Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar (16-11-2025 to 30-11-2025)

Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar

(16-11-2025 to 30-11-2025)

(58) 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.

Moreover, 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 of May 2025, according to Data for Myanmar.

According to the UNDP, 49.7 % of the population in Myanmar was living under the national poverty line in 2023. Again, its report in June 2025 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 dismantle of rule of law by the junta, transnational organized crimes including online scam, drug and human trafficking are rising across the country and generating security implication to the region and beyond.

Unfortunately, the suffering of the people has been compounded by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake which struck Myanmar on 28 March. Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region and Nay Pyi Taw were among the hardest hits. Due to the earthquake, almost 4,200 people killed, over 3,680 people injured. Over 3.2 million people were affected. Infrastructures as well as houses and religious facilities were severely destroyed.

According to the data collected by AAPP, from 1 to 30 November 2025, (45) people in total; (21) women and (24) men, were killed by the junta’s airstrikes across the country, including (15) children under the age of 18. These are the numbers that have been verified. Among the (45) deaths, Rakhine Region recorded the highest number of fatalities, totalling (23). During the stated period, AAPP has also received information regarding the death of (65) civilians by airstrikes, as a result of the  junta’s attacks, whose identities have yet to be confirmed.

Amidst such suffering, the military junta has continued carrying out of atrocities, aerial and artillery attacks across the country.

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

Military junta commits 512 human rights violations in November 2025, with 184 airstrikes killing 130 civilians

The military junta committed a total of 512 human rights violations across Myanmar during November 2025, according to data released by the Ministry of Human Rights of the National Unity Government. The violations included 184 airstrikes that killed 130 civilians and injured 262 others, representing a continuation of the junta's systematic attacks against the civilian population in violation of international humanitarian law.

The data, covering the period from 1 to 30 November, revealed that property destruction was the most frequently documented violation with 126 cases, followed by extrajudicial killings at 100 cases. Other violations included forced labour with 65 cases, forced displacement with 28 cases, arbitrary arrest with 26 cases, and arbitrary detention with 13 cases. The junta also committed 12 violations of freedom of expression, 11 cases of destruction of religious buildings, seven cases of torture, five violations of freedom of movement, four unfair trials, three attacks on medical centres, two enforced disappearances, two violations of freedom of religion and belief, and one case of sexual violence.

The military junta conducted 184 airstrikes during November 2025. Sagaing Region experienced the highest number with 42 airstrikes, followed by Rakhine State with 37 airstrikes. The airstrikes resulted in 130 fatalities across the country. Among the 130 fatalities, 17 were children under 18 years of age, 56 were adults above 18 years, and 57 remained unidentified.

The airstrikes also injured 262 civilians. Sagaing Region recorded the highest number of injuries with 46, followed by Kachin State with 33, Mandalay Region with 30, Magway Region with 28, Rakhine State with Among the injured, 34 were children under 18 years, 86 were adults above 18 years, and 142 remained unidentified.

The junta's airstrikes destroyed 10 medical centres across two regions during November 2025, with six medical centres destroyed in Sagaing Region and four in Mandalay Region. These attacks on healthcare facilities constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law, which affords special protection to medical establishments during armed conflict.

The airstrikes also destroyed 202 houses and 13 schools across Myanmar. Mandalay Region suffered the greatest destruction of civilian housing with 60 houses destroyed along with four schools. Religious buildings were not spared from the junta's attacks. A total of 15 religious buildings were destroyed, comprising 13 Buddhist religious buildings and two Christian religious buildings. The military junta also committed 10 massacres during November 2025, resulting in 58 fatalities.

The Ministry of Human Rights noted that among the 512 documented violations, 103 cases categorized as other violations included military junta artillery attacks and airstrikes against civilians in the absence of combat. These indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law, demonstrating the junta's continued disregard for the protection of civilians and fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.

Military junta airstrike kills five civilians including three children in Myaing Township

A military junta airstrike on Kangyi Village in Myaing Township, Magway Region, killed five civilians, including three children, during midnight sleeping hours, according to local media outlets. More than 20 others were injured in the attack.

The strike occurred at around 12:10 am on 20 November, when a jet fighter from the junta’s Meiktila Shante Air Base dropped two 200-pound bombs on the village. Many houses were hit and three houses were completely destroyed. At least 10 homes were damaged and over 20 villagers injured, with several in critical condition, reports stated.

Revolutionary forces reported that junta troops have recently been conducting patrols across villages in Myaing and Pauk townships and in areas between the two townships, followed by multiple air attacks.

The Anyar Myay Tat Paung Su (Allied Forces of Central Myanmar) also released a statement saying the junta intentionally targeted the village centre and bombed it while residents were asleep. Intensified troop movements by the junta since early November have triggered a major displacement crisis across Myaing and Pauk townships, forcing large numbers of civilians to flee.

Local resistance groups warned that communities in the region are facing severe human rights violations, including aerial bombings and attacks by junta columns, arbitrary arrests and killings, looting, landmine contamination in villages, deaths due to illness and exhaustion during displacement, and the loss of children's rights to education and safe living conditions.

The deliberate targeting of civilians whilst they slept and in the absence of any armed confrontation constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and amounts to a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Military junta torches at least 20 villages in Wetlet Township

A military junta column pushing through Wetlet Township in Sagaing Region has raided and torched at least 20 villages since early November, Myanmar Now stated.

The junta troops carrying out continuous raids in western Wetlet since 4 November have torched a string of villages along the Shwebo-Mandalay Road.  A member of the Wetlet Township People's Strike Steering Committee told that the column has been moving through these areas with about 100 to 150 troops from the permanent camp. He stated that they split into two groups as they advanced, torching every village they entered and destroying everything in their path.

Residents say they have been unable to assess the full scale of destruction while junta troops remain in the area, though early estimates suggest hundreds of homes may have been burned. Several of the affected villages, including Kyee Kan, Pin Zin and Ta Mar Kone, have been hit before, and Mu Gyi has now been torched at least four times. Data for Myanmar, which tracks arson attacks, reports that more than 100,000 homes have been destroyed nationwide since the coup, over 76,000 of them in Sagaing Region.

A resistance fighter in Wetlet Township told Myanmar Now that the junta appears to be targeting control of the Shwebo-Mandalay Road. In western Wetlet Township, they have set villages on fire from Sar Taung onward, following earlier raids in the eastern part. He noted that their operations appear to be carried out sequentially, and with the highway in the west, it seems they are trying to regain control of it.

Wetlet Township is located in Shwebo District in central Sagaing Region, northwest of Mandalay. The area sits along key transport routes, including the Shwebo-Mandalay Road, and has seen sustained clashes and military operations since the 2021 coup. Wetlet is mostly rural, with most residents relying on farming and seasonal labour. The township has been one of the hardest-hit areas in Sagaing during the junta's clearance campaigns, facing repeated raids, arson attacks, and mass displacement over the past three years.

Junta troops have established permanent positions along the Shwebo-Mandalay Road at Sar Taung in Sagaing Township, in Ywar Thar Gyi and Saing Naing Kwayt in Wetlet Township, and near the entrance to Shwebo. Resistance forces say the column has been raiding and burning villages on both sides of the road to tighten its control over the Wetlet section. Wetlet Township is not part of the junta's upcoming sham elections, though neighbouring Shwebo and Sagaing townships are slated for phase one in late December.

Around 20,000 people from the burned villages and nearby areas have fled Wetlet and cannot return while junta troops remain. Local rights groups say the displaced civilians urgently need food, medicine, and warm clothing.

A member of the Wetlet Township People's Strike Steering Committee stated that the junta's raids have cut off the main supply road, leading to food shortages, and the shelters where people are staying also lack adequate water. He added that with winter approaching, blankets, warm clothing, and proper shelter are urgently needed, particularly for children and the elderly.

As junta troops advance through Wetlet, they are also raiding Khin-U Township in Shwebo District, forcing nearly 20,000 residents from Khin-U and the neighbouring areas of Ye-U and Kanbalu townships to flee. Resistance groups say the junta has intensified operations across northern Sagaing Region in recent weeks, pushing columns through Kanbalu, Khin-U and Ye-U townships and burning villages along the way.

The surge in military activity underscores the junta's effort to reassert control over key areas of Sagaing Region ahead of the planned sham election. The systematic burning of civilian homes and forced displacement of entire communities constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and amount to crimes against humanity.

Military junta airstrikes kill two healthcare workers in attack on hospital and detention centre in Banmauk Township

Military junta aircraft bombed a hospital and a detention centre run by the National Unity Government in Banmauk Township, upper Sagaing Region, on 18 November, killing two people and injuring several others, according to Myanmar Now.

Myanmar Now reported that a junta aircraft dropped bombs on two locations in Banmauk at around 4pm, striking a hospital on the town's southern edge and a detention centre in the downtown area. The hospital took a direct hit, killing a male and a female volunteer healthcare worker, according to a local resident close to the resistance forces. A local man told that the bomb was dropped on the hospital, and another one on what is called A1 hill where detainees are held. He stated that when the hospital was hit, two health volunteers, a male and a female, were killed.

The names and ages of the two deceased health workers, as well as the full number of injured, are still being verified. Detainees at the NUG-run facility were also wounded in the blast, but details of their injuries remain unclear, the resident said. Local sources said the precision of the strikes on both the hospital and the detention centre has fuelled speculation that a junta informant provided the junta with exact coordinates.

The junta has intensified airstrikes across the country this year as it struggles to contain armed resistance, increasingly targeting hospitals, schools, monasteries and civilian-administered facilities in areas outside its control. Rights groups and monitoring organizations have documented a sharp rise in aerial attacks, often killing children, since late 2023, with Sagaing, Chin, Karenni and Kachin among the hardest-hit regions. The escalation has coincided with growing territorial losses on the ground, prompting the junta to rely more heavily on air power, often with devastating consequences for civilians.

The deliberate targeting of healthcare facilities constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law, which affords special protection to medical establishments and personnel during armed conflict. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and medical units is considered as a war crime.

Human Rights Abuses   

Military junta sentences three young protesters to up to 49 years imprisonment for anti-election posters

A military junta court sentenced three young protesters to 49 years each in prison on 19 November on charges under Section 23a of the junta's so-called elections protection law, according to the protesters' family members. Yan Naing Kyi Win, 23, Aung Ye Htut, 24, and Yamin Htet, 19, were separately sentenced by the Hlaing Tharyar East and West township courts under the so-called Law on Protection of Multiparty Democratic General Elections from Obstruction, Disruption, and Destruction.

The junta announced on 20 September, two days after detaining the youths, that they had put up anti-election posters in the Hlaing Tharyar East and West townships with yellow text on a red background, depicting the shape of a bullet on a black ballot box. Two months later, Yan Naing Kyi Win and Aung Ye Htut were convicted and each sentenced to 49 years imprisonment on seven counts of breaking the elections protection law. Yamin Htet was sentenced to 42 years in prison.

Since their arrest on 18 September, the detainees were allowed to see their families in person only once. The court imposed the maximum penalty for their charges after two hearings, while the defendants were seeking attorneys to hire, according to one of the defendants' relatives. The relative stated that these are young people and that they are not thieves or robbers. They did not violate moral standards and they just expressed their beliefs. The relative added that to hand down such sentences is extremely vindictive and that these young people will be harmed deeply.

Yan Naing Kyi Win had previously been detained for protesting military rule shortly after the February 2021 coup and released in 2023 before his most recent arrest. His twin brother Yan Naung Kyi Win was also arrested for protesting the coup before being released in 2023 and arrested again in December 2024.

According to the so-called elections protection law, which came into force in July of this year, each violation charged under Section 23 carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

Since Myanmar's February 2021 military coup, 7,442 anti-junta activists have been killed and 29,998 have been arrested as of 19 November, according to data collected by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. A total of 85 political prisoners have been charged with violating the elections protection law, according to the AAPP.

The imposition of such disproportionate sentences for the peaceful expression of political views constitutes a grave violation of the right to freedom of expression under international human rights law. The use of draconian legislation to suppress dissent and silence opposition to the junta's sham elections demonstrates the illegitimate and violent nature of the planned electoral process.

Military junta accused of forcing Loikaw Prison inmates to cast advance ballots in election rigging attempt

The Karenni Political Prisoners Association has accused the military junta of attempting to rig the election by collecting the names of inmates in Loikaw Prison and forcing them to cast advance ballots at the end of September. A KPPA official told that lists of male and female inmates, including political prisoners and detainees, were documented in the second week of September before they were instructed to vote in advance later that month.

The official stated that he learned this from people who were released, explaining that they were first counted and then instructed to vote, and all of them did. He added that there are more than 700 inmates in Loikaw Prison, but it remains unclear whether they were directed to choose a specific party.

The official explained that in prison, inmates have no choice but to do whatever they are told. If they are ordered to vote in advance, they must vote in advance and cannot refuse. He stated that he does not know whether they were instructed which party to vote for, noting that it is very hard to get information inside the prison. He added that prisoners cannot even think about which party they like or dislike and simply have to vote as instructed.

The KPPA stated that the process was overseen by the Prison Department and argued that the procedure violated the so-called election law issued by the junta, which does not grant prisoners the right to vote. The association's official stated that the law clearly states that convicted persons are not allowed to vote, but now they are being asked to vote early, which is outside the law. He questioned how and where these prisoners' advance voting lists will be used.

The forced voting of prisoners, including political detainees held without due process, represents a flagrant violation of electoral integrity and fundamental democratic principles. The manipulation of the electoral process through coerced voting further demonstrates that the junta's planned elections cannot meet any credible standard of legitimacy under international law.

Thousands of scam syndicate workers flee Myawaddy to Yangon and Mandalay with help from ethnic Karen armed groups

The Irrawaddy reported that thousands of foreign nationals reportedly linked to online scam syndicate in Myawaddy, Karen State have fled to major cities including Yangon and Mandalay with help from ethnic Karen armed groups, even as the military junta claims success in its crackdown on notorious hubs like KK Park and Shwe Kokko.

Despite the junta says it has sealed off buildings in Shwe Kokko since 18 November, locals report the scam bosses have relocated their operations elsewhere, with syndicate workers funneled to other towns by junta-affiliated Karen groups.

Residents and sources close to the Karen State Border Guard Force, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, and Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council said that the three groups are escorting scam workers out of Myawaddy, charging millions of kyats per person. Transport fees reportedly reach up to 25 million kyats (US$11,900) for an individual.

A Myawaddy resident told The Irrawaddy that the BGF and KNLA-PC help transport them to Myawaddy and Hpa-an towns in Karen State, while the DKBA takes them to Payathonzu. The resident stated that they are transported in groups of two to 10, with prices per load ranging from 200,000 to one million baht (US$6,250-31,250) according to the number of people and their positions in the scam syndicates. Some are disguised in uniforms during transportation. The workers then travel on to large cities, including Yangon and Mandalay, said residents.

Locals estimate that more than 50,000 workers, including thousands of foreign nationals, were employed at scam compounds in KK Park and Shwe Kokko in Myawaddy Township. A source close to the Karen armed groups stated that there are numerous scam syndicates, some employing a few dozen workers and others more than a thousand. The source added that the BGF is helping the big syndicates to move while the smaller ones are moving out on their own.

The resistance of the people of Myanmar

Chin resistance forces seize military junta camp near Tedim Town

Chin resistance forces seized control of a military junta camp located just outside of the northern Chin State town of Tedim on 26 November, according to Myanmar Now and various outlets.  It is reported that the camp, situated near the sign marking the entrance to the town, came under attack at around 8am and fell several hours later.

Around 60 junta troops were stationed at the camp, which controlled traffic entering and leaving the town. Several junta soldiers were killed and two were captured. The resistance forces stated that they took prisoners of war and also captured weapons and ammunition, including RPG rounds. It is added that the prisoners will be handed over to the relevant authorities for interrogation. The exact number of dead and wounded on the junta's side was not known. There were no reported resistance casualties.

The junta has been intensifying its efforts to reclaim lost territory in Chin State since late last month. More than half of the state is currently under the control of anti-junta forces. As part of its campaign to retake areas in northern Chin State, the junta deployed 26 helicopters to transfer more than 500 troops to the Infantry Battalion 269 base in Tedim in late October. Within days, it was launching attacks in the surrounding area.

Earlier this month, the junta recaptured two key positions on the Kalay-Tedim road linking Chin State to Sagaing Region, namely a base on Kennedy Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the Chin Hills, and an outpost in Taingen, a village at the strategically important junction with the road to the resistance-held town of Falam.

Two weeks later, the PDF Zoland stated it regained control of the Kennedy Mountain base. However, the junta still holds the Taingen outpost and is continuing its push south to Falam.

In early November, a junta column advancing into Chin State from Gangaw in Magway Region also recaptured Webula, a town on the Chin-Sagaing border. Since then, it has continued to advance on Falam, and currently has troops stationed at villages about 12 miles east of the town.

Spring Development Bank investment value increases fivefold over two years

According to Mizzima news, investment value in Spring Development Bank (SDB) has increased fivefold over the past two years, SDB CEO Kelvin said during a press conference titled “From Spring Development Bank's Innovative Financial Success Milestones to the Economic Freedom of the New Myanmar” on 18 November. He noted that the value of SDB tokens, first offered for sale on 14 November, has risen nearly fivefold since their launch.

Kelvin stated that they began operations in July 2023, and their valuation has continued to rise. He explained that on Friday 14 November, they officially entered the Exchange Listing, beginning with an initial valuation of US$500 million. He added that today, that figure has risen past US$700 million and is nearing US$800 million, noting that compared with the funding they received two years ago, investments from the revolutionary public have now increased fivefold.

Kelvin said growing public support has positioned SDB to surpass the value of several of Myanmar's largest financial institutions, adding that the bank aims to play a leading role in post-revolution reconstruction and future investment growth.

He also emphasized that Spring Bank was established in accordance with regulations issued by the NUG's interim central bank and continues to operate according to its planned roadmap.

Spring Bank is now listed on the global crypto exchange MEXC and maintains more than 550,000 accounts, with turnover nearing US$1 billion, he said.

Following its 14 November listing on MEXC, tokens sold during SDB's ICO 1 and ICO 2 rounds can now be exchanged for digital currency on the platform.

SDB was launched to mobilize funds for the Spring Revolution and disrupt the military junta's financial reach. According to information released at the press conference, the bank has so far contributed nearly US$30 million to support the movement.

Activities of the National Unity Government

NUG Foreign Minister meets Australian Foreign Minister

The National Unity Government announced that its Foreign Minister, Daw Zin Mar Aung, met with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on 17 November at Parliament House in Canberra to discuss Myanmar affairs. According to the NUG's statement released on 20 November, the discussion covered humanitarian needs, transnational crimes, and regional peace and stability.

The NUG stated that Daw Zin Mar Aung briefed Minister Penny Wong on ongoing efforts and progress toward restoring democracy in Myanmar, priority issues related to civilian protection, and approaches for securing practical international assistance. She also stressed the need to reject all processes aimed at entrenching military rule and presented the NUG's roadmap toward an inclusive federal democratic union.

During the meeting, Daw Zin Mar Aung acknowledged Australia's principles and practical role in the Indo-Pacific region and expressed gratitude for the Australian government's support for global human rights.

National Unity Government designates military junta leader and 13 generals as terrorists

The National Unity Government Anti-Terrorism Central Committee on Tuesday declared that a total of 14 military generals, including junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and 25 members of the Union Election Commission, were designated as terrorists for alleged crimes against humanity. The NUG stated on 25 November that as the central body for combating terrorism, it will strive to take legal action against them, without specifically outlining what actions will be taken.

It also labelled the junta's Union Election Commission as a terrorist group for obeying the orders from a junta that took power illegally during the military coup on 1 February 2021. UEC Chairperson Thein Soe, as well as UEC members Thaung Tin, Than Htun, Aung Saw Win, and Saw Ba Hlaing, were included on the NUG terrorist list. The junta's National Defence and Security Council, which was formed by 11 members from the junta, received the same designation as a terrorist group.

Junta generals such as Soe Win, Mya Tun Oo, Tun Tun Naung, Aung Lin Dwe, Ye Win Oo, Tin Aung San, Maung Maung Aye, Yar Pyae, Thida Oo, Than Swe, Wanna Maung Lwin, as well as former Vice President Henry Van Thio, were included by the NUG. It called on all Myanmar citizens and resistance groups to assist in the actions against the junta without giving any specific details as to how.

Anyone arrested on suspicion of affiliation with these groups could face 10 years to life imprisonment, according to the Myanmar Counter-Terrorism Law, which was amended in 2021 after the coup. NUG Prime Minister's Office spokesperson Nay Phone Latt announced that the junta's new administration, known as the State Security and Peace Commission, was declared a terrorist organisation on 18 September.

Myanmar Ambassador calls on UN member states to reject military junta's sham elections at UN General Assembly

On 19 November, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations, delivered an explanation of vote before the vote on the draft resolution entitled Situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar at the Third Committee of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that the draft resolution serves a dual purpose: demanding accountability for the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar and calling for a return to the democratic path for the entire country. He emphasized that the Rohingya issue is an integral part of Myanmar's crisis, noting that a conducive environment for the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees has not been feasible due to the intensification of atrocities including aerial attacks on civilians by the military junta in their most brutal forms.

He highlighted that the military junta and its affiliates have facilitated further and created wider a safe haven for transnational crimes including online scam and human and drug trafficking. He warned that severe consequences of these transnational crimes have spilled over to our neighbours, the region and beyond and threatening the international peace and security at large, adding that more coordinated effective action of the UN and the international community is seriously and urgently needed to eliminate the online scam and other transnational crimes in Myanmar and beyond.

The Ambassador expressed deep regret that people inside the country, from all backgrounds, especially public figures such as celebrities, are being held hostage and forced to participate in the junta's propaganda regarding this shameful scam election. He warned that if the international community fails to reject the junta's orchestrated sham election, we anticipate that many in the country will face coerced participation.

Regarding the junta's planned elections, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that the military junta is attempting to whitewash their serious crimes and evade accountability by organizing a sham election process aiming to legitimize its unlawful seizure of power. Ambassador stated that the so-called election will never be free, fair or inclusive, and urgently called on member states to categorically reject the junta's planned sham elections. He concluded by stating that with the junta's dismantling of every democratic institution, its commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and its blocking of humanitarian aid as a form of collective punishment, the least the international community can do is to refuse to recognize the junta's planned sham elections and stand against the military dictatorship.

Myanmar Ambassador highlights military junta as root cause of human trafficking crisis at UN General Assembly high-level meeting

On 25 November, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations, addressed the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that trafficking thrives on systemic failure and the collapse of the rule of law, welcoming the 2025 Political Declaration as a vital milestone signaling that the era of impunity is ending. He emphasized that in Myanmar, human trafficking is a direct symptom of the collapse caused by the unlawful military coup in February 2021. He warned that in their flight, people face perilous trafficking risks, particularly women, children, and minorities, including the Rohingya, adding that recent harrowing reports of illicit organ removal are also critically alarming.

He noted that the UNODC has highlighted the terrifying reality of forced criminality in Southeast Asia, with Myanmar serving as a central theatre, warning that the long list of victims from numerous countries is proof of the severity of the issue and its threat to the region and beyond. He stated that no one around the globe is safe from this serious international crime.

On the root cause of the crisis, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stated that the military dictatorship and its unlawful coup are the root cause of the issue, which caused the total collapse of the rule of law and the economy. He noted that a regional analyst for UNODC has rightly stated that the military dictatorship acts as the catalyst for crime to spread like a cancer.

He emphasized that it is crystal clear that this issue can be resolved in Myanmar only through the ending of military coup and the military dictatorship as well as the ending of culture of impunity. He affirmed that the NUG and the EROs alongside the people of Myanmar categorically reject this junta's planned sham election, concluding that ending the military dictatorship and building a federal democratic union is the only viable path to excising this cancer and ending the scourge of trafficking in Myanmar.

Response of the International Community

UN human rights office raises concerns over electronic voting machines and AI surveillance in military junta's planned elections

The UN human rights office voiced concern on 28 November that the military junta in Naypyidaw was pressuring people into voting in an election next month and that electronic voting machines and AI surveillance could help identify opponents.

International officials have already raised concerns about the junta's 2025-26 sham elections starting on 28 December and continuing into January 2026, calling it a sham exercise aimed at legitimizing the junta's rule after it overthrew a civilian democratic government in 2021.

Reuters reported that the electronic voting machines did not allow people to leave their ballot blank or spoil it, meaning they have to pick a candidate, said James Rodehaver, head of the Myanmar team for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He told a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, that there is a real worry that this electronic surveillance technology is going to be used to monitor how people are voting, adding that the junta could track if people are voting, and who for.

The OHCHR has also received reports of displaced people being ordered by the junta to return to their villages to vote, Rodehaver added. The junta has arrested three young people who hung up posters depicting a ballot box with a bullet, he added. The junta previously said it has pardoned thousands in order to allow them to vote.

UN Independent Investigative Mechanism reports increasing international crimes ahead of military junta's planned elections

The UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar stated on 26 November that it has received an increasing number of reports of serious international crimes committed ahead of the junta's 2025-26 sham elections.

Koumjian highlighted that the junta enacted an Election Protection Law on 29 July to prosecute any citizen who criticises the elections with a minimum sentence of three years in prison up to a maximum sentence of the death penalty. Nicholas Koumjian, the head of the IIMM, stated that conducting an election that is not free and fair, or which violates a country's constitution, does not constitute a crime within the IIMM mandate, which is limited to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

At least 161 people have been charged under the so-called Election Protection Law with 34 arrested and five convicted, according to DVB data. Junta controlled media reported on 19 November that three residents of Yangon's Hlaingthaya Township had been sentenced from 42 to 49 years in prison for spreading stickers containing words that rejected Myanmar's elections.

The IIMM is collecting evidence of arrests without a legal basis, and is also investigating reports of increasing airstrikes on civilian areas as the junta attempts to regain territory it lost to resistance groups since the uprising to the 2021 military coup began, in order to be able to hold polls in these townships.

Koumjian added that he wants to make it clear to all parties that targeting civilians is a violation of the laws of war, stating that they are collecting evidence of these crimes so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice. The IIMM was founded by the UN Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect and analyze evidence of the most serious international crimes and other violations of international law committed in Myanmar.

United Nations in Myanmar highlights digital platforms as major avenues for gender-based violence

On 25 November, the United Nations in Myanmar issued a statement for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, noting that digital platforms have become major avenues for gender-based violence, including non-consensual image sharing, disinformation, and AI-generated deepfakes targeting women, girls, and LGBTIQ+ individuals.

The statement noted that these forms of online harm have detrimental impacts in real life, such as coercion, physical violence, economic loss, social exclusion and profound mental health impacts, and they must be recognized as gender-based violence.

As the world marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and begins the 16 Days of Activism, the United Nations in Myanmar aligns with the global theme of UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.

The statement highlighted that Myanmar's compounded crises continue to heighten risks of violence and strain already limited protection systems. Nearly 10.4 million women, girls and LGBTIQ+ individuals in Myanmar remain in humanitarian need, and nearly half of female-headed households lack stable phone or internet access. Limited connectivity, internet shutdowns, data insecurity and digital literacy expose women, girls and LGBTIQ+ individuals to scams, harassment, trafficking and exploitation, while restricting access to credible information and support.

The statement underlined the shared responsibility of all stakeholders to address all forms of digital violence, stating that strengthened legal protection, safer digital platforms and community-wide commitment to zero tolerance for online abuse are essential elements of a comprehensive response.

US House Representatives urge administration to condemn military junta's sham elections and appoint Special Representative for Myanmar

On 20 November, four members of the US House of Representatives issued a joint statement on the ongoing political crisis in Myanmar.

US Representatives Ami Bera (D-CA) and Young Kim (R-CA), Ranking Member and Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific, and Representatives Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Ranking Member and Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, issued the statement following the joint subcommittee hearing on the crisis in Myanmar.

The lawmakers stated that the bipartisan hearing demonstrated that Members are united in support of the people of Myanmar in their struggle for freedom and democracy. To support a peaceful and democratic future for Myanmar, the lawmakers urged the Administration to publicly condemn the junta's upcoming sham elections and appoint a Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Myanmar to lead US efforts to address the crisis.

The statement emphasized that the international community must also work to sustain and improve the response to the refugee crisis caused by the genocide and civil war in Myanmar, working in partnership with Bangladesh and other countries who have generously hosted the Rohingya. The lawmakers concluded that the United States must continue to stand with all the people of Myanmar as they pursue freedom, dignity, and a democratic future.

Fortify Rights documents deadly military junta airstrikes on civilians in Karenni State, calls for immediate arms and aviation fuel embargoes

On 19 November, Fortify Rights released a new report detailing how the military junta is carrying out deadly and unlawful airstrikes on civilians in Karenni (Kayah) State and along the Karenni-Shan State border. The strikes have destroyed schools, churches, medical clinics, and displacement camps ahead of the junta's planned sham elections.

Fortify Rights stated that the UN Security Council and individual UN member states should immediately impose comprehensive arms and aviation fuel embargoes on the military junta and refuse recognition of its planned elections, being conducted amid the ongoing persecution, imprisonment, and killings of political opponents.

The new 24-page report, titled Horrible Sight to Witness, documents 12 junta airstrikes in Karenni State and on the Karenni-Shan State border between June and September 2025. The attacks killed at least 55 civilians, injured more than 40 others, and destroyed schools, churches, medical facilities, displacement camps, and homes. These airstrikes likely amount to war crimes.

In one example, in a single attack on Sat Chauk Kone Quarter in Hpasawng Township, Karenni State, on 17 August, junta fighter jets killed at least 32 civilians, including children, and injured five others.

On 1 September 2025, a junta airstrike struck an internally displaced persons camp in Demoso Township, known as Number Three Camp. The bomb landed near a kindergarten, injuring two adults and an 11-year-old student walking to a nearby primary school.

Under international humanitarian law, parties involved in an armed conflict are required to distinguish between combatants and military objectives and civilians and civilian objects, such as homes and hospitals, which are protected from military attacks. The junta's repeated airstrikes on civilian areas did not serve any legitimate military purpose and likely constitute war crimes.

In August 2025, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights documented the same pattern of indiscriminate and targeted attacks against civilians, recommending a global arms embargo, including on jet fuel, drones and dual-use equipment, to hinder the junta's reliance on air power and improve civilian protection.

European Union issues statement following UN General Assembly adoption of resolution on human rights situation in Myanmar

On 19 November, the European Union issued a general statement at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly following the adoption of a resolution regarding the human rights situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.

The EU stated that for the past seven years, the EU, together with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, have been presenting this resolution jointly in response to the atrocities against the Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, which forced over a million to flee the country. The EU thanked the OIC, particularly Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, for their productive cooperation in preparing the resolution, and appreciated all co-sponsors for their support.

The statement noted that since the illegal and unconstitutional coup against the democratically elected government on 1 February 2021 and the repression that has followed, the situation has drastically deteriorated. The resolution strongly condemns the widespread and systemic human rights violations and abuses in the country and violations of international humanitarian law. It also reiterates deep concern over the junta's excessive use of force, including aerial attacks, mass killings, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, as well as arbitrary detentions.

The EU stated that this year's text includes stronger language addressing the worrying developments over the past year. It expresses grave concerns over the stated intention of the junta to hold elections amid intensifying conflict and ongoing human rights violations. It calls for an immediate end to violence and for inclusive dialogue. It also urges all governments to broaden the donor base and make financial contributions to the refugee response.

The statement acknowledged that with the current situation in Myanmar, there is unfortunately little hope and prospects for the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees, who continue to be generously hosted in Bangladesh.

While this year's resolution has been strengthened significantly, the EU believes it should have gone further, particularly in addressing the continued flow of arms, weapons and technology to the junta, in line with Human Rights Council resolution 58/20 adopted by consensus.

The EU concluded that it continues to stand with the people of Myanmar and fully supports their democratic will and aspirations and their legitimate right to live in peace and respect for their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

*****

Date: 30 November 2025

Permanent Mission of Myanmar, New York