Signs are mounting that the junta plans to deploy overwhelming military force to crush resistance in the Tanintharyi Region’s Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which could lead to heavy fighting, according to local resistance forces.
In mid-March 2025, around 900 junta troops, in three columns, entered and stationed themselves in Yebyu Town to the east of the Dawei SEZ project and Launglon Town to the south of the SEZ.
Comrade Shadow, a spokesperson for Launglon Township People’s Defence Force (Launglon PDF) said: “The junta sent about 900 troops to the two towns, but around 100 have already left, so there are still roughly 800 soldiers there now.”
The junta dispatched the soldiers to Yebyu and Launglon towns following the signing of a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the junta and Russia on 23 February 2025, when the Russian Minister of Economic Development visited Naypyidaw. The MoU laid the groundwork for Russian investment in the Dawei SEZ project.
Comrade Shadow speculated that the junta troops had been deployed to Yebyu and Launglon to neutralise and eliminate local resistance forces in the area.
He said: “It looks like the junta’s already decided to clear out any threats around the SEZ project area. It has sent troops there before, but never in such large numbers. The troops arrived after Min Aung Hlaing had talks with Russia to move forward with the SEZ project.”
Although fighting has not yet broken out around the Dawei SEZ or the towns of Yebyu and Launglon, junta soldiers have been patrolling areas around the SEZ, including Maungmagan Town in Dawei Township and Na Bu Le Sub-township in Yebyu Township. This has been creating tense military standoffs with local resistance forces who warn that fighting could erupt at any time.
On the morning of 7 April villagers were forced to flee when a junta column entered Aye Ka Ni Village, in Na Bu Le Sub-Township near to the SEZ project area.
Previously, the junta column had been moving around Yebyu and Launglon townships. On 31 March soldiers from the column arrested 11 locals and used them as human shields. They were released on 3 April.
Activities by junta soldiers have forced residents to flee from their homes in the Yebyu Township villages of Pa Ya, Khway Ma Hpaw, Zar Di, Khaung Pyan, Taik Ta Kaw, and Kha Yin Chaung, according to Sayar Jonathan who works with the Dawna Tanintharyi group that is assisting internally displaced people (IDPs) in the area.
He said: “The number of IDPs is estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000. Most have sought refuge in nearby forests, orchards, and villages which are deemed safer [than their homes]. It is believed that junta troops are currently focusing on Na Bu Le to clear out potential threats, as local resistance forces control some territories around Na Bu Le and the SEZ.
According to local monitoring groups the SEZ will include a deep-sea port, a coal-fired power plant, an oil refinery, a chemical plant, and various other industrial facilities that could harm the environment and contribute to pollution.
Civil society organisations in Tanintharyi Region have opposed the planned developments in the SEZ saying that they would be illegal because of the potential harm they could cause to the environment and local communities and because they are being implemented by an illegitimate regime.
The National Unity Government (NUG) has also dismissed the legitimacy of such investments, announcing in 2021 and 2022 that it would not recognise any new deals approved by the military regime.
The Dawei SEZ project was initially launched in 2008 as a joint effort between Myanmar and Italian-Thai Development (ITD). However, in December 2020, the NLD government suspended all project agreements with ITD, citing the company’s repeated delays, failure to meet financial obligations, and lack of transparency in funding. The Dawei SEZ Management Committee subsequently halted all work permits for nine initial projects.
