In Pictures: Funeral for victims of Myanmar military’s Christmas Eve massacre

The Karenni community hold a funeral on December 29 for victims of a massacre carried out by Myanmar military troops in Kayah (Karenni) State on Christmas eve (Myanmar Now)  

By Myanmar Now

The Karenni community on Wednesday morning held a funeral for 33 of the at least 35 people who were killed by the Myanmar military troops in Kayah (Karenni) State on Christmas eve. Their charred bodies were found near the village of Moso in Hpruso Township on Saturday morning.

“Members of all religions prayed for them. Some relatives of the victims came while some others couldn’t due to various reasons,” said a commander of the anti-regime Karenni Nationalities Defence Force, which found the burned bodies on Saturday.

The international aid group Save the Children said on Tuesday night in a statement that two missing staffers were confirmed to be among the at least 35 people, including women and children, who were massacred by regime troops last Friday.

Citing credible reports, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also said on Tuesday that two 17-year-old boys, a teenage girl, and a child approximately 5 or 6 years of age, were among the victims.

UNICEF condemned the attack on children and humanitarian workers and called for urgent action to investigate the “deplorable incident” and to hold those responsible to account.

“The protection of civilians, and particularly children and humanitarian workers, must be treated as a priority during times of conflict, in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Myanmar is a signatory,” said Debora Comini, UNICEF’S regional director for East Asia and the Pacific.

The Karenni community hold a funeral on December 29 for victims of a massacre carried out by Myanmar military troops in Kayah (Karenni) State on Christmas eve (Myanmar Now)

Original Post: Myanmar Now