Civil War in Myanmar: What You Need To Know
A rally against the military dictatorship. Source: Getty Images
The former democratic country in Southeast Asia, Myanmar, currently is suffering from civil dissent with two major sides in play. One side is the junta, the current state administration that came into power on the first of February in 2021 after staging a coup. The state administration currently in power is led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who staged the coup along with other members of the Myanmar military. This coup came about because General Hlaing and others claimed that the November 2020 election in the country was fraudulent. The other side of the conflict are the anti-junta forces, with one of the major players being the People's Defense Force (also known as Chin’s Defense Force). The anti-junta establishment seeks to get rid of the State Administrative Council set up by General Hlaing. Since February, there have been multiple demonstrations of protest within the country.
The beginning of the civil dissent within Myanmar began with a nonviolence movement — where anti-junta groups used civil disobedience in order to fight against the establishment of the State Administrative Council. An example of one of the civil disobedience tactics used is when government workers and doctors in hospitals refused to work as a sign of protest. Protestors also took the streets, and by February 7, the protests had spread to ten of Myanmar’s cities. Additionally, the country’s privatized banks closed, leaving only the government bank open; in response, citizens boycotted the government bank by withdrawing all of their funds. In order to try to curb the growth of this movement, the junta has shut down the internet numerous times, and most recently attacked telecommunication equipment that deprives the people from mainstream communication. Additionally, a recent attack that occurred on September 17 took away internet access for approximately seven-hundred thousand people. The frequent suppression of the people’s voices are clear attempts of the junta establishment to maintain power and control in the country.
The conflict in Myanmar has transitioned from primarily nonviolent protests that were seen in February to violence, with the junta government deploying its military to fight the People’s Defense Force. The People's Defense Force is currently hiding in the jungle, but this poses a danger to the diverse group present: including pregnant women. The pregnant freedom fighters find themselves in perilous conditions because of the dangerous and unstable jungle environment and not having access to healthcare. Conflict has escalated since September 7, after this group declared they were at war and urged Myanmar citizens to fight back alongside their cause by joining the resistance movement. The group’s call to arms advocated for fighting back in whatever means one has available, such as protecting one’s village with guerilla warfare or leaving their government positions. This call to arms has ignited the people, and — as a counter-response — the junta continues to use their military force on villages and minorities in addition to taking away the internet in attempts to continue suppressing opposition to their power.
As the conflict has escalated, many have fled into the neighboring country India, specifically to Mizoram. The Tatamaw, the army of Myanmar, has been targeting and attacking villages that host the People’s Defense Force. These attacks against the rebel forces are similar to the ethnic cleansing occuring in Myanmar against the Rohingya. The Rohingya, who are primarily Muslim, are a heavily persecuted group who have fled the country over the last fews years after extreme suppression of rights and violence, including the denial of citizenship and personhood in Myanmar, and access to resources and rights such as education and healthcare. Since 2017, many Rohingya people living in Myanmar have fled to escape the violence and persecution, with nearly sixty-percent of those who fled being children. The Tatamaw continues to target Rohingya people as well as the freedom fighters.
The People’s Defense Force seems to primarily rely on the collaborative strength of their own people and beliefs in order to progress the resistance movement, but they have also received aid from outside sources during this conflict. Myanmar received aid from other nations in order to combat the threat of COVID-19 while enduring the ongoing political turmoil in the country. Additionally, countries such as the United States have imposed military sanctions on Myanmar. Various groups, such as Union Aid, also have donation and mutual aid funds set up in order to help the anti-junta freedom fighters. These various groups outside of the conflict — governments, organizations, individuals — all share a common goal with the People’s Defense Force and the people fleeing: freedom and democracy for Myanmar. Spreading awareness, donating if possible to organizations such as Union Aid, and contacting one’s own representatives in government can all help contribute to the peace efforts in Myanmar.