Myanmar has been described as the most violent place on Earth, facing severe economic and humanitarian crises due to ongoing conflict, past conflicts, widespread displacement, poverty, and restricted humanitarian access.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), Myanmar has seen higher levels of violence than any other strife-ridden area. Decades of unrest, a genocide, and now a civil war have left survivors desperate in this Southeast Asian nation, once known as Burma.
ACLED, an independent, non-profit international organization, classifies and analyzes global conflict data. Their harrowing findings, supported by UN data, reveal that since the civil conflict erupted in February 2021 following the military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government, at least 50,000 people have died, including 8,000 civilians, and around 2.3 million people have been displaced.
The situation is compounded by the Myanmar government forcibly recruiting Rohingyas, including children, to fight in the ongoing civil war.
A History of Conflict in Myanmar
Myanmar has faced turmoil since gaining independence from British rule in 1948, with some of the world's longest-running armed conflicts, particularly in border regions where ethnic militias seek autonomy from military repression.
A brief period of political reform under a civilian government led by Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi failed to improve the situation for many ethnic minorities. Following her party's decisive victory over the military-linked party in the 2020 elections, the military seized control again, imprisoning Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Under her rule, in 2017, the military in Rakhine state torched Rohingya villages, killing people and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, actions described by the UN as ethnic cleansing.
In 2019, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi faced genocide charges at the Hague's International Court of Justice, where she defended the military, calling the Rohingyas "terrorists" and claiming soldiers were exercising the "rule of law."
Pope Francis has frequently underscored Myanmar's dire situation, emphasizing the need for peace. "Let's not forget Myanmar and many other countries at war," he urged at his General Audience on June 12. His appeals have often focused on the plight of the Rohingya.
Who Are the Rohingya?
Myanmar is undergoing a genocide trial at the International Court of Justice in The Hague for its treatment of Rohingya Muslims. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has labeled the Rohingya as "one of, if not the, most discriminated people in the world." The Rohingya continue to be denied citizenship and face various discriminatory restrictions, such as a ban on travel outside their communities.
Civil War 2021-Present
Since February 2021, despite significant victories by resistance forces in strategic border areas, central Myanmar and its major cities remain under military regime control. The "Myanmar Peace Monitor" has revealed that while the resistance has achieved notable successes, it lacks a coordinated alliance under the National Unity Government (NUG). The opposition is split among the People's Defense Forces (PDF) and various ethnic armed organizations, united only by their common goal of toppling the junta.
The Economic Toll of the Conflict
The civil conflict has severely impacted the economy, exacerbating poverty. The situation has worsened with the junta seizing control of key border crossings and overland trade routes to China, Bangladesh, and India. Any progress in poverty reduction has been erased by displacement and job losses. A World Bank report highlights the "very weak economic prospects, with little relief for Myanmar households in the short and medium term."
The junta's mandatory conscription plan in February has intensified migration to rural areas and abroad, worsening labor shortages in some sectors.
The Humanitarian Reality
The military's mismanagement has led to a crisis, doubling poverty rates since March 2020. Almost half the population now lives in poverty, with rural communities at risk of starvation as the military imposes restrictions on access to violence-plagued areas. Major supply routes and waterways have been blocked, preventing humanitarian workers from reaching 17.6 million people in need.
Most Violent Place in the World
Given the ethnic violence, political instability, and economic troubles Myanmar has faced over the decades, it seems inevitable that it be listed as the most violent place on Earth. As children continue to be conscripted, minorities persecuted, and Rohingya refugees remain stateless in Bangladesh’s Cox's Bazar, one must ask, where is the international community? Why has Myanmar been forgotten by mainstream Western media?