The military junta in Myanmar has been under increasing pressure for months. It is responding to the armed resistance with increasingly brutal crimes. The UN has collected shocking evidence.
According to information from the United Nations, the violence of the military junta in Myanmar against its own population has recently increased massively. “There is clear evidence that brutal war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar military have escalated at an alarming pace throughout the country,” writes the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) in its annual report.
The country’s military staged a coup in February 2021 and ousted then-head of government Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, former Burma has been sinking into chaos and violence, with various rebel groups fighting the army, some very successfully. Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi (79) is in custody.
Junta used increasing violence
The report analyzed more than 400 eyewitness testimonies, as well as photos, videos, audio, social media posts and forensic evidence. The data covers the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. The military’s armed conflict with resistance groups across the country has put increasing pressure on the generals during this period.
The junta responded to the resistance with increasing violence, including air strikes on schools, religious buildings and hospitals where there was no obvious military target, the report said. Physical mutilation of people arrested during the armed conflict was also documented, including beheadings and the public display of disfigured bodies.
Systematic torture in prisons
“We have collected extensive evidence showing horrific levels of brutality and inhumanity throughout Myanmar,” said IIMM chief Nicholas Koumjian. Many crimes were committed with the intention of punishing the civilian population and spreading fear and terror.
Systematic torture of many arbitrarily detained citizens has also been documented, including beatings, electric shocks, strangulation and sleep deprivation. “There is also evidence of gang rape, burning of genitals and other violent sexual and gender-based crimes during detention,” writes the IIMM. The victims also included children.
At the same time, there is also credible evidence of crimes committed by armed groups fighting against the military, including executions of civilians suspected of being military collaborators.
“No one has been held accountable for any crimes, which emboldens the perpetrators and deepens the culture of impunity in the country,” Koumjian said. “We are trying to break this cycle.” The junta generally does not comment on such allegations.
The IIMM was launched in 2018 by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Its aim is to collect and analyse case files that can contribute to the prosecution of individuals in national or international criminal proceedings.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
