For Federal Democracy to Succeed, Myanmar’s Political Prisoners Need Justice
On 1st Feb.2021, Myanmar’s democratically elected government was overthrown by the Military . All members of parliament were detained, including President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi . Since then millions of the general public and government workers have united and taken to the streets to demonstrate against the Military Coup. The Military has responded with brutal killings and mass arrests and torture. To date, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has recorded over 28000 detainees. The UN, ASEAN and UN Security Council have all condemned this, and demand the release of all political prisoners. Their freedom is at the heart of Myanmar’s quest for justice and accountability. Between 2010 and 2020, during which Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had taken up leadership positions in government, there had been a relative political openness. The Military however maintained a tight grip in power and perpetrated genocide and detained political prisoners. Many were unsurprised when the military coup occurred on 1st Feb 2021 following a humiliating defeat of a military-led political party in a general election, claiming ballot and vote rigging and national instability.
Read more →At least 22 killed, dozens injured in bombing by junta in central Myanmar
In a report by Myanmar Now, on Monday 27 January 2025 , Junta forces bombed a school being used by rebels as a base, and a hospital in Singut Village , Mandalay Region’s Myingyan Township, killing 22 civilians including children and health workers . Dozens were injured .At lease 12 rebels were killed . The Chinese Foreign Ministry said a ceasefire deal had been signed between the Junta Regime and the opposing rebels on 18th January 2025. According to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reports , over 6100 civilians have been killed by Junta Forces since the February 2021 Myanmar Military Coup .
Read more →Ethnic rebels seize key airport in northern Myanmar
Just days shy of the fourth anniversary of the Myanmar Coup on 1st Feb 2021,ethnic rebel groups in Myanmar , led by the Kachin Independence Army ( KIA ), seized Bhamo Airport in northern Myanmar on 27th Jan 2025,after capturing the Junta’s 366th Artillery Battalion. Bhamo Airport has been a critical hub for the Military Junta which uses it to deliver logistical supplies and food to its troops . Since early 2024 ,the KIA and its allied forces have captured 14 townships in Kachin and northern Shan States .The forces now focus on taking Military Operations command No.21 (MOC-21 )which lies just behind the airport . MOS-21 oversees command of several regional infantry , artillery and engineering battalions and the Military Security Force .Retaliatory airstrikes are being conducted with bombings of innocent civilian homes in Bhamo . Daily fierce fighting continues in Bhamo Township .
Read more →What’s in store for Myanmar in 2025?
Myanmar in 2025 continues to face deep political, economic and humanitarian crises . What changes will come? Will a new federal democratic nation or a failed, disintegrated, and fractured Myanmar emerge the conflict ? It is difficult to gauge where the country is headed other than to expect that it will slide further into darkness and economic hardship with the spread of armed conflict to central Myanmar.Will this year bring an election ? or political negotiation ? or bloodshed? Activists and watermelons (Junta soldiers spying for the pro-democracy movement ) inside the arm forces say they are determined to see the removal of regime leader Min Aung Hlaing . If this is the case, how will it be done ? Will the military implode ?Will the leaders face assassination or overthrow ? Ethnic armies and insurgent groups have achieved many victories and territorial gains The Military Junta is losing ground. Defeats and desertions have been rife.In 2024, several military commands all over Myanmar have fallen.Seniors Military Officers and thousands of soldier have been killed,captured or surrendered .Weapons, artillery, ammunition and tanks and other vehicle have been captured .China , India, Bangladesh, and Thailand are restless with Myanmar’s deteriorating situation. Thailand and other neighbours are extremely concerned with border security. Increasing drug trafficking and transnational cybercrimes ,and the flow of refugees .Will ASEAN intervene ? China? India ? Thailand ? US ? UK ? China is the most influential external actor in Myanmar, with serious geopolitical interests , wanting to end the Myanmar crisis but in a way that will serve and protect its own interest .Economically , the World Bank expects Myanmar’s GDP to contract by 1% in the fiscal year ending March 2025. Many young people have fled causing a “brain drain”. The country is ill-equipped to deal with natural disasters and epidemics. Political negotiation may be the key, but fighting may not end quickly. The people of Myanmar are heroes in this revolution which has entered its fifth year. They have kept alive faith and hope that the murderous regime will soon be toppled once and for all with no return.
Read more →Ma Thida on Myanmar’s struggle for democracy from 2011-23 [AUDIO]
In this interview by the DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma), the author of the book Ma Thida describes how during the decade after the NLD (National League for Democracy) won the general election and formed Myanmar’s democratically elected government, the people believed that the country was heading towards a full democracy, and that any obstacles would be overcome. However they became confused as the country did not appear to be making any progress. The military coup then happened in 2021, and many thought it was a U-turn. But the people were actually locked up in a MAZE, at the same point, and lost. The culprit is the 2008 Constitution which has a strange quasi-civilian political structure with no hint of reconciliation. The problem has been in existence for decades with the country’s rulers using their political platform and power to achieve personal gain rather than working to improve the lot of the country and its people. Ma Thida’s book – A- Maze provides a personal and analytical account of Myanmar’s brief transition from military rule to democracy. It details political liberalizations starting in 2011 that gave hope for democratic change. It examines how military interests, institutional weaknesses and ethnic divisions hindered progress. It gives a firsthand view of the military coup, the brutal crackdown on protests, and widespread human rights abuses. It uses the author’s experiences and reflections to underscore the sacrifices made in the fight for freedom . The book is a beautiful memoir and a critical record of Myanmar’s turbulent struggle for democracy .
Read more →Burma’s Army accused of chemical weapons use
Ethnic resistance groups like the Karenni National Defence Force (KNDF) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) have accused the Myanmar Military of using chemical weapons like chlorine and tear gas. The Myanmar junta has refused permission for international investigations to confirm and identify the substances used. Drones have also been used to deploy canisters containing phosphine gas-releasing aluminium phosphide. Photographs taken by the KNDF show containers labelled “S-PHOS 560 “ which have been linked to a Yangon-based agricultural chemical company WISARA. Similar chemical weapons have also been used in Shan and Karenni states. Chemical weapons production facilities like one in Bago region in South-Central Burma have been discovered. The Unity Journal in 2014 reported the construction of a chemical weapons facility in Pauk township, Magwe region, allegedly visited by military leaders Senior General Than Shwe and Min Aung Hlaing. Five staff members, including the CEO of the Journal were arrested and charged under the Official Secrets Act. The National Unity Government (NUG) condemns the act as a war crime, urging international action.
Read more →Myanmar junta bombs rebel-held town in Shan state killing 8
Myanmar’s junta bombed Nawnghkio in Shan state, killing eight, days after a ceasefire with another rebel group. The TNLA, which controls the town, condemned the attack. Despite peace talks, the junta continues airstrikes while losing territory to insurgents. Resistance groups reject negotiations, viewing them as a pre-election tactic.
Read more →ASEAN tells Myanmar junta election should not be its priority
The document reports that ASEAN foreign ministers urged Myanmar's military government to focus on ending internal conflict rather than holding elections in 2025. Malaysia, as ASEAN's chair, emphasized that peace should be the priority. This statement was made during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia.
Read more →Myanmar Junta Air Strike Kills 28, Including Children: Ethnic Armed Group
A Myanmar military airstrike in Rakhine state killed 28 people, including children, and wounded 25. The attack hit a detention site where the Arakan Army (AA) was holding junta soldiers' families. The AA claimed they planned to release them before the strike. Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar has faced ongoing conflict, with over 3.5 million displaced and famine risks rising in Rakhine.
Read more →Myanmar: ‘Scorched Earth’ Tactics Intensify, HRW Says
Myanmar’s military has escalated attacks on civilians amid growing resistance, committing war crimes like airstrikes, killings, and forced conscription, including child recruitment. Over 3 million people are displaced, and aid restrictions have worsened poverty and starvation. Rohingya civilians face mass killings and forced recruitment. Human Rights Watch urges a global arms embargo, sanctions, and ICC referral, calling for alternative aid channels.
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