The Kachin community worldwide has appealed to the United Nations Security Council to refer the government of Burma to the International Criminal Court, amid reports that new Burma Army offensives have resulted in the displacement of thousands of civilians in Kachin and Karen states since early April.
Renewed fighting
between the Burma Army and Kachin Independence Army has
led to the displacement
of 4,000 civilians since early April, according to the UN. In March, a fresh
offensive by the Burma Army launched in Karen State,
displaced more than 2,400 people from
their homes, according to a new report
by the Karen Peace Support Network.
CSW’s East Asia Team Leader Benedict
Rogers said: “The displacement of thousands of civilians in Kachin and Karen
states, and continuing grave human rights violations in Kachin, Shan and
Rakhine states, represent a dramatic deterioration in the situation in Burma
and a very serious setback to hopes for peace in the country. The culture of
impunity in which the Burma Army operates must end, and the perpetrators of war
crimes and crimes against humanity must be held accountable. We support the
calls by the worldwide Kachin community for humanitarian access, mediation,
justice and accountability and we urge the United Nations Security Council to
act without delay.”
In their statement on 23 April, the Kachin Community warned of an escalation in Burma Army military offensives against the country’s ethnic groups: “The Burma military is escalating attacks against ethnic groups in the country, including in Rakhine state, Kachin state, Shan state and most recently breaking the ceasefire in Karen state.”
It continues: “There
is no shortage of evidence of violations of international law committed by the
Burma military. The United Nations has been documenting these crimes for decades. A detailed assessment
in 2016 stated that what may amount to war crimes were being committed in Kachin
State and Shan State. The United Nations has also stated that human rights
violations in northern Rakhine State
may constitute crimes against humanity and even amount to elements
of genocide.”
Among other
requests, the Kachin community has asked that
other countries act as
mediators and negotiate a solution to the civil conflict in Kachin state, and for the UN Security Council to support a resolution referring
Burma to the International Criminal Court.
On 26 April, the UN
Secretary-General António Guterres announced
the appointment of Christine Schraner Burgener of Switzerland,
an experienced diplomat, as his new Special Envoy on Myanmar.