Massacres in Burma: "So it's a war against all the people"

Friday, December 24, an attack in a village left 35 civilians dead.

AP © AP

Text by: Clea Broadhurst

4 min

On December 24 in Burma, a new massacre shocked the international community.

Thirty-five people - including women and children - were found killed and burned in charred vehicles.

For Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, the army is implementing an organized strategy that aims to put down the rebellion.

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Tom Andrews

It's part of a scorched earth strategy.

The junta attacked innocent people.

We saw them resorting to artillery fire against entire villages.

We have seen fighter planes target houses, helicopters slaughter villagers, firing indiscriminately.

Anyone suspected of collaborating with the opposition to the military junta is considered the enemy and is attacked.

The terrifying message sent to the Burmese people is that no one will be spared if they oppose the military junta.

RFI: How does this strategy translate day to day in the field?

Certain areas considered as acquired to the opposition are particularly targeted by the junta.

It is one of the best equipped armies in the region, if not in the world.

They are hundreds of thousands of soldiers armed with very sophisticated weapons, which they use against the population.

Usually, with every small attack on the junta, a convoy hit by a mine for example, there is a direct response with attacks on entire villages and innocent people.

►Reread: Massacre in a Christian village in Burma

The message is that if you are thought to be part of the opposition, you will not be spared.

What is very worrying is that millions of Burmese are opposed to the military junta.

It is therefore a war against all the Burmese people!

One would hope that an army is there to defend the inhabitants of a country, but in this specific case, the Burmese army is there to attack the Burmese population.

Nine months after taking power, did the violence of these attacks allow the junta to regain control of the country

Initially, the junta thought it would be able to make a rapid return to the dark period when the military had total control over the country.

But they did not take into account the fact that the Burmese people have tasted freedom.

They were able to travel, communicate, have certain rights.

Young people have had access to the Internet, for example, they have interacted with the rest of the world and are strongly opposed to the junta.

Their parents and grandparents, who have known life under this brutal and authoritarian regime, refuse that their children and grandchildren suffer as much as they do.

The opposition is very deep and wide.

Unfortunately, I think that the more the junta's options are reduced, the more they realize that their attacks are not enough to counter the opposition, the more violent they will become.

Diplomatic efforts by the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have so far not been very successful.

What do you think needs to be done to move towards real change

The military needs three things: money, weapons and international legitimacy.

The international community has failed to deprive them of these three things.

The junta continues to generate income.

These sources of income must absolutely be cut.

Regarding access to sophisticated weapons, the United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution calling on nations around the world to stop the sale of arms to Burma.

In fact, it was not respected.

The Security Council failed to pass a resolution strong enough to establish a boycott of these arms sales.

Recourse to the International Criminal Court to try those responsible for this situation has not been considered.

►Read again: The fighting is intensifying in Kayah State, Thailand is sending reinforcements

Finally, on the subject of legitimacy, we know they are looking for it.

We have seen the impact that the refusal of this legitimacy could have.

When countries in the region refused to invite Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the Burmese army, to a meeting, he was very upset and 48 hours later thousands of political prisoners were released.

We know that these tools in the hands of the international community are important.

We know they can be effective.

But I think we need to review the degree to which they have been used and I think we need to use these three tools much more effectively.

►Also listen: "Burma has been living in a state of almost civil war since the coup"

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• Burma

• Human rights