As per the Irrawaddy, Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government (NUG) claimed on that March 15 that the Tatmadaw has committed 64 massacres in five states and regions, killing at least 766 people since the 2021 coup.
Nine massacres in 2021, 44 in 2022 and 11 in 2023 were claimed as per the Irrawaddy.
In massacres, regime troops killed 104 people this year, about 20 percent of mass killings in 2022.
The number of victims rose to 515 in 2022, an increase of 250 percent from 147 in 2021 as per the Irrawaddy.
Massacres mostly took place in anti-regime strongholds like Sagaing and Magwe regions and Kayah State as per the Irrawaddy.
An estimated 72 percent of the killings were in Sagaing Region, claiming the lives of 478 civilians, according to the NUG’s Ministry of Human Rights as per the Irrawaddy.
At least 120 Kachin State civilians were killed in 2022, largely in airstrikes. Regime troops massacred 42 people in Magwe Region, 41 in Kayah State and 31 in southern Shan States last year as per the Irrawaddy
A mass grave after a junta airstrike on a concert in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, in October 2022.
In 2022 junta troops carried out massacres in which 42 people died in Magwe Region, 41 in Kayah State and 31 in southern Shan State as per the Irrawaddy.
The Irrawaddy also reported that casings from bullets manufactured by the military were found southern Shan State’s Pinlaung Township where a major massacre which including Buddhist monks was reported. Parallel National Unity Government, the Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC) and Pa-O National Federal Council (PNFC) have jointly brought this to notice.
Myanmar Government Notice
The military led government on the other hand has declared the resistance forces as terrorist groups through a public notice for elimination of violence
1. Declaring themselves to be “for the people”, the socalled CRPH, NUG and PDF terrorist groups are lawlessly killing Buddhist monks, civil servants including schoolteachers, and members of the general public, as well as looting and robbing.
2. Not encouraging, supporting, or assisting “CRPH”, “NUG”, and “PDF” terrorists, who are intimidating and killing people and committing destructive activities, is to protect the lives and property of the general public.
3. Giving information secretly to the authorities on terrorists and on possession and transport of weapons/ammunition is tantamount to protecting the lives and property of innocent people.
Unpopularity of the Military Government
Reflecting unpopularity of the military government and the lack of faith in the system, number of students applying to the country’s military academies has dropped sharply since the coup. Numbers appearing for matriculation have also dropped from 900,000 students in 2020 to 280,000 in 2022 and just over 180,000 in 2023 quotes the Irrawaddy.