Invitation Demonstration at German Embassy on 8 August2011

On 8 August 2011, on the anniversary of the 8.8.88 uprising, Burma Campaign UK would like to invite you to a demonstration in front of the German Embassy in London to call on Germany to stop blocking the European Union supporting the establishment of a UN Burma inquiry.

In 1988, more than 3000 peaceful demonstrators in Burma were killed by the ruling regime just for calling for democracy. 23 years on, the dictatorship continues to arrest and torture political opponents. At the same time, the Burmese Army continues to use rape as a weapon of war against ethnic women and girls, recruit child soldiers, and mortar-bomb civilians in villages without warning. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.

Last year, the UN expert on Human Rights in Burma called for a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. So far the EU has been silent on this. But it is not too late to reduce crimes in Burma. The EU can include the setting up of a UN Commission of Inquiry when it drafts the UN General Assembly Resolution on Burma. But Germany is opposing this. Shamefully, Germany is putting its business interests before human rights by trying to stop an Inquiry. In effect, they are protecting rapists and war criminals in Burma.

This protest is to stop Germany defending Burmas war criminals and support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma.

Date: 8th August 2011 (Monday) Time: 12:00 - 13:00 Venue: Outside German Embassy, 23 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PZ The nearest Tube stations: Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly Line) and Sloane

Square (District).

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1980, Kachin leader ,Maran Brang Seng came and met with German Government to stop supporting to NeWin Government of Burma.But German Gov refused our Kachin leaders demanding at that time. Today, I,Ring Du Lachyung(KNO-UK),would like to raise again our Kachin issue to German Government through this German embassy of UK. Kachin were one of the ethnic nationalities, which participated in and signed the Pang Long Agreement with the interim Burmese Government on 12 Feb 1947, to get the Independent from British. we are not client and we are co-founder of the union of Burma. Those agreement are base on equality, self-determination and democracy, to establish the Union of Burma. After Burma independence, the Promise of Pang Long Agreement was not implemented by majority of Burma Nationalist and expressed the unequal treatment on all of the ethnic nationalities, due to the assassination of Gen Aung San who led those agreements. Kachin have lost their autonomous right since Burmas Independence Day on 4 Jan 1948 during successive Leadership of Burman Nationalist from the first elected Prime Minister U Nu,Ne Win(the leader of 1962 military coup) to Present Senior General Than Shwe ,Chairman of the Military Government of Burma. Due to the unequal treatment of major Burman-Nationalist, the political problem between the Kachin and the central government became impossible to solve through peaceful dialogue Kachin ethnic nation began armed struggle for their equal right, self-determination and genuine federal Union of Burma, on 5 Feb 1961. Throughout 1963,1972,1980 and 1981 four occasions, Kachin armed group repeatedly signed ceasefire and did Peace Talk negotiated with Central Military Government but Kachin did not get any significant solution on the desire of the military Government only wanted Kachin to surrender. In 1994,Kachin armed group signed long-term ceasefire with Burma Military

regime to solve the unequal political problem, to end the 30 years war against government-backed force, through peaceful mean. But Military Regime did not enter into meaningful dialogue and forcefully proposed Kachin ethnic people to transform Border Guard Force (BGF) that under the central command of the Burmese military The Burmese government set a number of deadline to kachin people but we,kachin, repeatly rejected the plan of Border Gard Force( BGF).BGF was not solution of 50 year long kachin revolution. Establishment of genuine federal union of Burma that base on equal right, selfdetermination and genuine democracy that is our main goal. We, kachin Independent Organization ( KIO) and other ethnic ceasefire groups hoped that dialogue would be possible with a civilian government in the new multi-party system of politics following the general election in November 2010. However, while a diversity of ethnic parties were allowed by the Election Commission to stand in other parts of the country (including ceasefire groups12), the registration of a KIO-backed Kachin State Progressive Party (KSPP) was rejected and finally declared again the war by accusing to Kachin as insurgent. A new constitutiondrafted in 2008 and approved by referendum in 2009set the course for the November 2010 elections, the countrys first elections in 20 years and the November(not free and unfair) 2010 elections marked a major effort by the military regime to gain legitimacy, both domestically and with the international community The stability and development promised by Thein Sein (President of New Government) in his post-inauguration speeches in April now seem a far way off from reality. Unless his elected government can come to a sincere agreement with our Kachin ethnic armed groups, the country entered into the civil war not seen in Kachin ethnic territories for over two decades. On going human rights violations in Burma have worsened. Attacks against ethnicities have escalated, which have included extra judicial killing, torture and using rape as weapons , in addition to forced labour, including forced portering.

For the real change in Burma ,the vital internal progress that must be done by military Government are the issue of human right abuse, the release of political prisoners, the nation wide ceasefire with ethnic groups, genuine democratic reform and a meaningful dialogue toward national reconciliation.

Now, there is no real change in Burma at all. The process which the regime has completed is a cosmetic change, but the brutal military dictatorship remains in power. A few changes of personnel and clothing, from military uniform to civilian suits, does not represent real reform. So,the international community must unite in sending the regime a strong message, that if they wants the legitimacy and credibility their desires, they must make meaningful changes: release all political prisoners, end attacks on ethnic civilians, and enter into dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy movement and the ethnic nationalities Due to the full-scale offensive of the Burmese military army into kachin ethnic area on earlier June ,the 17 years ceasefire ,since 1994, collapsed in the midst of deadly fighting between Kachin freedom Army and Burmese Army. Because of the battles, 15, 400 over Kachin Ethnic refugees are facing uncertain future in camps under KIO controlled areas along forest and mountain of the China-kachin state border inside Burma. They left their home, livelihoods to escape the fighting, avoid forced labour and other human right abuse including used rape as weapon by the Burmese Army to kachin women after hearing the Burmese troop were offensive through the villages to fight Kachin freedom fighters. The current situation in Kachin Land, thousands refugees camps that along the hill of the forest are in extremely poor condition at the time of monsoon rainy season. Also, there are several hundreds of Internally Displaced Person(IDP) hiding in the Jungles with no access of any form of help from the Relief Action Network for IDP and Refugee, which is founded by civil departments of the KIO, church-based organizations, local civil society organizations . Due to the population of IDP and refugees grows, emergency needs including food, shelter, health and medical care, and schooling for children. Despite, in the name of civil war, military dictatorship have been committing so many kind of crime against humanity and war crime in kachin ethnic area, we, kachin, keep calling for the nation-wide cease-fire and meaningful dialogue. The occurrence of this committed circumstances is based on the impunity from any kind of action that taken by UN and international communities. UN Commission of Inquiry is the only way that war crime and crime against humanity committed by the Military dictatorship can be investigated. Only then can there be true accountability and an end to impunity."

All the Sanctions must be maintained until there are meaningful signs of genuine progress. All sanctions is really impact to the military dictatorship,

Despite,12 EU members publicly supporting a establishment of UN Commission of Inquiry, the EU as a whole has failed to give its support. Due to this lack of support, Failing to act on accountability in Burma will embolden Military dictatorship to perpetrate the international crimes and further postpone long-overdue justice. Why Germany has been one of the main obstacles to implementing the EU Burma policy once made sense. Germany Increasing trade wont have any significant impact on relieving poverty. What causes poverty in Burma is the policies of the dictatorship. We, Kachin, understand that German is one of the country who knew the value of democracy and human right. So ignorance of the supporting COI and just concentrated the business with Burmese Military Government, have seemed to give licence to regime for killing, torturing ethnic people and abusing humanitarian violence in Burma. But now is the time to step up the pressure, to impose targeted sanctions which would have a real impact on the dictatorship and their business cronies, Germany, you was one of the main EU members which said no. When you say no, Burmese military government killing more and more our innocent kachin villagers. when you say no Military dictatorship abusing more and more humanitarian violence in our Kachin land of Burma, Germans government weaken EU policy on Burma, relax pressure on the dictatorship, and increase German business interests in Burma are embolden the Military backed government, to perpetrate crime against humanitarian and war crime in our kachin land and other ethnic area in Burma. Now is the time for German Government to consider how kachin ethnic have been suffered and to support UN commission of inquiry crime against humanity and war crime. Please do it right now. All Sanctions should be gradually increased if there was no progress towards improving human rights, peace, stability and democratisation inside kachin land of Burma. Now is the time German Government to consider about crisis in kachin state

and to stop investment in Burma. Please support the Sanction right now. If the US and EU have collectively supported the COI , I believe, there would be no way to run away for Burmese Regime to get to the International court and as soon as possible changing will happen in Burma. So, I would like to demand ,All 27 EU members need working together to help bring genuine democratic reform in Burma and without division to support the COI crime against humanity and war crime. We know that Germany has once a track record, as do many other countries, of effectively defending dictatorships in countries where they have significant investments at business. Germans government, due to the lack of your supporting sanction, EU as whole weaken in taking action on EU Burma policy. So we would like to send clear message German government through from this German's embassy, stop defending Burmas war criminals and support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry on Burma. For the stability of Kachin ethnic state ,For the justice in Kachin ethnic area ,For the peace of kachin ethnic land, For the goal of Kachin ethnic and all ethnicities to establish genuine federal union of Burma, For the dialogue of national reconciliation, For the democratization in Burma, we,Kachin, need your support, we,Kachin, need German government publicly support to establish the UN COI crime against humanity and war crime. Do not be hesitate, lets support all sanction in Burma and COI to investigate the crime against humanity and war crime.

Thank you very much.