Junta normalises attacks on non-military targets

By Admin 12 Nov 2024

DMG Newsroom
12 November 2024, Sittwe

Myanmar's military regime has increasingly targeted religious buildings, civilian residences and other non-military targets with airstrikes amid ongoing clashes with the Arakkha Army (AA) in Arakan State.

Four Buddhist monks were injured and at least 13 religious buildings such as monasteries, pagodas and other religious edifices across Thandwe, Taungup, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Pauktaw and Ponnagyun townships were damaged or destroyed by regime airstrikes from October 1 to November 12.

"Since the coup, the military regime has targeted and destroyed many religious buildings throughout Myanmar. Some Buddhist monks were killed in the regime's aerial bombardments.T he regime is committing atrocities against innocent people," said a politician in Arakan State.

Ancient, historical pagodas and an archaeological museum in Mrauk-U have been among the structures destroyed in the junta airstrikes and artillery attacks.

Five internally displaced people (IDPs) including a Buddhist monk and a child were injured in a junta air attack on Buthidaung at around 2:30 a.m. on November 10.

Four displaced civilians were killed and two people including an abbot were injured in regime air attacks on a Buddhist monastery in Pyarthar Village, Maungdaw Township, on November 2.

Customary international humanitarian law requires any armed organisation to protect civilians and bars them from attacking, abducting or using civilians as human shields, or targeting civilian dwellings.

"The regime, unable to accept defeat in the war, has started targeting civilians, thus blatantly committing crimes against humanity," said Ma Amara, a resident of Minbya.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in a report on October 31 that religious freedom in Myanmar has deteriorated as the conflict between the military regime and opposition forces continues unabated.