An event hosted by Myanmar people impacted by war called “Not A Target” was held by humanitarian advocacy group Frontline Ethics in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Oct. 28.
“The Not A Target campaign was launched in response to the systematic targeting of civilians by the Myanmar military. They have been bombing schools, hospitals and IDP camps. They have also been burning and raiding homes of civilians,” said Hnin Thet Hmu Khin, a human rights defender working with Frontline Ethics.
“What we want to highlight here is these attacks are not random. They’re actually planning to punish communities in resistance areas and to break their morale and basically to instill fear through collective punishment,” she added.
Frontline Ethics was founded to uphold ethical principles in armed conflict with a specific focus on the protection of civilians in Myanmar. The “Not A Target” campaign is a direct response to the documented violence against non-combatants since the February 1, 2021 military coup.
“In the international community, we call for stronger engagement beyond just condemnation. You know, to support initiatives like this campaign that amplify the true stories on the ground. And very important to call out the Myanmar military for its attacks against civilians, to demand accountability and to end the cycle of impunity,” said Hnin Thet Hmu Khin.
