Media Release from Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
For Immediate Release January 9th 2025
Burmese Military Airstrike on Fishing Village Kills More Than 40
Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK condemns an airstrike by the Burmese military on a Rohingya village in Rakhine State yesterday which killed more than 40 villagers.
Kyauk Ni Maw is a civilian fishing village in an area of Rakhine State under the control of the Arakan Army. There is no fighting and no military post there. There is absolutely no military justification for this attack.
Around 600 homes, shops and other buildings have been destroyed in fires caused by the airstrikes.
Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK calls for renewed international action to try to prevent airstrikes by the Burmese military, including cutting off sources of jet fuel, money, and sanctioning Chinese companies supplying jets and drones.
“As Burmese military airstrikes across Burma have increased, international action to try to stop them has decreased,” said Tun Khin, President of Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK. “We need concerted international action to cut off jet fuel to Burma. Vietnamese companies delivering jet fuel should be sanctioned, and Chinese companies supplying the jets should be sanctioned. Just because airstrikes happen every day does not mean these atrocities should be thought of as normal and no action taken.”
The attack took place on the same day as the Burmese NGO Blood Money Campaign launched a new report, ‘Close the Sky’, calling for more international action to reduce airstrikes. The report is onlinehere:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XXkMVnb2CeHBuZhwH7sIfwuhkofVbs4w/view
Rakhine State in Burma faces imminent famine as the Burmese military has imposed an aid and trade blockade to the state since most of it has come under the control of the Arakan Army. Indiscriminate airstrikes by the Burmese military, combined with conflict and attacks on Rohingya civilians by the Arakan Army, have led to around 600,000 people in Rakhine State being forced to flee their homes.
“This airstrike is yet another violation of international law, and the jets doing the bombing and the fuel used to fly the jets is bought internationally,” said Tun Khin.“It is time the international companies facilitating these crimes faced consequences.”
Amnesty International has produced a briefing on international companies involved in delivering jet fuel to Burma. None have faced sanctions. The report is online here: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/07/myanmar-reckless-shipments-of-jet-fuel-continue-as-air-strikes-multiply/
For more information, please contact Tun Khin on +447888714866
