More than 180 signatory civil society organizations on 15 May called on the G7 – an informal grouping of seven of the world’s most advanced economies – to take action against the brutal airstrikes on civilians by the Myanmar military council.
The civil society organizations called on G7 members to impose an embargo on the military regime’s sources of revenue, including the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) andthe Myanma Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB), at the 49th G7 Summit to be held in Japan on 19 May, to deter the Myanmar junta from further airstrikes.
On 11 April, a total of 165 people, including 17 women and 19 children, were killed when the regime’s air force bombed Pazigyi village in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region.
In October 2022, a total of 75 civilians were killed in regime airstrikes on ANang Pa village in Kachin State.
The latest appeal by civil society organizations details incidents of deaths caused by the Myanmar military’s airstrikes.
The military regime has also continued its airstrikes in Sagaing Region, Magway Region, Chin State, Karenni (Kayah) State, and Karen State, where ground fighting continues.
The appeal states that since the military took power in a coup in February 2021 through January 2023, the military council has conducted more than 160 airstrikes; the regime will not be able to maintain its current control over areas if it can no longer conduct airstrikes; it has purchased aviation fuel and weapons from China, Russia, and India; it will inevitably continue to attack civilians as long as it has sources of revenue; and it calls on G7 countries to sanction the regime’s sources of revenue.
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Thomas H. Andrews, has also reportedly called on G7 countries to take strong action against the military council.
The summit, scheduled for 19-21 May in Japan, will be attended by G7 members France, the United States, Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada.
Sent by Narinjara