2023 in Myanmar

This is the list of important events happened in Myanmar in 2023.

Incumbents

Events

January

February

March

April

  • 11 April - At least 100 people are killed in an airstrike by the Burmese junta in the village of Pazigyi (Kanbalu Township) in Sagaing region, in the third major civilian attack since the junta's offensive in Sagaing began in February. It is the junta's deadliest attack since seizing power in 2021.
  • 13 April - Four people are killed and 12 others are injured when a series of car bombs explode during a Thingyan festival in Lashio, Shan State.

May

  • 5 May - Myanmar's military junta commutes 38 death sentences to life imprisonment as part of a wider amnesty.
  • 6 May - The Motion Picture Award Presentation Ceremony, popularly known as Academy ceremony, was held for the first time in four years. Awards were presented for the films shown in theatre in 2019, 2020 and 2022. Vice-Senior General Soe Win attended the ceremony.
  • 14 May - Cyclone Mocha hit the coastline of Rakhine State in Western Myanmar. Up to 90 percent of Sittwe, the state's capital, had been damaged and electricity infrastructure, mobile phone masts and several houses were destroyed. Before the storm made landfall 4,000 out of 300,000 Sittwe residents were evacuated to other cities. The military declare the whole of Rakhine a disaster area.
  • 25 May - Bhamo Sayadaw, one of the most revered monks in Myanmar, passed away at the age of 94. His funeral was held on 6 June in Mandalay. Thousands of followers lined the route of the funeral procession. General Min Aung Hlaing acted as one of the pallbearers.

June

  • 7 June - Three people are killed by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake in Ayeyarwady Region.
  • 19 June - People across the country participated in the flower strike to mark Aung San Suu Kyi's Birthday. A day later, more than 100 people were arrested for wearing flowers.

July

August

  • 2 and 3 August - A major cabinet reshuffle occurred among the junta appointed officials. Lieutenant General Yar Pyae and General Mya Tun Oo were appointed as ministers of Interior and Transportation respectively. Ministry of International Cooperation was abolished and Dr. Thet Thet Khaing became minister of Hotel and Tourism. Several high level officials were also dismissed due to charges of corruption.
  • 8 August - 14 people including a Swiss national were arrested for making a film, the content of which, according to the military, is harmful to Buddhist and Burmese cultural norms. The film is called "Don't Expect Anything" and it was released on TikTok and YouTube on 24 July. The arrest was condemned by the monks who were opposed to the junta's action.
  • 11 August - Five people are killed and approximately 40,000 are evacuated due to floods and landslides from monsoon rains in Myanmar.
  • 14 August - 2023 Hpakant jade mine disaster - At least 34 miners are missing after a landslide at a jade mine in Hpakant.
  • 24 August - Hip-hop artist Byu Har is sentenced to 20 years in prison for criticizing the military-controlled government's inability to provide electricity to Yangon- a harsher sentence than other celebrities found guilty of criticism.
  • 27 August - The State Administration Council expels the ambassador from East Timor in retaliation for the East Timorese government meeting with the National Unity Government.

September

  • 3 September - Cobra Column, a resistance group active in Southern Myanmar, made two attacks on the township administrative office in Myawaddy using drones. Five people, including a policeman and a high ranking military official, were killed and 11 were severely wounded.
  • 23 September - An earthquake of 4.8 magnitude lasting for one minute was felt in Yangon around 20:55 MMT.

October

November

December

Holidays

References

Uses material from the Wikipedia article 2023 in Myanmar, released under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.