UN Experts Demand International Action Amid Myanmar Crisis as Civilian Death Toll Surpasses 6,000

The junta’s violence is aimed at silencing dissent and punishing opposition, often targeting journalists, activists, and everyday citizens.

Call for Global Coordination to End Atrocities and Support Civilian Resistance

UN human rights experts have urged a significant shift in the international response to Myanmar's escalating crisis, with over 6,000 civilian deaths reported since the military coup in February 2021. They condemned the international community's inaction and called for greater coordination to prevent further atrocities and support humanitarian efforts.

A Grim Death Toll and Widespread Atrocities

The experts highlighted the military junta's indiscriminate violence and brutal tactics:

Civilian Targeting: Nearly 2,000 individuals have been killed in custody, 365 have been shot in the head, and 215 burned alive. Torture, dismemberment, and disfiguration of bodies are alarmingly common.

Arbitrary Detentions: Over 21,000 individuals remain detained since the coup, many held incommunicado. Families often have no information about their whereabouts or conditions.

Human Shields and Forced Disappearances: Civilians, including villagers, are used as human shields or subjected to enforced disappearances before execution.

The junta’s violence is aimed at silencing dissent and punishing opposition, often targeting journalists, activists, and everyday citizens.

Decline in Junta’s Weapons Access but More Action Needed

Efforts to reduce the junta’s access to weapons and dual-use technologies have seen some success.

The junta’s ability to procure military equipment has declined by a third, thanks to targeted sanctions and government crackdowns on illicit supply networks.

These efforts were informed by the UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews’ report, The Billion Dollar Death Trade, which detailed the junta’s weapon procurement networks.

Despite this progress, the experts stressed that current measures are insufficient. “While these actions have made an impact, they lack the strategic coordination needed to fully support the people of Myanmar,” they said.

Rejecting the Junta’s "Election" and Denying Legitimacy

The junta’s plan to hold elections next year was sharply criticized by the experts.

"You cannot hold an election after deposing a democratically elected government through a coup," they said.

The experts urged UN Member States to publicly reject the junta’s fraudulent exercise, emphasizing that free and fair elections cannot occur amid repression, arrests, and media censorship.

Urgent Need for Humanitarian and Civil Society Support

The experts called for increased support for civil society organizations that document human rights abuses, protect civilians, and deliver humanitarian aid.

"Thousands more innocent lives could be lost unless the international community acts decisively,” they warned.

They stressed the need for governments and donors to bolster funding for these organizations and expand life-saving assistance to those affected by the conflict.

Path Forward: A Call for Global Solidarity

The experts emphasized that denying the junta weapons and legitimacy is critical but not enough. They called for a coordinated international response to protect civilian lives, hold perpetrators accountable, and support a democratic transition.

“This disaster must no longer remain in the shadows of international attention. The global community has the tools to act and the moral imperative to do so," they concluded.