JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
Myanmar has been embroiled in civil war since the military overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021, sparking widespread armed resistance across the country.
Special Rapporteur Kelley Anne Eckels-Currie new report found at least 8,384 civilians had been killed by the military since the coup, through September 15, 2026.
Special Rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council who serve in their respective capacities and do not receive a salary for their work.
Intentional damage
Although the Chinese regime launched the so-called “100-day peace plan” between April 20 and July 31, 2026, the situation in the country is getting worseindependent experts found.
The military continues to use weapons of war – including air and artillery strikes – to target and destroy civilian infrastructure, including schools, health facilities, religious buildings, markets and refugee camps.
“This was not an accident…It is an act of intentionally harming a civilian population with the aim of terrorizing them and trying to force them into submission,” Eckels-Currie told reporters.
Some 753 civilians were killed in that 100-day period, and Myanmar’s military and paramilitary forces were responsible for 89 percent of civilian deaths.
Blocking humanitarian aid
The military strategy is rooted in the “Four Cuts” doctrine, the Special Rapporteur noted: cutting off food, resources, humanitarian access and support networks from any region that opposes the regime.
It found that the military deliberately obstructed humanitarian operations through telecommunications blackouts, movement restrictions and checkpoints, thereby preventing the delivery of food, medicine, fuel and other essential supplies to displaced communities.
Aid workers also face harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and killings. In July 2026, three humanitarian workers were reportedly tortured and killed in the southeastern city of Dawei.
‘Economic conflict’ drives war
The Special Rapporteur also warned about this The increase in the illicit economy in Myanmar has been the main trigger for this conflict, not just a consequence of it.
As the formal economy shrinks due to war and economic mismanagement, criminal activity – including centers of online fraud, illegal mining, human trafficking, and forced labor – increasingly fills the gap.
Black market profits help finance military arms purchases, including from China and Russia, and maintain loyalty within the junta’s ranks, Eckels-Currie explained.
China’s transnational criminal networks form the “backbone” for most criminal enterprises in Myanmarusing cryptocurrency platforms such as Tether and social media such as TikTok, Meta and X to facilitate their operations, he said.
Meanwhile, corruption in neighboring countries allows cross-border trade to occur, he added.
The Special Rapporteur also highlighted the difficulty of disrupting these networks without harming civilians. For example, efforts to cut off Starlink internet access to fraud centers also left humanitarian organizations and local communities without critical connectivity.
