By Kantarawaddy Times
Burma’s interim National Unity Government will publish a comprehensive report on the military regime’s human rights abuses this September.
Khoon Bahan Htang, deputy minister of NUG’s Ministry of Human Rights, told Kantarawaddy Times that researchers are still in the process of compiling data for the report, which will be presented to the international community.
”Teams in each state are collecting information on human rights violations in their areas…all this data will be sent to our human rights ministry.”
Khoon Bahan Htang said the Burma Army shelled villages with artillery and used civilians as human shields.
According to Karenni Human Rights Organization (KHRO), the Burma Army has committed many violations against civilians in Karenni State.
“Soldiers arrested villagers to use them as human shields. According to Geneva Convention, this is one of the worst human rights violations. It is a war crime; a crime against humanity,” said Banyar, director of KHRO.
He explained that they were also made to work as guides and porters while walking in front of troops to deter attacks by resistance groups and protect soldiers from hidden landmines.
Banyar said the military tied up ten villagers, dressed them in military clothes and forced them to carry things on the Hpruso to Demawso to Loikaw road. The soldiers tortured many civilians.
From August 18 to 20, the military arrested 27 civilians in Demawso and Hpruso townships in Karenni State and Pekon Township in southern Shan State, the KHRO director said.
Banyar told Kantarawaddy Times, that the KHRO was collecting information on the violations for the interim government’s report. “We have an agreement to report human rights violations in Karenni State to the NUG on a regular basis,” he said.
KHRO wants the military junta to release all detained civilians and stop arresting people without cause and committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
