Open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on Myanmar/Burma

September 3, 2024

Prime Minister,

Three and a half years ago, the military staged a coup in Myanmar that ended a fragile and flawed experiment with democracy, and sent Myanmar plunging deeper into armed conflict, displacement, and human rights violations. We also just observed the seventh anniversary of 2017’s wave of genocide against the Rohingya, which drove some 800,000 people to seek precarious safety in Bangladesh – a number that is ever-growing due to spiraling conflict in Rakhine State.

We, the undersigned 79 Canadian, Myanmar and international organizations committed to peace and democracy in Myanmar, call on the Government of Canada to renew and reinvigorate its political, technical, and material support for the people’s and the country’s path toward a peaceful, secure, and inclusive democratic future.

We acknowledge and are grateful for the strong stance that the Government of Canada has taken over the years in support of Myanmar’s conflict-affected peoples, democratic actors, and its international leadership on the Rohingya genocide.

Moving forward, there is a consensus among those who have long been in solidarity with the peoples of Myanmar that the following actions are urgent. These calls for effective interventions are grounded in the voices and contributions of the frontline promoters of democracy, rights defenders, emergency responders, and civil society leaders that have benefited from support made possible thanks to funding from Global Affairs Canada.

1. Sanction the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). Targeted and coordinated global sanctions against high-impact targets have the potential to influence the outcome of the military coup. While Canada largely has a robust sanctions regime with regards to Myanmar, our country has yet to sanction MOGE, unlike our global allies, the US and the EU.

MOGE is the largest remaining source of income for the junta and is therefore a critical target to halting the flow of funds that allows the junta to commit atrocities against its own people. MTI Energy, a Canadian company, is slated to partner with MOGE for the Yadana gas project. It is unacceptable that Canadian sanctions would fail to prevent a Canadian company from entering into business with a state-owned enterprise controlled by the junta. A US-based NGO filed a complaint with Canada’s OECD National Contact Point last September with regards to the MTI deal, but a ruling has yet to be made. Inter Pares has engaged more than 2,700 Canadians who are calling on Canada to sanction MOGE.

2. Shift to and scale-up cross-border humanitarian aid. For many years Canada has been a global leader in supporting the people of Myanmar. Recently we are falling out of sync with other donors who are starting to shift their humanitarian aid to cross-border channels (via neighbouring countries, outside of junta control) in order to deliver support that actually reaches the most vulnerable people. The majority of Canada’s humanitarian funding to Myanmar is through multilateral agencies, who deliver aid through junta-controlled channels, including that of the Myanmar Red Cross Society. This approach is both failing to reach conflict-affected communities most in need and legitimizing a terrorist junta – allowing it to politicize and weaponize aid.

Alternatively, there are local actors on Myanmar's borders who have decades of expertise in effectively and responsibly delivering aid to displaced and conflict-affected communities, who are best placed to channel funds and assistance cross-border. Even in hard-hit areas such as Rakhine State, where INGOs working with the junta are blocked from delivering aid, local organizations can partner in aid delivery outside of junta control. Supporting locally-led responses is the most effective and ethical way to address the catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Additional life-saving support that Canada could provide includes non-lethal technical assistance for civilian protection such as early warning systems that would alert civilians to impending dangers and potentially save thousands of civilian lives, especially in conflict-prone areas.

3. Recognize and provide expertise and material support to emerging democratic governance bodies at national and sub-national levels. The National Unity Government (NUG), emerging state-level governments (such as the Interim Executive Council (IEC) of the Karenni State Consultative Council and the Karenni State Interim Parliament) and established ethnic governance bodies (such as the Karen National Union (KNU)) are the building blocks of Myanmar’s future federal democratic nation. New governance bodies such as the NUG and IEC have made significant strides in their development and sophistication since the coup. Emerging governments and resistance actors have greater effective control over far more territory than the junta.

Canada’s support for the NUG and sub-national governing bodies like the IEC and the KNU with direct humanitarian aid and financial support for their administration, as well as with technical expertise on inclusive democratic governance, will help ensure that after the end of military rule, strong governance bodies can smoothly transition the country into federal democracy. In doing so, Canada can meaningfully complement and increase the impact of efforts by other G7 partners, such as the USAID’s Inclusive Federal Democracy Activity (IFDA) support.

4. Renew Canada’s strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises. It is currently unclear if the strategy will be renewed. Spending under such a strategy was not reflected in the 2024-25 budget and no announcements have been made to either effect.

The situation in Myanmar is drastically different since the coup and a clear strategy is necessary to guide Canadian policy moving forward. Canada must not abandon our commitments and should build on the previous successes. As the resistance builds remarkable momentum towards a federal democratic future, this is an opportune time for Canada to affirm our support for Myanmar.

From engaging our collective base of hundreds of thousands of Canadians, we affirm that people in our country continue to care deeply about Myanmar and the Rohingya. A new federal strategy to respond to the country’s evolved crises, that is grounded in today’s context, could serve as budget appropriation for the above proposed humanitarian support (#2) and bilateral capacity-building support to national and sub-national democratic governance actors and institutions (#3).

The strategy must also fulfill its promise for a Special Envoy to create political momentum and lead Canada’s diplomatic engagement and coordination with international partners related to Myanmar, and to serve as a focal point for our engagement with the NUG and other democratic actors and institutions. Engaging with these governance bodies, in lieu of the junta’s State Administration Council, would be a strong diplomatic statement of support for Myanmar’s federal democratic governance.

Canada’s second strategy committed to continue the mandate of the Special Envoy and build on Ambassador Bob Rae’s contributions. An appointment has not yet been made to this role. This should not replace major diplomatic or spending initiatives, but rather, create a focal point for Canada’s leadership and strong action on this important file.

5.    Support activists in Canada and refugee resettlement. Since the military coup, Canada has admitted an extremely limited number of Rohingya and other refugees from Myanmar to resettle in Canada. Canada must facilitate a greater number of refugees to resettle.

Canada should also support the Rohingya and other Myanmar diaspora activists who are based in Canada, especially women activists. Financially contributing to their education and leadership will ensure that they can become or continue to be part of the new generation of civil society leaders building a new federal inclusive democracy once the dictatorship ends.

The situation today in Myanmar, which has driven over three million civilians from their homes, is nothing short of horrific. Beheadings, burned homes, forced recruitment of Rohingyans, torture and killing of civilians in Rakhine State, burning resistance fighters alive in central Myanmar, massive aerial bombardments against civilians across the country, and unconscionable treatment of female detainees, especially of LGBTQ women – the junta’s level of brutality is unthinkable. As Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recently stated, “Myanmar is in agonizing pain” – and in urgent need of our support.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Signed by the following 20 Canadian charities, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and community groups:    

1. Burma-Canadian Association of Ontario
2. Burmese Canadian Network
3. Canadian Burma Ethnic Nationalities Organization
4. Conflict and Resilience Research Institute Canada
5. Cooperation Canada
6. Développement et Paix - Caritas Canada
7. Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa
8. Inter Pares
9. Just Aid Foundation
10. Justice For All Canada
11. Kachin Canadian Association
12. KAIROS
13. Karen Community of Canada
14. MiningWatch Canada
15. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, Concordia University
16. Myanmar Policy and Community Knowledge (MyPACK) Hub, Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto
17. Myanmar Students Association Ontario
18. National Union of Public and General Employees
19. The Parliamentary Centre
20. The SecDev Foundation

Endorsed by the following 59 Myanmar and international organizations:

1. Action Against Myanmar Military Coup (Sydney)
2. Ah Nah Podcast - Conversations with Myanmar
3. All Burma Student Democratic Front - Australia Branch
4. All Young Burmese League
5. ALTSEAN-Burma
6. Australian Coalition for Democratic Burma
7. Australian Karen Organisation
8. Back Pack Health Worker Team
9. Burma Action Ireland
10. Burma Campaign UK
11. Burma Environmental Working Group
12. Burma Medical Association
13. Burmese Community Development Collaboration
14. Burmese Community Support Group
15. Burmese Medical Association Australia
16. Chin Human Rights Organization
17. CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
18. CRPH Funding Ireland
19. Drug & Alcohol Recovery & Education Network
20. Ethnic Community Development Forum
21. Ethnic Health System Strengthening Group
22. German Solidarity Myanmar e.V.
23. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
24. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
25. Industrial Training Centre Family Sydney
26. Info Birmanie
27. International Association, Myanmar-Switzerland
28. Kachin Association Australia
29. Karen Human Rights Group
30. Karen Office of Relief and Development
31. Karen Women’s Organisation
32. Karenni Human Rights Group
33. Karenni State Farmers’ Union
34. Kuki Women's Human Rights Organization
35. Lahu National Development Organization
36. Lin Mork Mai
37. Mae Tao Clinic
38. Matu Chin Community - NSW/UPU Chin Association
39. Mindat Chin Community NSW
40. Mon National Council
41. Mon State Development Center
42. Mon State Federal Council
43. Myanmar Campaign Network
44. Myanmar Community Coffs Harbour
45. Myanmar Engineering Association of Australia
46. Myanmar Professionals Association Australia
47. Myanmar Students' Association Australia NSW Chapter
48. Network for Chin Community Development
49. NLD Solidarity Association (NSW chapter)
50. NSW Karenni (Kayah) Communities
51. Pa-O Youth Organization
52. Progressive Voice
53. Support 4 Myanmar
54. Sydney Friends for Myanmar Unity
55. U.S. Campaign for Burma
56. We Pledge CDM (Australia)
57. Women Activists Myanmar
58. Youth Heart Beams
59. Zomi Association Australia Inc.

This letter was sent to:

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.            
Prime Minister of Canada   
Office of the Prime Minister

Cc:  Hon. Melanie Joly, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon. Ahmed Hussen, P.C., M.P., Minister of International Development
Hon. Marc Miller, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
David Morrison, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Christopher MacLennan, Deputy Minister of International Development