Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar (01-05-2026 to 15-05-2026)

Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar

(01-05-2026 to 15-05-2026)

Over (63) 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 3.7 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 to 15 May 2026, (28) people in total; (9) women and (19) men, were killed by the junta across the country, including (9) children under the age of 18, including a five-month-old boy. The identities of these victims have been verified. Among these deaths, Sagaing Region recorded the highest number of fatalities, totalling (9), followed by (8) people in Chin State. Meanwhile, (20) people were killed by the junta’s airstrikes marking the highest cause of death. During the stated period, the AAPP has also received information regarding the death of (29) civilians, as a result of junta attacks, whose identities have yet to be confirmed.

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

Junta airstrikes on Mindat and Kanpetlet kill four, including a prisoner of war

Mizzima reported that junta forces carried out approximately 15 airstrikes on Mindat and Kanpetlet in southern Chin State within a single day, killing four people, including a prisoner of war.  Junta jet fighters targeted Mindat twice at around 11:45 pm on 11 May. On 12 May, the town was struck a further 11 times, with two strikes at 8:00 am, two at 11:00 am and five at 6:00 pm.

According to the report, the attacks killed four people, including one prisoner of war. The strikes also destroyed 15 civilian homes, 10 government buildings and four vehicles, and caused multiple injuries. Specific details regarding the identities of those killed and the condition of the wounded remain undisclosed.

In a separate attack, Kanpetlet was targeted by two jet fighters and a Y-12 transport plane after 10:00 pm on 12 May. The official said the junta bombed the Kanpetlet Hotel Zone using two jet fighters and a Y-12, with the fighters striking three times while the Y-12 dropped about nine bombs, including cluster munitions. Casualties and the extent of the damage from the Kanpetlet attack are still being confirmed.

Revolutionary military sources suggested that the airstrikes likely signal an upcoming ground offensive in southern Chin State. One source noted that the junta would not bomb without a military objective, and that it was possible it was clearing the path before launching a ground column.

Junta reinforcements have been stationed in Kan Gyi village, Magway Region, roughly 10 miles from Mindat, since late April. Approximately 500 troops and 17 vehicles also reached Laung Shey in Saw Township, bordering Kanpetlet. Revolutionary forces have urged residents to remain vigilant.

Having lost significant territory, the junta recaptured Falam on 25 April and is currently moving to retake Tonzang while maintaining air operations against Mindat and Kanpetlet. The use of cluster munitions and the repeated aerial bombardment of civilian homes in populated towns constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law.

Karenni rights group warns of deteriorating human rights situation as junta attacks kill 27 civilians

The Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG) warned on 6 May of a rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Karenni State, reporting at least 27 civilians killed and 44 wounded since the beginning of 2026 as a result of junta airstrikes, drone attacks, artillery shelling and landmines.

In its latest report, titled Hanging Onto Hope, KnHRG documented how civilians repeatedly described their struggles for survival amid ongoing attacks by the military junta. Fears of drone surveillance and airstrikes carried out by the junta remain an ongoing concern, particularly for those who have been repeatedly displaced and have nowhere else to flee.

KnHRG stated that airstrikes are among the most common and violent attacks carried out by junta forces, often targeting innocent and vulnerable groups including women, children and the elderly. The attacks occur without prior warning and have caused fear and trauma in communities already suffering from the junta's criminal actions. The group noted that as the struggle against the military junta grows each day, the unfolding mental health crisis also demands urgent attention, particularly as violence triggers trauma and rising cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among survivors of attacks and resistance fighters.

According to KnHRG, gaps in the provision of health, education and awareness-raising services on the ground are being filled by local civil society organisations, although securing sustainable, long-term funding remains a challenge. The group stated that international stakeholders, including donors, must acknowledge the situation and the many areas requiring financial support to assist conflict-affected communities, including refugees and internally displaced persons.

KnHRG called for an urgent response that prioritises the protection of civilians and aligns with the calls being amplified by human rights defenders, including sanctions on aviation fuel and a long-overdue referral of the human rights situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court. The group stressed that there must be an end to impunity and justice for all who have suffered under the junta's tyrannical rule. The indiscriminate aerial and artillery attacks against civilian populations constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Junta column burns six villages and kills three civilians in Salin Township

Myanmar Now reported that a junta column, comprising troops from Light Infantry Division 101, has conducted a destructive offensive across Salin Township in Magway Region, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and the widespread destruction of homes, according to the Salin Township People's Administration Team. The violence unfolded over several days as the column advanced through the township.

Local residents and administration officials reported that junta forces set fire to Htanoung Kone, Kan Swe, Thanat Kone and Kyu Wun villages on 1 May. The campaign continued on 4 May, with troops torching Sint Tu Kan and Pyoe Khin Kone villages.

An official from the Salin Township People's Administration Team stated that six villages had been set on fire so far and that many homes were destroyed. The human toll has been confirmed at three, with one man reportedly shot dead by junta soldiers, while two elderly women perished in the fires after their homes were set ablaze.

The offensive involved intense combat, as the junta column, reportedly numbering around 100 troops and supported by heavy artillery, clashed with local revolutionary forces near Kan Tai Kway, Thee Kone and Pyoe Khin Kone villages on 4 May. Witnesses described a prolonged firefight starting at around 3:30 pm, noting that junta military aircraft were observed circling the area even before the ground assault commenced. The deliberate burning of civilian villages and the killing of unarmed residents constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law.

Human Rights Abuses

Junta forces and Pyu Saw Htee militias carry out at least 30 arbitrary arrests in Yangon in April

Junta forces and associated Pyu Saw Htee militias carried out at least 30 arbitrary arrests across Yangon throughout April 2026, according to data from the Rangoon Scout Network (RSN). The detentions occurred primarily in Hlaing, Thanlyin, South Dagon and Thaketa townships.

An RSN official stated that around 30 people were known to have been arbitrarily arrested in April and that they were detained in various ways, with some lured by fake job offers before being handed over to junta forces. RSN officials also reported a variety of methods used to seize residents, including house-to-house searches based on junta conscription lists, sudden overnight guest list inspections and at least one instance of a victim being lured through a fraudulent job offer.

While the total number of arrests in April was lower than the 100 recorded in March and the 80 recorded in January, observers suggested the decrease was a tactical move by the junta to project an image of normalcy during the Myanmar New Year, also known as the Thingyan festival. The RSN official added that the number of reported arrests had decreased compared with previous months, and that this was partly because the junta was trying to organise a crowded Thingyan festival.

Local residents emphasised that the risk of forced recruitment remains high, particularly for the urban poor. A resident of Thingangyun Township said that forced recruitment is really happening in Yangon, but that these incidents do not seem to affect those who are financially well-off, noting that beer shops and bars are still full of people and that it is the grassroots and the poor who are truly suffering.

Junta denies passports and identity documents to CDM civil servants and their children

Myanmar Now reported that the military junta is increasingly denying passports and identity documents to civil servants opposed to military rule and, in some cases, to their children, according to Myanmar nationals living in Thailand and rights observers. The restrictions have intensified since the junta held a widely criticised sham-election earlier this year, with applicants at Myanmar's embassy and consulates in Thailand reporting heightened scrutiny of passport and Certificate of Identity applications.

Since the junta seized power in February 2021, hundreds of thousands of civil servants have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), refusing to work under the junta, and many later fled to neighbouring Thailand to avoid arrest and persecution. Applicants and labour rights advocates said that Myanmar diplomatic missions are now systematically screening individuals through a digital surveillance platform known as the Person Scrutinizing and Monitoring System (PSMS). Those identified as CDM participants or charged under Section 505 of Myanmar's Penal Code, a provision widely used against anti-junta activists, are increasingly being denied the documents needed to live and work legally abroad.

One Myanmar man in Thailand, identified only as Ko Soe for security reasons, said the junta refused to issue passports to his two daughters because their mother had been blacklisted for participating in the movement. His wife had worked as an assistant director in a government ministry before joining the protests after the coup. She later fled to Thailand through an unofficial border crossing, while her husband and children entered legally with passports, and another daughter was later born in Thailand. Ko Soe said that when the family applied for the children's passports all the documents and photographs were taken and they were told to wait, and that they were later called back and told that the mother was on a blacklist and the passports could therefore not be issued. He said his wife's passport had already expired and could not be renewed, leaving the family without valid travel documents. He added that the junta can do as it likes to the parents, but that the children have done nothing wrong, describing the treatment as inhumane by any international standard.

Other Myanmar nationals in Thailand described similar experiences. One participant in the anti-coup movement, who also requested anonymity, said embassy staff told him there was nothing they could do and that he should return to Myanmar to resolve his case. He said that returning through Yangon's international airport would almost certainly lead to his arrest.

Thailand hosts millions of Myanmar nationals, including migrant workers and political exiles, many of whom depend on passports or Certificates of Identity to maintain legal status. Migrants who entered Thailand through unofficial border crossings often later use Myanmar-issued identity documents to apply for Thailand's so-called pink cards, temporary identification cards for foreign workers. Several applicants said that Certificate of Identity processing centres were also rejecting applications after checking personal data through the PSMS system. A young Myanmar man said his application was denied after it was discovered that he faced charges under Section 505 for anti-junta activities, adding that his ID number was checked on a tablet and he was told the document could not be issued because of the case against him.

Digital rights researcher Thit Nyan of the Myanmar Internet Project said the growing use of surveillance systems to restrict identity documents demonstrated the junta's continuing repression despite its efforts to project legitimacy abroad. He said that the junta is trying to gain legitimacy through a sham election and a change in appearance, but that these actions clearly show it continues to oppress the public and target political activists. The junta enacted a new passport law in March after repealing the colonial-era 1920 Passport Act, allowing it to deny passports to people deemed a threat to national security or state interests. The denial of passports and identity documents to civil servants and their children on political grounds constitutes a violation of international human rights law, including the right to leave and return to one's own country and the prohibition on punishing children for the acts of their parents.

Detained protest leader Man Zar Myay Mon in deteriorating health in Magway Prison

Myanmar Now reported that Man Zar Myay Mon, a protest leader from Chaung-U Township in Sagaing Region who is currently serving a long prison sentence in Magway Prison, is in deteriorating health, according to sources close to his family. The 33-year-old activist has been suffering from a lung infection since 12 April and is receiving treatment at the prison hospital, the sources said, adding that his condition may also involve tuberculosis and has not improved despite medical care.

He was first targeted with an arrest warrant in April 2021 and was shot and detained on 8 June of that year amid a broader crackdown on anti-coup protesters. The junta later sentenced him to a total of 26 years in prison on various charges, including five counts of incitement under Section 505a of the Penal Code, 11 years under counterterrorism provisions and five years for possession of explosives. In November 2025 his sentence was reduced by 10 years following an amnesty tied to Section 505 cases, leaving him with a remaining term of 16 years, although no reductions were applied to the other charges. Family members are allowed to visit him once a month, and it remains unclear whether additional sentence reductions announced during recent national amnesties have been applied to his case.

Man Zar Myay Mon was previously active in the 2014 Letpadan student protests and attempted to run as a candidate for the National League for Democracy in the 2020 general election. He also worked as a freelance journalist and participated in civil society initiatives focused on transparency and accountability.

Since the junta illegally seized power in February 2021, it has widely used Section 505 and counterterrorism laws to detain protesters, journalists and individuals accused of supporting resistance movements. Although the junta has periodically announced mass amnesties, rights groups say few political prisoners have been released. The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar reported that of more than 4,000 prisoners released last month during the Myanmar New Year, fewer than 300 were political detainees, and a separate amnesty on Thursday reportedly included no political prisoners. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, nearly 31,000 people have been arrested since the coup, of whom more than 22,000 remain behind bars, and the group notes that the actual figures are likely higher due to limited access to information. Chaung-U Township, where Man Zar Myay Mon is from, remains a stronghold of resistance forces opposing military rule. The arbitrary detention of Man Zar Myay Mon on politically motivated charges and the failure to provide him with adequate medical care constitute violations of international human rights law, including the prohibition on arbitrary detention and the right of detainees to the highest attainable standard of health.

Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta

Revolutionary forces ambush junta convoy between Tigyaing and Katha in Sagaing Region

Mizzima reported that a combined force of revolutionary groups, led by the Arakan Army (AA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), intercepted and attacked a junta convoy in Sagaing Region on 10 May 2026. The ambush took place midway between Tigyaing and Katha at around 2:30 pm, resulting in several junta casualties and the seizure of significant military equipment.

A frontline source said that the junta column began moving from Tigyaing to Katha on 10 May and that revolutionary forces were waiting to intercept it midway. The source described the fighting as intense, adding that two junta soldiers were killed on the spot and many others were wounded. Revolutionary forces, which also included People's Defence Force (PDF) units, emerged from the engagement without casualties, seizing three military vehicles, a motorcycle and seven firearms.

Furthermore, a large reinforcement column consisting of 30 military vehicles and a tank advanced from Katha towards Indaw on 11 May, a movement which residents said has heightened tensions within Indaw Township. A local revolutionary comrade in Indaw stated that a massive column including tanks was moving from Katha towards Indaw and that there was a high likelihood of intensified fighting in Indaw Township. He added that residents from over ten nearby villages were consequently fleeing to safer areas in advance.

Junta forces previously recaptured Indaw on 30 April from the KIA and PDF, having also regained control of Katha on 29 March. Local sources indicated that junta activity is rising in Upper Sagaing as the AA and allied forces launch guerrilla operations to regain dominance over these territories.

Revolutionary forces down junta paramotor in Bilin Township, Mon State

Local medias reported that revolutionary forces in Mon State announced on 5 May 2026 that they had shot down a military junta paramotor following a series of retaliatory strikes against the junta's aerial campaign.

According to a statement from the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the 1st Operation Area, the aircraft was downed on 26 April after resistance fighters opened fire on the paramotor as it was conducting bombing raids over Win Tar Pan and Kyauk Pyar villages in Bilin Township. The downed aircraft reportedly crashed approximately three miles from the junta's Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 3 base. The statement said that a paramotor belonging to the junta, which had been bombing villages, crashed about three miles from LIB 3 after coming under fire from revolutionary forces. It added that on 4 May the forces seized a 122 mm shell and 18,000 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition from a junta airdrop.

In April, combined forces of the SOF, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) and Local Defence Forces (LDFs) attacked and captured the Let Yek camp in Shwe Kyin Township, Bago Region, and the Lay Kay camp in Bilin Township, Mon State. During the battles to seize the camps and in subsequent pursuits of retreating troops, 18 prisoners of war, including Deputy Commander Aung Zaw Moe, were captured, while seven others were killed. The statement added that an interception attack on a junta column of about 200 troops advancing from the Pain Nae Taw strategic base left 25 soldiers dead and six more captured, bringing the total number of prisoners of war to 24. Weapons and ammunition seized during the fighting included 42 firearms, a drone jammer, 51 rounds of 81 mm ammunition and other munitions.

The statement said that the captured prisoners of war are receiving medical treatment in line with the Prisoner of War Law and are being held under systematic custody, while operations to clear the area and assist displaced civilians are ongoing.

Activities of the National Unity Government and Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations

SCEF holds meeting with Sagaing Federal Unit hluttaw and interim government

The Steering Council for the Emergence of the Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) announced on 14 May 2026 that it had held an online meeting with the Sagaing Federal Unit Hluttaw and the interim Sagaing Federal Unit government on 13 May 2026.

Members of the SCEF secretariat, council members and other responsible persons attended the meeting, together with the Speaker of the Sagaing Federal Unit Hluttaw, the Chief Minister of the interim Sagaing Federal Unit government, the Deputy Chief Minister, ministers and other responsible persons from the Sagaing Federal Unit.

At the meeting, SCEF secretariat coordinator Dr Zaw Wai Soe and joint coordinator Salai Ram Kulh Cung presented the purpose of convening the meeting and the work being carried out by the SCEF. Sagaing Federal Unit Chief Minister U Soe Oo and Hluttaw Speaker U Myint Htwe then gave a summary presentation of the activities being undertaken within the Sagaing Federal Unit.

The participants went on to discuss the participation of federal units in connection with the state, federal unit and ethnic revolutionary organisation representation pillar, one of the three pillars on which the SCEF is constituted, and coordinated the matters to be taken forward. Sagaing Federal Unit Hluttaw Speaker U Myint Htwe and SCEF secretariat coordinator Dr Zaw Wai Soe delivered closing remarks, and the meeting concluded successfully.

NUG rejects junta's criticism of ASEAN over sham election results

National Unity Government (NUG) in its statement on 11 May 2026 rejected the military junta's criticism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the international community for allegedly ignoring the results of the junta-staged elections and excluding the junta from regional engagement.

The NUG described the junta's remarks as deeply contradictory and politically dishonest, stating that the same military leadership now calling for respect for electoral outcomes is the very institution that nullified the overwhelming results of Myanmar's 2020 general election through an unlawful coup attempt. The NUG stated that the junta cannot credibly claim to defend democracy while continuing to imprison elected leaders, suppress political parties, silence journalists and wage violence against civilians across the country.

The statement said that ASEAN's current position towards the military junta did not arise arbitrarily but is the direct consequence of the junta's continued failure to implement the Five-Point Consensus, its refusal to pursue inclusive dialogue and its ongoing attacks against the people of Myanmar. The NUG stressed that the people of Myanmar have already clearly expressed their political will through democratic elections, and that legitimacy cannot be manufactured through force, propaganda or tightly controlled electoral exercises conducted under military rule and widespread conflict. It noted that a credible election requires freedom of expression, political participation, security for voters, independent institutions and public trust, none of which conditions currently exist under the junta's administration.

The NUG reiterated that any political process excluding democratic forces, ethnic resistance organisations and the broader will of the Myanmar people cannot produce genuine peace, stability or legitimacy. It called upon ASEAN, the United Nations and the international community to remain firm in supporting the aspirations of the Myanmar people for a federal democratic future and to reject attempts by the military junta to seek political legitimacy without accountability. The NUG concluded that the crisis in Myanmar will not be resolved through staged narratives or coercive elections, but through an inclusive political transition grounded in justice, democracy and the sovereign will of the people. The junta's continued detention of elected leaders, suppression of political parties and silencing of journalists constitute grave violations of international human rights law, including the rights to freedom of expression, political participation and liberty.

NUG urges ASEAN to set time-bound benchmarks and reject junta's sham election outcomes

The National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 12 May 2026, responding to the Chair's Statement of the 48th ASEAN Summit, convened on 8 May 2026 in Cebu, the Philippines, under the chairmanship of the Republic of the Philippines. The NUG acknowledged the Summit's reaffirmation of the theme Navigating Our Future, Together, and underscored that for this vision to be fully realised the peoples of Myanmar must not be left behind in ASEAN's collective journey towards peace, stability and inclusive development.

The NUG welcomed the Summit's expression of deep concern over the continued escalation of conflict and the humanitarian situation in Myanmar, together with its denunciation of acts of violence against civilians. It echoed the Summit's reaffirmation that the Five-Point Consensus remains the primary reference framework for addressing the political crisis and reiterated its continued commitment to the full and genuine implementation of that framework. While welcoming the Summit's call for all parties to immediately halt indiscriminate violence and exercise utmost restraint, the NUG stressed that words of condemnation must be matched by concrete mechanisms for accountability. It urged ASEAN to establish clear, time-bound benchmarks for the cessation of airstrikes, artillery attacks and other indiscriminate violence against civilian populations and civilian infrastructure, warning that without such mechanisms the call for civilian protection remains aspirational rather than operational.

Turning to the Summit's acknowledgement of the conclusion of the military junta's unilateral election exercises, the NUG firmly reiterated that any electoral process conducted amid ongoing conflict, without the release of all political prisoners and absent an inclusive political environment, lacks democratic legitimacy and popular mandate. It noted that ASEAN's own principles require political processes to be inclusive and credible, and urged ASEAN not to lend recognition to processes that fail to meet these standards.

The NUG acknowledged and appreciated the AHA Centre's continued delivery of humanitarian assistance under Phase 2 of the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Programme to implement Point 4 of the Five-Point Consensus, and welcomed the Summit's call for all relevant parties to facilitate safe, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory delivery of humanitarian aid. It reiterated, however, that effective and principled humanitarian assistance must be coordinated with the NUG and Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations, which administer significant portions of the country's territory and population, and warned that any assistance channelled exclusively through military-controlled mechanisms risks politicisation and falls short of the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality. The NUG also commended the dedicated efforts of H.E. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, welcomed her broad engagement with a diverse range of Myanmar stakeholders, and supported the ongoing deliberations on the Terms of Reference for a long-term ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar, urging strongly that any such mandate explicitly include formal, structured engagement with the NUG and Ethnic Revolutionary Organisations as legitimate stakeholders in any political process.

While acknowledging ASEAN's note of the release of certain political prisoners, the NUG stated that such measures remain wholly insufficient, adding that reports concerning the release of President U Win Myint and the relocation of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remain unclear and unverified, while thousands of political prisoners continue to be arbitrarily detained. It stressed that their immediate and unconditional release is essential to any credible and inclusive political dialogue. The NUG further took note of the Summit's broader agenda, including its commitment to ASEAN Community-building, digital transformation, sustainable development and inclusive growth, reaffirming its aspiration for a federal and democratic Myanmar to contribute fully and meaningfully to these regional endeavours, and noting that a peaceful and stable Myanmar is fundamental not only to the interests of the Myanmar people but to the security, cohesion and prosperity of the entire ASEAN region. The NUG concluded by reaffirming its steadfast commitment to a peaceful, federal and democratic Myanmar and its readiness to engage constructively with the ASEAN Chair, the ASEAN Troika, the Special Envoy and all relevant partners to advance the shared objectives of regional stability, humanitarian relief and the dignity of the people of Myanmar.

Myanmar ambassador tells Migration Review Forum that junta is the root cause of mass displacement

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, in his statement at the General Debate of the Second International Migration Review Forum in New York on 8 May 2026, stated that migration should be a choice and not forced, delivering a statement. He stressed that violence, conflict and structural failures remain the primary drivers of forced migration, and that for Myanmar migration is not a theoretical framework but a life-saving necessity.

The ambassador said that migration had traditionally contributed positively to the development of the country, but that the illegal military coup in February 2021 violently reversed this trend, shifting migration from an economic opportunity to a desperate fight for survival. Recalling that Objective 2 of the Global Compact for Migration calls on states to minimise the adverse drivers of forced migration, he stated that through relentless terror, documented war crimes, crimes against humanity and forced conscription, the military junta is the fundamental root cause of Myanmar's mass displacement. He noted that to date over 3.6 million people are internally displaced and 1.3 million have fled across borders, and that so many people, including elderly people, women and girls and youth, have left the country to avoid the military junta's atrocities.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that all of them want to go back to Myanmar as soon as possible. He recalled that during the time of the elected government from 2016 to 2020 many members of the Myanmar diaspora, especially young people, returned home and contributed to the development of the country, only to be forced to leave again after the coup. He stressed that to enable them to return home safely and sustainably the root cause must be addressed, and that the military dictatorship and the culture of impunity in Myanmar must be ended.

The ambassador further highlighted that Myanmar is also a destination of human trafficking, and that the military junta facilitated the creation of a safe haven for transnational organized crimes including online scams in Myanmar. He said that many young people across the world have become victims of online scams and that some have even lost their lives in online scam centres, and urged the international community to address this issue seriously in a holistic and coherent manner.

In conclusion, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that only by dismantling the military dictatorship and the culture of impunity and building a federal democratic union can Myanmar find a sustainable solution to its crises, guarantee the safe, voluntary and dignified return of all its people, and allow the people of Myanmar finally to stop fleeing and rebuild their lives in contribution to sustainable global peace and security. He urged the international community to support the people of Myanmar in their efforts for sustainable peace and stability and a better Myanmar. The forced displacement of over 3.6 million people within Myanmar and of 1.3 million across its borders, driven by the junta's terror, war crimes, crimes against humanity and forced conscription, constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Myanmar ambassador says junta atrocities have made practising the Buddha's teachings ever more challenging, at Vesak commemoration

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, stated that practising the Buddha's teachings in Myanmar has become more challenging than ever since the illegal military coup of February 2021 and the subsequent atrocities of the military, speaking at the commemoration of the International Day of Vesak 2026 in New York on 12 May 2026.

The ambassador said that at a time when the international community is confronting multifaceted crises, with humanity falling into extreme danger, Vesak is a time to reflect on the Buddha's timeless teachings of humanity, mindfulness, compassion and non-violence. He stated that in Myanmar such practices have become more challenging than ever since the illegal coup and the atrocities of the military that followed, and that the suffering of the people of Myanmar has accordingly become profound, ranging from displacement, extreme poverty and a significant lack of essential services to the loss of so many innocent lives. He added that nonetheless the resilient spirit of the people remains unbroken, yearning for the light of Dharma and genuine peace.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that it is in this spirit of resilience that immense inspiration is found, paying tribute to the monks who undertook the gruelling Walk for Peace journey from Texas to Washington D.C., a historic journey of 2,300 miles. He said that for the people of Myanmar this pilgrimage brought hope and strength at a critical time when people thirst for peace, and that it also carried a deeply emotional resonance, as witnessing a diverse group of monks marching steadfastly for peace served as a powerful and moving reminder of the role played by monks in the struggle for peace in Myanmar. He thanked them for their incredible endurance, their wisdom and their unyielding spirit, stating that through their physical sacrifice they have shown the people of Myanmar and the world that peace cultivated within naturally ripples outward, keeping the light of hope alive for those struggling in the dark. He added that this serves as a powerful example and reminds members of the global community that metta, loving-kindness, requires active and tireless effort.

The ambassador urged that peace should not merely be spoken of but walked towards together, and humbly asked all to keep people in crises, including the people of Myanmar, in their minds and hearts. He called on all to pray for Myanmar's peace and stability and for the peace and stability of the world, and to provide stronger and effective support to the people of Myanmar in their effort towards building a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous, just and inclusive future Myanmar. He concluded by calling on all to continue practising the Four Noble Truths and to keep spreading metta to people around the world for greater peace.

Response of the International Community

IIMM marks one year since junta airstrike on school in Sagaing Region as attacks on children continue

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) issued a press release on 12 May 2026, the anniversary of a deadly airstrike by the junta Air Force on a school in Sagaing Region, in which the United Nations investigative body noted that children continue to be the targets of airstrikes that deliberately target civilians.

The Mechanism stated that one year after the junta's deadly attack on a school in Oe Htein Kwin Village in Sagaing Region, which killed more than 20 students, it continues to investigate this atrocity along with more recent incidents of children killed or injured in bombardments of schools, hospitals, places of worship and homes. It stated that airstrikes which deliberately target civilians, or which are indiscriminate, violate international law.

The IIMM noted that earlier in May an air attack killed at least five children between the ages of five months and 10 years at a village playground in Chin State. It stated that this tragic incident follows multiple airstrikes across the country which have caused the death and injury of children in the past year, including attacks on villages in Mandalay, Bago Region and Rakhine State in March and April 2026, on a church in Tanintharyi Region in March 2026, on two schools in Rakhine State in September 2025 and on a monastery sheltering internally displaced people in Sagaing Region in July 2025.

Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Mechanism, said that the Mechanism is focusing on airstrikes that appear to directly target civilians in locations where children are likely to be present, which may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. He added that the Mechanism is collecting and analysing evidence, including on the composition of the junta Air Force and its chain of command, in order to identify the perpetrators involved so that they can be held to account.

The Mechanism stated that, based on the available data, which is likely an underestimate, children were killed or injured in at least 640 airstrikes between the military takeover in February 2021 and 2025. It added that even for children who have not personally experienced an attack, the danger and stress arising from the risk is having a deep and lasting impact on them. Nicholas Koumjian said that attacks on children are particularly heinous and that children in Myanmar should be able to sleep, study and play without fear. The deliberate and indiscriminate targeting of schools, places of worship, hospitals and homes where children are present constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and its amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

SAC-M and former ASEAN ministers urge Philippines to reject junta at Cebu Summit

The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), together with three former ministers from Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, released a joint statement on 6 May 2026 ahead of the ASEAN Leaders' Summit in Cebu, urging the Philippines, as ASEAN Chair, to reject the military junta and to call for an end to violence, the release of political prisoners and full humanitarian access.

The statement said that recent months have seen the junta deliver half-measures aimed at placating ASEAN and the international community, beginning with an illegitimate election, followed by the convening of a fake parliament headed by Min Aung Hlaing as a false president, and more recently the junta's unverified claims to have moved State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest after her years-long solitary and incommunicado detention in conditions that likely constituted torture. It stated that all the while the junta has intensified its atrocity campaigns against the people of Myanmar, noting that March 2026 set a new record as the deadliest month for civilians since the junta's illegal coup of 2021, with indiscriminate junta attacks claiming more than 500 lives.

The signatories stated that after years of humiliation at the junta's hands, including Min Aung Hlaing reneging on the Five-Point Consensus, ASEAN must accept that the tiger's stripes will not change, and that it cannot mistake junta half-measures as genuine concessions against the backdrop of the junta's unabated brutality. They said that the Philippines as ASEAN Chair must use the Cebu Summit to drive a hard line demanding full measures from the junta, leading ASEAN to adopt a new decision on Myanmar.

The statement set out that such a decision must reject the junta's new proxy administration and refuse to engage with its representatives, expanding the ban on junta representatives at ASEAN meetings to include those at working level, in order to starve the junta of the legitimacy it needs to survive. It must demand the immediate cessation of all junta violence and the immediate, full and unconditional release of all political prisoners, noting that the reported relocation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest would be a positive step if true but remains arbitrary detention, and that independent monitors, medical personnel and her family members must be granted immediate access to the State Counsellor. It must also continue to recognise President U Win Myint, who was recently released from years of junta solitary confinement and remains subject to surveillance and restrictions, as Myanmar's legitimate President.

The statement further called for the decision to demand full humanitarian access throughout the country, including through cross-border channels to scale up the urgent delivery of assistance to all communities in need, through coordinated responses by ASEAN, United Nations entities, Myanmar ethnic and civil society organisations and Myanmar's neighbours. It called for the strengthening of stakeholder engagement platforms with legitimate democratic actors and institutions in Myanmar to support the inclusive negotiation of a new federal democratic constitution, in accordance with the will and aspirations of the people and without preconditions, involving the Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union, ethnic organisations and councils, the National Unity Government, emerging state and federal units and alliances, civil society and minority communities, including those who have been forced to leave Myanmar.

The signatories also urged ASEAN to press ahead on accountability efforts in Myanmar, including by confirming its support for the appointment by Timor-Leste of a prosecutor to explore potential proceedings against Min Aung Hlaing and other junta members for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, and by welcoming early steps in Indonesia. They stated that when the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing, as is widely expected, the Philippines and other ASEAN member states must cooperate with the Court in securing his arrest and transfer to The Hague. They added that ASEAN must strengthen the role of its Special Envoy on Myanmar, including through a longer-term full-time appointment and increased staffing and resources through a strengthened Office of the Special Envoy. The statement concluded that the cost of ASEAN restraint is clear as Myanmar's junta-triggered crises become more intractable and increase the threat to regional stability, and that the Philippines must seize its window to act. The junta's indiscriminate attacks on civilians and its continued arbitrary detention of political prisoners constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

ANFREL urges ASEAN leaders not to confer legitimacy on junta's sham elections

Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) urged Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders attending the summit in Cebu, the Philippines, to refrain from conferring legitimacy on the non-credible electoral process staged by the military junta in December 2025 and January 2026.

ANFREL reiterated that, as documented in its joint report with the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, Old Generals, New Clothes: The Myanmar Junta's Illegitimate 2025-26 Elections and the Way Forward, the electoral process staged by the military junta did not meet any international or regional standards for credible, inclusive and legitimate elections. It stated that the process lacked the fundamental conditions necessary for genuine democratic participation and cannot be regarded as a legitimate reflection of the will of the people of Myanmar.

The ANFREL noted that the continued restrictions on political participation, civic space and independent scrutiny in Myanmar also highlight the increasingly difficult environment faced by citizen election observers, civil society groups, journalists and democratic actors across the region. It added that despite these challenges many continue to document electoral and human rights violations under dangerous conditions in defence of democratic participation and public accountability.

ANFREL urged ASEAN leaders to refrain from actions that could confer legitimacy upon a non-credible electoral process. It stated that ASEAN should instead continue to pursue a solution that reflects the aspirations and democratic will of the people of Myanmar, which requires meaningful engagement with legitimate democratic actors, ethnic stakeholders, civil society and affected communities in order to help create the conditions for genuine dialogue, accountability and transitional justice. ANFREL stated that such efforts are essential in advancing an inclusive process towards a peaceful democratic future grounded in representative governance, human rights, reconciliation and long-term regional stability. The junta's restrictions on political participation, civic space and independent scrutiny constitute violations of international human rights law, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and participation in public affairs.

Criminal file against junta leader Min Aung Hlaing of war crimes submitted to court in Timor-Leste

The Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP) and the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) reported in statements issued on 4 May 2026 that a criminal file against junta leader Min Aung Hlaing of war crimes and crimes against humanity has been formally submitted to the Court of First Instance in Dili, Timor-Leste, for judicial review, following the opening of proceedings in February. This is the next phase in the case initiated in January by the Director of the Chin Human Rights Organisation, Salai Za Uk, who alleges that Min Aung Hlaing bears command and control responsibility for a series of atrocity crimes in Chin State, in north-western Myanmar.

The statement set out that these crimes include the gang rape of a seven-month-pregnant woman in front of her husband, the massacre of ten people including a journalist and a 13-year-old boy, who was among eight people who had their hands tied behind their backs and their throats slit, the deliberate killing of a Christian pastor and three deacons, a disproportionate and indiscriminate aerial attack on a hospital which killed four medical staff and four patients, and a series of attacks on Christian churches and on civilian infrastructure protected under international law.

Salai Za Uk urged the government of Timor-Leste to take the simple step of opening an investigation against the war criminal Min Aung Hlaing, who is already under investigation by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He said that the Chin people, against whom the junta is committing gross human rights violations on an industrial scale, look for support to the people of Timor-Leste, who share a history of atrocity crimes such as rape, massacres and indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

Jose Teixeira, lead lawyer in the case, from the Timorese law firm Da Silva Teixeira & Associados, said that there is a legal obligation to open an investigation and that he believes the court will make this determination. He added that such an investigation would place little pressure on the judicial system in Timor-Leste, given that organisations such as the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar in Geneva have been investigating Min Aung Hlaing and stand ready to support these proceedings as they move forward.

Chris Gunness, Director of the Myanmar Accountability Project, said that the case lays bare the absurdity of the situation in Myanmar, with Min Aung Hlaing attempting to fool the world that he is the rightful leader of the country following sham elections which he fixed, and asking governments to normalise relations with his illegitimate junta. He stated that the reality is that Min Aung Hlaing is a wanted war criminal, and that cases against him are piling up in multiple jurisdictions around the world including Argentina, Turkey, the Philippines and Timor-Leste, as well as in the world's two international courts in The Hague, namely the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, where Myanmar under his leadership stands accused of violating the Genocide Convention for its actions against the Rohingya people.

Chris Gunness added that in an unprecedented move earlier in May the Indonesian government formally accepted a criminal file under the country's new penal code, in which a Rohingya genocide survivor, Yasmin Ullah, and ten leading Indonesian public figures accused Min Aung Hlaing of genocide. He concluded that this dictator should be in prison and not in the presidential palace. The crimes set out in the file, including sexual violence, mass killings, the targeted killing of religious figures and indiscriminate aerial attacks on a hospital and on churches, constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

APHR calls for immediate and unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at ASEAN Summit

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) demanded the unconditional release of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a statement on 6 May 2026, and declared its support for the Proof of Life campaign to verify the health of the pro-democracy icon.

As ASEAN leaders convened in Cebu for the 48th ASEAN Summit, APHR called for the immediate and unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and urged the bloc to add its voice to growing global demands. It noted that the United Nations Secretary-General, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, and governments including the United States, the European Union, Japan and France have all called for her release. APHR stated that the junta's transfer of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate from Nay Pyi Taw Prison to an undisclosed location under house arrest on 30 April, four days before the summit opened, has done nothing to satisfy that demand, and described the move as a calculated attempt to deflect pressure and generate diplomatic goodwill amid heightened international scrutiny.

APHR also expressed support for the Proof of Life campaign and underscored the urgent need to verify Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's health and wellbeing. It noted that Kim Aris, leading champion of the campaign, has had no direct contact with his mother since 1 February 2021, and that no independent observer has been permitted to verify the health or welfare of the 80-year-old former leader.

The organisation further welcomed the call by the Philippines, as ASEAN Chair, to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and urged ASEAN to elevate that call into a unified bloc position. It stated that the Five-Point Consensus requires the junta to engage in genuine dialogue with all stakeholders, yet in the five years since its adoption the ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar has never once been permitted to meet the leader of the party that won Myanmar's last free election.

APHR called on ASEAN leaders to demand Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate and unconditional release, not merely in words but through concrete and coordinated pressure on the junta to act, to ensure that her family is granted immediate access and that independent observers are permitted to verify her condition without delay, and to reaffirm that any political process excluding Myanmar's democratically elected representatives lacks legitimacy and must not be recognised by ASEAN. The continued detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi without access to her family, her lawyers or independent observers constitutes arbitrary detention and incommunicado detention in violation of international human rights law.

Suu Foundation calls for unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners

Suu Foundation released a statement on 4 May 2026 calling on the military junta to release State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, describing this as the only real way to move forward in Myanmar.

The Board of the Suu Foundation said that it had seen news from junta sources in Myanmar regarding the transfer of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to imprisonment at an undisclosed address in Nay Pyi Taw. It stated that it welcomes anything that provides her with some measure of human decency and that it is essential she receives the necessary care after enduring her unjust detention, adding that she must also have access to her family and her lawyers.

The Foundation stressed, however, that it is only the release of all political prisoners that advances peace in Myanmar, and that moving Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest amounts to mere hostage diplomacy. It therefore called for her full and unconditional release from arrest, accompanied by a true cessation of violence, stating that only in this way can all parties come together in a genuine and inclusive process leading to national reconciliation. It added that the old models of divide and rule, including the discredited National Ceasefire Agreement, will not bring peace.

The Suu Foundation reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to Myanmar, to peacebuilding, to healthcare and to education. It said that it stands with those who strive for the end of violence and suffering, that it supports those who are now establishing forms of governance which meet the needs and interests of the people of Myanmar, and that it will do all it can to support a Myanmar-led, lasting peace that will bring stability and justice for the people.

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Date: 15 May 2026

Permanent Mission of Myanmar, New York