The Facts
In an interview with the BBC released last Fri., six soldiers in the Myanmar military confessed - on condition of anonymity - to human rights abuses, giving detailed accounts of killings, tortures and rapes they were allegedly ordered to conduct.
Their testimonies describe brutal actions against civilians, including burning houses and villages as part of an alleged organized campaign to destroy any support for the resistance.
The Spin
Narrative A
These testimonies and the the ICJ case against Myanmar are a step in the right direction to holding the country accountable for its human rights abuses. Despite barriers, beginning this process of justice and accountability is necessary to bring democracy back to Myanmar.
Narrative B
Unfortunately, these recent disclosures aren't new, but are rather a historical pattern that originates from Myanmar's institutional culture, which - along with a lack of action and awareness from the international community - guarantees the continuation of this humanitarian cataclysm.
