Burma Army Intensifies Attacks on Karen Civilians and Fires on Displaced People in Hiding
CSW (10/30/06) The continuing Burma Army offensive in Karen State has displaced a further 1,450 people in one valley alone. During the last ten days, 700 people have fled from their homes in the area north of the Mon Chaung (river) and more have fled the area south of the river following machine-gun attacks on villages and areas where Internally Displaced People are in hiding.
During an attack on Mawn Ki village, one villager was killed and another badly wounded when the Burma Army opened fire. There are currently five Burma Army columns based in the area.
These latest attacks form part of an ongoing offensive in Karen State , which has resulted in 20,000 people being displaced from their homes.
UK Members of Parliament discussed the situation in Burma during a Westminster Hall debate last week. They called on the government to take a stronger stance against UK businesses operating in Burma and urged the government to raise the situation with the UN Security Council. In September, members of the Security Council, including the UK and the US , voted to include a debate on Burma in their agenda.
Christian Solidarity Worldwides Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas says: These latest attacks form part of a deliberate and fierce offensive against the Karen people. The plight of those suffering at the hands of this brutal regime in Burma demands the immediate attention and intervention of the international community. We urge the UN Security Council to pass a binding resolution on Burma immediately, requiring an end to these atrocities, and to put in place a concrete plan for national reconciliation and a transition to peace and federal democracy.
