Myanmar Army document instructs soldiers to shoot, “punish and breakdown” civilians

16 February 2021

Amid widespread mass protests in Myanmar (Burma) and reports of a ramping up of armed patrols in Karen and Kachin States, a chilling Myanmar Army document was discovered instructing soldiers to “punish and breakdown” ethnic-minority Christians and other civilians deemed to be against the military regime, or even appearing critical of it in social media posts.

The official document lists a sequence of actions that military personnel should take including firing a 12mm weapon (equivalent to a powerful machine gun) at individuals or using a 38mm weapon (a gun capable of launching grenades) on groups of civilians.

The directives include special instructions to round up any dissenting civilian doctors and nurses and to…