17-9-2024 (GENEVA) A recent United Nations report has exposed the escalating brutality of Myanmar’s military government, detailing a surge in killings and arrests as the junta attempts to quash opposition and bolster its ranks amidst growing conflict. The comprehensive document, released on Tuesday, 17 September 2024, paints a grim picture of the situation in Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021.
The report, compiled by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, draws upon remote interviews with hundreds of victims and witnesses, as UN investigators continue to be denied access to the country. It presents a stark increase in civilian casualties, with a total of 5,350 deaths attributed to military actions since the coup. Alarmingly, nearly half of these fatalities—2,414—occurred between April 2023 and June 2024, marking a 50 per cent rise compared to the previous reporting period.
The military’s tactics have become increasingly ruthless, with hundreds of civilians falling victim to airstrikes and artillery attacks. This escalation in violence coincides with the junta’s introduction of conscription in February, as it grapples with a widening armed rebellion that evolved from the initial street protests against the overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected civilian government.
Perhaps most distressing is the scale of detentions revealed in the report. Since the coup, a staggering 27,400 individuals have been arrested, with over 9,000 detained in the latest reporting period alone. Many of these detainees are believed to be held in military training centres, raising concerns about forced recruitment.
The report also sheds light on the chilling practice of detaining children as a form of retribution against political opponents. In cases where parents could not be located, their children were seized by authorities, adding a harrowing dimension to the junta’s oppressive tactics.
Instances of severe abuse and torture of detainees are detailed in the document, including horrific methods such as suspension from ceilings without food or water, the use of snakes and insects to instil fear, and brutal beatings with bamboo sticks and motorcycle chains.
UN rights office spokesperson Liz Throssel provided further insight into the dire situation, revealing that at least 1,853 people, including 88 children, have died in custody since the coup. “Many of these individuals have been verified as dying after being subjected to abusive interrogation, other ill-treatment in detention or denial of access to adequate health care,” Throssel stated at a press briefing.
