Myanmar has been in deep unrest since the military takeover in February 2021 with violence erupting and repression rising. This was followed by a brutal anti-dissent campaign and concentration of power with mass attacks by government forces on civilians. According to statistics gathered by the United Nations and a number of human rights organizations, the cost of this conflict has been paid by over 6000 civilians killed, of which more than 1,100 women and over 700 children. This escalation of violence was especially noticeable in 2024, when a minimum of 1,824 civilians were killed in a context of a higher activity of military operations.
The strategy of the military has been brutal and tends to strike at civilian infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and targeted areas by using artillery shelling and airstrikes. These attacks have also been compounded by the natural disaster that occurred in March 2025 whereby an earthquake destroyed parts of the country but there was no respite in bombarding affected areas by the military. The violence continues to drive millions of people inside the country who are now suffering acute food insecurity as the agriculture and supply chains breathe their last.
That strategy manifests the intentional scorched-earth policy not just to oppress political opposition but also to destabilize whole communities so that there is no social cohesion or resistance at all. The results are dire: Myanmar social tissue is fragmented, the violence committed by the military has escalated much further than the usual areas of conflict, and vast numbers of civilians have been absorbed in it.
Systematic torture and abuse in detention centers
It is possible that the most devastating aspect of the crisis in Myanmar is the institutional and systemic torture that the prisoners face in the prisons and interrogation centers of the military. Other investigations on Myanmar by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) with leadership of the United Nations show ample records of widespread abuses. According to the witnesses, a litany of inhuman treatment and acts includes beatings with iron rods and bamboo sticks, electric shocks, strangulation and mock executions, sexual violence including gang rapes, and even burning of detainees with lighters and boiling water. Worryingly, they have kept children as hostages to family members in the same manner of subjecting them to the same inhumanities.
The extent of the atrocities can be seen in more than 600 survivor testimonies that were supported by forensic evidence. The number of people killed in detention has reached 1,853 at least and most of the victims died due to torture abuse, and lack of medical care. The involvement of the senior military commanders in ordering or condoning these offenses serves as sources of terror aimed at shattering the morale of the political activists, ethnic minorities and anybody deemed as an opponent.
These atrocities are systematic and thus show a policy on organizing fear and brutality to curb opposition. Such cruelty under the state sponsorship has triggered international criticism and the readiness of the junta to do anything to remain in power.
International response and demands for justice
The international community has also been raising the concern over the degraded condition of human rights in Myanmar, particularly with the deterioration of the territorial control of the ruling junta, and the increased violence. Top officials of the UN, such as Volker T T, the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights have also come out in strong terms and have requested that the UN Security Council refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Nonetheless, the ICC referral process encounters great barriers to diplomacy and politics.
The IIMM has been invaluable in collection and preservation of evidence of crimes against humanity, helping to sustain investigations and trials across jurisdictions, both in the ICC, United Kingdom and Argentina courts. Nevertheless, these advances are fraught with inadequate funding, no access on the ground and official interference on Myanmar part as the military government denies all the accusations leveled against it and does not cooperate with international agencies.
A parallel increase is also visible globally in diplomatic pressure with sanctions being applied against individual military leaders, arms embargo and the implication of aviation fuel to undermine the operational capabilities of the junta. Human rights activists, survivor groups and civil society groups still call and demand extensified international efforts, without which it has been noted that pressure needs to be maintained in discouraging the brutality of the military and impunity.
Societal consequences and humanitarian crisis
Humanitarian consequences of the Myanmar military campaign are multidimensional, and becoming ever more dire. Not only has mass displacement destabilized immediate safety but it has threatened long-term stability in ways both economic and social. The most acute problems are in ethnic minority areas where conflict between the military and pro-ethnic armed groups persists including the Arakan Army. Food insecurity and deprivation are worsened by blocked humanitarian access, destruction of farmland and disrupted markets.
The psychological trauma spreads over communities involved, and the mental health disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, is increasing with minimal support structure. The eviction and bloodshed have also elicited a high rate of youth exodus, most of them running away to escape being forced to go to war or forced labor, which compromises even more the social structure and hopes of Myanmar.
The process of reconstruction and healing will require a combination of concepts that touch on physical reconstruction as well as social and psychological restoration. Fortification of the health systems and educational access should be accompanied by the documentation efforts in order to provide justice to survivors.
This person has spoken on the topic and summarized the complex realities accordingly:
Accountability amid crisis
Myanmar’s ongoing crisis presents one of the most urgent challenges for international human rights and justice frameworks in 2025. The vast and well-documented atrocities—from mass killings to systemic torture—make clear that strong, coordinated international action is necessary to hold perpetrators accountable.
While armed opposition groups have also committed abuses, the scale and systematic character of the military junta’s crimes demand a focused and credible accountability framework rooted in international law. The junta’s continued denial and obstruction highlight the impossibility of domestic legal redress, making external mechanisms indispensable.
Moving forward, success will depend on effective collaboration between international courts, diplomatic actors, and humanitarian organizations. The global response will influence not only the fate of millions of Burmese civilians but also the strength and credibility of the international human rights system for future crises.
As violence and displacement deepen, the pursuit of justice remains critical. Myanmar’s long path to peace and national reconciliation hinges on confronting these harsh truths—without which healing and stability will remain elusive.