CSW visit to the Thailand-Burma border

Executive Summary

“The situation in Burma is getting worse and worse and poorer and poorer in every way – in social issues, politics and human rights. The international community must put more pressure on the SPDC”. – a Burma Army defector

Burma’s political, humanitarian and human rights crisis continues to deteriorate. The military regime, known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), has shown no sign of ending its policies of repression and ethnic cleansing. Forced labour, forced relocation, torture, the widespread and systematic use of rape as a weapon of war, the forcible conscription of child soldiers, religious persecution, the use of human minesweepers, the looting and destruction of homes and attacks on civilians continue. As the new General Secretary of the Karen National Union, Zipporah Sein, told Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW):

“Human rights violations continue – there has been no change. Every single day there is forced labour, attacks on villages, and the military tries to block villagers from getting food. We need the international community to keep the pressure on the regime”.

In May 2008, the SPDC held a referendum on a new constitution. The referendum is widely regarded as a sham, in which blatant efforts to rig the vote resulted in the regime claiming a 99 per cent turnout and a 92.4 per cent vote in favour of the new constitution, which will effectively enshrine military rule. The SPDC plans to hold elections in 2010, but it is widely expected that the elections will be rigged in a similar way to the referendum. Zipporah Sein told CSW:

“2009 is a year in which we will have to struggle a lot, before the 2010 elections. The KNU does not support the 2010 elections because we do not believe it will be a fair election. We do not think anyone should legitimise them”.

In Karen State, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), an armed militia group aligned to the SPDC, has increased its military activities significantly in recent months. It is believed that the SPDC is using the DKBA to take control of areas rich in natural resources for logging and mining interests and is strengthening the DKBA to play a significant role in the elections in 2010. It is believed that the DKBA may become a border security force after 2010.

From 20 January to 10 February 2009, CSW had meetings with Burmese and international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), political groups and activists in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Mae Sot and Mae Hong Son; met representatives of Karen, Karenni, Shan, Chin, Kachin and Pa-O ethnic nationalities and visited Karen refugees and Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) on the Thailand-Burma border. CSW also interviewed defectors from the Burma Army and obtained eye-witness testimony to the regime’s manipulation and diversion of humanitarian aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis.

CSW calls on the international community to increase its efforts to secure meaningful change in Burma. In particular, CSW urges the United Nations Secretary-General to intensify pressure on the SPDC to abandon its plan for elections in 2010 and instead engage in meaningful tripartite dialogue with the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the ethnic nationalities, leading to a genuine transition to democracy and free and fair elections. Furthermore, CSW reiterates support for calls to refer a case against the Generals in Burma to the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.

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