Stop Junta Airstrikes Now

Myanmar’s military junta has intensified airstrikes on civilians with an unprecedented intensity and ferocity in egregious violation of international law and horrifying brutality. In attempts to expand territorial control in advance of its upcoming sham election, the junta’s relentless airstrikes are condemning Myanmar people to constant risk of extreme violence. The international community must do more to act decisively and stop the junta’s campaign of terror against Myanmar people. Coordinated, targeted, and sustained economic sanctions on the junta and their suppliers, alongside a global embargo on aviation fuel, arms, and dual-use goods, must be implemented effectively to stop the junta’s capacity for its unyielding violence.

On 6 October, during a peaceful candlelight ceremony for Thadingyut—a Buddhist full moon festival—in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region, the junta conducted airstrikes that killed up to 40 people, half of whom were children, and injured up to 50 others. Locals gathered in a primary school to celebrate the festival and hold a peaceful protest opposing the junta’s planned sham election when paramotors—motorized tricycle paragliders—bombed twice. With inhuman brutality, the second bomb was released while local people were attempting to help the injured and the junta blocked surrounding roads, preventing the injured peoples’ access to medical treatment. Further impeding the treatment of the injured, the junta has been blocking medical supplies to this resistance-held area of Chaung-U Township, meaning supplies were already low. Such mass killing incidents by the junta—blatant and outrageous violations of international humanitarian law—are becoming increasingly common in Myanmar and continue with total impunity.

As seen in this incident, children are not spared the junta’s violence and suffer unimaginable harm from airstrikes and other forms of systematic violence. In Bilin Township, Mon State, on 9 October, a junta airstrike killed five children aged 6 to 12 and injured several other people. The junta’s frequent targeting of schools with airstrikes presents particular risks to the lives of children across Myanmar and the constant threat to schools—places that should be a sanctuary and at least, protected from attack under international law—inhibits children’s right to education and safety. In one of many examples, on 12 September, the junta killed at least 18 children and injured many others in an airstrike on a boarding school in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State. Deliberate and frequent attacks on children cannot demonstrate any more clearly the depths of the junta’s depravity and utter contempt for human life.

Clearly, such escalation of junta airstrikes in recent weeks and months is part of the junta’s attempts to expand its territorial control in the lead up to its sham election. While seeking to wrest control from resistance forces across Myanmar, the junta targets civilians with ever-escalating violence. On 7 October, the junta’s Joint Operations Command brazenly announced its intention to double the number of airstrikes and further increase ground attacks in the coming two months to secure territory before the sham election on 28 December. Also on the morning of Thadingyut, in Kyaukme District, northern Shan State, the junta bombed a market in Namtu Town and civilian homes and a telecommunications office in Hsipaw Town—both controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) resistance force. As is repeated time and again, junta attacks on civilian areas are a clear military strategy with the intent to collectively punish civilians living in resistance-held areas and subject them to terror. There can be no mistake: This murderous strategy is firmly part of the junta’s plan to claim legitimacy through the illegal sham election charade, and it cannot be rewarded by any form of international recognition or legitimation.

To conduct aerial attacks, the junta is increasingly employing new lethal forms of technology including paramotors, drones, and gyro-copters. These aircraft require less training to operate and are far lower-cost than the fighter jets and Mi-5 helicopters typically used. Paramotors are inherently indiscriminate weapons as they cannot target precisely, making their use as weapons illegal under international humanitarian law. Stealth forms of weaponry, including suicide drones and paramotors, are difficult to detect from the ground, meaning civilians often cannot protect themselves or flee—a callous and intentional junta strategy aiming to cause maximum harm. For instance, in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, the junta has bombarded Lay Kay Kaw Town with suicide drones for weeks, causing immense destruction and forcing thousands to flee. China and Russia supply the junta many forms of weapons—including these newer aircraft—and help the Myanmar military train users. These states are thus entirely complicit in aiding and abetting widespread and systematic human rights violations perpetrated by the Myanmar military and must be held accountable.

Humanitarian needs will continue to rise in Myanmar amid relentless airstrikes and aid can only react to the atrocities. The ever-increasing airstrikes are a primary cause of civilian deaths in Myanmar, of the forced displacement of 3.6 million people, and of countless further human rights violations.

Given the junta’s predominant use of airstrikes, ending airstrikes is a humanitarian necessity and a global embargo on aviation fuel is essential and urgent, as well as arms and dual-use goods, such as drones. While Myanmar people continue to resist the military junta from within the country, it is vital that the international community offer urgent solidarity and support to bring an end to military tyranny in Myanmar. The international community must take decisive and definitive action to stop these airstrikes and urgently increase its humanitarian aid contributions—the people of Myanmar deserve more than reticence and apathy.

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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.”