Blog Elements – Page 385

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Myanmar Military Regime Steps up Campaign of Terror

November 3, 2021/in News

Myanmar’s junta has escalated its campaign against anti-coup opponents nationwide by stepping up its arrests, torture and killings, while ignoring calls from the international community to end all violence and release political prisoners. On Monday alone, around 30 young people including teenagers were arrested in Yangon as junta forces raided several residential areas around the […]

Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar: Post-Coup (October 25-31) 2021

November 1, 2021/in HR Situation

Myanmar Military Regime Steps up Campaign of Terror

November 3, 2021/in News

Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar: Post-Coup (October 25-31) 2021

November 1, 2021/in HR Situation

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Myanmar Military Regime Steps up Campaign of Terror

November 3, 2021/in News

On Monday alone, around 30 young people including teenagers were arrested in Yangon as junta forces raided several residential areas around the city.

15 youths including a 16-year-old boy were arrested during separate raids in Botahtaung, East Dagon, South Dagon, Thingangyun and Ahlone townships on Monday.

The military regime accused all of them of being involved in a deadly attack on a railway official at Yangon Railway Station, who was shot dead by an unidentified man on October 13 while he was on a ferry.

Two railway staff at Yangon Railway Station who had left to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), as well as elected lawmakers of the ousted National League for Democracy government – Daw Lei Lei Win and U Phyo Zeya Thaw – and three others are also accused of involvement in the incident and have been targeted with arrest warrants.

Nine youths, including three teenagers, were also arrested at a house in Yangon’s Thingangyun Township. Junta-controlled TV reported the arrests on Tuesday night.

In the report, they claimed that a 17-year-old boy, the youngest of the group to be detained, had made a confession, leading to the arrest of four more people and the seizure of weapons on Monday.

All those detained are accused of being involved in several bombing incidents and attempted attacks against junta forces in Yangon.

Regime media said in the report that the group included two members of the Burmese Revolution Force and two members of the Yangon Anti-Dictatorship Force, two civilian resistance groups. Two of those arrested are accused of raising funds online for armed resistance against the junta.

*CDM teacher U Win Lwin (left) and headmaster Ko Phyo Wai Tun, were tortured to death shortly after being detained.*

In southern Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Region, over a dozen residents of Dawei and Launglon townships were reportedly arrested this week.

The most recent arrest included three relatives of Ko Lu Lu Zaw, an activist who is wanted by the military regime for his involvement in peaceful anti-regime demonstrations in Launglon Township. Early on Wednesday morning, junta forces arrested the activist’s wife, two-year-old child and uncle as they couldn’t find Ko Lu Lu Zaw at his home.

Earlier on Monday, the junta also raided the houses of two wanted anti-coup protest leaders in Launglon Township. The junta forces burned down the house of one activist after failing to find him and arrested the mother of another protest leader as a hostage.

The death toll of civilians murdered by the regime also continues to increase. Recent deaths include a striking teacher and Ko Phyo Wai Tun, the head of a boarding school who was living in Gway Pin Kwet Thit Village in Chauk Township, Magwe Region.

Ko Phyo Wai Tun died during his interrogation, hours after his arrest, from injuries consistent with torture, the rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said in their most recent report.

He was arrested together with his two younger brothers on the night of October 31 by Infantry Battalion 13 based in Chauk Township, and accused of supporting the local People’s Defense Force. His family were told to collect his body the following day.

U Win Lwin, a teacher at the Basic Education High School in Sintgine, Magwe Region, who was involved in the CDM, also died from injuries consistent with torture, AAPP stated in their report.

At around 3am on November 1 at around 3am, junta soldiers arrested five villagers including U Win Lwin for questioning. Three out of the five were released that evening, but U Win Lwin and U Yan Aung Win, a tutor, were kept in detention. On November 2 at 7am, U Win Lwin’s family were told to collect his body.

At least 1,179 people have been killed by junta forces since their February 1 coup and over 9,500 people were arrested according to AAPP.

Irrawaddy News

Weekly Update on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar: Post-Coup (October 25-31) 2021

November 1, 2021/in HR Situation

Human Rights Watch and the Associated Press released detailed reports of the torture innocent civilians in Myanmar have been subjected to. While these tactics are not new, the junta’s lawlessness is in full swing leading the joint secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, Ko Bo Kyi to state that in many ways, the military has become ‘even more brutal.’ Torture tactics include mock executions, beatings, and electrocution. Women are targeted with physiological warfare and sexual violence and assault. A transgender activist and writer who was detained by the junta was forced to endure humiliation tactics and was sexually harassed and beaten with gun stocks. Hot water was poured all over her body.

These accounts from survivors are a terrifying glimpse into the horrors that exist within the walls of the junta’s interrogation centers. They also demand action. Many did not leave the walls of the prison they were confined to. They are tortured to death, and their families denied answers and the bodies of their loved ones.

While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened a three day summit without the presence of the junta, civil society organizations have urged ASEAN to take the next logical step – which is recognizing the National Unity Government as the legitimate governing body. Despite barring the junta from attending, ASEAN has still nonetheless met with coup leaders and sided with them at times of contention. Bo Hla Tint, who has been designated the NUG ambassador to ASEAN, has said that he is willing and open to have a dialogue to ‘restore democracy in Myanmar.’

The junta’s lack of cooperation and flagrant disregard for human rights continues to set a worrying precedent. In outgoing remarks, the former UN special envoy, Christine Schraner Burgener, said that she hoped that the international community would not give up on Myanmar as the country spirals deeper into civil war. The junta had barred her from entry despite several attempts for dialogue and access to the country. Stepping into the role is Noeleen Heyzer who has experience working in Myanmar including coordinating the emergency response to Hurricane Nargis in 2010. Many challenges lie ahead but she has been welcomed by civil society and the NUG who are eager to work alongside her to dismantle the regime and their state-sponsored brutality.

CHIN STATE

Since September, the terrorist junta has scorched over sixty homes in Chin State as military operations continue to expand. In addition to burning villages, livestock have been killed and possessions looted from civilian homes. The Myanmar military has denied all accounts of arson and theft, claiming instead that it is the people who burnt down their own homes. The Chin Human Rights Organization has stated on multiple occasions that the regime’s crimes are all in violation of international law, including setting fire to at least 300 homes in the State since August.

Meanwhile, the crackdown in Chin State continues to intensify. With more than 90% of the population Christian, the regime has burned down churches and fired artillery shells to traumatize the population. As fighting broke out in Falam between the Chin National Front and the junta, villagers began to flee in anticipation of worsening outbreaks. On 29 October, as of 7:00 pm. over 100 houses, including religious buildings are reported to have burned down in Thantlang. CHRO reiterated its calls to the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting as junta reinforcements arrived in Falam.

KAREN STATE

Earlier this month it was reported that Myanmar army officers and soldiers located near the Salween river looted a cargo vessel carrying urgently needed materials for vulnerable populations in Karen State. Soldiers were also heard indiscriminately firing. Meanwhile, offensives are continuing against Karen civilians who are fearful of the increasing presence of soldiers in their areas.
The Myanmar junta continues to use Karen villagers as human shields, threatening to torch their homes if they attempt to flee. In Yaw Thit Village, approximately 60 soldiers from LIB 556 and 560 have established a base. The junta is also stealing civilian livestock to eat and shooting indiscriminately all day and night. Given the circumstances unfolding along the Thai-Myanmar border, the National Unity Government has appealed to Thailand for cross-border humanitarian aid and COVID-19 relief.

SHAN STATE

The junta’s assaults on fundamental freedoms continue with violent attacks on innocent civilians. A woman in Pangsai was seriously wounded when she was struck by a piece of shrapnel while conflict waged in northern Shan State. She is in critical condition. Rival armed groups are regularly fighting each other and the Myanmar junta. Two civilians in Kyaukme township were also injured when fighting broke out and artillery mortars struck a 60 year old man and his 18 year old grandson. In an attempt to forge legitimacy, the junta has forced civilians to attend pro-military rallies in eastern Shan State.

Spring Revolution

Civil Society Position Paper on ASEAN’s Goal of a Myanmar-Owned and -Led SolutionDecember 18, 2024 - 12:11 pm
Recommendations to ASEAN and Its Member States (1) Move beyond the 5PC to achieve a Myanmar people-led and people-centered solution to the crisis in Myanmar. ASEAN’s “Myanmar-owned and -led” approach must be backed by genuine political will that aligns with and supports the collective aspirations of the people of Myanmar. (2) Cease all pressure on […]
The Airstrikes after the journey to the China of the Junta Military LeaderDecember 10, 2024 - 1:28 pm
Operation 1027 was a coordinated military attack against the junta on October 27th, 2023. It was carried out by the Northern Brotherhood, which includes the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army. Several months later, the Three Brotherhood Alliance held three meetings to negotiate with China on January 11 […]
Human Rights Situation weekly update (September 15 to 21, 2024)September 27, 2024 - 8:26 am
Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from Sep 15 to 21, 2024 Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Shan State, Chin State, Rakhine State, and Kachin State from September 15th to 21st. The Military Junta committed arresting, occupying the properties, threatening by using power, and […]

Multimedia

GenocideSeptember 2, 2025 - 9:42 am
Crimes Against HumanityJune 16, 2025 - 7:55 am
International Humanitarian Law Cartoon AnimatonApril 29, 2025 - 8:37 am
အတိတ်မှ ဆိုးရွားသည့် အကြီးအကျယ် လူ့အခွင့်အရေးချိုးဖောက်မှုများ ထပ်မံမဖြစ်ပွားစေရေးအ တွက် အာမခံခြင်း (Guarantees of non-recurrence)February 10, 2025 - 9:58 am

ND Burma

ND-Burma formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process. The 13 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to advocate for justice for victims. ND-Burma trains local organizations in human rights documentation; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, a secure open-source software; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

ND Burma

Recent Posts