International community criticized for silence on Burma army attacks

Posted on November 1, 2008
Filed Under Burma news, Karen news |

In the last two days the Burma army supported by troops from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) have attacked Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) bases in Kler Law Seh in Karen State’s Doo Pla Ya District. According to the Burma Campaign UK, KNLA forces have withdrawn from the area and hundreds of villagers have been forced to flee the area because of the fighting.
The attacks began early on Thursday morning with around 300 pro-junta troops attacking the KNLA base at Kler Law She. Fighting continued until noon the next day, when the KNLA withdrew. Residents of at least seven villages have been forced to flee the area in recent weeks.
Fighting between the Burma army and ethnic groups is believed to have resulted in as many as a million IDPs (Internally Displaced People) inside Burma.
The DKBA is believed to want to gain control of the area, so it can profit from taxing cross border trade with neighbouring Thailand.
The Burma Campaign UK has denounced the UN and European Union for staying silent as hundreds more civilians have been driven from their homes by the military regime. Nant Bwa Bwa Phan, Campaigner at Burma Campaign UK said, “They should be demanding that the regime cease these attacks, which their own special rapportuer has described as breaking the Geneva Convention. The international community cannot continue to ignore what is going on in Eastern Burma.”

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