To: Kim Jong Yang, INTERPOL President; Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL General Secretary; the INTERPOL Executive Committee and INTERPOL Member Countries
Subject: Call on INTERPOL to ban the illegal junta from representing Myanmar at its General Assembly
Dear INTERPOL President Kim Jong Yang
INTERPOL Vice Presidents Benyamina Abbad and Šárka Havránková
INTERPOL General Secretary Jürgen Stock
INTERPOL Executive Committee Delegates
Khaled Jameel Al Materyeen
Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi
Jean-Jacques Colombi
Rogerio Galloro
Robert Guirao Bailén
Destino Pedro
Olushola Kamar Subair
Jannine Van den Berg
and Member Countries
We, the undersigned 259 organizations, call on INTERPOL to immediately ban the Myanmar military junta from representing Myanmar as a member of INTERPOL. We demand you ensure that the military junta is excluded from the upcoming 89th INTERPOL General Assembly and all benefits and future cooperation that membership entails.
According to media reports, the Myanmar military junta’s police force is currently representing Myanmar in INTERPOL and its members, led by the Head of Police and Deputy Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant-General Than Hlaing, will act as delegates for the Myanmar government at the INTERPOL General Assembly. This is a matter of grave concern to us and raises serious credibility issues for INTERPOL itself for the following reasons:
- The military junta does not represent the government of Myanmar. The international community has refused to recognise the military junta as the legitimate government of Myanmar and has prevented members of the military junta from participating in international forums including the UN General Assembly, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the ASEAN Summit.
- The attempted coup on 1 February 2021, under the leadership of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing by violent means violated the Myanmar Constitution, international law and the principle of rule of law.
- The head of the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar recently stated that since the attempted coup the Myanmar military junta’s widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population amounts to crimes against humanity.
- The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, composed of international experts including former members of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar and a former Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, has recently argued that, in addition to crimes against humanity, the Myanmar military is engaging in terrorism and should be classified as a terrorist organization.
- General Than Hlaing, as the junta’s Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Chief of Police, is directly responsible for decision making concerning repressive policies and violent actions committed by police against peaceful demonstrators and is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma.
- For this and other reasons, Lt. General Than Hlaing has been placed by the European Union under a travel ban and asset freeze as of 3 March 2021.
- Targeted sanctions against Lt. General Than Hlaing also remain in place by the US, UK, and Canada (overview with links here).
- Lt General Than Hlaing has been appointed to lead operations in Chin State. Escalating military attacks against civilians there and in Sagaing and Magwe Regions have caused rights groups to draw similarities to “clearance operations” used to violently oppress the ethnic Rohingya population – now at issue in the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice
INTERPOL’s vision is to connect police for a “safer world” and to support security for the world’s citizens. The people of Myanmar are in dire need of safety and security. The single biggest threat to their security is the Myanmar military junta, who is attempting to represent Myanmar in INTERPOL and use the General Assembly as a platform for political gain and international legitimacy. This will embolden the Myanmar military to continue to commit international crimes with blanket impunity.
We note that countering the threat of terrorism is the first of INTERPOL’s seven Global Policing Goals, and INTERPOL has a responsibility to counter and disrupt terrorism wherever it occurs, including in Myanmar.
We draw your attention to condemnation by the UN Security Council regarding the junta following the February 2021 coup, including a November 2021 statement by the Council’s President Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez citing “deep concern at further recent violence across Myanmar”.
We note that upholding human rights is central to INTERPOL’s mandate. We implore you to meet the commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated in Article 2 of the Constitution of the ICPO-INTERPOL. Recognizing the Myanmar military junta, responsible for systemic and grave human rights violations would be a clear violation of this article.
We appeal to you to adhere to INTERPOL’s commitment to political neutrality stated in Article 3 of the INTERPOL Constitution. Awarding an unlawful military junta that lacks domestic and international recognition with legitimacy would violate this article, and amount to a partisan intervention that would embolden the military to continue to commit international crimes with total impunity.
Instead of legitimizing the military junta through INTERPOL membership, we appeal to you to uphold international law by supporting the ongoing investigation at the International Criminal Court concerning crimes of genocide against the Rohingya, and future investigations, to bring all perpetrators of Myanmar atrocities to account. The Myanmar military must be recognized as a terrorist organization, not recognized as representatives of the Myanmar people who are the very victims of the junta’s daily barrage of violence that INTERPOL aims to protect.
We, therefore, call on INTERPOL to:
- Ban the Myanmar military junta from INTERPOL, including the 89th General Assembly.
- Support efforts to bring Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Lt Gen Than Hlaing and all other perpetrators of atrocity crimes to justice by identifying and arresting suspects.
- Take all measures available to prevent the Myanmar military junta’s continued acts of terrorism by disrupting terrorism movement and tracing and disrupting their international revenue and arms supply networks.
At this fragile and crucial time in Myanmar, INTERPOL and their member countries must act in the interests of the safety and security of Myanmar people, victims and survivors of crime and in accordance with international law and norms.
Organisation/s Involved
- 8888 Generation (New Zealand)
- Action Committee for Democracy Development
- Activists Group for Human Rights ‘BARAM’
- Albany Karen Community, Albany
- All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress
- All Burma Democratic Face in New Zealand
- ALL FOR LITTLE ONE
- Alliance for Gender Inclusion in Peace Process (AGIPP)
- Alternative Solutions for Rural Communities (ASORCOM)
- ALTSEAN-Burma
- Arizona Kachin Community
- ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights – APHR
- Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
- Asian Dignity Initiative
- Assistance Association for Political Prisoners
- Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
- Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
- Auckland Kachin Community NZ
- Auckland Zomi Community
- B-Farm
- Blood Money Campaign
- Boat People SOS
- Burma Action Ireland
- Burma Campaign UK
- Burma Human Rights Network
- Burma Rohingya Organisation UK
- Burmese Relief Center – Japan
- Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
- Burmese Women’s Union
- Calgary Karen Community Association (CKCA)
- California Kachin Community
- Campaign for a New Myanmar
- Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights Committee (CENTRAL)
- Chin Community of Auckland
- CHRF
- Christian Solidarity Worldwide
- Citizen of Burma Award-New Zealand
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Coalition to Abolish Modern-day Slavery in Asia (CAMSA)
- Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL)
- Committee for Religions Freedom in Vietnam
- COVIL
- CRPH & NUG Supporters Austria
- CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
- CRPH Funding Ireland
- Dallas Kachin Community
- DANA
- Decency & Clarity
- DEEKU-Karenni Community of Amarillo, TX
- Democracy for Myanmar – Working Group (NZ)
- Democracy, Peace and Women’s Organization – DPW
- DONEUIDONG
- Dongjadong Sarangbang
- Edmonton Karen Community Youth Organization
- Education Community Woorijari Social Cooperation
- Equality Myanmar
- European Karen Network
- Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
- Federation of General Workers Myanmar
- Federation of Workers’ Union of the Burmese Citizen in Japan
- Freedom House
- Future Light Center
- Future Thanlwin
- Gangbuk Housing Welfare Center
- Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC)
- Gender Equality Network
- Georgia Kachin Community
- Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy (GM4MD)
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
- Gwangju Asia sisterhood
- Gyeonggi Association of Self-Sufficiency Promotion Center
- HANBARAGI
- Houston Kachin Community
- Human Rights Foundation of Monland
- Incorporated Organization Shilcheon Bulgyo
- Independent Trade Union Federation (INTUFE)
- Info Birmanie
- Initiatives for International Dialogue
- International Campaign for the Rohingya
- International Child Rights Center
- International Karen Organisation
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- Iowa Kachin Community
- Jangsuwon
- JCMK
- JPIC of Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
- Junta Denouncing Committee Korea
- Justice For Myanmar
- Kachin American Community (Portland – Vancouver)
- Kachin Community of Indiana
- Kachin Community of USA
- Kachin Gender Star Group
- Kachin Women’s Association Thailand
- Kaesong Tourism Center
- Kansas Karenni community, KS
- Karen American Association of Milwaukee, WI
- Karen Association of Huron, SD
- Karen Community of Akron, OH
- Karen Community of Canada (KCC)
- Karen Community of Czech Republic
- Karen Community of Finland
- Karen Community of Hamilton
- Karen Community of Iowa, IA
- Karen Community of Ireland
- Karen Community of Israel
- Karen Community of Kansas City
- Karen Community of Kitchener & Waterloo
- Karen Community of Leamington K
- Karen Community of Lethbridge
- Karen Community of London
- Karen Community of Minnesota, MN
- Karen Community of North Carolina
- Karen Community of Ottawa
- Karen Community of Regina
- Karen Community of Saskatoon
- Karen Community of Thunderbay
- Karen Community of Toronto
- Karen Community of Windsor
- Karen Community of Winnipeg
- Karen Community Society of British Columbia (KCSBC)
- Karen Human Rights Group
- Karen Organization of America
- Karen Organization of Illinois, IL
- Karen Thai Group
- Karen Women’s Organization
- Karen Youth Education Pathways
- Karen Youth Networks
- Karen Youth of Norway
- Karen Youth of Toronto
- Karen Youth Organization
- Karenni Civil Society Network
- Karenni Community of Arizona, AZ
- Karenni Community of Arkensas, AK
- Karenni Community of Austin, TX
- Karenni Community of Bowling Green, KY
- Karenni Community of Buffalo, NY
- Karenni Community of Chicago, IL
- Karenni Community of Colorado, CO
- Karenni Community of Dallas, TX
- Karenni community of Des Moines, IA
- Karenni Community of Florida, FL
- Karenni Community of Fort Worth, TX
- Karenni Community of Georgia, GA
- Karenni Community of Houston, TX
- Karenni Community of Idaho, ID
- Karenni Community of Indianapolis, IN
- Karenni Community of Massachusetts, MA
- Karenni Community of Michigan, MI
- Karenni Community of Minnesota, MN
- Karenni Community of Missouri, MO
- Karenni Community of North Carolina, NC
- Karenni Community of Portland, OR
- Karenni Community of Rockford, IL
- Karenni Community of San Antonio, TX
- Karenni Community of Sioux Falls, SD
- Karenni Community of Utah, UT
- Karenni Community of Utica, NY
- Karenni Community of Washington, WA
- Karenni Community of Wisconsin, WI
- Karenni Human Rights Group
- Karenni National Women’s Organization
- Karenni Society New Zealand
- Karenni Society of Omaha, NE
- Karenni-American Association
- Keng Tung Youth
- Kentucky Kachin Community
- Kijamii Table
- Kim Wan Sik (MR)
- Korea Christian Solidarity for Democracy and Human Rights in Myanmar
- Korea Karen Organization
- Korea Karen Youth Organization
- Korea Women’s Associations United (KWAU)
- Korean House for International Solidarity
- Korean Solidarity for Overseas Community Organization
- Let’s Help Each Other
- Louisiana Kachin Community
- Maryland Kachin Community
- May18 Seoul Memorial Society
- Metta Campaign Mandalay
- Michigan Kachin Community
- Migrant Health Association in Korea WeFriends
- Milk Tea Alliance (Friend For Myanmar)
- MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee
- Minnesota Kachin Community
- Myanmar Accountability Project
- MYANMAR Action Supporters
- Myanmar Community Austria
- Myanmar Democratic Force (Denmark)
- Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
- Myanmar Family Community in Ireland
- Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
- Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
- Myanmar Students Organization
- Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
- National Clergy Conference for Justice and Peace
- NeT Organization
- Network for Advocacy Action
- Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma (ND-Burma)
- Neutinamu
- New Bodhisattva Network
- New York Kachin Community
- New Zealand Doctors for NUG
- New Zealand Karen Association
- New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
- No Business With Genocide
- North Carolina Kachin Community
- NUG & CRPH Supporter Denmark
- Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica
- Olive Organization
- Omaha Kachin Community
- Organization of Social Welfare Service Bokumjari
- Oversea Karen Organization Japan
- Overseas Mon Association. New Zealand
- Pa-O Youth Organization
- Pennsylvania Kachin Community
- People’s Initiatives for Development Alternatives
- People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
- Progressive 3.0
- Progressive Korea
- Progressive Voice
- Pyeongchang
- Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
- RCSD/FSS Chiang Mai University
- Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
- SAMYANG CITIZENS NETWORK
- SARANGBANG Group for Human Rights
- Save and Care Organization for Ethnic Women at Border Areas
- Save Myanmar Fundraising Group (New Zealand)
- Shan Community (New Zealand)
- Shan MATA
- Sisters 2 Sisters
- Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
- Social Action for Community and Development (SACD)
- Solidarity for Another World
- South Carolina Kachin Community
- Support Group for Democracy in Myanmar (Netherlands)
- Supporters group for migrant workers in Korea
- Suwon Migrants Center
- Swedish Burma Committee
- Synergy – Social Harmony Organization
- Ta’ang Women’s Organization
- Ta’ang Legal Aid
- Tanintharyi Women Network
- Tennessee Kachin Community
- The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
- The People Center for Development and Peace (PDP-Center)
- Tongirinreoygeo
- Union of Karenni State Youth
- US Campaign for Burma
- Utica Karen Community, NY
- Virginia Kachin Community
- Washington Kachin Community
- West Virginia Kachin Community
- With Gilbut Welfare Foundation
- Women Advocacy Coalition – Myanmar (WAC-M)
- Women’s League of Burma
- Women’s Peace Network
- Youth of Kim Dae-jung Foundation
- Youth Resource Development Program (YRDP)
How to Support The Campaign
For more information, please contact:
Khin Ohmar, Progressive Voice, [email protected]
Veronica Pedrosa, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, [email protected]
Annie Boyajian, Freedom House, [email protected]