“The crisis in Myanmar is not just a tragedy for all of its people,“ writes Zin Mar Aung, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the National Unity Government of Myanmar, for the Forum 2000 Bulletin. „It is a challenge to the global democratic order. If the junta is allowed to consolidate its power through violence and repression, it sets a dangerous precedent for authoritarian regimes worldwide.”
Zin Mar Aung
Speaker at the Forum 2000 Conference and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the National Unity Government of Myanmar
Since the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, Myanmar has faced relentless oppression, widespread human rights abuses, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The military junta of General Min Aung Hlaing has dismantled democratic institutions and used extreme violence to try to suppress dissent. The situation has only worsened in the years since the coup, with mass arrests, extrajudicial killings, torture, and military airstrikes targeting civilians.
Myanmar’s people rejected this coup in the beginning. They reject it now. The resilience of Myanmar’s people has been unwavering. The pro-democracy movement, bringing together the National Unity Government (NUG), ethnic resistance groups, and civil society organizations, continues to oppose military rule. We, the people of Myanmar, have the right to choose our own future. We are fighting for our freedom. Now, urgent and decisive action is required to prevent further atrocities and help the people reclaim their rights.
Escalating Humanitarian and Political Crisis
The military’s grip on power has led to an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. Over 2 million people have been forcibly displaced due to violent military offensives; entire villages have been burned to the ground. The junta’s use of indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery shelling has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, including children. Reports of torture, sexual violence, and forced disappearances highlight the systematic brutality of the regime.
The economy has also collapsed under military rule. The kyat has lost over 50% of its value since the coup, inflation is skyrocketing, and essential goods such as food and medicine are increasingly inaccessible. The United Nations estimates that over 17 million people—nearly one-third of Myanmar’s population—are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Yet, the junta continues to obstruct aid deliveries, weaponizing humanitarian aid to punish resistance strongholds while enriching itself through illicit trade and corruption.
The ongoing conflict threatens regional stability. Transnational crime, humanitarian needs and economic chaos have huge effects on our neighbors and across ASEAN. Allowing the crisis to fester unchecked increases the likelihood of prolonged instability, economic decline, and further displacement across the region.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the military’s actions have eroded Myanmar’s democratic progress. The 2020 general elections were annulled by the junta under false claims of electoral fraud, and the democratic leadership, including President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, have been held in prison under invented charges. Since then, the junta has declared opposition parties illegal, imposed draconian laws that criminalize dissent, and executed pro-democracy activists.
The military has no intention of allowing a return to civilian rule and continues to manipulate political processes to cement its power.
The Role of the International Community
The people of Myanmar have not given up their fight for democracy, but we cannot succeed alone. We welcome the support of some governments around the world, who have imposed targeted sanctions on the regime. But countries such as Russia continue to provide military support and diplomatic cover to the junta.
To end this cycle of oppression and impunity, and to give freedom to Myanmar’s people, the international community must take stronger, more unified action. We call for the following immediate measures:
- Expand and Enforce Targeted Sanctions
Existing sanctions must expand to include key military leaders, their business networks, and the banking institutions that they use. The junta must be cut off from the money that pays for its war. Financial institutions must ensure that Myanmar’s military does not have access to global banking systems. - Impose a Global Arms Embargo
Myanmar’s military continues to acquire weapons, despite international calls for an arms embargo. The United Nations Security Council must take decisive action to prohibit all arms sales to Myanmar, and individual governments must impose national bans on arms exports to the junta. Regional countries can and are helping us to stem the flow of weapons that are being used against the people. - Increase Diplomatic and Political Isolation
The junta must be denied recognition on all diplomatic platforms, including within ASEAN, the United Nations, and international economic forums. Our regional bloc must uphold a Myanmar-owned, Myanmar-led process that aligns with the aspirations of the people of Myanmar by excluding the junta from all decision-making and directly engaging with the NUG and ethnic resistance groups. - Support the National Unity Government (NUG) and Its Allies
The NUG and its allies are not only the opposition—we are the only credible future for Myanmar. Our commitment is to an inclusive, democratic, and federal future. We alone can provide the stability that our neighbors seek. The international community can help us now to continue to strengthen our alliance and to prepare for the rebuilding of our country. - Provide Humanitarian Assistance and Protect Refugees
With millions displaced and on the brink of starvation, international organizations must scale up humanitarian aid while ensuring it bypasses military control. Bordering countries—particularly Thailand, India, and Bangladesh—must be urged to grant safe passage and protection to Myanmar’s refugees rather than forcibly repatriating them to danger. - Prosecute Military Leaders for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity
The Myanmar military’s crimes must not go unpunished. The International Criminal Court (ICC) must adopt the warrant against Min Aung Hlaing that the Prosecutor has proposed, so that he is answerable for his crimes against humanity.
A Moral and Strategic Imperative
The crisis in Myanmar is not just a tragedy for all of its people. It is a challenge to the global democratic order. If the junta is allowed to consolidate its power through violence and repression, it sets a dangerous precedent for authoritarian regimes worldwide. The erosion of democracy in Myanmar is part of a broader global trend of democratic backsliding, and failing to act now could embolden other military dictatorships and authoritarian governments.
The people of Myanmar show sustained and remarkable courage in their fight for democracy. They risk everything—facing bullets, imprisonment, and torture—to demand freedom. The international community cannot abandon them. We must move beyond rhetoric and take meaningful, coordinated, and concrete action to isolate the junta, support democratic forces, and push for an immediate end to military rule.
This is a moment of moral reckoning. The world must stand with Myanmar, not just in words but in action. The fate of an entire nation—and the credibility of global commitments to human rights and democracy—hangs in the balance.
The views expressed in these works are the responsibility of its authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forum 2000 Foundation or its staff.
