Almost 800 people – including children- have been killed by the Myanmar security forces. Over 3,800 people have been arrested – including journalists, doctors, students, activists, community leaders, political opponents and critics of the military.
How can this bloody repression in Myanmar end? Only when we urge governments and businesses across the world to join together to deny the military the means to continue abusing the people of Myanmar and when perpetrators are held accountable for human rights atrocities.
For decades, the military has ruled the 54 million people in Myanmar through violence and cruelty, committing atrocities whilst exploiting the country’s natural resources for personal gain.
In 2015, a civilian government was elected, although the military still held onto a lot of power. But on 1 February 2021, the day a new parliament would take office after the 2020 elections, the Myanmar military seized power once more after detaining elected leaders.
An estimated 1 million people from hundreds of towns flooded the streets in overwhelmingly peaceful protests.
Myanmar security forces responded with bloodshed, abductions, imprisonment and torture. They are using battlefield weapons including light machine guns, sniper rifles, and semi-automatic rifles against peaceful protesters and bystanders. They continue to wage war in ethnic minority areas, resulting in civilians being killed or injured and having to flee their homes. The military has cut off the internet to hide the brutality of their attacks.
Despite bloody crackdowns, people in Myanmar have not given up. Join us and stand together with the people of Myanmar – for freedom, for human rights.
