Sign-On Statement: In Solidarity With People of Burma

5 February, 2021

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), together with the undersigned organisations, express concern on the recent political developments in Myanmar/Burma.

The military has announced a state of emergency for one year and political leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi have been arrested and charged with criminal cases. There is also a crackdown on civil society activists and leaders, especially those who have been resisting this undemocratic violence. It is concerning that the military has used election results as an excuse to dismantle a democratically elected government with a looming threat to dissolve the National League of Democracy (NLD).

In the past four days, the military has curbed freedom of expression and information by shutting down communications systems including internet and phone lines or providing restricted services leading to surveillance and privacy concerns.  Moreover, the military has been pressuring private telecommunication service providers to block social media and also to gain direct access to the personal data of its customers, which is a direct breach of human rights of the users.

The military conflict lasting over 70 years has impacted women disproportionately, especially ethnic and religious minorities, including rape being used as a weapon to sustain military power. The current political instability is undoing the democracy and human rights movements’ efforts in the past few decades. Intentionally created chaos with the banking system by the military will further marginalise people’s needs and exacerbate the hardships COVID-19 has unfold. 

We demand the Military of Myanmar to:

1. Immediately lift the state of emergency and return the state power to the democratically elected NLD.  This will be the indicator as the first step to restore democracy and peoples’ sovereignty in Burma.
2. Immediately release all detained leaders and activists and stop any judicial harassment. 
3. Restore nation-wide and overseas communications including landlines, mobile and internet. 
4. Stop restricting the service of  private telecommunication service providers, and pressuring them to get direct access to users’ data. 
5. Stop any surveillance and protect women human rights defenders, democracy activists and journalists.
6. Ensure peoples’ right to peace and non-violence and immediately stop any attacks and violent conflicts in ethnic/indigenous land and territories across Burma.

We urge the international community for targeted economic sanctions against the military and their families and cronies.  The UN Security Council must condemn and take responsible actions against the military coup based on human rights norms and respect for peoples’ sovereignty.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Burma and will continue to monitor the situation in the country.  Those who hijacked peoples’ power and democracy must be held accountable; and the international community must take responsible support to enable people-led, democratic Burma.

Organisational Sign-Ons

Individual Sign Ons

For further information please contact Neha Gupta, Information and Communications Officer at neha@apwld.org