The United States on Tuesday urged the Burmese military junta to cease its “horrific violence” against civilians after more than 50 villagers were killed in the junta’s latest airstrike in the north-western Sagaing region.
A junta fighter jet dropped bombs directly onto a house in Pazigyi village in Sagaing’s Kinbalu Township, where villagers had gathered for a housewarming ceremony, the Irrawaddy reported.
Other reports said the building was a new administration building set up by a local people’s defense force that opposes the junta.
The attack reportedly killed 50 people and wounded 30 more, according to Irrawaddy’s report, while the Associated Press put the death toll at 100. The Epoch Times could not independently confirm the figures.
“At the moment, it’s hard to say exactly how many casualties there were. We haven’t been able to retrieve bodies and body parts, as the area where the airstrike occurred is still burning,” an unnamed resident told Irrawaddy.
The military junta also launched airstrikes on Webula village in northern Chin State’s Falam Township on Monday, killing at least eight people, a Free Burma Rangers spokesperson told The Epoch Times.
State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel expressed grave concern over the airstrikes and urged the junta to abide by its obligations under international law to protect civilians in Burma (also known as Myanmar).
“These violent attacks further underscore the regime’s disregard for human life and its responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma following the February 2021 coup,” he said in a statement.
“The United States calls on the Burma regime to cease the horrific violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the genuine and inclusive democratic aspirations of the people of Burma,” Patel added.
Children Feared Among Dead
Volker Turk, the United Nations human rights chief, was “horrified” by the incident and said the victims appeared to include “schoolchildren performing dances” at the opening ceremony.
“A helicopter gunship then reportedly fired on those fleeing the hall,” Turk said in a statement.
“Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been blatant disregard for the related rules of international law,” he added.
Turk called on all parties to take feasible precautions to protect the civilian population from the effects of attacks, such as avoiding locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since Feb. 1, 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes,” he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attacks and called for those responsible for the airstrikes to be held accountable, according to a statement released by his spokesman.
‘Worst’ Situation in 30 Years
Burma has been plunged into turmoil since the military junta ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a February 2021 coup, with violence flaring in several regions as opposition groups clash with the military.
Villagers gathered to mourn the victims killed in a junta airstrike in the Khuafo village, located north of the Chin State town of Thantlang, Burma, on March 30, 2023. (Free Burma Rangers)
David Eubank, founder of the Free Burma Rangers, said the situation in Burma is “the worst” he has seen in 30 years, with over 30 airstrikes launched against civilians in Karenni State in February alone.
“I’ve never seen the Burma army come with such speed and force as they have now with Russian aircraft, jet fighters, attack helicopters, armor, multiple launches, rocket systems, and heavy artillery,” he told The Epoch Times on April 1.
Eubank said that at least two and a half million people in Burma had been displaced since the military seized control, with internally displaced persons (IDP) camps being the targets of many attacks.
“Almost every hiding place was hit by bombers, not military places, [but] IDP hiding places and also churches and schools, average about once a week,” he added.
