Subhechcha Ganguly 
Myanmar’s Peace Prospects Fade as Civil War Escalates, Four Years After Military Coup
Despite ongoing international pressure, Myanmar’s peace prospects remain grim as civil war intensifies, four years after the military ousted the elected civilian government. The political climate is highly tense, with no signs of negotiation between the military junta and the key opposition forces. The aftermath of the army’s Feb. 1, 2021, coup has plunged the country into a crisis, marked by widespread poverty and an unstable economy, according to the U.N. Development Program.
The U.N. Human Rights Office reported a dramatic increase in military violence against civilians last year, resulting in the highest civilian death toll since the coup. The military has relentlessly carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling on civilian areas, forced thousands of young people into military service, and conducted arbitrary arrests and prosecutions. Additionally, mass displacement has occurred, and humanitarian aid has been blocked, even during natural disasters, the rights office stated in a recent report.
