CSOs demand action against human rights violators in warring areas

By Hnin Nwe 07 Nov 2020

Hnin Nwe | DMG
7 November 2020, Sittwe
 
Seventeen civil society organisations have called for legal action to be taken against human rights violators in Myanmar’s warring ethnic areas.
 
A report by the CSOs on Tatmadaw human rights violations this year in Arakan State and northern Shan State was made public and an online news conference was held on November 6.
 
Ko Than Hla of the Rakhine Youth New Generation Network said it was necessary to make the demand for the sake of those innocent people whose human rights were violated.
 
“They [detained] people saying they needed to question them and sent corpses to the hospitals the next morning. They do not take any responsibility for these acts,” he said.
 
Most violations of human rights in Arakan and northern Shan states consisted of torture, landmine casualties and extrajudicial killings, according to the CSOs’ report.
 
The report said there were 35 illegal arrests, 34 people impaired due to landmine explosions and 31 illegal deaths in those areas.
 
The groups urged the Tatmadaw to cease offensives in ethnic areas and to cooperate with ethnic armed organisations on preventive and rehabilitative measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“It is necessary to investigate and take legal actions against the Tatmadaw’s human rights violations in order to bring justice. And we’d also like to urge and advise to do compensation and remedial measures for the remaining families of the victims,” said Ma May Phyu Myint, a participant of Friday’s online news conference.
 
The CSOs’ statement also said the Tatmadaw should immediately implement peace and reconciliation in cooperation with ethnic armed organisations including the Arakan Army, which the military and the government have designated as a terrorist organisation.
 
Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA has plagued western Myanmar for nearly two years, during which many civilian deaths and arrests on suspicion have been reported.
 
In relation to the conflict, there were 52 deaths, 141 injured and 93 arrests from June to November 6, according to DMG data.
 
Local and international organisations have also urged the government to undertake accountability measures for human rights violations in Arakan State.