From the Ground Up: Local Calls for Safety and Protection in Southeastern Burma

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland Releases a New Report:
From the Ground Up: Local Calls for Safety and Protection in Southeastern Burma

For Immediate Release
18 June 2026
A new report from the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) released today
highlights local demands for peaceful democratic reform and peace in Burma. The report
features testimonies and case studies from ‘From the Ground Up: Local Calls for Safety and
Protection in Southeastern Burma,’ which include appeals to revolutionary and resistance
armed groups, interim federal authorities, and the National Unity Government. Five years
after the unsuccessful coup, residents in HURFOM’s focus areas—Mon State, Karen State,
and the Tanintharyi Region—are seeking answers.

The most pressing concern shared was protection. With millions displaced across the
country, the junta’s attacks are displacing people at a volatile and increasing rate. While
revolutionary groups are working to resist these assaults and defend communities in their
controlled areas, those affected by daily hostilities want to know that systems, plans and
effective coordination are in place to prioritize and safeguard their safety. The most
vulnerable are carrying the burden of the struggle.

Although the spirits of the various pro-democracy movements remain unbroken, they
have encountered significant challenges. Unlawful attacks against human rights
defenders, as well as on places of worship, schools, clinics, and others, have targeted
everyone. Burma’s dictatorship persists due to impunity, and the international community
has been slow to react to the crisis’s urgency.

Emerging federal governments and institutions are working to challenge the junta’s
legitimacy while aiming to govern in accordance with federal ideals. Meanwhile, local
populations find themselves caught in the conflict between stakeholders. The formation of
new governance bodies during fragile interactions has led to increased caution among
residents. These concerns are becoming more prominent, especially regarding
accountability and oversight of policies intended to prioritize civilian safety.

Further, this report examines the intricacies and complexities in greater detail and
ultimately concludes that communities do not want to live only as victims. They want to
survive, but they also want to rebuild. They want local systems that are safer, fairer, and
more accountable than what they experienced under military rule. They want federal
governance to mean something in daily life, not only in political speeches. For villagers,
federalism begins when local leaders listen.

Media Contact
Nai Aue Mon, HURFOM Program Director
Email: auemon@rehmonnya.org
Signal: +66 86 167 9741