (KnFA)

Download Statement in English | Burmese

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