15/05/2026
Petro-Contestation and Emerging Governance Orders in Magway
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After the 2021 coup, oil fields (locally known as Yae Nan Hmaw or Yae Nan Myay) have become contested strategic assets, where control over production and revenue is increasingly fragmented among the military regime, the NUG and local resistance groups, with significant implications for governance, security and energy access for people. These groups have been heavily contested across Magway, particularly in resource-rich townships.
As of 2026, local resistance forces in Magway controlled two of the seven oil fields under the union government’s authority. The two major oil fields located in Pakokku, Myaing, and Pauk townships are currently under the management of the resistance administration. Oil and gas from these fields provided supplies for the Refinery Industry in Chauk township through Kamma and Pakokku.
What do these oil fields and routes mean to resistance groups in Magway? How do these resources define the fate of the resistance movement and governance?
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