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Proud and Defiant: The Plight of an LGBTI+ Refugee After the Myanmar Coup

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“The flashbacks of my friends who got killed and smoke grenades haunted me every day.”

By Sippachai Kunnuwong for Fortify Rights. Illustration by Tams Lu.

Just days after Myanmar’s military coup on February 1, 2021, Moe Thar* quit his stable jobs at a Japanese language school and a restaurant and joined the anti-junta protests. For the 24-year-old, who identifies as gay, Hledan Street in downtown Yangon became his battleground against the Myanmar military. 

“After the coup, my life fell into darkness,” Moe Thar told Fortify Rights. “I did everything I could to oppose the dictatorship.” 

He was not alone. 

In the initial months following the coup, the streets of Yangon brimmed with thousands of protesters, and Myanmar’s LGBTI+ community was among those at the forefront. 

“It was beautiful seeing the LGBT community actively participating in the protests,” Moe Thar said. “The perception [of the LGBTI+ community in Myanmar] may be changed by this.”

Speaking of his hope for the future, Moe Thar said, “I believe if our revolution wins, the people will have a different mindset about us, and [the next government] will advocate for our rights too.”

However, the junta’s deadly crackdown on activists forced Moe Thar to flee Myanmar before the revolution could be realized. 

“The day I couldn’t forget”

“I almost got caught twice,” Moe Thar told Fortify Rights, describing the dangers involved in protesting the Myanmar junta, “[One time], I was chased by one police officer. While I was running, I ran into an old lady and fell. The police almost caught me and tried to beat me. I managed to push the police and ran away.” 

Describing his second escape from the junta, he said, “And after I left Yangon, the authorities came to the place I was hiding. If I stayed there a few hours more, I would have been caught.”

But some of his friends were not as lucky. 

“[On February 28, 2021], my friend, Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing, was shot in the head by security forces,” Moe Thar recalled. “He laid unconscious on the street. We tried to drag his body out of the scene but couldn’t. He later died at the hospital. Two friends who were helping him got shot in the shoulders as well, and they were maimed. It was the day that I couldn’t forget.”

“Am I wrong?”

Growing up gay in Myanmar, Moe Thar reflected on his struggles before the coup, saying: “Life was difficult for the LGBT people in Myanmar. Some people think that being gay is against nature and a sin.”

He elaborated, saying, “Myanmar society doesn’t accept LGBT people. I still haven’t come out to my family. They are shy of [having a gay child]. They think if you are a boy, you should marry a girl. If you choose the opposite, you do not belong.”

“We are also human, but sometimes I think, am I wrong?” he asked. “No one should be able to decide what I could be,” he added.

“I respect people who came out before me,” Moe Thar said, recognizing the path paved by others for LGBTI+ rights in Myanmar. But also contemplated the bleak outlook for LGBT rights if the junta stays in power, saying: “The reason most people in Myanmar behave in such ways is that Myanmar’s education system ismanipulated by the military. If the military continues its reign, I have no hope [discrimination against the LGBT community] will improve.”

“I am not allowed here.”

After fleeing Yangon, Moe Thar took refuge in the jungles of the Myanmar-Thailand border. 

Describing how life in the jungle and trauma from the coup traumas took a toll on his health, both physically and mentally, he said: “The flashbacks of my friends who got killed and smoke grenades haunted me every day. I couldn’t sleep. I get headaches all the time. This led to my heart condition. And I didn’t have food for many days. My stomach started to go bad.”

In need of urgent medical treatment, Moe Thar crossed the border to Thailand in early 2022. 

However, Thailand does not recognize or provide legal status to refugees, and refugees face arbitrary arrest and detention by Thai authorities. Since his arrival, Moe was arrested twice by the Thai authorities for his undocumented status.

Describing his fear of the Thai authorities, Moe Thar told Fortify Rights: 

During the day, I’m afraid of the Thai police . . . My biggest fear is that I will be arrested and deported back to Myanmar. I’m afraid to go out. Today, I had to cancel the doctor’s appointment because we heard rumors that the Thai police were going to do a surprise check and might arrest [undocumented migrants] at the clinic.

Moe Thar told Fortify Rights how he relies on donations for his survival in Thailand, saying, “Since I arrived in [Thailand], I lost all financial support. Right now, I’m facing late rent and debts . . . Some Burmese migrant workers have been looking [out] for political refugees who have crossed the border.” 

“I want to work [in Thailand] to earn my living because I have to care for many things,” he added. “But I am not allowed here.”

Reflecting on his situation, Moe Thar told Fortify Rights, “I cannot go back to Myanmar. The military will arrest me because of what I did . . . When comparing the situation in [Thailand] and Myanmar, most things are not different. I can’t sleep peacefully at night.”

*Moe Thar is not a real name. It is withheld due to security concerns.

Civilian death toll mounts in Rakhine State feud between Burma Army and AA

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On Nov. 4, three people, including a six-year-old boy were killed and 23 were injured when the Burma Army fired artillery at the Arakan Army (AA) in Kyauktaw township. “At least 23 people from five villages were injured and amongst them two are in critical condition. They are now in Sittwe and Kyauktaw hospitals,” said a spokesperson from Phyu Sin Myittar charity group. The fighting between the Burma Army and the AA forced the residents to flee their homes for safety. 

“Our village has nothing to do with the fighting and the military purposely fires at us. This is outrageous,” a resident of Shwe Pyi Thit village told DVB. Local human rights activists confirm that the junta is targeting civilians “The number of war crimes committed by the military is increasing every time people are killed,” the activist said. One local school teacher was killed and two others, including a child, were injured in a village, located in Buthidaung Township on Nov. 5. The victim was a 35-year-old school teacher killed while assisting the two injured. “The 5-year-old child and a woman were injured when the first large weapon fell near the village. The teacher went there to rescue the injured, then, another large weapon fell and he died on the spot,” a local said. 

On Nov. 8, the AA ambushed two Burma Army vessels near Kaung Laung Chaung village, located in Minbya township. The Burma Army has been restricting humanitarian access to the state since August. This means locals fleeing the fighting, and those injured, are unable to receive urgent assistance. The townships affected by the Burma Army blockade of necessities is Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Myaybon, Maungdaw and Angumaw townships. The AA announced that six civilians have been killed and 21 have been injured since fighting between it and the Burma Army resumed in 2022.

Singapore rescues passengers of Burma-flagged ship, Armed conflict persists in Tanintharyi

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DVB’s Weekly Cartoon: “The blood and sweat of Burma will take me to the heavens!”

FROM THE DVB NEWSROOM

US and EU enact more targeted sanctions against regime officials and cronies

The United States and the European Union have sanctioned additional junta officials, and its business proxies, on Nov. 8. The EU announced that it had enacted a fifth round of sanctions targeting 19 individuals and one entity in Burma. The U.S. imposed sanctions against Sky Aviator Company Limited and its owner and director Kyaw Min Oo. Read more here.

Armed conflict and civil disobedience persist in Tanintharyi

Nineteen armed clashes occurred across Tanintharyi Region last month, according to Southern Monitor, an NGO that monitors economic and human rights issues. The junta’s security forces intensified household inspections. Troop movements have increased. More than a dozen civilians were arrested, accused of ties to local defense forces in Yebyu and Launglon townships. Civil disobedience against the regime increased. At least 293 people have been killed and around 9,000 have been displaced from their homes in Tanintharyi due to armed conflict since the coup. You can read the full report here.

Singapore rescues passengers of Burma-flagged ship

Passengers of a sinking fishing vessel with a Burma flag were rescued near the coast of Vung Tau, Vietnam on Tuesday, reported AFP. Authorities rescued 303 passengers of the ship, named Lady 3. Vietnam’s Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre stated that the passengers were Sri Lankans seeking to migrate to Canada.

News by Region

KAREN—The Karen National Union (KNU) stated that it killed 369 junta troops in 186 clashes last month. Six Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) soldiers are reported to have been killed. Forty-six were injured. It added that four Burma Army troops defected to Karen forces. More than 300,000 locals are displaced from their homes due to the conflict and are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

MAGWAY—An National League for Democracy (NLD) official, along with his brother, was arrested by police in Htilin town. “Police accused them of having ties with the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and took them to the interrogation camp in the station,” a resident told DVB. The junta’s security forces have been targeting NLD party members and supporters, accusing them of supporting the PDF. Four locals were arrested on Nov. 5 and have not yet been released.

YANGON—Eight men were arrested for robbing passengers on a Yangon bus on Nov. 8. The incident occurred near Thamine market, Mayangone Township. “A total of eight – seven robbers along with the driver of a Toyota Probox car – have been arrested. They were held at Mayangone police station,” the regional police officer told DVB. “They beat [the passengers] with iron rods and stole phones. A woman was injured when she jumped while panicking,” a bus driver said. There have been increasing reports of violent crime occurring on Yangon public transportation.

A bomb blast injured one soldier at the entrance gate of the Burma Army’s No.106 Infantry Battalion in Mingaladon Township on Nov. 8. A local told DVB that unidentified men on a motorcycle threw an improvised explosive toward the entrance of the military base then fled the scene.

DVB PICKS—Doh Pyay Doh Myay (DPDM), DVB’s global travel roadshow, profiles North Carolina’s Ka Baw Htoo. He arrived in the U.S. in 2009, made some mistakes, and has learned some valuable lessons from police in Charlotte. He doesn’t know what he would do without his car.

US and EU enact more targeted sanctions against regime officials and cronies

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English Editor
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The United States and the European Union have sanctioned additional junta officials, and its business proxies, on Nov. 8. The EU announced that it had enacted a fifth round of sanctions targeting 19 individuals and one entity in Burma. The statement cited the escalating violence and human rights violations as justification for the sanctions against the junta.

Individuals targeted in the new round of sanctions include Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Kan Zaw, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Htun Htun Oo, Union Election Commission (UEC) officials, high ranking members of the Burma Army and Airforce, and business cronies. The entity listed is the “State Administration Council (SAC).” This is the junta’s name for itself to help it gain legitimacy among the people of Burma following its ousting of the civilian National League for Democracy government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained and imprisoned since the 2021 military coup.

Those affected by the sanctions are subject to travel bans and asset freezes. Individuals and entities in the EU are prohibited from issuing funds to those sanctioned. “The EU condemns the continuing grave human rights violations including torture and sexual and gender-based violence, the continued persecution of civil society, human rights defenders and journalists, attacks on the civilian population, including ethnic and religious minorities, and the destruction of private property by the Myanmar armed forces,” the statement added.

The U.S. Department of Treasury imposed sanctions against Sky Aviator Company Limited and its owner and director Kyaw Min Oo. This was done in conjunction with the EU sanctions. U.S. officials claimed that the company is a principal supplier of aircraft parts for the regime in Burma. Kyaw is said to have helped organize the visits of foreign military officials to Burma as well as the import of military equipment and arms. “Kyaw Min Oo profits from the violence and suffering the military has inflicted on the people of Burma since the military coup,” said Brian Nelson, the U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

Last month, the Burma Army carried out airstrikes on a ceremony in Hpakant Township organized by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). Up to 100 people were killed, including civilians, musicians, businesspeople, and KIO officials. November 8 marked the two year anniversary of the 2020 general elections that the military annulled when it staged its coup on Feb. 1, 2021.

Australian Federal Police maintains ties with junta police, Justice for Myanmar calls on Australia to cease cooperation with junta

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English Editor
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FROM THE DVB NEWSROOM

Australian Federal Police maintains ties with the junta’s police 

Australian Federal Police (AFP) continue to share intelligence with the junta’s police force in an attempt to combat drug trafficking, according to the Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Australian Senator Jordan Steele-John questioned the AFP over its arrangement with its counterparts in Burma. The AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw claimed that the engagement with Burma’s junta was critical as the amount of drugs entering Australia was a national security issue. The AFP claims that 70 percent of all methamphetamine entering Australia comes from Burma. 

Whistleblower group Justice for Myanmar (JFM) called on Australia to cease all cooperation with the junta. “The Myanmar police are part of the military cartel that commits crimes against humanity and enriches itself from money laundering, drug trafficking and human trafficking,” said Yadanar Maung, the spokesperson at JFM. While Australia has scaled back its diplomatic relationship with Burma since the 2021 coup, it has yet to impose sanctions on junta officials. Drug production has soared in Burma since the military tried to seize state power. Analysts have long claimed that the Burma Army and its proxies are involved in the country’s illicit activities, including drug trafficking. 

News by Region

AYEYARWADY—A bomb blast occurred near a Tazaungdaing festival held in Pathein city on Nov. 8. The event was attended by regime officials to celebrate the full moon day of Tazaungmone on the Burmese calendar. The explosion was reported 10 minutes after regional junta minister Tin Maung Wain gave an opening speech. “All people [who participated in the event] ran away when the explosion occurred. I am just watching them…The security is very tight,” a witness told DVB. No casualties have been reported.

KACHIN—The junta’s security forces are now charging Bhamo town residents  K200,000 ($95 USD) to have their seized motorcycles returned to them. It was reported that more than 100 motorcycles and 30 cars were taken. “All those who did not have a driver’s license, motorcycle mirrors, helmets were arrested,” a local told DVB. Another local said the forces are practicing extortion “while people are struggling to make ends meet.”

SAGAING—Families of 14 people killed by the Burma Army in Koetuangboet village tracts of Kanbalu Township are unable to locate their remains. Eighteen people were arrested on Nov. 3, and four were released. “Among those arrested is an 8th grade student [18-year-old]. The arrest was made by [the Burma Army] 363 Infantry Battalion based in Koetaungboet,” a local told DVB. The victims are all male in their 20s and 30s. According to locals, the victims were tortured and were forcefully exposed to the hot sun all day. The Burma Army refused to turn over the remains to the families. Regime media have yet to comment on the murders.

A woman was killed and three, including a child, were injured by an artillery shell fired by the Burma Army on a village located in Wetlet Township on Nov. 7. “The shell dropped on their house. The wife was killed. Her husband and child were seriously injured. An elder was injured as well. It happened while the entire family was home,” a local told DVB. A 13-year-old boy and an elderly woman were killed in a similar attack in Kanbalu Township on Nov. 3.

The resistance group Chindwin Attack Force (CAF) claimed that six of its members and 17 Burma army troops were killed in a battle in Monywa Township on Nov. 6. It sait it launched a joint attack with resistance forces against a Burma Army camp. The CAF claimed that it had seized firearms and  ammunition from the Burma Army. Six resistance members were killed after the Burma Army retaliated with heavy weapons, a CAF spokesperson told DVB. “Four comrades were killed by a sniper while retreating because they didn’t have enough ammunition. The other two were arrested, and then killed after they refused to talk during military questioning,” he added. The resistance group alleged that the Burma Army used chemical weapons in the attack. A claim that has not yet been verified by DVB.

YANGON—Two explosions occurred at an industrial zone and at a township electricity office in Dagon Township on Nov. 8. No casualties have been reported. Another explosion was reported in Dawbon Township on Nov. 7. Five people have been killed and four have been injured by attacks in Yangon so far this month.

DVB PICKS—Anthony Davis, a Bangkok-based security consultant and analyst with extensive knowledge about armed conflicts across Asia, writes for Asia Times about how the transition from guerrilla to semi-conventional tactics could spell defeat for the anti-junta resistance forces in Burma. 

The number attending Panthaku celebration in Yangon slowly increasing post-coup

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English Editor
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An increasing number of Yangon residents took part in Panthaku celebrations on Nov. 7 – which takes place on the night of the Tazaungdaing festival – a resident of North Okkalapa Township told DVB. Panthaku is a traditional Burmese custom where people donate cash, rice, oil, salt, clothes, and cash during the night of Tazaungdaing by leaving it out on the street for others in need. 

“I used to discard K300,000 ($143 USD) for Panthaku donations every year to bring joy to those suffering from financial difficulties. I collected a small amount of money every month for this celebration,” a resident of North Okkalapa said. “As our township is under martial law, many people were looking for Panthaku donations very early,” another man said. A North Dagon resident said he took his family out to collect Panthaku donations for survival rather than to celebrate. “We are a family of five and live in a hostel. All of us picked up Panthaku donations last night. We got over K30,000 ($14 USD) and five baskets of rice, and it will cover us for a week,” he said. 

Safety and security was on the minds of most Yangon residents due to the increase in violent crime following last year’s military coup. Five people have been killed and four have been injured in attacks across the city so far this month. “Even though we picked up other’s donations at night, we were scared that explosions, arrests or robberies could occur under the cover of darkness. House owners also eyed us suspiciously when we looked for things,” a Hlaing Tharyar resident said.

In Yangon, Panthaku celebrations ended at 10 p.m. for residents of South Dagon, North Dagon, Shwe Pyithar, Hlaing Tharyar and North Okkalapa Townships, as all are under martial law. Prior to the 2021 military coup, the night of Tazaungdaing was filled with traditional celebrations such as Panthaku donations, family gatherings, large outdoor events, and concerts free for the public. Events like this have been slow to scale up over the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the political and economic crisis caused by the coup.

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