&w=3840&q=100)
Myanmar: Children among those tortured by security forces, says UN report
Myanmar's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted the elected government in a coup on February 1, 2021, presides over an army parade on Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)
United Nations investigators say they have uncovered extensive evidence of systematic torture in Myanmar's detention facilities, including against children, and have identified senior military figures as perpetrators.
The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), set up in 2018 to collect and analyse evidence of serious international crimes, said victims were subjected to beatings, electric shocks, gang rape, strangulation and other abuse such as the removal of fingernails with pliers. Some torture resulted in death, according to the 16-page report released Tuesday.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Children were among those tortured, often detained as stand-ins for missing parents. 'We have uncovered significant evidence, including eyewitness testimony, showing systematic torture in Myanmar detention facilities,' IIMM head Nicholas Koumjian said in a statement.
Perpetrators include senior commanders
Based on more than 1,300 sources, including hundreds of eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, documents and photographs, investigators identified high-ranking commanders among the alleged perpetrators. Names have been withheld while inquiries continue to avoid alerting suspects.
Koumjian said torture was a focus because victims often recognised their abusers, potentially aiding future prosecutions. 'People often know the names or they certainly know the faces of those who torture them or who torture their friends,' he told reporters in Geneva.
Myanmar's military-backed authorities have not responded to more than two dozen UN requests for information or for access to the country. The junta has denied committing atrocities, blaming unrest on what it calls 'terrorists.'
Wider context of abuses
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the February 2021 coup against an elected civilian government triggered a nationwide uprising and civil war. Tens of thousands have been detained, the UN says. Last month, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing ended a four-year state of emergency, installed himself as acting president and announced plans for an election.
The IIMM is investigating abuses dating back to 2011, including crimes against the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017, and post-coup violations affecting all ethnic groups. The body supports proceedings in jurisdictions such as Britain and the International Criminal Court.
Funding at risk
Koumjian warned that UN budget cuts threaten the mechanism's work. Funding for research on sexual violence, crimes against children and witness protection could run out by year's end without fresh donations, he said.
With inputs from Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
a few seconds ago
- India Today
Pak's anti-India rocket force to be built on Chinese template
Following its drubbing by Indian forces during the four-day conflict, Pakistan has announced the creation of a new Army Rocket Force Command (ARFC), which is reportedly inspired by China's People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF). Unveiling the plan on the eve of Independence Day, Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, on August 13, announced the creation of the new military force, which he said, "will prove to be a milestone in strengthening the combat capability of Pakistan's army".advertisement"It will be equipped with modern technology," Sharif ARFC aims to bolster Pakistan's missile combat capabilities in conventional warfare, reported news agency Reuters. The move by Pakistan comes three months after the four-day military conflict with India. Indian missiles and defence systems decisively outperformed Pakistan's Chinese-supplied four-day mini-war in May was dominated by aerial missile combat, with both India and Pakistan deploying drones, missiles, and loitering munitions. While India pounded terror-heavens in Pakistan with its domestically developed BrahMos and Akash systems, along with the Russian-origin S-400, Pakistan relied on Chinese-made PL-15 missiles. All the Pakistani missiles failed to make impact, as they were successfully intercepted and neutralised by India's layered air defence network. One of them fell on a farmland in development also underscores Pakistan's deepening military alignment with China. According to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China accounted for 81% of Pakistan's arms imports between 2020 and 2024, up from an average 74% in the past five Pakistan has announced a new military force modelled on China's PLARF, which manages China's land-based missile arsenal, including ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, both nuclear and are five key takeaways on the move and what it could mean going forward.1. FALLOUT OF OPERATION SINDOOR DROVE PAK'S MISSILE COMMANDThe announcement follows the four-day mini-war, during which Indian forces repulsed all cross-border attacks on Indian military and civilian setback has prompted a structural rethink of Pakistan's missile command, which has now been reimagined with Chinese inspiration.A senior Pakistani security official, quoted by news agency Reuters, said that the ARFC is "obviously meant for India", signalling Pakistan's intent to counter India's demonstrated missile defence new force aims to centralise and enhance Pakistan's missile capabilities to prevent a repeat of such setbacks.2. PAKISTAN'S ARFC MIRRORS CHINA 'S PLARFPakistan's ARFC is explicitly patterned after China's PLARF, the fourth branch of the People's Liberation Army, which manages Beijing's vast arsenal of land-based ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles for both nuclear and conventional in 1966 as the Second Artillery Corps and renamed in 2016, the PLARF is a cornerstone of China's strategic to Group Captain MJ Augustine (Retired) in the Eurasian Times, Pakistan's ARFC will adopt a similar structure, with a dedicated command for missile deployment, leveraging Chinese technology transfers to enhance precision and alignment suggests strengthening of the China-Pakistan "all-weather friendship".3. STRENGTHENING THE CHINA-PAKISTAN MILITARY AXISAnalysts view the ARFC as yet another sign of deepening military ties between Islamabad and Beijing. Pakistan's defence cooperation with China now goes beyond arms Operation Sindoor, China supported Pakistan with intelligence, satellite surveillance, and advanced weapons, including the J-10 fighter jets and AI-backed the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTAIC) of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, during his speech in Parliament on July 29, claimed CENTAIC aims to "integrate the Pakistani Air Force with the Chinese Air Force and transform the PAF into a network-centric air force".He claimed CENTAIC, established in Pakistan in 2020, apparently with Chinese assistance, is a key part of a growing effort to transform the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) into a network-centric force that could be seamlessly integrated with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force using AI and real-time data exchange.4. EMPHASIS ON CONVENTIONAL MISSILE COMBATUnlike the Army Strategic Forces Command that manages Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, the newly formed ARFC will focus solely on conventional missile ARFC will oversee platforms such as the Babur cruise missile, the Shaheen ballistic missile series, and Fatah guided rockets, with an emphasis on executing swift, coordinated strikes to challenge India's air dominance and missile defence force's technology could include Chinese-supplied systems like the A-100 multiple launch rocket systems and Fatah-IV cruise missiles, according to Captain ARFC is likely a new corps-level command, headed by a Lieutenant General reporting directly to the Army Chief Asim Munir.5. REGIONAL, STRATEGIC EQUATIONS ON PAK'S MINDIndia currently holds the edge with systems like BrahMos, Akash, Prithvi, and PL-15 missiles were largely ineffective during the May military ARFC now set to be in place, Islamabad appears to be trying to close that gap by leveraging Chinese expertise and tech in March at the India Today Conclave 2025, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi sounded a strong warning about the growing military cooperation between China and Pakistan, describing it as a "high degree of collusion" that New Delhi can no longer afford to now Pakistan moving ahead with a separate missile command, that too, with Chinese assistance and collaboration, Pakistan has its vulnerabilities in mind. And it is in pursuit of that very gap that Islamabad is betting big on missiles.- Ends advertisement
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a few seconds ago
- First Post
Friendly summit with no ceasefire: Putin disarms Trump, neutralises sanctions threats at Alaska summit
Before the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, Donald Trump warned of 'severe consequences" if Russia did not agree to a ceasefire at the meeting. However, beaming Putin managed to get away with no ceasefire and no consequences. The shadows of the two leaders are cast on a wall behind their podiums. Reuters Before US President Donald Trump headed to Alaska, he issued a stern warning against his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. After reassuring Zelenskyy and European leaders, Trump at that time warned that Russia would face 'severe consequences' if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire in the Ukraine war at the Alaska Summit. However, while speaking to the reporters after the talks in Alaska, neither of the leaders mentioned the word ' ceasefire'. After the whole saga was over, one question remained in everyone's mind. Will Trump follow through with his 'severe consequences' threat, or did Putin manage to play his charm on him? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While speaking to the reporters on Wednesday, Trump hinted at imposing 'severe economic sanctions' if Putin did not agree to a truce during the Alaska meeting. 'If the first one goes OK, we'll have a quick second one,' Trump told reporters in Washington. 'I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin, President Zelenskyy and me, if they'd like to have me there.' When asked if Russia would face consequences if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire after the summit, the Republican firebrand gave an affirmative response. 'Yes, they will … very severe consequences," Trump remarked. However, the story was different. No ceasefire, no consequences The Alaska summit conveyed a surprisingly amicable atmosphere, with Putin praising 'friendly' talks and Trump reciprocating warm remarks, despite the brutal war ongoing in Ukraine. Putin effectively defused the threat of fresh US sanctions, delaying punitive measures unless Moscow shows greater willingness to resolve the conflict. Putin managed to manoeuvre the issue tactfully. During the presser after the talks, we saw Putin massaging Trump's ego with words of praise. He acknowledged Trump's rhetoric that the Russia-Ukraine war would not have happened if the Republican firebrand were in the White House. At the same time, he also issued a stern warning to Ukraine and its allies. He warned the West and Ukraine not to 'torpedo the nascent progress,' subtly shifting pressure onto them to temper military aid and political support for Kyiv. The absence of a ceasefire deal or firm commitments ensured the status quo remained, with hostilities continuing unabated. Trump's mixture of welcome hospitality and economic warnings produced no immediate sanctions escalation, granting Putin a diplomatic reprieve. Not only this, after the meeting, Trump floated the idea of security guarantees to Ukraine outside the framework of NATO, effectively shutting the Alliance's door in Ukraine's face. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So Bolton was right? While speaking to CNN after the meeting, former US National Security Adviser John Bolton declared that 'Trump did not lose' the Alaska Summit but Putin 'clearly won,' adding that 'Trump didn't come away with anything, except more meetings.' Putin, meanwhile, 'has gone a long way to reestablishing the relationship, which I always believed was his key goal,' Bolton said. 'He escaped sanctions. He's not facing a ceasefire. The next meeting is not set. (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky was not told any of this before this press conference. It's far from over, but I'd say Putin achieved most of what he wanted. Trump achieved very little,' he added. Bolton predicted something of this sort during his conversation with Firstpost earlier this week. At that time, Bolton insisted that Putin ' had already won' before the Alaska talks, a criticism refuted by Trump later. Trump's former advisor insisted that while the Potus considers Putin a 'friend', the Russian leader is more strategic about his ties with the American counterpart. 'Putin doesn't see Trump as his friend. He sees them as somebody that he thinks he can manipulate in true, true fashion of a former KGB agent. And I think he's been pretty successful with it," Bolton told Firstpost. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It is a big win for Putin to come to the United States. He's a pariah leader of a rogue state that committed unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.' 'On Friday, he's going to get to stand next to the President of the United States and get his picture taken on territory that used to be Russian. Nobody in Russia has missed the fact that we bought Alaska from Russia in 1867. So it's what Trump can do. I think a lot of people are going to be watching. But the main thing is to see if Putin emerges with Trump thinking that they're friends again,' Ambassador Bolton concluded, and it looks like Trump still thinks Putin is a 'friend'.
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to arrive in India on Monday
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has confirmed his trip to India and is expected to arrive in New Delhi on Monday, Beijing's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday according to Reuters. His visit comes at a time when both countries are seeking to manage tensions while exploring areas of cooperation. The confirmation follows weeks of uncertainty, with Beijing previously declining to provide details of the minister's travel plans. On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian had said the two sides were 'maintaining interactions at various levels' but added that 'relevant information will be released in due course.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Option Trading Mastery: Mr. Gopal Shares His Laxman Rekha Strategy For Free TradeWise Learn More Undo
