“The Vanishing Culture of the Right to Peaceful Protest – Athan 6/10/25, 10:25 AM (Note: The numbers mentioned above have been calculated based solely on the data obtained from the Athan- Myanmar Activist Organization) A quantitative analysis of civilian-organized non-violent movements between February 2024 and February 2025 reveals a marked decrease in protest frequency and participation. Particularly noteworthy is the substantial decline in “Silent Strikes” – a form of collective action consistently employed since the military’s February 2021 seizure of power. This diminishing resistance can be attributed to the regime’s systematic campaign of violence against peaceful demonstrators, characterized by targeted arrests, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings of movement leaders and participants. Such brutal counterinsurgency tactics have effectively cultivated an atmosphere of profound fear among the civilian population, substantially impeding their capacity and willingness to engage in further collective action. Another reason for the drop in public participation in peaceful protests and non-violent civil movements is the Public Military Service Law, which was announced by the military on February 10, 2024. Since the law was introduced, many young people have been fleeing the country to avoid being forced into military service. From Non-Violence to Armed Resistance The public has gradually recognized that armed resistance offers a viable alternative to non-violent protest under the “Resist without Oppression” ethos, particularly when confronting a military that seized power through brute force. This strategic pivot explains the ongoing clashes between revolutionary forces and military units – fundamentally, these confrontations represent efforts to reclaim the authority wrongfully taken from citizens. While visible public demonstrations have noticeably declined since previous years, our research indicates that resistance persists in adapted forms. Citizens continue to oppose the military regime through whatever means are available to them in their specific contexts and localities. Rather than signaling defeat, this evolution reflects a pragmatic response to escalating repression and changing tactical realities on the ground. Military Escalation and Revolutionary Response As stated above, while the public engaged in non-violent movements, the military resorted to full-scale offensives against regions under the control of local defense forces and ethnic revolutionary groups following the armed resistance. This included carrying out sweeping assaults, burning entire villages, committing massacres, and conducting airstrikes. However, in recent times, with the involvement of the people, financial support, and endorsements, the local defense forces and ethnic revolutionary groups have strengthened their connections and organization compared to before. As a result, they have been able to conduct coordinated operations targeting the oppressive military, and it is observed that revolutionary forces currently control 96 townships. Shifting Media Focus and International Attention This point highlights how, over time, the public opposing the military dictatorship in Myanmar is increasingly caught between choosing non-violent resistance and armed struggle, with a growing shift toward armed resistance. As a result, local news outlets tend to focus more on reports of clashes between the military and resistance groups, rather than on stories about peaceful protests or civil movements. Meanwhile, international attention on Myanmar’s Spring Revolution has faded, leading to a drop in support and aid from global organizations. Despite this, in areas controlled by local defense forces and ethnic https://athanmyanmar.org/the-vanishing-culture-of-the-right-to-peaceful-protest/ Page 6 of 9