Myanmar’s human rights situation is “catastrophic”, the UN independent expert on the country warned at a press briefing Thursday, as the war spirals with no end in sight.

As the formal economy shrinks under the weight of war and economic mismanagement, criminal activity – including online scam centres, illegal mining, human trafficking and forced labour – are increasingly filling the gap.

Black market profits are helping to finance the military’s weapons purchases, including from China and Russia, and sustain loyalty within the junta’s ranks, Ms. Eckels-Currie explained.