ND-Burma Update Finds Continued Impunity for Human Rights Violations

ND-Burma | August 15, 2017

ND-Burma’s update (English Burmese) has found that grave human rights violations such as killings and torture are ongoing in conflict areas. Sadly, impunity for abuses continues to be the norm: all 24 cases recorded over the period January – June 2017 remain uninvestigated and unpunished.

Some of the key findings include:

• ND-Burma recorded 24 human rights violations over the period January – June 2017. 23 of these violations were recorded in Shan State and one in Kachin State. There were a total of 76 victims.
• The most common human rights violation was torture, with 14 cases recorded. The second was killing, with 6 cases recorded.
• 17 out of 24 human rights violations were committed by government security forces. Three were committed by ethnic armed organizations and four by unknown perpetrators.
• Impunity for human rights violations continues to be the norm. None of the perpetrators in the 24 cases in our update have faced any formal justice mechanisms for their actions.

ND-Burma Coordinator Han Gyi said:

“Since ND-Burma began documenting human rights violations 13 years ago, we continue to see the same patterns of abuse, especially in conflict areas. Ethnic nationality civilians are targeted with shelling, arbitrary arrests, torture and killings as part of the Tatmadaw’s ‘four cuts’ strategy to deprive ethnic armed organizations of food, funds, recruits, and information. Aside from a few notable exceptions, none of these victims have seen justice.

As long as there is impunity for human rights violations, they will continue. Both the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations must acknowledge that they have committed grave human rights violations and apologise to victims. Without recognition of the crimes of the past, victims cannot trust they will not happen again. Without justice there can be no rule of law and no democracy.”

For more information please contact:

For Burmese media:

Su Su Swe

Advocacy team member

Mobile: +95 (0) 942 5027 681

For English media:

Veronica Collins

Advocacy Manager

Mobile: +95 (0) 945 9361 186

Notes

1.ND-Burma is a 13-member organization whose members represent a range of ethnic nationalities, women and the LGBTI community. We have been documenting human rights abuses and fighting for justice for victims since 2004.

1. Assistance Association for Political Prisoners – Burma
2. Kachin Development Networking Group
3. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
4. Kachin Women’s Association – Thailand
5. Ta’ang Women’s Organization
6. Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization
7. Tavoyan Women’s Union

Affiliate Members

1. All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress
2. Chin Human Rights Organization
3. EarthRights International
4. Equality Myanmar
5. Lahu Women’s Organization
6. Pao Youth Organization

2. ND-Burma has spent 2017 conducting victim needs assessments for its transitional justice project and has consequently had less time to gather data on ongoing rights abuses. We are therefore releasing an update as opposed to a full report.