BackgroundOn Burma

Why Ethnic Minorities Matter

Worldwide Impact Now (WIN)

The Burmese Army has waged a scorched earth campaign against ethnic minorities for decades. This made Burma a world leader in human rights abuses by the estimation of every major human rights organization in the world.

The Burmese Army by law in 1951 was permitted to become a profit-making institution. This enabled Burmese generals to target their much-feared ethnic minority adversaries, whose lands were super-abundant in natural resources. The Burmese Army became the tool by which ethnics were oppressed and brutalized for profit.

International corporations were able to profit from this without soiling their hands directly with the Burmese Army methods. The corporations escaped accountability through legal maneuvering.

Why Burmese Army Aggression?

During World War II ethnic minorities sided with America and Great Britain, whereas Burmans sided with the Japanese. Primitive ethnics bested their more sophisticated Burman adversaries in terms of superior leadership and fighting skills, but Burmans used their position as the puppet government for Japan to murder ethnic civilians on a massive scale.

At war’s end the Burmans flip-flopped, sided with the British and secured authority to run the post-war government. They soon found themselves totally surrounded by powerful ethnic armies in 1949 in a seven mile circle around Rangoon. They were bailed out by India, but have never forgotten how close they came to be totally beaten and subordinated to ethics.

This is a lingering fear that is an impediment to progress today in Burma, because empowering ethnics as equals, means weakening Burman majority power.

More Reasons

The Basis of Burmese Fear and Aggression Mineral Deposits Mineral Deposits + Ethnic GroupsEthnic Minority Groups (Colored)

Ethnics states comprise 50% of Burma’s 14 states and ethnic populations cover over 50% of land areaEthnic populations may also comprise up to 50% of Burma’s total populaceEthnic lands cover most of Burma’s international trade routes and border

Ethnic lands host most of Burma’s rich natural resources This is the basis of Burmese generals’ profit

China Factor: China Needs Access Thru Ethnic Lands to the Indian Ocean

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1. Kachin State2. Shan State3. Arakan State4. Irrawaddy Region (Karen) 5. Tennassarim Division (Karen)

China also has other interests to include access to Burma’s natural resources

Over 3600 villages burned and strewn with explosive landmines in Eastern Burma alone

Over 440,000 ethnic villagers displaced on any given day

Over 800,000 forced laborers used for Burmese generals’ profit making

Rape uses as a weapon of terror to intimidate villagers

Murder of ethnic leaders from top level down to village level

Burmese Army Past Record

Source: FBR

Villagers were typically attacked first by mortars and infantry

columns followed on at least two avenues.

Rice harvests were destroyed and any villagers caught were

either murdered or used for forced labor

Women and girls were often raped by infantry units

So-called “Rebels” protected families and villages

The term “Rebel” is very misleading

Truth is that most ethnic minoritieshave been actively working for decadeson Western-style constitutions with the goal of a Federal Union of Burma.

But international media has focused on the terms “Rebels” and “Insurgents”, which promotes misunderstanding of Ethnics’ true intentions

Burmese President Thein Sein

The world has rallied to him as the “champion of reform”

Reality?Thein Sein does not control his generals who attack Kachin villagers now. This is confirmed.

He may not be an enlightened reformist at all, because the dark reality for Burma is that it will be dominated by China unless it engages The West somehow and soon. This may be just Real Politick.

Some of his negotiators with Ethnics have even admitted that they have no intentions of keeping their word, but must put on a good show in order to get US and international sanctions lifted

Reality TodayIn Kachin State

120 Burmese battalions attack Kachin villagers and their defenders today

Attackers are backed by jet fighter-bombers and Russian-made attack helicopters

Over 100,000 Kachin refugees are on the run, but with no place to go

China has sealed the border preventing humanitarian aid

Kachin State is rich in natural resources and hydro power potential

This is the basis of Burmese aggression

The Burmese rehearsed their aerial attacks in Karen State where they had negotiated a cease fire

The Kachin Situation

It is significant that Aung San Suu Kyi has avoided stating strong support for the Kachin. She specifically refused to respond to 23 Kachin activist groups’ request to condemn Burmese aggression

She has stated her admiration for the Burmese Army as of a recent trip though Hawaii in January 2013.

She has recently received donations from Burmese millionaires who made their money on the backs of oppressed ethnics

She has strongly affirmed a “Democracy First” theme for Burma, while Ethnics see democracy without National Reconciliation can mean “The Tyranny of the Burman Majority”.

Ethnic Friend or Not ?

“The Alamo”

This map of Northern Karen State provides a view of the last major liberated area in Eastern Burma (light blue area).

The brown symbols represent Burmese Army forces, bases and outposts that dominate this stolen land. Over 80,000 – 100,000 Karen are still able to survive in this sanctuary that is about 60 miles by 120 miles in size.

Most of this area is deep jungle mountains that naturally help protect villagers, but the Burmese want to dominate this area because of gold mines and hydro power potential.

Burmese Armed forces are now actively strengthening their outposts and making preparations to take total control of this region once and for all.

Northern Karen State

The Greatest Danger Today

Ethnic minorities, impoverished and brutalized for over six decades, now face the prospect that the International Community will favor Burman elites in power.

This would be tragic, because many ethnics have done most of the dying for Burma’s pro-democracy under decades of attack by the Burmese Army.

Those attacks continue now…and more are on the horizon.

There may never be peace in Burma until Ethnic Minorities’ ancestral lands are returned to them

Worldwide Impact Now (WIN) is an all-volunteer organization devoted to support

oppressed ethnic minorities in Burma

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