The government of Myanmar should commit to concrete actions to end and remedy ongoing abuses during its upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations Human Rights Council, according to a statement by Fortify Rights on 29 September.
Fortify Rights published its formal submission to the United Nations on Myanmar’s human rights record, documenting four years of abuses. The submission documents widespread and systematic torture, killings, forced population transfers, persecution, and other international crimes committed by Myanmar authorities with impunity since 2011.
“Myanmar needs to take more robust steps to end ongoing abuses,” said Matthew Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights. “The Myanmar government has shielded perpetrators of grave human rights violations, casting doubt on its commitment to reform.”
On November 9, Myanmar will undergo its second UPR—a process in which the UN Human Rights Council reviews the human rights record of UN member states every four years. Myanmar’s last review was in January 2011.
In areas of active armed conflict in Kachin and northern Shan states, Fortify Rights has documented extrajudicial killings, torture, indiscriminate attacks on civilians, forced labour, widespread use of torture, and the use of human shields by Myanmar military personnel since 2011. Fortify Rights believes these abuses constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law the statement said.