Villagers flee Burmese offensive
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UN SECURITY COUNCIL MUST ACT TO STOP ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS IN EASTERN BURMA
Over the past week more than 11,000 people in Karen State have been forced to flee their villages, and the number is rising every day in the the worst offensive by Burmas junta since 1997. According to the Thai authorities, almost 2,000 have fled to the Thai border where they are living under plastic sheets in a temporary camp. But thousands more are being hunted in the jungle, without basic food, medicine or shelter. As the Burma Army seeks out ethnic armed resistance groups in the areas east of the new Burmese capital, Pyinmana, they have been pushing innocent villagers into forced relocation camps, turning villages into 'free-fire' zones, kidnapping people for forced labour, burning and stealing food stocks, shooting and killing indiscriminately, raping, torturing, and laying landmines. We cannot allow this to continue. It is time for the UN Security Council to take action to stop these attacks. There will be a global day of action on May 16th to stop the violence in eastern Burma and demand UN Security Council action. In the UK we will be holding a demonstration outside the Burmese Embassy on 16 May from 12.30pm to 2pm: 19A Charles Street Berkeley Square London W1J 5DX Nearest tube: Green Park To find out if there is a protest in your country visit and click on the link for the campaign in your country: Burma Campaign Burma Campaign |