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Ethnic Minorities Flee Burma Amid Offensive
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by JONATHAN HARRIS, Managing Editor

At Causecast, we don’t think of ourselves as a breaking news source. We realize the world already has CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, The Huffington Post, Drudge Report, and on the list goes. However, you’d be surprised how often a story that affects tens of thousands of people, that exposes widespread human rights violations, slips through the cracks.

This morning, thanks to the power of the e-mail list, we’ve learned of a new offensive in Burma against ethnic minorities there. Multiple battles in Shan State, near the town of Kunglong, have forced 30,000 people to flee into neighboring China. The U.S. Campaign For Burma has a petition you can sign right now that requests the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. and the UK to take immediate action.

from the U.S. Campaign For Burma:

Burma’s regime has lauched a military offensive against ethnic minorities living near its northern border with China. As a result, 30,000 refugees have fled Burma into China’s Yunnan province, according to an office of the U.N. High Commission on Refugees.

This comes just months after 5,000 refugees fled from Burma into Thailand, and it appears the situation may grow much worse.

The world must act to end the atrocities that continue to be committed by the Burmese regime.  Please take a moment to sign our petition calling for the United States and United Kingdom to take action at the U.N. Security Council.  If you have already signed, ask your friends and loved ones to sign.

The regime’s offensive is part of its ongoing effort to bring Burma’s minority ethnic groups under the control of the military before the sham elections that are set to take place next year.

Aung Zaw, from the Irrawaddy Magazine told Reuters "This has been building for a long time. The army has not only increased tensions and caused distress with the ethnic groups, they’re straining ties with China.

The regime is likely to escalate its offensive against Burma’s ethnic minority groups in the coming months, leading to more displacement and suffering.

The U.S. and UK can play a positive roll by pressing the UN Security Council to act. Please sign our petition to U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice and the UK Ambassador to the UN.

In solidarity for a just and peaceful Burma,

Jeremy Woodrum and Mike Haack

Thanks to our friends at the U.S. Campaign For Burma for staying on top of this issue and giving us all a way to get involved.

Photo by antwerpenR, flickr

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Related causes: Human Rights

Tags: human rights, burma, myanmar, us campaign for burma, refugees, homepage

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