A leading international human rights group slammed Myanmar's army Wednesday for forcing prison inmates onto the front lines of the country's conflict with ethnic militias, using some as human shields and executing others who tried to escape.
Human Rights Watch said the military's use of "convict slave labor" constituted war crimes that should be investigated by the United Nations and prosecuted by local authorities. Officials from Myanmar's government could not be reached for comment.
The repressive Southeast Asian nation's army has been accused for nearly two decades of forcing civilians, including prisoners, to serve as porters. But "press-ganging prisoners into deadly front-line service raises the Burmese army's cruelty to new levels," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director for the New York-based rights group.
After half a century of army rule, the country formerly known as Burma organized elections late last year and officially handed power to a civilian administration in March. But critics say the new government is a proxy for continued military rule and little has changed since the release of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi last November from seven years of house arrest.
3 comments:
Investigater by the U.N. ?
Now there's a group known for their human rights achievments.
Good, now the convicts have to earn their keep. prison isn't supposed to be fun.
People are sent to prison AS punishment, not FOR punishment.
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