Marking four years since Burma’s military coup

Four years ago today, on February 1, 2021, Burma’s military seized power in a brutal coup, overthrowing the democratically elected government, detaining leaders, and waging brutal crackdowns on nonviolent protesters. Today, the junta continues to wage a ruthless campaign of suppression, targeting civilians with indiscriminate violence. An economic and humanitarian crisis has ensued, with thousands killed, millions displaced, and human rights abuses continuing to escalate. As Burma endures these atrocities, PAEMA honors the victims and joins human rights defenders in calling for a democratic transition, the end of military rule, respect for human rights, and accountability for perpetrators.

Key facts and considerations

In February 2021, Burma’s civilian government was overthrown in a military coup. 

• In February 2021, Burma’s military staged a coup and established a junta called the State Administrative Council (SAC). Civilian leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi and other key members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) were arrested and are still detained. 

• The military justified the takeover by alleging election fraud in the 2020 general elections, which the NLD had won by a landslide. The military and NLD-led civilian government had shared power for several years prior to the coup after five decades of military dictatorship.

• Throughout the years of dictatorship, internal conflicts have raged between the military and resistance forces who represent ethnic minority groups. Hundreds of thousands of Burmese refugees have resettled in the US over the past two decades. The majority are from persecuted religious groups.

• The Burmese military has a long record of committing mass atrocities against civilians. One of the most severe incidents was the 2017 expulsion of over 730,000 members of the Rohingya minority group, who fled to neighboring Bangladesh. In March 2022, the US announced a determination of genocide by the Burma government against the Rohingya. There have only been eight other instances of such determinations made since the end of the Cold War.

• In December 2022 the “Burma Unified Through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2021”, or BURMA Act became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act but it is yet to be fully implemented. In the last Congress, the Rohingya GAP Act was introduced, laying out a holistic approach to addressing the Rohingya crisis.
  

Heavy fighting, a severe humanitarian crisis, and political instability have shaped the country over the past four years.

• The general public in Burma strongly opposes military rule. Ethnic armed groups, the civilian government-in-exile, People’s Defense Force (PDF) groups, and others cooperate loosely despite divergent interests. Armed groups representing different ethnic groups work collaboratively to help battle the SAC and gain control over territory. 

• Brutal crackdowns on anti-coup protests, indiscriminate attacks on civilians, and fighting between junta and resistance forces have caused the violent deaths of over 6000 civilians and the displacement of nearly 3.5 million. Severe human rights abuses include arbitrary detention and torture.

• Though nearly 20 million people are thought to be in need of aid, the SAC prevents humanitarian organizations from reaching civilians, leading to high rates of hunger, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks. Communities continue to contend with the SAC’s abuses, as ethnic minority groups strive to create parallel systems of governance to supplant the SAC’s failure to provide services.

• Ethnic resistance forces have taken over significant swathes of territory in 2024, establishing de facto governance in some areas. The SAC is still in control of the majority of the country but has been weakened by the fierce efforts of resistance groups. The SAC is expected to lose more territorial control in 2025 as fighting continues.
  

The crisis has ongoing harmful impacts on internal, regional, and global security.

• Over 1 million civilians have fled to Thailand, Bangladesh, and other neighboring countries since the coup, joining large numbers who fled earlier violence. Many lack documentation and some have been forcibly returned. A dormant mandatory conscription policy was reenacted by the SAC in 2024, causing panic and prompting thousands of fearful youth to flee to neighboring countries. 

• Trafficking and human smuggling syndicates prosper as Rohingya and others attempt risky journeys by boat and land to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Thousands have drowned, starved, and died of dehydration along the way. These destination countries have failed to provide search and rescue efforts, safe disembarkation, and access to asylum.

• The Burmese economy has cratered, leading to a climate of lawlessness, particularly in border regions. Burma has become an epicenter of drug production including opium, methamphetamine, and fentanyl derivatives, leaving the civilian population extremely vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. 

• There has been an increase in online scam centers that operate through forced labor of an estimated 120,000 trafficked people. These centers run scams defrauding people around the world. Chinese crime syndicates run many of these operations.

In order to address the deteriorating situation in Burma, PAEMA encourages the U.S. to consider the following actions:

• Designate a Special Coordinator or Envoy for Burma to assist in coordinating the policies of the United States regarding Burma with relevant bureaus and offices within the Department of State,  and other relevant United States Government agencies, and diplomatically engage foreign governments, and international bodies to advance international coordination and cooperation;

• Fully implement the BURMA Act;

• Commit to not engaging the military junta at any political level;

• Engage with Burmese civilians leadership and civil society and seek ways to support a path toward stabilization under an eventual federal democratic system;

• Engage countries hosting refugee and asylum seeking Burmese communities , including Bangladesh, Thailand, India, and Malaysia to refrain from refoulement, arbitrary detention, or other policies that further marginalize or put people at greater risk;

• Burma is one of the largest crises in the world. Humanitarian assistance to Burma should be exempted from the current pause in foreign assistance. Sustainable and reliable aid is needed both in Burma and for refugees from Burma to meet the growing demands. 

• Engage with Thailand, Bangladesh and ASEAN to facilitate a greater amount of cross-border humanitarian assistance;

• Provide support for facilitating discussions on transitional justice mechanisms between Rohingya and other stakeholders in Burma and ensuring that Rohingya have a prominent - and equal - place in a future Burma;

• Advance efforts to hold accountable those responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.