Guest Author: William Clayton Jr.

A significant movement is underway across Myanmar, characterized by a resolute push for self-determination, empowerment, and national pride. From the southern region of Kawthoolei, home to the Karen and Karenni peoples, to the northern territories of Kachinland, communities are asserting their right to shape their own futures in response to decades of oppression.

In southern Myanmar, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the military arm of the civilian Karen National Union (KNU), recently concluded a prolonged engagement in the Battle of Asia Road. For over 500 days, the KNLA successfully denied the Myanmar military junta access to the Asia Highway, a critical supply route to the border city of Myawaddy. Despite lacking the resources of a conventional military, the KNLA faced a well-equipped adversary supported by advanced technology, including aircraft, thermal imaging, night vision, and satellite images supplied by foreign powers such as China, Russia, and North Korea. The KNLA’s ability to maintain control of this strategic artery for such an extended period represents a remarkable achievement, underscoring the resilience and tactical ingenuity of this guerrilla force. Additionally, the KNLA was able to capture multiple junta Border Guard Force outposts along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

In northern Myanmar, the Kachin people are similarly galvanized by a renewed commitment to self-determination. Years of systemic abuses by the Bamar-led junta, compounded by violations of the 1947 Panglong Agreement, have driven the Kachin to seek full independence. On September 6, the Kachin National Organization (KNO) issued a statement calling for the establishment of an independent Kachinland and requesting international support to counter the junta’s advanced military capabilities. The KNO’s statement articulates the depth of their resolve: “The union, entered into with hope and promise, has become a tool of oppression. The Respondent has proven itself to be an abusive and fraudulent partner. Therefore, the Petitioner has no recourse but to seek a complete and final divorce to secure the safety, dignity, and future of generations of Kachin people.” This declaration reflects the Kachin’s determination to protect their people and resources, particularly the region’s valuable rare earth metals, from exploitation by the junta and external actors, including China.

Beyond the struggle for sovereignty, Myanmar’s protracted conflict has fostered a secondary crisis with global implications: the proliferation of criminal enterprises, particularly “scam centers.” These compounds, staffed primarily by trafficked individuals, orchestrate large-scale online fraud targeting international victims. According to the U.S. State Department, these operations in Asia defrauded Americans of approximately billion in 2024. The junta’s failure to govern effectively, coupled with its alleged complicity, has allowed these criminal networks to flourish, often under the protection of the junta’s Border Guard Force (BGF). Ethnic organizations like the KNU and KNO have attempted to address this issue, with the KNU establishing the Karen National Police Force (KNPF). However, their efforts are hampered by the ongoing war against the junta, which diverts critical resources from addressing these criminal operations. On September 9, the KNO condemned the junta’s role in enabling this criminality, stating: “Under the Myanmar military’s terrorist regime, the country has become a safe haven for all sorts of criminals. Online scam syndicates, human trafficking rings, drug cartels, money laundering networks, arms dealers, and extortion gangs are openly operating. The junta’s corruption and weakness mean they either turn a blind eye or actively profit from these criminal enterprises. That’s why border towns like Muse, Myawaddy, and Shwe Kokko have become notorious for cyber scam compounds and drug hubs. The military allows this chaos because it serves their survival — money from crime funds their regime, while ordinary people suffer.”

The international community is beginning to respond. On September 8, the U.S. Treasury Department announced measures targeting Myanmar’s scam centers, signaling growing recognition of the crisis’s global impact. This development underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to address both the humanitarian and security challenges emanating from Myanmar’s instability.

The struggles in Myanmar—whether for self-determination or against transnational crime—demand global attention and action. The resilience of the Karen, Kachin, and other ethnic groups highlights the enduring human spirit in the face of oppression. International stakeholders must support these communities by providing aid, advocating for their right to self-governance, and countering the criminal networks that exploit Myanmar’s instability. Only through collective resolve can the international community help Myanmar’s people secure a future defined by dignity, security, and self-determination.