Central Myanmar flames and threats to human rights

A UN report and an article recently published in the New York Times, titled "Myanmar's Civil War is Becoming an Apocalypse," clearly warn that the Myanmar military junta, while pretending to change its nature, is still targeting civilians within the country. Both reports, which combine the diligent fieldwork of New York Times correspondent Hannah Beech and the meticulous data collection and investigation of the UN, make it clear that the Myanmar military continues its campaign of repression and annihilation against civilians, particularly in the Sagaing region and Rakhine State. Beech's New York Times dispatch describes the conflict in Myanmar's northern central region as a "civil war like an apocalypse," where underfunded resistance groups face the military junta's relentless and severe aerial attacks. As the nation collapses into authoritarianism, this region is suffering severely from mass displacement and civilian casualties, largely overlooked by the international community. The UN, in its report titled "Human Rights Situation in Myanmar, Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights," presents statistical data and offers a clear assessment of Myanmar's worsening human rights crisis. It further concludes that more than five years after the 2021 coup, the country has plunged deeper into armed conflict, widespread repression, and a humanitarian catastrophe. The report, covering the period from August 2025 to January 2026, points out that the elections orchestrated by the military have failed to bring about legitimacy or administrative progress, coinciding only with increased violence against civilians and further erosion of fundamental rights. Few were fooled by the junta's change of costume from "green to white" under a semi-civilian government. At the same time, the report also highlights the emergence of local civilian-led administrative and defense systems, which have become the primary means for communities to survive in areas outside military control. According to the report, military operations remain the primary cause of civilian suffering. While the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was able to confirm at least 702 civilian deaths during the reporting period, it emphasizes that the actual number is likely much higher due to severe limitations in data recording caused by internet blackouts, movement restrictions, and insecurity. More than half of the deceased were women and children. Aerial attacks were the deadliest form of attack, with fighter jets, drones, paramotors, and gyrocopters causing at least 505 civilian deaths. Central Flames Central Myanmar, particularly the Sagaing region and Rakhine State, has suffered the worst from the violence. The report cites attacks on villages, hospitals, schools, and other civilian infrastructure, including the bombing of a hospital in Mrauk-U that killed 33 civilians and an attack on civilians gathered outside a school in Sagaing region that killed 23 people. While the report acknowledges that anti-government armed groups have also committed violations, including attacks on polling stations, election officials, and military targets using drones, mortars, and improvised explosive devices, it concludes that the scale and severity of these actions are far less than those carried out by the military. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about reports of forced conscription within some ethnic armed organizations, particularly among the Rohingya population. Humanitarian Repercussions Humanitarian repercussions have deepened throughout the reporting period. While it is estimated that over 3.7 million people are displaced, the report assumes the actual number is significantly higher. Nearly half of all displaced persons are from Sagaing and Rakhine. Millions are living without adequate shelter, food, or medical care, a situation exacerbated by the March 2025 earthquake and seasonal floods. Approximately one-third of Myanmar's population currently requires humanitarian assistance, and 9.2 million people face severe food insecurity. Northern Rakhine State has been identified as a particularly vulnerable region, with some areas estimated to be at a catastrophic level of starvation. Rising commodity prices, declining livelihoods, and military restrictions on the flow of goods have further exacerbated these difficulties. One of the report's main focuses is the military-controlled elections held between December 2025 and January 2026. The OHCHR concludes that the elections lacked the basic conditions necessary for a credible democratic process. Opposition parties have been dissolved or declared illegal, prominent political leaders, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, remain detained, and tens of thousands of political prisoners are denied basic rights. Voting took place under extensive military presence, widespread surveillance, and coercion. A majority of those interviewed expressed concerns about retaliation, fear of forced conscription, and loss of passports or government services.