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“Before Our Very Eyes”: Myanmarʼs Military Junta Commits Crimes Against Humanity While the International Community Fails to Act

Authored by: Erin Farrell Rosenberg

Categories: Human Rights
Sub-Categories: Access to Justice and Rule of Law, COVID-19, Democratization and Political Participation, Economic Recovery, International Law, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
Country: Myanmar
Region: East Asia and the Pacific
Year: 2021
Citation: Rosenberg, Erin Farrell. "Before Our Very Eyes": Myanmarʼs Military Junta Commits Crimes Against Humanity While the International Community Fails to Act." Burma Human Rights Network. July 2021.

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Executive Summary

Since the 1 February 2021 military coup in Myanmar and subsequent widespread
protests, the Burma Human Rights Network has carefully documented and analyzed
crimes committed by the Tatmadaw against Burmese civilians as a part of its campaign
to suppress political opposition to the coup. The reporting period for the crimes
documented is February to May 2021. BHRN has also documented the growing
humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, which is attributable to intentional actions by the
Tatmadaw to deny access to medical care and block humanitarian aid from reaching
those in need.

Based on its legal analysis, BHRN believes that there are reasonable grounds to
conclude that the Tatmadaw has committed crimes against humanity, namely murder,
imprisonment and other severe deprivations of liberty, enforced disappearance,
torture, other inhumane acts, and persecution based on political identity.

The present report also analyzes the responses to date to the Tatmadaw’s brutal and
violent crimes against the Burmese people by States, various United Nations actors
and entities, and the National Unity Government. BHRN believes that more actions are
needed from these individuals and entities and makes recommendations to them with
the aim of bringing about an urgent end to the Tatmadaw’s reign of terror against the
Burmese people, to ensure accountability for the crimes committed, and to provide
critical, life-saving humanitarian assistance to the Burmese people.