Red Cross denounces Burma abuses

The International Red Cross denounced Burma’s military government today, saying it committed abuses against civilians and detainees that caused “immense suffering”.

The regime makes thousands of detainees serve as porters for the military, exposing them to the danger of combat and other risks, the Red Cross said. It also alleged repeated abuses by the military against men, women and children living along the Thai-Burma border, including the large-scale destruction of food supplies.

The United Nations and Western countries have long accused the junta of human rights abuses, such as forcing people to do unpaid manual labour and haul supplies as army porters.

Burma’s government regularly rejects allegations of rights abuses and says it is making progress toward democracy.

Usually the Red Cross complains confidentially to governments about such abuses, leading to criticism of the neutral agency for failing to disclose severe violations. Its silence during the Holocaust was an extreme case, but more recently it was criticised for failing to go public with its knowledge of US abuses in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison.

In denouncing Burma, Red Cross President Jakob Kellenberger said the organisation had repeatedly complained to the government about the abuses, “but the authorities have failed to put a stop to them”.

“The persistent use of detainees as porters for the armed forces is a matter of grave humanitarian concern,” Kellenberger said. “The actions of the authorities have also resulted in immense suffering for thousands of people in conflict-affected areas.”

Burma’s military has severely restricted freedom of movement in combat areas along the Thai border, “making it impossible for many villagers to work in their fields”, he said.

The armed forces have also committed “numerous acts of violence,” including murder, against civilians in these areas, the Red Cross said. “They have also forced villagers to directly support military operations or to leave their homes”.

The Red Cross said it based its complaints on observations made by the group’s delegates and numerous allegations of abuse collected during private interviews with thousands of civilians and detainees.