Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar (01-04-2026 to 15-04-2026)

Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar

(01-04-2026 to 15-04-2026)

Over (62) months ago, on 1 February 2021, the military junta attempted an illegal coup, toppled the elected 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.

Over 3.6 million people are being displaced. Almost 22 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Among them, over 10.4 million are women and girls, and over 6.3 million are children. 116,897 houses were burned down throughout Myanmar since the illegal coup until the end of 31 May 2025, according to Data for Myanmar.

According to the UNDP, 49.7 per cent of the population in Myanmar was living under the national poverty line in 2023. Its report in June 2025 further revealed that even in Myanmar's commercial hub, Yangon, nearly half of the city's population lives in poverty, and the economic collapse, displacement, and inadequate services are pushing more families into poverty every day. Moreover, due to the complete dismantling of the rule of law by the junta, transnational organised crimes including online scams, drug trafficking, and human trafficking are rising across the country and generating serious security implications for the region and beyond.

The suffering of the people has been further compounded by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake which struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025. Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, and Nay Pyi Taw were among the hardest hit. The earthquake killed almost 4,200 people, injured over 3,680 others, and affected over 3.2 million people. Infrastructure, houses, and religious facilities were severely destroyed.

According to the data collected by AAPP, from 1 January 2021 to 10 April 2026, the junta killed (93) people in total from the religious sector across the country, including monks, nuns and novices. This number includes (18) individuals under the age of 18. These are the numbers that have been verified. Among them, Sagaing Region records the highest number of fatalities, with (19) people killed, followed by (16) in Shan State. Among the (93) deceased, (49) people were killed by the junta’s airstrikes, marking the highest cause of death, followed by (16) people who were killed by the junta’s artillery strikes.

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

Over 125,000 civilian homes destroyed by arson since coup as junta forces burn nearly 4,750 houses in three months, Data for Myanmar reports

Data for Myanmar reported on 4 April 2026 that more than 125,328 civilian homes have been destroyed by arson across Myanmar since the military junta's illegal coup in February 2021, with the junta and its affiliates responsible for 121,485 of the destroyed homes. The independent research organisation's latest report, covering data up to 28 February 2026, documented that 4,748 civilian homes were burned across 89 villages in six states and regions between December 2025 and February 2026 alone.

According to the report, Sagaing Region suffered the highest level of destruction nationwide, with 78,896 homes destroyed, accounting for over 63 per cent of the national total. Magway Region followed with 18,059 homes, Mandalay Region with 12,069, and Rakhine State with 6,193. Data for Myanmar stated that junta forces and their affiliates have been documented conducting raids and burning villages in conflict zones, destroying homes, looting valuable property, and setting houses on fire after stationing troops in them. The report noted that the junta and its affiliates destroyed 2,111 homes in 2021, 46,856 in 2022, 31,728 in 2023, 31,916 in 2024, 9,625 in 2025 and 3,092 homes in 2026 as of 28 February, with the most significant destruction occurring in December 2022, when 10,562 homes were lost.

The report found that during the three-month reporting period, arson attacks were particularly concentrated in Myingyan and Natogyi townships in Mandalay Region, Yinmabin in Sagaing Region, Pakokku and Yesagyo townships in Magway Region, and Palaw Township in Tanintharyi Region. Data for Myanmar stated that in the lead-up to the junta's planned elections, junta forces increased security deployments in designated towns and villages while conducting clearance operations in areas where elections could not be held. During these clearance operations, joint columns of junta forces and Pyu Saw Htee militias were reported to have burned civilian homes and carried out arrests and killings of civilians with significant severity, alongside incidents of looting and removal of civilian property.

Among the most devastating incidents documented, a junta column of around 100 troops advancing from Myingyan Town entered Aint Ma Village on 22 December 2025 and carried out arson attacks that destroyed more than 500 civilian homes, making it the most affected village of the reporting period. Ten civilians who had returned to the village were arrested and taken away by junta forces. In the same township, junta forces stationed in Ta Loke Myo Village set fire to approximately 140 houses on 21 December 2025, while clearance operations along the Ayeyarwady River destroyed an estimated 355 houses in Pat Tar Village in January 2026 and more than 630 homes across Dar Kyun (South), Dar Kyun (North), Tan Saung and Pyi Taw Thar villages on 4 February 2026.

In Magway Region, a junta column of approximately 300 troops entered Kan Yat Gyi Village in Pakokku Township on the morning of 8 January 2026 and set fire to residential homes, destroying more than 200 houses, with civilian fatalities also reported during the incident. In Sagaing Region, a junta column of more than 200 troops departing from the Northwestern Regional Military Command in Monywa conducted a four-day operation across multiple villages in Yinmabin Township beginning on 16 December 2025, during which civilian homes were systematically burned, resulting in the destruction of approximately 229 houses. In Tanintharyi Region, junta forces set fire to residential homes in To Village near Palaw on the night of 28 January 2026, destroying more than 200 houses in a village that has been largely depopulated since early 2023.

The report also documented incidents in which junta forces looted civilian property before carrying out arson. In Nyaung-U Township, Mandalay Region, local sources reported that a junta column of approximately 160 troops that entered Let Wae Village on 16 January 2026 commandeered vehicles to transport looted property prior to setting fires, and prevented villagers attempting to extinguish the fires from entering. During the same operation, 42 civilians from Kya Oh Village were arrested and taken to the Light Infantry Battalion 415 base.

Data for Myanmar called on all armed organisations to immediately cease targeting civilians, attacking civilian homes, and committing acts of arson, and urged international organisations to apply pressure to halt targeted attacks against civilians and to support the systematic documentation of evidence of civilian casualties and arson attacks. The organisation warned that the reported figures are likely to be underestimates, as incidents that could not be independently verified or lacked complete data were excluded from the count, and noted that incidents from Karenni (Kayah) State and Kachin State have not been fully accounted for in the report. The widespread and systematic burning of civilian homes, accompanied by looting, arbitrary arrests and killings, constitutes grave violations of international humanitarian law, including the prohibition on attacks against civilian objects and the destruction of property not justified by military necessity.

Junta forces destroy five villages in Myingyan Township in a single day of coordinated arson

Military units operating under the Naypyitaw Command launched a series of coordinated arson attacks across northern Myingyan Township in Mandalay Region on 12 April 2026, destroying five villages in a single day. Mizzima reported that, according to the Myingyan Township Public Action Committee, the targeted communities were Htain Pan, Ywar Thit, Kyi Pin Kan, Yong Htoe Swal, and Sate Kone. The simultaneous targeting of five distinct civilian settlements in a single operational day reflects a level of coordination and deliberate intent that is inconsistent with any military necessity and points overwhelmingly to the systematic destruction of civilian property as a punitive and terrorising tactic.

The attacks in Myingyan Township on 12 April are not isolated incidents. They form part of a sustained and intensifying pattern of arson and aerial bombardment that the junta has directed against civilian communities in Mandalay Region throughout 2025 and 2026. The Myingyan Township Humanitarian Committee has previously documented a cumulative death toll surpassing 100 and the destruction of more than 4,000 homes across Myingyan and Natogyi townships in the district as a result of junta aerial campaigns launched since January 2026. Villages across the two townships, including Chaysay, Kwansaik, Letwe, Myingni, Male, and Khansatgone, have been almost entirely burned to the ground in the course of that campaign.

The deliberate and coordinated destruction of five civilian villages in a single day by junta forces operating under a named command structure constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law, including the prohibitions on attacks against civilian objects under customary international humanitarian law and Additional Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions. The scale and coordination of the attacks, directed against civilian residential areas in the absence of any reported military engagement, further support a characterisation of this conduct as the war crime of extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity, and may amount to a crime against humanity of destruction of property as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population.

Junta multi-column offensive forces nearly 7,000 civilians to flee Nattalin Township, Bago Region

Nearly 7,000 civilians from at least 15 villages in Bago Region's Nattalin Township have been forced to flee their homes as junta troops intensified a multi-column offensive characterised by heavy shelling and drone attacks, Mizzima reported. The deployment of multiple coordinated military columns, combined with sustained artillery bombardment and drone strikes, has rendered the township uninhabitable for its civilian population and triggered one of the largest single instances of mass displacement documented in Bago Region since 5 April 2026.

The offensive has been marked by the deliberate targeting of residential areas. On 6 April, two civilians were killed and two others injured in Pemakhan Village during a combined drone and artillery strike. The violence escalated on 8 April when heavy shelling caused a major fire in Kyunlaypin Village, though the full extent of the property damage remains unverified due to ongoing hostilities. “The villages are in ruins, and many displaced people are struggling without water, food, or shelter,” a local said. “Kyunlaypin Village caught fire on the evening of 8 April due to heavy artillery shelling, but the full extent of the damage is still unknown.” On 9 April, junta forces reportedly utilized three paramotors to drop explosives on Kyunlaypin and Chaungkangyi villages. While no injuries were reported in this specific strike as residents had already fled, the use of motorized paragliders underscores the military’s increasing reliance on unconventional aerial tactics in the region.

Reports from the ground indicate a growing humanitarian crisis among the displaced. Thousands of people from villages such as Kantharyar, Pemakhan, and Kyaukswe are currently hiding in makeshift forest camps with no access to clean drinking water, food, or medical supplies.

The mass displacement of civilians as the direct and foreseeable consequence of indiscriminate junta bombardment represents a fundamental violation of international humanitarian law. The prohibition on the forced displacement of civilian populations, enshrined in Article 17 of Additional Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions and in customary international humanitarian law, is unequivocal: parties to an armed conflict shall not order the displacement of the civilian population for reasons related to the conflict unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons so demand. The junta's conduct in Nattalin Township, which has involved the shelling of civilian villages and the use of drone strikes that force mass evacuation, does not meet any such standard.

Junta airstrike kills four members of the same family, including two children, in Thandwe Township, Rakhine State

A junta airstrike on Thandwe Township, Rakhine State, killed four members of the same family, including two young children, on the morning of 1 April 2026. According to a statement from the Arakan Army (AA), which has controlled the township since July 2024, the attack targeted a civilian area near the former base of Infantry Battalion 55.

The AA reported that the aerial assault was carried out between 11:11 and 11:45 am by four fighter jets. During the sustained bombardment, a junta naval vessel positioned offshore also fired heavy artillery towards the township. The victims were identified as 47-year-old Daw Ma Aye May, 26-year-old Daw Ma Aung Than, seven-year-old Ma Pyae Phyo Nwe, and two-year-old Ma Aye Nyein Hlaing. In addition to the fatalities, a pregnant woman and two other children sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving emergency medical treatment.

The AA formally characterised the airstrike as a war crime, noting that the deliberate killing of an entire family occurred under the junta's newly appointed leadership. The deliberate targeting of a civilian area in the absence of any military objective constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law, including the prohibition on indiscriminate attacks and attacks against civilians.

The AA warned that junta forces have recently been conducting airstrikes in Rakhine State using at least three fighter jets along with reconnaissance aircraft, and urged local residents to remain alert to the dangers of aerial attacks. Local residents have been urged to remain extremely vigilant and to monitor the skies for signs of impending aerial attacks as the conflict intensifies.

Human Rights Abuses

Junta tattoos faces of recaptured conscripts in Naypyidaw to deter desertion, defectors reveal

Conscripts who attempt to flee forced military service in Naypyidaw are being subjected to forced facial tattooing upon recapture, according to testimonies from recent defectors. In a video released by the Arakan Army (AA) on 11 April 2026, two youths in their early 20s who surrendered to the AA detailed the junta's new tactics used to deter desertion and ensure permanent identification of conscripts.

A defector from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 366, under Military Operations Command (MOC) 10, testified in the video that tattoos such as unit names and the word deserter are inked onto the foreheads and cheeks of those caught. He said the tattooing is carried out so that deserters can no longer return home or live in their communities, as the battalion names make them easy to recapture and impossible to live in the city unnoticed. He added that those recaptured are then sent to the front lines to ensure they do not dare flee again, and that other deserters also had the word deserter tattooed on their cheeks. Those who joined the AA were reportedly conscripts from the security outposts of Defence Equipment Factory No. 16, specifically Point (500) Hill and its surrounding areas.

Another conscript from LIB 362 under MOC 10 stated that junta personnel in Naypyitaw arrested him on framed charges to force him into service. He recounted that junta personnel searched his bag and planted WY methamphetamine tablets in front of him, then claimed to have found drugs, took him to a house and kept him in chains. He said they asked whether he wanted to join the army or go to prison, and when he chose prison, they beat him together until he eventually agreed to join the army. The fabrication of criminal charges and the use of torture and coercion to compel military service constitute grave violations of international human rights law, while the permanent marking of individuals through forced tattooing amounts to degrading treatment prohibited under international law.

Following the illegal activation of the People's Military Service Law by junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on 10 February 2024, the first batch of training commenced on 8 April 2024. It was officially announced that approximately 5,000 trainees would be recruited per batch. To date, up to Batch 21 have completed their training.

Women journalists in conflict zones face escalating threats, gender-based violence, and institutional abandonment five years after coup

Women journalists covering Myanmar's conflict zones face escalating threats, gender-based violence, and declining institutional support five years after the military junta's illegal coup, according to a report released at the end of March 2026 and subsequently covered by Mizzima. The report documents a systematic pattern of targeting directed at women media workers, including physical threats, harassment, surveillance, arbitrary arrest, and sexual and gender-based violence, carried out both by junta forces and by affiliated militia groups. The findings add to a substantial body of evidence demonstrating that women journalists face a qualitatively distinct and compounded set of risks in conflict zones, combining the general dangers faced by all journalists working in Myanmar with the additional vulnerability that comes from gender-based discrimination and violence.

The junta has conducted a sustained and deliberate campaign against independent media since the illegal coup of February 2021, revoking the licences of major news organisations, arresting and imprisoning journalists, blocking news websites, and deploying surveillance tools against journalists and their families. Women journalists have faced particular forms of targeted abuse within this broader campaign, including sexual violence, threats directed at their children and family members, and sustained online harassment coordinated by junta-affiliated actors. The report notes that declining institutional support for women journalists, including reduced resources from international media development organisations, has compounded the precariousness of their situation.

The deliberate targeting of journalists, and in particular women journalists, violates the protections afforded to media workers under international humanitarian law, including the recognition of journalists as civilians who must be protected from attack unless and for such time as they directly participate in hostilities. The junta's documented campaign against the press additionally violates internationally recognised human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Rights groups and press freedom organisations have called on the international community to press for the immediate release of all journalists held in junta detention and to provide sustained material and institutional support to women journalists working under conditions of extreme risk.  

Only 631 conscripts from first batch discharged after two years of forced military service, raising fears over fate of thousands

Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reported that an estimated 631 male conscripts from the first batch of 5,155 new forced recruits, who began training on 8 April 2024, have reportedly been allowed to return home after completing their mandated two years of coercive military service under the junta's conscription.

Naung Yoe, a military defector who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) after the 2021 military coup, told DVB that the number of those discharged is limited and forms part of a propaganda effort by the junta in Naypyitaw. He said the low percentage of conscripts allowed to be discharged suggests that many were either forced to remain in the service or were killed in combat across the country. Naung Yoe, who is also a researcher from the Myanmar Defense & Security Institute (MDSI), added that some of the survivors are believed to have been permitted to withdraw in order to be used for recruitment propaganda. MDSI is a group of military defectors who track the junta's human rights abuses on behalf of the CDM, the non-violent resistance movement opposed to a return to military rule in Myanmar.

Those discharged after completing their two years of military service included 385 conscripts in the Karenni State capital of Loikaw on 3 April. Another 246 were reportedly recalled from the frontline and sent back to their families on 6 April, although pro-junta media did not disclose the locations or provide further details.

The forced conscription law, illegally enforced on 10 February 2024, requires a minimum of two years of service for males aged 18 to 35 and females aged 18 to 27. The first batch completed its term on 8 April 2026, according to MDSI. A source close to a family with a son who was conscripted told DVB that the number discharged appears incomplete, leaving many families uncertain of the fate of their forcefully conscripted sons and brothers. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said families do not know whether their sons are dead or alive and hear nothing back, adding that the silence makes them believe the worst, that their sons were killed.

Nationwide conscription has now reached its 23rd round, with the 21st round of conscripts reported to have completed training earlier this month, according to the junta. MDSI estimates that the number of conscripts has reached nearly 100,000.

The junta's coercive conscription practices constitute a grave violation of international human rights law and amount to forced labour prohibited under the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), which Myanmar ratified in 1955. The arbitrary detention of conscripts beyond their mandated terms, the refusal to disclose their fate to families, and the coercion of civilians into military service under threat of imprisonment exemplify the junta's systematic disregard for international law principles.

In June 2025, the 113th International Labour Conference adopted by consensus a resolution invoking Article 33 of the ILO Constitution concerning Myanmar, following the ILO's 2023 Commission of Inquiry, which found the junta's continued non-observance of Convention No. 29 on forced labour and Convention No. 87 on freedom of association. It marked only the second time the measure has been invoked against Myanmar, the first being in 2000 over the widespread and systematic use of forced labour. The resolution calls on ILO constituents, including governments, employers and trade unions, to review and take appropriate steps to ensure that their relationships do not in any way enable or support the junta's continued violations, including through the supply of goods and services, investment flows, or any form of cooperation that could contribute to the perpetuation of repression or forced labour.

Imprisoned Myanmar Now photojournalist denied medical treatment for serious conditions in Insein Prison

Myanmar Now reported that Sai Zaw Thaike, a Myanmar Now photojournalist currently serving a long prison sentence for his reporting, has been denied adequate treatment for serious medical conditions, according to sources inside Yangon's Insein Prison, where he is being held. He is suffering from severe kidney disease and haemorrhoids and is in urgent need of major surgery, the sources said. However, prison authorities have refused to allow him access to treatment either in the prison hospital or at an external medical facility. They have opted to treat him only with oral medication, but it is unclear whether the required medicines are even available inside the prison, the sources added.

Sai Zaw Thaike was arrested by junta forces in Sittwe while reporting on the devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State in May 2023. He was later sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was charged under Article 27 of the Natural Disaster Management Law, Section 66d of the Telecommunications Law, and Sections 505a and 124a of the colonial-era Penal Code for sedition and high treason. He was tried in a military court and sentenced without being given the opportunity to defend himself. The denial of the right to a defence and the imposition of a lengthy sentence for journalism constitute grave violations of international human rights law, including the rights to a fair trial and freedom of expression.

On 8 April, activists took part in a protest in front of the junta-controlled Myanmar embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, calling for Sai Zaw Thaike's immediate and unconditional release. The human rights activists also submitted an open letter to the embassy, signed by 3,008 people, demanding the journalist's release, according to the organiser of the protest, Amnesty International Thailand. At the protest, activists wore traditional Myanmar clothing and applied thanaka, a paste made from tree bark, on their faces as an expression of solidarity with the people of Myanmar who are being oppressed under military rule. Protesters carried placards declaring that gathering information for reporting is not a crime, alongside others displaying images of cameras to emphasise their point.

Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta

PDF forces seize two junta outposts in Bago Region and Mon State

The People's Defence Force (PDF) operating in Mon State's Bilin Township and Bago Region's Shwegyin Township announced that 13 junta troops were killed during operations to seize two junta military outposts between 7 and 12 April 2026. DVB reported based on the PDF's statement. The Irrawaddy separately reported that Karen resistance forces also captured two junta bases during the same Thingyan holiday period, reflecting a pattern of coordinated resistance operations timed to exploit the movement restrictions and reduced operational readiness that have characterised junta forces during the holiday period.

The seizure of two junta outposts in two separate townships across Mon State and Bago Region represents a continuation of the PDF's sustained campaign to degrade the junta's military infrastructure and territorial control in southern Myanmar. The operations in Bilin and Shwegyin townships, conducted over a six-day period, resulted in the confirmed killing of 13 junta troops and the capture of the targeted installations. The PDF's capacity to conduct sustained, multi-day operations against defended junta outposts across state boundaries reflects the organisation's growing operational sophistication and its ability to coordinate actions across geographically dispersed fronts.

Chin resistance forces capture strategic junta camp in Falam Township

Myanmar Now reported that a coalition of Chin resistance forces seized control of a strategically important junta army camp in Chin State's Falam Township on 14 April. The hill-top camp, located in Khuangli, a village on the western bank of the Manipur River about five miles north of the resistance-held town of Falam, fell after the launch of a surprise attack earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) told Myanmar Now. The spokesperson said the camp was a forward position for junta troops advancing towards Falam, explaining why it was targeted.

Falam, located some 40 miles north of the state capital Hakha, was captured by the Chin Brotherhood in April of last year after five months of fighting. The Chin Brotherhood, of which the CNDF is a member, is an alliance of Chin armed groups formed since the military coup in February 2021. The Chinland Council, led by the long-established Chin National Front and its armed wing, the Chin National Army, also took part in this operation. According to the CNDF spokesperson, one fighter from the CNDF and three from the Chinland Council were killed in the fighting. The Chin forces were also able to seize weapons, including 24 MA-series rifles and hand grenades, and ammunition, as well as Starlink internet equipment, the spokesperson added.

Two junta columns, each with around 100 troops, have been advancing on Falam from Sagaing Region's Kalay Township since October of last year. Although the Chin Brotherhood and the Chinland Council are regarded as rival groups, they have joined forces in resisting the junta's efforts to retake Falam. The CNDF spokesperson said there is an airfield in Falam and that if junta forces take the town, they could use it to bring in equipment by air, which is why the Chinland Council is helping them, adding that if the junta captures Falam, both groups will suffer. He added that on the ground the two forces fight side by side and their lower-level units are coordinating well now.

Currently, daily clashes are occurring between junta forces and Chin resistance forces in Falam Township and neighbouring Tedim Township. Of the nine townships in Chin State, the junta currently holds Hakha, Thantlang and Tedim. The Chin Brotherhood controls Matupi, Mindat, Kanpetlet and Falam, its ally, the Arakan Army, holds Paletwa, and the Chinland Council controls Tonzang.

Twelve-day Blue Shirt Campaign launched to demand release of all political prisoners

A public call was issued on 10 April 2026 for participation in a 12-day Blue Shirt Campaign to demand the release of all political prisoners in Myanmar. The campaign, which runs from 10 April to 21 April 2026 both online and on the ground, marks the 12th anniversary of the passing of former political prisoner Hantharwaddy U Win Tin, who consistently called for the release of political prisoners. The anniversary of his death falls on 21 April 2026.

The campaign is being carried out by revolutionary forces and the public in support of the release of all political prisoners, including President U Win Myint and public leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as the victory of the revolution. The organisers stated that the release of political prisoners is a crucial step toward the liberation of the entire people and the fall of the military dictatorship, and strongly urged the public to actively participate in the campaign.

The organisers further called on all domestic and international organisations, revolutionary forces and members of the public to unite and take part in the campaign to secure the immediate release of all unjustly detained political prisoners. Participants are encouraged to share photos or videos of themselves wearing blue clothing on social media, to use the designated campaign hashtags.

Activities of the National Unity Government and Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations

NUG and interim bodies for Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway establish Joint Working Group to coordinate administration

The National Unity Government and interim administrative bodies for Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway formally agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to synchronise and strengthen public administrative mechanisms across their respective federal units, Mizzima reported. The Joint Working Group is designed to coordinate administrative activities across three of the country's most conflict-affected and strategically important regions, where the NUG and resistance-aligned interim bodies have been developing parallel governance structures in areas outside junta control. The establishment of a formal coordinating mechanism between the NUG and three regional interim bodies represents a significant step in the construction of an integrated alternative governance architecture.

Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway regions have been among the areas most severely affected by junta aerial bombardment, arson campaigns, and ground offensives since the illegal coup. They have also been among the most important centres of resistance activity, with large People's Defence Force formations, active civil disobedience movements, and extensive civil society networks operating across all three regions. The development of interim administrative bodies in these regions has faced enormous challenges given the intensity of junta operations and the displacement of civilian populations, but has continued to develop in parallel with the military resistance as part of the NUG's broader strategy of building state capacity in advance of a democratic transition.

CRPH warns against military junta's sham election attempts at ICNCC fifth anniversary ceremony

During the fifth anniversary ceremony of the Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC) on 13 April, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) Chairman Aung Kyi Nyunt emphasised that as the military junta loses ground in physical offensives, it is increasingly resorting to inhumane airstrikes and political manipulation to maintain its permanent leadership. He warned revolutionary forces to be especially wary of the sham elections through various means and the use of populist rhetoric to lure the movement back under the 2008 Constitution and the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) framework, aimed at ensuring the military junta's permanent leadership. Chairman Aung Kyi Nyunt said he sees these as evidence of how much the revolutionary forces must remain heart-to-heart and stand back-to-back during such a time.

The official message from the CRPH also emphasised that while there may be differing perspectives, disagreements, or misalignments among groups, they must strengthen their established mutual trust and understanding to collectively resist the military junta's wicked and cunning attempts to sow division. The CRPH honoured the ICNCC for standing with the Chin people since the start of the Spring Revolution and for its steadfast struggle to eradicate the military dictatorship despite numerous challenges. The CRPH pledged to continue its cooperation through the parliamentary sector toward common goals: the complete eradication of the terrorist military dictatorship, the realisation of the political aspirations of the Chin people, and the building of a federal democratic union based on equality.

CRPH sends congratulatory message for 58th Kayaw National Day, urges unity to uproot military dictatorship

The Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) sent a congratulatory message for the 58th Kayaw National Day, which falls on 15 April, urging allied forces to march together toward the goal of federal democracy by uprooting the military dictatorship. The CRPH statement mentioned that they will march hand-in-hand until they reach a Federal Democratic Union that ensures the dignity of every ethnic group and brings a definitive end to the evil military dictatorship.

The statement noted that this year's Kayaw National Day coincides with the Myanmar New Year Water Festival (Thingyan), a rare occurrence seen as a good omen for significant changes in the coming year. It also included a wish to wash away the evil systems of the old year with New Year water and to step forward into a Federal Democratic Union where the Kayaw people can fully enjoy justice, equality, and self-determination. Kayaw National Day has been celebrated for 58 years, marking the day on 15 April 1968, when the Kayaw people demanded and reclaimed their original ethnic identity.

Through the message, the CRPH expressed that they bow in respect to the Kayaw national leaders and all Kayaw martyrs who sacrificed their lives, blood, and sweat throughout the 58-year history of the Kayaw revolution. The message emphasised that the gathering of allied revolutionary forces is not only to fight the common enemy, the military dictatorship, but also to collectively protect federal democratic standards. The CRPH added that they would build a strong unity based on mutual respect among revolutionary forces.

Response of the International Community

UN Human Rights Council appoints Kelley Anne Eckels-Currie as new Special Rapporteur on Myanmar

The UN Human Rights Council appointed Kelley Anne Eckels-Currie as the new Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar during its 61st regular session in Geneva. Eckels-Currie replaces Tom Andrews, who served in the mandate from 2020 to 2026 and delivered his final address to the Human Rights Council in March 2026, warning of waning international resolve on Myanmar and calling on governments committed to human rights to rebuild momentum in support of the Myanmar people. The appointment ensures the continuation of independent monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in Myanmar within the UN system.

The role of the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar has been one of the most important accountability mechanisms available to the international community since the illegal coup. The mandate holder produces regular reports to the Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly documenting the junta's violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, conducts interviews with victims, survivors, and witnesses, and makes recommendations to the international community on measures to protect civilian populations and advance accountability. The outgoing Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews documented extensively the junta's aerial campaign, its use of forced conscription, its suppression of civil society, and its systematic campaign against political prisoners during his mandate.

The National Unity Government has previously expressed its full commitment to cooperation with the Special Rapporteur and has urged the incoming mandate holder to maintain robust engagement with Myanmar's democratic stakeholders, including the NUG, ethnic resistance organisations, and civil society groups operating in conflict-affected areas. Rights organisations have called on the incoming Special Rapporteur to build on the foundation laid by her predecessor and to prioritise the documentation of the junta's ongoing campaign of mass atrocities as the basis for future accountability processes.

UK and EU welcome draft resolution on Myanmar at UN Human Rights Council

The UK issued a joint statement with the EU welcoming the draft resolution submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on the situation of human rights in Myanmar on March 31.

Eleanor Sanders, the UK human rights ambassador to the UN, said in a statement that the human rights crisis in Myanmar remains one of the most severe and urgent situations on the international agenda, and that the international community cannot look away.

The draft resolution, which was introduced during the 58th session of the HRC, states that Myanmar still constitutes one of the worst and most active human rights crises five years after the military coup on 1 February 2021 that ousted the democratically elected government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

Eleanor Sanders added that recent junta airstrikes, including in Rakhine, Magway and Sagaing, continue to destroy homes, religious sites and shelters for displaced communities. Her statement also called for accountability in Myanmar, the protection of civilians, and unrestricted access for aid in light of the spiralling humanitarian crisis.

The draft resolution highlights the fact that the military junta led by Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power during the 2021 coup in Naypyidaw, continues to use its forces to attack civilians in communities nationwide, especially through the use of indiscriminate airstrikes. Such indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law.

The draft resolution outlined effective and targeted action to stop the military junta from being able to access weapons to carry out these attacks, and referenced the conscription law enforced on 10 February 2024, which stipulates that all male citizens aged 18 to 35, and women aged 18 to 27, must serve at least two years in the military.

The UK expressed its support for urgent implementation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Five-Point Consensus. It called for closer cooperation between ASEAN and the UN, including through their respective special envoys to Myanmar, ASEAN 2026 Chair the Philippines' Theresa Lazaro and the UN Secretary-General's Julie Bishop.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on 9 March that 73,350 civilians have been displaced from their homes due to conflict in Myanmar in the first two months of 2026. The UN estimates that over 3.7 million people are displaced from their homes nationwide and listed as internally displaced persons (IDPs).

US Secretary of State extends support to people of Myanmar in Thingyan New Year message

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a press statement on 13 April, extending support to the people of Myanmar on the occasion of the Thingyan New Year festival. On behalf of the United States of America, Secretary Rubio extended his best wishes and support to the people of Myanmar as they celebrate the Thingyan festival, Myanmar's New Year. He stated that Thingyan is a time for reflection, as well as an opportunity to look ahead towards a new year, and that as the conflict in Myanmar continues to devastate the country, the United States remains committed to supporting an end to the crisis.

Secretary Rubio said the people of Myanmar have repeatedly demonstrated courage and resilience in the face of ongoing suffering. He added that as the spirit of Thingyan reminds us of a better tomorrow, the United States wishes the people of Myanmar strength, resilience and renewed hope for the year.

Indonesian authorities accept genocide case against Min Aung Hlaing under universal jurisdiction

On 9 April, Indonesian authorities accepted a complaint against junta leader Min Aung Hlaing for genocide against the Rohingya. Filed by a survivor and ten public figures, the case seeks an investigation into his role in mass atrocities under Indonesia's new penal code.

The Indonesian authorities formally accepted a criminal file under the country's new penal code, in which a Rohingya survivor and ten leading public figures accused dictator Min Aung Hlaing of genocide.

Genocide survivor Yasmin Ullah said it is the first time under Indonesia's new penal code that a case filed under universal jurisdiction has been officially received, and warmly welcomed the historic development as a milestone for all Rohingya people on their long march to justice and accountability. She stated that the architect of their extermination and other mass atrocities across Myanmar cannot be allowed to sit comfortably in the presidential palace without facing the consequences of his heinous crimes.

One of the signatories of the genocide file, Marzuki Darusman, former Indonesian Attorney General, urged the authorities to open an investigation as the first step towards bringing Min Aung Hlaing to justice. He said Indonesia has an obligation to act and to act decisively against mass murder, sending a powerful signal that impunity in Myanmar must end. He noted that Indonesia's new laws reflect the terms of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, and that the signatories have an obligation to prevent genocide and have presented irrefutable evidence that genocide is taking place now in Myanmar against the Rohingya people.

The lead lawyer in the case, Feri Amsari, Managing Partner of Themis Indonesia, also urged swift action. He stated that the new law unambiguously asserts the principle of universal jurisdiction by Indonesia, specifically for the crime of genocide, and that it does not matter that the victims and perpetrators are not Indonesian or that the crime did not take place in Indonesia. He said the evidence is confirmed and reconfirmed, and the case has been supported by extraordinary human rights investigators working on the ground inside Myanmar. He stated that Min Aung Hlaing commanded an army that deliberately murdered and raped Rohingya men and women on an industrial scale, deliberately inflicted mental and physical harm and, as a systematic policy, imposed conditions of life intended to destroy the Rohingya people. As a country serving as the President of the UN Human Rights Council, he added, it is imperative for Indonesia to follow up on and implement the principles of universal jurisdiction.

Chris Gunness, Director of the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP), which supports universal jurisdiction cases against the military junta across the ASEAN region, argued that the age of universal jurisdiction is dawning within ASEAN and that the case against Min Aung Hlaing has never been stronger. He noted that Myanmar has become the epicentre of crimes such as scam operations, drugs and human trafficking that have engendered a regional refugee crisis. He added that there is growing consensus within ASEAN that Myanmar is a regional embarrassment, that the recent sham election will only deepen the crisis within the country, and that it is time for a new approach.

Telenor sued in Norway for sharing Myanmar customers' personal data with military junta

Myanmar customers of the Norwegian telecoms group Telenor have sued the company for sharing their sensitive personal data with the military junta, in a civil class action lawsuit filed in Norway on 8 April.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages, arguing that the military junta used the information to identify, arrest and prosecute pro-democracy activists suspected of opposing the 2021 coup in Myanmar. In a statement, the plaintiffs said data sharing constituted serious human rights violations. The information shared included names, physical addresses, Facebook and bank accounts, location data and call logs. The plaintiffs allege that the data sharing led to, among other things, the 2022 execution of a prominent government opponent and lawmaker, Zewa Thaw, and the arrest and jailing of civil society activist Aung Thu.

Telenor, in which the Norwegian state owns a 54 per cent stake, denied responsibility. In a statement to AFP, the company claimed that refusing requests from the junta could, in the worst case, have led to imprisonment, torture or the death penalty, and that Telenor Myanmar had no real options as it could not gamble with the lives of its employees. While acknowledging that it would be terrible if Telenor data had been misused, the company asserted that the military junta alone was responsible for how it treats the population of Myanmar.

The plaintiffs said the Justice and Accountability Initiative (JAI), a Swedish non-profit, and a Norwegian law firm had filed the lawsuit with the Asker og Baerum district court on their behalf. Beini Ye, a lawyer for the Open Society Justice Initiative, which is supporting the suit, said that if successful, the case would be the first ever to hold a telecoms company to account for not sufficiently protecting user data from access by an authoritarian power.

Telenor Myanmar began operations in 2014 and had more than 18 million customers by 2021. After the February 2021 coup, the military junta launched a crackdown on the civilian resistance movement. In July 2021, Telenor announced plans to sell its Myanmar subsidiary despite warnings by civil society organisations, according to the plaintiffs. The company later cited junta demands that it install monitoring equipment on the network as a reason for leaving the country. According to the plaintiffs, the transaction meant that all customer data and surveillance technology that Telenor had installed were turned over to a military-linked company. They said they were aware of at least 1,253 phone numbers belonging to users whose data was shared. Telenor exited Myanmar in March 2022.

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Date: 15 April 2026

Permanent Mission of Myanmar, New York