Myanmar Military Committing War Crimes at ‘Alarming Rate’: UN

Crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetrated by Myanmar’s military have intensified dramatically, the United Nations warned Tuesday, citing a surge in torture, rape, and child abuse.

According to an article published by VOA yesterday, the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) reported that over three million people have been displaced in the past six months due to escalating conflict.

IIMM chief Nicholas Koumjian described a harrowing situation, stating, “We have collected substantial evidence showing horrific levels of brutality and inhumanity across Myanmar.” He emphasized that many of these crimes were intentionally inflicted to terrorize the civilian population.

The UN body’s annual report, covering July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, detailed a significant escalation in violence, including indiscriminate aerial attacks on schools, hospitals, and religious sites. The report also documented gruesome acts of torture, such as beatings, electric shocks, and sexual mutilation.

Rape and sexual violence, including against children, have become prevalent tools of oppression, according to the IIMM. The investigators are currently examining allegations of unlawful imprisonment, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials targeting opponents of the military junta. They are also probing potential crimes committed against the Rohingya during the Myanmar military’s 2016 and 2017 clearance operations.

A Human Rights Watch report indicates that both the Myanmar military and the AA have committed extrajudicial killings and widespread arson, raising fears of ethnic cleansing.

Since the February 2021 coup, Myanmar has been engulfed in turmoil as the military struggles to quell resistance from both established ethnic rebel groups and newly formed pro-democracy forces. The IIMM has meticulously collected evidence from over 900 sources, including videos, satellite imagery, and forensic data, to build a case against those responsible for these atrocities.

Despite the mounting evidence, no one has been held accountable for the crimes, fostering a culture of impunity. Koumjian expressed determination to break this cycle and bring perpetrators to justice. The IIMM is currently constructing criminal cases and hopes to present the evidence in a court of law.

The report’s findings underscore the urgent need for international action to address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and hold perpetrators accountable for their heinous crimes.