As Myanmar plunges deeper into chaos, the UN reveals evidence of war crimes, torture, and civilian massacres. With millions displaced and impunity prevailing, the call for justice grows louder. Can peace ever be restored?
BY PC Burau
Four years after Myanmar’s military coup, which overthrew the elected government of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, serious international crimes have continued unabated, according to investigators. Nicholas Koumjian, head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), has highlighted alarming evidence of atrocities committed across the country since the February 1, 2021 coup.
“Protests against the military regime were suppressed with often lethal violence,” Koumjian stated. “Thousands of perceived opponents have been unlawfully imprisoned, where many have suffered torture, sexual violence, and other abuses. Increasingly frequent and indiscriminate air strikes, artillery, and drone attacks have killed civilians, driven survivors from their homes, and destroyed hospitals, schools, and places of worship.”
#Myanmar: Four years on, coup leaders ramp up violations to unprecedented levels, UN finds https://t.co/aELDbo2kvc
— Regina (@reginapaulose) January 31, 2025
The UN’s IIMM was established in 2018 by the Human Rights Council to collect and analyze evidence of the most serious international crimes and other violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011. Its mission is to facilitate justice by preserving this evidence and preparing case files for potential prosecution in national, regional, and international courts.
Investigations Target Military and Armed Groups
While most of the evidence collected so far implicates Myanmar’s military, Koumjian confirmed that investigators are also probing reports of atrocities committed by other armed groups, including rape, killings, and torture. “We are collecting evidence of serious international crimes committed throughout Myanmar, regardless of the ethnicity, religion, or politics of the perpetrators or victims,” he emphasized.
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The civil war has forced over 3.5 million people from their homes, according to UN estimates. As Myanmar remains engulfed in conflict, the humanitarian crisis has worsened. By 2025, the UN projects that more than 19.9 million people, or over a third of the population, will require humanitarian aid.
ICC Arrest Warrant and Justice Delays
In November, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, for alleged crimes against the Rohingya minority during the 2016 and 2017 clearance operations. However, Koumjian lamented the lack of judicial proceedings for serious international crimes committed since the military takeover.
“Impunity for crimes emboldens perpetrators to commit more violence,” Koumjian warned. “Ending this impunity is essential for Myanmar to build a peaceful future for all its people. Until the perpetrators are brought to justice, violence will continue to spiral, and the suffering of Myanmar’s people will only increase.”
The IIMM remains prepared to assist authorities willing to investigate and prosecute these cases.
Slaughter, Displacement, and Economic Collapse
Tom Andrews, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, described the four years under military rule as a time of unimaginable oppression and turmoil. “Junta forces have slaughtered thousands of civilians, bombed and burned villages, and displaced millions,” the former US congressman said.
He noted that over 20,000 political prisoners remain behind bars while the economy and public services have collapsed. Looming famine and starvation are now additional threats facing Myanmar’s population.
Andrews criticized the junta’s plans to hold elections this year, calling them “sham elections against a backdrop of escalating armed conflict and human rights violations.” He urged the international community to offer Myanmar’s people “a genuine partnership to help end this nightmare.”
As investigators continue to uncover mounting evidence of crimes, the call for justice and accountability remains urgent. The road to peace and stability, Koumjian and Andrews stressed, depends on bringing perpetrators to justice and restoring hope for a nation battered by violence and suffering.
