Burma was a theatre of war in southeast Asia during World War II. The former British colony once served as a major hotspot during the period allied forces held off Japanese forces until the latter surrendered in 1945. 

Three years after the war, Burma became an independent state. The country’s name would later change from Burma to Myanmar in 1989.

Since the name change, the country has been under military rule than it has been under a democracy. 

When a new civilian government was installed in 2011 the people of Myanmar hoped they would enjoy a new era of economic stability and security. Five years later, Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese author and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, became the country’s democratic leader.

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Suu Kyi would later be detained by the country’s military in February 2021.

She was subsequently sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment after being convicted for illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating COVID-19 restrictions, and sedition. She is also currently on trial for an alleged $550,000 bribe.

With Suu Kyi’s arrest, the country returned to military rule barely 10 years into a democratic dispensation. After the civilian leader’s arrest, what followed were mass protests and killings resulting from armed resistance.

While Suu Kyi remained in jail, Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of Myanmar’s armed forces, became the head of state after a coup in 2021.

Within a year, Hlaing has received international sanctions for his alleged role in the military’s attacks on ethnic minorities. 

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Myanmar is also presently locked in what many are referring to as ‘civil war’. While Hlaing’s government continues to torture and kill the country’s citizens in their thousands, protesters have also continued to carried out armed attacks and ambush on security forces. 

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), said that the military junta has killed 1,168 people since it came into power in 2021. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the United Nations have also warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.

“Since the military coup began in Myanmar, nearly 1500 people have been killed, over 11,000 people have been arrested and millions are going hungry. The international community must act to prevent another year of intolerable death and misery,” HRW tweeted on Wednesday.

Since the military coup began in Myanmar, nearly 1500 people have been killed, over 11,000 people have been arrested and millions are going hungry. The international community must act to prevent another year of intolerable death and misery.#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar ✊ pic.twitter.com/gC0sAP2Cz2

— Amnesty International (@amnesty) May 4, 2022

Justice For Myanmar also drew the world’s attention to the precarious situation of journalists in Myanmar on World Press Freedom Day. “Journalists in Myanmar face murder, torture and imprisonment at the hands of the terrorist Myanmar military junta, operating through internet shutdowns, censorship & digital surveillance,” the organisation tweeted on Tuesday. 

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Journalists in #Myanmar face murder, torture & imprisonment at the hands of the terrorist Myanmar military junta, operating through internet shutdowns, censorship & digital surveillance. Despite immense risk, journalists continue to speak truth to power✊🏽 #WorldPressFreedomDay pic.twitter.com/I1q813aQqR

— Justice For Myanmar (@JusticeMyanmar) May 3, 2022

Amidst the dangers posed to the citizens of the country, the country is also battling other humanitarian challenges. The World Food Programme records that 14.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. With a total population of 54 million people, it means 13.2 million suffer from food insecurity.

In early 2022, almost 521,000 people were displaced across Myanmar due to violence.