“The World Must Know”
The Myanmar Army has a long history of brutal repression. For over 70-years, civil war has been raging in the country. Despite long-standing attempts for dialogue with the international community, civil society organizations, and ethnic revolution groups (EROs), the regime has consistently failed to listen to the voices of those existing outside of its deeply flawed architecture. The junta has endlessly violated international laws and perpetuated atrocities against civilian populations.
One year ago, on 1 February 2021, the Myanmar military toppled a short-lived democratic period. The military arrested the nation’s elected leaders and attempted a coup on the basis of unproven claims of electoral fraud. These actions were illegal and reflective of the junta’s greed through a deliberate attempt at seizing power. Immediately after, the military junta ignited a campaign of violence against unarmed, innocent civilians, committing grave systematic human rights violations.
Since the failed coup, countless protesters have been shot, civilians killed in their own homes, and resistance fighters hunted down. Millions have been pushed to the brink of poverty as economic stability plummets. The rule of law and fundamental freedoms have been desolated.
Karenni (Kayah) State is among the many states and regionns in Myanmar which has been overwhelmed by expanding military operations. This joint briefing paper produced by the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG) and the Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma (ND-Burma), in conjunction with data and insights from a local women’s organization who prefers to remain anonymous for security reasons, will provide summary analysis of the situation in Karenni (Kayah) State. The synopsis of the events from the beginning of 2021 to January 2022 are contextualized with interviews from ND-Burma conducted with victims of the junta’s attacks.
