The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says it is closely monitoring developments in Myanmar, where anti-military armed groups and their allies have made significant advances, and several hundred soldiers had reportedly chosen to lay down their weapons. In the fighting so far, around 70 people have been reportedly killed and over 90 wounded, with more than 200,000 internally displaced since the end of October.
In a statement Friday, OHCHR said it was essential that all those captured were treated humanely and that all parties strictly respected international human rights law and international humanitarian law, particularly to protect civilians.
“Commanders must make this clear to armed personnel under their direction and control,” said Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“Reprisals are absolutely forbidden – individual soldiers are not collectively responsible for crimes and human rights violations that have been committed by the military,” he noted.
A new front of conflict has intensified fighting between Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF). Since October 26, more than 200,000 people have been forcibly displaced due to fighting and aerial bombardments. The intense clashes erupted after a sudden coordinated attack by a trio of ethnic minority-led rebel groups along the China-Myanmar border in northern Shan State.
The offensive, referred to as "Operation 1027" for the date of its onset, was launched in northern Shan on October 27 by the Three Brotherhood Alliance — comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA). It has reportedly resulted in the takeover of several towns, numerous military posts, control of major roads and the surrender of several hundreds of soldiers.
According to the International Crisis Group (ICG) the offensive involved several thousand experienced, well-armed fighters attacking multiple locations simultaneously. In an analysis released Friday, the ICG said the coordinated attacks represent the biggest battlefield challenge to the military since its February 2021 coup.
“Sensing that the regime may be at its weakest point yet, several other armed groups have gone on the march in other parts of the country, threatening to overstretch the junta’s military capacity,” Richard Horsey, ICG Senior Adviser for Myanamar, said.
The UN Human Rights Office warns the renewed fighting between the military and Arakan Army in Rakhine State after an informal 12-month ceasefire poses grave risks to both the ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya communities.
“We are concerned, given past patterns, that as the military loses ground on multiple fronts, its response risks unleashing an even greater force, through indiscriminate and disproportionate air strikes and artillery barrages. Over the past two years, we have documented the severe impact of such tactics on the civilian population,” Laurence said.
OHCHR called on UN Member States, especially those with influence upon the parties, to intervene with intensified efforts to end the crisis and protect the civilian population, and to renew pressure for the peaceful transfer of power to a representative, civilian government.
In a statement issued Thursday afternoon by his spokesman, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that he was deeply concerned by the expansion of conflict in Myanmar, including in Rakhine State. He called on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and to do their utmost to protect civilians.
Guterres also said that he remains committed to working with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as regional and international partners, to end the violence. He appealed for unhindered access for the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance and essential services through all channels.
Having started in northern Shan State, fighting is now spreading elsewhere. The military is under significant pressure on the battlefield, with worrying humanitarian implications.
In its latest situation report published Friday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in the past two days armed hostilities have escalated in Rakhine State particularly in Pauktaw and Maungdaw townships, and in Paletwa, Chin State.
According to OCHA, the Myanmar Armed Forces have conducted an operation in Pauktaw with air and naval support to reestablish control after the Arakan Army temporarily took the town on Wednesday.
Since Monday, virtually all roads and waterways connecting Rakhine townships have been blocked, severely restricting movements, including the transportation of goods and trade, the UN humanitarian office said. In affected townships in Rakhine and Paletwa, most humanitarian activities have been suspended due to the resurgence of conflict, increased security scrutiny, road and waterway blockades, and movement restrictions between urban and rural areas.
OCHA warned that the availability of food, along with other essential goods, may become critical for local communities due to transport and distribution being heavily restricted. Although humanitarian workers had not been directly targeted by the parties of the conflict, humanitarian movement had been greatly restricted due to the recent developments.
While immediate additional financial assistance and the easing of access restrictions are essential for humanitarian agencies to address urgent needs, the combined US$887 million Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeals remain critically underfunded, with only 28 percent of the required funding received.
The United Nations estimates that 17.6 million people in Myanmar are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection this year, an increase of more than 3 million compared to 2022. Among the population requiring humanitarian aid are some 5.8 million children.
Myanmar faces multiple overlapping humanitarian needs caused by protracted armed conflicts, genocide, persecution, intercommunal violence and natural disasters. Humanitarian needs in Myanmar have continued to grow due to ongoing armed violence and political unrest since the military coup in February 2021.
Heavy armed clashes, including airstrikes, artillery fire and ambushes, across Myanmar continue to endanger the lives, safety, and health of civilians. Approximately 77,000 civilian structures, including homes, clinics, schools and places of worship, have been reportedly burned or destroyed over the past two and half years.
More than 1.7 million people have been forced from their homes due to violence and insecurity since the 2021 military takeover. This is in addition to more than 300,000 people who were displaced due to conflict prior to February 2021. At least 2 million people are now internally displaced nationwide - many of them multiple times - and remain in urgent need of adequate shelter, food, basic services for their survival and protection.
Myanmar is also one of the most vulnerable countries in South East Asia to natural disasters, facing numerous hazards such as floods, cyclones, and earthquakes. On May 14, 2023, Tropical Cyclone Mocha - one of the most powerful storms in decades - hit western and northern Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh.
Further information
Full text: Myanmar: Alarm at renewed fighting, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), press briefing notes, released November 17, 2023
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2023/11/myanmar-alarm-renewed-fighting
Full text: A New Escalation of Armed Conflict in Myanmar, International Crisis Group, report, released November 17, 2023
https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-east-asia/myanmar/new-escalation-armed-conflict-myanmar
Full text: Myanmar: Escalating Hostilities - Rakhine and Southern Chin Flash Update #5 (as of 17 November 2023), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), report, released November 17, 2023
https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-escalating-hostilities-rakhine-and-southern-chin-flash-update-5-17-november-2023