Spare the children, Myanmar’s Generals

While all wars are brutal and inflict unspeakable suffering on people, including children, the civil war in Myanmar appears to be even more vicious than others. A recent United Nations report has drawn attention to the fact that children in Myanmar are not simply caught in the crossfire between the Tatmadaw and anti-junta rebel attacks but are often the intended targets of attacks. This means that children are being targeted as part of a systematic and planned strategy. According to Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, there is evidence that children are “often the targets of violence.” The report “Losing a Generation: How the military junta is attacking Myanmar’s children and stealing their future” makes for distressing reading. It says that children are subjected to lengthy interrogations during which they are subjected to torture. They are beaten, stabbed and burned with cigarettes. Their nails and teeth are being pulled out and they are put through mock executions. Myanmar’s military junta has arbitrarily detained over 1,400 children. At least 61 children are being held hostage at present. The military is said to have tortured at least 142 children since it grabbed power in a coup on February 1 last year. These may seem like small numbers in a country that is convulsed in a civil war. But the targeting of children to intimidate adults is particularly distasteful and reprehensible. And as the Special Rapporteur has pointed out, the systematic attacks on children constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Myanmar’s military Generals should be held accountable for the terrible crimes they are committing against children.

With the world’s attention turned to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a large number of casualties there, the civil war in Myanmar has been all but forgotten by the international community. Given its economic and strategic interests in Myanmar, India has been reluctant to call out the junta or to even nudge it toward reform. It is feared that India would incur heavy costs if it condemns the junta publicly, with China prowling around for advantage. But surely, India could use diplomatic channels and quiet diplomacy to nudge the Generals to refrain from deliberately targeting children.

There have been reports of some anti-junta rebel militias assassinating civilian government officials, retired officials and their family members. They are said to be using children as informants and to hurl stones and grenades at soldiers. This is just as wrong as the military’s deliberate targeting of children. Civil wars are always dirty but by targeting children but Myanmar’s military and rebels have plumbed new depths in this regard.