The Ministry of Human Rights within the National Unity Government (NUG) has revealed that in the two years since the coup, the Military Council carried out the kidnap of 3,216 civilians later used as ‘human shields’ placed in the front of advancing Junta military convoys, along with nearly 180 cases of coerced labor.
During a press conference on December 7th, Union Minister U Aung Myo Min of NUG's Ministry of Human Rights disclosed the findings, referencing a report released by NUG's Ministry of Labour in August.
"We've found concrete evidence that the Military Council committed at least 178 acts of forced coercion, with records compiled starting from August 2021. Additionally, we have evidence that at least 3216 civilians were used as human shields or forced labour by the terrorist Military Council”, he said.
The NUG minister added, "The Military Council's most egregious practice is using civilians as human shields during armed conflicts. We have substantial evidence of civilians being coerced into serving as porters and laborers. There is also concrete evidence that the Military Council employed civilians as human shields and minesweepers at least 104 times, by compelling them to march at the front of military columns on battlefields.”.
In Sagaing and Magway regions, as well as in Karen, Karenni (Kayah), and Kachin states, Junta troops primarily imposed forced labour on the public and, on specific occasions, also used them as human shields. He reported that children were among the victims exploited as human shields by the coup Regime troops.
“At least 1,882 people were used as human shields, and we have strong evidence that minors under the age of 18 were among them”, the Union Minister emphasized.
He further stated that the Military Council persists in blatantly committing human rights violations, including compelling civilians into strenuous labor, employing them as human shields, and coercing them to serve as porters.
As per data compiled by NUG's Ministry of Human Rights from April 2021 to 2023, there were 49 instances of civilian coercion by the Military Council in Sagaing Region, 21 in Magway Region, and 16 in Karen, Karenni, and Kachin states.
Out of more than 3200 civilians abducted, 1,882 civilians used as human shields, 262 were men, 37 were women, and 1583 couldn't be distinguished by gender. Additionally, U Aung Min mentioned that 8 children under the age of 18 had undergone this distressing experience.
NUG’s Ministry of Human Rights also disclosed that out a total of 104 instances of human shield usage by the Junta troops, 39 were in Sagaing Region, and 10 each in Magway Region and Kachin State.
The figures mentioned represent only the data collected by NUG's Ministry of Human Rights to the best of their knowledge, and in reality, the actual number could be far higher.
