We stand with the peoples of Burma/Myanmar!
A Call for Democracy, Peace and Justice in Burma/Myanmar.
The Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI), stand in solidarity with the ethnic nationalities and ethnic groups, and civil society of Burma/Myanmar in their fight for the restoration of democracy, peace, and justice in the country. The Indigenous Peoples of Myanmar are known as ethnic nationalities and ethnic groups of more than 130 groups, which comprise the 30 percent of the total population.
On February 1, 2021, just hours before the first scheduled session of the recently elected Myanmar parliament, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Military) launched a coup d’etat and arrested and detained the National League for Democracy (NLD) party leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi. The protests that erupted from different parts of the country were met with violence, torture, imprisonment, and killings. The democratic rights to freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly and association are brazenly curtailed by the military authorities and violence continues.
The Indigenous Peoples in Burma/Myanmar are adversely affected by recent violence of the Tatmadaw. The coup is an attack to the process of democratization in the country. It diminishes the ceasefire agreements and peace talks between the NLD and the armed groups of ethnic nationalities and ethnic groups, which were established to defend themselves and their territories.
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Myanmar noted around 3,200 people arrested, 737 killed and nearly 250,000 displaced. Reports confirmed that since late March, there have been repeated aerial bombings in Karen state which killed 19, injured 40, and displaced thousands, most of them are ethnic nationalities.
The Tatmadaw has intensified its military operations in Kachin and Karenni states, while more than 1000 people were displaced and killed in Shan state. Thousands fleeing for safety were either prevented by the Tatmadaw from leaving their communities, refused entry by the Thai authorities, or left without sources of food and survival in evacuation areas or destinations. Likewise, protest actions in the Chin state were also met with violence resulting to the killing of several young men and women indigenous Chin protesters.
The brutal attacks by the military against peaceful demonstrators should end. The Tatmadaw should be held accountable for its massive human rights violations, including the violation of the rights of ethnic nationalities and ethnic groups who are exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms, and asserting their right to self-determination. They should release all detained political leaders and civilians, and reinstate the democratically-elected government.
We call on the international community to stand in solidarity with the peoples of Burma/Myanmar and urge the United Nations to intervene for the restoration of democracy and peace in Burma/Myanmar. The forced takeover of political power by the military does not only undermine the democratic rights of the people, but also the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples to their self-determination including self-governance.
We call on the UN Permanent Forum, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to collectively express their serious concern on the massive human rights violations of Indigenous Peoples in Burma/Myanmar.
The UN and the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) should fully support the restoration of the democratically-elected government in Burma/Myanmar, and ensure that the Tatmadaw will be held responsible for its brutal attacks to the people.
Together with the other Indigenous Peoples, IPRI calls on the public to support the aspirations of the peoples in Burma/Myanmar to attain peace, justice and democracy, and the respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Myanmar.
