Christian Solidarity Worldwide allege Burma chemical weapons attack

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) have released strong evidence of alleged use of chemical weapons by Burma's Army against the Karenni people on 15th February, during an incident near the western border with Thailand.

On 14 April, Dr Martin Panter, an Australian Physician and CSW International President, interviewed five of the soldiers who suffered symptoms, such as irritation to the skin and lungs and severe muscle weakness. He also gathered reports that the device exploded with very distinctive yellow smoke and a "highly irritating odour".

Chief Executive of CSW UK, said: "The circumstantial evidence for the use of chemical weapons against the Karenni people seems to be very compelling indeed and according to the evidence presented by Dr Panter. CSW calls on the international community to put increased pressure on this regime to improve its human rights record. In addition we are calling on Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to refuse to allow Burma to chair ASEAN in July 2006."

Karenni state is the smallest among the Myanmar's states and it is home to a complex mix of ethnic groups with a Kayah majority. Lands controlled by Karenni traditional leaders were actually never fully included into the borders of colonial Myanmar.

In year 1984, Myanmar, known also as Burma, achieved independence from Britain, but the degree of autonomy to be granted to ethnic groups was still a highly disputatious topic. Ethnic political groups were included within the new country according to the constitution issued in 1947, but were given a right of separation within 10 years.

Unhappy with what they regarded as domination by the central government in Yangon, many military groups were formed around the country. In 1957, the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) was formed from already active pro-independence groups. KNPP, backed by its own army the KA, has been fighting ever since against successive military regimes in Yangon with only a short ceasefire in 1995.

The Karenni leadership, backed by the KA, has been fighting the military-controlled government in Yangon for almost 50 years and has become one of the longest-running conflicts of Asia.