Burmese residents from around New Zealand protest outside Parliament. File photo / Mark Mitchell
Burmese residents from around New Zealand protest outside Parliament. File photo / Mark Mitchell
Migrants from Myanmar in New Zealand are involved in raising funds to reportedly buy surface-to-air missiles and help other in efforts to fight the country's military junta.
A 12-day global online campaign last month to raise funds for weapons, which Myanmar nationals here were involved with, raised over $3 million.
A spokeswoman for the group, who spoke to the Herald on the condition of anonymity, said the money raised were also channelled towards humanitarian aid besides armed groups resisting the military coup last year.
"The military has used excessive power to commit genocide against civilians since the coup. Myanmar people received no protection from the United Nations and any other countries since then," she said.
"Military has continuously used airstrikes against innocent civilians. They are also known to target opponents who live overseas, and many of us fear for our lives even here in New Zealand."
Protest in New Zealand calls for justice for Myanmar. File photo / Jack Crossland
She said the worldwide campaign called "Project Dragonfly" ran mainly on social media and was aimed to tell military personnel "that if they continued to do airstrikes, they will get shot down by missile".
Police here confirmed it received a report that the group was attempting to violate anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism laws.
"Police received the report and have assessed it," a police spokeswoman said.
"Based on the information provided, we have not identified any criminal offending in New Zealand."
But a member of the group, who also did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue, said he had "grave safety concerns" from the fact that the police report was made.
"I have grave concern for the safety of my family and my colleagues. If a military personnel is residing in New Zealand, it is a serious danger to our community as there were many incidents worldwide where non-military supporters were given death threats or were being assassinated."
Since the coup, Myanmar's military regime has been battling numerous "people's defence forces" after annulling the 2020 general election and jailing its military leaders. The junta has reportedly staged air strikes and also torched homes and food stocks.
According to the United Nations, more than 520,000 people have been displaced across Myanmar by the growing crisis.
Human rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said at least 1779 have been killed in military crackdowns and more than 10,000 detained by the junta since.
In February, the Government announced new travel bans against Myanmar's military generals and junta officials.
The measures announced by Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta banned 16 leading figures of the junta which she said were responsible for "ongoing atrocities and human rights violations under the regime".
The Tatmadaw, as the military is known, had oppressively ruled Myanmar for many years before allowing a transition to democracy in recent years.
But it again seized power on February 1 last year, deposing its democratically-elected government and jailing its Nobel peace prize-winning leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The military has also been accused by governments overseas, including the United States, of committing genocide against the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority.
Democracy advocates have created the National Unity Government (NUG), a civilian government in exile, and the National Unity Consultative Council, a people's parliament.
New Zealand-based advocacy group Democracy for Myanmar is calling for the New Zealand Government to fully back this movement.
"New Zealand was very quick to respond to the military coup last year. However, NZ has not progressed any further in engagement with NUG, imposing sanctions on the military and its affiliates, and bringing humanitarian aid to most needed areas," a spokeswoman said.
