Quote from Alex bobby on June 12, 2025, 6:14 AM

Myanmar’s Path to Self-Destruction: UN Envoy Warns of Escalating Crisis Amid Armed Conflict and Earthquake Devastation

More than three years after the military seized power in Myanmar, plunging the country into widespread chaos and bloodshed, the United Nations is sounding an urgent alarm: if violence continues, Myanmar is on “a path to self-destruction.”

Speaking before the UN General Assembly, special envoy Julie Bishop painted a grim picture of a country unraveling — not just under the weight of civil conflict, but now also in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake that devastated the capital Naypyidaw and the major city of Mandalay in late March, killing over 3,000 people and injuring thousands more.

“Alarmingly, the violence did not stop even after the earthquake,” Bishop stated. “Ceasefires announced by some parties have largely not been observed, embedding a crisis within a crisis.”

From Coup to Collapse

The crisis in Myanmar began in February 2021 when the military overthrew the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering mass protests that quickly evolved into an armed resistance. The military junta responded with brutal crackdowns, and according to NGOs, more than 6,600 civilians have been killed since the coup.

The unrest has united various ethnic armed groups — which have fought for autonomy for decades — with newly formed pro-democracy militias. These militias support a National Unity Government (NUG) made up of lawmakers elected in 2020 but barred from taking office after the coup.

The resulting battlefield is chaotic, multilayered, and increasingly bloody. Military airstrikes, bombings, and indiscriminate shelling have left large swaths of the country in ruins. More than 22,000 political prisoners are currently in detention, including Suu Kyi and ousted president Win Myint.

With a fractured state, Bishop warns that all sides are stuck in a “zero-sum approach,” refusing to yield or engage in meaningful negotiations. “Armed clashes remain a barrier to meeting humanitarian needs,” she said, noting that the continuous flow of weapons into the country is bolstering the false hope that a military solution is possible.

Earthquake Amplifies Humanitarian Despair

March’s devastating earthquake has only worsened the humanitarian crisis. Relief efforts have been obstructed by ongoing military operations and local skirmishes. The lack of coordination, trust, and security has rendered humanitarian aid delivery nearly impossible in some areas.

“The people of Myanmar are now forced to endure both the destruction of war and the aftermath of a natural disaster,” Bishop emphasised.

As fighting continues, entire communities are being displaced. Schools, hospitals, and basic infrastructure are destroyed or non-functional in many contested regions. Aid agencies are reporting increased malnutrition, lack of medical supplies, and a severe shortage of safe drinking water.

Political Dialogue or Political Games?

Despite signs of potential diplomatic engagement, Bishop expressed concern over the junta’s plan to hold elections in late 2024 or early 2025. She warned that such elections, conducted amid violence and repression, risk triggering further instability and resistance.

“There is some openness to political dialogue with regional support,” Bishop noted, referencing talks with leaders and ASEAN’s special envoy Othman Hashim. However, she cautioned that there is still no broad agreement on how to move the country forward.

Holding elections without a genuine ceasefire, political inclusivity, or transparency would only deepen divisions, she argued. “These elections could ignite even greater unrest if they are perceived as illegitimate or exclusionary.”

The Plight of the Rohingya

Among the most vulnerable groups in Myanmar are the Rohingya, a Muslim minority that has suffered years of persecution in the Buddhist-majority country. In Rakhine State, where conflict rages between the military and the Arakan Army — a Rakhine ethnic militia — civilians are caught in the crossfire. Bishop reported that up to 80% of residents in northern Rakhine are living in poverty, facing forced recruitment, abuse, and displacement.

Over 700,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since a brutal military crackdown began in August 2017. Many still languish in refugee camps, stateless and without prospects for return or integration.

Bishop held a virtual meeting this week with representatives of the Rohingya community in both Myanmar and Bangladesh. She called for renewed international efforts to address their plight and highlighted an upcoming high-level UN General Assembly conference scheduled for September 30, aimed at seeking durable solutions for the Rohingya and other persecuted minorities.

A Call for Urgency and Responsibility

Bishop’s report underscores that Myanmar’s crisis is no longer just a national tragedy — it is a regional and global concern with implications for international stability, human rights, and humanitarian responsibility.

“We cannot afford to turn our backs on Myanmar,” she told the UN. “This is not just a civil war. It is a human catastrophe, unfolding in real time, with millions of lives at stake.”

The UN envoy concluded by urging the global community, especially Myanmar’s neighbours and regional actors, to ramp up diplomatic pressure, halt the flow of arms, and support genuine dialogue. Without coordinated international action, she warned, Myanmar will spiral further into violence, repression, and economic ruin.

Looking Forward: What Lies Ahead for Myanmar?

As Myanmar teeters on the edge of deeper conflict and humanitarian collapse, the road ahead remains fraught with uncertainty. Yet there are still possible paths to recovery — if the right actions are taken.

The international community must strengthen diplomatic pressure on the military junta, particularly through regional players like ASEAN and neighbouring powers such as China and India. The upcoming high-level UN conference on the Rohingya offers a rare opportunity to refocus global attention on the crisis and seek durable, inclusive solutions.

Humanitarian aid must be decoupled from political objectives and delivered through neutral channels. The establishment of safe corridors and local ceasefires — even if temporary — could make a critical difference in saving lives, particularly in regions devastated by both conflict and natural disaster.

Most importantly, the international community must recognise that long-term peace in Myanmar cannot be achieved through military might or sham elections. Any future political process must include ethnic minorities, the National Unity Government, civil society, and the millions of citizens whose voices have been silenced.

The resilience of Myanmar’s people in the face of oppression and disaster is extraordinary. What they need now is global solidarity and leadership that prioritises peace over power, accountability over impunity, and justice over convenience.

Without these, Myanmar’s “path to self-destruction” may tragically become its destiny.

Conclusion

Myanmar stands at a crossroads — one path leads to dialogue, peace, and reconstruction; the other to deeper conflict and irreversible national collapse. The international community must choose whether to continue observing passively or take bold steps to help Myanmar find its way back from the brink.

As Bishop poignantly stated, “If the violence does not stop, Myanmar is on a path to self-destruction. The world must not let this happen.