More than 500 civil rights groups have called for a United Nations Security Council meeting to stop the escalating violence in Myanmar’s western Chin state, which has become a forefront of resistance against military rule.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement on behalf of 521 international and domestic organisations calling on the Security Council to adopt a resolution and act before the offensive expands in the embattled border region.
“It must convene an urgent meeting on the escalating attacks in Chin State and the overall deepening political, human rights and humanitarian crisis as a result of the Myanmar military leaders’ search for power and greed that has caused immense suffering,” the statement said.
The Myanmar military last week began shelling the town of Thantlang, in Chin State. Witnesses, aid groups and local media said the shelling set as many as 200 houses on fire. HRW said soldiers deliberately torched houses at random. Save the Children, one of the signatories of the statement, said its office was destroyed.
Approximately 10,000 residents had already fled Thantlang as the military allegedly shot into homes and set off fires by shelling in September.
The organisations maintain such indiscriminate attacks against civilians and humanitarian organisations are violations of international law and constitute war crimes.
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