Written evidence from Kachin National Organization (MYA0005)

1) About Kachin National Organization

The Kachin National Organization (KNO) is a political organization founded on 9th January 1999. This formation was the result of extensive discussions between the living overseas and the elders from the Kachin homeland.

Since the cease-fire agreement on the 24th February 1994, the Burmese Military dictatorship has steadily built up garrisons in our country with the clear intention to continue and establish military occupation.

The Kachin Homeland became without security due to the lack of definitive political policies. There is no economic opportunity amidst rampant inflation and people are reduced to the lowest level of subsistence. Equally lacking are proper healthcare and education. This is insidious destruction of the Kachin and at the same time a devious way of identifying the Kachin Homeland with Burma.

The KNO was a leading founding member of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) established in February 2011 until the Kachin Independence Organisation withdrawn from the UNFC in May 2017.

The Kachin people have been raising years of political grievances and decades of conflict between successive Burmese central governments. However, a 17-year ceasefire ended in 2011 between the government and the . The so-called democratic government and the military failed to include the political rights of the Kachin people in the new 2008 Constitution of the Union of Burma. As a result, the Kachin National Organisation party Congress meeting held in November 2019, astonishingly adopted for the formation of a liberated Kachin country.

The KNO have submitted the written evidence (HRS0010), Human Rights and Ethnic Cleansing in Burma in May 2014 [Ref: URL http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/eviden cedocument/foreign-affairs-committee/the-fcos-human-rights-work-in- 2013/written/9098.html]

Summary 2) Whilst the global Covid-19 pandemic impacted around the world, whether developed or undeveloped country, Burma seemingly was left out and there was no Covid-19 response.

3) The military coup on 1st February 2021 was the cruellest of injustices done to the people of Burma (), a country where democracy was only just beginning but now at risk of falling back under a military dictatorship again.

4) The people have actively participated in the protests to help put an end to the military dictatorship, together with the majority of Burma, including people from lower parts of the country.

5) The Kachin National Organisation (KNO) has been closely monitoring the situation since the Burma military, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, seized power of the country. The Kachin Independent Organisation (KIO) received a warning letter from the Northern Military Command Region, who are under the command of General Min Aung Hlaing. This letter warned the KIO not to interfere in the protests.

6) The KNO issued a statement condemning the military coup, supporting the protesters on 3rd February 2021. The KIO also stated on the 17th February 2021 statement that they called on the Burma military not to use their forces, to avoid further violence and to work with the protesters in order to end the military coup.

7) The crackdowns on the protesters across the Kachin State lead to the majority fleeing to KIO controlled territories. Further crackdowns on the protesters nationwide by the military coup has led to the creation of protester movements, including the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), however, throughout March and April, 2021 many participants of these movements have now fled to (KIO) controlled territories.

8) To ease the crackdowns on unarmed civilians across the country, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has conducted military operations in the Kachin State, by retaking outposts such as the AlawBum (a strategic post lost to the Military coup army many years ago), near the border. The KIA has also retaken many of their former posts they had lost since the 1994 ceasefire.

9) The KIA also cut many supply routes of the Burma military to the Kachin State.

10) The Burma military heavily bombarded KIA posts with airstrikes as well as targeting the civilians, killing and injuring many.

11) Thousands of the Kachin citizens have now been displaced into the Internal Displaced Camps (IDP) in Mumawk. It was heartbreaking to see the photos and reports of these people sheltering in pig sheds.

12) The KIO welcomes Generation Z (youth protesters) for self-defence training since they fled into their controlled regions.

13) The KNO has been supporting to end the military dictatorship - all forms of dictatorship and install a democratic governing system in the Kachin’s homeland along with the whole country.

SUBMISSION Political context 14) As we submitted in our previous written submission “Burma was not in transition to democracy. The Burma military has been creating an authoritarian pseudo-democratic state, by oppressing the people with divide and rule tactics, creating systematic violence and conflicts throughout Burma to continue and enforce their grip on authoritarian power- dictatorship.”

15) To end the Burma military dictatorship, the British government must recognise the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government. We urge you to allow NUG use of the UK Foreign Office’s diplomatic leverage while the NUG continue to create and organize a governing system.

16) The UK government must recognize the Karen and Kachin armies and help empower them as they are actively engaging in the protection and hosting of thousands of protesters including the CDM protesters who fled from their homes.

The impact of the UK’s February Sanctions 17) According to a source who returned from Nay Pyi Taw recently, they said: “there is only 20% of the Burma coup revenue functioning now, the military coup might collapse in the next few months ”. The UK’s February Sanctions in collaboration with your alliance is working, our gratitude for your support in this. The Burmese people are extremely resilient, helping each other, such as the wealthy citizens helping their poorer fellow countrymen, while persevering to see the end of the military coup.

18) The Sanctions blocked foreign financial remittance and other commodities that benefit the military coup. Giesecke and Devrient, a German company that supplies products to make Burmese banknotes has suspended deliveries in response to growing violence following the military coup.

19) The UK Sanctions regime should expand to other countries ( i.e Ukraine, Israel, China, Russia) or corporate companies that use British financial leverage.

20) The UK government should seize the property and assets of the individuals that have directly or indirectly associated with the military coup, for example, the proxies of the Burma military coup, such as, Aye Nay Win, a grandson of New Win, a sympathiser and supporter of Burma coup who is likely to have property assets in the UK.

21) The UK government should make sure their Asian counterparts impose the Sanctions in a coordinated manner that “make no safe haven for the Burma military coup in the Asian region”.

The UK to support justice and redress for civilians affected by the violence

To work with the Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) 22) Whilst the Burma Military, the country’s State armed organisation turned into a terrorist organisation many of the CDM and protesters fled to the KIO controlled regions.

23) The Karen and Kachin armies have hosted civilians affected by the violence with opened arms using their limited resources.

24) To bring peace and justice, the UK government sh