David Eubank, the founder of the Free Burma Rangers, expressed his gratitude to Elon Musk in a Tweet on Twitter for bringing Starlink Internet to some parts of Kayah (Karenni) State, which previously lacked stable internet access due to the civil war.

“Thank you so much, Starlink people, Elon Musk, and company and family,” Eubank said on Twitter. “We love you all because you made this, and here we are in Burma, under heavy attack… 73 years of civil war, but the last two years since the coup even worse, over 3 million displaced, 300,000 right here in Karenni.”

“Thank you and God bless you and please make more and we'll pay what we need to pay.”

The Starlink internet service is not provided for free in Kayah State, and detailed information regarding which townships in Kayah State have access to Starlink internet is currently unavailable.

Karenni Human Rights Group Director Banyar told RFA that Starlink Internet is too expensive, making it unaffordable for the majority of Kayah residents.

The Free Burma Rangers, founded by Dave Eubank, operate from the Burmese border as their home base, providing assistance in conflict zones worldwide. They are involved in rescuing civilians and documenting atrocities in various locations, including Myanmar and Syria, KPBS reported in 2022.

Following the military coup in Myanmar, internet access was deliberately disrupted by the junta in several areas, including Karenni State in Myanmar. In some cases, the military junta intentionally cut phone lines and reduced internet speed to restrict the flow of information to the people.

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Musk’s American aerospace company SpaceX, providing satellite Internet access coverage to over 54 countries, according to the latest reports. It also aims for global mobile phone service after 2023. SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites in 2019. As of May 2023, Starlink consists of over 4,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit.