G8 Ministers express concern about Kachin conflict

G8 Foreign Ministers met in London on 10-11 April.

Following an annual meeting in London last Thursday Foreign Ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) noted their concerns about the ongoing conflict in Kachin state and recent violence in Arakan state.

"Ministers welcomed the progress that has been made on addressing national reconciliation and encouraged the Government of Burma/Myanmar and other actors, including ethnic groups, women and political parties, to continue on this path in particular in view of the complex situation in Kachin State and unresolved tensions in Rakhine State", according to the statement released by the ministers.

The ministers also called on Burma's Government "to take further steps to end all violence, to respect the rights of ethnic and religious minorities and to pursue inclusive peace negotiations".

Ahead of last week's meeting the Burma Campaign UK issued a statement of their own expressing concern that the G8 Foreign Ministers meeting had opted to ignore conflict related sexual violence in Burma in favour of "prioritising trade opportunities with Burma".

The UK Campaign noted that the "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) is top of the agenda for G8 Foreign Ministers. However, Burma is not one of the countries included in PSVI. Instead, discussion on Burma will focus on proposals by the Government of Burma for responsible investment".

Since fighting between Burma's military and the Kachin Independence Organization resumed in June 2011 several human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the Kachin Women's Associations of Thailand have documented the Burma army's continued use of sexual violence against women in Kachin and northern Shan states.  In a report released earlier this year the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma Tomas Quintana found that acts of rape and sexual violence continue to be committed by troops operating in conflict zones..

“It is incredible that at a G8 Foreign Ministers’ meeting where ending sexual violence is the priority, ministers will sit with Burma government officials to discuss trade, not sexual violence,” said Zoya Phan, a spokesperson for the UK Campaign. “Sadly this is another example of how trade with Burma, not human rights, is becoming the priority for the international community.”

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