Is Myanmar's Civil War at a Turning Point? Myanmar's military coup of February of the year dashed hopes that the country's recent democratic transition would be irreversible and plunged the Southeast Asian nation into a crisis that's escalated into a full-on armed conflict. The ruling military is pitted against the opposition National Unity Government and various ethnic armed organizations united in their resistance against the regime. Despite falling out of the headlines, the war continues with seemingly no end in sight. However, in the past couple of weeks, the resistance forces have seen recent successes in capturing key locations from the military, particularly in regions bordering China. In this video, we will explain the significance of these recent events and provide an overview of the wider conflict and context. Before delving into the topic, if you haven't already, please consider subscribing and turning on notifications to stay updated with our future videos. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, gained independence from the United Kingdom in the midst of the Great Depression, after being under British rule for over a century and Japanese occupation during World War II. Throughout its independent history, Myanmar has been plagued by ethnic-based conflicts of varying intensities, making it the world's longest-running armed conflict. Myanmar's brief democratic period of 14 years after independence was cut short by a military coup that brought General Nhi Nguyen to power.

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Myanmar's military coup of February of the year dashed hopes that the country's recent democratic transition would be irreversible

and plunged the Southeast Asian nation into a crisis that's escalated into a full on armed conflict

pitting the ruling military against the opposition National Unity Government

and various ethnic armed organizations

united in their resistance against the regime.

While it may have fallen out of the headlines

the war continues with seemingly no end in sight.

But in the past couple of weeks

the resistance forces have been buoyed by the recent successes of a new operation

that's seen them capture key locations from the military

in regions bordering China,

So, in this video, we'll explain the significance of these recent events

as well as looking at the wider conflict and context

beginning with a brief history of how things got to where they are today.

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Myanmar, then Burma, gained independence from the United Kingdom back in the year of the Great Depression

having been under British rule for more than a century

and Japanese occupation for a few years during the Second World War.

Throughout its entire history as an independent state

Myanmar has been marred by largely ethnic based conflicts of varying intensities,

meaning that the country's civil war is effectively

the world's longest running armed conflict,

Myanmar's first fourteen years after independence were as a parliamentary democracy

but this brief democratic experience was cut short by a military coup in the year of the war that brought General Nhi Nguyen to power

who would go on to lead a repressive totalitarian one party state until the year of the war.

His resignation, amid nationwide protests and demonstrations

did not mean the end of military rule.

But the events of the year did see Aung San Suu Kyi

daughter of the father of the nation

emerge as one of the most prominent pro democracy leaders.

The military government had pledged after the year to hold multi party elections

which in the year were won in a landslide by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy

or NLD.

However, the military refused to honour the results

and maintained their grip on power for another two decades.

Having first been placed under house arrest in the year of the war

Aung San Suu Kyi spent fifteen of the next twenty years in detention

as did many other opposition figures,

Eventually, Myanmar began a very tentative transition towards democracy in the late two thousands

in part due to anti government protests and ensuing international pressure

which prompted the military regime to begin to loosen its control.

An election in twenty ten that was boycotted by Suu Kyi's NLD brought a nominally

civilian but military backed government to power

that carried out a number of reforms

including a relaxation of press restrictions

and the freeing of thousands of political prisoners.

Then, in twenty fifteen

the country held its first nationwide multi party elections in decades,

The NLD participated and won a sweeping victory

and Suu Kyi became Myanmar's de facto leader through the new position of state councillor.

Nevertheless, the military remained influential

retaining significant control over security

and other domestic policies,

The next elections, held in November of the same year

saw the NLD win again.

However, on February the first

a day before the newly elected parliament was due to meet

the military deposed the government

declaring that the November election had been invalid

and arrested Aung San Suu Kyi

President Win Myint, as well as many other politicians

officials and civil society activists.

The coup received international condemnation

while at home, it spawned a widespread campaign of peaceful civil resistance

which was met with a violent crackdown.

In the following weeks and months

a parallel government called the National Unity Government

or NUG, was established by ousted lawmakers

civil society activists

and representatives from a number of minority groups.

It was quickly declared illegal and a terrorist group by the military.

Then, in May, the NUG announced that they'd formed an armed wing

called the People's Defence Force

with a goal of resisting the military and protecting their supporters from its repression

which had escalated since the coup.

The situation was quickly growing into a full on armed conflict between the People's Defence Force and the military

and also between the military and various ethnic armed organisations who'd been fighting the state for decades

seeking greater autonomy.

Eventually, in September of the year

the NUG declared a People's Defensive War against the ruling military

calling on all the citizens within the whole of Myanmar to revolt against the rule of the military terrorists in every corner of the country.

The war since then has touched basically every part of the country,

It's created a devastating humanitarian situation

with thousands killed and millions displaced

inside and out of the country.

Despite keeping hold of the main population centres

the military has lost swathes of territory to the resistance

meaning the People's Defence Force and the ethnic armed organisations that fight not underneath it

but are effectively allied to it.

The military and its proxies have been accused of terrible acts of violence

and as the conflict has evolved

have been increasingly reliant on seemingly indiscriminate airstrikes

at a huge cost for civilian life,.

A recent report from UN inspectors said

the military and its allies were engaging in more frequent and audacious war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Including indiscriminate attacks on civilians from aerial bombing

mass execution of civilians and detained combatants

and large scale and intentional burning of civilian homes and buildings,

But in recent weeks, a new campaign has given energy to the resistance movement in its fight against the military junta,

Operation Ten Twenty Seven

launched on October the XXVII

is an anti junta offensive in the northern Shan state

being carried out by the Three Brotherhood Alliance

a resistance movement comprising an ethnic armed organization called the Arakan Army

plus the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army

and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army.

Within a matter of days

the alliance had reportedly captured dozens of military outposts and bases

as well as taking control of crucial transit points and capturing the town of Qinshuihe

a key trade point on the right of the border with China

which, alongside Russia

has been a key ally of the otherwise isolated military regime.

The recent escalation near the border has sparked concerns from China

prompting it to call for an urgent ceasefire in the area

especially as during the military's counter attack last week

a shell inadvertently landed on the Chinese side of the border.

Operation Ten Twenty Seven is still in its early days

and, while limited in its geographic scope

it could prove to have a significant impact on the wider resistance movement,

Other resistance groups

including the National Unity Government and its People's Defence Forces

plus various ethnic armed organisations

have expressed their support for the operation

which has seemingly inspired said groups to intensify their anti regime operations.

People's Defence Force fighters

alongside local ethnic groups

have since captured the town of Khorlin in the neighbouring Saga'in region

marking the first capture of a district capital by resistance forces.

The capture of key transit points in the Shan State is also expected to deny the military junta of a key source of its income

which it gets from the flow of trade between China and Myanmar.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether or not the momentum built by Operation Ten Twenty Seven continues to grow

but it certainly signals the beginning of a new chapter

and could end up marking a crucial turning point for the resistance movement.

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