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World in Progress: What is going on in Myanmar?

June 14, 2023

Since the military coup in Myanmar over two years ago that ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the ruling military regime has arrested tens of thousands of people. We hear from former political prisoners, talk about the targeted killings of civilians and hear from displaced Rohingya in camps in Bangladesh.

https://p.dw.com/p/4SZAz

Former political prisoners: Conditions have never been worse

Just last month, the military junta pardoned around 2,000 political prisoners to mark a Buddhist holiday – however, this is only a tiny fraction of people as the majority of dissidents remain behind bars and arrests continue. Aung Suu Kyi and other leaders are in prison on trumped-up charges. The military has also targeted peaceful protestors, artists and journalists. Former political prisoners say conditions now are worse than ever. 

Report: Justin Higginbottom, Mae Sot, Thailand 

Politically motivated murder rampant in Myanmar, report says

According to the Peace Research Institute Oslo, more than 6,000 civilians were killed in the first 20 months following Myanmar's military coup in 2021. This is a significantly higher number of deaths than what's previously been reported. In a report released this week,the institute says politically motivated murders were the main form of violence in both urban and rural areas. Myanmar's military and police were responsible for about half of all killings, anti-coup resistance groups killed about 2,000 civilians, and unspecified perpetrators killed at least 1,000, it says in the report. DW speaks to its lead author Min Zaw Oo, a global fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and executive director of the Myanmar Institute of Peace and Security.

Interview: Sarah Steffen

 

Fear and desperation in Bangladesh's Rohingya camps

Rakhine state is where the military launched a brutal crackdown in 2017. Rohingya refugees fled to neighboring Bangladesh where they have been cooped up in what amounts to the world's biggest refugee camp. But what was meant as a safe space turned out to be not so safe after all. Things have gotten so desperate, pushing some to try their luck at making a dangerous trip across the sea to get to Thailand or Malaysia. 

Report: Naomi Conrad, together with Arafatul Islam and Birgitta Schülke, Cox's Bazar  

  

Sarah Steffen Author and editor with a keen interest on underreported crises.