Posted on 12/15/2004 6:06:56 PM PST by ZayYa
(Dec. 16, 2004)(Boxun Received Burma's News Published by Burma's Chinese) SHAN-EU:London, 15 December, (Asiantribune.com): A joint delegation from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART) has returned from a visit to ethnic groups on the Thai-Burmese border with evidence of a campaign of genocide perpetrated by the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The report includes first-hand testimonies of forced labour from new Karen and Karenni refugees, as well as details of the situation facing IDPs. It concludes with a brief analysis of the case for genocide and crimes against humanity, and also covers the plight of the Shan. Hundreds of thousands of Karen, Karenni and Shan continue to face a humanitarian crisis in eastern Burma. Internally Displaced People in the jungles are denied access to adequate medical care, food and shelter, they face the threat of forced labour, forced relocation, widespread rape, torture and the destruction of villages, crops, rice barns and livestock. The delegation, which included members of CSW UK, Australia and New Zealand, visited Karen Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in two sites inside Burma, as well as Karen and Karenni refugees in Thailand. IDPs in one village only had enough food for a few more days, and were facing an uncertain future. "We want to see the heart of the Burmese government change so we can live in peace," the camp leader told the team. "We hope to return to our villages but we don't know when. While we are together in this camp, we really need provision, especially food and medicine." Reports continue to emerge of fresh assaults on Karen and Karenni villages by the Burma Army. An estimated 4,781 Karen people have been displaced in recent weeks in the Shwygn/Hsaw Htee area of Naunglybin District, Karen State, and are hiding in the jungle, unable to move during the day. There are an estimated one million people internally displaced in Burma. The Thailand-based Burma Border Consortium estimates at least 526,000 people have been displaced in Karen, Karenni and Shan areas, with 157,000 of these displaced in the past two years. Since 2002, at least 240 villages have been completely destroyed, relocated or abandoned, and a total of 2,500 villages in eastern Burma have been destroyed since 1996. The delegation, which included Baroness Cox, Chief Executive of HART and Honorary President of CSW-UK, met leaders of the Shan, Karen and Karenni resistance forces. The Shan people face a particularly severe crisis, with 300,000 internally displaced and at least 200,000 living illegally in Thailand. Unlike the Karen and Karenni, the Shan have been denied refugee camps in Thailand. Instead, those who flee persecution find sanctuary either illegally in Thailand, or in IDP camps in Shan state, Burma. "We are in need of material and moral help. We need to make our plight known to the rest of the world," one Shan leader said. "The situation in Shan state is no different from Iraq with regards to the number of casualties, but the difference is that there are no reporters or observers in Shan State. Battles erupt on a daily basis." Baroness Cox, who has visited the region many times, called on the international community to investigate claims of genocide and crimes against humanity, and to increase pressure on Burma's ruling junta. She said: "Every time we visit the Karen, Karenni and Shan, we find mounting evidence of gross violations of human rights which we believe may amount to genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the Geneva Conventions. We urge the British Government, the European Union and the United Nations to recognise the severity of the situation and take appropriate action. We also appeal to the Association of South-East Asian Nations [ASEAN] to suspend Burma's membership of the organisation until significant progress is made towards a transition to a federal democracy and an improvement in human rights. We call for free and open access to all areas of Burma for international humanitarian aid groups and human rights monitors." (boxun.com)
The UN will deal with this matter just as soon as it passes it's latest resolution condemning Israel.
Which ones are the muslims?
Basically none of them. Burma is 90% Buddhist with only a few % of Christians and Muslims.
The Shans and Karens are a different ethnic group than the Burmese and have always been in conflict with them. Burma is currently run by a junta of Socialist lowlife generals.
I think that what toehold there is in Burma for Christianity is among the Shan. They for a long time were semi-independent, but are far outnumbered by the majority Burman population.
Yeah I thought the Christians were concentrated among either the Shan or Karen.
One of the other of the above groups is the one most heavily involved in the drug trade as well.
What! Major conflict and no muslims involved? Wow!
What! Major conflict and no muslims involved? Wow!
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