9/18/2024 Myanmar (International Christian Concern) — The U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report this week detailing the civilian death toll in Myanmar since February 2021, when the military seized control of the country. The military, or Tatmadaw, targeted ethnoreligious minorities for decades before the coup, but the removal of the civilian government has allowed it to wage its campaign of violence unchecked.

According to the report, at least 5,350 civilians have been killed and more than 3.3 million displaced in the last three and a half years. In addition, “over half the population is living below the poverty line, primarily due to military violence,” according to the most recent findings. More than 27,000 people have been arrested, with those held “subjected to abusive interrogation, other ill-treatment in detention, or denial of access to adequate healthcare.”

Highlighting the Tatmadaw’s effect on religion in the country, the military and various armed groups were documented in 226 attacks on religious sites during the reporting period. These included churches, monasteries, and pagodas.

Myanmar is a patchwork mosaic of ethnic and religious groups. Though a strong majority of the population is ethnic Burman, and an even greater percentage is Buddhist, the communities that make up the remainder are well-established, well-organized, and, for the most part, predate the formation of the modern state by centuries.

In many cases, Myanmar’s ethnic minorities have taken on a distinct religious identity as well. About 20% to 30% of ethnic Karen are Christians, while other groups — such as the Chin — are more than 90% Christian. This overlap of ethnic and religious identity has created a volatile situation for believers.

Representing an extremist interpretation of Buddhism, the Burmese military has a long history of violence against the people of Myanmar, including against ethnic and religious minorities like the Muslim-majority Rohingya and Christian-majority Chin. In the years leading up to the 2016 Rohingya genocide, the government helped to whip up anti-Rohingya disinformation on Facebook, leading to mass killings and displacement of that ethnoreligious minority community.

Earlier this month, military officials in Myanmar announced a census slated to take place in October even as the Tatmadaw continues to suffer major battlefield losses and controls only a tiny fraction of the country. Estimates suggest that the military controls less than 17% of the country, casting into doubt its ability to conduct a census effectively.

The move to conduct a national census is significant as a possible precursor to general elections — something the junta has delayed repeatedly since coming to power in 2021. Analysts and opposition forces in the country have expressed skepticism that the military will conduct a legitimate census. While Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand have recognized the Tatmadaw government, most of the international community has refused to grant such recognition. The census and possible elections to follow may be an attempt to create an air of legitimacy around the junta and increase its international recognition.

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