“Each day, the people of Myanmar are enduring horrifying attacks, flagrant human rights violations and the crumbling of their livelihoods and hopes,” said Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

He was briefing the Human Rights Council – the UN’s primary body for the protection and promotion of rights globally, including findings since his July report was issued.

Junta’s ruthless repression

Mr. Türk emphasized the military’s blatant disregard for fundamental principles of humanity as well as the Security Council’s repeated demands for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unhindered humanitarian access.

“We are faced here with a system of ruthless repression designed to coerce and subjugate its people and to erode a society so that the predatory interests of the military are preserved,” he said.

“Senseless military attacks are exacerbating the human rights crisis with interconnected humanitarian, political, and economic impacts, imposing an unbearable toll on the people in Myanmar.”

Muzzling free press

He also voiced concerns over the military’s denial of humanitarian access to those affected by Cyclone Mocha in May, particularly in Rakhine state, where widowed Rohingya women have reportedly been forced to beg for food.

The military also threatened legal action against anyone reporting a different death toll from the massive disaster to the junta’s official figure of 116 deaths.

In this context, a photojournalist was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by a military for covering the post-cyclone situation in Rakhine, the biggest sentence handed down to a journalist since the 2021 coup.

Reliance on foreign sources

Mr. Türk pointed to three specific military tactics employed against civilians: airstrikes, mass killings, and the burning of villages.

Between April 2022 and May 2023, the military conducted 687 airstrikes, more than double the number in the preceding 14 months.

The report corroborated data confirming that the increased use of air power, along with heavy weaponry, military hardware and aviation fuel, “can only be purchased from foreign sources”, the rights chief said.

‘Inhumanity in its vilest form’

Mr. Türk further reported that ground operations resulted in 22 documented mass killings – involving the murder of ten or more individuals. Witnesses described soldiers using horrific methods to inflicting pain on civilians, including burning alive, beheading, dismemberment, rape and more.

“This is inhumanity in its vilest form,” the High Commissioner said, stating that entire villages were set ablaze, leading to the destruction of over 75,000 structures, driving displacement and increasing humanitarian needs.

Civilian rule has vanished

“Civilian rule of law in Myanmar has vanished, with the military deliberately eroding the foundations of governance and justice in the country,” Mr. Türk said, urging the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

According to credible sources, 24,836 people have been arrested, 19,264 are still detained, and 150 have been sentenced to death by military-controlled courts that lack any independence or adherence to due process or fair trial rights.

Some 19,000 refugees have reportedly left the Karabakh Economic Region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including many elderly people, women and children.  

UNHCR Spokesperson Shabia Mantoo called on all sides to protect civilians and to fully respect international humanitarian refugee law allowing them safe passage.

All parties must “refrain from actions that would cause displacement of civilians and ensure their safety, security and human rights and nobody should be forced to flee their homes”, said Ms. Mantoo, speaking during a scheduled UN agency briefing in Geneva.

Guterres ‘very concerned’ over displacement

In the regular noon briefing for reporters in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, said the UN chief António Guterres was “very concerned” about the displacement.

“It’s essential that the rights of the displaced populations be protected and that they receive the humanitarian support they are owed,” said the Spokesperson.

He underlined that at this point, the UN was “not involved in the humanitarian situation” within the region, but the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) is on the ground in Armenia.

Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region has persisted for more than three decades, but a ceasefire and subsequent Trilateral Statement was agreed almost three years ago following six weeks of fighting, by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, leading to the deployment of several thousand Russian peacekeepers. 

Amid last week’s flare-up in fighting and the arrival of the first refugees in Armenia, the UN chief called for fully-fledged access for aid workers to people in need.

De-escalation call

Mr. Guterres also called for de-escalation “in the strongest terms” and “stricter” observance of the 2020 ceasefire, and principles of international humanitarian law. 

Echoing that appeal, UNHCR’s Ms. Mantoo explained on Tuesday that amid the “complex and multicultural” situation, access to asylum must be maintained for people in need of international protection “to ensure that people are treated humanely, that their rights are protected and respected, and that they can access the protection and safety that they need”.  

Support is also needed for countries at the front lines that are receiving people in need of protection, Ms. Mantoo said. 

The UNHCR official also called for “alternatives for a legal stay”, and an “expansion of regular and safe pathways so people don’t have to risk their lives and that we don’t see these types of backlogs and pressures”.

International solidarity call

She reiterated that the regional response requires international solidarity and a concerted effort by all States and stakeholders. 

Regarding UNHCR’s teams on the ground in Armenia, Ms. Mantoo explained that they were monitoring the situation closely.  

People were “suffering the effects of trauma and exhaustion and need urgent psychosocial support” Ms. Mantoo said, adding that the government of Armenia was leading the response and was expected to appeal to the international community for further support.  

For its part, the UN agency has also provided assistance, including non-food items, portable beds, mattresses and bedding. “There is also a need for shelter, warm clothing and other essential non-food items. And we’re mobilizing further assistance and coordinating with local government and partners to respond to the increasing needs,” she added. 

In a statement released late on Tuesday, the UN human rights chief Volker Türk added his concern over the evolving situation. 

“Any reported violations of human rights or international humanitarian law require follow-up, including prompt, independent and transparent investigations to ensure accountability and redress for the victims”, he said.

He reminded that all countries must not deny ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities “the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language.”

UNICEF Representative in Mali, Pierre Ngom, told reporters in Geneva that dozens of children have been killed this month alone by non-State armed groups in the north and centre of the country. 

An attack on a boat on the Gao-Timbuktu axis on 7 September claimed the lives of at least 24 youngsters.

Mr. Ngom called for urgent action to protect and support children in Mali: “Investments in peace and security must go hand in hand with getting all children in school and learning, fully vaccinated, protected from grave violations, and free from malnutrition.”

Peacekeeping withdrawl

He said that heightened insecurity has been further amplified by the ongoing departure of UN peacekeepers.

The UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) pull-out is scheduled for the end of the year. Mr. Ngom underscored that MINUSMA was helping ensure the safety of UNICEF teams implementing vaccination campaigns in insecure zones.

According to UNICEF, with just a few weeks until the start of the 2023-2024 academic year, more than 1,500 out of 9,000 schools are not functional.

In the southeastern Ménaka region, half of all schools are closed. In all, half a million children are affected, but UNICEF is working with the Government to provide classes through radio programming, and recruit community volunteers to fill in for teachers. 

Brazil: UN rights office hails ‘encouraging’ ruling on Indigenous Peoples’ land claims

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) welcomed on Tuesday a recent Brazilian Supreme Court ruling in favour of a land rights case brought by Indigenous Peoples. 

OHCHR said that the landmark decision rejected time restrictions on Indigenous People’s claims to their ancestral land and called it “very encouraging”.

An opposing legal argument would have blocked Indigenous Peoples who were not living on their ancestral land 35 years ago from laying claim to it today; 1988 was the year when Brazil’s constitution was adopted. 

OHCHR said that such limits would have “perpetuated and aggravated historic injustices suffered by Brazil´s Indigenous Peoples”.

The UN rights office said that it remained concerned that a draft bill currently being discussed in Congress was seeking to impose the 1988 deadline which has now been rejected by the Supreme Court.

Failure to ensure judicial independence impeding justice in Montenegro: UN expert

Failure to elect a seventh member of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme State Prosecutor and new lay members of Montenegro’s judicial council, has put plans for judicial reform at risk there, an independent UN rights expert said on Tuesday.

Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers said in a statement at the end of an official visit there that this would hinder access to justice “for all its citizens.” 

She added that Montenegro’s Parliament had failed, on multiple occasions, to elect the new members needed to staff these important institutions.

“As a result, strategic leadership in these institutions is lacking, and planning and action for reform of the system is not possible”, she said.

‘Country above politics’

“Members of Parliament must put the interests of their country above politics, and ensure these appointments take place without any further delay.” 

Ms. Satterthwaite said she had met with judges and prosecutors who reported working in conditions that were manifestly underfunded.

Buildings were old, too small, and in a poor state of repair. There was insufficient office space, creating security risks for judges and prosecutors. Up to date information technology and digitalisation was severely lacking, she said.

“During my visits to courts, I was shocked to see and hear about inadequate facilities for storage of archives and evidence, including firearms and drugs,” the independent expert added.

Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, are not staff and do not receive a salary for their investigative work.