The Kachin Women's Association Thailand (KWAT) recent report, ‘A Far Cry from Peace’, provides an update to ongoing military offensives and abuses in northern Burma under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government.
Daw Shelly Seng from the KWAT Central Executive Committee explained that the report was published to raise awareness at the national and international level about the displacement of people and human rights violations that are occurring as a result of increased military offensives after the 2015 election.
She said: “Our main aim is to highlight the increase in abuses and war conflicts in Kachin State, northern Shan State and Arakan State, which were former ceasefire areas. The people from the West are saying that our country became a democratic country after the NLD [government] took office. It’s not true. More war conflicts broke out after it took office.”
The report, which was released on 15 November, focuses on the security situation in Kachin State and claims that Burma Army military offensives have intensified, despite the NLD government’s hopes of ending conflict and moving the peace progress forward.
The 31-page report details the increase in Burma Army military offensives, new displacements of people, Burma Army abuses, the failure of the Burma Army to take effective action against soldiers who rape, misinformation and restrictions on aid.
Surveys were conducted in six townships in Kachin State from November 2015 to October 2016 for the report.
Daw Shelly Seng said: “Torture cases have been found, the law was not obeyed. There are cases of extrajudicial killing, arbitrary arrest and detention, looting, destruction of property, burning of homes, and targeting of civilians. A child was killed and two were injured after shells exploded in a civilian area.”
According to KWAT’s findings, 21 people have been tortured, two women and six men were extra judicially killed, nearly 400 people have been arbitrarily arrested and 60 families have lost their homes.
In the report KWAT made 14 recommendations. These included the immediate end to military offensives, the lifting of restrictions against humanitarian aid and the immediate start of political dialogue.
KWAT was established in 1999 to fight gender discrimination in Kachin State, to promote women’s participation in decision-making and to promote opportunities for children to reach their full potential.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
