The Junta is deliberately targeting schools in Karenni (Kayah) State with the purpose of depriving children and youths of access to education, according to U Banyar, the founder of the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG).
"When they can't establish the educational and administrative systems they want, they resort to attacking schools , hindering Karenni children from learning, and discouraging parents from sending their kids to school,” U Banyar said.
He also pointed out that successive military regimes have persistently governed through the imposition of fear on the population, while undermining the education system. Unfortunately this troubling trend continues as they once again attempt to deprive the Karenni youth of their right to education.
the Military Council's brutal and immoral attacks targeting schools, children are gripped with fear, and parents are hesitant to send their children to educational institutions.
"In the midst of studying, I felt scared, fearing planes might return. Now fleeing the war, I can't attend school anymore. Even when we were in school, shelling sounds forced it to close early, offering only half a day of learning. I long to return to school and study again”, a student who experienced the aircraft bombing of the school she attended, said.
Only Loikaw schools remain firmly under the control of the Military Council and the vast majority of war-displaced children have enrolled to established self-reliant schools in all other townships within Karenni State.
It has been verified that two schools were recently damaged by air raids in July. In Karenni State, the Military Council's indiscriminate shelling of non-combat zones has led to frequent civilian casualties and the destruction of homes and schools.
Those aiding war-displaced individuals have accused the Military Council of intentionally targeting schools, religious buildings, and clinics – places where people often seek refuge in crowded conditions.
"We've seen airstrikes hitting religious buildings and schools, which should never be military targets. The terrorist Military Council treats people as enemies, and brutally attacks them”, an aid worker commented to Kantarawaddy Times.
On July 12th, the Military Council's aerial bombardment of a school in the Dawnoeku war-refugee camp near the Thailand-Karenni State border deprived hundreds of children of their education. Almost 4000 displaced people who escaped the conflict are seeking refuge on the Thailand side of the border.
