Motion filed in Philippines demanding decision on war crimes case against Myanmar military junta

Lawyers for survivors of war crimes in Myanmar filed their second motion to resolve on 31 July at the Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate an arson attack on the Chin town of Thantlang. The lawsuit was initiated in a Philippine court in 2023 following the Myanmar military junta’s mass arson and systematic destruction of Thantlang town, Chin State, in 2021. The junta’s destructive campaign demolished approximately 1,500 structures, including homes, churches, schools, hospitals, clinics, and other public facilities, forcing thousands of civilians to flee to neighbouring India. Furthermore, Christian pastor Cung Biak Hum, who was attempting to assist the wounded, was deliberately shot and his body mutilated, while unarmed church worker Par Hlei Thang was also targeted and killed. A spokesperson for the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) stated: “The evidence demonstrates military dictator Min Aung Hlaing’s relentless campaign to annihilate Christian minorities in Myanmar. From January to July this year, 83 civilians, including 21 children, were killed in Chin State. Additionally, 102 civilians, including 15 children and four religious leaders, were injured. As Southeast Asia’s largest Christian-majority nation, we urge the Philippine government to stand with Myanmar’s persecuted religious communities and initiate an investigation into these crimes.” Attorney Gilbert Andres, legal counsel for the complainants, stated: “Although these war crimes occurred in Myanmar, there is an irrefutable legal basis for the Department of Justice to launch an investigation. The war crimes committed against my clients constitute criminal offenses under Philippine law.” Attorney Andres also serves as a joint legal representative for victims in the “War on Drugs” case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The case filed in the Philippines is one of three regional legal actions brought against the Myanmar military junta in Southeast Asia. The other cases include a Rohingya genocide lawsuit initiated in Indonesia in April, and a lawsuit filed in Timor-Leste in January regarding war crimes and crimes against humanity, which previously escalated to the point where Min Aung Hlaing’s junta expelled Timor-Leste’s top diplomat. The post Motion filed in Philippines demanding decision on war crimes case against Myanmar military junta appeared first on ENG.MIZZIMA.COM.