UN Warns Myanmar Faces ‘Path to Self-Destruction’ Amid Crisis

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© United Nations in Myanmar/Ye Htet Aung/2025

 

Myanmar is spiralling towards “self-destruction” unless it halts its ongoing violence, the United Nations envoy to the country, Julie Bishop, warned in an urgent address to the General Assembly on Tuesday.

 

Speaking in the wake of a devastating earthquake that struck in March — killing over 3,000 and injuring thousands more — Bishop said the country remains trapped in both natural and man-made disaster. Ceasefire promises have largely failed, and Myanmar’s civil conflict shows no signs of easing.

 

“A crisis within a crisis is now entrenched,” said Bishop, citing the continued flow of weapons into the country and deepening military entrenchment. “A zero-sum approach persists on all sides.”

 

The crisis began with the February 2021 military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. In the years since, fighting has intensified between the junta, long-established ethnic militias, and newly formed pro-democracy forces. The civilian death toll has surpassed 6,600, and more than 22,000 political prisoners remain detained — including Suu Kyi herself, who turns 80 next week.

 

Bishop warned against the junta’s planned elections for late 2025, calling them potentially destabilising unless all groups can participate freely and peacefully.

 

She said recent meetings with Myanmar’s leaders showed limited willingness for political dialogue, though there are “early signs” of regional diplomatic support.

 

The plight of Myanmar’s Rohingya minority was also a focus. Bishop described conditions in Rakhine state as dire, with most civilians trapped in poverty and caught between state forces and the Arakan Army, and facing forced recruitment and abuses.

 

She announced plans for a joint visit to Myanmar with ASEAN special envoy Othman Hashim and expressed hope that an upcoming high-level conference at the UN in September would help push for lasting solutions for Myanmar’s ethnic minorities.

 

As the violence deepens and humanitarian needs grow, Bishop’s message was clear: without immediate, inclusive dialogue, Myanmar risks collapsing under the weight of its crises.

 

-2025-06-12