Myanmar’s rulers killing civilians in airstrikes

Yangon/Washington/Geneva/New York: The military rulers are bombarding the civilians in Myanmar. For two successive days on April 10 and 11, 2023, the military airstrikes killed at least 59 citizens and injured many more. Some media reports suggest over 100 deaths in the airstrikes. 

First, there were reports of airstrikes in Chin State on April 10 that killed at least nine people. Thereafter, on the following day, more than 50 people including women and children were feared killed and at least 30 people, including children injured in the airstrikes In the Sagaing region, which is an opposition stronghold in the northwest of the country, on April 11. Apparently, schoolchildren performing dances, as well as other civilians, attending an opening ceremony at the hall in Pazi Gyi village, Kanbalu Township in Sagaing region were among the victims. A helicopter gunship then reportedly fired on those fleeing the hall. Myanmar military today justified the deadly attack on what it reportedly claimed to be an insurgent ceremony to help the “terrorists”.

Another war crime committed by Myanmar Air Force & terrorists military. As of now, at least 100 civilians, including women & children, were killed by air strikes at the village of Pa Zi Gyi in #Sagaing, #Myanmar#WhatsHappeninginMyanmar#CrimeAgainstHumanity #WarCrimesOfJunta pic.twitter.com/N7qvKwpRJa

— Nan Lin (@NanLin96) April 11, 2023

“These violent attacks further underscore the regime’s disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup,” the United States said today (IST).

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for those responsible to be held accountable. Offering his condolences to the families of the victims, he called for those injured to be allowed urgent medical treatment and access to assistance. Guterres reiterated his call for the military to end the “campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country, in line with Security Council resolution 2669 (2022)”.

United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, while condemning Myanmar attacks, said he was “horrified” by reports of the airstrikes. “Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been a blatant disregard for the related rules of international law…there are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since 1 February 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes,” Türk said in Geneva. He also called on “all parties to take all feasible precautions to protect the civilian population that is under their control from the effects of attacks, including by avoiding locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas”.

The United States called on the Burma regime to “cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and to respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma”. Washington warned the military regime that it must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including rules on the protection of civilians.

While Türk hoped that the international justice processes now underway will one day hold the military leadership accountable for such crimes, a US State Department spokesperson said that the United States will continue to work with the international community to hold the regime accountable for violations and abuses committed in Myanmar (Burma). – global bihari bureau