Unrest and Oppression: A Look into the Human Rights Crisis in Myanmar Post-2021

Myanmar has been embroiled in a human rights crisis since February 2021. Following a military coup, the military junta has been accused of committing widespread human rights abuses, including torture, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters. On February 1, 2021, the Burmese military staged a coup and arrested the democratically elected government officials, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced to 31 years of imprisonment in a series of trials for corruption and other spurious charges, in addition to the two years she was already serving. The military claimed that the coup was necessary due to alleged election fraud during the November 2020 general election, which was won by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in a landslide victory.

Since the coup, the military junta, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has cracked down on opposition figures, journalists, and peaceful protesters, sparking widespread international condemnation and calls for action. Indiscriminate military attacks on civilians and civilian structures resulted in hundreds of casualties and significant displacement. From February 2022 to 31 January 2023, the escalation of violence in the north-west and south-east regions was notable, with the military implementing its "four-cuts" strategy, which involved the indiscriminate use of airstrikes and artillery shelling, the destruction of villages to force civilians to flee, and the denial of humanitarian access. The aim is to disrupt anti-military armed groups' access to essential resources, such as food, finances, intelligence, and recruits. 

As of 30 January 2023, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a local human rights monitoring group, has recorded 2,901 killings, 17,525 arrests of political prisoners, and at least 101 individuals, including nine female human rights defenders, on death row. Around 39,000 houses have been destroyed or burnt in Myanmar since February 2022. The military also increased its use of internationally banned anti-personnel landmines, laying them around homes, churches, rice fields and other locations frequented by civilians. According to UNICEF, at least 86 people, including 27 children, were killed by landmines or remnants of war in the first 10 months of 2022, and around 247 people were injured. 

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Thomas H. Andrews stated that not only are children being caught in the crossfire of escalating attacks, but are also frequently targeted. In his July 2022 report, Mr. Andrews highlighted the crimes against humanity conducted by Myanmar’s military junta, especially against children. According to the report, the military has killed at least 142 children, displaced 250,000, and around 142 children have been tortured, alongside other atrocities. 

The number of internally displaced people in Myanmar has also increased since the coup. As of 26 December 2022, more than 1.5 million people were reported to be displaced internally and are living in deplorable conditions in makeshift camps and shelters without adequate access to food, water, healthcare, and other basic services. According to Human Rights Watch ‘World Report 2023,’ around 70,000 refugees have fled to neighbouring countries. The authorities have also intensified their surveillance, which further restricted the space for freedom of expression and other rights such as privacy, information, association, and movement. Independent media outlets remain prohibited and women who are advocating for human rights and democracy face online threats on a daily basis.

The military’s failure in running the economy has led to an economic crisis that has affected a significant portion of the population, culminating in a surge in poverty rates that have doubled since March 2020. Presently, close to half of the population is living in impoverished conditions. The situation is exacerbated by the blockade of primary supply routes and waterways throughout the nation, which has impeded the efforts of humanitarian organisations to reach the 17.6 million individuals in need of assistance.

Despite this, the National Unity Government, created in 2021 by members of the displaced National League for Democracy (NLD)-led administration, ethnic armed organisations, and civil society, have sustained their resistance against military rule. The international community has also called for an end to the violence and a return to democracy. The European Union, US, UK, and Canada have imposed targeted sanctions on senior junta officials. France has backed economic sanctions and travel bans on military leaders and military-owned companies that fund the military's rule. In April of 2021, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached a Five-Point Consensus agreement with the Myanmar military that aimed to facilitate dialogue and decrease tensions. However, the military disregarded the agreement and shortly after, there was a rise in abuses.

The State Administrative Council (SAC), established by the military junta after the coup, has announced its intention to hold national elections within six months and end the state of emergency. However, on 1 February 2023, state-run media confirmed the extension of the state of emergency for another six months, which exacerbates the ongoing human rights crisis. Thus, the UN General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council resolutions are calling for the military to end abuses and restore civilian rule. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has called upon global leaders to intensify their efforts in pressuring the military authorities in Myanmar to halt their violent actions against their citizens and reinstate civilian governance.

While the international community has widely condemned the coup and the ensuing violence, Bachelet has criticised the collective response as ineffective and lacking the necessary urgency that matches the scale of the crisis. She has called for a renewed and immediate effort to reinstate human rights and democracy in Myanmar and to bring the perpetrators of human rights violations to justice. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) also called on the international community to hold the military regime accountable, reject the sham election, and support the people of Myanmar's desire for a democratic society based on human rights and the rule of law. The ICJ urged the military to respect the 2020 election results, relinquish control to a civilian government, and release all arbitrarily held detainees.

In conclusion, the human rights situation in Myanmar has deteriorated significantly since the military coup in February 2021. The military junta has used violence, arbitrary arrests, and detentions to silence opposition and suppress dissent. The crackdown on the media and the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from the conflict has only added to the misery of the Burmese people. Therefore, it is imperative that the military junta be held accountable for its actions and that steps be taken to restore democracy and respect for human rights in Myanmar. The international community must continue to apply pressure on the regime to respect human rights and allow for a peaceful and democratic transition to civilian government.