Myanmar’s “Four Cuts” policy and illicit trade deepen civilian suffering

Since the military seized power in February 2021, the UN special rapporteur’s 2026 report records at least 8,384 civilian deaths. The death rate spiked during the so‑called 100‑day peace plan from 20 April to 31 July 2026, when around 753 civilians were killed and 89 percent of those deaths were linked to the Myanmar military and its paramilitary forces. Airstrikes, artillery and other weapons of war have been directed at schools, health centres, religious buildings, markets and displacement camps, turning essential civilian infrastructure into deliberate targets.

The junta’s “Four Cuts” strategy aims to sever food, resources, humanitarian access and support networks in areas that resist the regime. In practice, this has manifested as telecommunications blackouts, strict movement restrictions and numerous checkpoints that impede the delivery of food, medicine, fuel and other essential supplies. Humanitarian workers report harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and killings; in July 2026 three aid staff were tortured and killed in the southeastern city of Dawei. These measures severely limit the ability of relief agencies to reach displaced populations.

The report warns that Myanmar’s expanding illicit economy now drives the conflict as much as the fighting itself. Shrinking formal commerce has been replaced by online scam centres, illegal mining, human trafficking and forced labour, generating profits that finance the junta’s weapons purchases from China and Russia. Chinese transnational criminal networks provide the backbone of these enterprises, using cryptocurrency platforms such as Tether and social‑media channels including TikTok, Meta and X to move money and recruit participants. Corruption in neighboring states facilitates cross‑border trafficking, and attempts to disrupt these networks—such as cutting off Starlink access to scam sites—also affect connectivity for humanitarian organisations.