Myanmar Junta and Armed Factions Profit From $10 Billion Illicit Trade

The Dark Money Behind Myanmar’s Civil War | Bloomberg Investigates — Bloomberg Originals

Bloomberg Originals

The civil war persists because dark money from cyber scams, rubies, and resource smuggling generates billions in profits for both military elites and rebel factions.

AI-assisted summary of The Dark Money Behind Myanmar’s Civil War | Bloomberg Investigates — original source. Check the original for full context.

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## Background Published by Bloomberg Originals on YouTube on August 20, 2026, this report covers Myanmar's multifaceted civil war following the 2021 military coup. According to the page description, Bloomberg Investigates obtained rare access inside the nation to trace the dark money fueling the conflict and examine its human cost.

## TL;DR The investigation exposes how Myanmar's ongoing civil war is sustained by illicit financial networks, natural resource extraction, and massive cyber scam compounds despite the regime holding control over only 40% to 45% of the country. Horrific human costs—including roughly 100,000 deaths, widespread civilian displacement, and natural disasters like a 7.7 magnitude earthquake—are contrasted against the high profits extracted by military elites and armed groups. Factions such as the TNLA tax ruby mining in Mogok, while border compounds like Shwe Kokko generate tens of billions annually through cryptocurrency fraud. Because these illegal revenue streams render conflict far more lucrative than peace, the war persists without financial incentive for resolution.

## Atmosphere & style The report carries a grim, investigative tone that contrasts staged displays of military power against the tragic reality of displaced civilians in temporary shelters. It combines sober geopolitical analysis with harrowing human accounts, creating an atmosphere of deep volatility and injustice. Watching the report feels eye-opening and somber as it juxtaposes isolated, fortified elite enclaves with the chaotic, militarized borderlands.

## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) The military junta's staged demonstrations of control contrast sharply with reality, as they maintain power over at most 40% to 45% of Myanmar's territory. - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) Myanmar's ongoing civil war has led to over 30,000 arrests and the displacement of millions of citizens. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=70s) Beneath the territorial and political conflict lies a lucrative dark money engine fueled by illicit trade networks and hidden natural resources that make war more profitable than peace. - [01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=70s) The savage conflict has caused roughly 100,000 deaths and widespread civilian suffering across the country. - [02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=140s) Internally displaced persons face compounding disasters, including a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the Sagaing Region that killed approximately 1,700 people. - [04:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=284s) The 2021 military coup halted a decade of political opening and economic growth, forcing youth and professionals to take up arms alongside long-standing ethnic armed organizations. - [06:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=418s) Fragmented borderlands controlled by competing rebel factions, militias, and military forces have driven hundreds of thousands to cross into Thailand illegally. - [09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=571s) A stark economic divide exists between the heavily fortified capital enclave of Naypyidaw and the rest of the country, which suffers under severe economic collapse and fuel shortages. - [12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=721s) Ethnic armed groups like the Ta'ang National Liberation Army fund their military efforts by capturing natural resource hubs such as Mogok's ruby mines and taxing local miners. - [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) Militarized cyber scam compounds like Shwe Kokko along the Thai border generate tens of billions in illicit revenue using human trafficking victims to execute multi-tiered cryptocurrency fraud. - [15:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=950s) High revenue from illicit industries provides key actors with strong financial incentives to perpetuate the war, leaving little reason to pursue peace.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) Accessing Myanmar and the Illusion of Control

Getting reporting access inside Myanmar as a journalist has become exceptionally challenging, with rare exceptions usually granted only around major, highly staged national events. In March and April, Bloomberg was granted rare access to cover Armed Forces Day. On display was a meticulously choreographed demonstration of military firepower, national unity, and heavy symbolism designed to signal to the world that the Burmese military remains firmly in command. However, the reality on the ground tells a vastly different story: the military junta and its aligned forces hold control over at most 40% to 45% of the country.

Opposing the regime are young rebels who are willing to fight, kill, and die for democracy in an intense battle against the military junta. Since the coup, over 30,000 people have been arrested, and millions remain displaced across the country as the conflict drags on.

- The military junta controls only **40% to 45%** of Myanmar's territory. - More than **30,000 people** have been arrested by the regime. - Millions of citizens remain internally displaced.

---

[01:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=70s) The Human Cost and the Dark Money Engine

While millions of ordinary citizens endure extreme suffering, displacement, and death, those wielding power and weapons are turning a massive profit. Beyond the territorial disputes and political struggles, the civil war is driven by dark money, illicit trade networks, hidden natural resources, and underground economic deals that render war far more lucrative than peace. Covering geopolitics, crime, and corruption for more than 15 years, the reporter notes that Myanmar’s civil war stands as one of Asia's largest yet most overlooked crises.

The conflict is marked by well-documented direct attacks by the junta on civilian populations. Human casualties have reached horrific levels, with approximately 100,000 people killed, hundreds of thousands injured, and millions forced from their homes.

- Roughly **100,000 deaths** have occurred as a direct result of the savage conflict. - Millions of civilians are displaced across various regions.

---

[02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=140s) Refuge in Sagaing and Compounding Disasters

In the Sagaing Region, reporter teams visited temporary shelters where internally displaced people (IDPs) seek safety on the grounds of local Buddhist monasteries. Among them is Zin Mar Wai, who fled her home with her two young daughters, traveling on foot for months before reaching safety at a monastery. However, disaster struck again when a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the region—the strongest in a century—killing approximately 1,700 people and further destroying fragile temporary shelters.

Zin Mar Wai holds out hope that her village can eventually be rebuilt so her surviving four-year-old daughter can attend school. Yet, like millions of others caught in the crossfire, her fate remains largely out of her hands as military operations continue unabated.

- Earthquake magnitude: **7.7**, marking the largest seismic event in Myanmar in over a century. - Casualties from the quake: Approximately **1,700 people** killed. - Target age group impacted: Young children like Zin Mar Wai’s surviving **4-year-old daughter** lack access to basic education.

---

[04:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=284s) Historical Context: From Independence to the 2021 Coup

The conflict’s sheer complexity is a primary reason it receives limited global news coverage. Myanmar—formerly known as Burma—gained independence from British rule in 1948. By the 1960s, the nation fell under oppressive military rule, leaving it isolated, heavily sanctioned, and economically impoverished for decades. A major turning point occurred in 2011 with political reforms and the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, leading to a landslide victory for her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), in the 2015 elections.

This political opening triggered a major economic boom throughout the 2010s. However, the momentum was abruptly halted in February 2021 when the military staged a coup d'état and re-arrested Aung San Suu Kyi. Initial peaceful street protests involving hundreds of thousands of citizens were met with brutal crackdowns and live ammunition. Consequently, students, young professionals, and educated urban youth fled to the border regions and forests, taking up arms alongside long-standing ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) to fight the junta.

- **1948**: Year Myanmar gained independence. - **1960s**: Beginning of strict military rule and international isolation. - **2011–2015**: Political opening, release of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the NLD's landslide election win in 2015. - **February 2021**: Military coup triggering nationwide resistance and civil war. - Over **two dozen distinct rebel groups** currently fight the junta, though they occasionally turn on one another.

---

[06:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=418s) Fractured Borderlands and the Refugee Crisis in Thailand

Along the mountainous border between Shan State and western Thailand, the territorial landscape is severely fragmented. Specific hilltops are held by competing factions: one height is controlled by a pro-junta military militia, an adjacent peak by the Wa National Army (WNA), and another by the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), all while the Royal Thai Army monitors the border to prevent incursions.

This instability has forced hundreds of thousands of Burmese citizens to cross into Thailand illegally. Refugees like Michelle fled after her husband’s involvement in the anti-coup movement made her a target for military arrest. With legitimate transit routes blocked, a thriving market for human smugglers has emerged to move refugees across the border.

- Neighboring territory: Shan State bordering western Thailand. - Main factions in the border area: **Wa National Army (WNA)**, **Shan State Army-South (SSA-S)**, and **pro-junta militias**. - Cross-border flow: Hundreds of thousands of illegal border crossings fueling organized human trafficking networks.

---

[09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=571s) Capital Enclaves and Economic Disparities in Naypyidaw and Mandalay

In Myanmar's planned capital, Naypyidaw, senior military generals, government ministers, and high-ranking officials live in heavily fortified compounds secured by high concrete walls and razor wire. This isolated enclave stands in stark contrast to the rest of the nation, which is undergoing severe economic collapse. While ordinary citizens suffer from strict fuel rationing—resulting in massive vehicle queues in cities like Naypyidaw and Mandalay—vast sums of money generated by the war flow directly into the pockets of the regime's elite.

Despite the broader economic downturn, commercial hubs like Mandalay maintain a superficial appearance of everyday life. Mandalay serves as the nation's primary transit node for rich natural resource flows, including high-value timber, copper, and precious gemstones.

- Enclave security: Naypyidaw's elite residential quarters are protected behind razor-wire perimeter walls. - Resource trade: Mandalay acts as the commercial funnel for timber, copper, and gemstones.

---

[12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=721s) Natural Resources and Ethnic Armed Groups: The Mogok Rubies

Natural resources represent a primary revenue stream funding the warring factions. In 2024, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA)—an ethnic armed group—captured the town of Mogok, famous for producing some of the world's most valuable rubies. Upon taking control, the TNLA imposed strict tax schemes on local gem miners, forcing diggers to pay fees for permission to work their plots or find informal workarounds to survive under the new administration.

- Target area: Mogok, renowned globally for ruby extraction. - Controlling force: **Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA)**. - Economic model: Direct taxation of local miners and control of precious gemstone extraction.

---

[13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) The Cyber Scam Industry: Shwe Kokko and Crypto Schemes

While timber and gemstones yield significant capital, the largest source of illicit revenue in Myanmar comes from vast, militarized cyber scam compounds. Patrolling along the Thai-Myanmar border river reveals compounds like **Shwe Kokko**, recognized as one of Southeast Asia's largest fraud hubs. These compounds rely on a mix of human trafficking victims and economic volunteers drawn in by false promises of high-paying customer service jobs.

A former scam operator described the inner workings of these facilities. Lured by an offer of free room and board alongside a monthly salary of 30,000 Thai baht (approximately $900), he worked inside compound buildings while artillery shells exploded in the surrounding area. His daily operations involved executing cryptocurrency exchange scams:

1. Target investors are instructed to download a fake foreign currency exchange app. 2. The user converts fiat currency into crypto tokens. 3. The tokens are transferred into fraudulent applications controlled directly by the scammers. 4. Victims are systematically scammed at least three times, with initial losses starting at $100, rising to $1,000, and finally reaching $10,000 or more.

- Location: **Shwe Kokko**, situated along the Thai-Myanmar border. - Base salary offer: **30,000 Thai baht** per month (roughly **$900 USD**). - Fraud progression: Multi-tiered crypto scams taking **$100**, then **$1,000**, and finally **$10,000+** per target.

---

[15:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=950s) The War Economy and Perpetual Conflict

The political economy of cyber scam compounds generates tens of billions of dollars annually, channeling massive capital directly to military elites and armed factions. International sanctions and financial isolation have driven the junta to rely heavily on scam center revenues to fund arms purchases and sustain war operations against its own population.

With military chief Min Aung Hlaing attempting to legitimize his rule through controlled political maneuvers and staged elections, critics point out that as long as the war persists, those in power continue to profit. Because neither side can secure a decisive victory on the battlefield and the conflict remains highly profitable for combatants, there is little financial incentive to pursue peace. Virtually none of the wealth generated from these natural resources and scam enterprises reaches the suffering citizens of Myanmar.

- Revenue generated: Tens of billions of dollars annually from cyber scam compounds. - Key figure: Military chief **Min Aung Hlaing**. - Economic reality: Profits from illicit industries enrich armed factions and military elites while ordinary citizens face displacement, poverty, and airstrikes.

## Mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Investigates, Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Originals, Michelle, Min Aung Hlaing, National League for Democracy, NLD, Royal Thai Army, Shan State Army-South, SSA-S, Ta'ang National Liberation Army, TNLA, Wa National Army, WNA, Zin Mar Wai

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI)

中文简报

缅甸军政府与武装派系从百亿美元非法贸易中牟利 内战之所以持续不断，是因为来自网络诈骗、红宝石和资源走私的黑钱为军方精英和反叛派系带来了数十亿美元的暴利。 该调查揭示了尽管缅甸政权仅控制该国40%至45%的领土，但其持续的内战如何依靠非法金融网络、自然资源开采以及庞大的网络诈骗园区得以维系。惨烈的人道代价——包括约10万人丧生、大批平民流离失所，以及如7.7级地震等自然灾害——与军方精英和武装团体攫取的高额利润形成了鲜明对比。诸如TNLA等派系对Mogok的红宝石开采征税，而像Shwe Kokko这样的边境园区每年通过加密货币诈骗攫取数百亿美元。正因为这些非法收入链条让冲突比和平更具暴利，战争在缺乏寻求解决的经济动机下久拖不决。 军政府刻意展示的控制力与现实形成了鲜明对比，因为他们最多仅掌控着缅甸40%至45%的领土。 (0:01) 缅甸持续的内战已导致3万多人被捕，数百万民众流离失所。 (0:01) 在领土与政治冲突的表象之下，是一个由非法贸易网络和隐秘自然资源驱动的高额黑钱引擎，使战争比和平更加有利可图。 (1:10) 这场残酷的冲突已造成约10万人丧生，并在全国范围内给平民带来了深重苦难。 (1:10) 国内流离失所者面临着多重灾难的冲击，包括Sagaing地区发生的一场导致约1700人遇难的7.7级破坏性地震。 (2:20)

Reading summary

Myanmar's ongoing civil war is increasingly sustained by a multi-billion-dollar underground economy spanning natural resources and militarized cyber fraud hubs, according to a Bloomberg investigation. While the conflict has triggered immense civilian displacement and casualties, the massive revenues generated by illicit trade render continued warfare far more profitable for both military elites and armed factions than peace. Military Stalemate and Compounding Humanitarian Devastation (0:01) Despite the military junta's choreographed displays of firepower during events such as Armed Forces Day, the regime exercises control over at most 40% to 45% of Myanmar's territory. The resistance—composed of youth fighting for democracy alongside veteran ethnic armed organizations—faces severe retaliation. Over 30,000 individuals have been arrested since the 2021 coup, approximately 100,000 people have been killed, and millions remain internally displaced. Civilians fleeing junta assaults confront compounding crises. In the Sagaing Region, internally displaced families taking refuge in Buddhist monasteries were further devastated by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake—Myanmar's strongest in over a century—which killed roughly 1,700 people and obliterated makeshift shelters, leaving entire communities without basic education or stability. Historical Resistance and Fragmented Borderlands (4:44) The current war follows decades of isolation after the 1960s military takeover, briefly interrupted by political reforms and the National League for Democracy's electoral victories between 2011 and 2015. The February 2021 coup abrupt ended that economic expansion. When peaceful demonstrations met lethal force, urban youth fled to jungle and border regions to take up arms, giving rise to more than two dozen active rebel factions that occasionally clash with one another. In regions like Shan State along the Thai border, territory is heavily fragmented between competing groups, including the Wa National Army (WNA), the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), and pro-junta militias. This geographic partition has forced hundreds of thousands of refugees to cross into Thailand through human smuggling networks to escape political arrest and violence. Resource Extraction and Gemstone Taxation (12:01) While Naypyidaw's ruling generals reside in fortified, razor-wired enclaves insulated from nationwide fuel rationing and economic collapse, war funding relies heavily on resource flows. Mandalay serves as the commercial corridor channeling high-value timber, copper, and gemstones away from impoverished rural areas. Control over natural assets also funds anti-junta ethnic forces. In 2024, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) seized the town of Mogok, a center for world-renowned ruby deposits. The group established formal taxation frameworks over artisanal miners, converting the gem trade into a dependable revenue source to sustain its military apparatus. Industrial Cyber Scams and War Profiteering (13:39) Myanmar's most lucrative illicit industry has shifted to militarized border compounds such as Shwe Kokko. Generating tens of billions of dollars annually, these complexes operate using a combination of human trafficking victims and economic migrants enticed by promises of $900 monthly salaries. Inside, workers conduct operations under artillery fire, running multi-tiered cryptocurrency schemes that methodically defraud targets out of sums escalating from $100 to over $10,000. International sanctions and isolation have pushed the junta to lean heavily on scam compound revenues to procure weaponry and maintain territorial holding actions. Because battlefield victory remains out of reach for all combatants and the illicit economy heavily enriches both junta leaders and armed factions, the financial incentive to negotiate an end to the war remains virtually nonexistent. As military chief Min Aung Hlaing attempts to project authority through staged political maneuvers, the conflict has settled into a self-perpetuating war economy. With billions in illicit profits funneled into arms and private enrichment, observers emphasize that the financial incentives driving the combatants leave little hope for a negotiated peace, while ordinary civilians continue to absorb the human devastation.

精炼阅读摘要

彭博社调查节目（Bloomberg Investigates）报道指出，缅甸自2021年军事政变以来的内战表面上是政治与领土之争，实质上已由庞大的暗钱、非法贸易与地下经济网络所支撑；对掌握武力的军政权精英与武装派别而言，战争带来的暴利远甚于和平，导致战事陷入长期僵局并给数以百万计的平民带来毁灭性人道灾难。 虚假掌控力与叠加的人道主义灾难 (0:01) 彭博社记者在获准采访缅甸建军节阅兵时观察到，军方精心策划了武器展示与国家团结的象征符号，试图向外界营造牢固掌控局势的假象；然而实地情况表明，军政府及其联盟武装目前最多仅控制全国40%至45%的领土。自政变以来，反抗军政府的年轻一代为了民主甘冒生死，超过两打不同的反抗组织正与军方激烈交火。政权方面则对平民实施直接攻击，迄今已逮捕超过30,000人，冲突直接导致约100,000人死亡、数十万人受伤，并造成数百万人流离失所。 这场残酷冲突的人道代价因自然灾害而进一步恶化。在实皆省（Sagaing Region），大批流离失所者徒步数月逃入佛教寺庙设立的临时避难所。然而，该地区随后遭遇了缅甸一个世纪以来最强烈的7.7级大地震，造成约1,700人死亡并摧毁了脆弱的避难营地。普通平民在空袭与地震的双重打击下流离失所，如避难母亲幸存的4岁幼女彻底丧失受教育机会，而军方的军事行动仍在持续进行。 历史动荡、边境割据与跨境难民潮 (4:44) 缅甸内战的极度复杂性植根于其独立以来的动荡历史。该国于1948年脱离英国殖民统治独立，自1960年代起陷入严苛的军事统治、长达数十年的国际孤立与经济贫困。2011年缅甸开启政治改革，反对派领导人昂山素季（Aung San Suu Kyi）获释，其领导的全国民主联盟（NLD）在2015年大选中大获全胜，并带动了2010年代的经济繁荣。然而这一进程在2021年2月戛然而止，军方发动政变重获政权并对抗议民众动用实弹镇压，迫使大批学生、年轻专业人士逃往边境密林，与长期割据的民族武装组织（EAOs）联合抗战。 目前，缅甸边境呈现严重的军事与地理碎片化。例如在与泰国西部接壤的掸邦（Shan State）山区，不同山头分别被亲军政府民兵、佤民族军（WNA）以及南掸邦军（SSA-S）等势力割据对峙，泰国皇家陆军则严守边境以防渗透。由于局势动荡且合法通行受阻，数十万缅甸民众（包括因参与反政变活动而遭军方通缉的家庭）被迫经由非法渠道偷渡进入泰国，直接刺激了高度组织化的跨境人口贩运网络繁衍。 资源掠夺：权贵飞地与抹谷宝石税收 (9:31) 内战的经济两极分化在缅甸核心城市尤为鲜明。在精心规划的首都内比都（Naypyidaw），高级将领与政府部长居住在由高耸混凝土围墙与铁丝网层层封锁的安全飞地中，与普通民众的生活完全脱节。缅甸整体经济陷入严重崩溃，内比都与曼德勒等城市面临严苛的燃料配给并排起漫长的车队；然而，流入统治精英阶层的战争黑金却未曾中断。曼德勒维持着表面上的商业运转，实质上充当着高价值木材、铜矿与昂贵宝石等丰富自然资源流转的核心中转枢纽。 自然资源的直接掠夺与控制构成了交战各方维系军事力量的重要经济支柱。除了军政府依靠资源牟利，地方民族武装同样通过控制矿区建立税收网络。以2024年为例，德昂民族解放军（TNLA）攻占了以盛产高价值红宝石闻名的重镇抹谷（Mogok），并立即对当地宝石开采矿工推行严格的税收方案，迫使淘金矿工缴纳许可费用方能维持生计，使得宝石开采成为地方武装重要的资金来源。 水沟谷电诈园区与军政权暗钱机器 (13:39) 相较于木材与宝石，缅甸目前最大规模的非法收入来自军事化的网络诈骗园区。分布于泰缅边境河流沿岸的水沟谷（Shwe Kokko）已成为东南亚最大的犯罪枢纽之一，园区主要依靠人口贩运受害者及受虚假高薪客服招聘诱骗而来的劳工运转。据前从业人员透露，园区以包食宿及每月30,000泰铢（约合900美元）底薪为诱饵将人员困在园区建筑内，周围甚至常伴有炮弹爆炸声。其核心骗局涉及加密货币投资：诈骗团伙诱导目标下载虚假外汇交易应用，将法定货币兑换为加密货币并转入由诈骗分子控制的账户，随后层层加码，从受害者身上分别骗取100美元、1,000美元乃至10,000美元以上的资产。 这类网络诈骗产业每年产生高达数百亿美元的收益，直接流入军政权精英与武装派别的腰包。在面临西方制裁与国际金融体系孤立的局面下，军政府首脑敏昂莱（Min Aung Hlaing）极其依赖电诈中心源源不断的暗钱流水来采购武器并维持对内战争运作。 彭博社调查总结指出，暗钱经济使得缅甸内战陷入高度有利可图的死循环。军政权首脑敏昂莱尽管试图通过操纵选举等手段谋求统治合法性，但只要交战双方都无法在战场上取得决定性胜利，且战争状态能让掌权军官与武装派别持续敛财，各方就完全缺乏实现和平的经济动机；而由此产生的数百亿美元财富从未用于救助深陷轰炸、流离失所与贫困泥潭的普通缅甸人民。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该调查视频由彭博新闻社（Bloomberg Originals）旗下的《Bloomberg Investigates》栏目于 2026 年 8 月 20 日发布在 YouTube 平台。视频简介指出，自 2021 年政变以来，缅甸陷入了一场多方割据的错综内战，彭博团队获得了极其罕见的实地准入许可，深入该国追踪推动战事持续的非法资金网络，并揭示这场冲突背后沉重的人道主义代价。 ## TL;DR 本片深入披露了缅甸内战在政治意识形态对抗背后，实际上已演变为一场由庞大“地下黑金”驱动的经济分肥战争。军政府阅兵粉饰掌控假象，但实际仅能控制约四成领土，全国因战乱与自然灾害已致约 10 万人丧生、数百万平民流离失所。在内比都高官坐拥豪宅堡垒的同时，各路民族武装与军政府民兵正围绕抹谷顶级红宝石、珍贵矿产以及利润高达数百亿美元的边境跨国电诈园区展开残酷掠夺与分成。正是这种“比和平更赚钱”的战时经济模式，让各方武装彻底丧失了停火妥协的动力，使底层民众陷入永无宁日的苦难深渊。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片充斥着一种压抑、冷峻且充满幻灭感的调查纪实基调，镜头在军政府阅兵仪式的空洞威严、寺庙废墟中难民母亲的无助悲戚，以及内比都铁丝网豪宅之间来回切换，形成了触目惊心的贫富与权力反差。记者以沉着冷静却不失人道关怀的一线第一视角展开叙事，伴随边境隐蔽拍摄、电诈园区逃离者的颤抖自白与炮火轰鸣，营构出一种令人窒息的末世荒诞感。整部片子不仅传达出战争的血腥残酷，更在层层剥开暴利黑金网络后，让观众深切感受到一种和平遥遥无期的绝望与刺痛。 ## Bulletin - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) 缅甸军政府阅兵虽试图展现完全掌控，但实际控制领土仅剩 40% 至 45%，内战已造成约 10 万人丧生、数万人被捕及数百万人流离失所。 - [01:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=61s) 内战的核心驱动力已异化为非法暗钱与资源掠夺，走私网络与边境特区使战争变得比和平更具暴利，削弱了各方的停火动机。 - [12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=721s) 抹谷等战略资源重地相继易手，反抗武装如德昂民族解放军（TNLA）通过对矿工强制征税实现以战养战。 - [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 以水沟谷为代表的边境电诈园区年流水达数百亿美元，在军政府财政枯竭的背景下成为维持战争机器运转的核心支柱。 ## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) 军政府通过建军节阅兵极力营造掌控全国的表象，但其实际控制国土面积仅为 40% 到 45%。 - [01:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=61s) 内战本质已从单纯的政治权力与民主争端，演化为被地下非法黑金深度绑架的暴利冲突。 - [01:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=107s) 缅甸长期内战伴随严重人道主义浩劫，并遭遇 7.7 级百年强震打击，导致难民生存境况极度恶化。 - [04:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=284s) 2021 年政变终结了 2010 年代的民主与经济改革，促使知识分子与青年流亡丛林并组建反抗武装。 - [05:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=351s) 泰缅边境呈现多方武装犬牙交错的割据状态，军政府附属民兵与少数民族反抗军各据山头、互相对峙。 - [07:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=447s) 针对反对派平民的血腥搜捕催生了繁荣的边境非法偷渡产业链，人口走私成为暴利行业。 - [09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=571s) 首都内比都高官特权豪宅的高墙铁网与全国范围内的燃油短缺、经济崩溃形成鲜明对比。 - [10:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=625s) 曼德勒作为物流中枢，表面维持着虚假常态，暗地里则持续运转着木材、铜矿与宝石等战争经济物资。 - [12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=721s) 反抗武装攻占世界红宝石之都抹谷后，通过向底层民间矿工征收高额特许费来实现资金造血与以战养战。 - [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 以泰缅边境水沟谷为代表的封闭式电诈园区，通过加密货币“杀猪盘”每年牟取数百亿美元暴利。 - [15:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=930s) 在国际制裁与外汇枯竭的双重打击下，军政府默许甚至依靠电诈黑色产业链获取维系统治的军费。 - [17:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1034s) 由地下产业和掠夺性开采支撑的战争经济，令冲突各方均丧失和平动力，而平民则被彻底排除在财富分配之外。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) 军力演示的虚相与“比和平更赚钱”的内战黑金 如今作为一名记者想要进入缅甸，难度堪称登天，唯一的特例往往是借助重大官方活动的契机。在三、四月建军节（Armed Forces Day）前后，彭博调查团队获得了极其难得的入境许可。阅兵场上展示着精心编排的军事力量、国家团结与政治象征，其目的无非是向外界宣告：缅甸军方依旧牢牢掌控着这个国家。然而，现实却大相径庭。军政府及其盟友在缅甸全境的实际控制面积至多仅有 40% 到 45%。在这场与军政权殊死对抗的激烈战事中，年轻的抵抗力量誓死为民主而战，已有超过 3 万人遭到逮捕；政变数年过去，仍有数以百万计的平民背井离乡。 在成千上万普通民众饱受摧残、死伤惨重的另一面，手握权力和枪杆子的人却在借机大发横财。这场冲突表面上是争夺领土与政权统治，但其本质更是一场由金钱驱动的利益之争——特别是那些充斥着非法贸易、隐秘资源和地下勾结的“黑金”（dark money）。正是这笔庞大的隐形收益，让战争变得比和平更加有利可图。 - 缅甸军方阅兵极力营造全局掌控的假象，但实际控制领土仅剩 40% 至 45%。 - 冲突爆发以来已记录超过 30,000 人被捕，数百万人在战火中流离失所。 - 地下黑金、非法走私与地下交易构成了冲突的经济发动机，使军阀与权贵阶层丧失了停火动力。 ### [01:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=107s) 实皆省的人道浩劫与屋漏偏逢连夜雨的强震 调查记者从事地缘政治、跨国犯罪与腐败报导已超过十五年，直言缅甸内战虽是亚洲最重大的事件之一，却几乎被整个世界所遗忘。这场冲突异常残酷，军政府直接攻击平民的行为屡见不鲜、证据确凿，至今已造成约 10 万人丧生、数十万人受伤，数百万民众流离失所。摄制组驱车前往实皆省（Sagaing），当地虽被告知相对安全，但空气中弥漫着剑拔弩张的紧张气息，许多失去家园的境内流离失所者（IDP）只能在寺庙的空地上搭棚避难。 在这群难民中，一位名叫津玛维（Zin Mar Wai）的年轻母亲带着两个女儿在外颠沛流离了数月，好不容易才在寺庙里找到容身之所。然而命运并未对他们展现丝毫仁慈，缅甸随后爆发了百年一遇的 7.7 级强烈大地震，官方公布的遇难人数就高达约 1,700 人，救援人员在瓦砾堆中疯狂搜寻幸存者。津玛维历经战乱与地震的双重洗礼，心中唯一的念头只是期盼村庄有朝一日能重建，让她幸存下来的 4 岁小女儿有机会走进学堂。然而，正如千千万万被战争裹挟的平民一样，在炮火无休止的轰鸣声中，她个人的期盼显得如此无力。 - 缅甸残酷内战已累计造成约 10 万人死亡、数十万人受伤，产生数百万难民。 - 实皆省成为大量境内流离失所者的庇护地，许多难民全家寄宿于寺庙区域。 - 7.7 级强震致使战区人道主义危机雪上加霜，官方统计地震死亡人数约达 1,700 人。 ### [04:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=284s) 从民主试验到丛林游击战：错综复杂的割据格局 缅甸内战之所以难以在国际媒体上获得充分关注，核心原因之一在于其盘根错节的复杂性。缅甸于 1948 年脱离英国殖民统治独立，自 1960 年代起便陷入了长达数十年的高压军事统治，整个国家陷入赤贫并遭到国际社会的长期制裁。转机始于 2011 年，随着反对派领袖昂山素季（Aung San Suu Kyi）解除软禁，缅甸迎来了民主化的曙光；2015 年，她领导的全国民主联盟（NLD）在选举中取得压倒性胜利，外资涌入引发了 2010 年代的经济繁荣。然而，军方在 2021 年悍然发动军事政变并逮捕昂山素季，瞬间将国家拖回深渊。政变引爆了数十万民众涌上街头的抗议浪潮，军警从最初的隐忍迅速转向实弹血腥镇压。 面对残酷杀戮，大量学生、知识分子和都市青年被迫逃离城市、遁入原始森林，拿起武器将自己改造成游击队员，并与长期盘踞在边陲的各路反抗军结盟。目前的战局极难用单一视角概括：一边是军政府及其盟友武装，另一边则是二十几支不同的反抗组织，其中不少已与中央政府打了数十年交道，且反抗军彼此之间也时常爆发利益冲突。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 缅甸各方势力冲突与边境割据示意图 accDescr: 展示缅甸军政府、反抗军、少数民族武装与边境泰军之间的多方冲突对抗关系。 subgraph 冲突核心阵营 A["缅甸军政府与附属民兵"] <-->|"内战对抗"| B["20多支反抗武装与青年游击队"] B <-->|"地盘争夺与历史冲突"| B end subgraph 泰缅边境割据微观 C["军政府关联民兵 (控制特定山头)"] D["佤民族军 WNA (分据另一山头)"] E["南掸邦军 SSA-S (据守独立阵地)"] F["泰国军队 (边境设防警戒)"] C -.- D D -.- E F ---|"严防战火外溢"| C F ---|"严防战火外溢"| D F ---|"严防战火外溢"| E end ``` 在掸邦（Shan State）靠近泰国边境的崇山峻岭中，这种魔幻的割据景象体现得淋漓尽致。在佤民族军（Wa National Army, WNA）控制的地盘周围，一座山头由军政府的附属民兵把守，另一座山头由 WNA 占领，而第三座山头则掌握在南掸邦军（Shan State Army South）手中；界河对岸则是全神贯注监控局势、严防战火烧入国境的泰国陆军。 ### [07:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=447s) 逃离镇压与边境暗流：被迫催生的人口走私网络 尽管泰国军方在边境戒备森严，缅甸内战的冲击依然不可避免地漫溢至泰国西部的边陲重镇。这里聚集了大量为保全性命逃离家园的避难者，化名米歇尔（Michelle）的女性便是其中之一。由于丈夫深度参与反政变抗议运动，军政府很快将搜捕的矛头对准了她，甚至直接破门抓人。万般绝望之下，米歇尔唯一的生路就是变卖家当出逃泰国。 像米歇尔这样被迫流亡的缅甸人多达数十万。绝大多数人在战乱封锁下根本无法获得合法签证或通行许可，只能铤而走险借由黑道偷渡。这种极度绝望的人口流动，直接在泰缅边境滋生出一条规模庞大、利润惊人的偷渡引路与人口贩运灰色产业链，蛇头和走私集团借此对逃难平民进行无情的层层盘剥。 - 反对派活动人士家属成为军政府清洗目标，大量平民为逃避抓捕踏上流亡之路。 - 边境口岸封闭促使数十万人依赖非法渠道偷渡，使人口走私发展为高额暴利行业。 ### [09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=571s) 内比都的高墙豪宅与曼德勒的资源暗流 在缅甸首都内比都（Naypyidaw），摄制组探访了军方将领、高级官僚和政府部长聚居的神秘街区。这里的每一栋深宅大院都被数米高的高墙和锋利的剃刀铁丝网层层封锁，防范极严。这种景象恰似内比都这座城市本身的隐喻——它是一座与缅甸民间疾苦彻底隔绝的高墙堡垒。在国家经济全面崩溃、平民食不果腹的至暗时刻，权贵阶层所享有的奢靡与安全形成了刺眼的对照。更讽刺的是，内战背后涌动的滚滚暗钱，最终大部分都流入了这片高墙之内的权贵腰包。 当记者驱车穿行于内比都和第二大城市曼德勒（Mandalay）时，沿途最显眼的景象是加油站外望不到尽头的汽车长龙。由于军政府外汇枯竭且实行极端严苛的燃油管制，普通民众的基本生活陷入半瘫痪状态。然而在曼德勒街头，依然弥漫着一种粉饰太平的“虚假常态”（veneer of normalcy）：商业活动照常运转，市场熙熙攘攘。作为全国各路物资的大动脉，缅甸丰饶的地下资源几乎无一例外都要途经曼德勒中转流出。缅甸是全球自然资源最富饶的国家之一，坐拥巨量顶级宝石、珍贵木材以及铜矿储量。在纷飞的战火中，一部分反抗军是为了意识形态与民主而战，但更多武装派系开火的根本动机，则是为了争夺这些价值连城的矿产资源控制权。 - 内比都高级将领住宅区布满高墙与剃刀铁丝网，与民间经济崩溃构成极端反差。 - 军政府外汇匮乏引发全国性燃油管制，各大城市街头加油长龙绵延数公里。 - 曼德勒充当着各类战略物资的中转枢纽，木材、铜矿与宝玉石的大量流动为战事提供资金支持。 ### [12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=721s) 抹谷红宝石的易手与民族武装的采矿赋税 在曼德勒的宝石交易市场，彭博团队结识了一名来自抹谷（Mogok）的宝石商人。抹谷被誉为世界红宝石之都，产出过全球最优质、身价最高的顶级鸽血红宝石。然而在 2024 年，一支历史悠久的少数民族地方武装——德昂民族解放军（TNLA）攻占了抹谷，其首要目标自然是这片能产生巨额财富的宝石矿藏。 TNLA 夺取抹谷控制权后，迅速确立了针对矿区的经济统治：他们并不亲自下井挖掘，而是向当地靠采矿为生的民间劳工强行征收高额特许费，矿工唯有交钱才能在所属地块作业。为了在军阀割据的夹缝中求生，底层淘金者不得不与反抗军打游击、钻空子。天然的稀缺财富没有成为造福百姓的福祉，反倒沦为武装组织征粮纳饷、“以战养战”的政治筹码。 | 区域/势力 | 战前状态与资源属性 | 占领/控制方 | 战时经济运营模式 | |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **抹谷 (Mogok)** | 全球顶级鸽血红宝石核心产区 | 德昂民族解放军 (TNLA) 于 2024 年夺取 | 向本地开采矿工强制征收特许开采费，以资源红利充实军饷 | | **边境特区 (如水沟谷)** | 泰缅界河沿线三不管地带 | 军政府附属民兵及跨国电诈集团 | 设立封闭式犯罪园区，通过加密货币“杀猪盘”每年吸金数百亿美元 | ### [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 边境电诈帝国的罪恶温床与以战养战的统治恶性循环 尽管宝石交易数额庞大，但在如今的缅甸，真正撑起战争暴利核心支柱的却是盘踞在边境的庞大电诈园区（scam centers）。摄制组跟随泰国边防巡逻队来到泰缅界河，隔岸眺望被指为全东南亚规模最大的犯罪园区之一——水沟谷（Shwe Kokko）。沿岸竖满了警示牌，提醒那些应聘客服岗位的求职者：河对岸等待他们的绝非高薪工作，而是极其阴暗险恶的牢笼。虽然绝大部分从业人员是被拐骗、拘禁并饱受折磨的受害者，但也有一部分人在高薪诱惑下甘当帮凶。 一名出于人身安全考虑而隐去身份的前电诈从业者，指着对岸的大楼讲述了亲身经历。他原本被朋友告知每月有 3 万泰铢（约合 900 美元）的底薪且包吃包住。尽管园区头顶整天都有炮弹和空袭炸弹呼啸而过，但他“几天后就习惯了”。他主要从事的是针对海外投资者的加密货币“杀猪盘”： 1. **引导换汇：** 诱骗受害人下载合法的法币换汇软件，将真实货币兑换成加密货币； 2. **转移资产：** 指引受害人将代币转入由诈骗集团完全操控的虚假交易应用，资金入账即宣告被盗； 3. **分阶收割：** 诈骗绝非一次性买卖，每名受害人通常必须被连续收割至少三次——首期测试小额约为 100 美元，第二期追加至 1,000 美元左右，第三期深陷信任陷阱后，单次收割金额往往突破 10,000 美元。 这些电诈园区每年产生数以百亿甚至数百亿美元的惊人流水，源源不断地输血给战场上的各方武装。受访的知情人士指出，面对国际社会的严厉制裁与经济崩溃，军政府早已囊空如洗，于是默许并纵容此类非法犯罪：“军政府没有钱了，所以他们依靠电诈生意来获取资金对付自己的人民。他们根本不在乎国家和人民会变成什么样，他们只在乎自己的家族、亲属以及军队。”军方首脑敏昂莱（Min Aung Hlaing）通过操弄虚假选举试图登顶总统大位以洗白权力，但无人买账。正如评论者一针见血地指出：“虚假的选举毫无意义，他们只是自导自演选了自己。只要枪杆子在手，他们就能继续做生意；只要战争持续存在，他们就能大把捞钱。”在空袭频发、无辜儿童惨遭杀戮的现实下，战场上谁也无法彻底消灭对方，这场因黑金而高度暴利的战争在短期内根本看不到任何终结的希望。 ### [17:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1034s) 暴利驱动的战火与缅甸民众的困境 庞大的黑金与资源利益，已经成为缅甸内战最致命的助燃剂。在如此惊人的暴利驱使下，冲突各方实际上缺乏放下武器、停止交火的现实动力。战争不仅关乎权力与控制，更演变成一场围绕走私网络、非法产业以及资源掠夺的残酷经济角逐，使得和平的前景变得愈发渺茫。 更令人感到悲哀的现实是，无论战局如何演变，也无论最终掌权的是军政府还是各派地方反抗武装，这些通过战争机制榨取流转的巨额财富，几乎从未真正流向底层的缅甸普通民众。平民在无休止的战火中承受着颠沛流离与人道危机，而冲突催生的暴利则被牢牢锁定在武装派系与掌权者的手中，形成了一个深不见底的战争经济循环。 - **缺乏停火动力**：由地下经济与掠夺性资源开采带来的巨大利润，使交战各方都沉浸在战争红利之中，失去了寻求和平妥协的根本意愿。 - **财富分配的残酷断层**：无论是掌权的军政府还是各反抗军团体，双方所获取的巨额资金都未曾用于改善民生，缅甸人民成为这场黑金战争中被彻底遗弃的承受者。 ## Notable quotes > [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1s) 正是这笔庞大的隐形收益，让战争变得比和平更加有利可图。 — 彭博调查团队 > [01:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=107s) 缅甸内战虽是亚洲最重大的事件之一，却几乎被整个世界所遗忘。 — 调查记者 > [09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=571s) 它是一座与缅甸民间疾苦彻底隔绝的高墙堡垒。 — 彭博调查团队 > [12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=721s) 天然的稀缺财富没有成为造福百姓的福祉，反倒沦为武装组织征粮纳饷、‘以战养战’的政治筹码。 — 彭博调查团队 > [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 河对岸等待他们的绝非高薪工作，而是极其阴暗险恶的牢笼。 > [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 几天后就习惯了 — 前电诈从业者 > [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 军政府没有钱了，所以他们依靠电诈生意来获取资金对付自己的人民。他们根本不在乎国家和人民会变成什么样，他们只在乎自己的家族、亲属以及军队。 — 知情人士 > [13:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=819s) 虚假的选举毫无意义，他们只是自导自演选了自己。只要枪杆子在手，他们就能继续做生意；只要战争持续存在，他们就能大把捞钱。 — 评论者 > [17:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1034s) 庞大的黑金与资源利益，已经成为缅甸内战最致命的助燃剂。 — 彭博调查团队 > [17:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI&t=1034s) 由地下经济与掠夺性资源开采带来的巨大利润，使交战各方都沉浸在战争红利之中，失去了寻求和平妥协的根本意愿。 — 彭博调查团队 ## Mentioned 彭博调查 (Bloomberg Investigates), 彭博原创 (Bloomberg Originals), 敏昂莱 (Min Aung Hlaing), 昂山素季 (Aung San Suu Kyi), 全国民主联盟 (NLD), 德昂民族解放军 (TNLA), 佤民族军 (WNA), 南掸邦军 (SSA-S), 津玛维 (Zin Mar Wai), 米歇尔 (Michelle), 水沟谷 (Shwe Kokko), 抹谷 (Mogok), 实皆省 (Sagaing), 曼德勒 (Mandalay), 内比都 (Naypyidaw), 掸邦 (Shan State), 泰国军队 ## Video description Since 2021, Myanmar has been torn apart by a multifaceted civil war. Various parties are fighting not just for control but resources and money. Bloomberg Investigates obtained rare access to the Southeast Asian nation to trace the illicit funds fueling the conflict and examine the human cost of the war. -------- Like this video? Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/Bloomberg?sub_confirmation=1 Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com for just $1.99 your first month: https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions?in_source=YoutubeOriginals Bloomberg Originals offers bold takes for curious minds on today’s biggest topics. Hosted by experts covering stories you haven’t seen and viewpoints you haven’t heard, you’ll discover cinematic, data-led shows that investigate the intersection of business and culture. Exploring every angle of climate change, technology, finance, sports and beyond, Bloomberg Originals is business as you’ve never seen it. Subscribe for business news, but not as you've known it: exclusive interviews, fascinating profiles, data-driven analysis, and the latest in tech innovation from around the world. Visit our partner channel Bloomberg News for global news and insight in an instant. [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ6f3M64rI)

Source quotes

[0:01] 彭博调查团队: 正是这笔庞大的隐形收益，让战争变得比和平更加有利可图。 [1:47] 调查记者: 缅甸内战虽是亚洲最重大的事件之一，却几乎被整个世界所遗忘。 [9:31] 彭博调查团队: 它是一座与缅甸民间疾苦彻底隔绝的高墙堡垒。 [12:01] 彭博调查团队: 天然的稀缺财富没有成为造福百姓的福祉，反倒沦为武装组织征粮纳饷、‘以战养战’的政治筹码。 [13:39] 河对岸等待他们的绝非高薪工作，而是极其阴暗险恶的牢笼。 [13:39] 前电诈从业者: 几天后就习惯了 [13:39] 知情人士: 军政府没有钱了，所以他们依靠电诈生意来获取资金对付自己的人民。他们根本不在乎国家和人民会变成什么样，他们只在乎自己的家族、亲属以及军队。 [13:39] 评论者: 虚假的选举毫无意义，他们只是自导自演选了自己。只要枪杆子在手，他们就能继续做生意；只要战争持续存在，他们就能大把捞钱。 [17:14] 彭博调查团队: 庞大的黑金与资源利益，已经成为缅甸内战最致命的助燃剂。 [17:14] 彭博调查团队: 由地下经济与掠夺性资源开采带来的巨大利润，使交战各方都沉浸在战争红利之中，失去了寻求和平妥协的根本意愿。

Original transcript

[0:01] - Getting into Myanmar [0:02] as a journalist these days is extremely challenging. [0:06] The exception is around big events. [0:11] In March and April, we got rare access to Myanmar [0:14] around Armed Forces Day. [0:16] What we're seeing here is a choreographed demonstration [0:20] of military power, of national unity, [0:24] of symbolism intended to communicate [0:27] that the Burmese military are very much in [0:30] charge of this country. [0:32] The reality is very different. [0:33] The military and its allies control at most 40 [0:37] or 45% of the country. [0:39] - Young rebels willing to die and kill for democracy. [0:43] Rebel forces there are fighting [0:45] an intense battle against [0:47] the military regime. [0:48] More than 30,000 people were arrested. [0:51] Five years on, millions remained displaced. [1:10] - While millions of ordinary people are suffering [1:12] and dying, those with power and weapons are making money. [1:17] This is a conflict about [1:19] territory and political control, [1:21] but it's also about money, particularly dark money, [1:24] illicit trade, hidden resources, [1:27] and underground deals [1:28] that make war more profitable than peace. [1:47] I've been covering geopolitics, crime, [1:50] and corruption for over 15 years. [1:54] The Civil War in Myanmar is one [1:56] of the biggest stories in Asia, [1:59] but it's been nearly forgotten by the world. [2:03] The conflict is savage. [2:05] There are well-documented examples [2:07] of the junta directly attacking civilians. [2:11] Around a hundred thousand people [2:13] have been killed, hundreds [2:14] of thousands more injured, and millions displaced. [2:20] We're heading to Sagaing. [2:23] We've been told that the area we're going to [2:26] is reasonably safe, but very tense. [2:30] We're hoping to speak to internally displaced people [2:33] who are living on the grounds of monasteries. [3:26] Zin Mar Wai traveled with her two daughters for months [3:29] and finally found refuge in the monastery. [3:33] Then things got even worse. [3:36] - There's been a big, big earthquake in Myanmar. [3:38] 7.7 is the magnitude of it. [3:41] Rescuers in Myanmar are working frantically [3:43] to find survivors three days [3:45] after the country's biggest earthquake in a century. [3:47] The military government now [3:49] saying that around 1,700 people [3:51] were killed in Friday's massive quake. [4:23] - Zin Mar Wai hopes her village can be rebuilt. [4:26] So her surviving daughter, who's four years old, [4:30] can have a chance to attend school. [4:33] But like the millions of other people displaced [4:36] by this conflict, there's little she can do [4:38] as the war rages on. [4:44] What sets this war apart, [4:46] and actually I think one of the [4:48] reasons it does not get more [4:49] coverage in the global media, is that it's very complex. [4:53] - It was that at early hours [4:55] that Rangoon marked Burma's [4:55] full assumption of independence. [4:58] The Burmese national flag was hoisted during the ceremony. [5:01] - Myanmar, which was known at the time as Burma, [5:04] became independent in 1948. [5:06] What followed beginning in the 1960s was a period [5:10] of repressive military rule. [5:12] The country was very isolated. [5:14] It was heavily sanctioned, very poor. [5:17] But then beginning in 2011, things began to change. [5:23] Notably with Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader, [5:26] being released from house arrest. [5:28] It seems the world has a new democracy. [5:31] Her National League [5:32] for Democracy won the 2015 election in a landslide. [5:36] - She's a genius. She's the great leader. [5:39] - We haven't really got to a goal yet. [5:41] This is just a beginning. [5:43] - Then there was an opening of the economy, which led [5:46] to a huge boom in the 2010s. [5:49] But the military staged a coup in 2021. [5:54] Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under arrest, [5:57] sparking massive protests. [6:01] Hundreds of thousands of people went into the streets, [6:04] and initially the protests were sort of tolerated, [6:08] but pretty soon the army cracked down to the point [6:11] of using live ammunition. [6:16] Many of the protestors fled from cities to the forests. [6:21] Kids, students, educated people reinvented themselves [6:24] as guerillas, forging alliances [6:27] with long-standing rebel groups to fight the junta. [6:30] On the one side, you have the junta, [6:32] the military government and its allies. [6:34] And on the other, you have two dozen plus rebel groups. [6:38] Some have fought the government [6:39] on and off for decades. [6:41] These rebel groups also sometimes fight each other. [6:44] You can't really impose a neat narrative on it. [6:48] We saw the situation firsthand on the edge [6:50] of Shan State along Myanmar's border with Thailand. [6:58] So this is the territory controlled [6:59] by an organization called the Wa National Army. [7:03] It's a very complicated landscape. [7:05] There is a militia associated with the Burmese military [7:09] that controls one hilltop over here. [7:11] The WNA controls a different hilltop. [7:14] Another outfit called the Shan State Army South controls [7:17] yet another hilltop. [7:18] And then of course, on the other side of it, [7:20] you have a Thai army trying to keep an eye on everything [7:23] and trying to protect Thailand's borders. [7:27] Despite the presence of the Thai army, the impact [7:30] of the war has spilled over into towns along the border [7:33] with western Thailand [7:34] where people have come [7:36] to seek safety, like Michelle. [7:47] Her husband's involvement [7:48] with the protest movement made her a target, [7:51] and the military came to find her. [8:09] Michelle decided her only hope was [8:11] to leave the country for Thailand. [8:14] Hundreds of thousands of others have done the same. [8:16] Most have no choice [8:18] but to cross the border illegally, creating a market [8:20] for people smugglers. [9:31] We're here in Naypidaw, Myanmar's capital, [9:34] in what we've been told is [9:35] the neighborhood where a number [9:37] of generals, senior officials, government ministers live. [9:43] Every single house is behind a wall. [9:45] Every single house is behind razor wire. [9:48] Just as Naypidaw itself is essentially [9:52] behind the wall, closed off from the rest of the country. [9:56] There is a huge amount of money [9:58] that is fueling the Civil War, [10:00] and a lot of that money ends up with people like the ones [10:04] who live in this neighborhood. [10:07] When you consider [10:08] how most people in this country live in a time [10:11] of unbelievable economic collapse, [10:14] it is a pretty stark contrast. [10:20] While we were driving around Naypidaw [10:23] and Mandalay, [10:26] we kept seeing these enormous queues of vehicles. [10:31] It was the middle of the war in Iran. [10:34] Myanmar has imposed strict fuel restrictions, [10:37] which are adding to the effects [10:38] of the conflict on people's day-to-day lives. [11:11] This is Mandalay. [11:15] There is something of a veneer of normalcy. [11:19] It's peaceful here. There is commerce. [11:22] It's the center of all kinds of commodity flows. [11:26] When you think about the richness [11:28] of Myanmar's natural resources, all of it flows [11:32] through here to some degree. [11:35] Myanmar is one [11:37] of the most resource-rich countries in the world. [11:40] There are significant reserves of gemstones, of timber, [11:45] copper, almost anything you can think of. [11:51] While some rebel groups are fighting [11:53] for ideological reasons, others are fighting [11:56] to get their hands on these natural resources. [12:01] While we were in Mandalay, [12:02] we met a gemstone trader [12:04] originally from Mogok where some [12:07] of the most valuable rubies in the world have come from. [12:28] In 2024, [12:30] a rebel group called the TNLA took control of Mogok. [12:34] And not surprisingly, it was very interested in rubies. [12:38] The TNLA is one of a number of ethnic armed groups [12:42] that existed before the coup. [12:58] When the TNLA took over the area, [13:00] it started charging local diggers for the ability [13:04] to work their plots. [13:06] If they wanted to survive, miners had to find ways [13:09] to work around the system. [13:39] Gemstones are a big industry in Myanmar, [13:41] but the really significant money is in scam centers. [13:46] We joined the Thai Army on a patrol [13:48] to check out the scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border. [13:53] This is Shwe Kokko, allegedly one [13:57] of the largest scam centers anywhere in Southeast Asia. [14:02] There are signs all over the place warning people [14:05] who may have answered job ads, [14:07] promising work in customer service, that in fact, [14:10] what awaits them across the river in Myanmar [14:13] is far more sinister and far darker. [14:16] While many of the workers are trafficked [14:19] and essentially held prisoner, some are volunteers attracted [14:22] by the prospect of generous pay. [14:26] That was the story of this former scammer who asked [14:28] for his identity to be concealed [14:31] because he fears for his safety. [14:37] - This building is the place that I used to work and live. [14:41] My friend told me that if I go there, room [14:44] and board are free, and the starting salary is 30,000 bhat [14:47] but about $900. [14:51] There are bombs being thrown overhead, back [14:53] and forth all the time. [14:56] For the first few days, I was scared, [14:58] but over time, I got used to it. [15:02] My main work is trade. It's crypto trade. [15:06] When a customer wants to invest with us, we have [15:09] to tell them to download an app that is used [15:11] for foreign currency exchange. [15:14] In there, the customer has to exchange money for a coin. [15:18] After that, they take the coins [15:20] to another application set up by scammers. [15:23] When the customers put the coin in there, [15:25] it means the coins are already in the scammer's account. [15:29] It's not just a one-time thing. [15:31] A person has to get scammed at least three times. [15:35] The first time is not that much, about $100. [15:39] The second time is about $1,000. [15:41] But the third time has to be higher, about $10,000. [15:50] - The political economy [15:51] of the Civil War in Myanmar has a huge amount to do [15:54] with places like this. [15:57] They generate, by most accounts, [15:58] billions, if not tens [16:00] of billions of dollars in revenue. [16:02] And that is money that goes straight into the pockets [16:05] of various combatants in the war. [16:09] - It's going to the military junta. The money. [16:14] Due to the sanction, and they're facing many things. [16:17] The military junta, they don't have any more money. [16:20] So they're doing the scamming business [16:23] to fight against their own people. [16:25] They don't care whatever happens [16:27] to the country and people. [16:29] Their focus is their own families and relatives [16:33] and the military. [16:35] - Myanmar's parliament has elected military chief [16:39] Min Aung Hlaing as the country's new president. [16:41] - Opponents say the poll is an attempt by the army to try [16:45] and win legitimacy on the global stage. [16:50] - The fake election won't work. [16:51] They elected themselves. Everyone knows. [16:54] As long as they have power, [16:55] they can do their own business. [16:58] As long as war existing, they can make money. [17:02] - Myanmar military airstrike reportedly killed seven [17:05] civilians, including a [17:06] five-year-old child in the country. [17:07] - There is basically no prospect [17:09] of the war ending anytime soon. [17:11] No one is winning on the battlefield. [17:14] But with so much money being made, [17:16] the combatants don't really [17:17] have a reason to stop fighting. [17:20] And the sad part is, no matter who's in charge, [17:23] the rebel groups or the junta, [17:25] hardly any of this money is actually reaching the people [17:28] of Myanmar.