Unbowed: Analysis of Reactions to Nonviolent Public Protests Against Revolutionary Forces

The Myanmar military has repeatedly suppressed and restricted freedom of opinion and expression, the most fundamental human right, using various means. Following the 2021 Coup, the regime responded to nonviolent public protests against the coup solely with violence.

The Spring Revolution in Myanmar began as a peaceful, nonviolent movement. It was forced to become an armed resistance, as the military regime violently cracked down on protests. The crackdown used lethal force, mass arbitrary arrests, and torture. As the revolution’s landscape shifted, People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and local defense forces emerged across the country. Over the past five years, Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs) and new resistance groups have gained control of some territories. Currently, they control about 90 townships. The organizations leading the revolution aim to resist the regime’s human rights violations and oppression, and seek to establish a federal democratic union grounded in freedom and justice.

However, as resistance forces gained greater territorial control and began assuming administrative roles, they began establishing systems of governance and territorial management. In implementing these administrative mechanisms, it became necessary to ensure the protection of the rights of the governed population, as well as the responsibility and accountability of local authorities.

In practice, these requirements have not been fully met. According to independent monitoring reports, restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly have been observed in controlled territories, along with cases of arrests.

Following the 2021 military coup, various organizations have continuously monitored and documented human rights violations and grave abuses committed by the military regime. However, there has been little systematic analysis of human rights restrictions imposed by resistance forces, particularly on freedom of expression and assembly. In pursuing a free and just federal democratic union, it is necessary not only to resist the military regime but also to critically examine the restrictions imposed by revolutionary forces, including their patterns, underlying causes, and impacts.

That is why this research report aims to systematically study the practical restrictions of revolutionary forces against the freedom of expression and assembly in their controlled areas. Moreover, causes and impacts of those restrictions will be exposed through the observations. Findings of this study support revolutionary organizations to amend their governance policies and enhance the protection of human rights standards in their regions.

This research report, therefore, aims to systematically examine the restrictions imposed by revolutionary forces on freedom of expression and assembly in areas under their control. It also seeks to analyze the patterns of these restrictions, their underlying causes, and their impacts. The findings of this study are intended to support revolutionary organizations in revising their governance policies and strengthening the protection of human rights in their areas.

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