By Ben Sheppard
01/31/22
Myanmar Coup Timeline 2021: Former Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Charged
Two people were killed and 38 injured in a grenade attack on a pro-military rally in eastern Myanmar on Tuesday, a security official told AFP, as anti-coup protests were held across the country on the first anniversary of the military's power-grab.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place as anti-coup activists marked the coup's anniversary with a silent strike and clapping protests, defying junta orders.
The military takeover that ended the Southeast Asian country's brief democratic interlude and toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has triggered mass protests and a crackdown on dissent.
Struggling to contain the backlash and contending with daily clashes, the junta has killed more than 1,500 civilians, according to a local monitoring group. Swathes of the country are under the control of anti-coup fighters.
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi could face sentences tallying more than 100 years in prison Photo: AFP / STR
Residents across commercial hub Yangon and in the city of Mandalay clapped en masse at 4 pm (0930 GMT), AFP correspondents and locals said, marking the end of a "silent strike" against the coup.
"We were clapping," one Mandalay resident said. "Other houses in my neighbourhood clapped as well."
Ten people were arrested for taking part in the clapping protest in Yangon, local media reported.
The junta had ordered shops to stay open Tuesday but the streets of Yangon began emptying at 10 am, a scene that was repeated in Mandalay and the southern Tanintharyi region.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said 'The Tiananmen demonstrations are echoed in the struggle for democracy and freedom in Hong Kong' Photo: AFP / Peter PARKS
Mandalay's famous jade market had opened in the morning but saw little traffic, a resident told AFP.
"I'm staying at home playing online games to participate in the silent strike."
A similar shutdown in December emptied the streets of cities and towns across the country, but Tuesday's was also marked by violence against the junta.
Two people were killed and 38 injured in a grenade attack as crowds returned from a pro-military rally in the eastern town of Tachileik a security official told AFP.
Residents across commercial hub Yangon and in the city of Mandalay clapped en masse at 4 pm (0930 GMT), AFP correspondents and locals said, marking the end of a "silent strike" against the coup.
"We were clapping," one Mandalay resident said. "Other houses in my neighbourhood clapped as well."
Ten people were arrested for taking part in the clapping protest in Yangon, local media reported.
The junta had ordered shops to stay open Tuesday but the streets of Yangon began emptying at 10 am, a scene that was repeated in Mandalay and the southern Tanintharyi region.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said 'The Tiananmen demonstrations are echoed in the struggle for democracy and freedom in Hong Kong' Photo: AFP / Peter PARKSMandalay's famous jade market had opened in the morning but saw little traffic, a resident told AFP.
"I'm staying at home playing online games to participate in the silent strike."
A similar shutdown in December emptied the streets of cities and towns across the country, but Tuesday's was also marked by violence against the junta.
Two people were killed and 38 injured in a grenade attack as crowds returned from a pro-military rally in the eastern town of Tachileik a security official told AFP.
Before the coup -- a rally in support of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2019 as she prepared to defend Myanmar at the International Court of Justice in The Hague against accusations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims Photo: AFP / STR
Local media also reported the incident that took place around noon in eastern Shan state, a region of the country that has seen comparatively little coup-related violence.
Ahead of the anniversary, the junta had threatened to seize businesses that shutter and warned that noisy rallies or sharing anti-military "propaganda" could lead to treason or terrorism charges.
"If the strike is shaping up as is reported, it is a thunderous silence, a resounding rebuke of military rule," David Mathieson, an analyst formerly based in Myanmar, told AFP.
Local media also reported the incident that took place around noon in eastern Shan state, a region of the country that has seen comparatively little coup-related violence.
Ahead of the anniversary, the junta had threatened to seize businesses that shutter and warned that noisy rallies or sharing anti-military "propaganda" could lead to treason or terrorism charges.
"If the strike is shaping up as is reported, it is a thunderous silence, a resounding rebuke of military rule," David Mathieson, an analyst formerly based in Myanmar, told AFP.
Factfile on Myanmar's detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Photo: AFP / John SAEKI
On Tuesday morning, local media showed isolated flash mobs in Yangon and Mandalay, where protesters unfurled pro-democracy banners and set off flares.
Photos released by the junta's information team on Tuesday painted a picture of normalcy in the country, including competitors finishing a marathon in the southern Bago region and a religious celebration.
Undated video handouts showed pro-military demonstrations in unspecified parts of the country, some holding national flags and chanting slogans in support of the army.
Others held banners denouncing the "People's Defence Forces" that have sprung up to fight the military and dealt painful blows to junta troops with guerilla ambushes and mine attacks.
The United States, Britain and Canada unveiled coordinated sanctions on Myanmar officials Monday, including those involved in the trial of ousted leader Suu Kyi.
Washington sanctioned Attorney General Thida Oo, Supreme Court Chief Justice Tun Tun Oo and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Tin Oo, all of whom it said were closely involved in the "politically motivated" prosecution of Suu Kyi.
Citing "unspeakable violence against civilians", the undermining of regional stability and "rampant" corruption, US President Joe Biden said he was working with allies to "hold accountable" those responsible.
But the UN's Special Rapporteur on Myanmar said the international community needed to do more.
"The fact that one year has elapsed with no Security Council Resolution imposing a comprehensive arms embargo -- as arms continue to flow to the junta and kill innocent people -- is unacceptable," said Tom Andrews.
"The people of Myanmar deserve better from the United Nations."
Suu Kyi has been detained since the coup, and faces a raft of charges from election fraud to breaching the official secrets act, and faces over 100 years in jail.
The day before the anniversary, the junta announced the Nobel laureate will face a new trial for electoral fraud during 2020 polls in which her National League for Democracy party trounced a military-backed rival.
Several senior members of the national electoral commission have also been arrested since the coup, accused of masterminding the NLD's landslide victory.
The junta cancelled the results of the 2020 election in July last year, saying it had found some 11.3 million instances of fraud.
Independent monitors said the polls were largely free and fair.
On Tuesday morning, local media showed isolated flash mobs in Yangon and Mandalay, where protesters unfurled pro-democracy banners and set off flares.
Photos released by the junta's information team on Tuesday painted a picture of normalcy in the country, including competitors finishing a marathon in the southern Bago region and a religious celebration.
Undated video handouts showed pro-military demonstrations in unspecified parts of the country, some holding national flags and chanting slogans in support of the army.
Others held banners denouncing the "People's Defence Forces" that have sprung up to fight the military and dealt painful blows to junta troops with guerilla ambushes and mine attacks.
The United States, Britain and Canada unveiled coordinated sanctions on Myanmar officials Monday, including those involved in the trial of ousted leader Suu Kyi.
Washington sanctioned Attorney General Thida Oo, Supreme Court Chief Justice Tun Tun Oo and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Tin Oo, all of whom it said were closely involved in the "politically motivated" prosecution of Suu Kyi.
Citing "unspeakable violence against civilians", the undermining of regional stability and "rampant" corruption, US President Joe Biden said he was working with allies to "hold accountable" those responsible.
But the UN's Special Rapporteur on Myanmar said the international community needed to do more.
"The fact that one year has elapsed with no Security Council Resolution imposing a comprehensive arms embargo -- as arms continue to flow to the junta and kill innocent people -- is unacceptable," said Tom Andrews.
"The people of Myanmar deserve better from the United Nations."
Suu Kyi has been detained since the coup, and faces a raft of charges from election fraud to breaching the official secrets act, and faces over 100 years in jail.
The day before the anniversary, the junta announced the Nobel laureate will face a new trial for electoral fraud during 2020 polls in which her National League for Democracy party trounced a military-backed rival.
Several senior members of the national electoral commission have also been arrested since the coup, accused of masterminding the NLD's landslide victory.
The junta cancelled the results of the 2020 election in July last year, saying it had found some 11.3 million instances of fraud.
Independent monitors said the polls were largely free and fair.
Myanmar coup anniversary: Government in exile urges France to act against junta
Tue, 1 February 2022,
One year ago, the military seized power in Myanmar by force. The country has since descended into civil war fraught with human rights violations, but the international community has resisted imposing measures against the military regime. Members of Myanmar's exile government spoke in Paris on January 31 about the role France and other countries can play against the junta.
In the weeks after the coup in Myanmar, on February 1, 2021, the international community unanimously condemned the military seizure of power. French president Emmanuel Macron even sent a Tweet in Burmese, declaring his support for the people of Myanmar and calling for an “immediate end to suppression”.
One year later, the country is in the midst of a civil war in which the military regularly meets popular resistance to its regime with extreme violence. More than 1,500 civilians have been killed and nearly 9,000 arrested, charged or sentenced by the junta according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma, which has also reported cases of rape, torture and extrajudicial execution. Yet the international community has stalled in taking concrete measures against the junta leader, general Min Aung Hlaing.
Aung Myo Min, the minister for human rights in Myanmar's government-in-exile, the national unity government (NUG), emphasized that point repeatedly at press conference in Paris on Monday, January 31.
“The international community needs to increase pressure on the junta," he said. “There have been a lot of words. Unfortunately without follow-up action, they are just hot air.”
The UN made a similar appeal on Friday, January 28. “It is time for an urgent, renewed effort to restore human rights and democracy in Myanmar and ensure that perpetrators of systemic human rights violations and abuses are held to account,” said Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement.
The same day, multiple NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, also called on the UN Security Council to adopt a global arms embargo, a measure that China and Russia have so far refused.
In Myanmar, the NUG asked the international community to provide humanitarian aid as the country now risks falling into economic crisis and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced due to fighting.
‘The legitimate government of Myanmar’
For Aung Myo Min the priority is international recognition of the NUG. Formed shortly after the coup, the exile government is made up of MPs from the National League for Democracy (NLD) party formed by Aung San Suu Kyi, representatives from ethnic minority groups and civilians. With most members exiled abroad, the members work remotely to restore democracy in Myanmar.
“We are the legitimate government of Myanmar… Many members of our government were elected democratically during the last elections, and we have the support of the people”, said Aung Myo Min, who is also an advocate for LGBT rights in the country.
So far, France is one of just a handful of countries, also including the Czech Republic and Canada, to have initiated the process of formally recognising the NUG as Myanmar's official government. On October 5, 2021, the French Senate passed a motion confirming this intention and the issue is now under discussion in the Assemblée nationale, the lower house of parliament.
‘France could play a key role’
“France could play a key role in the fight against the military junta,” said Alex Aung Khant, representative for the exile government in France and grandnephew of Aung San Suu Kyi, speaking at Monday’s press conference. The two countries share strong ties. French people represent the largest group of western expatriates in Myanmar, and some French businesses including Bouygues, JCDecaux and TotalEnergies have offices located in the country, some of which have now closed.
“The Senate made a courageous choice. Now the government must follow,” he said. “At a time when France has taken on the presidency of the European Union, it could really take a leadership role on this issue”.
If the NUG were recognised as Myanmar's official government, one notable change is that it would be able to formally demand aid from the UN. “And it would be a strike against the military, which is trying to impose itself at the international level,” added Alex Aung Khant.
Until then, the NUG is limited in the action it can take. “We work mainly via social media to keep in contact with civilians on the ground” said Aung Myo Min. “We are increasing communication campaigns to encourage members of the military to quit the army. We are trying to send basic necessities to help resistance groups. And the rest of the time we concentrate on amplifying the voices of the Burmese people overseas.”
<<'I couldn’t kill innocent people': Myanmar soldiers defect to join resistance
Tue, 1 February 2022,
One year ago, the military seized power in Myanmar by force. The country has since descended into civil war fraught with human rights violations, but the international community has resisted imposing measures against the military regime. Members of Myanmar's exile government spoke in Paris on January 31 about the role France and other countries can play against the junta.
In the weeks after the coup in Myanmar, on February 1, 2021, the international community unanimously condemned the military seizure of power. French president Emmanuel Macron even sent a Tweet in Burmese, declaring his support for the people of Myanmar and calling for an “immediate end to suppression”.
One year later, the country is in the midst of a civil war in which the military regularly meets popular resistance to its regime with extreme violence. More than 1,500 civilians have been killed and nearly 9,000 arrested, charged or sentenced by the junta according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma, which has also reported cases of rape, torture and extrajudicial execution. Yet the international community has stalled in taking concrete measures against the junta leader, general Min Aung Hlaing.
Aung Myo Min, the minister for human rights in Myanmar's government-in-exile, the national unity government (NUG), emphasized that point repeatedly at press conference in Paris on Monday, January 31.
“The international community needs to increase pressure on the junta," he said. “There have been a lot of words. Unfortunately without follow-up action, they are just hot air.”
The UN made a similar appeal on Friday, January 28. “It is time for an urgent, renewed effort to restore human rights and democracy in Myanmar and ensure that perpetrators of systemic human rights violations and abuses are held to account,” said Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement.
The same day, multiple NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, also called on the UN Security Council to adopt a global arms embargo, a measure that China and Russia have so far refused.
In Myanmar, the NUG asked the international community to provide humanitarian aid as the country now risks falling into economic crisis and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced due to fighting.
‘The legitimate government of Myanmar’
For Aung Myo Min the priority is international recognition of the NUG. Formed shortly after the coup, the exile government is made up of MPs from the National League for Democracy (NLD) party formed by Aung San Suu Kyi, representatives from ethnic minority groups and civilians. With most members exiled abroad, the members work remotely to restore democracy in Myanmar.
“We are the legitimate government of Myanmar… Many members of our government were elected democratically during the last elections, and we have the support of the people”, said Aung Myo Min, who is also an advocate for LGBT rights in the country.
So far, France is one of just a handful of countries, also including the Czech Republic and Canada, to have initiated the process of formally recognising the NUG as Myanmar's official government. On October 5, 2021, the French Senate passed a motion confirming this intention and the issue is now under discussion in the Assemblée nationale, the lower house of parliament.
‘France could play a key role’
“France could play a key role in the fight against the military junta,” said Alex Aung Khant, representative for the exile government in France and grandnephew of Aung San Suu Kyi, speaking at Monday’s press conference. The two countries share strong ties. French people represent the largest group of western expatriates in Myanmar, and some French businesses including Bouygues, JCDecaux and TotalEnergies have offices located in the country, some of which have now closed.
“The Senate made a courageous choice. Now the government must follow,” he said. “At a time when France has taken on the presidency of the European Union, it could really take a leadership role on this issue”.
If the NUG were recognised as Myanmar's official government, one notable change is that it would be able to formally demand aid from the UN. “And it would be a strike against the military, which is trying to impose itself at the international level,” added Alex Aung Khant.
Until then, the NUG is limited in the action it can take. “We work mainly via social media to keep in contact with civilians on the ground” said Aung Myo Min. “We are increasing communication campaigns to encourage members of the military to quit the army. We are trying to send basic necessities to help resistance groups. And the rest of the time we concentrate on amplifying the voices of the Burmese people overseas.”
<<'I couldn’t kill innocent people': Myanmar soldiers defect to join resistance
Hitting the junta in the wallet
Beyond diplomacy, both men called for an increase in economic sanctions against the junta, an embargo on supplying it with weapons and for arrest warrants for some junta generals.
In the build-up to the 12-month anniversary of the coup, some private companies have introduced their own sanctions. On January 21, TotalEnergies announced it would cease all activities in Myanmar, a move strongly supported by the pro-democracy movement. Shortly after, others followed their lead including American energy company Chevron and Australian petroleum company Woodside. However, few other large companies have followed suit, despite pressure from NGOs.
“These departures will only have a limited impact on the junta,” said Alex Aung Khant. Revenue from natural gas is the military’s main source of funds, bringing in around one billion US dollars each year. “To really hit them in their wallets, countries need to introduce targeted sanctions that stop this income”, Alex Aung Khant added.
One year after the coup, some countries are starting to do so.
On Monday, January 31, the US announced new economic sanctions against the junta, blocking its property and transactions on US soil. The restrictions, which were part of a joint action with the UK and Canada, target the highest legal powers in Myanmar: public prosecutor Thida Oo, the president of the Supreme Court, Tun Tun Oo, and the head of the anti-corruption commission, Tin Oo, according to a summary from the US Department of the Treasury.
Two companies and four other individuals were also named as targets for their role in providing the junta with weapons, equipment and financial support.
“The United States, along with allies in the United Kingdom and Canada, stands with the people of Burma as they seek freedom and democracy,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson, in a statement.
This article was translated from the original in French.
Beyond diplomacy, both men called for an increase in economic sanctions against the junta, an embargo on supplying it with weapons and for arrest warrants for some junta generals.
In the build-up to the 12-month anniversary of the coup, some private companies have introduced their own sanctions. On January 21, TotalEnergies announced it would cease all activities in Myanmar, a move strongly supported by the pro-democracy movement. Shortly after, others followed their lead including American energy company Chevron and Australian petroleum company Woodside. However, few other large companies have followed suit, despite pressure from NGOs.
“These departures will only have a limited impact on the junta,” said Alex Aung Khant. Revenue from natural gas is the military’s main source of funds, bringing in around one billion US dollars each year. “To really hit them in their wallets, countries need to introduce targeted sanctions that stop this income”, Alex Aung Khant added.
One year after the coup, some countries are starting to do so.
On Monday, January 31, the US announced new economic sanctions against the junta, blocking its property and transactions on US soil. The restrictions, which were part of a joint action with the UK and Canada, target the highest legal powers in Myanmar: public prosecutor Thida Oo, the president of the Supreme Court, Tun Tun Oo, and the head of the anti-corruption commission, Tin Oo, according to a summary from the US Department of the Treasury.
Two companies and four other individuals were also named as targets for their role in providing the junta with weapons, equipment and financial support.
“The United States, along with allies in the United Kingdom and Canada, stands with the people of Burma as they seek freedom and democracy,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson, in a statement.
This article was translated from the original in French.
‘Leave or die’: Myanmar refugees recount how they fled the junta
Cyrielle CABOT
One year after Myanmar’s military coup, the country has been plunged into civil war. Facing escalating violence and an uncertain future, tens of thousands of people have fled their homes since the February 1 coup. FRANCE 24 spoke to refugees trying to rebuild their lives abroad, from Thailand to France.
‘Even after leaving, we don’t feel free’
Hundreds of kilometres away, Sophia* is hiding out in Thailand. She, too, left Myanmar out of fear, along with her brother and boyfriend.
Lacking documentation, she spoke to FRANCE 24 from a building maintained by the Red Cross, not far from the border.
“I don’t have any money so I can’t buy anything. I eat only what people bring me, often rice,” she said, keeping her voice low. “Anyway, leaving here would be too dangerous. I could be arrested and sent back to my country.”
Before being brought to the small house, she was one of hundreds of villagers living in tents along the Moei river, which separates the two countries.
Thailand has categorically refused any new refugees, with authorities stepping up surveillance along the border in an attempt to stop crossings. In January, the UN Refugee Agency called on the Thai government to allow it access to the area, in order to provide much-needed humanitarian aid.
“From one day to the next, I found myself without anything – no work, no money, no clothes, no home,” Sophia says. “I’m 26 years old, and I no longer have any hopes for the future. Who knows when I’ll be able to leave here?"
Sophia, like all the refugees who spoke to FRANCE 24, hopes for only one thing: to see the junta dissolved so she can return to Myanmar.
For now, besides adapting to her new life, she has to grapple with being far from family and friends, and worrying for their safety. “I’m terrified at the idea that my mother could be arrested, or worse. Soon, it will be the rainy season and it will be even harder to find food and shelter,” she adds.
Yadanar, for her part, is convinced that her parents “never could have adapted to life in France”.
“Even after leaving, we don’t feel free,” she says. “In reality, we are people on the run, stuck in this situation that we didn’t really choose.”
Za Uk tries to stay optimistic, despite everything. “I’ll return to Myanmar soon. I’m sure of it,” he says. “For me, this anniversary brings hope. It shows that, a year later, the population is still resisting. The military doesn’t have control. They won’t win.”
*Name changed
This article has been adapted from the original in French.
Cyrielle CABOT
One year after Myanmar’s military coup, the country has been plunged into civil war. Facing escalating violence and an uncertain future, tens of thousands of people have fled their homes since the February 1 coup. FRANCE 24 spoke to refugees trying to rebuild their lives abroad, from Thailand to France.
© AFP
“The hardest part was learning French!” says Yadanar with a laugh. The 34-year-old Burmese artist has spent the last three months learning her way around Perpignan, a mid-sized city on France’s Mediterranean coast, near the border with Spain. She divides most of her time between work projects, administrative appointments and her grammar textbooks.
Yadanar left her native Yangon for Germany on April 21, 2021. A few weeks later, she settled in France. “I already travelled a lot, over the last ten years or so, to exhibit my work internationally,” she told FRANCE 24. “The coup just made up my mind to leave for good.”
When General Min Aung Hlaing first staged the coup in Myanmar on February 1, Yadanar wanted to fight. But after three months of protesting almost daily, she decided she would rather leave it all behind. She was able to get a visa quickly thanks to her job.
“At that time, all the foreigners were trying to leave the country. The hardest part was to find a plane ticket,” she says. “But I was among the lucky ones who left early. Today, it’s much more dangerous. The junta makes you fill out a ton of documents to keep track of who’s leaving.”
‘I wanted to learn how to handle weapons. I wanted to fight’
Recently, one of her best friends, Kolat, joined her in France. For a long time, he held out against the idea of fleeing Myanmar. Around the time Yadanar got a on a plane to Germany, “I was leaving for the jungle to train with ethnic armed militias”, he tells FRANCE 24. “I wanted to learn how to handle weapons. I wanted to fight.”
Kolat left his familiar city surroundings for a rebel camp. “Training started at dawn every day. It was extremely demanding, physically. Sometimes, they made us stay three hours in freezing water to test our endurance,” he recalls. “But I was motivated. I thought it was the only way to get rid of the military.”
>> Myanmar democracy movement undeterred despite sentencing of ousted leader Suu Kyi
His hopes faded on returning to Yangon. “We simply didn’t have the weapons to fight,” he says. Anxious that the military would come looking for him, he cut off contact with his family and went from one hideout to another. “I couldn’t do anything. I was stuck.”
With Yadanar’s help, he eventually found a way to follow her to Perpignan. “Thankfully, I had used my artist pseudonym all year,” Kolat says. “Otherwise I could never have showed up at the airport with a passport bearing my real name. I would have been arrested.”
“Today, all my friends have left or want to leave,” Yadanar says. “For those who have stayed, life is hell. The military reigns by fear, prices keep going up and most public services are still shut down by strikes. Children can’t go to school, hospitals aren’t operating….”
International observers share her concern at the economic crisis brought on by Myanmar’s coup. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost and inflation is spiralling. The World Bank expects virtually no growth in 2022, after an estimated 18 percent contraction of the economy in 2021.
Hundreds of thousands displaced
Yadanar and Kolat are among relatively few Burmese citizens who own a passport, a precondition to get on a flight. But across the country, hundreds of thousands have found other ways to flee. Altogether, at least 19,000 have left the country since last February, while more than 400,000 people have been internally displaced, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Myanmar has been plunged into civil war. In several states, especially in border regions, there is daily fighting between the military and ethnic rebel groups, aided by citizens’ militias. The military has confronted these pockets of resistance with brutal force, sometimes attacking entire villages.
On December 25, a local militia discovered the charred remains of more than 30 people including two members of Save the Children on a highway in eastern Kayah state, which borders Thailand. The massacre shook the international community, but human rights groups say it is far from being an isolated incident.
“The situation has severely deteriorated since the fall. War crimes and crimes against humanity have become common,” says Salai Za Uk, executive director of the NGO Chin Human Rights, in a video call with FRANCE 24. The organisation documents attacks on the Chin people, a Christian minority living along the border with India.
“On the ground, our volunteers have seen villagers kidnapped by the military, used as human shields or forced to guide soldiers into the jungle,” he says. “Those who stay are fighting for survival, fleeing from village to village as troops advance. And the military is blocking humanitarian convoys, making it very hard to access basic necessities.”
‘We’re headed straight for a humanitarian catastrophe’
Za Uk, 44, was one of the first to leave his village for the neighbouring Indian state of Mizoram after the February 1 coup. “I lived through the 1988 coup. I knew what to expect,” he says. “I knew the military wouldn’t hesitate to attack the population. And as a defender of minority ethnic rights, I was a target of the junta. It was leave or die.”
Immediately after the coup, he ordered the NGO’s offices closed and packed his bags to leave with his wife. They took refuge among resistance fighters, steps from the river which separates Myanmar from India.
“We spent several weeks there,” Za Uk says. “We didn’t want to go to India, which was in the middle of its Covid-19 crisis. What good would it do escaping the military to die of disease?”
Since then, his village has been entirely destroyed. Watchdog groups say the military has targeted it 14 times, destroying nearly 800 homes and burning down multiple churches.
In Mizoram, Za Uk joins his brother, who stayed there after the 1988 coup. He has resumed his work from a safe distance. Every day, he sees a “continuous flow” of refugees crossing the border. “At first, we saw people like me arriving: politicians, NGO leaders and activists, as well as police and military who defected from the junta,” he says. “Now, we’re welcoming many civilians, especially families, who wanted to flee the violence.”
>> ‘I couldn’t kill innocent people’: Myanmar soldiers defect to join resistance
While the numbers are difficult to count with any precision, Chin Human Rights estimates that 20 percent of Chin state – one of seven states in Myanmar where ethnic minorities predominate – have fled their homes over the last twelve months. That would amount to 80,000 people, of whom 30,000 are now in India, according to the group.
Officially, the Indian authorities do not recognise them as refugees, leaving them without any government assistance.
“In practice, Mizoram has a long history with the Chins. We share a common culture, and many people have family here. A large mutual aid network has taken shape and the local authorities look the other way,” Za Uk says. “But if this influx of refugees continues, we’re headed straight for a humanitarian catastrophe. We won’t have the resources to help everyone.”
“The hardest part was learning French!” says Yadanar with a laugh. The 34-year-old Burmese artist has spent the last three months learning her way around Perpignan, a mid-sized city on France’s Mediterranean coast, near the border with Spain. She divides most of her time between work projects, administrative appointments and her grammar textbooks.
Yadanar left her native Yangon for Germany on April 21, 2021. A few weeks later, she settled in France. “I already travelled a lot, over the last ten years or so, to exhibit my work internationally,” she told FRANCE 24. “The coup just made up my mind to leave for good.”
When General Min Aung Hlaing first staged the coup in Myanmar on February 1, Yadanar wanted to fight. But after three months of protesting almost daily, she decided she would rather leave it all behind. She was able to get a visa quickly thanks to her job.
“At that time, all the foreigners were trying to leave the country. The hardest part was to find a plane ticket,” she says. “But I was among the lucky ones who left early. Today, it’s much more dangerous. The junta makes you fill out a ton of documents to keep track of who’s leaving.”
‘I wanted to learn how to handle weapons. I wanted to fight’
Recently, one of her best friends, Kolat, joined her in France. For a long time, he held out against the idea of fleeing Myanmar. Around the time Yadanar got a on a plane to Germany, “I was leaving for the jungle to train with ethnic armed militias”, he tells FRANCE 24. “I wanted to learn how to handle weapons. I wanted to fight.”
Kolat left his familiar city surroundings for a rebel camp. “Training started at dawn every day. It was extremely demanding, physically. Sometimes, they made us stay three hours in freezing water to test our endurance,” he recalls. “But I was motivated. I thought it was the only way to get rid of the military.”
>> Myanmar democracy movement undeterred despite sentencing of ousted leader Suu Kyi
His hopes faded on returning to Yangon. “We simply didn’t have the weapons to fight,” he says. Anxious that the military would come looking for him, he cut off contact with his family and went from one hideout to another. “I couldn’t do anything. I was stuck.”
With Yadanar’s help, he eventually found a way to follow her to Perpignan. “Thankfully, I had used my artist pseudonym all year,” Kolat says. “Otherwise I could never have showed up at the airport with a passport bearing my real name. I would have been arrested.”
“Today, all my friends have left or want to leave,” Yadanar says. “For those who have stayed, life is hell. The military reigns by fear, prices keep going up and most public services are still shut down by strikes. Children can’t go to school, hospitals aren’t operating….”
International observers share her concern at the economic crisis brought on by Myanmar’s coup. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost and inflation is spiralling. The World Bank expects virtually no growth in 2022, after an estimated 18 percent contraction of the economy in 2021.
Hundreds of thousands displaced
Yadanar and Kolat are among relatively few Burmese citizens who own a passport, a precondition to get on a flight. But across the country, hundreds of thousands have found other ways to flee. Altogether, at least 19,000 have left the country since last February, while more than 400,000 people have been internally displaced, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Myanmar has been plunged into civil war. In several states, especially in border regions, there is daily fighting between the military and ethnic rebel groups, aided by citizens’ militias. The military has confronted these pockets of resistance with brutal force, sometimes attacking entire villages.
On December 25, a local militia discovered the charred remains of more than 30 people including two members of Save the Children on a highway in eastern Kayah state, which borders Thailand. The massacre shook the international community, but human rights groups say it is far from being an isolated incident.
“The situation has severely deteriorated since the fall. War crimes and crimes against humanity have become common,” says Salai Za Uk, executive director of the NGO Chin Human Rights, in a video call with FRANCE 24. The organisation documents attacks on the Chin people, a Christian minority living along the border with India.
“On the ground, our volunteers have seen villagers kidnapped by the military, used as human shields or forced to guide soldiers into the jungle,” he says. “Those who stay are fighting for survival, fleeing from village to village as troops advance. And the military is blocking humanitarian convoys, making it very hard to access basic necessities.”
‘We’re headed straight for a humanitarian catastrophe’
Za Uk, 44, was one of the first to leave his village for the neighbouring Indian state of Mizoram after the February 1 coup. “I lived through the 1988 coup. I knew what to expect,” he says. “I knew the military wouldn’t hesitate to attack the population. And as a defender of minority ethnic rights, I was a target of the junta. It was leave or die.”
Immediately after the coup, he ordered the NGO’s offices closed and packed his bags to leave with his wife. They took refuge among resistance fighters, steps from the river which separates Myanmar from India.
“We spent several weeks there,” Za Uk says. “We didn’t want to go to India, which was in the middle of its Covid-19 crisis. What good would it do escaping the military to die of disease?”
Since then, his village has been entirely destroyed. Watchdog groups say the military has targeted it 14 times, destroying nearly 800 homes and burning down multiple churches.
In Mizoram, Za Uk joins his brother, who stayed there after the 1988 coup. He has resumed his work from a safe distance. Every day, he sees a “continuous flow” of refugees crossing the border. “At first, we saw people like me arriving: politicians, NGO leaders and activists, as well as police and military who defected from the junta,” he says. “Now, we’re welcoming many civilians, especially families, who wanted to flee the violence.”
>> ‘I couldn’t kill innocent people’: Myanmar soldiers defect to join resistance
While the numbers are difficult to count with any precision, Chin Human Rights estimates that 20 percent of Chin state – one of seven states in Myanmar where ethnic minorities predominate – have fled their homes over the last twelve months. That would amount to 80,000 people, of whom 30,000 are now in India, according to the group.
Officially, the Indian authorities do not recognise them as refugees, leaving them without any government assistance.
“In practice, Mizoram has a long history with the Chins. We share a common culture, and many people have family here. A large mutual aid network has taken shape and the local authorities look the other way,” Za Uk says. “But if this influx of refugees continues, we’re headed straight for a humanitarian catastrophe. We won’t have the resources to help everyone.”
‘Even after leaving, we don’t feel free’
Hundreds of kilometres away, Sophia* is hiding out in Thailand. She, too, left Myanmar out of fear, along with her brother and boyfriend.
Lacking documentation, she spoke to FRANCE 24 from a building maintained by the Red Cross, not far from the border.
“I don’t have any money so I can’t buy anything. I eat only what people bring me, often rice,” she said, keeping her voice low. “Anyway, leaving here would be too dangerous. I could be arrested and sent back to my country.”
Before being brought to the small house, she was one of hundreds of villagers living in tents along the Moei river, which separates the two countries.
Thailand has categorically refused any new refugees, with authorities stepping up surveillance along the border in an attempt to stop crossings. In January, the UN Refugee Agency called on the Thai government to allow it access to the area, in order to provide much-needed humanitarian aid.
“From one day to the next, I found myself without anything – no work, no money, no clothes, no home,” Sophia says. “I’m 26 years old, and I no longer have any hopes for the future. Who knows when I’ll be able to leave here?"
Sophia, like all the refugees who spoke to FRANCE 24, hopes for only one thing: to see the junta dissolved so she can return to Myanmar.
For now, besides adapting to her new life, she has to grapple with being far from family and friends, and worrying for their safety. “I’m terrified at the idea that my mother could be arrested, or worse. Soon, it will be the rainy season and it will be even harder to find food and shelter,” she adds.
Yadanar, for her part, is convinced that her parents “never could have adapted to life in France”.
“Even after leaving, we don’t feel free,” she says. “In reality, we are people on the run, stuck in this situation that we didn’t really choose.”
Za Uk tries to stay optimistic, despite everything. “I’ll return to Myanmar soon. I’m sure of it,” he says. “For me, this anniversary brings hope. It shows that, a year later, the population is still resisting. The military doesn’t have control. They won’t win.”
*Name changed
This article has been adapted from the original in French.
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