Civil War in Myanmar
In 1948, Myanmar gained independence from the United Kingdom. It was then ruled by military regimes for five decades, where civilian dissent has been repeatedly met with violent crackdowns. In addition, the military has engaged in ongoing conflicts with ethnic minority groups fighting for self-determination. An example is the Rohingya, which are facing discrimination from their neighbours and their nation, as they are not considered citizens by the Myanmar’s government. Then there are Buddhist nationalist groups, like the MBaTha and the 969 movement, which are highly anti-Muslim. Myanmar is mostly Buddhistic, leading to the persecuting of the Rohingya and anyone Muslim.
In 2011 there was a transfer of power leading to a military-backed civilian government. In the 2015 Aung San Suu Kye led the National League for Democracy to victory. However, on the 1st of February 2021, just three months after her re-election, the army seized power again. This was in part possible because the military had acted with impunity under the civilian government, holding key ministries, controlling the security forces and securing its own financial interests. In the six months after the military coup on the 1st of February 2021, nearly 7000 people were detained and over 940 people were killed. Since then, at least 60.000 people have been killed, 27.400 have been detained, and 3.3 million have fled their homes. There was no discrimination regarding class, as people from all walks of life have been detained in jails or army compounds across Myanmar. In addition, the security forces often use lethal force against protestors such as bullets and tear gas to stop the peaceful protests. This violence being made available through the imposition of a state emergency. In March 2021, over a 100 people were killed in a single day.
The detainees claim that they have been tortured for days inside secret facilities in these compounds. There is growing evidence that people are killed in these compounds as well. Additionally, the country has fallen into economic freefall, leading to the incapacity of accessing basic services and necessities.
Consequently, many civilians have been forced to flee Myanmar.
In late October 2023, a coalition of three ethnic armed groups launched a coordinate offensive against the ruling military. These rebels, or insurgents depending on your viewpoint, have managed to attack the military government successfully in the past few months, leading to two-thirds of the country falling under the control of resistance groups. This in turn has led to compulsory conscription from February 2024, leading the any men aged 18 to 35 and men aged 18 to 27 being forced to serve up to two years. There have also been claims that the army like a cult where soldiers are being brainwashed to hate the civilian government and the rebels. One wonders if this is effective if conscripted soldiers, who are often untrained and unprepared, are being sent to the frontlines with little support. Moreover, there have been claims from civilians that the training was gruelling and that the conscripted soldiers where threatened with losing their family members and their homes would they not obey. There are many examples of young men and women deserting to resistance groups or fleeing the country to avoid conscription, leading to lots of young people in resistance.
To hear how it is going right now listen to Episode 201 with Ali Fowle!
