UN says more than 5M children in dire need of humanitarian aid as 2nd year of Myanmar's military coup completes, with thousands still imprisoned

By Islamuddin Sajid

ANKARA (AA) - Over 1.5 million people have been displaced in past years, with more than five million children in dire need of humanitarian aid in Myanmar, the UN said on Tuesday, a day before the competition of the second year of the military coup in the country.

On Feb. 1, 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi's government was deposed in a military coup after her National League for Democracy party won national elections in November 2020.

According to UNICEF, the number of displaced people has risen to more than 1.5 million in the last two years.

"Over 1.5 million people in Myanmar have been displaced, with children forced to flee their homes and communities," UNICEF tweeted, adding that more than five million children are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

Despite outcry from the international community and human rights groups, displacement of locals continues in some areas amid ongoing junta regime operations against the opponents.

Last week, around 20,000 civilians were displaced in Karen State during a battle between local resistance forces and the military near Kawkareik Township, local Myanmar Now news outlet reported.

According to a recent UN report, at least 2,890 people lost their lives at the hands of the military and those working with them, while 767 were initially taken into custody since the military took power.

"Credible information indicates that over 34,000 civilian structures, including homes, clinics, schools, and places of worship, have been burned over the past two years. Myanmar’s economy has collapsed with nearly half of the population now living below the poverty line," UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said in a statement on Friday.

Amnesty International in its report released last November stated that the number of displaced people exceeded over 1.4 million, while 12,839 are detained in inhumane conditions.

"At least 73 people remain on death row, and 7.8 million children are out of school. The Myanmar military has killed hundreds of protesters and bystanders, and thousands have died as a result of armed conflict across the country since the coup," said the rights group.

On the country's National Day last November, the military junta released 5,744 prisoners under amnesty, including former British Ambassador Vicky Bowman and her husband Ko Htein Lin, Japanese filmmaker Toru Kubota, and Sean Turnell, an Australian economist who served as an adviser to Suu Kyi when she was in government.

Other detainees, however, including Suu Kyi and other senior political leaders from her party, were not granted amnesty.

Experts stress 'three cuts'

Former UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee said there is no other way to bring stability to Myanmar except realizing the people’s will and long-held aspirations for a genuine federal democracy by the military junta.

Speaking at a webinar hosted by the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, an independent group of international experts working for human rights, peace, democracy, and justice, Lee said the military has no power in Myanmar despite the passing of a two-year rule.

"The people of Myanmar refused to accept the coup. They continue to reject it. Armed and non-violent resistance to military rule has become entrenched in almost every state and region of the country," she stressed.

Lee urged the international community to use "three cuts": cut the cash, cut the weapons, and cut the impunity, and that an international tribunal for Myanmar be established by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Junta to hold elections in August

In an attempt to deflect international pressure and criticism, the military pledged last week that fresh elections would be held in August.

However, the military has recently announced some strict rules for political parties that prohibit candidates from having ties to junta opponent forces.

On Monday, the UN Secretary-General's office expressed concern about the ruling junta's intention to hold elections amid intensifying aerial bombardment and the burning of civilian homes, as well as ongoing arrests, intimidation, and harassment of political leaders, civil society actors, and journalists.

''Without conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to freely exercise their political rights, the proposed polls risk exacerbating instability,'' Antonio Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The UN on Friday also accused the military rulers of targeting civilians, using air forces, and burning entire villages.

“Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been a consistent disregard for the related rules of international law. Far from being spared, civilians have been the actual targets of attacks – victims of targeted and indiscriminate artillery barrages and air strikes, extrajudicial executions, the use of torture, and the burning of whole villages,” said the UN Human Rights Chief.

“At this somber time, I want to acknowledge the courage of all those whose lives have been lost in the struggle for freedom and dignity in Myanmar and the continuing pain and suffering of their families and loved ones,” he added.