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Photo courtesy of Benny Monser |
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Crimes against humanity
70,000 child soldiers have been forcibly conscripted into the SPDC military, making up 20% of the troops.
International trade bodies have been reporting on the use of forced labour for sixteen years; yet it still continues.
The current military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is guilty of gross human rights violations including, but not limited to, child soldiers, forced labour, torture and using rape as a weapon of war.
Child soldiers
Burma has proportionately the highest number of child soldiers in the world. Approximately 70,000 have been forcibly conscripted into the SPDC military, making up 20% of the troops.
Forced labour
The SPDC uses forced labour for military construction projects. International trade bodies have been reporting on the use of forced labour for sixteen years; yet, it still continues. Most of those used for forced labour have been relocated against their will and are kept under strict control by SPDC soldiers. As one Karenni spokesperson put it: ‘They have no homes, no healthcare, no food and no education – if this is not ethnic cleansing, what is?’
Torture
The use of torture both in prisons and in the ethnic areas of conflict is widespread and systematic. One Buddhist Karenni reported having been tied up by SPDC soldiers and beaten with guns and sticks and stabbed by a bayonet. Another time, he was brutally tortured for ten days which resulted in an inability to walk for five months.
Rape as a weapon of war
Reports of the widespread use of rape as a weapon have been verified by the US State Department, which means that the regime is guilty of war crimes. Rape has been documented in Karen, Karenni, Shan, Mon, Arakan, Kachin and Chin areas. In Shan State alone, around 625 cases of rape were reported by 2002, and we have received reports of a further 150 cases since then. Many more have gone unreported.
Change for Burma! calls for:
- The regime to be brought to justice before the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.
- The UN Security Council to impose a universal arms embargo against Burma’s military regime.
Take action today and make your voice count!
