Rights group calls on Myanmar to probe military abuse after beatings video emerges

Yangon: Human rights advocates called on Myanmar to investigate the actions of some of its soldiers on Saturday after footage of people being treated violently by uniformed men went viral, Reuters reported.
Myanmar’s armed forces have often been accused of abuses by human rights groups and Western governments during decades of conflict with myriad ethnic armed groups.
The footage, which was posted on Facebook on Saturday, surfaced as some of the country’s armed rebel groups gathered in the capital, Naypyitaw, for a new round of peace talks with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi after a tough first year in power for her that saw the worst fighting with rebels in years.
The footage appeared to show several members of Myanmar’s military beating and kicking three men as at least six unidentified men were handcuffed and questioned.
The video showed soldiers kicking men in the face on the ground as well as holding a machete to a man’s throat.
Some of the handcuffed men were questioned as to whether they belonged to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group based in Myanmar’s eastern Shan State which recently clashed with the military.
Matthew Smith, the founder of campaign group Fortify Rights, identified the uniform as Myanmar army’s.
“The Myanmar authority should immediately investigate this footage, and with urgency, the authority should determine the well-being and whereabouts of the men detained in the footage,” he said.
Myanmar State Counselor’s Office and military did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Earlier this year, Myanmar investigated policemen after footage of villagers being treated violently appeared online amid tension over a government crackdown aimed at rooting out suspected insurgents.
AB/IINA