On the 7th of December in Sagaing Region, sickening scenes reminiscent of the Islamic State terrorist group bore witness to the the military’s escalation of their acts of terror. The sheer brutality, savagery, and cruelty of the these acts shows a new depth of depravity, and proves that, despite the pretence of the relative détente seen over the last few months, the junta never had any intention of deescalating their campaign of violence.

On the morning of the 7th of December, military forces set out from Shwe Tong Kone driving along the Monwya-Pathein road, raiding and opening fire onto villages as they passed, spraying bullets indiscriminately. At least one Pintaya villager was shot dead in this way. 

Along the way on the Sapa bridge the military hit an IED. By way of revenge they began to shell Don Taw village, Sa lin Gyi township. Following this the military forces entered the village. Many villagers fled for their lives but some were captured by the soldiers. Eleven villagers in total, one as young as 14, and one in his 40’s, were rounded up, and transported to Kaing Taw. There they were lashed together, tortured, and ultimately burned alive. One witness who fled the village states that even from their hiding places they could hear the screams and struggles of the villagers as they were tortured and burned. Video shows some villagers returning hours later to find the smouldering remains. The military have set up base in Le Nyin Taung and most villagers are too afraid to return. There are currently between 500 and one thousand displaced persons from Gyey Sa Gya, Ywa Tar, Gone Taw, Done Taw, Kan Kone villages.

The names and ages of the victims are as follows:

#NAME: AGE:

1. Ko Aka Soe 14

2. Ko San Min Oo 17

3. Ko Tan Myint Aung 17

4. Anonymous 17

5. Ko Kyaw Thet 17

6. Ko Chit Nan Oo 19

7. Ko Win Gaw 20

8. Ko Htet Ko 22

9. Ko Zin Min Ko 22

10. Ko Tint Naing 30

11. U Soe 40

A similar scene took place on the morning of the 4th of December in Than Pho village of Kalaymyo Township. Salai Lal Ro Mawi, a 24 year old farm worker was abducted by the military while clearing weeds on the east bank of the Myittha River. He was used as a human shield by the military and, when he had served his purpose, was burned alive as the military razed O Myay Htoo village to the ground. His remains were found and given a Christian burial some days later by local resistance forces.

The burning of civilian bodies is common. On the 19th of November junta forces entered Kywal Gaw village in Sagaing ostensibly searching for local resistance (PDF) groups. Three villagers were tortured severely. Ko 

Tun Chit Zaw was beaten so badly his right eye dislocated from its socket, while soldiers cut off Ko Youk Lone’s ears, hands, and feet. Both of these men, along with Ko Kyaw Shwe were shot dead and their bodies were burned. In the same operation, the military stormed Inyar village and burned a number of houses. Ko Phyo Thar, a known military informant working for the military in identifying PDF associated houses, was himself shot by soldiers in an altercation and burned. However in all these cases, the bodies were burned after death. Isolated incidents as early into the coup as March saw civilians being burned alive. One notable case is that of Aye Ko, a 40 year old street vendor and father of four in Mandalay. On his way to put out fires in the city, he was wounded by the military, arrested, beaten, and thrown alive onto a burning pile of tires. Witnesses state he cried out for his mother as the flames consumed him. Nevertheless, such incidents have, to date, been largely isolated. The attack on the 7th of December shows a clear escalation of the military’s brutality and its reprisals against innocent civilians.

These horrific attacks show that the military have no regard for the sanctity of human life. They have always sought to exact vengeance or vent frustrations by collectively punishing civilian populations. These attacks serve no strategic purpose. None of the military’s victims are legitimate military targets. These acts constitute war crimes of the highest order. They are acts of terrorism, pure and simple. The destruction of villages, the torture, and brutal murder of innocent villagers, the random shooting and shelling into civilian settlements, serve only to strike fear into the hearts of the civilian population. The military have always relied on tactics of terror. There is no excuse to ignore the evidence. The Tatmadaw must be declared a terrorist organisation. Governments must make it illegal to recognise or work with the military and their affiliates. For the good of humanity itself, the international community must act now to stop the Myanmar military, end the coup, and liberate the Myanmar people from this nightmare.

Sincerely,

H.E. Dr. Sasa
Union Minister of Ministry of International Cooperation
Spoke Person of Nation Unity Government
Former Special Envoy to United Nations