{"id":9804,"date":"2026-07-25T21:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T14:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moemaka.net\/eng\/?p=9804"},"modified":"2026-07-25T21:15:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T14:45:00","slug":"how-can-myanmar-reduce-the-rise-in-violent-crime-after-the-military-coup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moemaka.net\/eng\/2026\/07\/how-can-myanmar-reduce-the-rise-in-violent-crime-after-the-military-coup\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can Myanmar Reduce the Rise in Violent Crime After the Military Coup?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Myanmar Spring Chronicle \u2013 Scenes from July 24<\/em><\/h2>\n

(MoeMaKa), July 25, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

How Can Myanmar Reduce the Rise in Violent Crime After the Military Coup?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has seen a sharp increase in serious crimes such as murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, and killings linked to those crimes. These incidents occur not only in conflict zones but also in major cities such as Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw, where there is little or no active fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These crimes are reported not only in areas controlled by the military junta but also in territories administered by resistance groups. For example, incidents have occurred in northern Shan State under MNDAA control and in Rakhine State under the Arakan Army (AA). A recent brutal rape and murder in a village in Ponnagyun Township highlighted concerns about law enforcement in AA-administered areas. Despite the ULA\/AA having established police, judicial, and administrative systems over the past two years, such crimes have raised questions about the effectiveness of the rule of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In towns like Muse, where multiple armed organizations operate, kidnappings and murders have become frequent. Similar crimes are also reported in Lashio after the military regained control of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although these serious crimes continue to occur, many perpetrators are never caught or prosecuted. In larger cities, CCTV cameras have occasionally helped police identify suspects, but in places such as Muse and Lashio, only a small number of murders, kidnappings, and robberies have been solved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This raises another question: Is arresting and punishing offenders alone enough to deter future crimes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When children are raped and murdered or victims are brutally killed after sexual assault, local communities in resistance-controlled areas often demand the death penalty. Last October, residents of Saw Township publicly called for the execution of an armed group member accused of child rape and concealing the victim\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Wa and Kokang regions, authorities have at times sentenced convicted murderers and rapists to death by public firing squad. Meanwhile, in military-controlled areas, courts recently sentenced two motorcycle robbers who murdered their victim in Naypyidaw to death, and also handed death sentences to those responsible for a deadly robbery at a gold shop in Pyin Oo Lwin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key question is why violent crimes have increased not only in number but also in brutality across both military-controlled and resistance-controlled areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A simple answer might be the breakdown of the rule of law. However, some areas with large numbers of armed personnel still experience high levels of violent crime, suggesting that other factors are also at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Years of civil war may have normalized violence. Easy access to firearms, especially pistols, has made armed robbery and murder easier to commit. In many rape cases, victims are killed afterward to eliminate witnesses. Offenders may also believe they can escape justice because Myanmar is divided among different authorities, allowing criminals to flee from one jurisdiction to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another contributing factor is that law enforcement agencies often prioritize political surveillance and security over investigating ordinary criminal activity. Criminals may perceive this reduced focus on public safety as an opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myanmar\u2019s prison system has also changed. With prisons overcrowded by tens of thousands of political detainees, authorities frequently grant sentence reductions several times a year. As a result, people convicted of serious crimes may serve far less time than before, reducing the deterrent effect of criminal penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resistance-controlled areas face different challenges. Building secure prisons, feeding inmates, and maintaining judicial institutions are difficult because of limited resources and frequent military displacement. These practical constraints make it hard to establish a fully functioning justice system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many people focus on imposing harsher punishments, including the death penalty, less attention is given to preventing crime in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preventive measures are equally important. Communities affected by war should be encouraged to look after one another, strengthen neighborhood vigilance, and promote public awareness to reduce opportunities for serious crimes before they occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringing offenders to justice and ensuring accountability remains essential. At the same time, preventing crime through education, stronger communities, and mutual support deserves just as much attention as punishment. A balanced approach that combines justice, prevention, and community protection is likely to be more effective in reducing violent crime over the long term.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Myanmar Spring Chronicle \u2013 Scenes from July 24 (MoeMaKa), July 25, 2026 How Can Myanmar Reduce the Rise in Violent Crime After the Military Coup? Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has seen a sharp increase in serious crimes such…<\/p>\n

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