A Look Back at 2024 - Reflections Following Military Victories

It was a year in which governance-building also continued behind the military successes. Governance-building grew stronger particularly in regions outside the centre. The Karenni Interim Executive Council became one example, and governance-building in the Ta'ang region also began to be seen. In Kachin and Kawthoolei, where existing administrations were already operating, some changes also began. In Kawthoolei, there were examples of administration carried out with public participation and forms of public consultation.[1]

Minorities Within Minorities

In the wake of the victories in Rakhine, allegations emerged that the AA was targeting Rohingya people. In its own statements, the AA also emphasized that some armed Rohingya were fighting on the junta's side. These statements came as forcible arrests under the conscription law were taking place.

After the AA captured and took control of Buthidaung Township, the homes of local Rohingya were burned and destroyed on May 18, and large numbers of Rohingya were forced to flee. There were reports that, before this, the AA had instructed local residents through community elders to relocate. Although the AA was accused of the fire, it responded that it was caused by the terrorist junta's air strikes.

On May 21, 28 Rohingya organizations worldwide, including the UK-based Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), issued a statement calling on the international community to pressure the AA to end human rights violations and forced displacement of Rohingya in Rakhine State and to comply with international humanitarian law.[2]

On May 22, a total of 195 revolutionary forces and civil society organizations issued a joint statement[3]. The statement called on the AA to allow an independent investigation, to punish perpetrators if violations had in fact occurred, and to hold talks and consultations with Rohingya leaders as soon as possible.

The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR)[4], the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights[5], the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)[6] and the US Secretary of State[7] called on the international community to act to prevent mass killings of Rohingya in northern Rakhine and for compliance with international law, and Australia, Canada, the EU, Korea, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States jointly called for the protection of civilians.

Regarding the international calls, on May 20 the AA said that reports of civilian deaths and injuries had nothing to do with it and were one-sided accusations, and offered[8] to cooperate with any impartial organization on the current situation in the Buthidaung–Maungdaw region.

After the revolution's military victories, efforts to build governance inevitably follow. The international community will be watching how the AA handles the issue of the Rohingya, a minority within minorities, as it builds a new Rakhine.

Human Rights Violations by Revolutionary Forces 

Reviewing the military council's violations across 2024, it continues to blatantly commit killings, arbitrary arrests, rape and village burnings, as well as aerial bombing, heavy artillery fire, brutal killings and the use of human shields. On the other side, revolutionary forces were also found to have committed killings, arbitrary arrests and threats with weapons.

The cases included killings among members of armed forces, killings of some civilian activists, and some killings of prisoners of war in violation of the military code of conduct. There was also violence against women and people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.

Some action was also seen. In a statement dated December 5, the Bishnu People's Defence Army, which is not under the NUG, announced that it had taken internal disciplinary action against four perpetrators for a case in Magway Region.[9] Another case in Mon State was committed by a force under the NUG; U Maung Maung Swe, Deputy Secretary of the NUG Ministry of Defence (MOD), said an investigative tribunal had been formed to take action over the killing of a man by the leader of a company known as the Ye Bilu unit.[10] The NUG Vice-President signed and issued a revised military code of conduct, extending it to all armed groups under the NUG and all other armed groups.

Looking back at the incidents of 2024, it must be acknowledged that some armed groups among the revolutionary forces committed human rights violations against the public. It must also be admitted and corrected that there was weakness in comprehensively addressing human security, human dignity and human rights, and that in most cases there has not yet been transparent, accountable and responsible judicial action.

References:

[1]https://www.facebook.com/KNUHQKTL/posts/pfbid02kGFngDrvvTMbYzm5166Zwa3RMYBpgM2RzpBzqEDsbe5XLq1BVFk1cBLQcFNmacT2l?__cft__[0]=AZVP2eIgdXXyd1Z2ddS5vJeuwZfnf__y5jCPSDka7WF4lWR-aqWq72n-Qy7RNwqRAQJvMhJYVQiIg74Hwhx0EO386-yf5w2AS1dHRwHVNrRu7pJJ_vrNVaC4UJfQQxbVBrqaGxPls-wk8SyscAQ7BdhtTkpLhWjUPkJgLZERVg7VAc865-RQVNLpP9FOdggd3tA&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

[2]https://www.brouk.org.uk/rohingya-facing-existential-threat-in-arakan/

[3]https://progressivevoicemyanmar.org/2024/05/22/ရခိုင်ပြည်နယ်-မြောက်ပို/

[4]https://aseanmp.org/2024/05/18/southeast-asian-mps-calls-on-un-asean-to-act-to-save-rohingya-from-further-genocide/

[5]https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2024/05/comment-un-high-commissioner-human-rights-volker-turk-violence

[6]https://new.oic-oci.org/SitePages/NewsDetail.aspx?Item=4677

[7]https://www.state.gov/on-the-situation-in-burmas-rakhine-state/

[8]https://vk.com/arakanarmyinfodesk?z=photo-171407235_457242608%2Fwall-171407235_9368

[9] https://myanmar-now.org/mm/news/59629/

[10] https://myanmar-now.org/mm/news/59629/

Photo by Saw Wunna on Unsplash