Following the Military Council's coup on February 1st, 2021, which ousted the democratically elected civilian government, the death toll attributed to the actions of the Military Council has risen to 4273 by the close of 2023, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
The death toll inflicted by the Military Council includes 705 women and 505 children, while a total of 1547 individuals lost their lives while in the custody of the Military Council, as reported in AAPP's statement on January 1st.
The list of casualties encompasses individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those associated with the Spring Revolution, political prisoners, students, and activists. Approximately 700 individuals are currently under investigation to ascertain their identities, AAPP said.
"The terrorist Military Council has been engaging in human rights violations, illegal arrests, killings, arson, tortures, and indiscriminate air raids every day since they seized power. These actions constitute blatant violations of international law and human rights laws”, an AAPP official told DMG.
As per AAPP records, the fatalities resulting from the ruthless actions of the Military Council numbered 1,360 in 2021, 1,319 in 2022, and 1,594 in 2023. Predominantly, the casualties were concentrated in the Sagaing Region, with incidents also reported in Mandalay, Magway, Yangon, Bago, Tanintharyi, Ayeyarwady regions, as well as in Shan, Chin, Kachin, Rakhine, Kayah (Karenni), Mon, and Karen states.
Owing to the prevailing conditions on the battlefield, the Military Council is now facing challenges in efficiently supplying its bases and outposts. As a result, it has heightened reliance on airstrikes and shelling, causing a surge in civilian casualties, as noted by political analysts.
"The Military Council is increasingly using artillery fire from fortified bases, as well as aerial bombardments. Due to the indiscriminate nature of these attacks, civilian casualties are on the rise”, said U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst.
U Than Soe Naing emphasized that human rights violations will not stop until the resistance forces successfully overthrow the Military Council.
The enduring rule of successive military dictators in Myanmar has fueled prolonged civil wars.
Political activists said that the military dictatorship must be swiftly dismantled, citing concerns that the current coup leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is perpetrating more severe human rights violations than the previous military Juntas.
"To secure full guarantees of human rights and democracy, the imperative is to establish an independent government. This objective is attainable only through the dismantling of the oppressive system led by the Military Council, underscoring the paramount importance of removing the Junta leaders”, a leader of 88 Generation Students Group noted.
Based on DMG's observations, resistance forces have managed to capture at least 16 townships in Sagaing, Magway, Chin, and Shan since the initiation of 'Operation 1027' at the end of October. This development has dealt a significant blow to the Military Council. Additionally, the Military Council has forfeited control of over 400 bases and outposts throughout the country.
