Myanmar’s landscapes, once synonymous with adventure, are now marred by the shadows of conflict.
Myanmar was once the backpackers’ destination of choice but the Southeast Asian country has since been wrecked by a brutal civil war. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to large swathes of Myanmar as conflict rages between the ruling military junta and various armed groups.
Also known as Burma, the country offers a treasure trove of ancient ruins and beautiful beaches. However, since the country’s military seized power it has seen widespread bloodshed.
The junta has imposed martial law in several townships since rebel forces began attacks on the military government following the 2021 coup.
The FCDO guidance states: “Myanmar has suffered from prolonged internal conflicts, involving several ethnic armed organisations in the country’s border areas.
“Violence is severe and the situation is unpredictable in most ethnic states and border areas.”
Before the coup, Myanmar was already facing a decline in tourism as the country faced international condemnation following a military campaign of brutal ethnic cleansing directed against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority.
The violence forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee from Rakhine state across the border into Bangladesh.
Myanmar has suffered from prolonged internal conflicts, involving a number of ethnic armed organisations in the country’s border areas. Violence is severe and the situation is unpredictable in most ethnic states and border areas.
The Myanmar authorities restrict travel to most border areas. There are active military operations involving the use of air strikes, artillery bombardments and ground troops.
Myanmar‘s military seizure of power in 2021 halted Burma’s fragile transition towards democracy since then the junta has been using a scorched-earth strategy to punish civilians in ethnic minority areas suspected of supporting the various armed rebel groups that have sprung up in defiance of the coup.
Human rights activists and ethnic minority groups have been documenting regime atrocities, with mounting evidence of widespread attacks on civilians
The military coup on February 1 2021 saw Myanmar’s elected leaders arrested, including the prominent pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi.
Army generals reacted with a harsh crackdown, including the use of force against protestors and the imposition of martial law in several areas of the country.