Once again, Myanmar's skies have turned into a battlefield, and this time, it’s not only armed fighters who are paying the price—innocent civilians, including those already displaced by conflict, are being targeted in ruthless airstrikes. As we move into October 2023, the horror continues. The military’s airstrike on a displaced persons’ camp in northern Myanmar, which has left at least 29 dead, has once again sent shockwaves through the international community. This attack is not just another in a long line of tragedies under the brutal reign of Myanmar’s military junta—it is an apparent war crime. What’s happening in Myanmar is a sustained assault on civilians, and it is becoming increasingly clear that the junta will stop at nothing to maintain its grip on power.
For years, the people of Myanmar have been forced to flee their homes due to the violence and terror inflicted by the military. Over 1.5 million people are now internally displaced, living in makeshift camps, trying to escape the airstrikes and raids that have become part of daily life. These camps, intended to provide some degree of safety, are now just as dangerous as the villages people have fled from. The attack on the camp near the village of Mung Lai Hkyet, close to the China border, is the latest brutal reminder that nowhere is safe. Children, elderly, and families seeking shelter were wiped out in mere moments. [What’s happening in Myanmar](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/military-attack-leaves-myanmars-displaced-civilians-with-no-safe-place) is nothing short of a humanitarian catastrophe, and the world must wake up to the atrocities being committed daily.
### Displaced and Hunted
This recent attack is far from an isolated incident. In October alone, Myanmar’s military has launched numerous airstrikes, predominantly targeting areas where civilians live and seek refuge. The indiscriminate nature of these attacks, striking villages and camps alike, shows the complete disregard for human life that has come to define the military’s rule. [Human Rights Watch](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/17/myanmar-airstrike-village-apparent-war-crime) has rightly labeled these actions as likely war crimes, but even such condemnations seem to have little impact on a junta that acts with near-total impunity. What’s happening in Myanmar is an unfolding tragedy where civilians have become targets of the very institution that should be protecting them.
The military’s rationale for these attacks has been its ongoing campaign against armed resistance groups, many of whom have taken up arms since the coup in 2021. But the reality on the ground paints a far darker picture—one where entire villages are decimated, homes burned to the ground, and families slaughtered in the name of “national security.” The lines between combatants and civilians have been deliberately blurred, and as a result, ordinary people are caught in a war they never asked for. The recent airstrikes exemplify the junta’s tactic of terror, meant not only to eliminate opposition but to crush the will of the people.
### A Humanitarian Crisis Ignored
Despite the staggering scale of the violence, the international response to Myanmar’s plight has been painfully slow and woefully inadequate. Humanitarian aid is severely restricted, with international organizations struggling to reach those most in need due to government blockades and military threats. Meanwhile, the global media’s attention is fleeting, often shifting to other crises. This leaves Myanmar’s people to face their ordeal largely alone, with limited support and almost no hope of justice. [What’s happening in Myanmar](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/military-attack-leaves-myanmars-displaced-civilians-with-no-safe-place) is a systematic assault on human dignity, and yet the international community remains hesitant to act.
The truth is, Myanmar’s military is not just waging a war against armed groups; it is waging war on its own people. The tactic of attacking displacement camps, schools, hospitals, and other civilian structures is designed to instill fear, forcing entire communities into hiding. As more and more civilians are displaced, their chances of survival become increasingly slim. Many are trapped in areas where food, water, and medical supplies are scarce, cut off from aid and constantly under the threat of more violence. For those who survive these brutal airstrikes, the future remains grim.
### Accountability: When?
The question on everyone’s minds is: when will justice be served? Despite widespread acknowledgment that the junta is committing war crimes, there has been little progress in holding those responsible to account. International mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) could potentially provide a pathway to justice, but progress remains slow, and meanwhile, the bloodshed continues. Countries that claim to support democracy and human rights must do more than issue condemnations—they must act. Economic sanctions, arms embargoes, and coordinated international pressure are desperately needed to isolate the military and stop the flow of weapons and resources that enable their atrocities.
In the meantime, the people of Myanmar have no choice but to continue fighting for their survival. Communities are showing immense resilience, with many refusing to bow to the military’s campaign of terror. Despite the trauma, the grief, and the constant threat of violence, they continue to resist, calling on the world to stand with them. But how much longer can they hold out? How many more lives must be lost before the world finally says enough?
### The Path Forward
What’s happening in Myanmar is not just a tragedy—it’s a moral crisis for the international community. The ongoing airstrikes, the targeting of displaced civilians, and the complete disregard for human life demand more than outrage. They demand action. It’s time for governments and international organizations to move beyond words and take concrete steps to stop the junta’s war against its own people. The people of Myanmar have suffered for too long. It is time for the world to step in and hold the military accountable for its crimes.
Sources:
- Al Jazeera: [Military Attack Leaves Myanmar’s Displaced Civilians with No Safe Place](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/military-attack-leaves-myanmars-displaced-civilians-with-no-safe-place)
- Human Rights Watch: [Myanmar Airstrike on Village an Apparent War Crime](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/17/myanmar-airstrike-village-apparent-war-crime) Photo Source: [Awng Ja/Al Jazeera]
