Myanmar’s Military Junta Intensifies Brutality as Rebel Uprising Gains Ground
The return of military rule in Myanmar has brought about a wave of violence and oppression, with thousands of innocent people killed and tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters locked up. Now, as a rebel uprising gains ground in the countryside, the junta is growing increasingly brutal in its treatment of detainees.
Reports from human rights groups and former detainees indicate that conditions in military-run prisons have deteriorated significantly. Prisoners are being deprived of food, proper sanitation, and health care, and are facing horrific torture. In the first two months of the year alone, more than 100 prisoners have perished from torture or neglect.
One pro-democracy student activist, Myar Reh, shared his harrowing experience of being punched, hit with the butt of a gun, and threatened with execution while in custody. The military spokesman, Gen. Zaw Min Tun, did not respond to requests for comment on these allegations.
In a sign of desperation, the military announced a mandatory draft in February, potentially leading to a new campaign of arrests as anyone resisting conscription faces up to five years in prison. While the junta has promised to release thousands of detainees, rights groups warn that similar “amnesties” in the past have been followed by rearrests.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) reports that nearly 120 dissidents have died in the military’s custody in the first two months of this year, adding to the more than 1,500 deaths since the coup in February 2021. The civilian death toll has surpassed 4,500, with more than 20,000 people remaining in the junta’s custody.
The rebel uprising presents a significant challenge to the military’s rule, with rebels gaining ground in cities like Loikaw. The armed conflict in Loikaw has put detainees at risk, with political prisoners feeling like hostages or human shields.
As the military crackdown intensifies, the international community is closely watching the situation in Myanmar. The junta’s brutal treatment of detainees and the escalating violence in the country have raised concerns about the future of democracy and human rights in Myanmar.
