Myanmar Junta Extends Ceasefire Amid Post-Quake Pressure

[geovalin]

Karen area

 

Myanmar’s military junta has announced a fresh extension of its post-earthquake ceasefire, pledging to support reconstruction efforts in disaster-hit regions—despite widespread scepticism over its commitment to peace.

 

The truce, initially declared after a devastating earthquake in late March that killed nearly 3,800 people and left tens of thousands displaced, officially expired on 31 May. On Saturday, the junta confirmed the ceasefire would continue through to 30 June.

 

In a statement, the regime said the extension aimed to “facilitate rehabilitation and reconstruction activities” in areas worst affected by the quake. Government buildings, homes, and transport infrastructure were among the priorities listed for rebuilding.

 

The junta also claimed the truce would support preparations for what it described as “a free and fair multi-party democracy general election”—a promise many observers have dismissed as hollow, given the regime’s crackdown on political dissent since seizing power in 2021.

 

Despite repeated announcements of ceasefires, fighting across Myanmar has persisted. Conflict monitors and rights groups have reported continued air strikes and military operations, particularly in ethnic minority regions, casting doubt on the junta’s sincerity.

 

Critics accuse the military of using the guise of humanitarian relief to regroup and reinforce its positions, while simultaneously cracking down on resistance forces.

 

Humanitarian agencies continue to face access challenges in quake-hit areas, citing both security concerns and restrictions imposed by the military.

 

With the extended ceasefire now in place, attention turns once again to whether the regime will honour its commitments—or if, as many fear, the violence will continue behind the façade of reconstruction.

 

-2025-06-02

[Quentin Zen]

so close, but yet nobody (in public) ever brings it up.  

 

At least 5,350 civilians have been killed, and more than 3.3 million displaced, since the military seized power on 1 February 2021, and over half the population is living below the poverty line mainly due to violence perpetrated by the national armed forces.

Furthermore, nearly 27,400 people have been arrested, and numbers have been rising since the implementation of mandatory conscription this past February.