Myanmar Spring Chronicle – Scenes from April 13
(MoeMaKa), April 14, 2026
Myanmar: Sliding into Global Collapse and State Failure
At a time when widespread civil war is engulfing almost the entire country of Myanmar—where crimes such as looting, killings, rape, and home invasions are committed as casually as daily routines—villages and some towns are being burned to the ground based on suspicion or accusations of supporting enemy armed groups. Human lives are taken unlawfully, without justice or fair trials.
Looking at the world at large, we see similar patterns: powerful nations oppressing weaker ones through war, destruction, and domination. Within countries themselves, truth and justice are increasingly abandoned, while those with money, weapons, and authority carry out oppression, arrests, and killings. These are no longer rare occurrences—they are daily realities.
The ugly face of capitalism—modern neo-colonialism—has shed its mask. In pursuit of control over resource-rich countries and strategic territories, powerful states are waging wars using military strength, advanced weapons, and technology to dominate smaller or non-compliant nations. The situation has become so alarming that some fear the world may be on the brink of a third world war.
After World War II, colonial capitalist powers sought to prevent another global conflict and established institutions like the United Nations to maintain stability and balance of power. For decades, the UN played a role in mediating conflicts and preventing wars over territory, markets, and resources.
However, in recent decades, the authority and influence of the UN have declined. Today, it is largely unable to resolve disputes or wars between nations.
Some capitalist countries, along with powerful authoritarian one-party states, now openly disregard the UN. They seek to bring resource-rich regions and strategically important countries—especially those controlling key maritime routes—under their influence, asserting dominance more aggressively than before.
Among these dominant powers are even nations that once claimed to uphold freedom and democracy. Under capitalism, war preparation fuels profits for military-industrial complexes. These corporations, in turn, financially support politicians who promote policies that sustain war and militarization.
The pursuit of resources—such as rare earth minerals, oil, and strategic metals—drives territorial expansion and neo-colonial economic cycles, often enforced through military threats and coercion.
Many ongoing armed conflicts, territorial disputes, coups, and political overthrows are rooted in these imperialist interests.
In the Middle East—Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria—the roots of conflict, including the Israel-Palestine issue, can be traced back to British colonialism following World War I, when different groups were manipulated to weaken the Ottoman Empire.
Similarly, in parts of Africa, recurring coups and prolonged civil wars are also legacies of colonialism. Control over resources and influence has driven external powers to support coups and supply weapons, as historical evidence shows.
Regarding the current conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, the stated reasons—such as nuclear weapons development or support for militant groups—are misleading. Instead, the real motives include weakening Iran to remove obstacles to Israel’s territorial ambitions and enabling U.S. control over oil resources and political influence in the region.
While many American citizens oppose such wars, corporations that profit from military contracts strongly support them. The victims are ordinary civilians, who have no say in decisions to start or fight wars, yet suffer death and destruction. Politicians and billionaires benefiting from war show little regard for these human costs.
Today, war profiteers are not only weapons manufacturers but also technology companies. Firms like Amazon (through AI data centers) and Palantir (data analytics and intelligence systems) are generating massive profits from war-related technologies.
At a time when global efforts to combat climate change are underfunded—while aid to vulnerable regions and refugees is being cut—billions of dollars are spent daily on warfare.
Although wars are driven by competition over resources and territory, those responsible—governments, politicians, and corporations—rarely acknowledge accountability for the resulting humanitarian crises: millions of displaced people, human trafficking, starvation, and disease.
Media narratives further obscure reality. State-aligned media often hide root causes and focus only on surface-level events. In the Iran–U.S.–Israel conflict, many outlets portray Iran simply as an authoritarian or extremist-supporting state, while downplaying the strategic and economic motives of Israel and the U.S.
For example, while extensive coverage is given to rescuing a downed U.S. pilot, little attention is paid to incidents like a missile strike that killed 150 schoolgirls. The U.S. government demonstrates the value it places on one soldier’s life, yet shows no accountability for civilian casualties.
On April 13, ahead of the Thingyan festival, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a message expressing goodwill to the people of Myanmar and reaffirmed U.S. commitment to helping resolve the country’s crisis.
Yet even during Thingyan, fighting continues in parts of Myanmar, with villages being burned. The reality is that Myanmar must struggle on its own to escape this war.
In a world dominated by injustice—where power defines truth—waiting for international assistance to end Myanmar’s civil war may ultimately be nothing more than an illusion.