The military council has announced its third ceasefire from May 6 to May 31, claiming it is for the reconstruction of areas affected by the Sagaing earthquake. However, like previous ceasefire announcements, airstrikes have continued to target civilians. Following the March 28 earthquake, the military council’s air attacks have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, demonstrating a stark contrast between their public statements and actions on the ground. The announcement comes as the military council continues its campaign of violence against its own people, despite claiming humanitarian concerns.
According to the National Unity Government’s (NUG) Ministry of Human Rights, during the 36-day period from March 28 to May 2, the military council conducted 282 airstrikes, resulting in 276 civilian deaths and 456 injuries. Among the deceased were 31 children under the age of 18 and 74 adults. Sagaing Region suffered the highest number of air attacks, with 73 separate incidents recorded. The devastating impact in Sagaing Region alone resulted in 89 civilian deaths and 135 injuries. Mandalay Region also faced significant attacks, with 61 airstrikes leading to 65 civilian deaths. These statistics highlight the military council’s continued use of airpower against civilian populations, despite their public claims of ceasefire implementation.
A humanitarian aid coordinator based in Yangon has analyzed that this latest ceasefire announcement is merely a show of goodwill for the international community, coinciding with Military Council Chairman Min Aung Hlaing’s planned visit to Russia on May 7. The coordinator noted that previous ceasefire announcements in April had not prevented the military from conducting airstrikes, forcing civilians to flee their homes. The pattern of announcing ceasefires while continuing military operations suggests these declarations are primarily diplomatic gestures rather than genuine commitments to peace. The military council’s actions continue to demonstrate a disconnect between their public statements and their actual military operations against civilians throughout the country.
