We, the undersigned 521 Myanmar, regional and international civil society organizations, call on the UN Security Council to urgently convene a meeting on the escalating attacks in Chin State, and address the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian, human rights and political crisis in Myanmar. We call for the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution to consolidate international action to stop the military’s violent assault against the people of Myanmar. The UN Security Council must also impose a global arms embargo to stop the flow of weapons and dual-use goods to the Myanmar military junta.

It has been nine months since the attempted coup by the brutal Myanmar military. 1,236 people have been killed and 9,667 arbitrarily detained as of 3 November, 2021. The junta has continued its violent assault throughout Myanmar, recently deployed troops and increased its attacks against civilians in Chin State, Sagaing and Magwe Regions in north-western Myanmar, while continuing its attacks in Karenni, Karen and Shan States.

On Friday 29 October, the Myanmar military began shelling the town of Thantlang in Western Chin State, setting as many as 200 houses and at least two churches on fire. Soldiers also deliberately torched houses at random.

Save the Children – whose office in Thantlang was set on fire alongside local civil society organizations including Chin Human Rights Organization – strongly condemned the recent attacks stating “the incident is further evidence of a deepening crisis in Myanmar” as the violence continues to affect large numbers of children across the country. Such indiscriminate attacks against civilians and humanitarian organizations are violations of international law and constitute war crimes.

Following the 1 February attempted coup, Chin State has been at the forefront of some of the strongest resistance to the Myanmar military junta. This has been met with fierce attacks by the military, including use of fighter jets and heavy artillery used against civilians while hundreds have been arbitrarily detained, and dozens killed. Prior to this most recent attack, approximately 10,000 residents had already fled Thantlang as the military junta indiscriminately shot into homes and set off fires by shelling in September. At the time, a Christian pastor who was attempting to put out the fires was shot dead, and his ring finger cruelly cut off and removed, along with his wedding ring. Those displaced have taken shelter in nearby villages and others have sought refuge in India. Many of those who have been displaced have been unable to access humanitarian aid as the junta weaponizes aid for their own political benefit, often blocking access or destroying it in an effort to weaken the resistance.

In early October, amid increasing deployment of heavy weapons and troops by the military junta, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged “the international community to speak with one voice, to prevent the commission of further serious human rights violations against the people of Myanmar.” The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights also warned of greater human rights catastrophe and further mass atrocity crimes amid the deployment of tens of thousands of troops stating, “These tactics are ominously reminiscent of those employed by the military before its genocidal attacks against the Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2016 and 2017.” Echoing these concerns, 29 Rohingya organizations have urged the Council not to repeat the mistakes it made in 2017 by failing to act on warnings of an impending military offensive against the Rohingya.

Since the start of the attempted coup nine months ago, hundreds of Myanmar and international society organizations have repeatedly and vehemently called for the UN Security Council to act. This includes a statement from 92 Chin civil society organizations and Burma Campaign UK, who have called on the UK as the “penholder” of Myanmar at the UN Security Council to urgently act. The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar have also called for the UN Security Council to “issue a resolution to consolidate international action towards resolving the crisis.”

Yet, the Security Council has failed to take any effective actions beyond statements. As the offensives escalate in Chin State, the UN Security Council must act before it is too late. It must convene an urgent meeting on the escalating attacks in Chin State and the overall deepening political, human rights and humanitarian crisis as a result of the Myanmar military leaders search for power and greed that has caused immense suffering. The human security risk not only threatens the people of Myanmar but also regional and thus global security and peace. The Council must immediately build on previous statements with concrete action by adopting a resolution that consolidates international action to resolve the deepening crisis, a global arms embargo to stop the flow of weapons, including dual-use goods, and refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court. The Council must demonstrate that it will take concrete actions to stop the junta from committing further atrocity crimes and posing further risk to human security of the people of Myanmar.

The UN must not continue to fail the people of Myanmar.

For more information, please contact:

• Khin Ohmar, Progressive Voice, [email protected]
• Salai Za Uk, Chin Human Rights Organization, [email protected]
• Tun Khin, Burmese Rohingya Organization UK, [email protected]

Signed by 521 Myanmar, regional and international civil society organizations* including:

1. 8888 Generation (New Zealand)
2. Action Committee for Democracy Development
3. African Great Lakes Action Network
4. All Burma Democratic Face in New Zealand
5. All Burma IT Student Union
6. Alternative Solutions for Rural Communities (ASORCOM)
7. ALTSEAN-Burma
8. America Rohingya Justice Network
9. American Baptist Churches USA
10. American Rohingya Advocacy
11. Ananda Data
12. Anti-Dictatorship in Burma – DC Metropolitan Area
13. Arakan CSO Network
14. Arakan Institute for Peace and Development
15. Arakan Rohingya Development Association – Australia
16. Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO)
17. Arakan Rohingya Union
18. Arizona Kachin Community
19. ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR)
20. Asho University Students Association (AUSA)
21. Asho Youth Organization
22. Asian Dignity Initiative
23. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
24. Asian Resource Foundation
25. Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition
26. Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
27. Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
28. Association of Women for Awareness & Motivation (AWAM)
29. Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
30. Auckland Kachin Community Inc.
31. Auckland Zomi Community
32. Australian Burmese Rohingya Organisation
33. Backpack Health Workers Team
34. Balaod Mindanaw
35. Bangkok Chin University Student Fellowship
36. Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
37. Baptist World Alliance
38. Blood Money Campaign
39. British Rohingya Community in UK
40. Buddhist Solidarity for Reform
41. Burma Action Ireland
42. Burma Campaign UK
43. Burma Human Rights Network
44. Burma Medical Association
45. Burma Task Force
46. Burmese American Millennials
47. Burmese Community Support Group (Australia)
48. Burmese Democratic Forces
49. Burmese Rohingya Association in Queensland-Australia (BRAQA)
50. Burmese Rohingya Association Japan (BRAJ)
51. Burmese Rohingya Association of North America
52. Burmese Rohingya Community Australia (BRCA)
53. Burmese Rohingya Community in Denmark
54. Burmese Rohingya Community of Georgia
55. Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
56. Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
57. Burmese Student Association at UCSB
58. Burmese Women’s Union
59. California Kachin Community
60. Calvary Burmese Church
61. Campaign for a New Myanmar
62. Canadian Burmese Rohingya Organisation
63. Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative
64. Cantors’ Assembly
65. CAU Buddhist
66. CDM Supporter Team (Hakha)
67. Central Chin Youth Organization (CCYO)
68. Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia
69. Cherry Foundation (Yangon), Burma/Myanmar
70. Chin Baptist Association, North America
71. Chin Baptist Churches USA
72. Chin Civil Society Network (CCSN)
73. Chin Community of Auckland
74. Chin Community of USA-DC Area
75. Chin Education Initiative (CEI)
76. Chin Human Rights Organization
77. Chin Humanitarian Assistance Team Rakhine State (CHAT)
78. Chin Leaders of Tomorrow (CLT)
79. Chin Literature and Culture Committee (Universities of Yangon)
80. Chin Student Union – Kalay
81. Chin Student Union – Pakokku
82. Chin Student Union – Sittwe
83. Chin Student Union of Myanmar
84. Chin University Student Fellowship – Paletwa
85. Chin University Students in Rakhine State (CUSRS)
86. Chin Women Organization (CWO)
87. Chin Women’s Development Organization (CWDO)
88. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
89. Coalition for Democracy
90. Community Resource Centre (CRC)
91. Dallas Kachin Community
92. Darfur and Beyond, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
93. DEEKU-Karenni Community of Amarillo, TX
94. Democracy for Ethnic Minorities Organization
95. Democracy for Myanmar – Working Group (NZ)
96. Democracy, Peace and Women’s Organization – DPW
97. Equality Myanmar
98. European Rohingya Council (ERC)
99. Falam Phunsang Tlawngta Pawlkom
100. Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
101. Fidi Foundation (Hakha)
102. Florida Kachin Community
103. Free Burma Action Bay/USA/Global
104. Free Myanmar Campaign USA/BACI
105. Free Rohingya Coalition (FRC)
106. Freedom for Burma
107. Freedom, Justice, Equality for Myanmar
108. Future Light Center
109. Future Thanlwin
110. Gender and Development Institute – Myanmar
111. Gender Equality Myanmar
112. Generation Wave
113. Georgia Kachin Community
114. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
115. Global Justice Center
116. Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy
117. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
118. Global Witness
119. Globe International Center
120. Grassroots Movement for Burma
121. Green Party Korea International Committee
122. Hakha Campaign for Justice
123. Hakha University Student Organization (HUSO)
124. Houston Kachin Community
125. Human Rights Alert
126. Human Rights Development for Myanmar
127. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
128. Human Rights Watch
129. Imparsial
130. Incorporated Organization Shilcheon Bulgyo
131. Infinite Burma
132. Initiatives for International Dialogue
133. Institute for Asian Democracy
134. Inter Pares
135. International Campaign for the Rohingya
136. International Karen Organisation
137. Iowa Kachin Community
138. Ipas
139. Jewish World Watch
140. Jogye Order Chapter of Korea Democracy Union
141. Justice For Myanmar
142. Kachin Alliance
143. Kachin American Community (Portland – Vancouver)
144. Kachin Community of Indiana
145. Kachin Community of USA
146. Kachin National Organization USA
147. Kachin Peace Network (KPN)
148. Kachin State Women Network
149. Kachin Women’s Association Thailand
150. Kanpetlet University Student Organization
151. Kansas Karenni Community, KS
152. Karen American Association of Milwaukee, WI
153. Karen Association of Huron, SD
154. Karen Community of Akron, OH
155. Karen Community of Iowa, IA
156. Karen Community of Kansas City, KS & MO
157. Karen Community of Minnesota, MN
158. Karen Community of North Carolina, NC
159. Karen Environmental and Social Action Network
160. Karen Human Rights Group
161. Karen Organization of America
162. Karen Organization of Illinois, IL
163. Karen Organization of San Diego
164. Karen Peace Support Network
165. Karen Rivers Watch
166. Karen Women’s Organization
167. Karen Youth Education Pathways
168. Karenni Civil Society Network
169. Karenni Community of Arizona, AZ
170. Karenni Community of Arkensas, AK
171. Karenni Community of Austin, TX
172. Karenni Community of Bowling Green, KY
173. Karenni Community of Buffalo, NY
174. Karenni Community of Chicago, IL
175. Karenni Community of Colorado, CO
176. Karenni Community of Dallas, TX
177. Karenni Community of Des Moines, IA
178. Karenni Community of Florida, FL
179. Karenni Community of Fort Worth, TX
180. Karenni Community of Georgia, GA
181. Karenni Community of Houston, TX
182. Karenni Community of Idaho, ID
183. Karenni Community of Indianapolis, IN
184. Karenni Community of Massachusetts, MA
185. Karenni Community of Michigan, MI
186. Karenni Community of Minnesota, MN
187. Karenni Community of Missouri, MO
188. Karenni Community of North Carolina, NC
189. Karenni Community of Portland, OR
190. Karenni Community of Rockford, IL
191. Karenni Community of San Antonio, TX
192. Karenni Community of Sioux Falls, SD
193. Karenni Community of Utah, UT
194. Karenni Community of Utica, NY
195. Karenni Community of Washington, WA
196. Karenni Community of Wisconsin, WI
197. Karenni Human Rights Group
198. Karenni National Women’s Organization
199. Karenni Society New Zealand
200. Karenni Society of Omaha, NE
201. Karenni-American Association
202. Kaung Rwai Social Action Network
203. Keng Tung Youth
204. Kentucky Kachin Community
205. Korean Ashram
206. L’chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty
207. Los Angeles Rohingya Association
208. Louisiana Kachin Community
209. Manyou Power People
210. Maryland Kachin Community
211. Matupi University Student Fellowship
212. Metta Campaign Mandalay
213. Metta-Vipassana Center
214. Michigan Kachin Community
215. MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee
216. Mindat University Student Union
217. Minnesota Kachin Community
218. Mizo Student Fellowship
219. Myanmar Advocacy Coalition
220. Myanmar Cultural Research Society (MCRS)
221. Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
222. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation in Malaysia
223. Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
224. Myanmar Peace Bikers
225. Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
226. Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
227. Nationalities Alliance of Burma USA
228. NeT Organization
229. Network for Human Rights Documentation (ND-Burma)
230. Never Again Coalition
231. New Bodhisattva Network
232. New York Kachin Community
233. New Zealand Doctors for NUG
234. New Zealand Karen Association
235. New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
236. Ninu (Women in Action Group)
237. No Business With Genocide
238. North Carolina Kachin Community
239. Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica
240. Olive Organization
241. Omaha Kachin Community
242. Overseas Mon Association. New Zealand
243. Pa-O Women’s Union
244. Pa-O Youth Organization
245. Pennsylvania Kachin Community
246. People’s Initiative for Development Alternatives
247. People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
248. Progressive Voice
249. Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
250. Rohingya Action Ireland
251. Rohingya American Society
252. Rohingya Arakanese Refugee Committee
253. Rohingya Community in Netherlands
254. Rohingya Community in Norway
255. Rohingya Culture Centre Chicago
256. Rohingya Human Rights Initiative
257. Rohingya Human Rights Network (Canada)
258. Rohingya Organisation Norway
259. Rohingya Refugee Network
260. Rohingya Society Malaysia
261. Rohingya Women Development Network (RWDN)
262. Rohingya Youth Development Forum (RYDF)
263. Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
264. Save and Care Organization for Ethnic Women at Border Areas
265. Save Myanmar Fundraising Group (New Zealand)
266. Save the Salween Network
267. SEA Junction
268. SEGRI
269. Shan Community (New Zealand)
270. Shan MATA
271. Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
272. Solidarity for Another World
273. South Carolina Kachin Community
274. Spring Revolution Interfaith Network
275. Stepping Stone for Peace
276. Students for Free Burma
277. Support the Democracy Movement in Burma
278. Swedish Burma Committee
279. Swedish Rohingya Association
280. Synergy – Social Harmony Organization
281. Ta’ang Women’s Organization
282. Tedim Youth Association (TYA)
283. Tennessee Kachin Community
284. Thantlang Revolutionary Campaigner
285. Thantlang University Student Organization (TUSO)
286. Thantlang Youth Association (TYA)
287. The Center for Freedom of Information
288. The Pastors Fellowship
289. The Sound of Hope
290. The Spring University Myanmar (SUM)
291. Thint Myat Lo Thu Myar
292. S. Campaign for Burma
293. UION
294. Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)
295. Union of Karenni State Youth
296. Unitarian Universalist Association
297. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
298. Virginia Kachin Community
299. Washington Kachin Community
300. West Virginia Kachin Community
301. Women Peace Network
302. Women’s Advocacy Coalition – Myanmar
303. Women’s League of Burma
304. WOREC Nepal
305. Yeollin Seonwon
306. Zomi Federal Union (ZFU)
307. Zomi Siamsim Kipawlna – Myanmar
308. Zotung Student Society (ZSS – Myanmar)

*Note: 213 organizations’ names are not disclosed at their request due to security concerns.

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