Tatmadaw

The Tatmadaw, also known as the Sit-Tat, is the armed forces of <a href="/facts/Myanmar/zcqQH2oE">Myanmar</a> (formerly Burma). It is administered by the <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Defence_(Myanmar)/tlSA5L26">Ministry of Defence</a> and composed of the <a href="/facts/Myanmar_Army/K2Nw8JhV">Myanmar Army</a>, the <a href="/facts/Myanmar_Navy/Dp75U10c">Myanmar Navy</a> and the <a href="/facts/Myanmar_Air_Force/VDb7As4X">Myanmar Air Force</a>. Auxiliary services include the <a href="/facts/Myanmar_Police_Force/MKD4A6Dq">Myanmar Police Force</a>, the <a href="/facts/Border_Guard_Forces/RQnefebJ">Border Guard Forces</a>, the <a href="/facts/Myanmar_Coast_Guard/AUaILXD1">Myanmar Coast Guard</a>, and the People's Militia Units. Since <a href="/facts/Independence_Day_(Myanmar)/sM98WBmJ">independence</a> in 1948, the Tatmadaw has faced significant <a href="/facts/Internal_conflict_in_Myanmar/fl2oVQoV">ethnic insurgencies</a>, especially in <a href="/facts/Chin_State/6taBkLGm">Chin</a>, <a href="/facts/Kachin_State/7bQqtUjq">Kachin</a>, <a href="/facts/Kayin_State/IVg0HySg">Kayin</a>, <a href="/facts/Kayah_State/obBykKbQ">Kayah</a>, and <a href="/facts/Shan_State/G7Tn2TRc">Shan</a> states. General <a href="/facts/Ne_Win/I0GDbanI">Ne Win</a> took control of the country in a <a href="/facts/1962_Burmese_coup_d%2527%25C3%25A9tat/r4uthF2K">1962 coup d'état</a>, attempting to build an <a href="/facts/Autarky/gAbcFdN1">autarkic</a> society called the <a href="/facts/Burmese_Way_to_Socialism/3rQsA3G1">Burmese Way to Socialism</a>. Following the violent repression of <a href="/facts/8888_Uprising/PjtwEotr">nationwide protests in 1988</a>, the military agreed to <a href="/facts/1990_Myanmar_general_election/EUgGggQk">free elections in 1990</a>, but ignored the resulting victory of the <a href="/facts/National_League_for_Democracy/nB0Xl83I">National League for Democracy</a> and imprisoned its leader <a href="/facts/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi/jx6sb9HR">Aung San Suu Kyi</a>. The 1990s also saw the escalation of the conflict involving <a href="/facts/Buddhism_in_Myanmar/qYkrax8d">Buddhists</a> and <a href="/facts/Rohingya_people/GaGBFoWA">Rohingya</a> Muslims in <a href="/facts/Rakhine_State/MJ7PAbBI">Rakhine State</a> due to <a href="/facts/Rohingya_Solidarity_Organisation/dL8FDECf">RSO</a> attacks on the Tatmadaw forces, which saw the Rohingya minority facing <a href="/facts/Oppression/7Mp3lUwq">oppression</a> and, starting in 2017, <a href="/facts/Rohingya_genocide/nQ60Re9t">genocide</a>.
In 2008, the Tatmadaw <a href="/facts/2008_Constitution_of_Myanmar/gykF0y6I">again rewrote Myanmar's constitution</a>, installing the pro-junta <a href="/facts/Union_Solidarity_and_Development_Party/Mvt6YfHs">Union Solidarity and Development Party</a> (USDP) in the <a href="/facts/2010_Myanmar_general_election/gWfJGGfQ">2010 elections</a>, which were boycotted by most opposition groups. <a href="/facts/2011%25E2%2580%25932015_Myanmar_political_reforms/lqnrwWTN">Political reforms over the next half-decade</a> culminated in a sweeping NLD victory in the <a href="/facts/2015_Myanmar_general_election/llaQpJfl">2015 election</a>; after the USDP <a href="/facts/2020_Myanmar_general_election/BVYYesUg">lost another election in 2020</a>, the Tatmadaw annulled the election and <a href="/facts/2021_Myanmar_coup_d%2527%25C3%25A9tat/6VBdK5tQ">deposed the civilian government</a>. The Tatmadaw has been widely accused by international organizations of <a href="/facts/Human_rights_in_Myanmar/8Y4dXdq5">human rights violation</a> and <a href="/facts/Crimes_against_humanity/N4nRKINC">crimes against humanity</a>; including <a href="/facts/Ethnic_cleansing/N8zf9Y0K">ethnic cleansing</a>, <a href="/facts/Political_repression/aFzYy3S4">political repression</a>, <a href="/facts/Torture/oTCUxY3x">torture</a>, <a href="/facts/Sexual_assault/F3zvb27R">sexual assault</a>, <a href="/facts/War_crime/36qQAugC">war crimes</a>, <a href="/facts/Extrajudicial_punishment/zEHqwaF6">extrajudicial punishments</a> (including <a href="/facts/Summary_execution/wcank9Jm">summary executions</a>) and <a href="/facts/Massacre/rq3gAegA">massacre</a> of civilians involved in peaceful <a href="/facts/Political_demonstration/d0ow1Fx3">political demonstrations</a>. The Tatmadaw has long operated as a <a href="/facts/State_within_a_state/tnqTt5ks">state within a state</a>.
According to the <a href="/facts/Constitution_of_Myanmar/Gyr11Gzf">Constitution of Myanmar</a>, the Tatmadaw is led by the <a href="/facts/Commander-in-chief_of_Defence_Services/vz1nxWyQ">commander-in-chief of Defence Services</a>. Some actions of the Tatmadaw require the approval of the <a href="/facts/National_Defence_and_Security_Council/hB0Ar1a5">National Defence and Security Council</a>, an eleven-member <a href="/facts/National_security_council/FHymghPp">national security council</a> responsible for security and defence affairs in Myanmar. The <a href="/facts/President_of_Myanmar/fLVtFES0">president of Myanmar</a> has no command role over the Tatmadaw, though he may work with the NDSC in authorizing military action.

Tatmadaw open-in-new

Tatmadaw