A/HRC/39/CRP.2
her and she was hit in the hip. She was severely injured and died as a consequence of the
shooting and the denial of timely access to medical care. 208
146. The Tatmadaw has also repeatedly launched mortar shelling and airstrikes on civilian
residential areas across northern Myanmar, throughout the reporting period. Explosives have
landed on or near civilian homes, in populated residential areas, including in IDP camps,
killing and injuring villagers and destroying property. These attacks also resulted in burning
of property and civilians were killed in these fires.209
Unlawful killings of persons while in Tatmadaw custody
147. Many killings reported to the Mission were committed while the victims were in the
custody of the Tatmadaw.210 The Tatmadaw often apprehended and detained men,211 and then
questioned them regarding their occupations and possible affiliations with armed groups, the
whereabouts of members or bases of EAOs, or related matters. The questioning was often
undertaken using torture or ill-treatment,212 and the men were subsequently killed.
148. For example, at the end of June 2017, in Man Lan village, Namhsan Township, Shan
State, the Tatmadaw detained and tortured a man suspected of being a member of the TNLA.
When he denied this, he was repeatedly beaten. His corpse was found the next day with a
TNLA uniform on.213 Similarly, on 26 May 2017, in Mansi Township, Kachin State, the
Mission corroborated that Tatmadaw soldiers executed three civilian displaced persons in
their custody. According to information received, the three men were killed because they
were Kachin and as such suspected of being KIA members. 214
149. The Mission received further credible and consistent accounts of civilian men, who
have been apprehended and detained by the Tatmadaw, being found dead days or weeks
later.215 For example, a witness explained how his father was detained by the Tatmadaw on
the suspicion of supporting the SSA-S in 2011 in Loilen Township, Shan State, and was
found dead a week later in the forest:
In October or November 2011, at about midnight, the six Tatmadaw soldiers came to
our home and detained my father. They also wanted to detain me, but I managed to
escape. My father was accused of providing food and shelter to the SSA-S, although
that was not true. They tied my father’s hands with a rope and took him away. A week
later, we had not received any news from him, so we searched for him in the jungle.
We found his body at the bottom of a mountain. I did not see any bullet wounds; it
appeared that he was beaten to death. His hands were still tied with a rope. I also
found other bodies that day; there were two more next to my father’s. All the people
killed were just regular farmers.216
150. Similarly, the Mission received credible reports of the killing of two residents of the
Maing Hkawng IDP camp in Mansi Township, Kachin State, last seen on 31 January 2018
in the custody of the Tatmadaw. Their bodies were found in a grave on 8 March 2018 by
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
K-131, PI-105, V-126; see this chapter, section C.3: Lack of recourse.
DI-057, DI-061, DI-062, PI-044, PI-045, PI-053, PI-065; see this chapter, conduct of hostilities section;
see this chapter, section A.8: Emblematic incidents (Tanai).
DI-067, K-139, K-140, PI-034, PI-040, PI-041, PI-053, PI-054, PI-062, PI-074, PI-082, QI-086,
QI-095, V-019, V-020.
See this chapter, section A.5: Arbitrary deprivation of liberty and enforced disappearance.
PI-062, PI-074, QI-089; see this chapter, section A.3: Torture and other ill-treatment; section A.8:
Emblematic incidents (Tanai).
K-134, PI-074, V-093.
K-140, PI-040.
K-139, PI-040, PI-082, PI-106, V-019; see this chapter, section A.5: Arbitrary deprivation of liberty
and enforced disappearance.
PI-082.
39