UN Report Details Myanmar Humanitarian Crisis and Illegal Mining

The United Nations released a report on Tuesday detailing a systemic humanitarian crisis in Myanmar characterized by a conflict economy and widespread violence. The military junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, has intensified its campaign to suppress resistance, conducting 657 aerial attacks over the last 100 days and killing 146 civilians. The UN estimates that at least 8,302 civilians have died since the 2020 coup.

In Rakhine state, both the military and the Arakan Army are accused of committing grave violations, including torture and sexual violence against the Rohingya minority. The report also identifies a surge in illegal rare earth mining in Kachin and Shan states, with mining sites nearly tripling since the coup. These operations primarily benefit state-owned conglomerates and foreign interests through exports to China.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk described the situation as "a picture of suffering, misery, and cruelty on multiple levels and across the country that is heartbreaking." Türk has urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.