The United Nations has reported that Myanmar's military regime killed at least 702 civilians during the lead-up to last year's elections, urging the international community to respond. The UN emphasized the need to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to halt the supply of weapons and aviation fuel to the military.
According to Yonhap News on June 23, the UN Human Rights Office stated in a report that from August 2022, when the military officially announced the elections, until the end of voting in January 2023, at least 702 civilians lost their lives.
The UN Human Rights Office confirmed that among the deceased, 224 were women and 153 were children, based on reliable data and sources.
Notably, at least 505 of the total fatalities, accounting for 57%, were attributed to military airstrikes using fighter jets, drones, and powered paragliders.
Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, told AFP, "The 702 civilian deaths are a direct result of the actions of the Myanmar military," adding that this does not imply there were no civilian casualties caused by other armed groups.
The report analyzed that civilian deaths were concentrated in August to September and December of last year, coinciding with the military regime's announcement of the elections and its intensified operations to reclaim areas controlled by insurgents.
The UN pointed out that external actors may have facilitated human rights abuses by continuously supplying the military with weapons and ammunition. It also noted that a decline in international support and reduced foreign aid have worsened emergency medical systems, leading to increased civilian casualties.
Consequently, the UN urged countries to refer the situation in Myanmar to the ICC and to block the influx of weapons, aviation fuel, and dual-use items that could be used in violations of international law.
The UN criticized the elections for being held amid severe human rights violations, stating that "serious human rights abuses and violations occurred in the absence of overall security and stability," and that incidents severely undermined the fundamental rights and freedoms essential for elections.
The elections were conducted with the effective exclusion of major opposition parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Pro-military parties, such as the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), achieved a landslide victory, and subsequently, Min Aung Hlaing, the military regime's leader, was elected president after stepping down from military uniform.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated in a statement, "The people of Myanmar have already suffered enough at the hands of the military," adding that they now seem forgotten even abroad. He called for the international community to increase humanitarian support for the people of Myanmar.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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