Environment Ignored as Myanmar Struggles with Coup

May 6, 2022 | Thin Lei Win
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When Myanmar’s military staged a coup more than a year ago and seized power from a democratically elected civilian government, not only did it undo a decade of opening up the country that brought a degree of freedom and prosperity to ordinary citizens, it also condemned the country’s rich biodiversity and ecosystems. 

Myanmar is a country with a long history of state-sanctioned over-exploitation of natural resources – from minerals and precious stones to forests and oil and gas – which enriched the top generals beyond imagination, but also resulted in a polluted and degraded environment, human rights abuses and decades-long conflicts. 

Some international organisations, donors and civil society groups have suspended much-needed climate adaptation and mitigation work since the beginning of Myanmar’s coup – for a number of reasons, including safety concerns and their reluctance to collaborate with the military. 

This has forced many local environmental groups to halt their work due to funding cuts. They are targeted by the military who want to silence the voices of concern about the junta’s environmental destructive activities and controversial infrastructure projects, often involving corruption.

On the other hand, the junta government has been paranoid about the presence of foreign organisations on their soil, creating a hostile atmosphere that has halted cross-border collaboration on environmental protection and climate change. 

This exploitation of natural resources provides a financial source for both military operations and violence against civilians, much like the previous military regime did for decades.