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The human rights crisis in Myanmar has reached catastrophic levels, with civilians bearing the brunt of violent military actions and economic collapse. The latest report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, highlights a year of unprecedented suffering, with 2024 seeing the highest death toll since the military coup in 2021.
Nearly 1,824 people were killed last year, including over 500 women and 240 children. However, the true number of casualties is feared to be much higher due to the lack of reliable data from conflict zones. The brutal military, struggling to maintain control, continues to target civilian areas with airstrikes and artillery shelling, hitting schools, healthcare centres, and displacement camps.
The economic situation in Myanmar has worsened, with 15 million people facing hunger and up to 2 million at risk of famine. Fertiliser shortages and rising fuel costs have sent rice prices soaring, further deepening the crisis. Over 3.5 million people have been displaced, and a staggering 20 million are in need of humanitarian aid.
In Rakhine State, ongoing conflict between the military and the Arakan Army has killed thousands, with Rohingya communities facing escalating violence and persecution. Nearly 2,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in 2024, despite a closed border, and at least 650 of them died at sea.
Amid this violence, Myanmar’s military has intensified its grip on the population by coercing conscription, enforcing arbitrary arrests, and using forced labour in scam operations. The country’s economy has collapsed, leaving three-quarters of the population below the poverty line, and Myanmar remains one of the world’s largest producers of opium and synthetic drugs.The United Nations has called for immediate international action, urging an arms embargo and targeted sanctions to curb the violence. The call for a political resolution includes broadening talks to include not only the military junta and armed ethnic groups, but also civil society, youth, and women’s groups. The international community is being urged to prioritise Myanmar and provide humanitarian support to those most affected.
