The Committee of Shan State Unity (CSSU) proclaimed June 16 as Shan Human Rights Day to commemorate the massacre of Shan civilians by the Tatmadaw twenty-three years ago in southern Shan State.

The Burma Army massacred 56 villagers, including women and children, in Kunhing Township in Loilam District in 1997. The Shan civilians were returning to collect rice and other items from their villagers. After the army burned their bodies and their things.

From 1996 to 1998, many women were raped by Tatmadaw soldiers and over 400,000 civilians were forced from their homes during the army’s Four-Cut Policy.

CSSU Secretary Sai Seng Mod told SHAN the point of declaring June 16 Shan Human Rights Day is to ensure the massacre is never forgotten.“We need to remember the massacre that occurred in Shan State 23 years ago. We want our younger generation to remember the massacre, so they understand our history and will continue to respect the victims.”

A CSSU statement called for action against the perpetrators, redress for the victims and for this kind of horrific slaughter never to happen again. The statement also said peace must be restored immediately in the country.

The Tatmadaw committed war crimes against thousands of civilians in southern Shan State, the CSSU statement said. Over 1,400 villages were destroyed in 11 townships.

The Shan Women’s Action Network (SWAN) report ‘License to Rape’ published in 2012 found over 600 women were raped by soldiers.

CSSU criticized the government’s failure to seek justice for the victims until today.

Buddhist ceremonies for the victims of the massacre were held in Taunggyi, Muse, Hsipaw and Tachileik in Shan State and northern Thai city Chiang Mai.

The Tatmadaw’s military clearance campaign forced many Shan to seek refuge in camps along the Thai-Burma border area.

“We have been living in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) for 23 years,” says Lon Sai Leng. In recent years, he says donors have cut food support making it really difficult to survive in the camps.