UN Warns Myanmar's Human Rights Crisis Deepens Amid Brutal Violence and Illegal Mining

Rohingya refugees are protesting against deteriorating living conditions and demanding a safe return to Myanmar, marking nine years since a military crackdown drove them across the border. According to the United Nations, the human rights situation in Myanmar has deteriorated to a new low, driven by worsening abuse against the Rohingya minority and the devastating consequences of illicit economies, such as illegal rare earth mining.

In a report released on Tuesday, the UN’s Human Rights Office stated that the military's pursuit of control and legitimacy following its 2021 coup has intensified civilian suffering. To combat ethnic armed groups and militias across the resource-rich nation, the military has relied on airstrikes, arson attacks, displacement, and the denial of aid. The report estimates that at least 8,075 civilians, including 1,074 children, have died since the coup, with 1,241 of those deaths occurring within the past year. Open sources suggest the actual death toll could be as high as 15,731 civilians since the takeover.

This ongoing conflict has displaced 3.6 million people internally. Furthermore, approximately 12.4 million individuals face severe hunger, while 400,000 young children and mothers suffer from acute malnutrition. In western Rakhine State, both the military and the Arakan Army have continued systematic violations against the Muslim Rohingya population. The Arakan Army has been accused of conducting arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, forced labor, and the destruction of villages and religious sites.

The collapse of the rule of law has also fueled a booming illicit economy. Satellite imagery reveals a 149 percent increase in illegal rare-earth mining sites in northern Kachin and northeastern Shan State since 2021, leading to severe environmental contamination and health crises, including a surge in miscarriages and pregnancy complications.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the findings as deeply troubling and urged global states, companies, and investors to critically reevaluate their involvement and actions regarding Myanmar.