IUSY expresses grave concern over activists charged by the military with criminal defamation and violation of peaceful assembly laws for demonstrating against the ongoing conflict in Kachin state.
According to latest data from ISP Myanmar Peace Desk, 45 activists have been sued and 14 cases have been filed against them, including accusations of violating their Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Laws.
Youth groups have staged protests since April 30 calling for an end to the siege between the Kachin Independent Army and the military in Kachin state which has endangered more than 3000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the area.
Thousands have stormed the streets in the past few weeks in the regions of Yangon, Mandalay, Pegu and Kachin demanding the Kachin state to (1) relocate the stranded IDPs to a safe place; (2) include the media, youth representatives, civil society organization and religious groups to peace missions in the area and (3) provide immediate access to emergency humanitarian aid to families trapped in the battlefield in Kachin.
IUSY urges the government in Burma to free and drop the charges on the anti-war demonstrators. No person or group should be persecuted for demanding action from their governments, especially in cases of massive human rights violations in times of conflict.
IUSY demands for the military and non-state actors to ensure the safety of non-combatants and IDPs from Kachin state and ensure their access to humanitarian aid. IUSY calls for a long term solution to stop the conflict across Burma by strengthening the peace process, ensuring the participation of communities and sectors.