Author: ISP Admin

From November 2022 to January 20, 2023, over 330 clashes broke out nationwide. This week’s ISP Clip No. (38) presents a fact-based analysis of armed clashes and conflicts across the country in the post-coup two-year period. The Institute of Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) is presenting weekly clips on Myanmar’s issues in the areas: […]

Nearly 20,000 houses and buildings have been torched and destroyed from November 2021 to 15 January 2022.  This week’s ISP Clip No. (37) presents a fact-based analysis of acts of arson amidst armed conflicts in the post-coup two-year period. The Institute of Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) is presenting weekly clips on Myanmar’s issues in […]

During post-coup armed conflicts and clashes, at least 57,807 houses and buildings (including religious buildings) have been torched and destroyed as of January 15, 2023. Between November 2022 and mid-January 2023 alone, at least 19,239 houses and buildings were torched and destroyed. Moreover, at least 673 houses and buildings have been torched and destroyed in 10 townships that had previously experienced no acts of arson. Among them, Myingyan township, Sagaing Region experienced the largest amount of destruction with over 300 houses and buildings torched and destroyed.

Since the coup in February 2021, three new rail-road-sea cross-border trade routes connecting China and Myanmar have emerged. This week’s ISP Clip No. (36) presents a fact-based analysis of this. The Institute of Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) is presenting weekly clips on Myanmar’s issues in the areas: Conflict, Peace and Security, China Studies, […]

Since the coup in February 2021, three new rail-road-sea cross-border trade routes connecting China and Myanmar have emerged. These three routes were not initially part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and they facilitate access by China’s western provinces to the Indian Ocean and neighboring countries in the region.

The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Myanmar due to armed conflict following the coup has reached at least 1,912,769 as of December 14, 2022. There were already at least 497,200 IDPs on the run before the coup, and the number of cross-border refugees before and since the coup has reached at least 1,019,190. These numbers indicate that almost 7 percent of the country’s total population are now fleeing from armed conflict. 

From the 2021 Coup until November 2022, Chin State experienced at least 592 violent clashes across all its nine townships. These clashes were predominantly between the State Administration Council (SAC) forces and the People Defense Forces (PDFs), or between the SAC forces and EthnicRevolutionary Organizations (EROs). Of all the townships, Mindat township had the highest total of clashes – over 125. The total number of airstrikes conducted in the whole Chin State was at least 33; Paletwa township, where the Arakan Army is active, suffered the highest number of airstrikes – at least 27. 

China, Thailand and Singapore remain Myanmar’s top trading partners of the past four fiscal years. Comparing Myanmar’s trading partners of the past four fiscal years from the 2018-19 fiscal year to 2021-22 mini-budget period, Malaysia rose to fourth while Japan declined to seventh. The 2020-21 fiscal year experienced an export volume of over USD 15.3 billion and an import volume of over USD 14.6 billion. This total trade volume declined by nearly USD 7 billion compared with the 2019-20 fiscal year.

The conflict map of Myanmar has become broader and larger as a result of armed conflicts following the coup. Among more than 7,800 clashes nationwide, at least 300 took place in areas where China’s major projects are located or near China’s potential project areas.

From the start of the military coup to November 15 this year, at least 7,855 clashes have erupted across the country. Of these, at least 4,548 clashes broke out between the State Administration Council (SAC) forces and Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs). Around 2,267 clashes erupted between the SAC forces and the People Defense Forces (PDFs) including LDF, CDF, CNDF, and KNDF, while there were at least 925 clashes between the SAC forces and combined forces of EROs and PDFs. 

A new maritime trade route, Guangxi – Yangon which will directly connect Qinzhou port in Beibu gulf port in China’s Guangxi to Yangon port in Myanmar, was opened on October 28, 2022. The new trade route will connect the ports in member states of the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Data Matters No. 36 As of October 31, 2022, at least 38,568 houses and buildings (including religious buildings) have been torched and destroyed during armed conflicts since the coup. The number of torched buildings increased this year and it accounts for over 94 percent of the total. Sagaing Region has the highest total so far […]

A sector-by-sector analysis of foreign direct investment from the coup up to 30 September 2022, shows that the energy sector received the largest share with more than US$3.8 billion. However neither the mining sector nor the oil and gas sector received any foreign investment. On a monthly basis, May 2021 recorded the highest amount of investment with more than US$1.2 billion. No foreign investment was recorded in either February or April 2021. 

Data up to October 19, 2022 shows the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees in Myanmar caused by armed conflict following the military coup has reached 1,650,611. There were also more than 497,200 IDPs who were already on the run due to armed conflict occurring before the coup. The combined number of cross-border refugees before and after the coup is at least 1,009,190.