On July 21, 2024, phone and internet services in Kachin State experienced a sudden and widespread disruption. The outages began around 1:00 PM local time and were still ongoing by 10:00 AM on July 22.
Earlier in June, Kachin State was hit by its most severe flash floods in two decades, which also caused interruptions in phone and internet services provided by various operators. Following the flood, services from K-net, as well as phone networks from Mytel and Ooredoo, were gradually restored.
However, the region faced another complete network outage on July 21. This is not the first instance of such widespread disruptions; in March, during intense clashes across Kachin State, phone lines and mobile data services were unavailable, leaving only Wi-Fi networks operational.
The recent network disruptions follow a pattern of deliberate communication blackouts by the junta, aimed at restricting information flow in areas of increased armed resistance. The junta has frequently cut communication networks in response to rising resistance movements since the coup.
KNG is actively investigating the reasons behind the current network failures.
During the recent period of intense flooding, the military situation in Kachin State was relatively stable. Nevertheless, intermittent clashes around Waingmaw and Bhamo towns resumed in the second week of July.
On July 17, junta troops employed backhoes to dismantle roads connecting to the 58th Infantry Battalion and Wuyang militia camp in Waingmaw, as a defensive strategy.
Last week, although junta troops dispatched a military column with five tanks from Bhamo to reinforce Momauk, they were unable to advance due to two days of heavy resistance from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and were eventually compelled to retreat.
The current outage of phone and internet services occurs amidst growing concerns about a potential resurgence of military tensions in Kachin State.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has condemned practices that intentionally block or interfere with online access and information dissemination. Its 2018 resolution urges countries to cease such actions, highlighting their infringement on fundamental human rights.
A report by Free Expression Myanmar (FEM), published on October 18, 2022, ranks Myanmar among the worst countries globally for digital rights violations since the coup, drawing comparisons to neighboring China.
