The situation in Myanmar has continued to escalate according to recent reports. On February 1, the Myanmar military launched its coup to overturn the people’s elected literati government; since then, its forceful suppression, killing, and detention of opponents and civil disobedience demonstrators have led to the death of upwards of 700 children and civilians and the involuntary displacement of hundreds of thousands more. The nation, whose politics, economy, and society had already been in unrest and hardship for more than three months, now faces a famine that threatens the livelihood of millions.
The military junta’s continued use of force to suppress peaceful protestors is a blatant violation of the right to freedom and personal life, prohibition against torture or inhuman treatment, as set forth in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Therefore, the National Human Rights Commission hereby appeals to Myanmar’s military to immediately cease the use of force on civilians, initiate a peaceful dialogue with all parties concerned, and to seek out a peaceful solution for its people and restore the nation’s democratic system; and furthermore, accept foreign humanitarian aid and release all political detainees so that the nation’s government, economy, and society can resume normal operations and its people can resume their normal lives without concern of lack of shelter or food. Moreover, the Commission echoes the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) in its calls for the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) to take firm action to condemn Myanmar’s military for its blatant disregard of the international human rights conventions and mass infringement of human rights within its borders.
The Commission will continue to pay close attention to the situation in Myanmar and will work alongside the regional and global networks of national human rights institutions to voice support for the people. It will also ask the Taiwanese government to provide the necessary humanitarian aid to effectively safeguard the fundamental rights of life and freedom of the people of Myanmar.