Human rights situation in Myanmar ‘plummets to new low’, UN says | Human Rights News
The human rights situation in Myanmar has “plummeted to a new low,” according to the United Nations, which cites escalating abuses against the Rohingya minority and the detrimental effects of illicit economies, particularly illegal rare earth mining.
In a report released on Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Office attributed the worsening conditions to the Myanmar military’s ongoing quest for control and legitimacy following its coup in 2021. The military’s tactics, which include airstrikes, arson, forced displacement, and denial of humanitarian assistance, have intensified civilians’ suffering amid conflicts with ethnic armed groups and militias.
Since the coup, an estimated 8,075 civilians, including 1,074 children, have lost their lives, with at least 1,241 deaths occurring in the past year. The report notes that the actual toll may be higher, as open-source data suggests that approximately 15,731 civilians have been killed since the military takeover, with about 3,102 fatalities in the last year alone.
The ongoing violence has generated a humanitarian crisis, displacing 3.6 million individuals. An estimated 12.4 million people are currently facing acute hunger, with 400,000 children and mothers suffering from severe malnutrition.
In the western Rakhine State, the military continues to carry out widespread and systematic violations against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority while engaging in conflicts with the Arakan Army, a local ethnic armed group. This violence has exacerbated displacement issues, nearly nine years after a crackdown displaced around 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh.
The UN’s report further accuses the Arakan Army of committing arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, forced labor, and destruction of villages and religious sites. Reports indicate that Rohingya attempting to escape forced recruitment face detention and mistreatment, including physical abuse and torture.
Additionally, the absence of the rule of law has fostered a flourishing illicit economy, with illegal rare earth mining in northern Kachin and northeastern Shan state linked to the expansion of transnational criminal networks. Satellite imagery has revealed a 149 percent increase in mining sites in Kachin since 2021, with 302 new locations identified.
Environmental contamination due to mining runoff has adversely impacted maternal and reproductive health, leading to increases in miscarriages and other complications associated with exposure to heavy metals and chemicals.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the findings as “deeply troubling,” highlighting the widespread suffering documented in the report.
“This report depicts a picture of suffering, misery, and cruelty on multiple levels and across the country that is heartbreaking,” Turk stated. He urged governments, companies, and investors to reassess their engagement with Myanmar, asking them to consider whether their actions contribute to justice for the people of the nation.
