Press Release
Myanmar’s Tyrant and Failed Regime: Centre of Southeast Asia’s Scamdemic

The Guardian reported that around 7,000 people have been rescued from online fraud operations in Myanmar and are waiting to be transferred to Thailand, as Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Wednesday 19th February, as the country launched a large-scale crackdown on scam centres operating on the border. A week before, more than 260 foreigners (221 men and 39 women), were also rescued by Myanmar’s Karen State armed group, DKBA, and handed over to Thai authorities in Phop Phra on February 12, 2025. Among of them included 8 Indonesians, more than 15 Malaysians, and 12 Pakistanis who were freed by Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups and taken to Thailand. They were forced into conducting online criminal activity, ranging from love scams known as "pig butchering" and crypto fraud, to money laundering and illegal gambling. Some are willing to do the work, but others are forced to stay, with release only possible if their families pay large ransoms. Some of those who have escaped have described being tortured.

The victims include women from Muslim countries like Indonesia. The tragic story of one of these women, Noviana Indah Susanti, appeared last September. She was forced to work as an online scammer in Myawaddy, Myanmar. She tells the story of surviving as a scammer in Myanmar's conflict zone and described “the torture” being “like a show”. She reported experiencing all forms of abuse - from being cursed at, beaten with iron pipes, electrocuted, to being held captive for days. She is just one of more than 4,000 Indonesian citizens who became victims of human trafficking in the period 2021-2023.

These incidents reveal the reality of the scamdemic (an epidemic of scams and frauds) in Southeast Asia operating in Myanmar and victimizing many Muslims. Several areas in Myanmar are suspected of being the base for these cyber fraud, online gambling, illegal casinos, and human trafficking. They operate in remote areas that are difficult for the police to reach in Myanmar’s border areas with China and the border with Thailand. Previously, the Myanmar government had closed down many criminal enterprises in Karen State in 2020. However, after the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, these criminal enterprises have flourished again and are increasingly rampant. Four years after the Military Junta overthrew the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has become a “failed state” facing an unprecedented “polycrisis” marked by economic collapse, escalating conflict, shrinking territory, complex climate hazards, and increasing poverty, as reported by the UNDP. More than 3.1 million people have been displaced, and 18.6 million people need humanitarian assistance, with 13.3 million of them facing emergency food insecurity.

Myanmar is increasingly sinking into crisis and chaos. Its territory has even been undermined throughout the country due to a coalition of rebel ethnic groups that are besieging the Junta regime from various border directions. The rebels have even seized two regional commands, high-ranking military officers, dozens of cities, and border crossings. The tyrant junta regime which is known for its genocidal atrocities against the Rohingya Muslims is on the precipice of death, soon to sink as the Pharaoh sank, so keep praying that this predatory Myanmar regime will sink into the punishment of Allah(swt) along with their capitalist master allies from the West, as Prophet Musa (as) prayed:

﴿رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُواْ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الأَلِيمَ﴾

“… Our Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment.” [Yunus: 88]

And continue to struggle in the Da'wah and steadfastness to educate the people about the true mercy, justice and protection of the people that comes with the rule of Islam, and urge them to restore the Islamic leadership of the Khilafah based upon the method of the Prophethood, namely the second Khilafah Rashida that will return guardianship and protection to all Muslims no matter where they live. Allah (swt) says:

﴿قَالَ قَدْ أُجِيبَت دَّعْوَتُكُمَا فَاسْتَقِيمَا وَلاَ تَتَّبِعَآنِّ سَبِيلَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾

“Allah responded ˹to Moses and Aaron˺, “Your prayer is answered! So be steadfast and do not follow the way of those who do not know.” [Yunus: 89].