The Human Rights Foundation of Monland Condemns Ongoing War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Five Years After the Attempted Coup

Today, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) marks five years since the attempted coup and condemns the ongoing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and daily abuses committed against civilians. These crimes cannot be concealed or erased through another illegal “sham election” or political roadmap with the junta at the helm. Under the guise of normalcy, the military regime has attempted to construct its own revisionist history in which it is above the law. The people of Burma have continued to show exemplary bravery in opposing the junta’s tyranny by speaking truth to power. Five years on, their commitment has not wavered.

Over the past five years, HURFOM has documented at least 1,059 civilians killed, 2,847 wounded, and 8,407 arbitrarily arrested and detained. These figures represent the loss of loved ones within families, among friends, and across communities. Though HURFOM calculates these figures weekly, the impact and suffering cannot be reduced to a single figure. The most vulnerable across Burma, including targeted areas of Mon State, Karen State, and the Tanintharyi Region, bear the heaviest burden of the ongoing conflict, fuelled by the military junta.

In interviews conducted by HURFOM field reporters, local people have repeatedly expressed concerns about their future amid worsening conditions. Among their most pressing issues are the following:

• Sham Election: With all three phases of the junta’s mockery of an election concluding, civilians continue to face reprisals for their boycott. A local man was arbitrarily arrested by junta forces on the morning of 11 January 2026 after openly urging residents not to participate in the junta’s second-phase sham election in Paung Township, Mon State. The arrest took place at 8:00 AM in front of a polling station in Kyonka Village, Paung Township, Mon State. The man, identified as Ko Myo, 47, originally from Thone-Eain-Su Ward, was detained by soldiers and security forces while he was encouraging villagers along the road leading to the polling station not to vote or legitimize the election. Any attempt to transfer power to the Union Solidarity and Development Party or to any newly formed administration under military control would only perpetuate the same system, and they must also bear responsibility for past crimes and ongoing human rights violations as a junta proxy.
• Lack of Safe and Access to Livelihood and Education Pathways: In northern Ye Township, Mon State, increased troop movements and rising tensions between junta forces and local resistance groups have created a climate of fear that is directly affecting civilian livelihoods. Local rubber plantation owners and seasonal workers report that they are too afraid to enter rubber and fruit plantations, fearing they may be caught in clashes or targeted during military operations. HURFOM field researchers say the situation has deteriorated steadily over recent days, with civilians increasingly withdrawing from their workplaces and returning to villages for safety. A 40-year-old rubber plantation owner from Mawkanin Village, Ye Township, told HURFOM that fear has driven many workers away from their livelihoods. “In the areas east of the motorway between Mawkanin and Ayutaung villages, junta troops have been moving through the plantations for several days, ” he said. “The troops are so close that many of us have gone back to the villages. Rubber tappers are too afraid to work. We are even taking our tools and equipment home because we don’t know when fighting might break out.”
• Airstrikes: Junta forces have continued artillery shelling and airstrikes in the eastern forest areas of Dawei District, forcing local residents to remain on high alert, according to villagers and local sources. Residents reported that on January 12, two artillery shells exploded near Bawa Pin Village. The following day, on January 13, four additional artillery shells reportedly landed and exploded near Bawa Pin Village and Wa Kone Village, raising fears among nearby communities. “When they fire artillery, they usually shoot two or three shells at a time and then stop. After a while, they fire again, ” said a male resident of Bawa Pin Village. “Two shells fell near a plantation close to the village, and one landed inside a garden and caused a fire. The owner had to put it out himself. We still don’t know the full extent of the damage.”
• Indiscriminate Firing: Junta forces intensified artillery attacks on civilian areas in Bilin Township, Mon State, raising serious concerns for the safety of residents. Local sources told field researchers that on 4 January 2026, between 7:24 PM and7:37 PM, junta troops from Light Infantry Battalion No. 3, operating under a tactical command based in Bilin Town, indiscriminately fired approximately seven 120 mm artillery shells into Ah Luu Gyi Village. The shelling damaged several civilian homes and destroyed an electricity transformer, cutting off power to parts of the village. Although no civilian casualties were immediately confirmed, residents said the attack caused panic and fear among families, many of whom were forced to remain inside their homes throughout the night.

• Forced Conscription: Nearly 80 young people have been forcibly detained for military service in Dawei City over a two-day period, with many families losing contact with their loved ones, according to information received by HURFOM’s Dawei frontline reporting desk. Local residents told HURFOM that on the nights of 8 and 9 January 2026, junta forces carried out coordinated raids across multiple wards in Dawei City, entering homes and arresting young men eligible for military service. The arrests were reportedly conducted using large numbers of troops, with authorities citing household registration checks as a pretext while forcibly taking youths from their homes. Residents in Mawlamyine, Mon State, have also reported that junta militia forces and conscription committee members have begun collecting lists of women from local neighbourhoods as part of preparations for the People’s Military Service. HURFOM’s calls to international and regional actors are clear and urgent. We urge condemnation of the ongoing crimes against civilians and call for the sham election results not to be recognized. We further call for solidarity with the people of Burma who are resisting military rule and demanding justice and freedom. The courage of frontline defenders is a testament to the strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment of those dedicated to the success of the Spring Revolution and the pursuit of meaningful democracy.

Media Contact

Nai Aue Mon, HURFOM Program Director

Email: auemon@rehmonnya.org

Signal: +66 86 167 9741

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