Myanmar

Myanmar continues to face deep instability following the 2021 military coup, when the armed forces overturned the elected government and dismantled democratic institutions. The resulting conflict has displaced millions. Many of the ethnic communities most affected by fighting and targeted violence are Christian, including those in Kayah, Kachin, Chin, and Karen states. These communities live under the daily threat of landmines placed by the military around homes, farms, roads, and even church grounds. Shai Fund is working with local partners to map and clear contaminated areas, deliver critical mine-risk education, and open safe routes for families to return to their villages, churches, and livelihoods.

Myanmar's modern crisis escalated in February 2021 when the military seized power and arrested democratically elected leaders. The coup triggered nationwide resistance, large-scale armed conflict, and a rapid collapse of state institutions. Civilian communities have faced ongoing airstrikes, mass displacement, and severe restrictions on humanitarian access. The United Nations estimates that more than half of the population could fall below the poverty line, driven by economic collapse, rising food prices, and the destruction of livelihoods.

Ethnic minority regions have suffered some of the worst abuses. States such as Kachin, Chin, and Kayah are majority Christian and have long experienced persecution tied to their ethnic identity, faith, and international Christian networks. Churches, Christian schools, and entire villages have been destroyed, and reports continue of forced conversion to Buddhism through pressure from military authorities and affiliated monks. Myanmar's military is one of the few national armies in the world that uses landmines against its own civilians, positioned around walking paths, farms, villages, and church compounds to restrict movement and prevent communities from returning home. Over 1,000 landmine casualties were documented in 2023, with actual numbers believed to be far higher.

In Kayah and Karen states, where the conflict displaced entire Christian communities, landmines prevent families from accessing farmland, attending church, or rebuilding their lives. Karenni State has become one of the most heavily contaminated areas in the country, even in zones no longer under military control. Similar patterns are seen in Kachin and Chin, where border closures by India and China have trapped displaced families in vulnerable camps that face regular air and ground attacks.