Wednesday, February 1st  marks two years since the military seized power in Myanmar, unleashing a conflict in which thousands have been killed.

The violence has displaced more than a million people, according to the UN, and at least 13,000 are behind bars following a crackdown on all opposition to the coup.

Various armed groups are now fighting the military in what some now claim effectively is a civil war, spread across the country.

The military’s been accused of various atrocities, not least launching airstrikes against civilians (which have spilled over into Bangladesh and allegedly India) and burning villages.

Myanmar’s generals have snubbed efforts by the regional bloc ASEAN to resolve the crisis, and instead courted Moscow.

China also is seen as shielding the military.

Both Russia and China refused to back a UNSC resolution on December 22nd  demanding an end to the violence.

The junta is seeking to hold elections, possibly AUG, to claim legitimacy.

An HRW report released on Tuesday said Myanmar’s junta has expanded the use of deadly force and repressive measures to
curb dissent.

It said concerned governments should “target the military’s main revenue sources, particularly foreign currency revenues that the military obtains from exports like natural gas, metals, gemstones, and timber and uses to purchase weapons, military equipment, and fuel”.

Aljazeera.