Unpacking the Myanmar Crises: A Humanitarian Catastrophe in South and Southeast Asia

Abstract: Four years after a military coup ousted the democratic government in Myanmar, political turmoil and instability have devastated the country. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data's (ACLED) Conflict index, the Myanmar crisis is one of the top ten complex crises of the world that will likely evolve in the coming years. The country has experienced one of the most violent conflicts in the past few years, struggling with fierce disputes between the military junta and resistance groups with little indication of an end in sight. Unlike the Russo-Ukraine War and Israel-Hamas conflict in Middle East, lack of rapid, largescale material support from international actors such as the United States and European Union and an economic downturn have contributed to a humanitarian catastrophe in Myanmar. Resistance groups comprising ethnic insurgents and the People Defense Force militias achieved significant territorial gains last year. However, the military junta's aerial superiority plunged Myanmar into an unprecedented crisis. Since April 2, 2025, the Myanmar military's launching of nearly 243 attacks including 171 airstrikes on civilian territories uprooted approximately 6.3 million people and clearly demonstrated that the conflict will likely continue for the foreseeable future.