The Director of the Karenni National Human Rights Group (KnHRG) U Banyar declared on International Human Rights Day December 10 th that the massacre of 40 civilians near Mo So village on December 24th, 2021, was the worst human rights violation in Karenni (Kayah) state since the military coup.
“The Mo So incident is a tragedy that will never be forgotten in our Karenni history. It needs to be known as one of the worst ever - human rights violations. Among the victims were children, women and elderly as well as humanitarian workers. Men and women who made an honest living by selling goods were brutally murdered. When we re-examined from various angles, we found that they were captured, tortured, and then killed”, he said.
He also noted that when KnHRG surveyed 260 killings in Karenni state since the coup, 86 were tortured before death.
During the coup, the Karenni people suffered from severe human rights violations. and about 200,000 people, who fled from the fighting were unable to return to their homes for more than 18 months, are still living as war- refugees.
U Banyar also questioned how much more bloodshed and human rights violations will be needed to convince international bodies to take action against the perpetrators.
He continued to pose questions to the international community.
“ In Karenni state we are experiencing terrible human rights violations almost every day. In the eyes of the United Nations and the international community, is this not enough bloodshed to take action? Is the lack of action because the number of houses burnt down is still too small? Now more than half of the local population has fled their homes. Many people have become unemployed. Every day we face psychological oppression and human rights abuse. Are these incidents not enough for the international community to take legal action against the perpetrators? How many more of our people and our next generations need to die?”
U Banyar concluded “ I just want to ask that one basic question.”
December 10th was the 74th International Human Rights Day and some celebration events were held in several places of Karenni state. In a place in the east of Demoso township, an International Human Rights Day celebration was held jointly with KnHRG and local residents, and children fleeing the war performed with dances.
The date for the International Human Rights Day was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation of the 30-point Universal Declaration of Human Rights , on December 10th, 1948, in Paris, France.
