Right to Thrive (RT^2) strongly condemns the military airstrike on two private high schools in Thayet Thapin village, Kyauktaw township, Rakhine State, Myanmar. The attack, which took place late at night, killed at least eighteen people, most of them students, and left more injured. Reports indicate that a jet fighter dropped bombs on Pyinnyar Pan Khinn Private High School and A Myin Thit Private High School. Nearby homes were also damaged in the attack.

Attacks on schools and other education facilities are a violation of international human rights and international humanitarian law. The right to education, guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, is being systematically denied to Myanmar’s children. The bombing of educational facilities also threatens the right to life and security, rights which every child is entitled to enjoy without fear of violence or displacement.

Further, under the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols, schools are considered civilian objects and may never be the object of attack unless they are being used for military purposes. Even in cases where such use is alleged, international law requires that all feasible precautions be taken to avoid or minimize civilian harm.

Right to Thrive asks all parties of the conflict, especially the military dictatorship and the Tatmadaw, to respect the protected status of schools and refrain from attacking, occupying, or using educational institutions for military operations. The safety of children and their right to continue their studies without fear must be upheld under all circumstances.

Right to Thrive analysis has concluded that currently nearly 5 million children are unable to visit schools and receive education in Myanmar, and educational institutions may be either destroyed or repurposed for military use. This problem is further exaggerated by devastating natural disasters, destroying education facilities and a lack of food security, severely affecting children’s ability to learn. Right to Thrive calls on all parties of the conflict to ensure that children in Myanmar have the right to attend schools and education.

Right to Thrive further calls on the international community to intensify scrutiny and pressure on the Myanmar military to stop targeting civilian infrastructure. Regional bodies, United Nations mechanisms, and governments must act urgently to protect Myanmar’s children from further atrocities and ensure that education can continue despite the ongoing conflict. Schools must remain places of learning and education.

About Right to Thrive (RT^2):
Right to Thrive is a global NGO dedicated to promoting and defending human rights, with specific focus on economic rights such as the right to food, the right to health, and the right to education. For more information or to support our initiatives, please visit http://www.right-to-thrive.com or contact us at contact[at]right-to-thrive.com.