Militaries commit massive human rights violations in KNU-controlled areas in 2 years

Narinjara News, 31 March 2023

The Myanmar military junta forces (Tatmadaw) committed over 1,000 human right violations in the areas controlled by Karen National Union (KNU) during two years of illegal military coup, said a report  Published by KNU’s Human Rights Committee, Foreign Affairs Department and DOI’s Research and Documentation Branc

The report titled ‘Myanmar Military’s War Crimes in Kawthoolei: Loss of Lives and Livelihoods after the Coup of 2021’, which was released on 27 March narrates the war crimes committed by the military personnel since 1 February 2021 (till 31 December 2022).

At least 192 civilians were killed and 485 others were injured in the KNU-controlled area in this period. Moreover, 882 houses were destroyed and more than 300,000 people were affected by the conflict.

The affected areas include Karen State, Tanintharyi  division of Mon State and Bago division.

Incidents of brutal killing of civilians in these areas by the junta forces took place during the arbitrary arrest & torture and arial attacks.

According to the report, there were 1493 incidents of war crimes in 19 cases that violated human rights like shooting with heavy weapons.

International organizations, including the United Nations, have been urged to help solving these problems. Padosaw Kele Sae, deputy director of the organization and information department of the KNU central informed Narinjara News that they have appealed to the international governments to address the issue.

On 25 March, a number of townships including Myawati, Kyundo and Kok Krait, where the junta soldiers and Karen ethnic armed group members have been fighting relentlessly, were closed for the six days.

In the gunbattle, the militaries fired and attacked from the air, which panicked the villagers. Over 3,000 civilians are reportedly fleeing the areas to arrive in safer places after heavy shelling took place.

Ref: https://www.knuhq.org/public/admin/resources/publications/pdf/losses%20of%20lives%20and%20livelyhood%20(English).pdf?fbclid=IwAR1Da4EKydP7tkE0FX2P9E6rCnhC3uYJnh7Ktsd8S0FJbUWLRfiBCvV1ohQ