Myanmar Junta’s Shameful Justification on Mrauk-U Hospital Killings

Opinion

Global Arakan Network December 13, 2025

Junta Spokeman and Press Statement on Mrauk-U Hospital Killing

Yesterday, on December 12, the generals in Naypyidaw rushed out a press statement. They tried hard to defend the bombing of Mrauk-U General Hospital just two days earlier. Their excuses boiled down to two weak claims. First, they said the hospital had closed after they lost control of the town. Second, they accused Arakan Army and resistance forces of turning the site into a command center for military use. They even pointed to "tips" from local Rakhine people who supposedly hate these groups. To top it off, they dismissed reports of dead fighters as tricks from fake social media accounts (in irregular Rakhine language) run by propaganda teams in the information ministry.

These words ring hollow and cruel. The hospital stood open and busy, serving hundreds of patients every day. Doctors and nurses worked long shifts to treat the sick and wounded in a region short on care. No fighting happened nearby for months. The jets dropped heavy bombs straight on wards full of helpless people – elderly patients, mothers with newborns, children recovering from illness. Witnesses saw flames swallow beds and bodies scatter in the chaos. This was no accident or fair target. It was a direct strike on a protected place, breaking clear rules of war.

The junta's lies follow an old script. Time and again, they blame victims for their own crimes. They call schools "hiding spots," markets "supply points," villages "bases." No one buys it anymore. Inside the country, even their supporters whisper doubts. Outside, the world sees through the fog. Reports from aid groups, journalists, and monitors paint the true picture: rising air attacks on soft targets to punish communities that reject their rule.

Fake Posts Created by Pro-Junta Accounts

Yet the generals keep spinning tales. Why? These stories aim inward, to glue their ranks together. Soldiers and officers need to believe they fight "terrorists," not fellow citizens. The propaganda machine runs hot to hide cracks in loyalty. Fear of truth drives them to invent enemies everywhere.

This pattern exposes a deeper flaw. The military as a whole refuses to own its mistakes. Leaders hide behind denials, never admitting fault or offering justice. Appeals to reason fall flat. Talks fail. Sanctions sting but do not change hearts. History shows this institution bends only under real pressure – the kind that threatens its grip on power.

Now the hard question hangs heavy: who will deliver that force? Words of outrage from afar echo but fade. Condemnations pile up, yet bombs still fall. True change demands bold action. Allies must cut off fuel for jets, arms for troops, funds for the regime. Stakeholders with leverage – neighbors, traders, powers far away – face a choice. Stand firm with threats that bite, or watch more hospitals burn.

The pain from Mrauk-U runs deep. Families bury loved ones too soon. Survivors heal slow in makeshift clinics. Rebuilding walls is one thing; restoring trust is harder. But hope flickers when voices rise loud against the lies. The junta's weak excuses only highlight their desperation. Truth cuts sharp. Pressure builds. One day, force – real and united – may finally shape their actions, or end their cruel hold.