Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar (1-15-2025 to 31-01-2025)

Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar

(1-15-2025 to 31-01-2025)

(48) months ago, on 1 February 2021, the military junta attempted an illegal coup, toppled the civilian government, and unlawfully detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and other senior members of the civilian government, parliamentarians and activists. Since then, the military junta has ignored the will of the people of Myanmar, placed the country in turmoil, and made people suffer tremendously as a result of its inhumane and disproportionate acts.

As of 31 January 2025, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has ruthlessly killed 6,239 people and arrested another 28,444 people. 21,722 people remain in detention and 168 people have been sentenced to death, including 119 post-coup death row prisoners and 44 in absentia since 1 February 2021, when the military unleashed systematic and targeted attacks and violence against innocent civilians. Four democracy activists who were sentenced to death were executed by the military junta in July 2022.

Moreover, over 3.5 million people are being displaced. Almost 20 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. Among them, 10.4 million are women and girls. Over 100,000 private structures were burnt down or destroyed by the military junta.

Crimes committed Across Myanmar by the Junta Troops and its affiliates

Crimes perpetrated by the junta troops and its affiliates, militias across Myanmar include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and the targeting of civilians, including children. These atrocities have led to widespread displacement, destruction of civilian properties, and a climate of fear and insecurity among the civilian population. The junta's widespread and systematic tactics of brutality are aimed at suppressing dissent and maintaining its grip on power, regardless of the human cost and violations of international law.

According to the data collected by AAPP, from January 1 to 31, 2025, (113) people in total: (54) women and (59) men, were killed by the junta across the country, including (19) children under the age of 18. The identities of these victims have been verified. Among them, Rakhine State records the highest number of deaths, totalling (35), followed by (18) people in Kachin State. Among the (113) deceased, (81) people were killed by the junta’s airstrikes making the highest cause of death.

War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Mass Murders Committed by the Military Junta

Junta Continues Aerial Assaults on TNLA-Held Nawnghkio

Myanmar Now reported that the military junta launched deadly airstrikes on the resistance-controlled town of Nawnghkio in northern Shan State on 21 and 22 January 2025, killing nine civilians. According to the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), junta fighter jets targeted administrative offices and a police station over two consecutive days. The first strike killed one woman and injured two others, while second attack on a police station killed eight civilians.

A TNLA source said that the deceased were all civilians, three women and five men. Bombs landed on a tea shop near a police station at around 11:30 am. A spokesperson for TNLA told that it is a series of deliberate attacks on civilian targets by the military junta. Nawnghkio is one of 11 towns and dozens of outposts seized by the TNLA during the first and second phases of Operation 1027, a major offensive launched in 2023 by the Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition of ethnic armed organisations in northern Shan State. The alliance is made up of the TNLA, the MNDAA, and the Arakan Army (AA).

Nawnghkio has routinely faced junta indiscriminate airstrikes while clashes continue between TNLA fighters and junta troops in the southernmost part of the township. The TNLA stronghold sits about 35 miles east of the junta garrisoned town of Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Region.

Military Junta Airstrikes Kill at Least 20 People in Shan State and Mandalay Region

At least 20 people, including two small children, were killed and dozens injured by the military junta's latest airstrikes in Shan State's Kyaukme Township and Myingyan Township in Mandalay region.

On 25 January, a junta warplane dropped two bombs on a district hospital in Kyaukme, northern Shan State, which is controlled by the ethnic Ta'ang National Liberation Army, killing three people including two female public health workers who had joined the civil disobedience movement since the 2021 illegal coup. One male patient died while being evacuated and at least 20 other locals being treated at the hospital were badly injured, according to Irrawaddy.

The report said that one health worker who survived the bombing said the bombs landed at the back of a room where they were having a meeting. The health worker's two female colleagues died immediately, and the survivor was almost trapped beneath the debris. Many were seriously hurt with broken bones.

On 27 January, another bombing and strafing in Singup village, Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region, killed 17 people. Mi-35 gunships strafed near a school, and a junta jet dropped two bombs around 7:30am, local time. Sixteen people died on the spot, and one more succumbed to injuries later. Among the victims were a visiting couple and their two young children, a four-year-old and an infant. They have been buried, a resident said.

The TNLA captured Kyaukme early last August during the second phase of the Brotherhood Alliance's Operation 1027. The Health Ministry of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and the central executive committee of the Palaung State Liberation Front/TNLA issued statements condemning the airstrike.

Military Junta Airstrikes Kill Seven Civilians Including Children in Sagaing Region

The military junta has intensified aerial attacks in territories lost to anti-junta democratic forces, causing at least seven civilian deaths in Sagaing Region since the second week of January, according to locals and emergency response workers. The junta air force struck the towns of Khampat, Tamu Township and Maw Luu, Indaw Township on the night of 16 January before attacking Kalay and Tigyaing over the following few days.

Around 2 am on 21 January, the junta’s air force carried out an attack on Tone Lone Village, located some eight miles east of Tigyaing across the Ayeyarwady River, killing a 10-year-old boy and injuring an 11-year-old girl

A local volunteer assisting displaced people said that junta forces control the urban wards of Tigyaing, while resistance forces control most of the villages outside of town, and that the airstrikes occurred in areas where no recent fighting had taken place. Junta forces have also targeted villages in Kalay Township with artillery, aerial bombing, and drone strikes, according to local resistance forces.

The military conducted two airstrikes on 19 January morning in the villages of Yan Myo Aung and Saw Bwar Yae Shin some 30 miles north of Kalay on the Kalay-Tamu Road, according to a local source close to the resistance. The junta also carried out artillery and drone attacks on a village south of Kalay at around 4 pm on 17 January 2025 , killing a man in his 50s and injuring four others, according to a source helping displaced people in Kalay Township.

The source said, since it is closest to the junta forces, not many people live in the village. They fired artillery first and then immediately followed with drone strikes. Some bombs fell on houses and compounds. Some people were sitting under trees, which led to more casualties. Resistance forces captured Khampat in November 2023 before taking control of Maw Luu in December.

Military Junta Destroys Coastal Village in Ayeyarwady Region amid Battles with AA

Myanmar Now reported that the military junta's air force has razed the coastal village of Baw Mi near Shwethaungyan in Ayeyarwady Region amid spreading battles with the Arakan Army (AA) since second week of January 2025.  The military junta deployed ground troops as well as naval and aerial assaults on Baw Mi on 17 January, a day after fierce clashes erupted. Despite the attacks, the AA secured control of the village and surrounding areas by the following day.

According to Pathein Township People's Defence Team members, the junta's attacks destroyed houses and injured civilians. Video clips circulating on social media show parts of Baw Mi engulfed in flames, with beachside houses reduced to ashes. A man living near Shwethaungyan confirmed that the videos were authentic, saying, Baw Mi village has been obliterated. Fighting between the AA and military spread into Pathein Township from Gwa in the first week of January when the AA, having taken over most of Rakhine State, began advancing across the state boundary. The AA battled junta forces in Ma Gyi Zin, another coastal village, on 8 January before clashes spread to Baw Mi.

Myanmar Junta Airstrike Kills 28 Women and Children in Rakhine State

The Irrawaddy reported that a junta airstrike targeted detention centres holding family members of their troops captured by the Arakan Army (AA), killing 28 women and children on 18 January 2025. According to the AA, a fighter jet conducted three airstrikes on camps near Yann Chaung village in Mrauk-U Township, Rakhine State. The bombing killed 19 women and nine children, aged between two and 16, and injured another 25, including 11 children, according to the statement released.

The AA condemned the bombing as a war crime, stating that the military junta was conducting daily arbitrary attacks on civilian targets such as schools, hospitals, markets, religious sites and IDP camps. AA also warned Rakhine residents to be on alert for an escalation of junta airstrikes.

On 11 January, military junta warplanes dropped 15 bombs on a crowded market and neighbourhoods in the AA-controlled town of Kyauktaw in Rakhine, killing around a dozen residents and destroying houses. Earlier, on 8 January, at least 26 people were killed and 15 injured when junta warplanes bombed Kyauk Ni Maw village in AA-controlled Ramree Township, the rebel group said. That bombing also destroyed nearly 400 houses in the village.

According to the Irrawaddy, the 18 January attack is not the first time Myanmar junta warplanes have killed their own detained troops. In September, junta jet fighters bombed a temporary AA detention centre at the seized Border Guard Police Battalion No. 2 base in Maungdaw near the Bangladesh border, killing 50 people including military junta personnel.

Human Rights Abuses

Mandalay Strike Force Reports 122 Youth Arrested for Military Service in First Half of January

The Mandalay Strike Force announced on 17 January that 122 youths were arrested in seven townships in Mandalay Region from 1 January to 15 January. They were said to have been arrested for military service, including those who were forcibly arrested after their mobile phones were checked.

The Mandalay protest group said that among those arrested were 19 from Aung Myay Tharzan Township, 15 from Chan Aye Tharzan Township, 17 from Maha Aung Myay Township, 19 from Chan Myat Tharzi Township, 19 from Pyay Gyi Takun Township, 18 from Amarapura Township, and 15 from Patheingyi Township. A Mandalay resident told that he was concerned about the arrests for military service in Mandalay.

The resident said, we can't even go out like we used to. The house is already closed. When we have to go out, we have to be careful. If possible, we go on crowded roads. I know that when I see someone on a motorbike these days, they take my phone and check it.

Mandalay residents say that most of those arrested have been unable to contact their families and are only able to reconnect after arriving at military training schools. The Mandalay strike force has stated that the military junta, police, and militia are targeting and arresting grassroots youth as they return to work, citing the military forced conscription. Therefore, young people are urged not to go out at night, not to travel unnecessarily, and to avoid parties as much as possible.

RFA contacted the military junta’s Mandalay Region Economic Minister, U Thein Htay, spokesperson for the Mandalay Region, by telephone for comment on the situation, but he did not respond.

The Mandalay Strike Force has announced that nearly four hundred young people were arrested in Mandalay in December 2024.

Military Junta Begins Registration of Women for Conscription in Yangon Region

The military junta has begun the process of drafting women for military service by registering females in Yangon Region, The Irrawaddy reports. This development marks an expansion of the conscription efforts that began in February last year.

According to The Irrawaddy, in mid-January the military junta started compiling lists of eligible women in Yangon, including in Hlaing Tharyar Township, Myanmar's largest industrial zone where hundreds of thousands of women work in factories. Other areas targeted include Thanlyin, Kyauktan, Kayan, Thongwa, South Dagon, Dagon Seikkan, Tamwe, Thaketa, Yankin, Dawbon, and Thingangyun townships.

A South Dagon Township resident said that junta personnel are compiling lists in their ward. They have divided the ward into six sections and registered 17 women in the second section. The resident mentioned that their eldest sister was included in the list, though she has already gone abroad. On 23 January, the military junta further strengthened the forced conscription by making it compulsory for family members to serve consecutively. It blocks those eligible from leaving the country without permission and requires family members to explain absences and register substitutes. Article 23 of the so-called law threatens draft dodgers with three years in prison.

The Irrawaddy reports that while the military junta previously said it would draft women in the fifth batch of conscripts, it now appears this will happen with the tenth wave of male conscription. A Thaketa Township resident named Ma Phoo stated that ward administrators have been cross-checking household registration documents with guest lists, verifying ages, and trying to locate conscription-age family members. A mother from Yangon expressed her fear by saying she is on edge when her daughter returns late from work, questioning how she could hand her daughter to what she described as an army of murderers and rapists.

The military junta claims that 14 million people, or 26 percent of the population, are eligible for military service. The junta’s forced conscription practice has reportedly prompted many to flee the country, while others have joined anti-military junta resistance groups. In addition to formal conscription, The Irrawaddy reports that the military junta has been abducting healthy men from homes, streets, and buses across the country, including in Yangon and Mandalay, and forcibly conscripting detained nationals who were deported for illegally crossing into neighbouring Thailand.

Military Junta Expands Travel Restrictions for Conscription-Eligible Citizens

Myanmar Now reports that the military junta has approved amendments to the so-called conscription law to prohibit anyone eligible for military service from leaving the country without prior permission. This development further restricts the rights and freedoms of Myanmar citizens.

Local administrators are now authorized to compile lists of residents within the conscription age range and require them to undergo medical examinations at township-level administrative offices. Those who pass these medical examinations will be registered for military service and must await the military's summons. The new restrictions explicitly forbid registered individuals from leaving Myanmar during this waiting period, regardless of whether they have completed military training or remain civilians.

The military junta claimed last year that nearly 14 million people were eligible for military service in Myanmar, including 6.3 million men and 7.7 million women, though conscription of women has not yet begun.

Military Junta Sentences Dr. Nay Soe Maung to Three Years in Prison

The military junta has sentenced Dr. Nay Soe Maung, son-in-law of former dictator Than Shwe, to three years in prison following his arrest last year for criticizing the military junta, according to military junta-backed news outlets. Dr. Nay Soe Maung, a 68-year-old former lieutenant colonel and former rector of the University of Public Health, was arrested last October 2024 while traveling to attend the funeral of Mandalay's former chief minister.

The charges against him stemmed from comments deemed as spreading propaganda on social media, which the military junta viewed as undermining the state's peace and stability. He was sentenced under Section 505(a) of Myanmar's Penal Code, a provision introduced by the military junta specifically to criminalize criticism of military personnel and has been extensively used to suppress dissent and punish political opponents.

The arrest followed Dr. Nay Soe Maung's Facebook post expressing condolences after the death of Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, former Vice Chairman of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and former Chief Minister of Mandalay, who died while serving a lengthy prison sentence. In his post, Dr. Nay Soe Maung wrote: "In your next life, I hope you are born in a country where people are treated as human beings and can contribute to humanity's well-being."

This case demonstrates the military junta's continued suppression of free speech and its willingness to target even those with connections to former military leadership when they express views contrary to the current military junta's position.

Myanmar Military Junta Continues Media Repression with 43 Journalists Still Imprisoned

The Thailand-based Independent Press Council of Myanmar (IPCM) reported on 26 January that nearly two hundred journalists have been arrested since the 2021 coup, with 43 still imprisoned. According to IPCM, eleven journalists received sentences of ten years or more, including life imprisonment. Seven journalists were arrested and killed during the four years since the military takeover.

U Toe Zaw Latt, IPCM secretary, stated the military junta shows no signs of easing media repression, citing the recent introduction of a new cyber law and continued warnings against "disrespectful" content. The crackdown has forced many news outlets to operate from abroad after the military junta revoked the operating licenses of 15 media organizations.

Reporters without Borders (RSF) ranked Myanmar 171st out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, identifying it as the most at-risk country for journalists.

Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta

KIA and Allied Forces Capture Bhamo Airport in Kachin State

RFA reports that the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied forces have taken control of Bhamo Airport in Kachin State and are continuing to attack remaining military junta bases, according to KIA News and Information Official Colonel Naw Bu on 28 January.

Colonel Naw Bu confirmed that while they have seized the airfield, fighting continues against other military junta positions in the area. "We have all taken the airfield. We are still fighting the rest of the camps. The fighting is still going on," he stated. A Bhamo resident explained to RFA that the airport is strategically significant because of its connection to Operation Command Headquarters No. (21) (SKA-21), the largest military junta base in Bhamo. The resident noted that with the capture of the airfield and surrounding area, the military junta's SKA-21 base is increasingly isolated, unable to receive aerial support. The residents also reported intense fighting continuing with airstrikes throughout the night.

Bhamo Airport normally serves civilian passengers but has also been used by the military junta for operational purposes. Since the KIA offensive began on 4 December 2024, the airport has reportedly been closed to passenger flights. The capture of Bhamo Airport adds to a growing list of airfields now under ethnic resistance organization control across Myanmar. The Arakan Army (AA) controls Thandwe and Ann airports in Rakhine State, while the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) controls Lashio airport in northern Shan State.

CDF-Asho Captures 17 Military Junta Troops Retreating from Ann Township

The Chin Defense Forces-Asho (CDF-Asho) announced on 27 January that they have intercepted and attacked military junta troops retreating from Ann Township in Rakhine State along the Ann-Padan Road, resulting in the capture of 17 prisoners of war. According to a CDF-Asho statement, the operations conducted between 17 and 25 January led to the arrest of 17 military junta members, along with the seizure of eight firearms, ammunition, and military equipment.

In similar actions, CDF-Asho reported capturing 11 members of the military junta who fled the fighting in Ann Township on 5 January, and another 17 military junta members on 28 December. These operations reflect the growing challenges faced by military junta forces in western Myanmar as they attempt to maintain positions or retreat from areas where ethnic armed organizations and resistance forces have increased their territorial control.

Arakan Army Intensifies Operations against Military Junta Beyond Rakhine State

Myanmar Now reports that the Arakan Army (AA), which dominates much of Rakhine State in western Myanmar, is intensifying attacks on military junta bases in neighboring Ayeyarwady, Bago, and Magway regions.

A source closely affiliated with the AA told Myanmar Now that the powerful armed group is planning to launch offensives on the remaining military junta bases in Rakhine State, hoping to overwhelm the military junta near its borders. The source stated that the battles are not over yet and that offensives are still ongoing, with continued clashes at the Magway-Rakhine border and Bago-Rakhine border, as well as in certain areas in Ayeyarwady Region.

According to Myanmar Now, clashes are also occurring across the Yoma mountain range, especially along the Bago-Rakhine border. In response, the military junta has launched counter-attacks from the Bago Region side, according to an AA statement released on 27 January. The statement included photos of seized weapons, drones, and drone jamming devices taken during the clashes, as well as images of AA troops at the border of Magway Region. The AA stated it captured the military junta's Point 369 base on 21 January, and the Point 263 base on 26 January.

The report also stated that the armed group has captured the coastal village of Baw Mi near Shwethaungyan, Ayeyarwady Region, though fighting continues around the village. Heavy fighting has persisted in the area for weeks, with many residential areas destroyed by military junta airstrikes.

Activities of the National Unity Government and Ethnic Organizations

NUG Prime Minister Stresses Coordination for Effective Governance

National Unity Government (NUG) Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann emphasized the need for continued coordination between the NUG, the Union Government, and regional/federal units in implementing governance strategies. Speaking at the Central Committee for the Implementation of Interim Local Public Administration meeting on 24 January, he underscored the importance of seamless communication and collaboration with political leadership across regions to ensure successful administration.

At the onset of governance, it is crucial to initiate processes that will address emerging regional issues. This involves ongoing discussions with local political leaders to lay a solid foundation. It is necessary for the National Unity Government, Union Government, and regional/federal unions to coordinate closely through the Commission for Cooperation and Collaboration, he said.

He also noted that discussions regarding tax reforms are ongoing among ministers, and the government aims to identify the best methods for efficient implementation. The Prime Minister stressed that a balance between governance and the rule of law is essential for providing citizens with secure and just conditions. He reiterated that while progress is visible, the journey is far from over, and the full commitment of the people remains crucial for success.

NUG Foreign Minister Highlights Achievements and Challenges in Revolutionary Struggle

In a recent interview with The Irrawaddy, National Unity Government (NUG) Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung outlined the civilian government's key accomplishments and ongoing challenges as Myanmar's resistance against the military junta enters its fifth year.

The Irrawaddy reports that Daw Zin Mar Aung identified several significant achievements in 2024, including territorial expansion by the NUG's People's Defence Force (PDF) groups in Sagaing and Magwe regions. She highlighted their improved military capabilities, noting they can now sustain multi-day operations, as demonstrated during the Pinlebu battle in Sagaing.

"NUG ministers, including the Minister of Defence, have successfully visited controlled areas despite ongoing airstrikes," Daw Zin Mar Aung stated, emphasizing the importance of these visits for public engagement and governance. She also pointed to progress in organizing taxation systems and increasing revenue collection from natural resources in territories under NUG control.

On the international front, Daw Zin Mar Aung cited collaboration with global actors to hold the military junta accountable for crimes against humanity, including the ICC prosecutor's application for an arrest warrant against the military junta leader for crimes committed against the Rohingya.

Daw Zin Mar Aung acknowledged that reforms are under discussion. "The NUG continuously listens to the people and adjusts its actions based on ground realities," she explained, noting that the cabinet is currently discussing reforms designed to make them "fit for purpose at this stage of the people's revolution."

When questioned about neighbouring countries' support for the military junta's planned 2025 elections, Daw Zin Mar Aung dismissed this as evidence of lost political momentum. According to The Irrawaddy, she characterized the junta's election plans as "a desperate way to regain some scrap of legitimacy after suffering extensive losses."

"Myanmar's problems cannot be solved through a sham election based upon a failed census," she stated firmly, emphasizing that lasting solutions require addressing "deep-rooted issues that require a political agreement guaranteeing genuine system change." Looking ahead to 2025, Daw Zin Mar Aung delivered a message of determination: "This year will bring both military challenges and also political challenges. We need to transform these challenges into opportunities and into victory."

She reaffirmed the NUG's commitment to ensuring that "all the sacrifices made by the people of Myanmar will not be in vain" and working towards "a federal and inclusive Myanmar that is free of the scourge of military misrule."

NUG Urges International Community to Address Military Attacks on Health Workers and Facilities

On 26 January, the National Unity Government (NUG) and the Ministry of Health called on the international community to urgently intervene and take swift actions to halt the ongoing attacks by the military junta on hospitals and healthcare workers, labeling them as acts of inhumanity and war crimes.

The attacks by the military junta on hospitals and the healthcare sector over the past four years are clear violations of the Geneva Conventions, United Nations Security Council resolutions, and international human rights laws, the statement from the Ministry of Health emphasized.

The statement highlighted a recent bombing attack on 25 January, where the military junta's forces targeted the People's Hospital in Kyaukme town without any prior conflict. In this attack, three individuals were killed, including one CDM nurse, one CDM office staff member, and one civilian. Additionally, over 20 individuals, including hospital staff, CDM workers, and patients, were injured, and the hospital itself was severely damaged.

Furthermore, on 22 January, the junta's forces bombed the Hatalet village's Falan Taung hospital in the Hpa-an Township. Thankfully, healthcare workers and patients managed to escape the attack unharmed, although the hospital was destroyed.

Arakan Army Takes Disciplinary Action Against Personnel Involved in Killing of Military Junta Prisoners

Irrawaddy reported that, the Arakan Army (AA) has acknowledged that its troops killed two captive military junta soldiers in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, and has taken disciplinary action against those responsible. 

AA spokesman Khaing Thukha confirmed that the incident took place during the group's offensive on the 9th Military Operations Command in Kyauktaw on 7 February last year. He emphasized that the AA has implemented disciplinary measures against all perpetrators, including junior commanders involved in the incident. Khaing Thukha explained that some militia members were unable to control their anger when they captured military junta soldiers who had previously arrested, tortured, and killed their relatives. He noted that these actions were committed as retaliation but violated military discipline, prompting the AA leadership to take corrective measures.

Khaing Thukha reaffirmed the AA's policy against killing prisoners of war and committed to preventing similar incidents in the future. He highlighted that hundreds of junta soldiers in AA custody have been treated in accordance with international standards.

The AA spokesman also drew attention to the ongoing human rights violations committed by the military junta against civilians in Rakhine State, including recent airstrikes. On 18 January, the AA reported that 28 captive junta soldiers and their family members were killed and 25 others injured when military junta aircraft bombed a detention center in Mrauk-U Township.

The AA's swift acknowledgment and disciplinary response demonstrate the organization's commitment to accountability and adherence to international humanitarian standards, even amid the challenging circumstances of the ongoing conflict in Rakhine State.

Myanmar Ambassador Appeals for Action at UN Security Council amid Ongoing Crisis

Myanmar's UN Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun delivered an urgent appeal at the UN Security Council media stakeout on 30 January 2025, highlighting the devastating impact of nearly four years of illegal military coup on the people of Myanmar.

Speaking just days before the fourth anniversary of the illegal military coup, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun described the daily misery experienced by Myanmar's people, noting that over 6,230 innocent civilians have been brutally killed by the military junta. He stated that more than 3.5 million people are now displaced, with almost 20 million in need of humanitarian assistance.

The Ambassador emphasized that despite this dire situation, the military junta continues committing various atrocities, heinous crimes, crimes against humanity and war crimes against the people. He expressed growing frustration with the international community's response, particularly the UN Security Council.

We have UNSC Resolution 2669 on Myanmar. It has not been implemented, the Ambassador said, echoing the disappointment felt by Myanmar's people whose hope and confidence in the UN have diminished due to what he described as a continued lack of effective actions.

Despite these challenges, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun affirmed that Myanmar's people remain resolute in their determination to end military dictatorship and build a new Myanmar with a federal democratic union. He noted that the National Unity Government has been working together with Ethnic Resistance Organizations and all other resistance forces toward this goal.

The Ambassador concluded with three specific appeals to the international community: reject the military junta's planned sham election, stop the flow of weapons to the military junta, and halt the supply of jet fuel and dual-use items to the military junta.

Response of the International Community

ASEAN Appoints New Special Envoy on Myanmar

ASEAN has appointed Othman Hashim, a former secretary-general of Malaysia's Foreign Ministry, as its new special envoy on Myanmar according to the AFP.  The appointment was made during the bloc's meeting of foreign ministers and senior officials on Langkawi Island in Malaysia, as announced by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan at a press conference on 19 January 2025.

Othman becomes the fourth ASEAN envoy tasked with implementing the Five-Point Consensus that ASEAN adopted in April 2021, two months after the military junta seized power. The consensus primarily calls for an immediate end to violence in Myanmar. During the meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers emphasized the urgent need to restore peace in Myanmar and called on the military junta to prioritize dialogue over conducting general elections amid the country's ongoing crisis, according to AFP. The military junta had previously announced plans to hold a general election but has not established a timeline.

The appointment comes as ASEAN continues to face criticism for its limited progress in addressing the Myanmar crisis, AFP stated. The military junta has failed to honor any part of the Five-Point Consensus since its adoption. As a result, political representatives remain barred from participating in ASEAN meetings. Malaysia, which currently holds ASEAN's rotating chairmanship, will oversee the bloc's efforts to engage with Myanmar during this critical period as the country approaches its fifth year under the dictatorship.  

UN Investigators Warn of Worsening Violence in Myanmar Without Accountability

United Nations investigators have stated that serious international crimes have been committed in the four years since Myanmar's military coup, warning that the violence would only worsen unless perpetrators faced justice. Nicholas Koumjian, head of the United Nations' Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), emphasized on 26 January that impunity was emboldening perpetrators to commit further violence.

The military junta seized power with illegal coup attempt on 1 February 2021, ousting State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government, ending a 10-year democratic period and plunging Myanmar into bloody turmoil and a humanitarian crisis. "Since then, according to substantial evidence collected and analysed by the IIMM, serious international crimes have been committed across the country," Koumjian said in a statement.

Myanmar has experienced widespread fighting between the military junta and numerous ethnic rebel groups. The civil war has displaced more than 3.5 million people, according to UN data. Koumjian detailed that protests against the military junta were suppressed with often lethal violence, with thousands of perceived opponents unlawfully imprisoned, where many have suffered torture, sexual violence and other abuses.

He noted that increasingly frequent and indiscriminate air strikes, artillery and drone attacks have killed civilians, driven survivors from their homes, and destroyed hospitals, schools and places of worship—actions that constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law. While most evidence collected points to crimes committed by the military junta, investigators are also probing reports of atrocities committed by other armed groups, including rape, killings and torture. The IIMM was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect evidence of the most serious international crimes and prepare files for criminal prosecution.

In November, the International Criminal Court's prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for the military junta chief for alleged crimes against the Rohingya minority in 2016 and 2017. However, Koumjian noted there are no judicial proceedings underway for any serious international crimes committed since the military takeover. "Impunity for crimes emboldens perpetrators to commit more violence, and ending this impunity is necessary," he stated, adding that the mechanism stands ready to assist authorities willing to investigate and prosecute these cases.

Tom Andrews, the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, described how four years of military oppression, violence and incompetence had cast the country into an abyss. Andrews called the fourth anniversary of the coup a time to mourn thousands of innocent lives lost, and said the international community needed to offer Myanmar's people "a genuine partnership to help end this nightmare." He detailed how military junta forces have killed thousands of civilians, bombed and burned villages, and displaced millions of people, with more than 20,000 political prisoners remaining behind bars.

South Korea Extends Visas for Myanmar Citizens with Expired Passports, Demonstrating Sympathy for Their Plight

Radio Free Asia reported that the South Korean Ministry of Justice announced on 16 January 2025 that it will extend the visas of Myanmar citizens in South Korea whose passports have expired, providing relief to many facing documentation challenges.

Myanmar democracy activist Kyaw San told RFA that they will support Myanmar citizens who have difficulty obtaining and renewing their passports to live peacefully in South Korea. Kyaw San explained that the South Korean Ministry of Justice will provide assistance to Myanmar citizens in South Korea who are having difficulty renewing their passports so that they can live safely and securely in the country.

According to him, Burmese people in South Korea have been facing various difficulties because the junta’s Burmese embassy in Seoul has blacklisted Burmese democracy activists from obtaining passports and has refused to issue birth certificates to children born to couples involved in pro-democracy activities. The report highlighted that the Ministry of Justice's announcement means people will be able to renew their visas even with expired passports, providing significant support to those who are actively working for democracy.

The Ministry of Justice has also postponed the order requiring Myanmar citizens to leave South Korea until the situation in Myanmar stabilizes, in line with humanitarian measures, according to the statement. Since the 2021 military coup, the South Korean Ministry of Justice has issued humanitarian residence visas (G-1-99) to Myanmar citizens, reflecting South Korea's sympathy for the dire human rights situation in Myanmar under military junta rule.

Thai Police Arrest Four Myanmar Teachers Operating School Without Permission

Khaosod English news agency reported on 29 January that Thai police have arrested four Myanmar teachers who were teaching at a temple on Koh Phangan Island in Surat Thani Province without proper authorization. According to the Thailand-based news outlet, the authorities found four Myanmar teachers and over 190 Myanmar children studying at the location. During the raid, officials seized 31 textbooks printed in Myanmar language.

A Myanmar migrant worker on Koh Phangan Island told reporters that the four teachers have been charged with operating the school illegally, while two of them face additional charges for working without proper work permits. The worker explained that the school was established as a place where Burmese children could receive education after obtaining permission from the local temple.

Khaosod English reported that Myanmar parents working as migrant laborers on Koh Phangan had been leaving their children at the school for supervision while they went to work. The school reportedly charged between 300 and 500 Thai baht per student. According to this report, this is not the first action against Myanmar educational facilities in Thailand. In the first week of September last year, the Thai government closed six Burmese language schools in Surat Thani province, declaring them illegal operations.

In a separate but related incident on 28 January, Thai police raided a daycare center in the same province and arrested eight individuals—five Russians, two Ukrainians, and one Myanmar national—who were running the facility. Five of those arrested, including the Myanmar national, were found to be working without proper work permits, according to Khaosod English.

Hundreds of Myanmar Nationals Arrested in Malaysian Immigration Crackdown

Malaysian authorities have arrested at least 300 Myanmar nationals in January as part of the government's intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants, according to the Radio Free Asia. Reports indicate that Malaysian immigration authorities are targeting restaurants with high concentrations of undocumented workers in cities such as Cameron Highlands, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and Johor.

On 22 January, authorities conducted raids on shops along Kuala Lumpur's busy Bukit Bintang Road, resulting in the arrest of 60 undocumented Myanmar nationals. The same operation also led to the detention of 71 Bangladeshis, 24 Indonesians, 16 Nepalis, three Pakistanis, and one Sudanese. Aid groups reported that earlier in the month, on 9 January and 13 January, more than 40 Myanmar nationals were arrested for illegally entering Malaysia via Thailand.

Ko Than Htun Aung, secretary of the National League for Democracy (Malaysia), which provides assistance to Myanmar citizens, explained that those who fear for their lives if returned to Myanmar will no longer be released on bail after court proceedings. He detailed that the arrests are happening through both planned operations and in response to citizen complaints. He noted that some detainees are being deported directly from detention camps without being prosecuted under the Malaysian Immigration Act. The situation is particularly concerning for members of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and others who face potential persecution if returned to Myanmar.

Ko Than Htun Aung explained that previously, arrested individuals were able to appear in court, and those who faced risks if returned to Myanmar could obtain bail and seek protection from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This pathway appears to be increasingly restricted. On 9 January, the Malaysian Immigration Ministry announced that 102 Myanmar nationals who had completed their sentences after being arrested in Malaysia had been repatriated.

ASEAN Parliamentarians Condemn Myanmar Military Junta's New Cyber security Law

The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) has issued a statement strongly condemning the military junta's newly amended cyber security law, which they warn poses serious threats to the fundamental freedoms of the people of Myanmar. In a statement released on 24 January, APHR characterized the law as an attempt to suppress dissent, curb freedom of expression, and violate the privacy of Myanmar citizens.

Mercy Chriesty Barends, an Indonesian lawmaker and co-chair of APHR, stated that the aim of the law is to enable the military junta to crush any opposition and consolidate its grip on power. APHR co-chair and former Malaysian MP Charles Santiago said the law not only violates the fundamental freedoms of Myanmar citizens but also undermines the rule of law, violates freedom of expression, and only serves to further the junta's abuses. Other APHR members have joined in the condemnation, including Philippine House of Representatives Representative Arlene D. Brosas and Thai Congressman Rangsiman Rome, who have called for the immediate repeal of the proposed cyber security law.

The regional parliamentary group has called on the international community to unite in responding to this legislation that violates freedom of expression in Myanmar and to exert immediate diplomatic pressure on the military junta. This cyber security law represents another tool in the military junta's ongoing efforts to control information and suppress dissent since seizing power in February 2021.

British Officials and Activists Call for Release of Aung San Suu Kyi

Former British Minister Andrew Mitchell, human rights activist and Council of Europe diplomat Bianca Jagger, and British author Jung Chang have called for the release of detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

The request came after the screening of the documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi, which chronicles the ups and downs of Aung San Suu Kyi's life, held in London on 22 January 2025. Former minister Andrew Mitchell said Aung San Suu Kyi is being treated terribly by the military junta in Myanmar. She should be released immediately. A film like this can explain why she should be released.

Human rights activist Bianca Jagger said that Aung San Suu Kyi was a hero to many people, and the film highlights her illegal imprisonment by the military junta. Writer Chan, who has met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi several times, said she respects her greatly and that it would be best if she could focus on helping her escape. The protests have been sparked by calls for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi by former British Foreign Secretary William Hague, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw on December 19.

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Date: 31 January 2025

Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations, New York