Rohingya Activists Join Kachin Protestors in Solidarity After Burmese Army Kills 23 Young Cadets at Kachin Military Academy

RB News

November 27, 2014

BROUK (Burmese Rohingya Organisation United Kingdom) joined with Kachin Protestors in Solidarity at a Demonstration in front of the Burmese Embassy in London and call for Inter Ethnic Solidarity

The Kachin National Organisation of UK (KNO-UK) held a demonstration to protest against the Military backed government of Burma in front of the Embassy in London, 19 A Charles St, W1J 5DX on November 26, 2014. There were about 50 people joining the demonstration, including Shan Ethnic people, Rohingya ethnic representatives from BROUK, Ko Aung from 88 Generation, U Nyan Win, NLD representative of UK, Anna Roberts from Burma Campaign and members from Muslim Associations.

KNO-UK vice chairman Ring Du Lachyung took part as a master of ceremonies, giving the opening speech. He mentioned in his speech that “During a time of full commitment to establish trust and discussion of the problems in pursuit of reaching a Nationwide Cease-fire agreement and peace in Burma, we strongly condemn these cowardly acts of the Burma Tatmadaw. The Burmese Army launched heavy artillery to several KIA’s posts on 22nd and 23rd of November 2014. The launch carried out on 23rd November hit near the Secondary School in Alen Bum, where IDPs attend in Laiza. Thus, we, the Kachin National Organization of UK and Kachin community in the UK strongly condemn these barbaric and offensive acts perpetrated by the Burmese Army”.

Later, on behalf of ethnic Rohingyas BROUK President, Tun Khin, gave a speech highlighting that, “We offer our heart-felt condolences to the bereaved families of the fallen Kachins in this most recent incident and those who were killed while defending their Kachinland. We wish to register our solidarity and empathy to the valiant Kachin freedom fighters and extend our wishes to work together, whenever possible, with other ethnic minority brothers and sisters who are commonly oppressed, exploited and destroyed by the successive attacks of the racist Bama military regime. Although we have been stripped off our once-officially recognized -not just self-referential - nationality as Rohingya Muslims of Burma under representative governments in the 1950's and 1960's we hold our country's minority communities as our national kin."

We believe that inter-ethnic and inter-faith solidarity is crucial for building a progressive political and social force in our diverse attempts to achieve the common goal of a peaceful, democratic and federate Union of Burma where everyone is equal before the law and everyone is entitled to human and civil rights”. said Tun Khin.

All the other speakers strongly condemned Burma's military and its ruling party in the un-provoked and 'cowardly' murder of young Kachin officer cadets by the Burma Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalion 389, based at Khaya Bum in Kachin State, by the intentional firing of 105 mm artilleries at the military academy of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) situated at Woi Chyai Bum on November 19, 2014 at 12:36 PM.

The demonstration was successfully ended with Slogans at 2:30pm.