The illegal Myanmar military junta is committing acts of extreme criminal violence, intended to provoke such a state of terror in the population, that ultimately people will submit to its political agenda.

In the first week of December 2021 alone, junta forces burned to death 11 men and boys and rammed vehicles into peaceful protesters with lethal effect. These are examples of the latest incidents in the military’s brutal eleven-month-long campaign of terror which began after the attempted coup on 1 February 2021.

The level of sheer cruelty being inflicted on people in Myanmar by the junta is unmatched in terms of recent human rights atrocities being reported in other parts of the world.

People in Myanmar have been referring to the military junta as terrorist since the post-coup violence began. The National Unity Government of Myanmar declared the Myanmar military a terrorist organisation under Myanmar’s 2014 Counter-Terrorism Law in June.

This briefing paper by SAC-M provides an overview of relevant national and international law on terrorism. It outlines three core elements that are required under law to constitute an act of terrorism: first, there must be intentional action to take hostages, cause death or serious injury or to use lethal or other violence against members of the general population; second, the action must be intended to provoke a state of terror in the general public, or to compel a government to do or abstain from doing something; third, the action must be a serious criminal offence under national or international law.

The briefing paper demonstrates that the Myanmar military junta is a terrorist organisation as defined in national and international law and concludes that it should be designated and treated as such.

Download the Briefing Paper: SAC-M Briefing Paper Myanmar Military Terrorist Organisation ENGLISH

The Myanmar military junta is responsible for widespread violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and serious international criminal offences. The military’s acts of terror constitute part of a widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population amounting to crimes against humanity.

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