authorities four days ahead of any planned protests, and public and private sector gathering. employees participated in a mass civil disobedience movement. 1. “What I Saw Is Death”: War Crimes in Mozambique’s Forgotten Cape The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu (Index: AFR 41/3545/2021), 2 March Hluttaw (CRPH), a group of NLD-led elected 2. “Treated Like Furniture”: Gender-Based Violence and Covid-19 members of Myanmar’s parliament, formed a Response in Southern Africa (Index: AFR 03/3418/2021), 9 February National Unity Government. It was led by Duwa Lashi La as acting president in place of the imprisoned U Win Myint. The National MYANMAR Unity Government, which also included some representatives of ethnic minority groups, Republic of the Union of Myanmar was declared a terrorist group by the military. Head of state: Myint Swe (replaced U Win Myint in On 5 May, the National Unity Government February) announced the establishment of the People’s Head of government: Min Aung Hlaing (from August) Defence Force (PDF) to counter SAC “violence against the public and its military The human rights situation deteriorated offensives”. On 7 September, the National dramatically after a military coup in Unity Government declared a “people’s February. Security forces killed over 1,000 defensive war”, which was followed by people and detained many thousands of escalating violence throughout Myanmar. others who opposed the military takeover. Fighting between the military government’s Widespread torture of detainees was forces and ethnic armed organizations reported. Armed conflict, including (EAOs) also escalated. indiscriminate attacks and attacks against REPRESSION OF DISSENT civilians and civilian objects by the military, forcibly displaced tens of thousands of The military government violently cracked people. Similar vast numbers remained down on those who opposed its February displaced as result of past conflict or coup, widely using rubber bullets, tear gas, violence. People in areas affected by armed water cannons, live rounds of ammunition conflict lacked basic services, and in some and other lethal force against protesters. areas the military blocked the delivery of According to the NGO Assistance Association humanitarian aid. Women and girls were for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP), as of subjected to sexual violence by the military. 31 December the military government’s Children were denied the right to education. security forces had killed at least 1,384 Dozens of people were sentenced to death people, including 91 children, and arrested by military tribunals in their absence. 11,289. BACKGROUND Those killed included protesters and bystanders. On 10 March, after examining The military staged a coup on 1 February and more than 50 video clips of the ongoing arrested State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi crackdown, Amnesty International concluded and President U Win Myint, along with other that the military had used lethal tactics and senior leaders from the ruling National weapons appropriate only for battlefield use League for Democracy (NLD). The military against peaceful protesters in cities and formed the State Administrative Council towns across the country.1 On 2 May, for (SAC) to govern the country led by General example, there were reports of security forces Min Aung Hlaing, who was also appointed as throwing grenades into a crowd of protesters prime minster when the role was re- in northern Kachin State. Soldiers were also established in August. witnessed indiscriminately firing live Following the military takeover, thousands of ammunition in urban areas on multiple people throughout the country took part in occasions. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 263