March 21st, 2022
The National Unity Government (NUG) will open a case against the mass killings of civilians in Moso village in Phruso Township in Karenni State, the NUG’s Human Rights Minister U Aung Myo Min told the reporters, at a press conference titled the military council’s crimes, on the evening of March 16th.
“On behalf of the NUG, legal experts are preparing to sue the military council for the Christmas Eve massacre in Demawsoe Township, at the court in Australia. We are collecting facts and data. Moreover, the NUG will make efforts to sue the military council, in Germany and the UK, with the help of legal experts and law firms,” U Aung Myo Min added.
At the press conference on January 3rd, the NUG said it would send the facts about the Moso massacre to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) along with evidence.
The Karenni State Police (KSP) , which is mainly investigating the Moso massacre, is collecting the evidence about the military council’s crimes. The KSP said it would sue the military council at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
On the eve of the Chirstman on December 24th, in 2021, 42 civilians were burned to death by the military council near Moso village in Phruso Township. Among the victims were women, children and two staff from Save the Children, said Ko Bo Bo, spokesperson of the KSP.
The massacre was committed by the military division-66 and other soldiers, according to locals and social organizations in Karenni State.
The vehicles were burned due to an exchange of gunfire between the military and the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs). The charred remains of 25 PDF members aged over 20 were found, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun told the RFA, on December 27th.
The military council’s explanation and the findings on the ground are significantly different. No effective actions can be taken against those who committed the Moso massacre although it has been over two months.
In the wake of the coup, the military council is significantly committing the killings of civilians and human rights violations in Karenni State. Since the coup, the military council has killed 235 civilians in Karenni State, according to the Karenni Civil Society Network (KCSN) released on March 17th.
Sent by Maw Oo Myar (Kantarawaddy Times)