Although the new government in Burma has
promised to change the country into a democractic country, its
army continues to conduct human rights abuses in ethnic areas such as
Kachin and Shan states.
Human
Rights Watch(HRW), a New York based organization, issued a press
release on October 18,2011 to highlight the ongoing abuses conducted by
the Burma's armed forces against ethnic Kachin civilians.
The press
release was issued after the HRW has conducted a fact-finding mission
to the conflict areas in Kachin State (by visiting abandoned villages
and eight remote camps of internally displaced persons) and documented
the witnesses's reports. The serious abuses committed by Burmese
soldiers included but not limited to killings,attacks on civilians,
pillaging of villages and the unlawful use of forced labor.
"Since
hostilities began over five months ago against the Kachin Independence
Army (KIA), Burmese armed forces have been responsible for killings and
attacks on civilians, using forced labor, and pillaging villages, which
has resulted in the displacement of an estimated 30,000 Kachin
civilians" the press release said.
The
press release also pointed out the September 2011 report to the United
Nations General Assembly by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in
Burma, Thomas Ojea Quintana, “Allegations of abuses against civilian
populations throughout Kachin State include reports of 18 women and
girls having been gang-raped by army soldiers, and of four of those
victims being subsequently killed.”
Although
the government is showing some good deeds in its cities, people from
remote areas are still being victims of human rights violations. There
is still no significant change in Burma.
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| Photo from Human Rights Watch: Villagers from Sang Gang, in Kachin State, site of recent fighting, at a newly established internally displaced persons camp in southeastern Kachin State. |
