Activists call for international action against junta’s human rights abuses

By Admin 10 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
10 December 2024, Mrauk-U

On International Human Rights Day on Tuesday, human rights activists in Myanmar called for effective punitive action against the junta’s widespread human rights violations.

The regime, losing control of towns and villages in offensives by resistance forces, has been targeting civilians with air and artillery arrests, as well as arbitrarily arresting and jailing civilians.

Political observer Ko Tun Kyi said: “The regime has been targeting markets, schools, and civilians with airstrikes, using the civil war as an excuse. The situation has worsened significantly, especially after Operation 1027, with increased human rights violations.”

In November alone, the regime carried out 25 airstrikes in Kachin, Kayah, and Shan states, resulting in the deaths of 25 people including 10 children, and injuring 74 others including 51 children, according to the Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma.

The airstrikes targeting displaced persons and conflict-affected people highlight the junta’s cowardice and disregard for human lives, it said.

“Four years into the military coup, human rights violations have worsened. Despite having evidence of these violations, the international community has failed to take effective action against the regime,” said Ma San Htwe, a spokesperson for the Network for Human Rights Documentation Burma.

According to a DMG tally, 34 civilians were killed and 35 others injured in November in Arakan State by the junta air and artillery attacks, and other acts of violence.

Ko Thurein from the All Arakan Youth Network said: “People suffer from junta’s airstrikes, which have claimed lives and destroyed their property. We want the international community to take action to stop the regime from committing human rights violations and war crimes.”

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), 6,025 civilians were killed and 27,810 others were arrested by the regime between February 1, 2021 and December 9, 2024.