- 2016 has seen a dramatic increase in the number of human rights violations with 154 being recorded over the course of the year. This is almost double the number of Human rights violations recorded throughout 2015 (84 ).
- The most common human rights violation continues to be torture, with 67 cases recorded in 2016. There has also been a large increase in the number of killings, with 28 cases recorded, compared to 11 in 2015.
- The large increase in human rights violations can be ascribed to an escalation in conflict in northern Shan, Kachin and Rakhine states in Burma/Myanmar.
- More than half of human rights violations took place in Shan State – a region that makes up just over 10% of Burma/Myanmar’s population.
- A large number of human rights violations recorded have been committed by Burma/Myanmar government forces, namely the military, BGF, militia and police, with the rest being committed by EAOs.
- The number of political prisoners in jail and awaiting trial has significantly decreased since 2015. However, the government’s extensive use of Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law has begun to push the numbers up again.
- Under the 2008 Constitution, the army retains a firm grip on state power, complete autonomy over its own affairs and legal immunity. This has allowed government forces to continue to commit human rights violations under the NLD-led government.
- Two notable exceptions are the sentencing of seven Burma/Myanmar army soldiers for killing civilians in Shan state and the sentencing of a Burma/ Myanmar army soldier for killing a Kachin student. ND-Burma believes such cases show there are increasing opportunities to seek justice for victims of human rights violations.
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