FROM THE DVB NEWSROOM
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reiterated on Jan. 30 – nearly three years to the date of the Feb. 1, 2021 military coup – that the deteriorating situation in Burma is in a “freefall” with “insufficient world attention paid to the misery and pain of its people.”
“Pitched battles between the military and armed opposition groups have resulted in mass displacement and civilian casualties. As the military have suffered setback after setback on the battlefield, they have lashed out, launching waves of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and artillery strikes,” he said.
Human Rights Watch stated that military airstrikes carried out against civilians since October may amount to war crimes. It added that arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings, and other alleged indiscriminate attacks may also amount to crimes against humanity.
“United Nations member countries should urge the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Myanmar, including sanctions on jet fuel that facilitates unlawful air attacks on civilians,” said Elaine Pearson, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Türk added that 554 people have been killed since October and at least 1,600 civilians were reported killed last year. He urged the international community to hold the military regime in Naypyidaw accountable through targeted sanctions and international justice mechanisms.
Over 48,000 people have been killed due to the crisis that has arisen in response to the 2021 military coup, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) states that the number of people displaced by conflict in Burma now exceeds 2.6 million.
*This story was updated on Feb. 1
