Concern Growing That Regime Is Blocking Cyclone Aid To Ethnic Karen

The Burma Campaign UK today called on United Nations, and development
agencies operating in Burma, to investigate whether cyclone aid is being
blocked to ethnic Karen. The Burma Campaign UK is concerned about consistent
reports of aid being blocked to areas with predominantly Karen farms and
villages.

Ethnic Karen are believed to make up around half of the delta population,
and an even higher proportion in rural areas.  Most of what little aid the
regime has allowed into the delta region has gone to townships. Access to
many rural areas mainly populated by Karen is blocked.

“The military dictatorship already uses the denial of aid as part of its
ethnic cleansing policy against Karen in Eastern Burma,” said Zoya Phan,
International Coordinator of the Burma Campaign UK. “Now they are killing
thousands more Karen in the delta by denying them aid. The fact that they
are Karen could be a factor in blocking aid, and this must be investigated
by the UN.”

The Karen have faced oppression from central government for the past 60
years. In Karen State the United Nations has accused the regime of breaking
the Geneva Convention by deliberately targeting civilians. The regime has
destroyed thousands of villages, uses rape as a weapon of war, and thousands
of people as slave labour, with more than half a million people being
internally displaced. Many receive no aid because the regime refuses access
to the UN and aid agencies.

The Burma Campaign UK has also received unconfirmed reports of Burmans being
prioritised over Karen in refugee camps. Many foreign aid workers may not be
aware of the ethnic issue, and the Burma Campaign UK is calling on the UN
and aid agencies to ensure staff are aware of potential problems, and to
monitor aid distribution with this in mind.

It is not only international aid workers that have been banned from some
rural parts of the delta. Karen and Burmese aid workers are also being
stopped from delivering aid.

“Soldiers are turning back aid instead of helping to deliver it,” said Zoya
Phan. “Untold thousands have died and many more will die, because aid is
being blocked. I am sure that Than Shwe will be delighted that some of the
countries best farmland has been cleansed of Karen people, and is free to be
taken over by the Generals and their business cronies.”

For more information contact Zoya Phan on 02073244712.

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