Preface
The purpose of publishing this information sheet is to increase the awareness of people over the Crimes Against Humanity committed by the military junta terrorists on a daily basis and to keep a record of their brutal acts for future reference and proceedings. Committed crimes are selectively stated in this information sheet due to space limitations.
(1) Indiscriminate attack against Civilians
In almost nine months, the terrorist military has never stopped its atrocities across the country and only continued to commit them in various vicious forms. Rather than ending violence, they have explicitly enlarged their capacity by taking assistance from Pyu Saw Htee (military-sponsored organized gang). Supported with arms by the military, this group has been joining the soldiers to arrest and torture innocent and unarmed civilians across the country. An evident incident occurred on 16 October in Sagaing Region where a civilian man was arrested, heavily tortured, and eventually shot dead.
On 16 October, the inhuman troops of the military fired artillery near a hut in Matupi Township, Chin State. Due to their unprovoked attack, a 6-year-old young girl who lives by the hut died immediately on the scene. Myanmar Now reported that the military stationing in Matupi was shelling random places although there were no visible clashes, yet with a clear intention to hit any bases of the nearby PDFs. Again on 20 October, a 70-year old man who was arrested and injured during the raid of Wat Chaung Village in Tanintharyi Region was also killed on the following day.
On 22 October, five villagers from Khin-U Township were also killed by the forces of the terrorist military under the accusation of having contact with PDFs.
(2) Violations of Fundamental Human Rights
Although the terrorist military has announced to release more than 5,000 political prisoners during the past week, it has continued to exclude the President, State Counsellor, and various other prominent persons from the list. Moreover, reliable media outlets have repeatedly reported that there are incidents where 110 prisoners, among those released, have been re-arrested on the same day, basically a few minutes after their release. According to AAPP, 11 political prisoners in Mandalay got re-arrested, mainly charged under Counter-Terrorism Law, and other similar cases are rising across the country. They interpret the existing laws to the meaning that favor them. In this case, ironically they are trying to portray that the military soldiers were the victims, and people became perpetrators.
And as usual, other civilians, including a poet who is also the vice-chairman of Moe Myittar Free Funeral Service in Bago Region and his friends, were arbitrarily arrested by the military on 21 October. In Myauk-u Township, Rakhine State, a youth writer was arrested under the allegation of his secret association with the PDF, and another lawyer in Dawei Township was also arrested without any concrete reason. Furthermore, six villagers from Kan Yin village were not only abducted, but the soldiers also looted their valuables.
(3) War Crimes
As the military continues to violate various international laws, principles, and norms, it recently used an ambulance to ambush the camp of the Sartaung People’s Defense Forces (PDF) in the Sagaing Region. Because of their attack, two members of the PDF were killed, and one other was taken away alive by the inhumane soldiers. Based on the previous records, this is just one of the illicit acts of the military to use rescue medical vehicles during their raids.
At the outset, the merciless troops of the terrorist military launched heavy artillery shells to the residential areas in Demoso, Kayah State, on 21 October. They caused serious damages to the houses of the civilians. In addition, somewhat numbers of 10 civilians were also abducted as human shields by the regime troops in Chin State. The atrocities committed by the Myanmar military constitute war crimes under the Geneva conventions and its additional protocols.
Ref : Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
: Myanmar Now