While the world is distracted by the crown, the Myanmar military pandemic can be made fresh war crimes against ethnic minorities, warned Wednesday a UN expert on human rights. Yanghee Lee, outgoing UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said in a statement that the country’s armed forces are ramping up attacks against civilians in Rakhine and Chin states. “While the world is busy with COVID-19 pandemic, Myanmar’s military has stepped up its attacks in Rakhine targeting the civilian population,” Lee said in the statement. The Myanmar military is already on the charges of genocide during a 2017 crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority that nearly 750,000 men, women and children forced to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Earlier this year, the top UN court ordered Myanmar to stop the persecution of all ethnic groups and to prevent further acts of violence during the genocide case. “No responsibility they faced, the Tatmadaw will continue to operate with impunity,” said Lee. Despite calls by the United Nations for a comprehensive ceasefire in the conflict between the Tatmadaw pandemic, the official name for the military of Myanmar and Arakan Army, an armed group composed mainly of members of the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, has intensified. More than 150,000 people have been displaced by the increased fighting and hundreds were injured, according to Lee’s statement. The Myanmar government has a stop Internet in several communities in Rakhine and Chin neighboring state imposed that Human Rights Watch says impact that one million people. Humanitarian aid will also reportedly blocked. The Tatmadaw has increased attacks against civilians in recent weeks, according to the United Nations during an artillery attack on April 13, eight civilians, including at least two children were killed in the village of Kyauk Seik. “[The military] actions against the civilian population of Rakhine and Chin States to war crimes and crimes against humanity can,” Lee said. “Their alleged crimes must be tested in accordance with international standards, they are drawn with authors to be responsible.” The ongoing conflict affecting the Rohingya, as well as civilians from ethnic Rakhine communities, MRO, and Daignet Chin, according to Lee. Men with ties to the Arakan Army – self study – were detained and tortured for days, Lee said, adding that the Arakan Army actions have had on the civilian population and “negative impact”. Aid workers are also targeted, including the provision of services related to COVID-19, Lee said. Last week was shot a driver for the World Health Organization. The vehicle was performing corona test. Both military of Myanmar and Arakan Army denied responsibility for the attack.
Military of Myanmar in May of war crimes committed during the world is distracted by coronavirus, says UN rights expert
