Myanmar

Peoples Under Threat Ranking:
#10
2

Communities at risk

Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Mons, Rakhine, Rohingyas, Shan, Chin (Zomis), Wa

Summary

After taking steps toward democratization over the past decade, power in Myanmar has been decisively reconsolidated in the authoritarian hands of the country’s military. In February 2021, the newly elected, hugely popular government of Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown by the army, leading to pro-democracy protests that brought millions of people into the streets… Read more »

Peoples Under Threat Data

2021 Data Peoples under Threat value
Self-determination conflicts5
Major armed conflict2
Prior genocide / politicide1
Flight of refugees and IDPs0.0324
Legacy of vengeance - group grievance9.9
Rise of factionalized elites8.3
Voice and Accountability-0.944
Political Stability-1.513
Rule of Law-1.179
OECD country risk classification7
TOTAL18.368

The overall measure for each country is based on a basket of 10 indicators. The number in each row is drawn from the source for that particular indicator. The sources of data and calculations used are detailed on the Notes to Table page. 

Background

After taking steps toward democratization over the past decade, power in Myanmar has been decisively reconsolidated in the authoritarian hands of the country’s military. In February 2021, the newly elected, hugely popular government of Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown by the army, leading to pro-democracy protests that brought millions of people into the streets over several months. Escalating violence and repressive measures by the military, resulting in more than 1,300 deaths and thousands of arrests, have forced the resistance movement underground. This has provoked the formation of civilian self-defence militias whose presence further complicates the country’s volatile conflict dynamics. Prior to the coup, more than 20 ‘ethnic armed organizations’ were already in various kinds of armed struggle with the government and/or one another, namely in Shan, Kachin, Chin, and Rakhine states – the latter the epicentre of the military’s genocidal campaign against the mostly Muslim Rohingya community since 2017, for which no perpetrators have yet faced meaningful justice.