With Myanmar’s economy in turmoil and unemployment on the rise, thousands are trying to find work abroad but are having to navigate border closures and unscrupulous brokers.
Falling incomes due to the pandemic and coup, and impunity for the military and pro-junta armed groups, have created ideal conditions for a rise in opium cultivation in Kachin State.
As military repression ramps up, some trade unions and activists are calling on brands to boycott Myanmar’s garment sector – but not everyone believes the campaign will hit its intended target.
An escalation in fighting between the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Tatmadaw near the town of Mong Ko on the China border has emptied villages, while inflaming longstanding tensions over who controls the area.
Myanmar’s rice farmers are facing higher production and transportation costs, lower yields, and low prices, leaving many worried they will no longer be able to earn enough to survive.