Hanging Onto Hope: An Overview of the Human Rights Situation in Karenni State in 2025

Introduction

Throughout the year 2025, the human rights situation in Burma was marked by instability and violence as the military junta intensified its attacks against unarmed civilians. The most vulnerable individuals caught in these assaults are often women, children, and the elderly. Throughout the country, more than 3.6 million people have been displaced as the conflict forces communities to flee, deepening the disruption of their daily lives. Access to education and livelihoods has been severely restricted, with essential community spaces, such as schools and farms, deliberately targeted by the junta. Consequently, fears and instability are growing.

The levels of violence impacting local communities are increasing. KnHRG has identified a concerning frequency of airstrikes being deployed by the military junta, often during times when there is no conflict or armed groups present. Meanwhile, the junta has received additional fighter jets and war planes from countries including Russia and China, which are then used to drop bombs on civilians.1 Schools, hospitals, and temporary displacement sites and camps are routinely targeted. These attacks aim to create deep fear among those most affected by the war, including women and children.

Currently, there are at least 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Karenni State who urgently need emergency humanitarian aid.

The gendered impacts of the displacement crisis cannot be overlooked. Women and children, especially new and expectant mothers, are bearing the brunt of the conflict. The Department of Women and Children of the Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC) reported 102 cases of gender-based violence over the last two years.2 The reported cases include 35 incidents of sexual violence, 31 of physical violence, 21 of psychological abuse, 17 of socio-economic violence, and 8 cases related to harmful traditional practices, totalling 102 cases.3 Among these, there are also six cases of sexual violence and two cases of physical abuse involving children under the age of 18. The troubling number of these cases underscores the need for more actions to end impunity and protect survivors.

In addition, according to the records of the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), from the attempted coup until May 2025, there have been 365 cases of sexual violence and gender-based violence in Karenni State, the highest in the country.4 Women- led organizations, including the Karenni National Women’s Organization and Kayan Women’s Organization, along with many others, are working tirelessly to address the rising rates of conflict-related sexual violence as the war escalates—placing women at greater risk of rights violations. The absence of reliable justice referral pathways has made accountability efforts by junta soldiers even more difficult. Nonetheless, women have continued to challenge gender stereotypes and rise to leadership positions.

Adding to the distressing situation was a 7.7 earthquake that struck Burma on 28 March 2025. The natural disaster was the latest in the challenges local people were forced to endure, as infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics, collapsed, as did people’s homes. Two churches in NeeDuKhu and HohWam Upper Village in Demoso Township also collapsed. The IEC supported the relief effort. Natural disasters are just one of the many factors contributing to food insecurity, which continues to be a significant issue as economic instability impacts communities.

By the end of 2025, about 15.2 million people—almost a third of the population—were predicted to experience severe food insecurity, up from 13.3 million in 2024.5 Complicating the situation on the ground are growing concerns about climate change, including flooding and extreme weather events. Worryingly, despite the widespread destruction caused by the earthquake, the junta did not hesitate to carry out airstrikes in emergency areas. Additionally, the regime targeted journalists trying to reach the impacted regions.

Those who managed to escape the worst of the destruction were not spared from the junta’s terror. The escalation of attacks against civilians saw airstrikes just two days after the quake; the military conducted airstrikes in Hpruso Township using 500-pound and 300-poun  bombs.

Of additional concern is how the forced conscription mandate is being unlawfully enforced, leading to separated families and forced farewells without any assurance of safe reunification. In January 2025, during the first month of the year, the junta carried out arbitrary arrests that resulted in the unlawful detention of two men in the Loikaw township. Following military arrests of civilians, many individuals have either disappeared without a trace or have been coerced into military enlistment.

There has also been a worrying increase in surveillance in Karenni State, especially amid the junta’s plan for a sham election. The military has intensified its attacks to reclaim lost territory. It has also increased troop movements and targeted assaults in areas where people depend on their livelihoods and income. Due to these targeted operations, displaced individuals are facing significant challenges in securing their livelihoods and supporting their families. Food shortages are a daily concern for those affected by the ongoing conflict.

Amid the ongoing escalation of attacks by the junta, the IEC issued a warning to civilians about “coordinated and systematic airstrikes involving both military and civilian targets.”6 Locals have experienced significant distress as the humanitarian crisis worsens. The IEC reported that during April 2025 alone, junta airstrikes in Karenni State injured 29 civilians. Additionally, the military conducted five airstrikes in the Mawchi area, where mining operations are ongoing: one in March, two in April, and two in May.

In June 2025, the IEC also issued an urgent appeal to war-affected communities in Karenni State amid intensified military offensives.7 There were further calls to the international community to recognize the challenges faced by displaced civilians and to increase support for their safety and food security through humanitarian assistance. Since early June 2025, the junta has intensified its operations against civilians, including artillery and airstrikes. By October 2025, the military had increased its deliberate targeting of civilians and displaced communities, especially those harvesting paddy rice on their farmlands.

Amid the erosion of protections, basic access to clinics has been undermined due to the conflict, leading to various health and skin diseases that are having a devastating impact on local communities, especially children who struggle to access treatment without the threat and likely possibility of targeted attacks. In two IDP camps in eastern Demoso, children under the age of 18 were suffering from skin-related ailments and the flu, as there remains a lack of clean water and nutritional food, as well as a lack of readily available medicine.8

Furthermore, the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG) has documented human rights violations and identified several serious concerns over the past year that threaten fundamental rights. If these issues are not addressed, the safety and security of innocent civilians will continue to be at grave risk. The international community has a moral and political obligation to intervene effectively and ensure that the perpetrators, particularly the military junta, are held accountable for their crimes against innocent people.

This report will present an overview of the challenges faced by civilians in Karenni State throughout 2025, as documented by KnHRG, including our calls and recommendations. Justice has long been denied and dismissed, and the people of Burma have been stripped of their humanity. As instances of injustice increase, there is an urgent need for immediate action.

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