UN says rights in Myanmar deteriorate as military expands 'assault'

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) – The situation in Myanmar has deteriorated as the military has further expanded its assault against the civilian population since its February 2021 coup, the UN rights chief said on Tuesday.

"Credible sources have verified as of yesterday a minimum of 4,108 deaths at the hands of the military and its affiliates," said Volker Turk, UN high commissioner for human rights, at a special session on Myanmar, advocating "new thinking " to deal with the situation.

"Three specific military tactics have been systematically directed against the civilian population: airstrikes, mass killings, and burning of villages," Turk said.

There was no representative of Myanmar at the session.

Turk cited people in Myanmar's Rakhine state, including members of the Rohingya community, who are continually deprived of food, medicines, and the necessary materials to rebuild their homes and lives.

- Vanishing civilian rule

Turk said civilian rule of law in Myanmar has "vanished," with the military deliberately eroding governance and justice and triggering the presence of more than one million refugees in Bangladesh.

"Given the continuing gravity of the situation and impunity on the ground, I reiterate my call for the UN Security Council to refer this situation to the International Criminal Court," he added.

The rights chief cited "credible sources" reporting that 24,836 people have been arrested, 19,264 are still detained, and 150 have been sentenced to death by military-controlled courts" lacking any independence or adhering to fair trial rights.

"Ground operations have resulted in 22 documented incidents of mass killings of 10 or more individuals," said Turk.

Testimonies indicate that in many operations, soldiers entered villages, rounded up those who had not fled, and executed them.

"They used appalling methods to inflict unimaginable pain on their victims, including burning them alive, dismembering, raping, beheading, bludgeoning, and using abducted villagers to shield themselves against attacks and landmines," said Turk.

"This is inhumanity in its vilest form."

- ‘Ruthless oppression’

Turk said there is a system of "ruthless repression designed to coerce and subjugate" Myanmar's people, eroding society "so that the narrow interests of a kleptocratic elite are preserved."

He said the restriction on humanitarian access following the destruction caused by Cyclone Mocha in May illustrates how the military prioritizes its political interests over the well-being of a population in dire need of life-saving assistance.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​