Human rights groups said the Myanmar army has been forcing prison inmates onto the frontlines of the country’s conflict with ethnic militias, using some as human shields and executing others who tried to escape, said a Vatican Radio report.

The Southeast Asian nation’s military has been accused for nearly two decades of forcing civilians, including prisoners, to serve as porters for the army.

“There have been many, many of these prison porters taken into these conflict zones, where they have been used as human shields… [and] human minesweepers” says Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK.

The full interview is linked below.

FULL STORY

Burma accused of abusing prisoners (News.va/Vatican Radio)

PHOTO CREDIT

Image from the report on www.news.va