Myanmar Spring Chronicle – February 15 Scene
MoeMaKa, February 16, 2025
Acts of Terror That Could Draw International Attention
After the military coup, political dissatisfaction led to armed resistance, which began about three months after the coup and has now entered its fourth year. The earliest armed resistance attacks are believed to have taken place in Karenni State’s Mobye region and Chin State’s Mindat.
As the conflict reaches its fourth year, the number of violent killings has surged into the tens of thousands. Thousands of armed forces have perished on the battlefield, and civilians have been executed under accusations of being resistance fighters, informants, or supporters. Even without such accusations, numerous individuals have been killed for material gain or out of personal vendettas during this lawless period.
While mass killings by military council troops have been widely reported, executions by resistance groups, though not comparable in scale, have also occurred.
Among the war crimes and massacres committed by military council forces, significant incidents include the Christmas Eve 2021 massacre in Karenni State’s Hpruso Township, where nearly 40 civilians fleeing conflict were killed, and the massacre of 28 villagers in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region. Additionally, airstrikes have caused mass casualties, with recorded deaths reaching into the hundreds.
This report highlights massacres committed by resistance forces against civilians. One of the first widely known cases occurred in 2021 in Yinmarbin Township, where the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), led by a former monk named Bo Thanmani (previously known as Sayadaw Tapyay Aye), executed civilians and other resistance members.
Another case involved the abduction and execution of six or seven individuals, including a business-owning family and their guests, in Ye-U Township. A further incident occurred in Chaung-U Township, where a group of children collecting snails was accused of being informants. Some young girls were reportedly raped before being killed and their bodies disposed of. These cases, involving multiple victims, were widely reported, but many smaller-scale incidents remain unknown.
The most recent event took place in Kankyi Taung Village, Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region, where a Catholic priest named Father Donald Martin was executed and abandoned by an armed group. This area has been home to Catholic Christian villages since the era of Burmese kings. Father Donald Martin was serving at a local church when an armed group entered, attacking him with knives and firearms, according to reports.
While the motive remains unclear, the Mandalay Catholic Mission issued a statement:
“The bloodshed and sacrifice of Father Donald Martin and many innocent individuals must be dedicated to ending terrorism across the country.”
The statement further urged accountability:
“The injustice committed should not be forgotten. Authorities must ensure that those responsible face consequences and that justice is upheld to prevent such incidents in the future.”
This event has been widely covered by both domestic and international media. The killing of a Catholic priest by an armed group is likely to attract global attention and could damage the reputation of the PDF resistance groups.
Some social media users have noted that while similar killings of Buddhist monks have occurred frequently, they have not received the same level of attention. This perspective suggests that the frequent targeting of Buddhist monks has normalized the incidents, whereas the killing of a Christian priest stands out and draws broader concern.
Regardless, this incident underscores the urgent need for accountability among all armed groups to prevent further unlawful executions and civilian killings.
While the military council’s responsibility will inevitably be addressed in due course, resistance forces must also ensure continuous accountability for their actions.