In the Karen National Union (KNU)-administered area, the military council forces have been shooting and arresting civilians, firing heavy weapons into the villages and conducting airstrikes. Civilian casualties continue to occur as a result of the military council’s shootings.
The Than Lwin Times interviewed Saw Nanda Huse, Spokesperson of the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), about the military council’s human rights violations in the KNU-controlled territory and the difficulties being faced by the public.
Q: What would you like to say about the human rights situation the people in Karen State are currently facing?
A: The human rights situation is very bad. We are witnessing severe human rights violations against the Internally Displaced People (IDPs). We see that their right to live is being violated, and their right to earn a living is being violated due to offensive, indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes although they do not flee to other places. We can see that freedom of movement is being violated.
Q: How many people have fled because of the military conflict?
A: Yes. In terms of population, we can’t say exactly at the moment. But the estimate will always be around 600,000.
Q: What will be the main difficulties and needs of people fleeing the war?
A: Among those fleeing the war, especially children, women, the elderly persons and pregnant women face more difficulties than the general population. Especially, the elderly persons have not received the major necessary nutrients and medicine in real-time while the pregnant mothers have not received sufficient special health care. The children have no access to education. Therefore, we can see that their survival is more difficult than that of the ordinary people. Another difficulty is the lack of timely and adequate humanitarian aid. Because the refugees are not gathered in the designated IDP camps. There are many people who flee to the forests on their own. In those areas, there are many groups that cannot be reached by aid groups. There are many refugees who do not receive this humanitarian assistance from aid organizations.
Q: What is currently being done by the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) for this issue?
A: Currently, we continue to document the human rights situation in Karen State in southeastern Myanmar as best we can. We present the information obtained, at the relevant international level. We continue to work towards accountability and responsibility for serious human rights violations and war crimes committed by the army.
Q: What kinds of challenges does the KHRG face when doing so?
A: The problem is security. We don’t have the ability to effectively document the actual human rights situation on the ground. The war continues on the ground. We are facing a big difficulty and challenge for our security as indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes continue. Due to ongoing internet blackouts, we have no ability to send real-time information on the ground.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add about the situation of human rights violations?
A: The people in Karen State have been living under the military dictator’s oppressive military rule and experiencing human rights violations for over 70 years. Even now, the entire country is experiencing oppressive military rule. The serious human rights violations committed by the military council amount to committing international crimes and war crimes. We see the military is committing crimes against humanity. There needs to be full accountability and responsibility. There should be absolutely punishment for their crimes.
In particular, relevant human rights organizations are required to bring justice for the violations the people have been facing in the ethnic areas in the successive era. We continue to work at the international level to enable the junta to take accountability and responsibility especially for all serious violations. International community must work to ensure accountability, reasonability and justice for everyone affected. If we are unable to ensure the military council which committed these crimes is held accountable and responsible, we can say that it is the same as giving impunity to the perpetrators (military council).
IMNA