Junta kills over 1,100 women and 600 children since coup: rights group

By Admin 03 Sep 2024

DMG Newsroom
3 September 2024, Sittwe

At least 1,134 women and 614 children have been killed at the hands of Myanmar’s military regime across the country since the 2021 coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said in a report on September 2.

Casualties were inflicted by airstrikes, shellings, arbitrary arrests and killings, and sexual violence, according to the report.

“I am very saddened by the killing of women by the regime. I see it as a position where they can do whatever they want. There is nothing special about the international action against the regime,” said a woman from a civil society organisation in Arakan State.

From February 1, 2021, when the military seized power, to September 2, 2024, 5,649 women were arrested, the AAPP’s report said.

“Myanmar has signed agreements with the United Nations regarding the protection of women’s and children’s rights. Even so, the regime is blatantly violating human rights, so it’s already pretty bad. Internationally, it is necessary to take effective action against the regime,” said a human rights activist.

The regime, which is being militarily defeated across the country, is increasingly targeting civilian populations.

“To end those atrocities, the only solution is to root out all dictatorships including the current military dictatorship. The male chauvinism that has been entrenched in society must be rooted out through the Spring Revolution,” Burmese Women’s Union (BWU) General Secretary Naw Khin San Htwe told DMG in an interview last month.

From the military coup on February 1, 2021, to September 2, 2024, 27,294 people were arrested and 5,592 were killed, according to the AAPP report.