four cuts

{{For|the Diamond Head EP|Four Cuts (EP)}}

The four cuts strategy is a military doctrine of the Tatmadaw (the military of Myanmar) that consists of violent collective punishment against civilians perceived to have ties to insurgent groups.{{cite web | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/5/what-is-the-myanmar-militarys-four-cuts-strategy | title=What is the Myanmar military's 'four cuts' strategy? }}{{cite press release|url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/03/militarys-four-cuts-doctrine-drives-perpetual-human-rights-crisis-myanmar|title=Military's 'four cuts' doctrine drives perpetual human rights crisis in Myanmar, says UN report|publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|date=3 March 2023}} The strategy has its origins in the 1960s in the internal conflict in Myanmar, when the Tatmadaw was fighting the Communist Party of Burma and Karen National Union in Karen State. It has been deployed many times since, including in the conflict in Rakhine State.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-05 |title=Return of the 'four cuts' in Myanmar's Mon state |url=http://asiatimes.com/2023/12/return-of-the-four-cuts-in-myanmars-mon-state/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |language=en-US|author1=Nai Aue Mon|first2=Maggi |last2=Quadrini}}{{Cite book |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-97-1270-0 |title=General Ne Win’s Legacy of Burmanization in Myanmar |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-981-97-1270-0}}

The name refers to "cutting" off four types of supplies to insurgents: food, funds, information and recruitment.{{Cite news |date=2011-05-20 |title=Locals Fear 'Four Cuts' in Kachin State - Myanmar | website=ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/locals-fear-four-cuts-kachin-state |access-date=2024-02-09 |language=en}}