YANGON (Chindwin): With the spiral of conflict that has rocked the country since the coup in February showing signs of escalation into an all-out war, the U.N rights chief has warned the international community that urgent action is needed to prevent the situation in Myanmar from spiraling into a full-blown conflict at the U.N Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Domestic political analysts believe that Myanmar has turned into a warring state from a failed state as the military junta has not gripped control over the nation’s administrative functions. In addition, health, education, and economic systems are rapidly collapsing while the military is largely losing control over the country’s main administrative functions week after week.
The military junta has increased their offensive attacks against People Defense Forces (PDF) in Chin State, Sagaing region, Karenni State even though the SAC (State Administrative Council) announced a ceasefire for five months two days ago.
As well as Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), People Defense Forces (PDFs) are sceptical of the military’s announcement of a ceasefire. “Like before, the military attempts to buy more time to prepare for war and will make greater offensives against ethnic armed groups and peple defense forces. If they are serious about the ceasefire, the military should not increase their presence in the ethnic controlled areas”, said Pado Saw Hla Tun, Secretary No. 2 of Karen National Union.
On the other side, the resistance forces, mainly known as Chinland Defense Forces in Chin State, and People Defense Forces in other regions, including Magway, Sagaing and Karenni State are increasingly potent and providing evidence of their readiness to battle the military junta after eight months.
Notwithstanding that the major ethnic armed organizations are not directly engaging with the military junta in a heavy conflict except for supporting the resistance forces by providing military training, the People Defense Forces and local militia forces could have significantly stretched the military junta thin.
The fighting between the two parties reportedly results in a greater loss for the military junta with an increased spike of the military’s defection to armed resistance groups.
Hundreds of thousands have fled to escape the violent crackdown forcing them to seek safer places for shelters inside the country, with thousands crossing the borders into Thailand and India to seek broader protection under UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).
Amidst Myanmar is reaching the tipping crisis point, the collective voices of the international community have been winding down at recent times since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan took the global spotlight, overshadowing the country’s crisis.
While the international community is not taking meaningful actions on Myanmar, the country’s political crisis is getting worse, and the continued fighting has rocked the country showing signs of escalation into a full-blown civil war.
The warning of the U.N rights chief came in a new report from the U.N Human Rights detailing the widespread human rights violations by the military junta known as Tatmadaw.
Earlier on 23 Sept, regardless of the intensification of the military activity, Ms Bachelet also said to the U.N Human Rights Council that “there is no sign of any efforts by the military authorities to stop these violations nor implement previous recommendations to tackle impunity and security sector reform,”.
