Overlooking the Massacres

 

Josep Borell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in a speech on October 13, 2022, at the European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium, said, “Europe is a garden. We have built a garden… The rest of the world… is not exactly a garden. Most of the rest of the world is a jungle”.

Perhaps this explains why the humanitarian problems of the rest of the world have not received proper attention. The 2022 “Stand Up for Ukraine” global pledging campaign raised $8.9 billion, the U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated, “this is among the fastest and most generous responses a humanitarian flash appeal has ever received.” Butaid void is increasing for Myanmar, Yemen, the Sahel, Ethiopia, Gaza, Yemen and Afghanistan. It’s look like who cares about the jungles?

The Rohingya genocide, recognized as the fastest and largest refugee influx since the 1994 Rwandan genocide has also been sidelined over the years. In 2017 the military of Myanmar launched a latest merciless onslaught against the Rohingya communities dispersed throughout the western region of the country's Rakhine State. The head of the UN agency for human rights later referred to the military's conduct as "acts of horrific barbarity," potential "acts of genocide," and "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing". More than 10 thousand Rohingya were killed and around a million were forced to flee into neighboring country, Bangladesh.

Under the direction of Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, junta security forces have committed crimes against humanity against protesters, journalists, lawyers, medical personnel, and members of the political opposition by engaging in mass executions, torturing, sexual assault, arbitrary arrests, and other abuses. The nature of the security force crackdown – methodical, widespread, and systematic – reflects the junta’s countrywide policy of suppressing the opposition. But still the world leader’s responses remain paper-based only, quite opposite to what have been done for Ukraine.

National Unity Government (NUG), a Myanmar govt. in exile claims that the regime has committed 64 massacres in five states and regions, killing at least 766 people since the 2021 coup. The NUG listed nine massacres in 2021, 44 in 2022 and 11 this year. Massacres mostly took place in anti-regime strongholds like Sagaing and Magwe regions and Kayah State.

So many massacres to be named- ‘Chut Pyin Massacre’ in Rakhine (August 27, 2017)- caused scores of civilians killed by the military soldiers, Gu Dar Pyin massacre in Rakhine (27 August 2017)- caused at least 400 Rohingya were killed, Maung Nu massacre in Rakhine (27 August 2017) - 82 Rohingya were killed, Tula Toli massacre in Rakhine (30 August 2017) - more than 500 Rohingya were killed, Inn Din massacre in Rakhine (02 September 2017) - 10 Rohingya were killed, Hlaingthaya massacre in Yangon (14 March 2021) - 65 people were killed, Bago massacre in Bago (9 April 2021) - 82 protesters were killed, Mo So massacre in Kayah (24 December 2021) - 38 villagers were killed, Mon Taing Pin massacre in Sagaing (12 May 2022) - 37 villagers were killed, Let Yet Kone massacre in Sagaing (16 September 2022) - 13 Villagers,  Hpakant massacre in Kachin (23 October 2022) - 87 Kachin civilians, musicians, Kachin Independence Organization officials, Tar Taing massacre in Sagaing (1-2 March 2023) - 17 villagers , Pinlaung massacre in Shan State (11 March 2023) - more than 30 Villagers and monks were killed by the military junta including many more.

On 11 November 2019, the West African country Gambia, not the so-called civilized society,  initiated a case against Myanmar at the ICJ accusing the military of perpetrating genocide against the Rohingya people in Rakhine State. Later on, 2022, the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) found (August 09, 2022) evidence of crimes against humanity committed by Myanmar military. Commission for International Justice and Accountability, CIJA have revealed (August 07, 2022) their collected documents proving systematic purge of Rohingya.But still responses remain only on sanction based.

The UN Special Rapporteur and rights groups have condemned the international community for its failure to take effective action over the past two years, which has emboldened the Myanmar military junta to double down on its brutal tactics against the population. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on March 16, 2023, UN special envoy to Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said the impact of the military rule in its third year has been “devastating”. Clear evidence for this lack of action can be seen in the junta’s recent massacres, indiscriminate aerial bombardments and artillery strikes, mass arson attacks, and new horrors in the forms of beheadings and dismemberment of detained resistance members and civilians. But her call to stop the deadly violence ignored.

On the contrary, report of Irrawaddy says, on February 24-25, 2023, High-ranking soldiers and intelligence officers from Myanmar’s Military Operations Command in Buthidaung, Rakhine State met with several Rohingya residents and warned the villagers to admit that, ‘they set fire in their own houses and fled away during 2017 incident’. If they testify that the villagers were killed and the houses were burned down by the military, they will be arrested or executed. This comes as an intention of Myanmar military to avoid accountability for its role in atrocities against Rohingya people.

Thus, question arises that, how much more blood in Myanmar would it take to shake the world?


Nur Mohammad Sheikh
is a teacher and a security
affairs analyst.