Deliberate Attacks on Civilians Must Be Stopped

In desperation to claim territory and push back resistance forces’ advances, the illegal military junta is intensifying its campaign of terror and violence against civilians with relentless airstrikes and escalation of its forced conscription. Seeking to expand its territorial and administrative control in advance of its planned illegal sham election later this year, the junta is causing unbearable conditions for civilians caught in the crossfire and bearing the brunt of its atrocities. Coordinated and sustained international action is urgently needed to impose embargoes on aviation fuel, arms, and dual-use goods, as well as to implement targeted sanctions against the junta and their suppliers enabling the junta’s strategy of destruction.

In reaction to substantial losses of territorial and administrative control to resistance forces, the military has further intensified its airstrikes, artillery shelling attacks, and scorched-earth operations over recent months. The Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reported that at least 235 civilians were killed in 204 junta airstrikes in August alone. Demonstrative of the junta’s brazen brutality and utter disregard for the lives of Myanmar people, these airstrikes target schools, religious buildings, healthcare facilities, civilian homes, and internally displaced person camps. Schools are being bombed with disturbing frequency, showing the junta clawing at ever-deepening depths of depravity. On 25 August, the junta conducted airstrikes on a village school and pagoda in Kyauk Pyin Kan, Mandalay Region, killing a 10-year-old boy whilst he attended classes. Further gravely contravening international humanitarian law, on 24 August, the junta bombed a monastery in Chanmyae Zu Village, Mon State, killing three people and injuring four others.

Intense aerial bombardments and other ongoing attacks are worsening a severe commodity supply shortage that is exacerbating civilians’ suffering. Communities are forced to flee not only from the junta’s airstrikes, shelling attacks, and the threat of conscription, but also suffer severe shortages of basic commodities. Where the junta has effective control over cities and towns, it is blocking trade routes into liberated areas under resistance control. As such, basic foodstuffs, including rice and oil, and essential items including sanitary pads and baby diapers are in short supply, and medicines are increasingly difficult to secure. Due to the junta’s blocks and their frequent direct attacks on health facilities, widespread medicine shortages among communities trapped or displaced by the military’s violence have left countless people without access to even basic treatment for injuries and illnesses. The junta’s obstruction of supply lines is deepening the suffering of Myanmar people, particularly during the monsoon season when malaria, dengue, and diarrhea cases are prolific.

Amid its counteroffensive efforts against resistance forces, the junta has escalated forced conscription campaign to fill its infantry ranks. Reports from the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) indicate a sharp rise in the junta’s forced conscription and coercive enlistment strategies in southeast states and regions this month. Among many examples, in Mon State, the military forcibly conscripted 15 men in Thein Za Yet Town, on 9 August, and “mobile arrest teams” conscripted 30 young men in Bilin Township. In Tanintharyi Region, more than 100 young people, including women, were forcibly conscripted by the junta in Launglon Town over five days in August. Young people in particular face constant fear of raids and round-ups, forcing many into hiding whilst the junta continues this barbarity with total impunity.

These ever-increasing airstrikes on civilians must be seen as part of the military junta’s perverted preparations for its illegal and illegitimate sham election. They are part of the junta’s heinous efforts to terrorize the people and claim territory so their administrative control can be used in attempts to fabricate false legitimacy. Myanmar people reject the sham election as a farcical and illegitimate exercise and they continue to build a federal, democratic Myanmar—free from military tyranny. Thus, the international community must be a stalwart of support behind them in these endeavours, not reward the junta nor its sham election with false legitimacy.

The international community must also act without delay to curb the junta’s relentless airstrikes and other forms of violence inflicted on the people of Myanmar. In this regard, imposing and enforcing coordinated, targeted, and sustained sanctions on the murderous military junta, as well as businesses supplying weapons, resources, and finances—including aviation fuel and dual-use goods—to the  junta, is urgently needed.

Although reaching communities trapped by the junta’s violence is challenging, the international community must respond to the widespread and dire humanitarian crisis by restoring and increasing aid to Myanmar people and directing assistance through best-placed local responders by utilizing border-based channels. Further, the UN General Assembly should act on the calls of Myanmar people and adopt a resolution rejecting the sham election and explicitly supporting their determined efforts to build an inclusive federal democracy from the ground up. In their efforts to rid Myanmar of military tyranny, the international community must stand with Myanmar people—cutting off the junta’s access to funds and supplies while also lending meaningful and practical support to stop these unending atrocities from continuing with impunity.

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[1] One year following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, the former military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar overnight. Progressive Voice uses the term ‘Myanmar’ in acknowledgement that most people of the country use this term. However, the deception of inclusiveness and the historical process of coercion by the former State Peace and Development Council military regime into usage of ‘Myanmar’ rather than ‘Burma’ without the consent of the people is recognized and not forgotten. Thus, under certain circumstances, ‘Burma’ is used.

Progressive Voice is a participatory, rights-based policy research and advocacy organization that was born out of Burma Partnership. Burma Partnership officially ended its work on October 10, 2016 transitioning to a rights-based policy research and advocacy organization called Progressive Voice. For further information, please see our press release “Burma Partnership Celebrates Continuing Regional Solidarity for Burma and Embraces the Work Ahead for Progressive Voice.”