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Whats Happening In Myanmar? This week on FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT

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A military coup. A young democracy shattered. Six months later, Myanmar’s Gen Z is resisting, boycotting the military and its businesses.

Many are in hiding, some are picking up guns. Is the country on the brink of civil war?

Thinzar Shunlei Yi is in hiding. Like many who’ve campaigned openly against the Myanmar military, the 29-year-old TV presenter is on the run, a warrant out for her arrest.

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Since the military seized power in a coup six months ago, hundreds of people have been killed, and many more arrested.

But Shunlei Yi is determined to tell the world what’s happening in Myanmar now.

“What happened in the bright daylight, in the big city, I felt they are showing their true colours, they can’t hide it anymore.”

Thinzar Shunlei Yi is one of many young people resisting military rule.

Some are protesting peacefully, joining nationwide boycotts and strikes which have shut down schools and hospitals and brought businesses to a standstill.

Others are taking up arms, training with long-established ethnic armed forces on the country’s borders.

They’re returning to the towns and cities to ambush and assassinate the military and its informers.

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“Definitely, we’re moving into a phase where civil war is very, very possible,” say Manny Maung from Human Rights Watch.

In a powerful and timely program, Matt Davis reports on a country in full-blown crisis.

He spent months tracking down and filming with the military’s opponents in Myanmar. He found them in hiding in the jungle, training for war on the borders or living undercover in the cities.

With the internet routinely shut down, getting the interviews out of the country has been difficult. Foreign Correspondent managed to smuggle them out, using trusted sources on the ground.

Despite the risks of speaking out, these people are desperate to be heard, afraid the world’s attention is drifting away from Myanmar.

Foreign Correspondent speaks with:

The Foreign Minister of the National Unity Government, Zin Mar Aung who spent 9 years in solitary confinement under a previous military government. Now on the wanted list again, Zin Mar Aung is a key member of the newly formed government-in-exile.

“It’s the last battle for us and for our country, whether we let the military win or democracy win.”

A 29-year-old former captain in the military, who defected when the military began killing civilians, and is now in hiding, in fear for his life.

“Our soldiers cannot distinguish between the truth and brainwashed information. That’s how they perpetuate so miuch hate and violence towards civilians.”

A Gen-Z protestor who’s taking up arms against the military, joining the People’s Defence Force. They’re starting a campaign of assassinations.

“We are not just targeting anybody…Are they in the military? Or involved with the military? If we confirm they are, we send them a written warning. If they don’t heed our warning, only then do we destroy them.”

Watch #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar on Foreign Correspondent – Thursday 29 July at 8pm on ABC TV + ABC iview.

You can watch replays on Fridays at 1pm (local) on ABC TV, and on ABC NEWS channel on Fridays at 12:30am, Saturdays at 9:30pm, Sundays at 1:30pm and 6:30pm (all times AEST).

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