Sniper shots broke Law's spine: How war is changing these young fighters' lives

Law is learning to walk again, but he has no regrets about joining the People's Defence Force, fighting against Myanmar's military regime since he was 16.

Law almost didn't survive the rounds of sniper bullets which punctured his stomach and broke his spine. Source: SBS News

Key Points

• Law has been part of the People's Defence Force since he was 16 years old.
• Groups of rebel fighters are fighting against a military government that seized power in a 2021 coup.
• More than 15,000 fatalities recorded in the past year alone is second only to Ukraine.

He barely survived the sniper shots, and steel implants now hold together his spine.

At 18, Law has been a People's Defence Force (PDF) resistance fighter against Myanmar's military regime for two years.

The teenager had his stomach punctured by bullets when the country's army tried to seize one of the group's bases.

"I was shot by a sniper from behind. After I was shot once in my stomach, I could still walk," Law told SBS News.

"But when I was shot again in the back, my spine was broken and I couldn’t get up at all.

"They were trying to kill me. They fired two more times and hit my stomach.”

Law received medical treatment while an aircraft continued to attack the base. He almost died like his three brothers, all killed in the war.

"Even my internal organs were operated on. My bladder is prosthetic and even my spine has steel implants. Compared to before, my situation has improved," Law said.

Law hopes to learn to walk again one day and is one of the lucky fighters, some of which will never recover.

World's most extreme war zone

In February 2021, Myanmar’s military, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The takeover was initially met with street protests and has since spiralled into a deadly civil war.

Data collected by conflict tracker ACLED ranks Myanmar as the world’s most extreme war zone.

More than 15,000 fatalities have been recorded in Myanmar between July 2022 and July 2023, second only to Ukraine.

Some 1.5 million people have been displaced and over 60,000 civilian structures destroyed by the war, according to a June report by the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner.

Exile government calling on Australia to help

The National Unity Government (NUG), Myanmar’s parallel government in exile has called on Australia to assert its influence on its Southeast Asian neighbours.

NUG Australia representative Dr Tun Aung Swe said it was in Australia's national interest to help "find a solution".

“Australia is a middle power and deeply involved in the Indo-Pacific situation. It’s a member of AUKUS, a member of Quad, and has a strong national interest in Indo Pacific," he said.

Myanmar's military has imported at least $1 billion worth of arms and raw materials to manufacture weapons since the coup, according to the UN.

The junta claims that Russia and China, as well as India, Singapore and Thailand, are its main suppliers.

The NUG said its rebel fighters need more support from countries like Australia, providing weapons and logistics, as well as independent telecommunications not under the control of the military.

“All the telecommunications systems are under the control of the military and they cut the internet," Shwe said.

"They are bombing hospitals [and] churches, so an early warning system is needed. If there is an independent telecommunications system, that will benefit the people of Myanmar.

"If the Australian government can consider that, it would really make a difference”.