July 19th, 2022
The Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) released a report on July 19th, calling on the international community, including the Japanese government, to increase economic and diplomatic pressure on the State Administration Council (SAC) and to halt Japan’s regional development programs for the regime.
In the report, the group addresses the ongoing fighting and the tens of thousands of people fleeing the war in the peace town of Lay Kay Kaw and in the territory controlled by the KNU’s Brigade 6 in Dupalaya District.
The underlying problems of the current armed conflict in the region stem from the Japanese government’s multi-billion-kyat development aid to the Nay Pyi Taw government, which is not truly peace-oriented, resulting in greater support for the junta’s military activities and its rapid entry into the conflict area through development projects, the report says.
“In particular, the Japanese government should stop economic cooperation at a time when the whole country is suffering from acts of terrorism against its people. Japan should stop large-scale development projects such as building roads and bridges. The international communities should also provide emergency assistance to the IDPs,” KPSN spokesperson Naw Wahkushee told the Karen Information Center (KIC).
The KPSN’s call also means halting ongoing regional development projects, including Japan’s support for the construction of bridges and strategic infrastructure such as the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), and applying stronger economic and diplomatic pressure to stop the actions of the military’s actions while people across Myanmar continue to face brutalities.
In doing so, the KPSN also recommends stronger sanctions against the military council’s revenue sources, companies that sell weapons and supplies to the coup regime, arms dealers, and the sale of jet fuel.
In addition, a total of 71 locals have been killed as a result of the armed conflict, including those who returned to the new town of Law Kay Kaw. More than 86,000 people are still living in makeshift camps along the Thai-Myanmar border and remain in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the report.
The KPSN also criticized the Japanese government for encouraging IDPs to return to the new town of Lay Kay Kaw, which was built as a symbol of peace building.
As long as the international community does not cut off the military council’s access to weapons and money, the current conflict will continue even longer and more people will flee and die.
Since the international community already aware of the coup regime’s activities, as well as how to stop them, the KPSN continues to do so without delay.
Sent by KIC.
