The ongoing fuel crisis is falling disproportionately on grassroots communities and the working class. The wider implications are considerable. Economic growth could slow further, poverty could deepen, and the risks of outright economic collapse or prolonged structural decline cannot be ruled out.

Now, eight decades after the revolution began, it appears they are destroying their own identity and characteristics due to the conflict economy.

When people face such dire situations, they initially voice their dissatisfaction and protest (“Voice”). When that fails to bring change, they simply abandon the region and leave (“Exit”). If they cannot leave, they are forced to silently endure and adapt to the system (“Loyalty”). Like vegetables thrown into a jar of pickles, they turn sour alongside everything else—doing whatever it takes, chasing the money, and simply surviving.

ISP-Myanmar’s records indicate the authorities seized only around three tons of opium and related products that year—an official seizure rate of roughly 0.3 percent of estimated production.

In this episode of 30 Minutes with the ISP, we presented and discussed, from a research perspective and based on our survey data, the public’s resilience amid domestic trade route blockades.

Event No. 9, held on August 16, 2025, asked a pressing question: have battlefield victories been turned into institutionalized political gains—and why does it matter? Stay tuned: the recap memo and a subtitled video will be available soon.

Event No. 8 of 30 Minutes with the ISP took place on April 26, 2025, focusing on China’s role in Myanmar’s rare earth mining and highlighting the hardships and hopes of communities in Kachin State.

The Event No.7 of 30 Minutes with the ISP took place on February 22, 2025. ISP-Myanmar’s youth researchers presented this session with insightful discussions on the Kyar Phyant (online scam) operations along Myanmar’s border.