Myanmar Junta Continues Attacks on Civilians, Places of Worship

Free Burma Rangers, an international NGO (non-governmental organization) delivering relief and development aid to civilians in Myanmar, reported this week that the Burmese military bombed a monastery housing hundreds of displaced civilians in Karen State. The attack, which took place on Easter Sunday, killed eight and wounded at least 15.

This latest attack is part of a larger pattern of violence against civilians by the Burmese military, or Tatmadaw, including on houses of worship. Hundreds of places of worship have been destroyed by the Tatmadaw in its decades-long war for control of the country, including many since it seized control of the government in February 2021.

The Chin Human Rights Organization reports that government forces have destroyed 107 religious sites, including 67 churches, since 2021. Christians make up most of the Chin State’s population, at more than 85%. Nationally, Christians make up just 6.7% of the population.

Representing an extremist interpretation of Buddhism, the Tatmadaw has persecuted ethnic and religious minorities with severe campaigns of violence and intimidation.

China, which has long supported the Tatmadaw, announced that it would conduct live-fire exercises on the border with Myanmar. The move is the second since November when China conducted exercises in response to a major rebel offensive against the Tatmadaw. The last such exercise before that was in 2017 when rebels attacked Laukkai. Pro-democracy rebel forces captured Laukkai in January, much to the chagrin of the Tatmadaw and its allies in the region.

Experts believe that the Tatmadaw is atrophying rapidly, with as few as 150,000 personnel remaining after the loss of about 21,000 through casualties or desertions since the 2021 coup. This number is significantly smaller than earlier estimates of 300,000-400,000 and calls into question the junta’s ability to sustain its nationwide military campaign. Research from the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar suggests that anti-junta militia gains have reduced the area under solid Tatmadaw control to as little as 17%.

Burma’s military government announced in February that it would begin national conscription. The draft applies to all men aged 18-35 and all women aged 18-27, according to an official announcement, and can extend for up to five years. The move has prompted thousands of young people to seek refuge in nearby Thailand rather than serve in the military.