(Photo : Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths attends a press conference in Geneva on December 1, 2021. - The United Nations warned that aid needs were skyrocketing worldwide, as the pandemic continues to rage, and climate change and conflicts push more people to the brink of famine. The United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA estimated that 274 million people worldwide would need some form of emergency assistance next year, up 17 percent on an already record-breaking 2021.
At least 35 people died in what reports alleged to be a massacre in the eastern parts of Myanmar.
a high-ranking United Nations official said he was "horrified" of the incident where civilians were killed and burned.
Two workers of Save the Children, a non-profit group, were still missing after the vehicle they were riding in was found among several others that were attacked and burned in Kayah state. One monitoring group and local media outlets have put the blame for the incident on military soldiers.
Myanmar Massacre
In a statement released on Sunday, the United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, said that he condemned the actions in the "grievous incident" as well as all attacks targeting civilians in Myanmar, which was prohibited under international humanitarian law.
"I call upon the authorities to immediately commence a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident so that perpetrators can be swiftly brought to justice. Moreover, I call upon the Myanmar Armed Forces and all armed groups in Myanmar to take all measures to protect civilians from harm," said Griffith, Aljazeera reported.
Photographs of the scene of the incident showed charred remains of victims inside torched vehicles. The images circulated on social media in Myanmar and became viral, with activists saying that more than 1,300 people have died since the military junta took the power of the country's government on Feb.1.
In a statement released on Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar called the killings a "barbaric attack" and said that it would work to press accountability for the ones responsible for the despicable attack and the ongoing campaign of violence against the people of the country.
Security forces in Myanmar allegedly rounded up civilians in Mo So, a village found in the eastern state of Kayah, during Friday's attack. It was reported that military offensives and encounters with armed groups displaced people in the area, The Washington Post reported.
Similar Horrific Killings
The recent incident is similar to one that was reported earlier this month where 11 villagers were believed to have been killed and burned after being captured by government troops in the northwestern parts of the country. Immediately, the controversy caused widespread outrage on social media like photos and accounts of the alleged incident spread.
Charred corpses could be seen in photos and videos of the scene in Done Taw village in the Sagaing region. The images were believed to have been taken shortly after the individuals were killed and their bodies set ablaze.
While the government has not commented on the allegations and the involvement of military personnel, if confirmed, it would be one of the incidents that marked the increasingly bitter struggle of people in Myanmar against the military junta. The army's coup was initially met with non-violent street protests. However, when police and soldiers began using lethal force against demonstrators, violence in the region quickly spread as people opposed to the military rule took up arms to defend themselves from the rising threat of the soldiers, the Associated Press reported.
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