U.S. Campaign for Burma

URGENT: Tell USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah to Urgently Provide Lifesaving Aid to over 85,000 Kachin IDPs TODAY!

Since the Burmese Army broke a 17 year ceasefire with the Kachin Independence Organization in June 2011, Kachin villagers have been subjected to widespread human rights abuses on regular basis. Tragically, the situation for Kachin civilians continues to deteriorate. Since June 2011, more than 85,000 people have been forced to flee attacks by the Burmese Army, seeking shelter in hiding sites and makeshift internally displaced persons camps set up by local Kachin community based organizations. Dangerously low amounts of humanitarian aid have been given to the Kachin refugees, resulting in the deaths of some children, elderly and women from treatable diseases, including diarrhea.

We have a responsibility to ensure it is not at the expenses of the lives of Burma's ethnic minorities. We must demand the U.S. government to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to the Kachin IDPs.

Subject:

Your Letter:

Dear Dr. Shah,

In June 2011, the Burmese Army broke a 17 year ceasefire with the Kachin Independence Organization.  As a result the Kachin people in Northern Burma have been subjected to brutal attacks by the Burmese Army for the past ten months, including forced portering, use as human landmine shields and landmine sweepers, rape, torture, extrajudicial killings, disappearance, forced relocations and destruction and confiscation of food and property.  As a result, more than 75,000 Kachin civilians have been driven from their homes, struggling to survive as internally displaced persons (IDPs), completely dependent on humanitarian aid for food, medicine and shelter. We urge you to immediately provide lifesaving humanitarian aid to Kachin IDPs.

While the Burmese regime has allowed the international community and local organizations in Burma limited access to roughly 25% of the displaced population who are situated in Burmese regime controlled areas, the regime has allowed almost no aid to reach the over 85,000 who are desperately in need of lifesaving humanitarian aid currently seeking shelter and safety in Kachin Independent Organization controlled areas and the refugees along the China-Burma border.  Local Kachin community based organizations have setup relief committees and camps for those who have fled the fighting but very little international humanitarian assistance has been given to help these organizations save the lives of the 85,000 internally displaced persons whom they are looking after.

The situation is getting worse. Preventable illnesses caused by lack of food, medicine, unsanitary conditions and colder weather are taking their toll on these IDPs and refugees. Children, the elderly and women are acutely vulnerable in this situation. Children in the IDP camps suffer from malnutrition, diarrhea and stomach parasites. A few people in the camps have already died from these curable diseases. Without immediate humanitarian assistance from the international community, people will continue to die from treatable diseases.

Negotiations have failed, violence continues unabated without an end in sight. As fighting continues, more people are expected to flee their villages and prevent people from being able to return to their homes.  While the U.S. government moves forward with its engagement policy and continues to press the regime for humanitarian access, the U.S. government must not wait for the oppressors to give their blessing. USAID must urgently provide assistance to the Kachin community-based relief committees who have been assisting the Kachin IDPs with their limited resources over the past ten months to prevent any more deaths by lack of aid.

Sincerely,