On February 2, the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) and the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) released a statement announcing the initiation of legal proceedings by the judicial authorities of East Timor against the Myanmar junta, including its leader, Min Aung Hliang, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. This is the first time that a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has taken such action against another ASEAN member state.
Salai Za Uk, Executive Director of CHRO: “Given the history of East Timor and the humiliation suffered by the Timorese people in their struggle for independence, there is a real sense of solidarity with the people of Myanmar, against whom the junta inflicts appalling barbarities almost hourly.”
The criminal case file submitted to the Timorese prosecutor includes irrefutable evidence of the gang rape of a woman seven months pregnant in front of her husband; the massacre of ten people, including a journalist and a 13-year-old boy, among eight people who had their hands tied behind their backs and their throats cut; the deliberate killing of a Christian pastor and three deacons; a disproportionate and indiscriminate air strike on a hospital, in which four medical staff and four patients died; and a series of attacks on Christian churches, civilian infrastructure protected under international law.
Chris Gunness, director of the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP), which supports legal cases against the Burmese junta, said: “This is a significant milestone in the Burmese people’s long journey towards justice, freedom, and dignity. The road ahead will be fraught with obstacles, but this case sends a strong signal. The Burmese people are stating loud and clear that justice and accountability are an indispensable part of their struggle against dictatorship and tyranny.”
Source: Mizzima News
