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                                                                                         world news Dialuna 27 December 2021


                        Save the Children says staff missing after Myanmar massacre

            (AP) — The international
            aid  group  Save  the  Chil-
            dren said two of its staff-
            ers were missing in a mas-
            sacre in eastern Myanmar
            that left more than 30 peo-
            ple, including women and
            children, dead and burned
            in their vehicles after they
            were  reportedly  shot  by
            government troops as they
            were fleeing combat.

            Photos  of  the  aftermath  of
            the  Christmas  Eve  killings  said  they  were  killed  after  who  were  going  to  attend  head by the military.  Myanmar’s military had un-
            in Mo So village, just outside  they were arrested by troops  training  to  fight  the  army,                       leashed  airstrikes  and  heavy
            Hpruso  township  in  Kayah  while  heading  to  refugee  and  that  the  seven  vehicles  The witness said the villagers  artillery  on  Lay  Kay  Kaw,  a
            state, spread on social media  camps in the western part of  they  were  traveling  in  were  and  anti-government  militia  small town controlled by eth-
            in  the  country,  fueling  out-  the township.           destroyed in a fire. It gave no  groups left the bodies as mili-  nic Karen guerrillas in neigh-
            rage against the military that                            further details about the kill-  tary  troops  arrived  near  Mo  boring Kayin state, since Fri-
            took power in February after  Save  the  Children  said  that  ings.                   So while the bodies were be-  day.
            ousting  the  elected  govern-  two of its staff who were trav-                        ing prepared for cremation.
            ment of Aung San Suu Kyi.    eling  home  for  the  holidays  The witness told the AP the                           The  governor  of  Thailand’s
                                         after  conducting  humanitar-  remains were burned beyond  “It’s a heinous crime and the  Tak province, Somchai Cha-
            The  accounts  could  not  be  ian response work in a nearby  recognition,  and  children’s  worst incident during Christ-  roenkitroongroj, told report-
            independently  verified.  The  community were “caught up  and  women’s  clothes  were  mas.  We  strongly  condemn  ers that around 4,700 evacu-
            photos  showed  the  charred  in  the  incident  and  remain  found together with medical  that  massacre  as  a  crime  ees  from  Myanmar  were  in
            bodies  of  over  30  people  in  missing.”               supplies and food.           against humanity,” said Ban-  three shelters across the bor-
            three burned-out vehicles.                                                             yar  Khun  Aung,  director  of  der.  Sounds  of  gunfire  and
                                         “We  have  confirmation  that  “The  bodies  were  tied  with  the  Karenni  Human  Rights  explosions  could  be  heard
            On  Sunday,  the  U.S.  Em-  their  private  vehicle  was  at-  ropes  before  being  set  on  Group.               across  the  river  dividing  the
            bassy in Myanmar said it was  tacked and burned out,” the  fire,”  said  the  witness,  who                         countries.
            appalled by the “barbaric at-  group  added  in  a  statement.  spoke  on  condition  of  ano-  Earlier  this  month,  govern-
            tack in Kayah state that killed  “The  military  reportedly  nymity because he feared for  ment  troops  were  also  ac-  He  ordered  five  border  dis-
            at least 35 civilians, including  forced people from their cars,  his safety.          cused  of  rounding  up  vil-  tricts to prepare supplies and
            women and children.”         arrested  some,  killed  others                           lagers,  some  believed  to  be  secure places to receive more
                                         and burned their bodies.”    He did not see the moment  children, tying them up and  refugees from Myanmar.
            “We will continue to press for                            they were killed, but said he  slaughtering them. An oppo-
            accountability for the perpe-  The  government  has  not  believed some of them were  sition  leader,  Dr.  Sasa,  who  Myanmar’s  military’s  action
            trators  of  the  ongoing  cam-  commented  on  the  allega-  Mo So villagers who report-  uses only one name, said the  prompted  multiple  Western
            paign of violence against the  tions,  but  a  report  in  the  edly got arrested by troops on  civilians were burned alive.  governments  including  the
            people of Burma,” it said in a  state-run  Myanma  Alinn  Friday. He denied that those                              United States to issue a joint
            statement.                   daily newspaper on Saturday  captured   were   members  A  video  of  the  aftermath  of  statement condemning “seri-
                                         said  that  the  fighting  near  of  locally  organized  militia  the  Dec.  7  assault  —  appar-  ous  human  rights  violations
            Save the Children said it was  Mo  So  broke  out  on  Friday  groups.                 ently  retaliation  for  an  at-  committed  by  the  military
            suspending operations in the  when  members  of  ethnic                                tack on a military convoy —  regime across the country.”
            region.                      guerrilla forces, known as the  Myanmar’s independent me-  showed  the  charred  bodies
                                         Karenni National Progressive  dia  reported  on  Friday  that  of 11 people lying in a circle  “We call on the regime to im-
            A villager who said he went  Party,  and  those  opposed  to  10  Mo  So  villagers  includ-  amid what appeared to be the  mediately cease its indiscrim-
            to  the  scene  told  The  Asso-  the military drove in “suspi-  ing children were arrested by  remains of a hut.   inate  attacks  in  Karen  state
            ciated  Press  that  the  victims  cious”  vehicles  and  attacked  the army. The media said that                   and throughout the country,
            had fled the fighting between  security forces after refusing  four  members  of  the  local  Fighting  resumed  over  the  and to ensure the safety of all
            armed resistance groups and  to stop.                     paramilitary  Border  Guard  weekend on the border with  civilians  in  line  with  inter-
            Myanmar’s  army  near  Koi                                Forces who went to negotiate  Thailand,  where  thousands  national law,” the joint state-
            Ngan  village,  which  is  just  The  newspaper  report  said  for their release were report-  of  people  have  fled  to  seek  ment said.
            beside Mo So, on Friday. He  they included new members  edly tied up and shot in the  shelter.  Local  officials  said


                      Taliban-run government dissolves Afghan election commissions


            (AP)  —  The  Taliban  dis-  situation in Afghanistan.” He  were  mandated  to  admin-
            solved  Afghanistan’s  two  said if there is a need for the  ister  and  supervise  all  types
            election  commissions  as  commissions  in  the  future,  of  elections  in  the  country,
            well as the state ministries  the  Taliban  government  can  including  presidential,  par-
            for  peace  and  parliamen-  revive them.                 liamentary  and  provincial
            tarian  affairs,  an  official                            council elections.
            said Sunday.                 The  international  commu-
                                         nity is waiting before extend-  Karimi  said  the  Taliban  also
            Bilal Karimi, deputy spokes-  ing formal recognition to Af-  dissolved  the  Ministry  for
            man  for  Afghanistan’s  Tal-  ghanistan’s new rulers. They  Peace  and  the  Ministry  of
            iban-run  government,  said  are  wary  the  Taliban  could  Parliamentarian  Affairs.  He
            the  country’s  Independent  impose  a  similarly  harsh  re-  said  they  were  unnecessary
            Election  Commission  and  gime  as  when  they  were  in  ministries  in  the  govern-
            Electoral  Complaint  Com-   power 20 years ago — despite  ment’s current structure.
            mission have been dissolved.  their  assurances  to  the  con-
                                         trary.                       The  Taliban  had  previously
            He  called  them  “unneces-                               shut down the former Wom-
            sary institutes for the current  Both  elections  commissions  en’s Affairs Ministry.
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