Kachin in London protest Thein Sein visit as UK restores military cooperation

Many Kachin activists were among the large crowd of protesters picketing Thein Sein's meeting with David Cameron at the Prime Ministers official residence located at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday.  Many Kachin hold Thein Sein to be personally responsible for the military's human rights abuses in Kachin state over the past two years during the military's Kachin offensive.   Photo: Kachin National Organization

Kachin activists in London on Monday protested Burmese President Thein Sein's current state visit to the UK. A large group of Kachin protesters gathered in front of the British Prime Ministers official residence at 10 Downing Street as Thein Sein met his British counterpart David Cameron for talks.

The Kachin protesters were joined by activists from the Burma campaign UK including Zoya Phan, daughter of the late Karen National Union leader Mahn Sha. A large number of Rohingya protesters and their supporters were also present to condemn the Thein Sein government's treatment of the stateless Muslim minority.

Representatives of the Kachin National Organization (KNO) the largest Kachin diaspora organization issued a statement on Monday afternoon criticizing Thein Sein and the British government's red carpet treatment for the ex-army general many Kachin consider a war criminal.

The KNO statement noted that under Thein Sein's leadership Burma's military has carried out “crime against humanity, war crimes and violation of international law” in Kachin state. Claims supported by a series of reports from Human Rights Watch and other credible international organizations cataloging the Burma army's use of rape as a weapon of war and the deliberate targeting of civilians with gunfire and mortar bombs during the Kachin campaign which remains on going. This despite a recent 7 point agreement between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and the central government.

David Cameron and his Foreign Minister William Hague appear to be unconcerned by the army's actions in Kachin state. According to recent media reports the Cameron government is poised to offer Burma's military training in the field of “human rights and the law of armed conflict”. Britain's Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that Britain will soon appoint a military attaché in Rangoon who will "oversee the establishment of military to military contacts between the Burmese armed forces and their UK