Political prisoners and other violations in Burma - reports

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Title: Relatives of detained Myanmar Now reporter express concern about her condition
Sub-title: Family members say they have not been permitted to meet with Kay Zon Nway since her arrest in late February
Description: "Relatives of a Myanmar Now journalist who has been in detention for nearly three months say they are growing increasingly worried about her well-being. Kay Zon Nway, who was arrested in late February while reporting on an anti-coup protest in Yangon, has been charged with incitement under Section 505a of the Penal Code. She faces a three-year prison sentence if found guilty. Family members say they have been denied permission to meet with her and are concerned that her health may be at risk due to harsh conditions inside Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison, where she is being held. “She has been suffering from nervous-system problems, so I am sure she has not been well,” said a relative who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity. “I heard she is angry, distressed, and hurt because she believes she has not committed any crime,” the relative added, citing reports that the family has received from prisoners who met the reporter prior to their own release. “She asked the released prisoners she met in jail to tell us that she could not sleep at night because of the heat and mosquitoes,” the relative said. Kay Zon Nway previously shared a cell with several inmates, but she was separated from them late last month after she was accused of staging a hunger strike. According to her lawyer Nilar Khine, she was actually fasting for Ramadan. She is currently being held in an 8’x12’ cell with one other female inmate. Her family has been sending medication to help her deal with gastric and nervous ailments, the relative said. No one in the family has seen her since March 12, when she appeared online briefly during a court hearing held via video link. Her next hearing, which will be held at a prison court in Insein, is scheduled for June 3. The plaintiff in the case is deputy police major Win Naing from the Sanchaung police station in Yangon. Testimony from witnesses for the prosecution will be presented at the hearing, her lawyer said. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 48 journalists are still in detention since being arrested in the wake of the military’s February 1 coup..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: US journalist detained in Myanmar while boarding flight home
Sub-title: Family of Danny Fenster voice concern for his welfare after he was held by authorities in Yangon international airport
Description: "An American journalist has been detained in Myanmar as he tried to board a flight at Yangon International Airport, the latest of dozens of reporters and editors to be arrested since the coup. Danny Fenster, managing editor of the independent outlet Frontier Myanmar, had been due to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur on Monday morning, his employer said, adding it believed he had been taken by the authorities to Insein Prison in Yangon. In a statement, Frontier Myanmar said: “We do not know why Danny was detained and have not been able to contact him since this morning. We are concerned for his wellbeing and call for his immediate release. Our priorities right now are to make sure he is safe and to provide him with whatever assistance he needs.” More than 70 journalists have been detained by the military over recent months, as it attempts to crush independent coverage of anti coup protests, and of the reign of terror the security forces have inflicted on communities. The military has revoked the licenses of some publications, raided journalism offices and announced arrest warrants against reporters. Many outlets have continued their coverage regardless, with journalists operating in hiding. Fenster is among several foreign journalists to be detained since the coup. Nathan Maung, editor-in-chief of Kamayut Media and a US citizen, is also being held at Insein Prison, according to Associated Press. Freelance journalists Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan, were recently detained and expelled. According to the advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which monitors arrests in Burma, 48 journalists are still being held by the junta. On Monday, the relatives of a journalist who was detained almost three months ago while working for the independent news site Myanmar Now told the outlet they were increasingly worried about her wellbeing. Family members of Kay Zon Nway said they had been refused permission to meet with her and were concerned about her health. She has been charged under Section 505a of the Penal Code, which criminalises comments that “cause fear” or spread “false news”, and could face three years in prison. The Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand strongly condemned the crackdown on journalists. In a statement, it said: “The arrests of journalists, and the violence used by the security forces on anyone caught trying to report or record their actions, constitute an extraordinary attack on freedom of expression in Myanmar, and should be widely condemned. The Committee to Protect Journalists has also called for Fenster’s release. “This unlawful restriction of a foreign journalist’s freedom of movement is the latest grave threat to press freedom in Myanmar,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. According to AAPP Burma, 5,408 have been arrested since the coup, and the majority remain in detention, often in unknown locations. At least 824 have been killed by the junta, the groups has estimated, including dozens of children. Aung San Suu Kyi, who is among those being held, appeared in person at a court hearing on Monday for the first time since her government was overthrown. According to reports by Reuters, Suu Kyi “wished people good health” in her meeting with her lawyers and also made a reference to her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which could be dissolved soon. “Our party grew out of the people so it will exist as long as people support it”, one of her lawyers, Khin Maung Zaw, quoted Suu Kyi as saying. She faces charges that range from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating a state secrets law, punishable by 14 years in prison..."
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Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 23 May, (818) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Monywa Township in Sagaing Region and Demoso Township in Kayah State were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 23 May, a total of (4296) people are currently under detention; of them (95) are sentenced. 1822 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Yesterday morning, Two youths were shot dead by junta forces in Demoso Township, Kayah State while bringing food for people who fled from the town. The bodies of the two were reportedly taken away by the military regime. Last night, a youth was beaten and arrested at his home in relation to the bomb blast which occurred in front of the Inn Ma Town Hospital at Thegon Township in Bago Region. In the morning of 22 May at Mingaladon Township in Yangon Region, a 16-year old girl was arrested while she was sticking anti-school attendance leaflets. Even though this girl is only 16 years, the junta’s propaganda newspapers stated action will be taken against as she is 18 years old. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.06 MB 3.81 MB 940.05 KB
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Title: More than 100 people including children shot dead in Myanmar
Description: "More than 100 people are reported to have been killed by security forces in Myanmar, on the deadliest day since last month's military takeover of the country. A five-year-old was reported to be among the dead along with other children. Protesters against the military coup had defied warnings from the government that security forces would shoot people in “the head and back”. There’s been international condemnation of the violence. Kate Silverton presents BBC News reporting by Laura Bicker..."
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Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-03-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar junta leader says Suu Kyi will soon appear
Description: "Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi was healthy at home and would appear in court in a few days, in his first interview since overthrowing her in a Feb. 1 coup. The coup has plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos. An ethnic armed group opposed to the ruling junta attacked a military post in a northwestern jade mining town while other violent incidents were reported from other corners of Myanmar. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for her long struggle against previous military rulers, is among more than 4,000 people detained since the coup. She faces charges that range from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating a state secrets law. "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days," Min Aung Hlaing said by video link with the Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster Phoenix Television on May 20, in excerpts released on Saturday. The interviewer asked him what he thought of the performance of Suu Kyi, 75, who is widely admired in the country of 53 million for her campaign that had brought tentative democratic reforms which were cut short by the coup. "She tried all she could," Min Aung Hlaing responded. He reiterated that the army had seized power because it had identified fraud in an election won by Suu Kyi's party in November - although its accusations were rejected by the then election commission. He said the army would hold elections and potential changes to the constitution had been identified and would be made if they were "the people's will". Suu Kyi's next court appearance is due on Monday in the capital Naypyidaw. So far she has appeared only by video link and as yet to be allowed to speak directly to her lawyers. The junta has cited security reasons for not allowing her to speak to her lawyers in private at a time the military authorities have not established control of the country in the face of daily protests, strikes and renewed insurgencies.....ATTACK ON JADE TOWN: The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) attacked an army post at Hkamti township in the Sagaing region early on Saturday, the Irrawaddy and Mizzima online publications said. Pictures showed columns of dark smoke rising from the scene. KIA spokesman Naw Bu told Reuters he was aware of the attack but could give no details. Reuters was unable to reach a junta spokesman for comment. State run-MRTV television reported the attack and said that three police had been wounded and others were missing. Independent broadcaster DVB said nine were captured by the insurgents. Since the coup, open conflict resumed between the army and the KIA, which has been fighting for greater autonomy for the Kachin people for some six decades and has voiced support for anti-junta protesters. Mizzima said the army used jets in attacks on the KIA at Hkamti, a town on the Chindwin river in a remote region rich in jade and gold about 50 km (30 miles) from the border with India. The army has carried out numerous bombing attacks on KIA positions in recent weeks and has also clashed with ethnic armies in the east and west of Myanmar. Security forces have killed at least 815 people since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. Min Aung Hlaing said the actual figure was around 300 and that 47 police had also been killed. State-run MRTV said one policeman had been killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Kayah state on Friday. In western Chin state, junta opponents said they had killed at least four members of the security forces on Friday and had buried them by the roadside. The claim could not be independently verified. Myanmar media reported that a soldier had been killed in a shooting in the commercial hub, Yangon, on Saturday. Bomb blasts were reported there, at Pathein in the Irrawaddy delta region and at a trading zone near the border with China..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-23
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: CPJ calls on Myanmar to release Kamayut Media editor Nathan Maung, news producer Hanthar Nyein
Description: "Myanmar’s military authorities must drop all charges against Nathan Maung, a U.S. citizen, and Hanthar Nyein, co-founders of the privately held local news website Kamayut Media, and immediately release them from detention, where their families report they have been physically abused, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Authorities first arrested Maung, the outlet’s editor-in-chief, and Hanthar, a news producer, on March 9, according to news reports at the time. They are currently being detained at Yangon’s Insein prison on charges under Article 505(a) of the penal code, which punishes the dissemination of information or “fake news” that could agitate or cause security forces or officials to mutiny with a maximum three-year prison term, according to the journalists’ families, who communicated with CPJ via an intermediary who requested anonymity to avoid reprisals. Authorities physically abused them during their initial two weeks of detention at the Yay Kyi Ai interrogation center in Insein Township, the intermediary told CPJ by email. According to the intermediary, the journalists’ families said they were severely beaten around their heads, burnt on their belly, thighs, and buttocks with lit cigarettes, and made to kneel on ice while their hands were cuffed behind them during interrogations. “Myanmar authorities must drop their charade of a criminal trial against Kamayut Media journalists Nathan Maung and Hanthar Nyein, and set them free,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “The abuse their families report in detention is unconscionable and the authorities involved must be identified and prosecuted.” CPJ initially reported that Maung was arrested covering a protest, but local news reports said that he and Hanthar were arrested in a raid of the Kamayut Media office in Yangon. Kamayut Media stopped its bureau operations after the raid but its remaining staffstill publish online from undisclosed locations, the intermediary told CPJ. Maung and Hanthar appeared in a Yangon court on May 17, and at least four more weekly hearings are scheduled for police to present evidence, according to the intermediary. They are currently being held in individual cells in the same wing of Insein prison, the families said via the intermediary. Myanmar’s military regime currently holds dozens of journalists behind bars, according to preliminary investigations by CPJ based on reporting, news reports, and research by the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, a local rights group. The majority have been detained during newsroom raids or while covering anti-coup street protests, and over half face charges under Article 505(a), that reporting shows. On April 6, CPJ addressed a public letter to junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing calling on his regime to release all journalists detained in the wake of the February 1 coup. CPJ emailed the Ministry of Information for comment on Maung and Hanthar’s legal status and allegations they have been abused in detention, but did not immediately receive any reply..."
Source/publisher: Committee to Protect Journalists (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 22 May, (815) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Mindat Township in Chin State and Lanmadaw Township in Yangon Region were killed the previous days and have been documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 22, a total of (4271) people are currently under detention; of them (95) are sentenced. 1802 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Yesterday afternoon, a clash occurred between the military and Chinland Defense Force (CDF-Mindat) at Bue Kunn Village in Mindat Township Chin State. It is reported that a member of the CDF-Mindat died during this clash. A civil servant, who was involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) was shot to death on May 20, in Mindat Town, Chin State. A man, who was arrested whilst he was voluntarily guarding his ward for security, and who was facing trial inside prison, also died on May 19, from insufficient medical care for his diabetes. In the early morning of May 22, Soe Myint Htein, NLD Secretary of Yangon Region, was arrested at home in Hlegu Township, Yangon Region where he was evading arrest. His wife and another man were also arrested along with him. His wife and the man were released, however Soe Myint Htein remains under detention. Last night, in South Dagon Township in Yangon Region, a final year medical student and a final year college student from the Myanmar Mercantile Marine College were arrested by an excessive number of junta troops. Early yesterday morning, two children, a 15 year old and a 17 years old, living in Myeik, Tanintharyi Region, were arrested and charged under Section 505(a)(c) of the Penal Code. On the night of May 20, a third year university student majoring in Botany at Dagon University was arrested at a house in Mayangone Township in Yangon by junta forces in military vehicles. Neighbours reported that this student was severely beaten. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.05 MB 3.88 MB 933.86 KB
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Title: Myanmar ethnic army attacks jade mining town, media say
Description: "Forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the ethnic factions opposed to Myanmar’s coup, attacked military positions at the northwestern jade mining town of Hkamti on Saturday, local media reported. The attack marks an advance into new territory by the KIA at a time Myanmar has been plunged into chaos since the army seized power on Feb. 1, detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cut short a decade of democratic reforms. KIA fighters attacked an army post at Hkamti township in the Sagaing region early on Saturday, the Irrawaddy and Mizzima online publications said. Pictures showed columns of dark smoke rising from what they said was the scene of the attack. KIA spokesman Naw Bu told Reuters he was aware of the attack but could give no details. Reuters was unable to reach a junta spokesman for comment on the reports. "The fighting is still ongoing. I can still hear the gunshots," Mizzima quoted one resident as saying. It said the site attacked was near a mining venture that involves the military-owned Myanma Economic Holdings Ltd. conglomerate. Reuters was unable to confirm the reports independently. Since the coup, open conflict resumed between the army and the KIA, which has been fighting for greater autonomy for the Kachin people for some six decades and has voiced support for anti-junta protesters. Mizzima said the army was using jets in attacks on the KIA at Hkamti, a town on the Chindwin river in a remote region rich in jade and gold that lies about 50 km (30 miles) from the border with India. The army has carried out numerous bombing attacks on KIA positions in recent weeks and has also clashed with ethnic armies in the east and west of Myanmar. Security forces have killed at least 812 people since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. The military disputes this figure and says at least two dozen members of the security forces have also been killed. The army seized power alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. The then electoral commission had rejected its accusations. On Friday, local media quoted an official of the new electoral commission appointed by the junta as saying there was a plan to dissolve the NLD..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 21 May, (812) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. (1) from Falam Township in Chin State died on 21 May. (1) from Thabeikkyin Township in Mandalay Region was killed the previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of 21 May, a total of (4258) people are currently under detention; of them (94) are sentenced. 1782 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Since the military coup, civilians have lost their freedom, just going around their communities is a life-threatening situation. On the night of 19 May, Chaung Gyi village, Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region, a young man was killed after the junta chased, arrested, beat him in the face and shot him in the abdomen. Shooting, killing detainees are clearly barbaric. When the coup fails, perpetrators will have to pay for each and every one of their crimes. In Chin State, fighting continues between the Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) and the junta. As reported this morning, a member of the CDF-Falam was killed in a clash. The weapons and forces of both sides are not equal, still, people are defending themselves against terrorism. If they don’t, atrocities will only deteriorate. For this reason civilians are defending with anything they can use as a weapon, to attain freedom for their regions. That is why the terrorist group is increasingly hostile and threatening in different ways in Chin State. Beginning today in Mindat Township, the junta cut off water, electricity and telephone lines. The junta is attacking locals like a military operation, cutting aid to people in Mindat to make the locals weaker and unable to regroup, and resist. Resistance against the junta is accelerating, the People’s Defense Forces (PDF) retaliated against shooting by the terrorists at Daw Ngan Khar Ward, Demoso Township, Kayah State this morning. RPG and bombs were used by the junta group to fire at locals during the fight. As a result, some civilians, who live in the city, have been fleeing. It is a worrying situation because the junta troops might plan an offensive attack on Demoso Township like they did in Mindat Township. The junta group fires heavy artillery, mortar shells and bombs into residential areas, they violate international law – this is but one action of theirs which demonstrates their illegitimate terrorist status. On 21 May, at the Daw Ngan Khar intersection, Demoso Township, it is reported that two men on a motorbike were told to stop, when they drove away one was shot and killed. AAPP is monitoring this event for further information. In a separate incident, a highway bus driver was also reportedly shot in the arm and injured. In fact they are committing crimes, including shooting and killing. The junta group commits shooting, killing, and other rights abuses on a daily basis. This is because there is no effective deterrence. The junta group is now making a series of arrests against activists. Today, around noon, two Kachin youth activists including Seng Nu Pan and Lun Zung were arrested. Two other youths who were in the car with them were also detained. The junta troops shot and crashed into them with a vehicle before arresting them. Their inhumanity is evident. Terrorists use brutal ways to capture civilians who oppose them. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.05 MB 3.77 MB 930.39 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 20 May, (810) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Tedim Township in Chin State, Pandaung Township in Bago Region and Taungdwingyi Township in Magway Region were killed the previous days and have been documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 20, a total of (4212) people are currently under detention; of them (94) are sentenced. 1762 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. The junta is shooting and killing civilians every day. Yesterday, in Lay village, Okshitpin Town, Pantaung Township in Bago Region, a motorcycle mechanic was killed, and another man was shot and left wounded. The junta terrorists are now mainly targeting and murdering civilians in remote areas and in the ethnic regions. Demonstrations in urban areas were also cracked down on in inhumane ways and junta forces continued a series of arrests upon civilians. This violence came alongside their heavily repressive military operations in rural areas. The junta have been committing acts of vandalism and violence. These push the country further into a state of instability. Bombing in Tedim Township, Chin State yesterday evening resulted in the death of a 10-year-old child. The 10-year old child was critically injured in the explosion, then prevented from accessing medical assistance fast enough. The bombing also caused injury to two other children, aged 6 and 10. This junta regime violates the rights of all civilians, even those who are most vulnerable, such as children and the elderly. They oppress people without any regard for the sanctity of life, using any means, in order to maintain their power. Since the coup, Bumrese civilians have faced constant insecurity and have lost assurance of their basic rights. Yesterday, in Taungdwingyi Township, Magway Region, a former village administrator, who worked under the NLD government of Sithar Gyi, and five other villagers were arrested, beaten and interrogated by junta forces. The village administrator was left dead, and the other five civilians sustained serious injuries. Previous dictatorships in Burma systematically and methodologically used torture against civilians to punish resistance and enforce confessions. Since the coup, the junta’s violence against civilians has worsened, they now treat everyone as their enemy. Amongst the regions that are fighting back against the junta, Chin State is the one which is most targeted by these terrorists. Chin state has faced heavy attacks and severe repression by the junta. In Kanpetlet town, junta troops camped out at school and police station, forcing almost the entire town to flee. Junta troops raided Loklung village, close to Hakha Town, again forcing the entire village to flee. These civilians remain on the run. Cases of the junta taking family members of wanted individuals as hostages are becoming more frequent. Their widespread method of taking hostages has reached an extremely concerning stage. Last night, a wanted activist from Seikkan village in Paungde Township, Bago Region could not be found by junta forces, so they instead arrested his wife, child and stepmother. A similar case occurred in Phang Fa Village, Chaungzon Township, in Mon State on the night of May 16. A wanted man could not be found, so the junta instead arrested his father. Such arrests are clearly unlawful. This is yet another example of Burmese civilians being left unprotected, the junta use laws however they want please. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.05 MB 3.85 MB 931.47 KB
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Title: Myanmar displaced shelter in camps, France calls for aid
Description: "Children and the elderly make up a large proportion of the people taking refuge in camps in northwest Myanmar to escape fighting between the army and insurgents, residents said on Thursday, as France called for an urgent delivery of humanitarian aid. In the past week, Chin State bordering India has seen some of the most serious fighting since Myanmar's military seized power in a coup on Feb. 1 and removed the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. India said this week that more than 15,000 people had crossed the border to seek refuge, but residents in Chin State said many of the most vulnerable were sheltering in camps around the town of Mindat after it was overrun by the army. "Children and the elderly make up a big proportion of the groups. Some didn't have sandals. They trekked through the forest barefoot for days," said a 34-year-old resident helping look after the displaced but asked not to be identified. He said that villages around Mindat were caring for about 2,000 displaced people in camps and churches, while access to the town once home to more than 40,000 people had been blocked. "We will face food shortage after a week," said the resident, adding that petrol supplies were about to run out. At least 10 people have been killed in Chin State in the past week, according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. It puts the countrywide death toll since the coup at 807, a figure disputed by the army. Pleading for international aid, another Mindat resident said the camp he was at had 13 bags of rice and would see shortages soon, with the 140 people there now expected to swell to 300. Those fleeing say thousands of people left Mindat after the army attacked to root out fighters of the newly formed Chinland Defence Force, who are aligned with a National Unity Government (NUG) formed by the junta's opponents.....'IMMEDIATE NECESSITY': The French Embassy in Myanmar blamed a "disproportionate use of force and war weapons against civilians by the military" for causing a loss of human life and the displacement of thousands in Chin State. "The restoration of access to water and electricity as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid for population in need are an immediate necessity," the embassy said in a statement on its Facebook page. Fighting in the area is continuing, and a citizens' administrative group said in a post on social media that Chin militia had killed three soldiers on a road out of Mindat on Wednesday. The United Nations said nearly 10,000 people had been displaced in Kachin State in the north by renewed fighting since mid-March. Thousands have also been displaced by clashes in the east and northeast. A spokesman for the military council did not answer calls for comment. The junta has struggled to impose its authority in the face of daily protests, paralysing strikes and an upsurge of fighting against old and new groups of ethnic minority fighters. Attacks on junta-appointed local administrators have increased in recent weeks, with state media on Thursday reporting "terrorists" and "insurgents" had killed or wounded officials with knives, guns and home-made bombs. It also reported arson attacks on state-owned property in several cities. Witnesses and local media reported explosions on Thursday in Mandalay and the biggest city, Yangon. Anti-coup marches took place in different parts of the country by day, with candle-lit strikes and protests by night on Thursday, all calling for the overthrow of the military, many with signs backing the unity government. The NUG on Thursday announced the formation of a commission to draft a new federal constitution, hoping to follow through with a pledge by Suu Kyi's party to replace the current military-drafted charter. Myanmar's constitution had long been a source of friction between the army and Suu Kyi's government, which was intent on amending it to reduce the military's political powers, which included parliamentary seats and control of defence and interior ministries. The junta has been hit by Western sanctions and widely condemned over the coup and its violent suppression of protests, but has found a diplomatic friend in Russia, a key source of its defence hardware. News outlets in both countries on Thursday reported a Myanmar military delegation was visiting Moscow to attend an exhibition showcasing Russian helicopters..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar junta-appointed electoral body to dissolve Suu Kyi party -media
Description: "Myanmar's junta-appointed election commission will dissolve Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party (NLD) because of what it said was fraud in a November election, news outlet Myanmar Now said on Friday, citing a commissioner. Myanmar Now said the decision was made during a meeting with political parties that was boycotted by many parties including the NLD. The election fraud conducted by the NLD was illegal "so we will have to dissolve the party's registration", the chairman of the junta-backed Union Election Commission (UEC), Thein Soe, was cited in the report as saying. "Those who did that will be considered as traitors and we will take action," said Thein Soe. A spokesman for the junta and for a pro-democracy national unity government, which includes ousted members of the NLD, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party said it had representatives at the meeting, which was still going on, and he was not aware of the outcome. Myanmar's army took power alleging fraud in a November election that was swept by the party of Suu Kyi, who fought for democracy for decades before tentative reforms began a decade ago. The electoral commission at the time had rejected the army's complaints. The security forces have killed more than 800 people since a wave of protests broke out after coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group says. Fighting has also flared between the security forces and ethnic minority guerrilla groups. The turmoil has alarmed Myanmar's neigbours and the broader international community, but the generals have shown no sign of any intention of seeking a compromise with the pro-democracy movement. Since her arrest hours before a Feb. 1 coup, Suu Kyi has been held in detention and faces numerous charges filed in two courts, the most serious under a colonial-era official secrets act, punishable by 14 years in prison. Suu Kyi, 75, has been permitted to speak with lawyers only via a video link in the presence of security personnel. Her co-defendant is Win Myint, the ousted president. Opponents of the military have formed a National Unity Government, which operates under cover or through members based abroad. It has announced it is setting up of a People's Defence Force to challenge the junta. Japan, a major donor to Myanmar, will have to rethink its aid provision to Myanmar if the situation in the Southeast Asian nation does not improve, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said in Tokyo..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: PHR Condemns the Mass Atrocities and Escalating Violence against Civilians in Mindat, Chin State, Myanmar, Calls for International Response
Description: "On Saturday, May 15, 2021, the Myanmar military – known as the Tatmadaw – launched a coordinated attack against the town of Mindat in Myanmar’s western Chin State. This latest crackdown was precipitated by several weeks of sustained fighting between the Tatmadaw and civilian defense forces in Mindat, formed in March in response to increasing military violence against civilians participating in the peaceful nationwide anti-coup resistance. Following an imposition of martial law on the grounds of insurgency, the siege of Mindat has been characterized by indiscriminate deployment of heavy weaponry by land and air, widespread use of forced labor and human shields, and active obstruction of delivery of basic humanitarian necessities for civilians, including food, water, and access to medical care and supplies. In response to escalating violence against civilians in Mindat, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) issued the following statement: “The reports out of Mindat, including the Tatmadaw’s blocking of humanitarian and medical aid and access to clean water, expose the horrifying reality of ongoing violence against tens of thousands of civilians in Mindat by the Myanmar military. These actions further echo the unconscionable actions and severe breaches of international human rights law perpetrated by the Tatmadaw since the group seized power in a February 1 coup d’état. Physicians for Human Rights is appalled by the Myanmar military’s unlawful implementation of martial law in Mindat, who has pushed civilians into Mindat’s surrounding jungles to escape detention, and the reported obstruction in access to clean drinking water. “Through an unlawful and violent campaign to seize power, directly violating security forces’ responsibility and duty to protect, the Tatmadaw continues to violate the basic human rights of Myanmar’s people. Mindat civilians, mostly men, who have reportedly been forced into the forested areas around Mindat, have little to no access to shelter, water, food, or medical care. Their forced absence has left women and children in Mindat vulnerable to the brutal tactics of war deployed against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities by the Myanmar military, including sexual and gender-based violence, which PHR has long documented and corroborated. “This new wave of violence in western Chin State has further contributed to the displacement of tens of thousands of people, both internally and across the Indian border. The escalating crisis critically compounds already strained access to humanitarian and medical aid experienced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar. Medical personnel are reportedly unable to reach IDPs in Mindat without coming under artillery fire by the Tatmadaw, and are prevented from tending to patients in critical condition due to a lack of safe medical facilities available for emergency surgeries. PHR condemns the Myanmar military’s obstruction of critical medical and humanitarian aid, and the impediment of medical personnel’s duty to administer care to civilians desperately in need. “Physicians for Human Rights demands that the Tatmadaw immediately cease attacks against the Mindat community, reestablish access to clean water and medical supplies, and end the obstruction of medical and humanitarian aid, which is in grave violation of international human rights law. As well, PHR calls on international and regional actors, including the United Nations Security Council and the Association for Southeast Asian Nations, to urgently negotiate an agreement to establish a safe and secure demilitarized humanitarian corridor into Mindat and other similarly afflicted territories across Myanmar. PHR emphasizes the acute need for humanitarian and medical personnel to fully access affected civilians without encumbrance, as is necessary to provide health care to the sick and wounded, to deliver humanitarian aid more broadly, and to ensure the safety and security of surrounding communities. “The latest human rights violations demonstrate that ongoing sanctions and justice and accountability efforts are not sufficiently serving as deterrents. International actors that have been leading the effort to advance targeted sanctions against perpetrators of these abuses – such as the United States and European Union – should build a broad, international coalition comprised of governments and businesses in support of a sanctions regime that will prevent the Tatmadaw and other security forces from accessing resources to continue perpetrating abuses against the Myanmar people.” Dr. Maung,* a volunteer surgeon based in Mandalay and a PHR medical partner, said that he had spoken with medical colleagues on the ground in Mindat who have reported on the dire need for immediate medical aid. “Several patients are in need of emergency surgery. Without it, they won’t survive for long. Surgeons are traveling from Mandalay to try and assist the wounded, but first they must be able to transfer the patients to a safe zone, as there is little they can do in the jungle,” he said. In a statement responding to the Myanmar military’s coup, PHR condemned mass arbitrary arrests and detention of civilian leaders and human rights defenders in Myanmar, and called for an immediate de-escalation of the situation, the prompt release of political prisoners, and the restoration of communications networks. Following escalating violence directly after the coup, PHR additionally condemned attacks against protestors and the reported detention of medical professionals. PHR reprises its call to the international community to hold the Myanmar military and other responsible actors accountable for its August 2017 campaign of widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya ethnic minority in “clearance operations” that forced more than 720,000 Rohingya into neighboring Bangladesh. The Tatmadaw has an egregious history of human rights violations against civilians, including perpetrating forced labor, sexual violence, torture, extrajudicial killings, child labor, and other abuses in Myanmar’s ethnic territories, including Chin State, which PHR documented in 2011. International efforts to quell the violence are critically important as the perpetrators of these grave violations increase their political power and continue to operate with impunity within Myanmar. *Dr. Maung asked that we use only his surname for security reasons..."
Source/publisher: Physicians for Human Rights (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Burmese journalists given three year jail term for reporting
Description: "Min Nyo, a reporter at Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) was sentenced to three years in jail under Section 505(a) of Myanmar's Penal Code on May 12. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges Myanmar’s military to release Min Nyo immediately. Nyo was arrested on March 3 while covering anti-military demonstrations in the town of Pyay. He was then “taken into custody and brutally beaten by police” according to a statement from DVB. He is the first journalist to be sentenced under section 505(a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code, a new provision that has been created since the military coup began. The provision makes it a crime to publish a ‘statement rumour or report with intent to cause, any officer, soldier, sailor or airman, in the Army, Navy or Air Force to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such’. IFJ reporting can reveal that from the start of military coup began on February 1, 86 journalists have been arrested, 44 have been detained and 44 have been prosecuted. At least eight of these prosecutions have been made under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. Only one out of 86 journalists has been released. Journalists are facing an existential threat in Myanmar as they are required to hide their identities or be attacked by Myanmar’s military. This comes at a time when ASEAN is facing increasing pressure to quell the humanitarian and democratic crisis erupting in Myanmar. The IFJ said: “We call upon Myanmar’s military to release Min Nyo immediately. The repressive Section 505(a) of the Penal Code must be repealed and journalists must be allowed to operate and move freely within Myanmar. Press freedom is paramount in Myanmar as the world needs to know what is happening on the ground.”..."
Source/publisher: International Federation of Journalists
Date of publication: 2021-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar’s Educators Resist Pressure From Junta to Reopen Universities, Schools
Topic: CDM, college, Coup, educators, grenades, junta, protesters, regime, resistance, Students, Teachers, University
Topic: CDM, college, Coup, educators, grenades, junta, protesters, regime, resistance, Students, Teachers, University
Description: "Myanmar’s striking educators and administrative staff are continuing their anti-regime action despite pressure from the regime to return to work and reopen universities and schools. The junta has recently targeted striking educators and administrative staff who refused to serve under military rule with arrests, warrants and suspensions from their jobs. Since the last week of April, the regime has been issuing arrest warrants against teachers and education staff who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) on charges of incitement. As of Tuesday, 220 teachers, including professors, headmasters and headmistresses, education officers and officials, have been put on the list. A number of teachers who went on the strike were recently arrested, charged or sentenced. Announcements of suspensions from their jobs were also issued. Regardless of the growing threats, many striking educators and staff carry on their resistance against the junta. Myanmar Teachers’ Federations said about 60 percent of the academics at universities and colleges resisted the junta’s reopening of campuses. The junta announced the reopening on May 5 of universities and colleges that had been closed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those striking academics, more than 19,000 out of a total of 35,000 teachers in universities, colleges, have been suspended from their jobs for carrying on their strike against the regime. And in public schools for basic education, more than 100,000 teachers and education staff out of a total of 450,000 [that is around 27 percent] joined the CDM, according to an initial announcement by the Ministry of Education on April 23. Starting on May 7, the junta has issued suspension orders to striking teachers and education staff at public schools nationwide. Among those who have been suspended are custodial staff, security officers at schools, lab technicians, teachers, principals and officials under the basic education department of Ministry of Education. “The reopening of the schools is just to show the country is well under the control of the military rather than concern for disrupted education,” an official from the teachers’ federation, who asked to be anonymous, told The Irrawaddy. He said that though some CDM teachers relented and returned to work in fear of being arrested after the junta ramped up detention, many of them would carry on the strike until the military regime collapses. “We are determined to continue the fight until the fall of the dictatorship and return of a civilian government elected by the people,” said the official, who himself was recently suspended from one of Yangon universities. A teacher from Yangon Region who was recently suspended from her job said she is proud to stand against injustice even though it meant she had to give up of a job she adored. “I will only return to work under our elected civilian government,” she added. Facing a shortage of educators, the military regime is recruiting lecturers and is planning to give promotions to non-CDM professors to replace striking academics. In public schools, the regime is calling for daily wage teachers to substitute for teachers on strike. Meanwhile, the regime continues to pressure striking educators to give in. In some cases, the junta has arrested the relatives of teachers, holding them as hostages to force teachers to return to work. Students boycott against ‘military’s slave education’ It is not only teachers, but also students who are boycotting the “military’s slave education.” Student protesters said they won’t attend or enroll the classes under the regime whose forces have killed hundreds of youths including high school students and children. The teachers’ federation predicted about 80 to 90 percent of university students boycotted classes by refusing to attend or enroll. The junta also plans to open public schools on June 1, but many students have expressed that they don’t want education under the dictatorship. Parents have also expressed concern for the safety of their children due to the likelihood of violence amid the regime forces’ continuing brutal actions against civilians. Making matters worse, a number of schools across the country were set on fire or bombed with homemade grenades by unknown attackers. The regime claimed that school attacks were carried out by “rioters,” using its label for anti-regime protesters. The Irrawaddy can’t independently verify the junta’s claims. Despite the attacks on schools, the regime still insists it will open schools as scheduled on June 1. During a press conference last week, a regime spokesperson said the regime would provide enough security for schools but refused to reveal any details, citing security matters. Meanwhile risk of contracting COVID-19 is also another cause of concern as Myanmar still detects a dozen cases daily. The regime has said it would deliver facial masks and shields to students free of charge. A high school student said he and his friends wouldn’t return to school until the revolution prevails. “We will go to school only when Grandma Suu [State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who was put under detention at the time of the Feb. 1 coup] is released.”..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: The Coup in Myanmar/Burma: Collective Trauma and Resilience
Description: "I wrote the following piece after 3 March 2021, on which 38 people died from the crackdown. Now the protest is over 100 days, and 782 people (as of 10 May), including children, have been killed. Over 3,740 people are in detention. Ordinary people all over Burma are living on edge due to the random acts of violence by “security forces.” When I got up on 1 February, I heard about the coup in Burma, my country. I tried to identify an assortment of feelings: anger, despair, distress, sadness, hopelessness. None of them seemed to fit precisely what I felt. Since I am not in Burma, I rely on Facebook, the communication channel most Burmese use for information, to stay informed. With those unnamable feelings in my chest, I started checking Facebook almost hourly to catch up with the ongoing situation. When a 19-year-old girl died, the first death of the protest, I could finally name the assortment of emotions I was feeling – trauma. A few years ago, a former political prisoner told me the whole country was experiencing trauma because of the violent suppression of resistance over five decades. Her words now came back to me as I tried to understand the emotions running through me. We are re-experiencing the collective trauma of living under the grip of the military. Every day the violence against protesters escalates and reminds those of us who lived and grew up under the military regime and who witnessed many violent crackdowns since 1962, of “the dark times.” I was born two years after the coup in 1962. I remember talking with my friends about politics and rumours we heard from adults, when we were about ten years old. Had Ne Win died? How much we children and the adults around us wanted him to be gone, the former dictator. My overriding memories of growing up in Burma under the military dictatorship involve a sense of lacking – of lacking necessities, and above all lacking rights and freedom. Economic struggles, censorship, martial laws, fear of the military and people associated with them; these were a big part of our everyday life. In the backdrop, there were ongoing wars with various ethnic groups. I can still recall watching tanks drive through our township to suppress the student demonstrations in 1974. The next day, we heard many young people had been killed or arrested. The atmosphere was full of fear and suppression, and it was suffocating. Then in 1988, the military killed thousands of people during a massive popular uprising for democracy. My mother went into depression in 1988 at the loss of life she witnessed. This is etched deeply in my memory. History has shown us again and again that it is always the young people who fight back, and now like before, they can be killed, beaten, tortured, raped. Still, these young people go on and take the front line. Now in 2021, Burma is a different country, but it is still beset by endless political, social and economic problems. Despite these problems, people have some freedom and hope, and communication with the outside world. There is also the widespread use of social media, which we didn’t have access to in 1988. Hence today’s young people, Generation Z, live in a very different political, social, and economic context. However, like many generations before them, they are the ones who dare to start the fight back and sacrifice their lives. The pain, sadness, anger, and anxiety of the families of those young people killed and arrested are unfathomable. Many people are saying that the revolution is close to victory. I want to believe that the people will win in the end, but at this point, it is not easy to see how the whole debacle is going to unfold. How do you fight an institution that does not hesitate or express remorse about using any weapon available to kill their own people—who are simply asking for their rights to be respected? People, especially Generation Z, persist despite the violence. On 3 March, Burma mourned the death of Kyal Sin, a 19-year-old girl who got shot in the back of her head. The words on her T-shirt said “Everything will be OK.” She left a note asking for her organs to be donated if it were not possible to resuscitate her. I felt devastated at the death of Kyal Sin and other youths on 3 March. However, it was seeing an emotional video posted on Facebook by a young woman, and recognising her own trauma, that led me to write this piece. In the video, the young woman films herself narrating her experiences of helping protesters on the frontline. This first-hand account is a plea for others to understand the violence that protesters face every day. This young woman has been helping protestors to flee from police violence. She repeatedly saw young people being brutally beaten up by the police. She had been using her car to block the road to delay the police vehicles so that she could assist the protesters to safety. It had been getting more and more difficult for her to do this because fewer people were turning up for the protests. The increasing use of tear gas, stun grenades, and live bullets emptied some of the main streets, and it was easier for the police vehicles to get through quickly to attack the protesters. Sometimes the makeshift roadblocks put up to deter police forces or police cars from passing through accidentally blocked her from reaching protesters. Other times people taking videos of the protests ignored her request to let her car pass through. Not being able to get through to the people she intended to help, and seeing police beat up her colleagues brought her to breaking point that day. She repeatedly said, “They asked the kids (protestors) to put up their hands on the heads and then they relentlessly beat them on their backs.” This broke her heart more than anything else. This woman knows she might die helping them, but she puts herself at risk to rescue the core young protestors. She wants more people to participate in protests to fight against the military and shield the front-line protestors. Since 1 February, she has hardly slept and has only eaten one meal a day because she is too tired. For her, the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) is not helping unless everybody participates in the protests. Like most young people, her fear of losing out to the military is far greater than her fear of dying. Her emotional response on Facebook to those criticizing young protestors for confronting the police instead of having small protests near their places of residence, and her plea to people, gave me a glimpse of what young protestors are going through. There are good days and terrible days in the over-a-month-long ongoing protests. On good days, most protestors get away unscathed, inspired, hopeful, and with renewed aspirations. On terrible days, some get killed, wounded, arrested, but the people do not give up. Every day, they come out to protest the coup. They are determined to make sure the military goes down. That’s when you can see the best of Burmese people, their resilience. The younger generation fights with creativity, resilience, and humour that keeps them going even though they are putting their lives on the line. You can see messages or posts on Facebook that encourage unity, such as “we can have different opinions but we are not divided.” People set aside religious and ethnic tensions to fight the common enemy – the military, and, by doing so, they have more compassion and understanding of years of atrocity and violence directed at ethnic groups, including the Rohingya. I have learned from a good friend of mine, a survivor of violence, that post-traumatic growth and resilience emerge in the aftermath of violence. Dealing with trauma is not a walk in the park. There are good days and bad days. Bad days can take you to the edge, but resilience can bring you back to embracing life. Sometimes it comes from inside. And sometimes the help from outside is necessary to keep on going. More than ever, people in Burma need every possible form of assistance from the international community to continue their long struggle. The UN, ASEAN, China, Russia, India, Japan, and other countries need to take action. Every country can take action if they take their mind off trade, regional competition, and geopolitical influence. The Burmese people have shown their spirit and resilience in the face of the violent suppression by the military. Day by day, people in Burma realize they cannot depend on outside help, not even the UN. Regardless, they are determined to continue their revolt against the military. The protests have grown so large and spread across the country that they have become transformed into revolution. Even if the international community fails to help Burma, the “Early Summer Revolution” (named by the protestors) will go on. People of Burma have experienced collective trauma, but they have tremendous resilience, and the world needs to stand by them. The following is an English translation of a post by a poet that was shared on Facebook:[1] I am afraid of mornings. When he wakes up, he goes straight to the bathroom, has a shower, changes his clothes, picks up his bag, and gets ready to go out of the door. He doesn’t even notice the breakfast I prepared for him. I ask, Where are you going today? He used to tell me whether he was going to Hledan, Sule, Sanchaung, or Bargyar. Now he only says where the protest is. I warn him they are going to shoot today. He said they are shooting every day. Don’t spread that kind of talk. Instead of 100 people, only 50 will come to protest. Don’t make me afraid. It’s not the time for fear. Looking thin and sunburned, no gun, no bullet, just a backpack and the three fingers salute. He: Don’t keep calling me. He goes, and I go. I can exhale when everybody comes back home in the evening. Exhausting days since the coup. I have absolute empathy for the fallen heroes and their families. Salute to them!..."
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Source/publisher: Tea Circle (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 19 May, (807) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Bago City and Pyay Town in Bago Region were killed in previous days and have been documented today. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has not yet confirmed any fallen heroes today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 19, a total of (4174) people are currently under detention; of them (94) are sentenced. 1742 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Despite the junta’s relentless oppression, people across Burma continue to protest in various ways, to oppose this military dictatorship. This morning in Thaketa township, Yangon Region, the so-called police used motorbikes to crack down on civilians as they gathered for a university student protest. Three civilians were arrested. The indiscriminate shooting of civilians by these terrorists are worsening every day. Last night, in Pyay Township, Bago Region, a man was shot and taken away by junta forces with his injuries. This morning, his family were told to collect the dead body. In a similar case, on May 17, a young man was shot and detained with his wounds as junta forces raided a restaurant. His family were notified five hours later that he was dead. Families of those injured are often not notified of the victim’s arrest, or of any injuries and are often only contacted after the victim’s death. This shows this junta’s dishonesty. It also remains unknown whether victims are given access to medical treatment. Junta forces treat detainees in cruel ways which violate human rights and human dignity. Many other detainees have faced various atrocities whilst under detention. Junta forces use fraud, bribery and extortion to deceive and opress civilians. Parents of detained children have been made to pay more than 5 million kyats (USD$3037) to the junta for the release of their child, yet after paying, these children have still not been released. There have also been reports that artists and other wealthy civilians have been requested to pay 20 million kyats in order to have their names removed from the warrant list. Specific confirmation of this is yet to be verified. Only releasing detainees after receiving payment is extortion and a form of abduction. These actions clearly show the criminal nature of this junta regime. Junta terrorists have been attempting to divert civilian’s interest away from participation in politics. In states, regions and villages across Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Saging and Irrawaddy Regions, the junta has officially allowed gambling. This terrorist group is leading Burma down a path of destruction in order to maintain power. This illegitimate group is committing illegal acts, pushing the country further into instability day by day. Under junta control, children have also been severely oppressed. Last night in Bago City, Bago Region, two 14-year-old children and an 18-year-old young man were beaten and arrested. According to AAPP’s documentation, as of today, a total of 73 children have been detained and a total of 53 children have been killed. This is an extremely concerning situation for all of Burma’s children. Since the coup, children have not been granted access to protection in any way. Even though Burma is one of the countries which has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as the junta is an illegal terrorist group, it is unsurprising that these rights are not respected. LGBTIQ communities have also faced oppression, without any protection, throughout the coup. An activist from the LGBTIQ community was arrested at gunpoint yesterday evening in Mingalardon Township, Yangon Region. This terrorist group uses acts of violence that severely violate human dignity against civilians during their interrogations. This stresses concern for the safety of this LGBTIQ detainee, who inevitably can be deprived of their basic rights. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.04 MB 3.61 MB 932.87 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 18 May, (805) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Mindat Township in Chin State, South Dagon Township in Yangon Region and Daik-U Township in Bago Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has not confirmed any fallen heroes today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 18, a total of (4146) people are currently under detention; of them (92) are sentenced. 1722 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today, people continued to protest against the military dictatorship in various strikes across Burma. The junta’s brutal shooting however, continues to worsen. Last night, a civilian was shot dead in Daik-U Township, Bago Region. The people of Burma experience constant insecurity on a daily basis, as this terrorist group continues threatening civilians with its use of armed forces and weapons. The junta regime has been using many different forms of oppression on any regions that fight back against them. Last night, they cut off the supply of drinking water in Mindat Township, Chin State. This is one of the most vicious tactics that the military has exercised throughout all its operations. It is a clear expression of the hatred the military has for innocent civilians. Junta terrorists have also been destroying state-owned, public, and private properties, both day and night. Yesterday, junta troops stormed local shops in Ka Myaing village, Thayet Chaung Township in Tanintharyi Region, threatening to shoot. They also destroyed materials inside the IELTS English training school in Muse Township in Shan State on May 16 after they were unable to find a wanted individual. Due to this violent destruction, civilians live in constant fear for their property and security, which they have been left to protect on their own. Raids and arrests by junta terrorists in Thalin village, Kani Township, in Sagaing Region have forced the whole village to begin fleeing since yesterday afternoon. The same situation occurred to locals in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State, where the military has expanded its forces. The junta regime uses various methods to suppress civilians in areas which oppose them, in order to weaken local defence forces and prevent further resistance. Similar oppressions will be seen in both urban and rural areas, for as long as the dictatorship lasts. Acts of vandalism and destruction have been occurring across Burma. The Basic Education no.14 Post-Primary School in South Dagon Township, Yangon Region was set on fire last night, and one of the nine teachers involved in CDM was arrested following accusations from the school principal. According to locals, the junta terrorists have been committing various kinds of oppression, which include the arrest of those involved in CDM and this arson attack. Arson is a method which is frequently used by the junta against the people. It has been more than 100 days since the junta coup. The international community, including ASEAN, has been extremely slow to respond and take action for Burma. The meeting scheduled on May 18 to draft a resolution on Burma at the UN General Assembly, has been postponed. It is the people who will continue to experience brutal human rights abuses of this seemingly endless terrorist regime. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.04 MB 3.81 MB 940.85 KB
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Title: Exodus to jungles, villages as Myanmar troops retake town
Description: "Thousands of residents of a hill town in northwest Myanmar were hiding in jungles, villages and valleys on Monday after fleeing an assault by state troops, witnesses said, as the army advanced into the town after days battling local militias. Mindat, about 100 km (60 miles) from the Indian border in Chin state, has seen some of the most intense fighting since a Feb. 1 coup that has led to the emergence of ragtag local armies that are stifling the junta's bid to consolidate power. Martial law was declared in Mindat on Thursday before the army launched its assault, using artillery and helicopters against a newly formed Chinland Defence Force, a militia armed mainly with hunting rifles, which said it had pulled back to spare civilians from being caught in the crossfire. Several residents reached by Reuters said food was in short supply and estimated as many as 5,000 to 8,000 people had fled the town, with roads blocked and the presence of troops in the streets preventing their return. "Almost everyone left the city," said a volunteer fighter who said she was in a jungle. "Most of them are in hiding." A representative of the local people's administrative group of Mindat said he was among some 200 people, including women and children, who had trekked across rocky roads and hills carrying blankets, rice and cooking pots. He said the group was attacked with heavy weapons when troops spotted smoke from their cooking fires. "We have to move from one place to another. We cannot settle in a place in the jungle," he told Reuters by phone. "Some men were arrested as they went into town to get more food for us. We cannot get into town currently. We are going to starve in few days." The Chinland Defence Forces in a statement on Monday said it had killed five government troops in Hakha, another town in Chin State. The United Nations children's fund UNICEF in a tweet urged security forces to ensure safety of children in Mindat, the latest international call for restraint after human rights groups, the United States and Britain condemned the use of war weapons against civilians. MULTIPLE FRONTS The United States, Britain and Canada on Monday announced more sanctions against businesses and individuals tied to the junta. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged more countries to follow suit. read more Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup, with the military battling armed and peaceful resistance on multiple fronts, adding to concerns about economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis from old conflicts reigniting in border regions. The fighters in Chin State say they are part of the People's Defence Forces of the shadow government, which has called on the international community for help. In an effort to coordinate the anti-junta forces, the shadow government on Monday issued a list of instructions to all the civilian armies, which it said must operate under its command and control. Aid groups in direct contact with residents of Mindat made urgent calls on social media on Monday for donations or food, clothing and medicine. Salai, 24, who has been organising an emergency response, said she had spoken to people hiding in a valley and on farmland who had fled the advance of soldiers. "They looted people's property. They burned down people's houses. It is really upsetting," said Salai. "Some in the town were injured by gunshots, including a young girl. She cannot get medical treatment." A military spokesman did not answer calls or messages seeking comment. In its nightly news bulletin, state-run MRTV said security forces returned fire after coming under attack from insurgents in Mindat, who fled, and that government troops had been attacked elsewhere in Chin State. So far, 790 people have been killed in the junta's crackdown on its opponents, according to the activist group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The military disputes that figure. Reuters cannot independently verify arrests and casualty numbers. The military says it intervened after its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Aung San Suu Kyi's party were ignored. An international monitoring group on Monday said the results of that election "were, by and large, representative of the will of the people of Myanmar"..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: A wider war spreads fast and far in Myanmar
Sub-title: Myanmar's peaceful protests are morphing into a hit-and-run resistance movement against military rule
Description: "Another military airbase has come under rocket attack in central Myanmar, a shadowy but strategic assault that even tightly censored, military-controlled media felt compelled to report. On May 15, three 107mm rockets were fired at Toungoo airbase, situated just 95 kilometers from the capital Naypyitaw, according to the state mouthpiece Global New Light of Myanmar. The rocket attack follows similar assaults on air bases at Magwe and Meiktila in late April. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but they come after recent Tatmadaw aerial bombardments in Kayin and Kachin states, where ethnic armies are battling the military and anti-coup protesters have recently taken refuge from rising, lethal military violence in urban areas. Myanmar’s civil wars, until now confined mainly to relatively remote ethnic frontier regions, are now spreading to the country’s heartland and urban areas. Rather than ethnic army fighters, recent attacks have more likely been launched by new-age militants from the ethnic Bamar majority. Shadowy attacks on military soft and hard targets are mounting. On May 18, a local junta-appointed official was assassinated in Yangon’s Lanmadaw district after two bomb blasts at his office. According to Yangon-based sources, the official was known to be a key military informant and his actions had led to the arrest of several pro-democracy protesters. Bombs have also detonated in various towns in Sagaing and Mandalay Regions and in Shan, Mon and Chin states. When the coup leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, visited Sagaing City on May 18 a bomb exploded even there despite tight security. A clear example of this new resistance to military rule was recently seen in Mindat, a town in Chin State but close to the border with the central region of Magwe. The Chinland Defense Force (CDF), a newly formed local militia, took over the town and retreated only after heavily armed Tatmadaw units counterattacked with artillery and helicopter gunfire. Before those reinforcements arrived, local militants armed with only hunting rifles and homemade bombs killed several Tatmadaw soldiers. Until now, Chin state is the only ethnic state in Myanmar that has not seen widespread insurgency. (The ceasefire Chin National Front was never a formidable force.) What began as peaceful, even joyful demonstrations against coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s democracy-suspending February 1 coup is now morphing into shadowy armed resistance across the country. The list of anti-military counterattacks is growing by the day. For instance, a bomb exploded at the Daik-U township’s education office in the Bago Region on May 16. That same day, another bomb detonated at the Mogok township general administrator’s office in the Mandalay Region. On May 17, the Htone Bo Ward administration office in Sagaing township was burned down. On May 18, a truck carrying food supplies for Myanmar army soldiers was torched on the Mogaung-Tanai Ledo road in Kachin State. The shift from peaceful to violent protest came only after demonstrators were violently and lethally attacked by soldiers and police, with snipers shooting teenagers and even killing children as young as five, according to news reports. Nearly 800 people have been killed by the police and Tatmadaw since Min Aung Hlaing seized power from an elected government. Close to 5,000 have been arrested, including politicians, journalists, lawyers and community workers. An unknown number are now in hiding or have fled to border areas or across the border into exile. Yangon residents say the persistent unrest appears to be taking a toll on the mental health of front-line police and soldiers who are ordered by their superiors to use lethal force against the general population. “They are staying inside hospitals, schools, police stations and secluded compounds and when they venture out of those, local activists inform their comrades in other parts of Yangon,” one Yangon-based source said. Three and a half months after the coup, anti-coup demonstrators are still marching in the streets in defiance. Many others, sources say, are getting ready for more violent action. They say the assassination of the official in Lanmadaw is probably only the beginning of what could quickly turn into urban warfare scenarios in major cities nationwide. According to some reports, automatic weapons and grenades have already been sent to activists in Yangon. Myanmar may not become a full-blown failed state — much of the economy is and has always been run underground and thus not measured in official statistics — but the nation is definitely now a failing state. Tens of thousands of health workers and teachers have been fired for taking part in the so-called Civil Disobedience Movement. Banks are reportedly running out of cash as people — if they are lucky — withdraw their savings. Many have imposed fees of 8%-9% to withdraw funds or imposed outright limits on the amount that can be taken out. A brain drain has also begun as many well-educated people have leveraged various channels to leave the country. What happens next is not clear, but Min Aung Hlaing’s power-grab is measuring up as perhaps the most unsuccessful military coup in modern Asian history. To be sure United States (US) and European Union (EU) sanctions have so far had no deterrent effect on the military’s onslaught. The severest action that can be taken by the United Nations (UN) would be a resolution calling for an “immediate suspension” of weapons transfers to the junta. Although recently introduced by the tiny European principality of Liechtenstein, which is not an EU member, and supported by the EU, UK and US, it will inevitably be vetoed at the UN Security Council by permanent members China and Russia. What is clear, however, is that Min Aung Hlaing has ruined his chance of becoming a credible political leader. As military commander-in-chief, he traveled more widely than any of his predecessors on what the Tatmadaw called “goodwill missions.” According to a study compiled by the Tagaung Institute of Political Studies, a Yangon-based think tank, his trips took him to China, Russia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Belarus, Serbia, Brunei, Pakistan and even Belgium, Austria, Germany and Italy. He won’t likely be welcome again in many of those countries. His future standing in Myanmar is also on shaky ground, with critics and commentators saying he has single-handedly destroyed his legacy as an armed forces commander while making the military even more an object of contempt in the public’s eye. But even if the Tatmadaw moved to oust him from his positions of power in a face-saving counter-coup – for now, more wishful thinking than likely scenario – there is no guarantee that his military successors would be in favor of the kind of openness Myanmar enjoyed from 2011 until this year’s disastrous coup..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication: 2021-05-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: ANFREL Releases 2020 Myanmar General Elections Final Observation Mission Report
Description: "The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released the final comprehensive report of its international election observation mission to the 2020 Myanmar General Elections on 17 May 2021. The 2020 Myanmar polls encountered several challenges including restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the observed shortcomings, the outcome of the elections were deemed to reflect the true will of the electorate. The members of the Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house of Myanmar's national Parliament) were scheduled to convene for their swearing-in ceremony on 1 February 2021, but, the Myanmar military staged a coup and seized power from the civilian government alleging electoral fraud. Several key political figures and activists including President U Win Myint, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the chair of the Union Election Commission (UEC) U Hla Thein, were arrested. The country was placed under state of emergency. The people of Myanmar continue to resist military rule through peaceful protests across the country but such efforts have been met with violent crackdowns by the military arresting thousands and killing hundreds of people. ANFREL recognizes the voice of the people of Myanmar and hopes this report illustrates the progress achieved by Myanmar as a democracy prior to the coup. ANFREL wishes that the country may soon return on the rightful path to an elected civilian government. ANFREL deployed 13 long-term observers for 24 days, eight short-term observers for eight days, three Election Day observers, a core team based in Yangon, and four electoral analysts, one in Yangon and the rest working remotely. The observers were deployed in 13 out of 14 states and regions in Myanmar. ANFREL's international election observation efforts follow a methodology based on international principles contained in documents such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Bangkok Declaration for Free and Fair Elections, and the Dili Indicators of Democratic Elections. ANFREL is a signatory of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Asian Network for Free Elections (Bangkok)
Date of publication: 2021-05-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 6.91 MB 6.76 MB
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Title: At Miss Universe pageant, Myanmar’s contestant pleads “our people are dying”
Description: "Myanmar’s Miss Universe contestant, Thuzar Wint Lwin, used the pageant on Sunday to urge the world to speak out against the military junta, whose security forces have killed hundreds of opponents since it seized power in a Feb. 1 coup. "Our people are dying and being shot by the military every day," she said in a video message for the competition, where she was appearing in the finals at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. "I would like to urge everyone to speak about Myanmar. As Miss Universe Myanmar since the coup, I have been speaking out as much as I can," she said. Myanmar's junta spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment. Thuzar Wint Lwin is among dozens of Myanmar celebrities, actors, social media influencers and sports people who have voiced opposition to the coup, in which elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown and detained. At least 790 people have been killed by security forces since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. It says over 5,000 people have been arrested, with some 4,000 still detained - including several celebrities. Thuzar Wint Lwin did not make it to the last round of the Miss Universe competition, but she won the award for Best National Costume, which was based on the ethnic costume of her Chin people from northwestern Myanmar, where fighting has raged in recent days between the army and anti-junta militia fighters. As she paraded with her national costume, she held up a placard that said “Pray for Myanmar”..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 17 May, (802) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (6) fallen heroes today. These (6) fallen heroes from Mindat, Hakha, Tedim and Tamu Townships in Chin State, Myingyan Township in Mandalay Region and South Dagon Township in Yangon Region were killed in previous days and have been documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has not yet confirmed any fallen heroes today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 17, a total of (4120) people are currently under detention; of them (92) are sentenced. 1699 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today, people across Burma continued to protest against the oppressive military dictatorship. In Tanintharyi Region today, a protest in Dawei was violently cracked down on by junta forces using civilian vehicles to crash into protesters, leaving many injured. In this crackdown, seven civilians were arrested and one was shot with a rubber bullet. Junta forces are now using this brutal method of suppressing protests by crashing into civilians with cars on a daily basis. This is a clear expression of hostility towards civilians, and shows the junta will use any means to inflict harm on the people. The junta terrorists used heavy artillery and live ammunition last night across Mindat Town, Chin State, following massive raids on Mindat Town yesterday. Similar shooting occured today, destroying houses. A 10 year-old girl who was hiding inside a house was shot and remains in a critical condition. Junta troops have been violently damaging houses and shops, and looting goods. In addition to this, displaced civilians who have been hiding in the jungles are in desperate need of food, shelter, and medical supplies. The use of such violent force against a small town warns any other town that resists against the junta, that they will face the same brutality. The people of Burma however, have shown they are not afraid of junta threats, and will continue to fight to defeat the military dictatorship. The people will not accept any negotiations, and will only accept solutions which hold the junta fully accountable for the deaths of over 800 civilians. Last night, junta forces opened fire in Tedim Town, Chin State. Two youths from Tedim Town were killed. The death of one of the two victims is still under investigation; if it is confirmed, the death will be added to the AAPP fatality list. Yesterday evening in Hakha township, Chin state there was a clash between the Chin State Defense Force (Hakha) (CDF-Hakha), and the junta terrorists, which resulted in the death of a young man from the CDF-Hakha. This terrorist group continues its daily shooting and the number of civilian deaths are rising, yet no effective action has been taken to bring down the Junta. The country is unstable and the rule of law has ceased. In South Dagon Township, Yangon Region, the junta returned the rotting body of a man who was arrested on May 14. In order to get permission to cremate his body, medical papers had to be signed which stated he died from pre-existing health conditions. His body was returned displaying many wounds consistent with torture. His face was badly bruised, with his entire mouth swollen, and his teeth appeared to be broken. The junta closely followed the funeral, ensuring no photos were taken. Torture is extremely cruel and inhumane, yet the terrorists continue to use such brutal methods to intimidate the people of Burma, and prevent them from opposing. They also continue to force victims’ family members to sign false medical records, in an attempt to cover up deaths caused by their torutre, and destroy evidence of their brutality. If this military dictatorship ends and democracy is restored, the junta will be held accountable for each and every one of their actions, regardless of their attempts to hide them. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-18
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.04 MB 3.7 MB 928.45 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 16 May, (796) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (6) fallen heroes today. These (6) fallen heroes from Mindat Township in Chin State were killed the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 16, a total of (3998) people are currently under detention; of them (92) are sentenced. 1679 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today, anti-military protests continued across Burma, in Innwa town, Mandalay Region the Mandalay Sanga Union protest was suppressed, though no-one was injured or arrested. In Myitkyina Township, Kachin State, four people were arrested as the protest was scattered. Police used civilian cars to chase the protesters. Last night in Waingmaw town, Kachin State, a young man was arrested and four others injured in an intentional car crash. Such barbaric atrocities are now becoming a predominant tactic of the junta. Yesterday in Mindat town, Chin State, the junta used excessive force against the entire city. This morning, civilians who fled were ambushed on their way. The terrorist group has been using violence to oppress rural areas. Nyaw Pyin Village, Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region and Monpin Village, Sintgaing Township, Mandalay Region were raided by large numbers of junta troops this morning. During the raid, at least four villagers from Nyaw Pyin village were arrested, every single door in Monpin village was smashed, and their belongings and money looted. Aside from this, three houses, including the house of the NLD village chairman, were destroyed yesterday evening in Kan Thar Yar village, Khin-U Township, Sagaing Region, bags of rice and 700,000 kyats were looted. The terrorist crimes of armed robbery, wrecking and raiding continue unabated due to impunity. The terrorist group allows police and soldiers to do whatever they want to maintain power. As long as the terrorist group is in power, such acts will continue to be committed on a daily basis. On 15 May, in Kho Yaung Village, Tangyan Township, Shan State, the Hsipaw Township NLD parliamentary candidate Sai Kan Nyunt was beaten to death, he was found dead with stab wounds. NLD members are being persecuted on a daily basis, the deaths are beyond doubt the junta’s doing. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.03 MB 3.88 MB 925.35 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 15 May, (790) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Mandalay City in Mandalay Region and Mindat Town in Chin State were killed the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has not yet confirmed any fallen heroes today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 15, a total of (3989) people are currently under detention; of them (92) are sentenced. 1659 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Civilian’s security is deteriorating day after day, the junta’s violence has reached utter ruthlessness, they are shooting, killing, arbitrarily charging, robbing , looting , destroying and vandalism, there has been no reduction by the junta. This morning in Taunggyi Town, Shan State, the junta crackdown on protests and 4 youths were arrested. In Yangon the junta crackdown in Yankin Township after a protest had finished, the police chased them with the motorbikes, and 7 youths were arrested. In Mindat Town , Chin State, the situation is getting worse due to resistance against the terrorist group, there is intense fighting and clashes every day. The junta group brought in nearly a thousand further troops and repeatedly fired heavy artillery shells. The junta troops entered the town and opened fire on civilians. Civilians were injured including children, they have not been able to get medical treatment. More than 15 youths were taken hostage and used as human shields when the junta came into the city. They are arresting all the men who are living in Mindat town. Their doors are being broken into, they are being beaten in the houses and arrested. This disproportionate use of brutal force is believed to be the terrorist aim for eradicating the People’s Defense Forces (PDF). The use of human shields is a “war crime” and impunity for these attacks are a failure to humanity. The terrorist group is carrying out unprovoked and intentional shootings, acts such as torture are perpetrated on a daily basis. In Monywa , Sagaing Region, Sein Win, a poet, philanthropist and veteran politician was collecting donations for IDP’s and he was at a friend’s house talking. Then an unidentified man arrived and poured gasoline on him and set him on fire. Such atrocities are being repeatedly perpetrated by the terrorist group who has become even more hostile to people against the coup. In Aungmyethazan Township, Mandalay, a Burmese teacher who was shot in the leg during a protest rally on May 2 died at Pyin Oo Lwin Military Hospital, his family was not allowed to bury his body and they did not say how he died. The lack of cause of their death indicates what truly happened, since the coup the terrorists have tortured many people to death. They are the only group which commits these crimes. The junta is also vandalizing and looting on a daily basis. Last night in Sagaing Region, Shwe Bo Market was set on fire during curfew time, locals say it was linked to the junta’s action. In Myitkyina, Kachin State, the junta threatened whoever passed by on the road with their guns, demanding money and saying they would shoot the people if they did not give money. A similar crime was reported in Mogaung Township, clearly showing the junta is a criminal robber. Last night, the junta raided Zivita Dana Sangha Hospital and arrested a patient who was seriously injured, a doctor, intern, two volunteers, and a paramedic. A total of six people were arrested. They even abuse people’s rights in places that should be most protected, clear violations of the Geneva Convention. Despite all these atrocities, no effective action is being taken against the terrorist group. Burma gets general agreement statements from the five ASEAN statements, but no action – just silence. This is encouraging the military dictatorship and delaying democracy. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.04 MB 3.8 MB 921.52 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 14 May, (788) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has not yet confirmed any fallen heroes today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 14, a total of (3971) people are currently under detention; of them (92) are sentenced. 1639 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today people across Burma continue to protest against the dictatorship, and from some Townships in Chin State, Magway Region, and Sagaing Region people remain resistant to the intensified terrorist attacks. In Kyaukme, Shan State, the protest was crackdown by the junta but the protesters continued to gather. The junta cracks down on protests daily, they are searching and arresting, for not only protest leaders but also ordinary demonstrators. On 13 May Nabule Area, Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, a dawn protest was crackdown by the junta group. The junta searched and followed the protest, more than 30 protestors including CDM teachers were forced to flee their homes and now are experiencing a shortage of water and food. The junta group has made a series of arrests and crackdown on protesters to bring the demonstrations to an end and prevent them from gathering. Civilians are persecuted daily, on 13 May, in Mel Thel Kyo Kwin village tract, Chaung Oo Township in Sagaing Division, the junta raided a Gen Z’ Camp, two youths who tried to flee got shot in the leg and beaten in the head. They were kicked in the abdomen and ribs with boots, they were brutally beaten and their faces were swollen, the junta tortured the two youths so much they could not even identify their faces. As a result of this inhumanity, two young men are in a critical condition and reportedly dead. During the raid, weapons were confiscated, and several motorcycles from that camp set on fire. Torture is a serious crime, in Burma the perpetrators are granted impunity. This is why persecution is becoming more brutal, and they are free to commit crimes against humanity against civilians. Only when dictatorship is over will we have the right to live with dignity and security, but the crimes must be held accountable. Since the coup, journalists have been detained for providing timely updates and information on the terrorist group’s repression. Journalists are increasingly being arrested, sentenced, and forced to evade warrants. On 12 May, a reporter from Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) was sentenced to three years in prison. On 13 May in Yenangyaung Town, Magway Region, A journalist formerly with the Tomorrow Journal was arrested. The terrorist group is cutting off the freedom of the press because the people seeing this information frightens the junta. The only way is to promote local media and help fight back against the terrorist group and restore democracy in Burma. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.01 MB 3.71 MB 922.86 KB
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Title: Miss Universe Myanmar Arrives in Florida With a Message for the Junta
Sub-title: Ma Thuzar Wint Lwin hopes to use her international platform as a pageant contestant to criticize the country’s military coup and support the pro-democracy movement.
Description: "As a girl, Ma Thuzar Wint Lwin would watch the Miss Universe pageant and wish that she could be the one onstage representing her country, Myanmar. She entered her first two contests last year, nervous and excited about what to expect. But she ultimately walked away crowned Miss Universe Myanmar, and this week is competing at the global pageant in Florida. But now representing her country has new meaning. With the military seizing power in a Feb. 1 coup and killing hundreds of protesters, she hopes to use her platform to call attention to Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement and to appeal for international help in freeing elected leaders who have been detained. “They are killing our people like animals,” she said in an interview before leaving Myanmar for the competition. “Where is the humanity? Please help us. We are helpless here.” In a dramatic moment on Thursday during the pageant’s national costume show, she walked to the front of the stage and held up a sign saying, “Pray for Myanmar.” The final competition will be held on Sunday. The military takeover in Myanmar sparked widespread protests with millions of people taking to the streets and a civil disobedience movement and general strike that have largely shut down the economy. The Tatmadaw, as the military is known, has responded with a brutal crackdown, killing more than 780 people and detaining more than 3,900, according to a rights group that tracks political prisoners. In the early weeks of the protest movement, Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin, 22, joined the demonstrations, where she held signs with slogans such as “We do not want military government,” and called for the release of the country’s civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since the coup. She handed out water bottles to protesters in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and donated her savings to families whose loved ones were killed. She also expressed her opposition to the junta on Facebook, posting black-and-white photos of herself blindfolded, with tape over her mouth and her hands bound. The military’s onslaught has left the country living in fear, she said. “The soldiers patrol the city every day and sometimes they set up roadblocks to harass the people coming through,” said Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin, who also goes by the name Candy. “In some cases, they fire without hesitation. We are scared of our own soldiers. Whenever we see one, all we feel is anger and fear.” Every evening on television, the military announces new arrest warrants for celebrities and others who have been critical of the regime. Some of those named have been people Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin knows. Before leaving for the United States, she watched anxiously to see if her name had ended up on the military’s wanted list. She saw reports of well-known people being detained as they tried to leave the country, so she decided to wear a hoodie and glasses to keep from being recognized at the Yangon airport. “I had to pass through immigration and I was so scared,” she said in an interview from Florida. In criticizing the junta from outside her country, Miss Universe Myanmar is not alone. U Win Htet Oo, one of the country’s best swimmers, said from Australia that he was giving up his dream of going to the Olympics and would not compete under the Myanmar flag until the regime’s leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, was removed from power. And the mixed martial arts fighter U Aung La Nsang, an American citizen and one of Myanmar’s most famous athletes, has urged President Biden to help end the suffering of Myanmar’s people. Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin says she believes that it will not be safe for her to return to Myanmar after speaking out against the regime; she does not know where she will go after the pageant ends. An English major at East Yangon University, her path to the pro-democracy movement can perhaps be traced back to her childhood. She grew up in a middle-class household. Like many parents, her father, a businessman, and her mother, a housewife, dared not discuss the military government that was then in power. One of her early memories was walking with her mother near Sule Pagoda in downtown Yangon in 2007, when monks led nationwide protests against military rule. She was 7. As they neared the pagoda, soldiers broke up the protest by shooting their guns in the air. People started running. She and her mother ran, too. “We were very scared,” she recalled. “We went to a stranger’s house and we were hiding.” Soon after, the military crushed that protest movement by shooting dozens of people. But by 2011, the military began sharing power with civilian leaders and opening the country, allowing cellphones and affordable internet access to flood in. Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin is part of the first generation in Myanmar to grow up fully connected to the outside world, and for whom a free society seemed normal. In 2015, the country seated democratically elected officials for the first time in more than half a century. “We have been living in freedom for five years,” she said. “Do not take us back. We know all about the world. We have the internet.” November was the first time she was old enough to vote, and she cast her ballot for the National League for Democracy, the party of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, which won in a landslide only to have the military overturn the results by seizing power. Before the coup, Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin’s biggest ordeal came when she was 19 and had surgery to remove precancerous tumors from each breast, leaving permanent scars. She decided against having laser treatment to improve their appearance as a reminder of her success in preventing cancer. “It’s just a scar and I’m still me,” she wrote in a recent post with photographs of the scars. “I met self-acceptance realizing nothing changed who I am and the values I set for myself. Now, when I see those scars, I feel empowered.” She began modeling when she was in high school and, after her father’s retirement, helped support the family. She is one of fewer than a dozen contestants from Myanmar ever to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, which was founded in 1952. During the period from 1962 to 2011, when the Tatmadaw first ruled, Myanmar sent no contestants at all. When Ms. Thuzar Wint Lwin arrived in Florida on May 7, she was told the suitcase with her outfits for the competition had been lost by the airline. Most contestants had already arrived and were busy rehearsing, making videos and having photo shoots. As the week wore on, the bag still hadn’t arrived, but the pageant organizers were helping her with her gown, and other contestants were lending her outfits. Her national costume was among the missing items. People from Myanmar who live in the United States provided her with a stunning replacement of ethnic Chin origin. She wore it on Thursday to the applause of many in the crowd. Soon after landing in Florida, she posted an autobiographical video on Facebook that would be unusual for any beauty pageant contestant: It shows her wearing formal gowns mixed with scenes of people fleeing tear gas and a soldier shooting a man who rode by on a motorbike. “Myanmar deserves democracy,” she says in the video. “We will keep fighting and I also hope that international communities will give us help that we desperately need.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The New York Times" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
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Title: ‘Revolution dwells in the heart’: Myanmar’s poets cut down by the military
Sub-title: Khet Thi, who captured the unflinching determination of the Myanmar public, was the third poet to be killed by the military since the coup
Description: "His words captured the unflinching determination of the Myanmar public in the face of military brutality: “They shoot in the head, but they don’t know revolution dwells in the heart.” The poet Khet Thi was taken from his home in Shwebo, in the Sagaing region, last Saturday. The next day, his wife collected his body from a hospital. His organs had been removed, she told BBC Burmese. The military has tried to crush any form of dissent over recent months, including writers or celebrities whose words have the power to inspire hope and rebellion. “Poetry, charisma and courage are a deadly blend against any tyranny,” said Ko Ko Thett, a poet, translator and anthologist of contemporary Burmese poetry, who is based in the UK. At least 32 writers and poets are in detention, according to PEN International, a global association of writers which has been tracking arrests. Others have fallen victim to military violence on the frontlines of rallies. Two poets – K Za Win and Myint Myint Zin – were shot dead when the military opened fire on protesters in March On Friday, U Sein Win, a poet, politician and philanthropist, was doused in petrol and burned to death in an attack by an unknown perpetrator. He is the fourth poet to be killed in recent months. Myanmar’s rich poetic heritage is deeply intertwined with politics. Poets used verse to resist British colonial rule, as well as the previous military regime, which censored and imprisoned writers. Poets would meet in tea shops to discuss their works, and use coded language to bypass censorship. When Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy was elected to power in 2015’s historic election – a breakthrough for democracy after decades of direct military rule – 11 poets were among the candidates who won seats. Though there were still limitations on expression under Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, poets were able to write and publish far more freely. Khet Thi quit his job as an engineer in 2012 to pursue poetry, selling cakes and ice-creams on the side to support himself. He grew up in Pale township in Monywa, where his parents operated a peanut oil press, and first began writing poetry while at school. “His poems have always been special and unique because they came from his heart,” said a close friend. They had not been able to meet since the coup, and had avoided discussing the political situation on the phone, in case they were being monitored. Many poets were in hiding, fearing arrest, he said. “Khet Thi’s virtue was that he only wanted to be friends with people who see people as people [who do not discriminate]. He was a revolutionary with strong beliefs and someone who never steps back,” the friend added. Khet Thi was possibly the only prominent poet from Myanmar’s Bamar majority who wrote about the 2017 Gu Dar Pyin massacre, said Ko Ko Thett. Discussion of such attacks, where hundreds of Rohingya were killed by security forces and buried in mass graves, was highly sensitive. Before the coup, he would sell printed copies of his books, but over recent months his words were shared mainly on Facebook. He addressed rallies, telling crowds at a march on 27 March that every protester in Myanmar was a Nobel peace prize winner. “Who does the power belong to?” he shouted into a microphone. “The people!” protesters replied. Though critical of the NLD, K Za Win also appeared at the front line of protests that swept the country in the wake of the coup, defending the party’s election victory and right to govern. He grew up in Letpadaung near Monywa, and spoke out about land rights after his family lost their land to a mining project pursued jointly by a Chinese and Myanmar military-backed company. K Za Win was a Buddhist monk but left the sangha, said Ko Ko Thett, because he believed there was little point in being recognised as a learned monk by the military state. He spent more than one year in prison after he was arrested for taking part in a rally for education reform in 2015. After his release, he published his most famous work, a collection called My Reply to Ramon. Prior to his death, K Za Win had written on Facebook: “Though I have different views than you, I’ll lay down my life for you all.” Myint Myint Zin and K Za Wi were among 38 people killed during crackdowns on protesters on 3 March. The poets expressed the emotions that were felt by the people, said May, a professor in Japan. “This revolution is led by all of our sheer will power and we need literary people who speak for us.” The Burmese language already has a poetic quality, said Ko Ko Thett. “It features euphonies and rhymes frequently. Most Burmese slogans, by the regime or anti-regime groups, are couplets.” But the verses written by Khet Thi and others are far more than a literary exercise. Security forces have killed 790 people since the coup, according to an advocacy group, including protesters, bystanders and dozens of children. Thousands have been arrested, and are often held in unknown locations. Reports of torture of widespread. “For many people on the ground in Myanmar, lines such as ‘with what grief I will grieve for you, my martyred son’ by [the poet] A Phaw Khaing have become daily reality. People who are at a loss for words tend to find answers in poetry,” he said. Many will remember Khet Thi by one of his famous lines, written in response to military violence: “You try so hard to bury us underground, because you don’t know that we are the seeds.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 385.9 KB
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Title: 100 days on from the coup in Myanmar - BBC News
Description: "Since the military coup on 1 February, more than 700 people have been killed by security forces and thousands have been imprisoned. Elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party have also been detained. There have since been multiple reports of detainees being tortured while in custody, with some dying from their injuries. Myanmar's military has justified the February takeover by alleging there had been widespread fraud during a general election late last year. Please subscribe HERE http://bit.ly/1rbfUog..."
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar frees Japanese journalist as gesture to Tokyo
Description: "An arrested Japanese reporter returned home Friday after being released by Myanmar’s ruling junta in what it called a gesture of friendship to Japan. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Yuki Kitazumi was released after efforts by Japanese diplomats and others. The reporter boarded a plane at Yangon’s airport and landed in Japan on Friday night. Kitazumi, a freelance journalist and former reporter for Japan’s Nikkei business news, said in brief comments at the airport that he learned of his release the night before and was told to pack his bag in 10 minutes. “As a journalist I wanted to stay in Yangon and keep reporting, but I had to come back, and that is my regret,” he said. He said he hopes to keep telling the world about what’s happening in Myanmar. The military seized power on Feb. 1, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. It has faced large, constant popular opposition, which it has tried to suppress by using force that has cost hundreds of lives and by muzzling the news media. Myanmar’s army-run Myawaddy TV said Kitazumi was arrested on April 18 for “inciting” anti-military civil disobedience and riots. “Although the journalist is a lawbreaker, the case will be closed and he will be released at the request of the Special Envoy of the Japanese Government for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, in view of the close ties and future relations between Myanmar and Japan,” the junta said in a statement read on TV. Japan has criticized the military government’s deadly crackdown on opposition but has taken a milder approach than the United States and some other countries that imposed sanctions against members of the junta. Kitazumi was also charged with violating visa regulations. He was the first foreign journalist to be charged under a statute which the state press has described as aiming at “fake news.” He has posted reports and views about developments in Myanmar on Facebook. Hours before his arrest, he posted a video showing Myanmar citizens gathering at a Tokyo temple to pay tribute to people killed by Myanmar security forces trying to quell protests. Kitazumi had been detained briefly by police in late February while covering pro-democracy protests in Myanmar. The announcement that he had been granted clemency came a day after a military court sentenced a Myanmar journalist, Min Nyo, to three years in prison on similar charges. Min Nyo is a correspondent for the Democratic Voice of Burma, an online and broadcast news agency which has continued to operate despite being banned by the junta. A statement issued by DVB said Min Nyo was covering a March 3 anti-junta protest in the town of Pyay, 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Yangon, when he was arrested and severely beaten by police. About 80 journalists have been arrested since the military’s takeover. Roughly half are still detained and most of them are being held under charges similar to the one for which Min Nyo was convicted, as are many activists opposed to the military regime. Rights group Amnesty International said Min Nyo’s case showed the ruthlessness of the junta and the risks faced by journalists reporting on the junta’s abuses. “Min Nyo’s conviction must be quashed, and he should be released immediately -– along with all other journalists, activists and human rights defenders imprisoned and detained solely for their peaceful opposition to the military coup,” the group’s deputy regional director, Emerlynne Gil, said in a statement. ___ This story was first published on May 14, 2021. It was updated on May 15, 2021 to correct the name of the journalist on first reference. He is Yuki Kitazumi, not Yuki Kigazumi..."
Source/publisher: "Associated Press" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar junta labels rivals as terrorist group | DW News
Description: "It's been a hundred days since the military in Myanmar staged a coup and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The time since has been marked by protests, violence and uncertainty. Myanmar's junta has designated the rival National Unity Government (NUG) a terrorist group, blaming it for killings, bombings and arson, state media said on Saturday. After Myanmar's February 1 coup, a group of ousted lawmakers — many of them previously part of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party — formed a shadow government. State-controlled television slammed the NUG as a terror group, as well as the affiliated Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) group..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "DW News" (Germany)
Date of publication: 2021-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar's Revolution through the eyes of a musician - BBC News
Description: "More than 750 people have been killed since the Myanmar military seized power three months ago. Thousands of people have been detained, including elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The borders are closed and the internet effectively blocked, but people are documenting their ongoing resistance to the coup. In Yangon, a musician and his sister have, for the last two months, been filming for the BBC..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Roads blocked in Yangon as thousands protest Myanmar coup - BBC News
Description: "Dozens of vehicles are blocking key roads across Myanmar's main city Yangon, in what appears to be a new tactic employed by protesters. It comes as tens of thousands of people gather downtown, in what organisers hope will be the biggest protest yet. The UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, also known as Burma, has warned of potential violence. Demonstrators are demanding the release of their elected leaders following a 1 Feb military coup - Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders have been detained by the military..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-02-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Student Tortured to Death After Myanmar Junta Forces Raid Mandalay Village-Tract
Topic: arrest, detain, forces, junta, killed, Military, Myingyan, raid, regime, student, Talokmyo, Torture, troops, village-tract
Topic: arrest, detain, forces, junta, killed, Military, Myingyan, raid, regime, student, Talokmyo, Torture, troops, village-tract
Description: "A university student was tortured to death in military custody after being detained during a raid by junta forces on Talokmyo Village-tract in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region on Wednesday, according to sources close to him. Family members were told on Thursday morning to collect the body of Ko Zin Ko Tun, who was arrested with five other students during the raid on Talokmyo on Wednesday afternoon. “He was struck by a bullet in Talokmyo and arrested. And he died in military custody,” a source said. Ko Zin Ko Tun, a first-year IT student from Myingyan, had only an arm wound when he was taken away by the junta forces. “He was still alive when he was arrested. All six were beaten with rifle butts as junta forces arrested them. He died during interrogation. Another one who was hit in the leg also reportedly had his leg amputated,” said a source close to Ko Zin Ko Tun. Junta forces planted weapons on the six when photographing them immediately after their arrest to make the crime look more serious. When the military’s mouthpiece, Myawaddy TV, reported the news, Ko Zin Ko Tun was not shown, and more arms and ammunition were displayed instead. “In the first photo, they [junta forces] intentionally added their weapons. And more weapons were added in the photo published by Myawaddy. They are attempting to make it appear as if a more serious crime occurred,” a source close to Ko Zin Ko Tun said. “The pictures published by Myawaddy intend to make the crime look more serious. It was unnecessarily cruel of the junta forces to use more than 400 troops to launch a violent crackdown on unarmed civilians,” a Talokmyo resident said. Of the six, five including a woman are university students from Myingyan. The identity of the sixth is still unknown. They were in Talokmyo to help villagers with their resistance movement against the military regime. Junta troops detained between 50 and 100 civilians in the raid Wednesday morning in Talokmyo. The clash began on Tuesday afternoon when more than 100 regime troops attempted to enter Talokmyo. Faced with unexpected resistance from the villagers, some 400 more soldiers were brought in on Wednesday morning to attack the village-tract. Two junta troops were killed and three injured in the shootout. Three civilians were injured. Locals have fled their villages following the raid, but junta forces are searching for them in nearby forests.
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Two Civilians Tortured to Death, Bodies “Cremated” to Destroy Evidence
Description: "The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) is deeply troubled and strongly condemns the torture and death of two Chin civilians by Tatmadaw soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 266 operating under the Tactical Operations Command based in Hakha, Chin State. CHRO is calling for a thorough and independent investigation into the deaths of the two individuals while in custody, as well as all allegations of systematic torture practices currently being used against civilian detainees at the LIB 266 military base detention centre located on Mount Rung. Tler Ling, a 54-year-old local farmer was arrested by Tatmadaw soldiers on Sunday, 9 May having been accused of harboring members of the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) and for alleged possession of a traditional hunting rifle at his farmhouse on the outskirts of Hakha Town. A second victim, 27-year-old, Kham Bawi who had just arrived from his village and was staying with relatives in Hakha, was arrested separately on the same day. Both were taken to the Tactical Operations Command Center on Mount Rung where they were tortured and later died. Initially the Tactical Operations Commander, Colonel Saw Tun told community and religious leaders that the two had succumbed to injuries sustained during their interrogations while on the way to Kalay Myo (approx. 200 kilometres away from Hakha) having been transported there for urgent medical treatment. This differed from accounts provided within the Monday edition of the state-run daily newspaper Myanmar Alin, which stated that the two had succumbed to heart disease. When community leaders pressed for the bodies to be returned to the families for proper burial according to Chin customary traditions, Colonel Saw Tun informed community members that the bodies had been cremated as 54-year-old, Tler Ling was discovered to have contracted COVID-19. CHRO has raised grave concerns regarding the treatment of detainees and allegations of torture practices used by the Tatmadaw during interrogations and has documented serious bodily and psychological injuries inflicted on civilian detainees suspected of being involved in anti-junta activities since the February 1 coup d’etat: “Accountability for such heinous crimes must go to the top of the chain of command. As the two highest-ranking army officials in Chin State, we hold Tactical Operations Commander Colonel Saw Tun, and Brigadier-General Myo Htut Hlaing, Deputy Commander of the Northwestern Regional Command as culpable for the deaths of Tler Ling and Khamh Bawi,” said Salai Za Uk Ling, Deputy Executive Director of CHRO. For more information please contact: [email protected] Tel: +91 873 104 6827..."
Source/publisher: Chin Human Rights Organization
Date of publication: 2021-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 36.63 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 13 May, (788) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. (1) from Mindat Town in Chin State died on 13 May. (2) from Talote Town, in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region and Hakha Town in Chin State were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 13, a total of (3936) people are currently under detention; of them (90) are sentenced. 1619 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today, people across Burma continued to fight to defeat the military dictatorship. Early this morning in Nabule Region, Dawei Township in Tanintharyi Region, junta forces cracked down on protests, arresting four civilians who were not participating in the protests. Yesterday evening, the junta suppressed a protest taking place in Nanat Taw Ward, Loikaw Township in Kayah State using unmarked cars and military vehicles and fired real bullets into houses. During this crackdown 10 civilians, and three children were arrested, including a 12-year-old child. In recent days, junta forces have carried out a series of arrests upon children during crackdowns. The people of Burma continue to defend themselves, using any weapon they can find, particularly in areas which junta forces have used excessive force against locals – using artillery on civilians. Early this morning, Mel Thel Kyo Kwin Village in Chaung U Township, Sagaing Region was attacked by junta forces. Villagers tried to defend themselves, but were later surrounded by the military, who opened fire on them, forcing them to flee from their village. At this time, junta forces were also shooting in Chaung U Town. Since last night, fighting between the military and the Mindat People’s Defence Force has resumed in Mindat Town, Chin State, where the junta has been shelling the town with heavy artillery. This violence resulted in the death of a member of the Mindat People’s Defense Force, and injury to four other civilians. This extremist terrorist group despises and oppresses civilians, people are given no protection, and these villagers and other civilians have been left to fight for themselves. This morning, junta forces raided Myay Taw Village in Yezakyo Township, Magway Region, searching for civilians who had fled from other areas. They searched houses, destroying property and beat any civilians they found. The junta has been torturing and killing people on a daily basis. After they murder civilians, they threaten their families and force them to sign false death certificates, so they can release fake news about the death. Some families have been told that if these certificates are not signed, the body will not be returned to them. This occurs daily, allowing the junta to attempt to cover up their atrocities and make deaths seem unrelated to junta activities. Yesterday in Talote Town, Myingyan Township in Mandalay Region, a Technology College student, who was shot and detained whilst defending against the military, died at the interrogation center. Interrogation under this terrorist regime is known to be severe, so it is assumed this student died after being tortured, and from a lack of medical attention after his gunshot wound. In addition, on May 9, in Hakha in Chin State, two locals were detained. The junta later announced they both died due to health conditions. Both men were severely beaten, and could not walk properly before their death. The junta did not return their bodies to their families, and the bodies were instead burned. These kinds of atrocities are frequently committed by this terrorist group, whose crimes worsen as they continue to treat civilians as their enemies. The junta have been oppressing detainees, especially young people, and have been making false allegations about them. On May 10, the terrorist group cracked down on protesters in Bom Mar Ward, Tanintharyi Region in Dawei Town, arresting some civilians. The junta claimed they were seized with weapons. On May 11, two youths arrested in Muse Town in Shan State were alleged to have been carrying weapons. Junta forces make these accusations under sections of the law which hold long prison sentences to ensure protesters are kept in jail for a long time. They do this to intimidate civilians, and threaten that this could happen to anyone who protests against them. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.02 MB 3.77 MB 927.67 KB
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Title: Thailand: Prevent Pushbacks, Establish Protection Mechanisms for Refugees Fleeing Myanmar
Sub-title: Thai government instructed authorities to block refugees from Myanmar
Description: "The Government of Thailand should protect refugees from Myanmar from being forcibly returned and establish protection mechanisms in line with international human rights law, Fortify Rights said today. On March 19, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed government agencies to prevent “illegal immigration” from Myanmar, according to government meeting minutes. In line with this order, a Thai provincial official confirmed to Fortify Rights that Thai authorities this week returned to Myanmar at least 2,000 refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar’s Karen State. “The Thai government should be preparing to protect refugees rather than prevent border crossings,” said Amy Smith, Executive Director at Fortify Rights. “Thailand has made positive commitments and taken steps to establish procedures to recognize and protect refugees during the past several years. Now is the time for Thailand to put those commitments into action to protect refugees fleeing the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.” According to meeting minutes of the Thai Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), dated March 19, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed the Ministry of Interior, CCSA, and other concerned agencies to “monitor and prevent illegal immigration” along the Thailand-Myanmar border and instructed the Immigration Bureau to “enforce strict inspection of border crossings.” The government has also deployed Royal Thai Army troops and patrol boats to “monitor illegal entry along the western borders both by land and sea,” according to the meeting minutes. The Thai Government does not recognize refugees and considers undocumented or unauthorized entry or stay in Thailand as “illegal immigration.” A Thai government official speaking on the condition of anonymity told Fortify Rights that the Ministry of Defense is responsible for coordinating the government’s response to refugees from Myanmar. Among those responsible for this coordination is the Naresuan Force of the Royal Thai Army. The Naresuan Force is a special unit designated to protect the borders of Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces by “interception, retaliation and pushing back foreign forces deemed to violate Thai sovereignty.” The Naresuan Force held more than 2,100 refugees in makeshift shelters in Mae Sariang District of Mae Hong Son Province after they crossed into Thailand last week to flee attacks in Myanmar. Less than 100 remain in Thailand as of May 11, according to a Thai provincial official. Civil society actors in Karen State told Fortify Rights that Thai authorities also forced back to Myanmar most of the 5,000 refugees who crossed into Thailand in March and April. The official also confirmed that the army continues to restrict humanitarian organizations and U.N. agencies, including the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), from accessing groups of newly arriving refugees from Myanmar, citing security and COVID-19 health concerns. “Ensuring protections for refugees is first and foremost a humanitarian issue that demands an appropriate response from the Thai authorities to prevent the loss of life,” said Amy Smith. “Public health concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic and national security can be addressed and managed through proper screening mechanisms. Rather than restrict and sideline U.N. and humanitarian organizations who are ready to assist, Thai authorities should draw on their technical expertise and resources to facilitate a coordinated response.” According to the Thai government’s meeting minutes, the prime minister called for “effort” to be made to “prepare an area to host the influx of migrants into Thailand, quarantine facilities and field hospitals.” However, the Thai authorities have yet to announce the construction of facilities for refugees or that refugees will be provided access to quarantine or medical facilities. On May 6, Thai officials, including Mae Hong Son Governor Sithichai Jindaluang, the Commander of the Special Unit 7thInfantry Regiment, Colonel Sujin Subsin, and Permanent Secretary of Mae Hong Son Province Chanathip Semyam met with UNHCR-Thailand to discuss potential refugee influxes into Thailand and responses. At the time of writing, Thai authorities have yet to approve UNHCR operations to assist new refugees from Myanmar. UNHCR’s Key Legal Considerations on Access to Territory for Persons in Need of International Protection in the Context of the COVID-19 Response provides that “[d]enial of access to territory without safeguards to protect against refoulement cannot be justified on the grounds of any health risk.” Myanmar military attacks on civilian areas and clashes between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups have displaced more than 55,000 people in Kachin, Karen, and Shan states in Myanmar since February 1 , according to the latest figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Myanmar. A majority of the displaced, approximately 40,000, were forcibly displaced following renewed clashes between the Myanmar military and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), as well as airstrikes, “indiscriminate attacks,” and “shelling of civilian areas” by the Myanmar military, according to OCHA Myanmar. Since taking power in a military coup d’état on February 1, the Myanmar junta has continued to kill, arbitrarily arrest, and commit other crimes against political leaders, human rights defenders, peaceful protesters, and others in Myanmar. In a document seen by Fortify Rights and provided by the Myanmar junta to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ahead of a controversial summit to discuss Myanmar last month, the junta claimed that it detained 9,848 persons, released 4,511, and charged 5,070 between February 1 and April 15. Forcing refugees back to Myanmar violates the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the “rejection at the frontier, interception and indirect refoulement” of individuals at risk of persecution. While Thailand has not ratified the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention nor its 1967 Protocol, the principle of non-refoulement is part of customary international law and is therefore binding on all states. Under this principle, all countries are obligated to protect people from being returned to where they face danger or persecution, including through informal returns. The Thai government has repeatedly expressed a commitment to protect refugees, including by adopting the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration and endorsing the Global Compact on Refugees during the U.N. General Assembly in December 2018. The Thai government also affirmed a commitment to “humanitarianism and to take care of various groups of irregular migrants” during the U.N. Human Rights Committee review of Thailand’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in March 2017. On December 24, 2019, the Thai Cabinet endorsed regulations to establish a national screening mechanism to identify and potentially protect refugees. However, the mechanism has yet to be implemented and has come under criticism from human rights groups for failing to meet international standards. Thailand currently hosts more than 100,000 refugees, most of whom are protracted refugees from Myanmar living in temporary shelters along the Thailand-Myanmar border, as well as refugees from various countries living in Bangkok and surrounding provinces. All refugees in Thailand lack formal legal status and are at risk of arbitrary detention and being forcibly returned to countries where they may face persecution. “Thailand still views refugees primarily through a national security lens, but the only real threat to regional peace and security is the Myanmar junta,” said Amy Smith. “If Thailand wants to protect its own security, it should protect the people of Myanmar and work with the international community to deprive the junta of its weapons and financial resources..."
Source/publisher: "Fortify Rights"
Date of publication: 2021-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 12 May, (785) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Kani Township in Sagaing Region and Hakha Town in Chin State were killed the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 12, a total of (3885) people are currently under detention; of them (86) are sentenced. 1600 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today, people from all over Burma continued to protest against the military dictatorship. Junta forces use various forms of bullying and violence to intimidate civilians, yet the people continue to fight back, using anything they can find as a weapon. Today in Pyigyidagun Township, in Mandalay City the junta violently suppressed the Mandalay Coalition Strike. Many of the protesters were arrested and beaten. At least three teachers were arrested and 30 motorbikes were stolen. After more than three months since the coup, the junta has shown their lack of administrative power and inability to govern. Because of this, they use numerous forms of violence instead to suppress the people. They are now cracking down on protests before they even start. This terrorist group continues to torture and murder civilians. On 9 May, a local farmer from Hakha Town in Chin State was detained and tortured by the junta. He later died on 11 May. Brutal oppression and torture have been systematically used by the junta in all previous military dictatorships, and they are continuing this practise in the current coup in order to intimidate and coerce civilians into obedience. This junta treats civilians as their enemies. The only way to free the people from these persecutions is to end the dictatorship. On the night of May 10 in Kale Town in Sagaing Region, a woman died after junta shootings in the community caused her to have a heart attack soon after giving birth. As well as this, last night in Thamin Chan Villang, Kani Township in Sagaing Region junta forces shot dead a mentlly ill man in his own home because he insulted military forces who were camped in that village. The junta’s hostile behaviour and unprovoked shootings are worsening, and they are now even targeting those with mental illnesses. Remote areas in Burma have been severely targeted in recent days. Today, in Zee Pin Dwin Village, Kanai Township in Sagaing Region, locals were forced to flee their homes as junta forces entered the village and were arresting anyone they could find. In Magway Region, Taungdwingyi Township, junta forces who were camped in many local villages destroyed people’s homes and other properties. In addition, these terrorists have staged severe crackdowns on civilians who resist them. In Talot town, Myingyan Township in Mandalay Region, there were clashes between the People’s Defense Forces and the junta. Early this morning, the junta fired heavy artillery and raided the town, arresting more than 100 locals, including women, children and the elderly. Young people were beaten, arrested and interrogated. Only by overthrowing this dictatorship will these violent attacks, which turn villages and towns into war zones end. The junta, which seized power by force is now suppressing, arresting and suing children. They openly violate domestic law, international law and international human rights treaties. In South Okkalapa Township in Yangon Region, nine young people have been arrested since 30 April. Among these are four young people under the age of 17 who have not yet been released. This case not only shows a direct violation of domestic children’s rights, but also shows a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ratified by Myanmar. It is clear this terrorist group will not obey or respect any law because they illegitimately seized power. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Humanitarian Support, Coherent Global Action Still Needed 100 Days after Deadly Military Takeover in Myanmar, Secretary-General Says
Description: "The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: One hundred days since the Myanmar military takeover that has left hundreds of civilians killed and included numerous arbitrary arrests and other human rights violations, the Secretary-General renews his call on the country's military to respect the will of the people and act in the greater interest of peace and stability in the country. The Secretary-General also encourages the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to swiftly follow through on its own commitments, and the international community to support regional efforts, to bring an end to the repression by the military. He also calls on the international community to respond to the increased humanitarian needs. The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Christine Schraner Burgener, is in the region and continues to engage intensively with a range of key stakeholders, including in light of the broader ramifications of the crisis. She continues to promote coherent international action. The Secretary-General will continue to stand with the people of Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: United Nations ( New York )
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar coup: Firms quit office block with military ties
Description: "A high-end office block in Myanmar linked to the country's military leaders is seeing an exodus of international organisations. Coca-Cola, the World Bank and McKinsey have told the BBC they have moved out or are reviewing their leases at the Sule Square complex in Yangon. The United Nations said the complex was built on land owned by the military. Myanmar's military seized power from the democratically elected government in February. It has been 100 days since the early morning coup, sparking mass protests across the country in which hundreds have died. How Myanmar coup caused its healthcare to vanish Could sanctions on Myanmar's military ever work? Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?. However, even before they took power on 1 February, Myanmar's military - which initially ruled the country for almost half a century after seizing power in 1962 - owned large areas of land and controlled companies involved in everything from mining to banking. The land on which the building stands was leased from the military, according to a 2019 United Nations fact-finding mission report. Last month, activist group Justice for Myanmar called on 18 tenants of the complex of offices and shops in the heart of Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon to stop indirectly supporting the army. "Sule Square has big-name tenants that continue to lease office space in the building, indirectly supporting the army," Justice for Myanmar said in a report. According to news agency Reuters, six of the companies have said they have moved out or were reviewing their plans, but only one mentioned the military link. Other firms cited various reasons, including business prospects. In a statement via email, Coca-Cola told the BBC that it would not renew its lease when it ends in the middle of next month due to "changing business requirements". "Our office-based employees at Coca-Cola Limited (Myanmar) will continue to work from home for the rest of 2021 as part of overall safety measures. We will be communicating our new office location at a later date," it added. In a statement sent to the BBC, consultancy McKinsey & Company said: "We no longer have space in a serviced office leased in Sule Square. We terminated our lease in early 2021." Reuters said it is not currently using its Sule Square office and was reviewing its tenancy. A spokesperson for the World Bank Group, which also has an office in the complex, told the BBC that it was "assessing the situation in Myanmar, according to internal policies and procedures". Norway's state-owned telecoms operator Telenor said it had known that the military owned the land Sule Square is built on before it moved in but it had picked the location due to a number of reasons, including safety. Telenor has not said whether or not it plans to move out of the building. Sule Square, which is close to the historic Sule Pagoda in Yangon, opened in 2017. It was developed by a local affiliate of Hong Kong listed Shangri-La Asia, which also manages the building and a neighbouring hotel. Shangri-La said in 2017 that it had invested $125m (£88.5m) in the development.
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-05-12
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar coup: Six-year-old shot 'as she ran into father's arms'
Sub-title: A six-year-old girl has been shot dead in Myanmar, becoming the youngest known victim in the crackdown following last month's military coup.
Description: "Khin Myo Chit's family told the BBC she was killed by police while she ran towards her father, during a raid on their home in the city of Mandalay. Myanmar's military has been increasing its use of force as protests continue. Rights group Save the Children says more than 20 children are among dozens of people who have been killed. In total, the military says 164 people have been killed in protests, while the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) activist group puts the death toll at at least 261. The military on Tuesday expressed sadness at the death of protesters, while blaming them for bringing anarchy and violence to the country. But security forces have used live rounds against protesters, and there have been multiple eyewitness reports of people being beaten and sometimes shot as the military conducts house raids to arrest activists and protesters.....'Then they shot her': Khin Myo Chit's older sister told the BBC police officers had been searching all the houses in their neighbourhood in Mandalay on Tuesday afternoon, when they eventually entered their place to search for weapons and make arrests. "They kicked the door to open it," 25-year-old May Thu Sumaya said. "When the door was open, they asked my father whether there were any other people in the house." When he said no, they accused him of lying and began searching the house, she said. That was the moment when Khin Myo Chit ran over to their father to sit on his lap. "Then they shot and hit her," May Thu Sumaya said. In a separate interview with community media outlet Myanmar Muslim Media, their father U Maung Ko Hashin Bai described his child's last words. "She said, 'I can't Father, it's too painful'." He said she died just half an hour later while she was rushed away in a car to seek medical treatment. Police also beat and arrested his 19-year-old son. The military has yet to comment on the death. In a statement, Save the Children said it was "horrified" by the girl's death, which came a day after a 14-year-old boy was reportedly shot dead in Mandalay. "The death of these children is especially concerning given that they reportedly were killed while being at home, where they should have been safe from harm. The fact that so many children are being killed on an almost daily basis now shows a complete disregard for human life by security forces," the group said. Meanwhile on Wednesday, authorities released around 600 detainees held at Insein prison in Yangon (Rangoon), many of them university students. Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw was among those freed. He and other journalists had been held covering a protest last month. The AAPP says at least 2,000 people have been arrested in the crackdown so far. Protesters have planned for a silent strike with many businesses to close and people to stay at home. There are also plans for more candle-lit vigils overnight, both in Yangon and elsewhere.....Myanmar profile: Myanmar, also known as Burma, became independent from Britain in 1948. For much of its modern history, it has been under military rule Restrictions began loosening from 2010 onwards, leading to free elections in 2015 and the installation of a government headed by veteran opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi the following year In 2017, Myanmar's army responded to attacks on police by Rohingya militants with a deadly crackdown, driving more than half a million Rohingya Muslims across the border into Bangladesh in what the UN later called a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".....Country profile: Correction 1 April 2021: An earlier version of this article gave Khin Myo Chit's age as seven years old. While in Myanmar's counting tradition this is correct, as the BBC uses Western conventions for age we have amended the article to describe her as a six-year-old girl..."
Source/publisher: "BBC News" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-04-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Torture Suspected in Death of Myanmar Poet Called a Voice of Resistance
Sub-title: Myanmar poet Khet Thi, who wrote that the revolution against Myanmar's military junta 'is in the heart,' dies under torture at the hands of his interrogators.
Description: "A Myanmar poet known for writing verse supporting the resistance movement against the ruling military junta died less than 24 hours after his arrest, and his body was returned with organs including his heart removed, his wife and supporters said Tuesday. Khet Thi, also known as Zaw Tun, was taken into custody on Saturday for questioning at a detention center in Sagaing, a region in northwestern Myanmar that has been the scene of heavy protests against military rule. When Khet Thi’s body was retrieved by family members Sunday at a hospital in the Sagaing capital Monywa, it was badly discolored and stitching indicated that at least some internal organs had been removed, said his family. His family was told by the army that the 45-year-old poet had died of a heart attack, they said. Speaking on Monday in a panel discussion held by the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, Richard Horsey—a Myanmar adviser for the International Crisis Group—noted that Khet Thi had penned a line, now widely quoted, saying “They shoot us in the head, but they don’t know that the revolution is in the heart.” When Khet Thi’s body was returned, his heart was gone, and authorities said that he had died of a heart attack, Horsey said. “I think the message was pretty clear. He wrote that line, and he lost his heart.” His death makes three poets from Sagaing to be killed for working to oppose the junta, sources say. The first was Chan Win, a poet from Monywa whose real name was Chan Thar Swe. The second was Kyi Lin Aye. Both were shot dead on March 3 in Monywa. Khet Thi’s wife Chaw Su, a worker for the Telecommunications Department who was active in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) of work stoppages in opposition to military rule, had also been interrogated, but was released on Saturday and allowed to return home, sources said.....Simple, transparent poems: “When [Khet Thi] wrote poems, they were not just literary. They were about ideas,” another poet and protest veteran in Monywa told RFA’s Myanmar Service on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. “And his ideas were motivated by politics.” “The difference between his poems and the work of others was that his poems were not subtle. They were simple and transparent,” he said. Another poet, Yoe Khat, called Khet Thi’s death a loss to the world of poetry, and said he would continue to be honored by those resisting military rule in Myanmar, where a democratically elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted by the military on Feb. 1. “From time immemorial, poets have fought back with their hearts and with their minds,” Yoe Khan said, adding that Khet Thi had been doing this “since the beginning of the revolution.” “He inspired the people to revolution by imparting knowledge. This is a great loss to the world of poetry, and we will continue to honor him,” he said. Khet Thi’s funeral Monday evening in his hometown Pale was closely watched by plainclothes police and singing was banned, though many in the crowd could be seen raising the three-finger salute, a symbol of resistance to junta rule, family members told RFA. “He was a good man. He was loved by all his friends, and at home he would always cook for his family,” one family member said. “Now, when I wake up in the morning, I feel so empty and yet I cannot cry.” “There is no turning back time, though. He will never be forgotten.” Khet Thi, who had been married only two years, had made a living in Pale by making and selling cakes and ice cream. His brother is now under arrest in Monywa Prison for taking part in anti-junta protests, with family members keeping the news a secret from his mother. Attempts by RFA to reach Myanmar’s Deputy Information Minister Major General Zaw Min Tun for comment this week were unsuccessful..."
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Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Arrest of journalists a litmus test for how Thailand treats those fleeing persecution in Myanmar
Description: "Three senior reporters who fled Myanmar for Thailand after the brutal military coup "face certain arrest and persecution" if they are deported following their arrest in Chiang Mai on Sunday, journalist groups say. The three are prominent journalists with the independent Burmese news agency Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and were detained in the northern Thai city after a random police search, their editor said in a statement Monday. They, along with two unnamed activists, have been charged with illegally entering the country. The case could be the biggest test yet for how Thailand decides to treat those fleeing persecution from Myanmar in the wake of the coup. "DVB strongly urges the Thai authorities to not deport them back to Burma, as their life will be in serious danger if they were to return," said Aye Chan Naing, executive director and chief editor of DVB, who used another name for Myanmar. "They have been covering the demonstrations in Burma until March 8 — the day the military authority revoked DVB's TV license and banned DVB from doing any kind of media work." Thailand Police Captain Duangrit Wannarit, who filed the charges, told CNN Business the five arrested were Burmese passport holders and had not gone through the immigration system. On Tuesday, a Chiang Mai court adjourned the case until May 17 so the five could seek legal representation, Duangrit said. They will be held at the San Sai district police station until the hearing. As well as being charged for allegedly entering the country illegally, Duangrit said the "prosecutor will consider if they have also breached the communicable disease act." Duangrit declined to give more details, saying it was a "highly sensitive" case. However, he told CNN Business the five would not be sent back to Myanmar immediately after the court proceedings, and would remain in the custody of immigration police. Thailand's foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said in a tweet Tuesday "Thai authorities concerned are coordinating to find humanitarian solution(s) to the recent case of journalists from Myanmar." In this photo released by the San Sai District Administrative Office, a Thai officer checks the temperature of journalists working for Democratic Voice of Burma, at San Sai District in Chiang Mai province north of Thailand Sunday, May 9, 2021.....100 days since coup: Tuesday marks 100 days since Myanmar's military seized power in a coup on February 1, ousting the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Since then, the military junta has brutally cracked down on any perceived opposition to its rule. Mass street protests have been suppressed with deadly force, with more than 780 people killed by security forces and almost 5,000 arrested, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The junta, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, has attempted to silence independent media. Journalists across the country have been attacked and detained merely for doing their jobs. More than 80 reporters have been arrested since the coup, with more than half of those still in detention as of May 3, according to a statement from Western embassies in Myanmar. The military has also revoked the licenses of prominent independent broadcasters, online news outlets and newspapers, including DVB, so working for them is considered illegal. On May 4, the junta banned the use of satellite dishes — an order aimed at DVB and banned independent news agency Mizzima, which continued to broadcast by satellite into the country. Offices of newspapers and online media have been raided, and a nightly news bulletin on state TV broadcasts the names and images of those sought by the junta, including journalists. Many are being held on charges under section 505a of Myanmar's Penal Code — a law amended by the military that makes it a crime punishable by up to three years in prison for publishing or circulating comments that "cause fear" or spread "false news." There are fears if the five are deported to Myanmar, they will face certain arrest and the possibility of torture. Media and rights groups are calling on Thailand to ensure they remain in the country on humanitarian grounds. "Thai authorities should uphold the country's proud history as a sanctuary for journalists fleeing military repression in Myanmar, and on humanitarian grounds should not deport three Democratic Voice of Burma journalists recently arrested for alleged illegal entry," said Shawn Crispin, senior Southeast Asia representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists. "Myanmar's military regime has repeatedly abused and detained journalists, and Thai authorities should not force these members of the press to face potentially severe retaliation for their work.".....Big test for Thailand's position on coup: The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) said in a statement it was "seriously concerned" about the arrests. "These five individuals would face certain arrest and persecution, if not worse, for their work and association with the DVB, and under no circumstances should they be deported back to Myanmar," the statement read. "Rather, the DVB journalists and their associates should be released from detention, urgently offered protection, and granted the right to remain temporarily in Thailand." DVB's Aye Chan Naing also urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Bangkok "to intervene to help guard their safety." "We request the international community to help call the Thai authorities to waive their deportation," he said. For years, Thai authorities allowed exiled Burmese media organizations like DVB to operate within its borders. Thailand has also hosted tens of thousands of refugees in nine main camps along its border with Myanmar for three decades, following armed conflicts, human rights abuses and persecution of ethnic minorities by the Myanmar military. Thailand, however, has not ratified the UN refugee convention. Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also seized power in a coup in 2014, and held onto his leadership following 2019 elections that opponents said were not free or fair. His government has arrested dozens of pro-democracy protesters who turned out on masse demanding his resignation and accusing him of engineering the election. Prayut has denied the election was flawed and allegations of interference. Prayut has previously declined to make a strong statement on the situation in Myanmar. Last month, the international community had hoped Southeast Asian leaders would be able to reach a breakthrough on stopping the violence in Myanmar at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting, but Prayut had skipped the summit, sending his deputy prime minister in his place. "Regarding the situation in Myanmar, it is a highly complex issue," he had said at that time. "The government is currently working at various channels in order to find peaceful solution, as a duty of being member state to AESAN." Thailand has agreed to support the plan that emerged from the ASEAN meeting, which includes ending violence in Myanmar and a constructive dialogue among all parties. The FCCT warned "the world is watching" how Thailand proceeds, adding it was an "important case for press freedom in Myanmar and the region, and for the protection of those fleeing the junta's brutal crackdown on independent media and civil society."..."
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 11 May, (783) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Nanmati and Hopin Towns in Kachin State were killed the previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 11, a total of (3859) people are currently under detention; of them (86) are sentenced. 1581 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are continuing to verify the recently released detainees. Today marks the 100th day under military rule. This terrorist group unlawfully seized power and since then has used varied forms of violence and torture upon civilians. Their constant acts of brutality and persecution have allowed them to clearly stand out as a terrorist organisation. The junta’s non-compliance with internationally agreed military rules and regulations is damaging the reputation of armies globally. Currently in Burma, political, social, business and health sectors are all on the verge of collapse. Health services which were already overburdened due to covid, have been particularly affected. Civilians have been unable to access healthcare and covid tracing has ceased, putting the population at risk of facing a third wave of covid. During these 100 days, civilians have been exposed to various forms of persecution and have had their properties looted, robbed and destroyed on a daily basis. As well as this, there has been intense conflict in the ethnic states, resulting in the displacement of thousands of people, as they are forced to flee to jungles. Despite these dire circumstances, civilians have affirmed that neither pressure from this terrorist group, nor inadequate ASEAN soft resolutions will be effective. It appears that these civilians have been left to defend themselves and end this dictatorship on their own. On 11 May, across Burma civilians continued to protest against the military dictatorship. This morning in Phone Maw ward, Dawei city in Tanintharyi Region as civilians were preparing to protest, junta forces in unmarked vehicles opened fire on the protesters, injuring one civilian. After this crackdown, junta forces followed civilians into their houses, shooting and arresting them. More than 10 civilians, including one woman have been arrested. The terror of the junta is highlighted through their use of unmarked cars and motorbikes. Junta force’s unprovoked shooting is worsening day by day, killing a rising number of civilians. Last night in Namti town, Kachin State junta shooting left one young man dead, and a further three wounded. One of the men injured sustained a serious injury after being shot in the arm. The other two injured are on the run, evading arrest. On the night of May 8, veterinarian Dr. Sai Aik Kwan, living in Hopin town, Mohnyin Township in Kachin State was arrested by soldiers as he passed by Infantry Battalion 389 based in Hopin. The soldiers tied him up, shot him in the head and left his body next to a drain. His family recovered the dead body, but on the day of the funeral the junta took the body back, looted it and returned it with the head dismembered. On the death certificate, they claimed he died of a drug overdose. It is clear that Dr. Sai Aik Kwan was unjustly murdered. The same situation occurred with the death of poet Khat Thi, where his wife was forced to sign a false death certificate to cover up their crimes and destroy evidence. This terrorist group is responsible for each and every crime they have committed. There must be accountability. Junta forces continue to severely oppress public servants involved in the CDM. It is because of the civil disobedience movement that the juntas operating mechanisms have been completely cut off. Yesterday, in Letpan village, Waw Township in Bago Region four CDM education officers were arrested by the junta, and released on bail by their appointed village administrator. This was done to create the impression that junta forces saved them by releasing them. It is possible that in the future they will be made to pay for their freedom. We can see that this terrorist group is now using tactics to gain political advantage and create a widespread system of bribes. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1 MB 3.66 MB 917.33 KB
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Title: Delivering for children in a time of crisis - အကျပ်အတည်းကာလအတွင်း ကလေးများအတွက် လုပ်ဆောင်ချက်များ
Sub-title: Children in Myanmar urgently need support now
Description: "The crisis following the military takeover on 1 February this year is having a catastrophic toll on the physical and mental wellbeing of children in Myanmar. Children are being killed, wounded, detained and exposed to tear gas and stun grenades and are witnessing terrifying scenes of violence. In some areas, thousands of people have been displaced, cutting children off from their relatives, friends, communities and their traditional means of support. Even before the current crisis, children in Myanmar were experiencing huge challenges due to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict in several parts of the country. Over one million people, including an estimated 450,000 children, were already affected by Myanmar’s conflict and vulnerable to gender-based violence, exploitation, abuse, detention, family separation, displacement and trafficking,[1] and about 34 per cent of the country’s 17 million children lived below the poverty line. In addition, almost 33 per cent of the population living just above the poverty line were in a state of extreme vulnerability and are now at great risk of falling back into poverty due to economic disruptions resulting from the current crisis[2]......A generation in peril: The compounding impacts of the current crisis threaten the lives and wellbeing of millions of children, putting an entire generation in peril. The ongoing loss of access to key services, combined with economic contraction, will push many more into poverty, potentially creating an entire generation of children and young people who will suffer profound physical, psychological, educational and economic impacts from this crisis and be denied a healthy, prosperous future. Hard-won gains in the area of child rights are now being wiped out, threatening children’s lives, wellbeing and prosperity. This represents a serious failure by duty bearers to protect, promote and fulfil the rights of children, as required by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Myanmar is a State Party, and the Myanmar Child Rights Law, issued in 2019.....UNICEF’s response: UNICEF is committed to children in Myanmar, to upholding children’s rights and to providing the services critical for children’s survival and wellbeing. UNICEF is adapting the way it works and taking advantage of its extensive and diverse network of partners, including national and international non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and private sector partners, striving to ensure continuity of access to critical services at scale. Drawing on its 70 years of experience in Myanmar, delivering for children including in times of conflict and crisis, UNICEF is able to continue to reach children in need even in the most challenging situations. UNICEF brings strong capacity to mobilize and deliver at scale, coordinating the efforts of multiple partners to achieve coherent approaches that span across the country. In addition to its coordinating role, UNICEF brings strong capacities in direct implementation of programming and efficient and cost-effective procurement and transport of commodities and supply. As always, UNICEF’s focus is particularly on reaching the most vulnerable children including the poorest children, children with disabilities, children living in camps for displaced people, migrant and refugee children and those in hard-to-reach areas, now including areas of key cities, including Yangon and Mandalay, which are under martial law.....Keeping children safe: Before the current crisis, it was already a major challenge to keep children safe from violence, abuse and exploitation in Myanmar. Between January and September 2020, 49 children were killed and 134 maimed as a direct result of conflict. During the current crisis, many more children have been killed, seriously injured, arbitrarily detained without access to legal counsel or forced to flee their houses and communities. On top of the loss of innocent lives, the daily exposure to scenes of horrific violence will have long-lasting impacts on children’s mental and emotional well-being.....How UNICEF is responding: Working with legal aid providers, UNICEF supports children and young people’s access to justice across the country. UNICEF has supported children and young people in contact with the law to access quality legal aid, including legal advice, legal consultation, and legal representation. Since February 1, UNICEF has supported 62 children and 176 young people to access quality legal aid. Working with partners, UNICEF is establishing a nationwide toll-free justice hotline, expanding on already existing helpline numbers operated by several partners to ensure children and young people have timely access to quality legal advice. We are also producing informational materials for children and young people to know about their rights when dealing with the law enforcement and how to access free legal assistance in both English and Myanmar languages. Materials are being disseminated widely in collaboration with Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) members. UNICEF is working with national organizations to support a nationwide mental health and psychosocial support helpline, ensuring children are able to access counselling and mental health support in several local languages. UNICEF also support referrals of child survivors of abuse and violence to mental health experts for individual counselling and therapy sessions. UNICEF is currently working on setting up psychosocial peer-support groups for adolescents and young people. UNICEF is supporting efforts to monitor and report grave child rights violations and reporting these violations to United Nations and other bodies that pursue justice.....Keeping children out of extreme poverty: A UNICEF study carried out before the military takeover estimated that COVID-19 could push a further one third of children into poverty on top of the almost one third of children already living in poor households. The current crisis has the potential to force millions more children into poverty, denying them the ability to access basic services, depriving them of opportunities to fulfil their potential, and putting them at even greater risk of abuse and exploitation.....How UNICEF is responding: UNICEF has established mechanisms to monitor how the current crisis is impacting children, particularly children in families which have lost their income, whose caregivers are detained and those who are unable to access learning or healthcare. Data and evidence generated through this monitoring work will inform UNICEF’s efforts to protect children from the worst impacts of poverty. UNICEF is coordinating with relevant partners to design, establish and roll out a national child cash grant scheme, through which families with children between the ages of 2-5 and children aged under 5 with disabilities will receive unconditional cash grants, which can be used to supplement family incomes and pay for access to key services. UNICEF is working with Common Health, a private company, to roll out mobile-based health micro-insurance, ensuring that all children in Myanmar under the age of 6 have are covered by health insurance and are able to access health care.....Keeping children learning: COVID-19 had already disrupted the learning of almost 12 million children and young people. With the ongoing closure of schools due to COVID-19 preventive measures, children are still being denied access to learning, destroying their aspirations and hopes for a better future. Many will never be able to catch up or get another chance.....How UNICEF is responding: UNICEF is working with national and international NGOs to scale up home-based learning using high quality educational materials. We are supporting young children’s readiness for learning and language development by training civil society organization partners, including ethnic language teachers, and developing and printing storybooks in ethnic languages. UNICEF is working with national and international NGOs to provide alternative learning opportunities for primary and middle-school-age children. Support includes providing learning materials and assisting children with learning and language development, while also offering mental health and psychosocial support. We are working with national and international NGOs to deliver non-formal education for children who were out of the formal education system even prior to the COVID pandemic.....Keeping children healthy: Since the military takeover, health workers have experienced threats, intimidation and violence, putting them in danger and further increasing their reluctance to provide services. With health services seriously disrupted, children are missing out: almost 1 million children are missing out on routine immunization; almost 5 million children are missing out on vitamin A supplementation, putting them at risk of infections and blindness. There is a risk that the spread of COVID-19 will accelerate. In addition, access to water, sanitation and hygiene services are facing disruptions due to limited availability of supplies, disruption of transportation and banking channels. Across the country, more than three million children lack access to a safe water supply at home, threatening a large-scale outbreak of diarrhoea which could be fatal, particularly for children under the age of 5.....How UNICEF is responding: UNICEF is working with partners to support emergency care through supply of first aid kits and essential medicines for children most in need of medical care While routine immunization has been suspended in the largest part of the country, in Non-Government Controlled areas UNICEF is working with partners to carry out routine vaccinations to prevent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, such as measles, diphtheria and polio. We are developing smartphone apps to train health workers on provision of trauma and emergency care for women and children. UNICEF is providing pregnant women, new mothers, newborns, children and adolescents with healthcare services and procuring essential medicines and supplies to save lives and treat diseases. We are working with partners and the private sector to coordinate and explore options for delivery of clean drinking water to vulnerable households in urban areas. We are also coordinating with communities in Shan and Magway to deliver supplies for community managed water supply.....Keeping children nourished: Before the current crisis, many children in Myanmar were already experiencing malnutrition, with almost 30 per cent pre-school children experiencing stunting (being too short for their age), 7 percent of pre-school children (In Rakhine 14 percent) experiencing wasting (being seriously low for their height) and 57 percent pregnant women experiencing anaemia. Loss of access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, which can lead to diarrhoeal disease, will further exacerbate the situation. The situation is particularly severe for young children under the age of 2, who are at risk of death or irreversible physical and cognitive delays if they suffer undernutrition for an extended period. The impacts – for the children, their families, communities and the country as a whole – may be devastating.....How UNICEF is responding: In Kachin, Rakhine and northern Shan states, UNICEF is working with partners to screen and treat children with severe acute malnutrition. We are providing lifesaving micro-nutrient supplements to children and pregnant women. UNICEF is working with local NGOs to provide mothers advice on infant and young child feeding. In all these efforts, UNICEF and its partners are determined not to let down the children of Myanmar at this critical time, when their lives, wellbeing and future are at stake..."
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-04-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar coup: ‘No sign’ of end to brutal crackdown on all fronts
Sub-title: One hundred days since the Myanmar military seized power, the "brutal" repression of protesters has continued, despite all international efforts to end the violence, the UN rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday.
Description: "“The military authorities are showing no sign of letting up in their brutal crackdown on opponents in a bid to consolidate their hold on power”, spokesperson Rupert Colville told journalists at a media briefing. According to credible reports, as of 10 May, at least 782 people have been killed as security forces used unnecessary, disproportionate and lethal force, to suppress demonstrations and other forms of public participation, since the military coup on 1 February. “While much of the world’s attention has been on the number of peaceful protesters and bystanders killed by the security forces, the authorities continue to commit other gross human rights violations against the people of Myanmar”, added Mr. Colville. The OHCHR spokesperson called for greater international involvement to prevent the human rights situation there from deteriorating further. In particular, he urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to “react quickly and to intensify its actions” to ensure Myanmar’s military leadership adheres to the commitments it made in the five-point plan agreed at the regional bloc’s meeting of leaders on 24 April, in Jakarta. The five-point consensus agreed to an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and that dialogue should be held among all parties to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.....‘Daily raids’ on homes and offices: Mr. Colville went on to note that there are daily raids on private homes and offices, with more than 3,740 people currently in detention, including many in situations that may amount to enforced disappearances. “Of those in custody, the vast majority have not been brought before a judge, while most of the 86 people prosecuted thus far have been tried in secret, with limited or no access to any form of legal counsel”, he said. “Military tribunals and courts martial have been established in several townships in which martial law was declared. At least 25 individuals have received the death sentence to date – some 20 of whom were tried in absentia.”.....Military ‘taking relatives’: Over the past month, the military leadership has issued more than 1,561 arrest warrants against civil society activists, trade unionists, journalists, academics, public personalities and online voices, driving the vast majority of them underground. “To intensify pressure, the military authorities have resorted to taking relatives of wanted people into custody to force them to turn themselves in to the police”, Mr. Colville said, adding that there is also increasing pressure on civil servants to go back to work. In recent weeks, more than 3,000 civil servants – nearly 70 per cent women – have been dismissed, removed, or suspended by the coup leadership. Those suspended also include 990 university professors, researchers and assistants. In addition, there are reports that up to 11,000 more workers in the education sector were suspended on Monday.....‘Deeply concerned’ for those fleeing persecution: The OHCHR spokesperson also voiced “deep concerns” for the people fleeing persecution, especially human rights defenders and journalists. According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), several hundred people from Myanmar have crossed into Thailand and India in recent weeks. The people seeking safety outside Myanmar must receive such protection and support from Myanmar’s neighbours, Mr. Colville urged, adding that while it can take time to decide whether an individual fleeing the country is a refugee or not, “at the very least they should be treated as an asylum seeker and not forced to go back”. “This is particularly important for people with jobs as sensitive as journalists and those active in the civil disobedience movement, opposing the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military).”..."
Source/publisher: UN News
Date of publication: 2021-0511
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar's Suu Kyi expected to appear in court soon - lawyer
Description: "Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to attend her next court hearing in person, her chief lawyer said on Monday, after weeks of stalled virtual proceedings over charges her supporters say are fabricated. Since her arrest hours before a Feb. 1 military coup, Suu Kyi has been held at her residence in Naypyitaw and faces numerous, mostly minor charges filed in two courts, the most serious under a colonial-era official secrets act, punishable by 14 years in prison. "The presiding judge declared that by the instruction of the Union Supreme Court, the cases were to be heard in person, not virtually by video conferencing," her legal team head, Khin Maung Zaw, said in a text message, referring to Monday's hearing. He said the judge "told us that the problem will eventually be solved", and that Suu Kyi asked what the judge meant by "eventually". Suu Kyi, 75, has been permitted to speak with lawyers only via a video link in the presence of security personnel. Her co-defendant is Win Myint, the ousted president. Her lawyers have said they have discussed with Suu Kyi only her legal case and do not know the extent to which she is aware of the crisis in her country. Khin Maung Zaw said his team was seeking access to Suu Kyi before the next hearing on May 24, without interference of others. He said he reminded the judge "that it is the undeniable right of the defendants to meet and give instructions to the defence counsel in a private meeting"...."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: NUG supports sanctions against family members of coup leaders, human rights minister says
Sub-title: Myanmar nationals continue ‘social punishment’ campaigns and lobby lawmakers abroad to blacklist the adult children of junta members
Description: "The National Unity Government (NUG) is planning to work with foreign countries to introduce and expand sanctions against the overseas relatives of Myanmar’s coup council members, according to the NUG’s human rights minister. The NUG is the interim government formed in late April by lawmakers ousted in Myanmar’s February 1 coup. “We will coordinate with foreign affairs and immigration departments to sanction the [adult] children of those who are blacklisted,” NUG’s Minister of Human Rights Aung Myo Min said. Aung Myo Min was a prominent rights activist before taking a Cabinet position within the NUG. Following widespread killings of protesters by the regime’s armed forces, the US and European Union (EU) are among the international actors who imposed sanctions on members of the military junta and those related to them. Since the coup, the US has announced sanctions against key junta leaders, the members of two Light Infantry Divisions, and two adult children of military chief Min Aung Hlaing. They are banned from the country, their American assets have been frozen and American citizens are prohibited from working with them. The EU has imposed similar sanctions against 35 people in Myanmar, including members of the military, its council, and collaborating civilian politicians. The Myanmar public both at home and abroad have been carrying out “social punishment” campaigns, identifying and exposing the family members of junta members and supporters online. The campaigns call for these individuals to be ostracised from the Myanmar community. Myanmar nationals held protests in front of Japan’s Toyo University in March calling for the “social punishment” of Nan Lin Lae Oo, a student at Toyo and the daughter of Lt-Gen Kyaw Swar Lin, head of the Myanmar military’s Central Command. Kyaw Swar Lin is accused of ordering soldiers to open fire on anti-regime protesters in Mandalay. The resulting crackdowns killed several civilians in February and March. Nan Lin Lae Oo reportedly left Japan following the protests outside her university. “We were told that Kyaw Swar Lin’s daughter has returned to Myanmar. We do not know exactly how, but she is no longer at the school,” Myat Thu Aung, who is working in Japan, told Myanmar Now. He said that other Myanmar nationals in the country are lobbying Japanese lawmakers to back sanctions against family members of those behind the coup. “Our message has arrived inside the Japanese parliament. There are some discussions going on among parliament members who are deciding what to do about those individuals,” Myat Thu Aung said. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in early May that the Australian government’s department of home affairs had launched investigations into 22 relatives of Myanmar’s military council living in Australia, “amid concerns they are either harbouring assets or receiving financial support in the wake of the military coup.” In the US, Myanmar activists are coordinating with state governments and representatives to gather information about the family members of the coup council members and their American finances. “There are many steps left regarding action that can be taken by the US government. We are currently working with lawyers and lawmakers,” US-based Myanmar national Nay Tin Myint told Myanmar Now. The NUG’s human rights minister Aung Myo Min said that his cabinet is also documenting the violence perpetrated by the junta with the aim of filing complaints against military members at the International Criminal Court. “The consequences would have an impact on many future generations,” he said of an international prosecution. The military’s armed forces have killed at least 781 people since it seized power from the elected civilian government in a coup on February 1, according to a tally compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)...."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Press briefing notes on Myanmar
Sub-title: Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville
Description: "More than 100 days after the coup in Myanmar, the military authorities are showing no sign of letting up in their brutal crackdown on opponents in a bid to consolidate their hold on power. At the same time, there is no weakening of the resolve of the civil disobedience movement and other facets of opposition to the coup leaders. As of 10 May, credible sources indicate that the security forces, using unnecessary, disproportionate and lethal force to suppress demonstrations and other forms of public participation, have killed at least 782 individuals since the coup on 1 February. While much of the world's attention has been on the number of peaceful protesters and bystanders killed by the security forces, the authorities continue to commit other gross human rights violations against the people of Myanmar. There are daily raids on private homes and offices, and more than 3,740 people are currently in detention. We are deeply alarmed that the whereabouts and fate of hundreds of these individuals are unknown. These are situations that may amount to enforced disappearances. Of those in custody, the vast majority have not been brought before a judge, while most of the 86 people prosecuted thus far have been tried in secret, with limited or no access to any form of legal counsel. Military tribunals and courts martial have been established in several townships in which martial law was declared. At least 25 individuals have received the death sentence to date – some 20 of whom were tried in absentia. Over the past month, the military leadership has issued over 1,561 arrest warrants targeting civil society activists, trade unionists, journalists, academics, public personalities and online voices, so driving the vast majority of them underground. To intensify pressure, the military authorities have resorted to taking relatives of wanted people into custody to force them to turn themselves in to the police. The military authorities are also stepping up their efforts to pressure civil servants back to work. In recent weeks, the coup leadership has dismissed, removed, or suspended more than 3,000 civil servants – nearly 70 per cent of those targeted have been women. Those suspended include 990 university professors, researchers and assistants who in the last few days have been suspended for failing to report to work. There are reports that up to 11,000 more educational workers were suspended on Monday. We are also deeply concerned about the situation of people fleeing persecution, especially human rights defenders and journalists. As the armed conflicts between the Tatmadaw and some of the ethnic armed organizations, particularly in Kachin and Kayin states, have intensified, people seeking protection are being forced to consider seeking safety outside the country. When they do so, they should receive such protection and support from Myanmar's neighbours. It is clear that there needs to be greater international involvement to prevent the human rights situation in Myanmar from deteriorating further. Despite the five-point plan agreed at the ASEAN leaders' meeting on 24 April, the Myanmar military leadership has shown no sign of abiding by it. We call on ASEAN to react quickly and to intensify its actions to ensure the military keeps to these commitments and to hold them accountable for failing to do so..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Geneva)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Beyond the Coup in Myanmar: Echoes of the Past, Crises of the Moment, Visions of the Future
Description: "On Feb. 1, 2021, the Myanmar military – the Tatmadaw – shattered the all too brief effort to transition to democracy in Myanmar. Over the past two and a half months, the Tatmadaw has continued its illegitimate effort to undermine the democratic elections from last year and prevent the elected government from taking power. In the face of mass popular opposition and international condemnation, the military has only escalated its use of violence against its own population – systematically stripping away rights and violently attacking protestors and dissidents, reportedly killing over 700 civilians as of Apr. 20, 2021, and detaining more than 3,000. Despite the continued threats and extreme violence, the people of Myanmar have stood their ground and refused to be silenced. On Apr. 16, opponents of the coup from across the political spectrum announced the formation of a National Unity Government (NUG) to resist the military. Just as importantly, the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), a grassroots movement aimed at disrupting state functions and crippling the economy in order to undermine the military’s attempt to rule, has been hugely successful in galvanizing collective action since early February. In addition to the tens of thousands of CDM participants walking out of their private and public sector positions, protests across the country have seen massive youth engagement on a scale not seen in a generation. The organizing power has been impressive. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok have been used to spread awareness and coordinate protests, strikes, and other forms of peaceful resistance. The military has taken notice of the CDM’s power, issuing threats against young people protesting and shooting indiscriminately at protestors of all ages, including children. Parallel movements have arisen in areas like neighboring Thailand, with Thai youth protesting their own authoritarian government in solidarity with activists from Myanmar. Today we launch a Just Security series that will take a deep dive into the situation in Myanmar. The series will provide insights that put the coup and civilian response into historical and modern context, deepen unexplored angles on the current crises, and survey possibilities and ways forward over the next six months to a year. This series also aims to elevate policy discussions on a number of issues, ranging from peace and accountability to religion and democracy, asking: What is happening now and why? Within the series, contributions from authors from Myanmar and others working closely on the situation will explore topics such as youth leadership in the CDM and protests, domestic and international solidarity, environmental concerns, the dissolution of rule of law in Myanmar, and what the coup means for ongoing international accountability efforts. Below, we offer an overview of the major themes of the series, along with a timeline of the struggle for democracy in Myanmar. The current uprising against military rule must be understood in the context of these decades-long struggles for peace, democracy, accountability, and justice..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Just Security (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-04-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Category: Anti-coup protesters, Spring Revolution, Political prisoners and other violations in Burma - reports, Freedom of opinion and expression: - the situation in Burma/Myanmar - reports, analyses, recommendations, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association, violations of, Right to Life: reports of violations in Burma, Freedom of Movement, violations of in Burma/Myanmar, Human Rights Defenders, Racial or ethnic discrimination in Burma: reports of violations against several groups, Discrimination against the Rohingya, International Criminal Court, Several Groups, Rohingya (cultural, political etc.), International Court of Justice (ICJ) - General, 2021 Burma/Myanmar coup d'état, National Unity Government (NUG), Various groups, Political History, Politics, Government and Governance - Burma/Myanmar - general studies, Politics and Government - global and regional - general studies, strategies, theory
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Title: Briefing on UNSC Arria meeting by H.E Daw Zin Mar Aung
Description: "Madam Chairperson, Your Excellencies, Thank you all so much for giving me floor to share the message from inside Burma/Myanmar to the world. • On February 1, the Myanmar Military led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing unleashed an attack of systematic and targeted violence against the citizens of Myanmar. This orchestrated program of armed violence has brought suffering and devastation to civilians across my entire country. From north to south, from east to west, this choreographed dance of death planned by the Myanmar Military has also caused human, political, economic, and social chaos. The military has murdered at least 600 individuals just for peacefully protesting against the military’s misconduct. It is important to highlight the excessive use of force and violence by the security forces against the non-violence pro-democracy movement (also known as/ Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)). Thousands of my fellow countrymen and women are still unlawfully detained, incommunicado and without any due process rights. This includes civilian political leaders. • Today, before this session starts, the military forces used lethal force, live munitions and even RPGs to attack the civilian population in Bago Township. The ambulances are not allowed to enter to the area even though there have been dozens of civilian fatalities. • In the last two weeks, the Tatmadaw has also escalated its armed violence, in different ethnic states including Karen, Shan, and Kachin. The military also used airstrike in such ethnic area. Additionally, the Tatmadaw also redeployed forces to Rakhine state after the Brotherhood Alliance including Arakan Army (AA) issued a statement criticizing the killing of peaceful civilian protesters. • Aside from the systematic violent attacks by the military that target ordinary people, the military high command overseeing this carnage - now trying to whitewash itself by using the name Tatmadaw’s State Administration Council (SAC) - has been implementing aggressive tactics such as cutting off internet connection, arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH)
Date of publication: 2021-04-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 96.07 KB 101.46 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 10 May, (781) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Thanlyin Township in Yangon Region was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 10, a total of (3843) people are currently under detention; of them (86) are sentenced. 1561 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today civilians continued to protest against the junta in different ways, such as participating in the White Shirt Campaign. Early this morning, in Meiktila town, Mandalay Region, a protest was cracked down on and 15 people were arrested. In recent days, the terrorists have made a series of arrests, particularly targeting individuals leading forms of opposition against junta forces. Yesterday afternoon so-called police raided the Star City Home in Building B5, Thanlyin Township, Yangon where they arrested and blindfolded 14 people. During this brutal crackdown, it was reported that a medical university graduate died after falling from a building. Although initial reports state he fell, some media have since reported that he was pushed by so-called police and soldiers. This inhumane act again shows that junta forces do not value the lives of civilians. Since the coup, civilians have faced various forms of torture during their arrest. This junta group displayed its inhumanity when they forced the family member of a clearly tortured victim to sign a death certificate stating they had simply died of a disease. Poet Khet Thi who died yesterday was found with wounds consistent with torture, yet his wife had to sign a confession stating he died due to his pre-existing health conditions in order to recover his dead body. Forcing civilians to sign these confessions allows the junta forces to cover up their atrocities and destroys the evidence of their crimes. They use this to claim their actions are lawful. Action must be taken to ensure those who commit these crimes take full responsibility. The junta has attempted in various ways to deprive the people of “democratic” freedom. Since the coup, the freedom of the people has been stripped and the essence of democracy has faded. Last night in Bago City, Bago Region, terrorist groups destroyed the Democracy Monument, which celebrated the martyrs of the 8888 Uprising and its successors. Yesterday in the early morning, two youths were arrested on the road in Mingaladon Township while they were painting the slogan “We Want Democracy”. Their families have not yet been able to contact them. The people of Burma are fighting against junta forces that have ruled Burma for almost half of a century, to restore democracy and peace. To reinstate Burma’s democracy, the international community and ASEAN must address the current situation with urgency and importance. This junta group was already detaining women and children, now they are even targeting people with disabilities. Yesterday afternoon in Chanmyathazi Township in Mandalay City, Sai Hla Min, a disabled man who had regularly attended the Mandalay Monk Union Strike was arrested and not released on bail. Although Burma has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), it is clear that in an illegal coup, these kinds of human rights are not respected. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1023.88 KB 3.71 MB 916.23 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 9 May, (780) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (4) fallen heroes today. (2) from Shwebo and Myinmu Townships in Sagaing Region died on 9 May. (2) from Kani Township in Sagaing Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 9, a total of (3826) people are currently under detention; of them (84) are sentenced. 1540 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Protests continue across Burma today, this morning in Meiktila Town, Mandalay Region, a motorcycle protest was repressed with slingshot fire, leaving several people injured. Three civilians were beaten with gunstock and arrested, and around 10 motorcycles were seized. This morning in Pyigyidagun Township, Mandalay City, a group of Yadanarbon University students on their way home after a protest were chased and shot by a civilian car, one car was hit by a bullet. Nowadays the junta are using civilian cars instead of police or military vehicles. They are finding it easier to arrest and crackdown on protests. These covert acts are showing the reality of the terrorist groups barbarity. Unprovoked shooting and atrocities against civilians are increasing in rural areas. This morning in Kani Township, Sagaing Region, in the Chindwin river, junta troops arrived in a boat and opened fire on civilians, no one was injured. This morning in Myinmu Township, Sagaing Region, they cracked down on the meeting point of a protest, arresting two protesters. When the people demanded their release, the junta opened fire, one civilian was shot on the waist, and one civilian shot dead. On 8 May in Thamyar village , Natmauk Township, Magway Region, the junta used tear gas and rubber bullets, two locals were injured and seven arrested. Although arbitrary shootings continue on a daily basis, the international community has not taken effective action – so the junta lawlessness is getting worse. Civilians are insecure, lives are constantly in danger. Last night in Shwebo town, Sagaing Region, poet Khet Thi (a.k.a U Zaw Tun) was arrested, he died at the hospital after being tortured in the interrogation center. Khat Thi was arrested along with his wife who is taking part in the CDM, and another house member. To create a society that guarantees everyone’s right to life and freedom from persecution, we must uproot dictatorship. The terrorist group loots on a daily basis. Last night in Zee Pin Dwin village, Kani Township, Sagaing Region, they raided a village and destroyed homes and property, looting gold, money. In Bhamo town, Kachin State, on the night of 7 May, the junta raided a motorcycle showroom and stole a tricycle and over 200 motorcycles. Looting and searches were carried out in Myitkyina, Mohnyin and Mogaung Townships taking old and fresh motorbikes from civilians. Since the coup there has been no rule of law, there is a state of panic because civilians lives and private property can be destroyed and looted at any time by armed thugs. Conflict continues in Kachin State, a woman was shot dead in her head in a clash between the junta and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) near War Shawng village, Wine Maw Township, Kachin State. The peace process has been wrecked by the tyrancial junta, ethnic people once again feeling the brunt of the civil war. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1020.92 KB 3.61 MB 922.4 KB
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Title: Myanmar poet dies after being detained, his family says
Description: "Myanmar poet Khet Thi, whose works declare resistance to the ruling junta, died in detention overnight and his body was returned with the organs removed, his family said on Sunday. A spokesman for the junta did not answer calls to request comment on the death of Khet Thi, who had penned the line "They shoot in the head, but they don't know the revolution is in the heart." His Facebook page said he was 45. Khet Thi's wife said both of them were taken for interrogation on Saturday by armed soldiers and police in the central town of Shwebo, in the Sagaing region - a centre of resistance to the coup in which elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted. "I was interrogated. So was he. They said he was at the interrogation centre. But he didn't come back, only his body," his wife Chaw Su told BBC Burmese language news in tears from Monywa, around 100 km (60 miles) away by road. "They called me in the morning and told me to meet him at the hospital in Monywa. I thought it was just for a broken arm or something ... But when I arrived here, he was at the morgue and his internal organs were taken out," she said. She had been told at the hospital he had a heart problem, but had not bothered to read the death certificate because she was sure it would not be true, Chaw Su said. Reuters was unable to reach the hospital for comment. Chaw Su said the army had planned to bury him but that she pleaded with them for the body. She did not say how she knew her husband's organs had been removed. "He died at the hospital after being tortured in the interrogation centre," the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group said in a bulletin that put the toll of civilians killed since the coup at 780. The group, which monitors details of killings, did not identify the source of its information. OTHER POETS DIED Khet Thi was at least the third poet to die during protests since the Feb. 1 coup. Khet Thi had been a friend of K Za Win, 39, a poet who was shot dead during a protest in Monywa in early March. Cultural figures and celebrities have been prominent supporters of opposition to the coup with protests daily in different parts of the Southeast Asian country in spite of the killings and thousands of arrests. Khet Thi had been an engineer before quitting his job in 2012 to focus on his poetry and to support himself by making and selling ice cream and cakes. "I don't want to be a hero, I don't want to be a martyr, I don't want to be a weakling, I don't want to be a fool," he wrote two weeks after the coup. "I don't want to support injustice. If I have only a minute to live, I want my conscience to be clean for that minute." More recently, he wrote that he was a guitar player, a cake baker and a poet - not someone who could fire a gun. But he implied his attitude was changing. "My people are being shot and I can only throw back poems," he wrote. "But when you are sure your voice is not enough, then you need to choose a gun carefully. I will shoot..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-09
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar’s junta brands rival government a terrorist group
Description: "Myanmar’s military rulers have branded a rival National Unity Government a terrorist group and blamed it for bombings, arson and killings, state-controlled media said on Saturday. Myanmar's army has struggled to impose order since seizing power on Feb. 1 and detaining elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Bombings are reported daily and local militias have been formed to confront the army while anti-junta protests have not stopped across the Southeast Asian country and strikes by opponents of the coup have paralysed the economy. The National Unity Government (NUG), which operates under cover and itself describes the army as a terrorist force, announced this week that it would set up a People's Defence Force. "Their acts caused so much terrorism in many places," state television MRTV said, announcing that the NUG, a committee of ousted lawmakers known as the CRPH and the new force would all now be covered by the anti-terrorism law. "There were bombs, fires, murder and threats to destroy the administrative mechanism of the government," the announcement said. The anti-terrorism law bans not only membership of the groups, but also any contact with them. The junta had previously accused its opponents of treason. Protesters marched against the junta in dozens of places on Saturday. At least 774 civilians have been killed by security forces and 3,778 are detained, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. The junta disputes those figures and says at least two dozen members of the security forces have been killed in protests. Fighting has also flared on Myanmar's periphery with ethnic armies that have been fighting for decades and some of which have rallied behind the protesters. State television said the army had advanced against the Kachin Independence Army in northern Myanmar, but there was no independent confirmation. In western Myanmar, the newly formed Chinland Defence Force said it had overrun an army camp. The army made no comment on the report. Myanmar's army took power alleging fraud in a November election that was swept by the party of Suu Kyi, who fought for democracy for decades before tentative reforms began a decade ago. The electoral commission had rejected the army's complaints..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Thousands suspended at Myanmar universities as junta targets education
Description: "More than 11,000 academics and other university staff opposed to Myanmar's ruling junta have been suspended after going on strike in protest against military rule, a teachers' group told Reuters. The suspensions come as the resumption of universities after a year closed due to the coronavirus epidemic prompts a new confrontation between the army and the staff and students who are calling for boycotts over the Feb. 1 coup. "I feel upset to give up a job that I adored so much, but I feel proud to stand against injustice," said one 37-year-old university rector, who gave her name only as Thandar for fear of reprisals. "My department summoned me today. I'm not going. We shouldn't follow the orders of the military council." A professor on a fellowship in the United States said she was told she would have to declare opposition to the strikes or lose her job. Her university authorities had told her every scholar would be tracked down and forced to choose, she told Reuters. As of Monday, more than 11,100 academic and other staff had been suspended from colleges and universities offering degrees, an official of the Myanmar Teachers' Federation told Reuters, declining to be identified for fear of reprisals. Reuters was not immediately able to ascertain exactly what proportion of total staff that figure represents. Myanmar had more than 26,000 teachers in universities and other tertiary education institutions in 2018, according to the most recent World Bank data. Students and teachers were at the forefront of opposition during nearly half a century of military rule and have been prominent in the protests since the army detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and halted a decade of tentative democratic reforms. Many teachers, like medics and other government workers, have stopped work as part of a civil disobedience movement that has paralysed Myanmar. As protests flared after the coup, security forces occupied campuses in the biggest city, Yangon, and elsewhere. A spokesman for the junta did not respond to phone calls seeking comment on the suspensions. The junta-controlled Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said teachers and students should cooperate to get the education system started again. "Political opportunists do not wish to see such development by committing sabotage acts," it said. BOYCOTTS It was not clear to what extent the 11,000 staff suspensions would hamper efforts to reopen colleges but many students are also boycotting classes. At the public West Yangon Technological University, the student's union published a list of 180 staff who had been suspended to hail them as heroes. "I don't feel sad to miss school," said 22-year-old Hnin, a student of the Yangon University of Education. "There's nothing to lose from missing the junta's education." Zaw Wai Soe, education minister in a rival National Unity Government set up underground by opponents of the junta, said he was touched that students had told him they would only return "when the revolution prevails". Doubts have also been raised over the return to school of younger students, with institutions now taking registrations for the start of a new year. There are nearly 10 million school students in the country of 53 million. Protesters daubed "We don't want to be educated in military slavery" at the entrance of a school in the southern town of Mawlamyine last week, a phrase that has been echoed at demonstrations across Myanmar by students. "We'll go to school only when Grandmother Suu is released," read a banner of students in the northern town of Hpakant at the weekend, referring to detained leader Suu Kyi. "Free all students at once," said another sign. Many students are among at least 780 people killed by security forces and the 3,800 in detention, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. At least 47 teachers are also among the detainees while arrest warrants have been issued for some 150 teachers on charges of incitement. Myanmar's education system was already one of the poorest in the region - and ranked 92 of 93 countries in a global survey last year. Even under the leadership of Suu Kyi, who had championed education, spending was below 2% of gross domestic product. That was one of the lowest rates in the world, according to World Bank figures. Students could have little expectation of progress in Myanmar this year, said Saw Kapi, a founding director of the Salween Institute for Public Policy think tank. "When it comes to education, I would suggest that instead of thinking about getting a bachelor's degree, you must go to the University of Life with a major in revolution," he wrote on social media. "You can go for a Masters or PhD later..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 8 May, (776) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Kani Township in Sagaing Region and Pauk Township in Magway Region were killed the previous day and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 8, a total of (3813) people are currently under detention; of them (84) are sentenced. 1518 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today across Burma people continue to protest the dictatorship in various ways. Yesterday afternoon, in Kani Township in Sagaing Region, a villager from Kinsanpya Village was shot to death in the forest by terrorists and his family was not able to take his dead body back. Juna forces pointed a gun at a man who went to take the body and slapped him in the face. The junta’s unprovoked shootings and oppressive actions are becoming more violent. They commit crimes affecting the mental and physical security of civilians. They are openly looting civilians’ property as they wish. Yesterday, in Padauk Pin village, Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region, some protesters were searched and around 15 houses destroyed. The terrorists stole their money, gold and mobile phones. As of May 8, around 80 Padauk Pin villagers were forced to flee to the forest because the military camped in their village. As long as the dictatorship is in power, the lives of the civilians will continue to be in danger. We can only build a peaceful society if we overthrow the dictatorship. Employees involved in the civil disobedience movement (CDM) are also being persecuted. In recent days, the Ministry of Education made a series of announcements that teachers and staff were fired from the education sector. 465 teachers from Yadanabon University in Mandalay, 392 teachers and office staff from Mandalay University, 85 teachers from Mandalay Distance Education, 94 teachers from Mandalay University of Foreign Studies and 94 teachers and office staff from Yangon Distance Education were temporarily suspended. Fighting has intensified in Kachin State, with reports of a jet attack by the junta using chemical weapons in contravention of international prohibition. The news spread on social media, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) is still investigating, it has not yet been confirmed. The use of chemical bombs is a war crime and a serious human rights violation. Ethnic people have been killed and seriously wounded in various attacks by the junta group. Not only this, but they are also being forced to leave their homes, yet these gross violations are only the junta trying to gain an advantage in conflict to maintain the power. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-08
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar’s democracy protesters may need more than Milk Tea Alliance tactics to defeat the military coup
Description: "A brutal crackdown could happen any day. Military violence is expected every day. Soldiers have casually killed peaceful protesters throughout the four weeks since Myanmar’s military undertook a coup to remove the country’s civilian government. Military violence has incrementally, but steadily increased. Bravely, millions of peaceful protesters still take to Myanmar’s streets to oppose the military coup and demand the release of the country’s civilian leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi. By employing tactics learned from other recent Asian protest movements, they have seemingly confounded Myanmar’s military, which has struggled to deal with the nature of protests and their scale. But Myanmar’s military leaders are cunning and may well have foreseen elements of the protesters’ strategy and adopted their own plans accordingly. The success of anti-coup campaigners may well depend on their preparedness to continue searching for outside examples of how to successfully defeat entrenched but illegitimate rulers. The determination and size of Myanmar’s peaceful anti-coup protests are impressive. Three weeks after the coup and despite draconian new laws that threaten to punish with twenty years jail the act of inciting “hatred or contempt” towards coup leaders, crowds have continued to grow. Protesters have numbered in the millions, with new groups joining the movement daily. A nationwide civil disobedience movement is under way, and the country’s bureaucracy, banking, and transport systems have ceased to function. The military’s legitimacy as competent managers is in tatters. Protesters know they are facing off with one of the world’s most vicious militaries, a force with more than half a million active personnel that is known to routinely turn weapons on civilians. A 2018 UN Human Rights Council report described how the military routinely committed crimes against humanity and war crimes against ethnic minority groups. Myanmar’s military stands accused of genocide against the Rohingya during a 2017 campaign that included mass murder, widespread gang rapes of women and girls as a military tactic, and the razing of hundreds of towns and villages. Soldiers commit atrocities with impunity — those few that might ever be found guilty of crimes by Myanmar’s courts are routinely pardoned soon after. The worst military violence is usually reserved for Myanmar’s ethnic minorities, but historically the military has also been prepared to meet popular peaceful uprisings — like the 1988 protests that first brought Aung San Suu Kyi to political prominence — with brutal force. In 1988, the military put down protests by killing thousands, making widespread arrests, and imposing decades-long prison sentences. Similar tactics were employed to end the 2007 monk-led Saffron Revolution. A grim indication of what Myanmar’s protesters expect is that many have taken to writing their blood type on their forearms with permanent markers so medical teams can better care for them when the violence comes. Already the military has used live rounds to kill peaceful protesters in Mandalay and the capital Naypyitaw. There are also reports that soldiers fired on ambulances and medical teams that came to assist the injured. Troops from the 33rd Light Infantry Division, infamous for their genocidal actions against Rohingya civilians, have been prominently deployed in Mandalay. Their unconcealed presence can only have been intended to instil fear in the protesters about what future violence might soon come. So far, the military’s use of violence has not been overwhelming; they have focussed more on mass arrests than mass murder, with killings of peaceful protesters in the dozens rather than the thousands. Several hundred new political prisoners are now refilling the jails that were emptied during a recent prisoner amnesty. More are arrested daily. One explanation for the military’s seeming reluctance to meet the current protests with the same brutality they demonstrated in 1988 or 2007 is that this time the protest movement is much, much larger and represents a wider cross-section of the national population.....The protesters’ new strategies: Myanmar’s youthful protest movement has adopted strategies learned from Asia’s other youth-infused activist movements — particularly those in Thailand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Protesters often style themselves as part of the Milk Tea Alliance of democracy campaigners. Originally symbolic of opposition to Chinese encroachment in domestic affairs and anti-authoritarianism, the Milk Tea Alliance derived its name from a perceived cultural similarity between the places from which it drew its membership — namely, an affinity for milky tea products, marking a distinction with China’s traditional love of black tea. Since the coup, #milkteaalliance has been widely used in Myanmar. Shrewdly, protest leaders have adopted similarly diversified leadership strategies to those of other Milk Tea Alliance groups. This, and widespread participation in a national civil disobedience movement, has presented the military with genuine challenges in identifying and arresting individual movement leaders. From Thailand, Myanmar’s protesters adopted the three-finger salute as a symbol of opposition to the coup. Images of Myanmar’s frustrated population staring down armoured vehicles in the streets of Yangon while defiantly saluting for democracy appeared in media worldwide and helped keep the eyes of the world focussed on Myanmar for weeks after the coup. Less high profile but no less significant has been the protesters’ adoption of key tactics from Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement — particularly the “be like water” mantra. This has encouraged protesters to avoid direct confrontation with soldiers and instead adopt a highly agile style of protest that forces the authorities to constantly respond and adapt to the protesters’ agenda. By behaving like political flash mobs and frequently changing tactics, protesters have seemed frequently to catch the authorities off guard. Over the last three weeks, protesters deployed an astonishing number of different tactics, from traditional marches, to sit ins and music performances outside foreign embassies. They have shut down road transport by parking “broken down” cars at key intersections and driven convoys of vehicles so slowly as to create gridlock. One protest even involved a train of elephants with their mahouts.....Has the military adopted a new strategy, too?: Regardless of the protesters’ agility, the military is yet to attempt to put down this uprising with the same ferocity it used in earlier demonstrations. This suggests the military too might be adopting a new strategy. Rather than using aggressive approaches similar to those deployed by China’s security services in Hong Kong or the Thai authorities’ mass arrest of protesters, Myanmar’s military has attempted to disrupt protests through nightly internet blackouts, by arresting those key leaders they can identify and locate, and through occasional violence at protest sites. Compared to the speedy and overwhelming violence meted out to Rohingya civilian populations in 2017, the military’s approach towards anti-coup protesters seems deliberately unhurried. The military has used an approach closer to the Kremlin-inspired response to recent protests in Belarus, rather than aping the tactics of China’s security forces in Hong Kong. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, when facing widespread protests against his rigged August 2020 election, did not immediately use overwhelming force to crush opposition; instead, he hoped the protests would dissipate of their own accord. Protests have continued, but they have failed to dislodge Lukashenko who seems determined to weather the storm through incremental arrests of activists and the targeting of domestic journalists. The break with Chinese-inspired anti-dissident strategies should not necessarily come as a surprise. Internationally, China is widely regarded as supportive of Myanmar’s military, and has worn significant domestic opprobrium for its refusal to condemn the coup. Anti-Chinese feeling within Myanmar is approaching feverish levels, but China has been less than fulsome in its support for the coup. China’s Ambassador told Myanmar media that the coup was, “absolutely not what China wants to see.” China’s authorities had a close relationship with Aung San Suu Kyi’s government and have had, at times, a tetchy relationship with Myanmar’s military, which may now feel they have some reason to doubt the reliability of Chinese advice. That the military might turn to Myanmar’s other long-term defender on the United Nations Security Council, Russia, should also not be surprising. Russia has left little doubt that it regards the coup as legitimate, with Russia’s representative to the UN Human Rights Council describing it as a “purely domestic affair of the sovereign state.” Russia, while not a major trading partner of Myanmar, is one of its major arms dealers and has extensive experience quelling revolutions in the countries on its own periphery. Myanmar’s massive street protests are certainly reminiscent of the colour revolutions of former Soviet states. In recent years, Myanmar’s military have developed much closer ties with Russia. TASS, Russia’s official news agency, described this process as “intensive development.” Russia’s geostrategic interests are certainly served by maintaining close ties with the Myanmar military; and Myanmar, in 2018, agreed to make it easier for Russian naval ships to visit Myanmar ports, thereby enhancing Russian access to the Bay of Bengal. Just weeks before the coup, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Myanmar to discuss military cooperation with coup-leader Min Aung Hlaing. During that visit, extensive arrangements were put in place that would enable Myanmar to purchase new surface-to-air missile systems, intelligence and electronic warfare drones, and radar from Russia. It is possible, moreover, that an understanding was reached between them about intelligence cooperation, and the coup leaders’ response to Myanmar’s protest movement might now be informed by the Kremlin’s experience in undermining popular uprisings.....The protesters’ new strategies: Myanmar’s anti-coup protesters have successfully adopted many of the tactics and strategies of the Milk Tea Alliance. These tactics — which have peaceful strategies at their core — were developed in the crucible of east and southeast Asian protest. Myanmar has a long history of peaceful anti-military protest; this is the approach Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters have long advocated. However, the close ties that have developed between the militaries of Myanmar and Russia may make peaceful Milk Tea Alliance tactics less useful in the longer-term. Pre-empting the military tactics derived from Russia’s experience of undermining anti-authoritarian uprisings might require a significant tactical rethink by Myanmar’s protest movement. For instance, key to the success of Ukraine’s 2014 Euromaidan revolution was protesters’ preparedness to themselves embrace violence in response to official crackdowns. This avoided prolonged conflict of the kind we see today in Belarus, where Lukashenko remains in power and the protest movement is steadily weakened through arrests. The success of Myanmar’s popular uprising may now depend on its leaders’ ability to swiftly refine the approach of the Milk Tea Alliance, and to learn lessons from the experience of Belarus and Ukraine — places where anti-protest tactics inspired by Russia’s military have been successful. Afterall, there is strong evidence Myanmar’s military has already learned from Russia’s tactics. Ronan Lee is Visiting Scholar at the International State Crime Initiative in the School of Law, Queen Mary University of London. He was formerly a Queensland State Member of Parliament (2001–2009) and served on the frontbench as a Parliamentary Secretary (2006–2008) in portfolios including Justice, Main Roads and Local Government, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships. He is the author of Myanmar’s Rohingya Genocide: Identity, History and Hate Speech..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia)
Date of publication: 2021-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: The National Unity Government Statement that we stand with the people in Mindat Township - ပြည်ထောင်စုသမ္မတမြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော် အမျိုးသားညီညွတ်ရေးအစိုးရ၏ ချင်းပြည်နယ်၊ မင်းတပ်မြို့နယ်ရှိ ပြည်သူများနှင့် အတူ ရပ်တည်လျက်ရှိကြောင်း ထုတ်ပြန်ကြေညာချက်
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Should doctors go on strike? The ethical dilemmas facing the Civil Disobedience Movement in Myanmar
Description: "The three of us recently conducted a virtual meet-up in order to discuss what is transpiring in our homeland of Myanmar. We are all Burmese healthcare professionals who reside in three different locations — Japan, Hong Kong, and Myanmar. In particular, we wanted to find ways to help our medical colleagues throughout Myanmar. We were informed that warrants had been issued for the arrest of many of our senior and junior colleagues in the healthcare profession — at least 300 so far, with more expected in the coming days. The health workers who spearheaded the Civil Disobedience Movement in response to the February coup have been systematically targeted by the military; some of our colleagues have been shot at, and others killed, while providing medical assistance to injured protestors and bystanders. But working conditions for health workers in Myanmar were highly unsatisfactory even before the coup. Our international colleagues are typically shocked to learn Myanmar physicians are paid as little as US$200 per month on average in public hospitals. As the general strike now enters its third month, it’s not hard to imagine the duress many of our colleagues and their families are experiencing. Myanmar’s public health system now faces a three-fold crisis: the COVID-19 pandemic; the military coup itself; and the ruthless crackdown on health workers by the military. The second wave of the pandemic has already had devastating consequences on the fragile health system in Myanmar, where health spending is one of the lowest in the world. Despite the odds and meagre resources, Myanmar doctors tried valiantly to fight against the COVID-19 outbreak and the country managed to control the pandemic relatively well. In the ASEAN region, Myanmar the third country to begin a national vaccination program (after Singapore and Indonesia). But all the hard-earned success was destroyed immediately after the coup and now healthcare workers are hiding for their safety. What to make, then, of the role health workers are playing in the Civil Disobedience Movement? Around the world, doctors’ strikes are not uncommon. In Nigeria, for example, doctors are currently striking to protest poor working conditions and pay. Earlier this year, public health specialists from Ireland planned to strike against their lower pay scale compared to that of hospital consultants. In August last year, South Korean medical students went on strike over controversial national health policy reforms. A month before that, doctors in Sierra Leone decided to leave their workplaces due to the government’s failure to pay allowances and provide necessary protection in COVID-19 treatment centres. Many of these strikes last only days — in extreme cases, months — because governments have to take the demands of doctors seriously. They would initiate a process of negotiation and try to reach some agreement before patients feel the effect of the strike. After all, medical professionals are generally regarded as an indispensable human resource for any country. Not only are our colleagues in Myanmar facing the threat the military violence, they also confront a profound ethical dilemma. How can they reconcile their obligations to their patients and to those in need of medical assistance, with their opposition to the coup and their commitment to democracy? They are trying their best to continue to provide essential services to the public through the private sector or by means of make-shift community clinics. Many are providing complimentary health services to the poor, and are even risking their lives by tending to emergency cases of protesters wounded by brutal military countermeasures. In our view, the behaviour of the striking health care workers in Myanmar is not only selfless in their care for those in need, but benevolent in their commitment to nonviolent civil disobedience after the model of Gandhi. How could they continue to lend their tacit support for an undemocratic, ruthless military regime by working under its auspices? We have therefore been surprised to read the posts or comments by the military-backed media in Myanmar, stating that many people have lost their lives because of the participation of medical professionals in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Consider this: between 23 March and 21 May 2020, six people died from COVID-19; by comparison, 573 people were killed by Myanmar’s military junta between 1 February to 1 April 2021. Many doctors lost their lives on the streets during the emergency care and rescue missions, and many more have been imprisoned for treating protesters — to say nothing of those in hiding on account of warrants for their arrest. These CDM doctors and medical professionals are not being selfish; they are selfless and self-sacrificial for the sake of freedom and justice. We were delighted to receive the news that the Civil Disobedience Movement in Myanmar was nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize by a group of professors from the University of Oslo. So, is it ethical for doctors to go on strike? We would argue that the ethical questions should be directed, not to the doctors, but to Myanmar’s military dictator, Min Aung Hlaing, who should respond to the doctors’ courage and their plea for justice by restoring power to the elected civilian government. Is it ethical to destroy these precious human resources in such callous way? The population of Myanmar has been traumatised by the February coup and its violent aftermath. Is it ethical for a politician to cause such severe political and social unrest in the middle of a pandemic? These are the pressing ethical questions. And the nonviolent, courageous, sacrificial behaviour of our colleagues in Myanmar ensures that these questions aren’t forgotten or swept under the carpet. When the dictatorship becomes a fact, then nonviolent revolution is a right. Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw is a Lecturer at the School of Public Health in the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong. Su Myat Han is a postgraduate researcher in Tropical Medicine and Global Health at Nagasaki University, Japan, and in the Institute of Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. Thein Min Swe, like Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw and Su Myat Han, is a health care professional. All three are members of International Society of Myanmar Scholars and Professionals (ISMSP-MM) —an association around the world working together for justice in Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia)
Date of publication: 2021-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-08
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Title: Announcement of the Establishment of People's Defence Force: National Unity Government Notification 1/2021
Description: "1. National Unity Government is leading the executive sector of Union of Republic of Myanmar exercising the mandate and powers conferred by the people of Myanmar in 2020 General Elections. 2. Council of terrorist military junta has seized the State Power from the people’s government and detained the leaders of the government in addition to the war crimes they are committing by violent torture and killings, arbitrary arrest and detention of the people resisting the military dictatorship, using extreme force including air strikes and bombing of ethnic armed revolutionary organizations and people working on federal democracy. 3. Armed forces of the council of terrorist military junta have failed to ensure the perpetuation of the sovereignty, human security of the people and respect and value for humanity; and they have harmed, disrupted and destroyed the lives and properties of the people in addition to blocking the building of federal democracy union as the political goal of the country. 4. In such a situation, National Unity Government has the responsibility to end the civil war of over seventy years, implement effective security sector reform and establish federal democratic armed forces by controlling and ending the violent actions, military aggression and hostilities of military council. 5. Therefore, National Unity Government has officially established People Defence Forces as the forerunner essence of Federal Democratic Armed Forces on May 5, 2021. Signed Prime Minister National Unity Government Union of Republic of Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 7 May, (774) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. (1) from Myingyan Township in Mandalay Region died on 7 May. (1) from Kani Township in Sagaing Region was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 7, a total of (3778) people are currently under detention; of them (84) are sentenced. 1498 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Today across Burma, including in Mandalay City and Yangon City, people staged powerful protests in defiance of the coup. This morning in Rangoon, a Tamwe protest was suppressed, the police chased the protesters into the streets and buildings. At least 6 youths were arrested. Unprovoked shootings by the junta have escalated, children are also being affected. Early this morning, in Le Thit Village, Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region, after an explosion at the house of the junta appointed ward administrator, junta troops came and shot a 15 year-old, 9th grade student in the head. The junta troops took the dead body. The daily violence, looting, destruction of buildings, and makeshift military bases by the junta have led civilians to form defense forces to defend themselves. Yesterday a young man was killed in a clash between the junta and the People’s Defense Forces in Kani Township, Sagaing Region. Last night the junta threatened to set fire to neighborhoods because people were banging pots and pans in Maha Myaing housing, North Dagon Township, Yangon Region. In Sanchaung Township, the junta violently raided the Asia Royal Hospital, searching every floor, looking for a patient’s acquaintance. The junta are committing atrocities without limits. The junta group is taking hostages every day. On the morning of 6 May, in Pathein, Irrawaddy Region, a young protester was not found. Instead his mother and brother were taken hostage. On the night of May 5, in Mudon Township, Mon State, the junta went to a protest leader’s house. His wife and a twenty-day-old baby were detained. The junta group is trying to be legitimate in various ways, whilst holding onto power through an illegitimate coup. The SAC is an illegal organization. As of May 7, a total 59 people have been taken as hostage, according to AAPP documentation. No effective action has been taken against the daily human rights abuses of this junta. People from some townships in Sagaing Region and Chin State are defending themselves, and heavy fighting is taking place between the ethnic armed groups and the junta in Kachin and Karen States. If no action is taken by the international community or ASEAN, civil war will engulf all Burma. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Jailed Myanmar Now reporter put in solitary confinement after starting fast for Ramadan
Sub-title: Kay Zon Nway was falsely accused of staging a hunger strike, according to recently released inmate
Description: "Kay Zon Nway, a Myanmar Now reporter who was arrested while reporting on an anti-coup demonstration in Yangon in late February, has been put in solitary confinement at Insein Prison after she began fasting for Ramadan, her lawyer said. The reporter was charged under Section 505a of the Penal Code for incitement, which carries a prison sentence of up to three years. She has been in solitary since April 28, but her lawyer, Nilar Khine, only found this out when she saw her at a hearing on Thursday. “She says she hasn’t done anything,” Nilar Khine said. “Some people do sit-in protests in prison, but she’s fasting because it’s Ramadan. She’s being put in confinement for no reason.” Prison officials could not be reached for further details on her situation. Thursday’s hearing was held not at a court but at the prison. A woman who was recently released from Insein after being arrested for protesting told Myanmar Now that Kay Zon Nway was falsely accused of going on hunger strike when she began fasting for Ramadan. “Kay Zon Nway is fasting for religious reasons but some individuals told the prison officials that she was protesting,” the woman said. “That’s why they’re doing this.’ The plaintiff in her case, a deputy police major at Sanchaung police station, testified at Thursday’s hearing that she was arrested for inciting protests under the Myaynigone bridge in Sanchaung, Nilar Khine said. In response Nilar Khine told the hearing that Kay Zon Nway has the right to report under Myanmar’s media law. “They accused her of incitement but she only had her phone and a tripod for the phone when she was arrested. Those are items used for reporting, not protesting,” the lawyer said. The case against freelance reporter Soe Yarzar Tun, who has been hit with the same charge as Kay Zon Nway, was also heard at Thursday’s hearing. The next hearing is scheduled for May 20. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 48 reporters are now being detained in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Military coup puts Telenor’s future in Myanmar on the line
Description: "Since Myanmar’s military ordered telecoms operators to shut their networks in an effort to end protests against its February coup, Telenor’s business there has been in limbo. As one of the few Western companies to bet on the South East Asian country after it emerged from military dictatorship a decade ago, the return to army rule led to a $783 million write-off this week for Norway’s Telenor (TEL.OL). The Norwegian state-controlled firm, one of the biggest foreign investors in Myanmar, must now decide whether to ride out the turmoil, or withdraw from a market which last year contributed 7% of its earnings. “We are facing many dilemmas,” Telenor Chief Executive Sigve Brekke told Reuters this week, highlighting the stark problems facing international firms under increased scrutiny over their exposure in Myanmar, where hundreds have been killed in protests against the Feb. 1 coup. While Telenor plans to stay for now, the future is uncertain, Brekke said in a video interview. Although Telenor had won praise for supporting what at the time was a fledgling democracy, activist groups have long voiced concerns about business ties to the military, which have intensified since the army retook control of the country. Chris Sidoti, a United Nations expert on Myanmar, said Telenor should avoid payments such as taxes or licence fees that could fund the military directly or indirectly, and that if it cannot be independently determined that Telenor is "doing more good than harm" in Myanmar, then it should withdraw. However, Espen Barth Eide, who was Norway's foreign minister at the time Telenor gained a licence in Myanmar in 2013, told Reuters that Telenor should stay and use its position as a well-established foreign firm to be a vocal critic of the military. A spokeswoman for Norway's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, which represents the Norwegian government as a shareholder, said on Thursday that "under the current circumstances Telenor faces several dilemmas in Myanmar". "From a corporate governance perspective the investment in Myanmar is a responsibility of the company's Board and Management. Within this framework the Ministry as a shareholder keep a good dialogue with Telenor regarding the situation," the spokeswoman added in an emailed response to Reuters. The Myanmar junta, which has said it seized power because its repeated complaints of fraud in last year's election were ignored by the election commission, has blamed protesters and the former ruling party for instigating violence. And it said on March 23 that it had no plans to lift network restrictions. It has not commented on the curbs since and did not answer Reuters calls on Thursday....NEW MARKET: Telenor is no stranger to operating under military rule in both Pakistan and Thailand, where it challenged the Thai junta over what it said was an order to block social media access. At around the same time, Telenor was signing up its first customers in Myanmar. Its then-CEO, Jon Fredrik Baksaas, told Reuters that Telenor had thought "a lot" about the risk that Myanmar's experiment with democracy might not last. "But we argued at that time that, when we get in a western company that delivers telecommunication in a country, we stand also with some responsibility, and a bit of a guarantee that things are done correctly," Baksaas said. Its position had support internationally at the time after Barack Obama became the first U.S. President to visit Myanmar in 2012, the year after a military junta was officially dissolved and a quasi-civilian government installed. For its part, the Norwegian government, which owns a majority of Telenor, had long supported democracy in Myanmar, hosting radio and TV stations reporting on it under military rule. And in 1991, the Norwegian Nobel Committee gave the Nobel Peace Prize to Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest in Myanmar before leading a civilian government which retained power in last year's election. Suu Kyi was detained after the coup and charged with offences that her lawyers say are trumped up. While Norway was supportive of Telenor's Myanmar venture, the government also warned of the risks, Barth Eide, Norway's foreign minister at the time, said. "We told them that it's a complicated country which had a harsh military dictatorship. Telenor was very much aware of it ... It's not like they were novices," he added. Telenor was one of two foreign operators granted licences in 2013, alongside Qatar's Ooredoo (ORDS.QA). The other operators in Myanmar are state-backed MPT and Mytel, which is part-owned by a military-linked company. About 95% of Telenor's 187 million customers worldwide are in Asia and it has around 18 million customers in Myanmar, serving a third of its 54 million population....'NO DIRECT LINKS': For Telenor, doing business in Myanmar had its challenges, including trying to avoid commercial ties to the military. Former CEO Baksaas said for the first couple of weeks after it began operations in Myanmar, staff had to sit on the office floor because Telenor refused to pay bribes to customs officials for furniture which it had imported. He also said they had to navigate corruption risks when acquiring land to build mobile towers. Then there was dealing with the military, whose economic interests range from land to firms involved in mining and banking. The military has faced allegations of human rights abuses including persecuting minorities and violently suppressing protests going back decades. It has repeatedly denied such allegations. Activist group Justice for Myanmar said in a 2020 report that Telenor had shown "an alarming failure" in its human rights due diligence over a deal struck in 2015 to build mobile towers that involved a military contractor. Another report by the United Nations in 2019 said Telenor was renting offices in a building built on military-owned land. The report said firms in Myanmar should end all ties with the military due to human rights abuses. A Telenor spokesperson said in an email on April 9 responding to Reuters questions that it had addressed the matter of the 2015 deal, without elaborating, and that its choice of office was "the only viable option" given factors like safety. "Telenor Myanmar has been focused on having minimal exposure to the military and have no direct links to military-controlled entities," the spokesperson said. Since the coup, Telenor has cut ties with three suppliers after finding links to the military, the spokesperson added.....BALANCING ACT: On the day of the coup, the military ordered Telenor and other operators to shut down networks. Telenor criticised the move but complied. Services were allowed to resume but there have been intermittent requests to close since, and the mobile internet has been shut since March 15. Ooredoo has also said it "regretfully complied" with directives to restrict mobile and wireless broadband in Myanmar, which hit its first quarter earnings. It declined further comment on the outlook for its Myanmar business. Like other operators, Telenor paid license fees to the now military-controlled government in March, which critics argue may help it finance repression of public protest. Telenor said in the emailed response to Reuters that it made the payment "under strong protest against recent developments". One of its major shareholders, Norway's KLP, said it had been in a dialogue with Telenor after the coup to ensure it was identifying the human rights risks. "It is a challenging situation because Telenor cannot choose what it can and can't do. They get their directives from the authorities," said Kiran Aziz, senior analyst for responsible investments at KLP. "It is difficult to assess how positive Telenor's contribution can be in this context." Weighing up human rights is just one of the dilemmas Telenor now faces, said CEO Brekke, alongside safely serving its customers and maintaining network access for them. "We work on that balance every single day," he said. And although that balance, for now, is tilted to Telenor staying in the country, it is not a given. “We make a difference like we have done since we arrived. But with the situation being this unpredictable, it is impossible in many ways to speculate about the future and how this will develop,” Brekke added..."
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Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar anti-coup cage fighter arrested as protests continue
Sub-title: Warrantless arrests reported across the country as military struggles to assert control amid defiant protest and mounting death toll.
Description: "A popular mixed martial arts fighter who joined anti-coup protests in Myanmar has been wounded by a homemade bomb and later arrested following an alleged blast – among many othA popular mixed martial arts fighter who joined anti-coup protests in Myanmar has been wounded by a homemade bomb and later arrested following an alleged blast – among many others in at least three cities – as the military government struggles to assert control of the country amid a mounting death toll and defiant protests. Anti-coup protests were held on Friday across the country, including the city of Magway west of the capital, Naypyidaw. A pre-dawn strike was also held in the Natmouk district of Magway, with protesters carrying torches and the red banner of the National League of Democracy party of Aung San Suu Kyi.ers in at least three cities – as the military government struggles to assert control of the country amid a mounting death toll and defiant protests. Anti-coup protests were held on Friday across the country, including the city of Magway west of the capital, Naypyidaw. A pre-dawn strike was also held in the Natmouk district of Magway, with protesters carrying torches and the red banner of the National League of Democracy party of Aung San Suu Kyi. Phoe Thaw is well-known in Myanmar and was caught on camera during the protests holding a sign that challenged coup leader, Min Aung Hlaing, to a cage fight. Images on Myawaddy TV on Thursday showed him on a stretcher, his legs covered in wounds and burns. A former colleague, who spoke to the Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity, said the homemade bomb had been left at the gym car park by a policeman posing as a civilian.....More deaths, economy crippled: Small blasts are becoming more frequent in towns and cities in Myanmar, some at government or military buildings, which the coup leaders say are proof of a violent rebellion by supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi’s overthrown government. A unity government comprised of former politicians, pro-democracy groups and ethnic minority armies says the explosions are being orchestrated by the military, which is seeking to cling to power by eradicating its enemies. Following earlier explosions on Wednesday, which hit a bus station in Mandalay as well as at a bank and a military-owned telecoms company in Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing called for “effective action” against the perpetrators. “They are destroying the country,” MRTV quoted him saying. The station also reported that arrest warrants were being sought for 40 medical workers and teachers accused of promoting a civil disobedience campaign. The incident comes days after the military reported five people, including a politician in Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, were killed in an explosion in the Bago region, with bomb-making materials recovered from the scene. Media outlets Irrawaddy and the Democratic Voice of Burma on Thursday said a local government administrator was knifed to death in Mandalay, the second such killing this week, after the fatal stabbing of a military-appointed official in Yangon. Myanmar has been in chaos since a February 1 coup, which ended 10 years of economic reform and tentative steps towards democracy initiated by the military after 49 years of rule in the impoverished but resource-rich country. Months of protests and strikes have crippled the economy, disrupting banking, business and much of the bureaucracy, prompting concern that Myanmar is edging closer to becoming a failed state. The human rights monitor, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reported late on Thursday that the death toll from the military crackdown since the beginning of the coup has already reached 772, while 3,738 are currently detained or have been sentenced. Al Jazeera could not independently verify the numbers due to reporting restrictions. In another development, more youths took to social media on Thursday to declare their intent to train to fight in the unity government’s newly formed “defence force”, threatening to attack the well-equipped military if more civilians are killed..."
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar junta says no ASEAN envoy visit until stability restored
Description: "Myanmar's ruling military, which is facing nationwide protests against the coup that removed the elected government three months ago, said on Friday it would not agree to a visit by a Southeast Asian envoy until it could establish stability. Leaders of countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached consensus on five points at a summit on the Myanmar crisis last month, which was attended by the architect of the Feb. 1 coup, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. These included an end to violence, dialogue between the military and its opponents, allowing humanitarian help, and permitting a visit by a special ASEAN envoy. "Right now, we are prioritising the security and stability of the country," Major Kaung Htet San, a spokesman for the military council, told a televised briefing. "Only after we achieve a certain level of security and stability, we will cooperate regarding that envoy." The junta would consider suggestions made at the summit if they were helpful to its visions for the country, he added. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup, which unleashed anger amongst a public unwilling to tolerate a return to military rule after five decades of economic mismanagement and underdevelopment. Protests and marches have taken place on most days, the latest a big pro-democracy demonstration on Friday in the commercial capital Yangon, and smaller protests in at least 10 other places around the country. At least 769 people have been killed and nearly 3,700 detained in the military's crackdown on opponents, according to an advocacy group monitoring the crisis. The junta says it is battling terrorists. On Friday, spokesman Kaung Htet San said more arrests of instigators of violence had been made than were publicly announced. The April 24 ASEAN meeting in Jakarta was hailed as a success by those who attended, but analysts and activists remain skeptical that Myanmar's generals will implement the five-point plan, which had no timeframe nor any mention of releasing political prisoners, including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Kaung Htet San said ASEAN leaders had provided positive suggestions to Min Aung Hlaing, but whether or not they would be followed depended on the situation in Myanmar, and if their ideas were "helpful to our further visions".....CONFLICTS REIGNITED:The prospect of stability anytime soon in Myanmar appears bleak, with a reigniting of conflict between the military and ethnic minority insurgents in the borderlands and minor bombings and explosions now taking place regularly in its main cities. The junta says it is fighting rogue elements of ethnic armies and all parties remain committed to a nationwide ceasefire. It has blamed the spate of urban bombings on supporters of Suu Kyi's ousted government. A recently formed National Unity Government, a coalition of anti-military groups, says the junta orchestrated the bombings as a pretext to crush its opponents. Two local media outlets on Friday reported that fighters from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) attacked and killed 30 Myanmar troops as they tried to travel on a river, citing local people and a KIA source. Kaung Htet San said violence and armed conflicts would be dealt with by the military "in a suitable way". The junta has for months limited access to the internet in an effort to disrupt the anti-coup movement and this week banned satellite television receivers of outside broadcasts. read more Kaung Htet San said the military respected the public's right to access information, but overseas-based social networks were being used to share material that was "very alarming for national security". He also said security would be intensified to protect strategic gas pipelines, following an attack on security personnel at one location nearly Mandalay this week. Myanmar has twin oil and gas pipelines that stretch across the country to China, a country many in Myanmar believe enabled generals to amass vast personal wealth from natural resources, at a time of crippling sanctions and international isolation. China has said it takes no sides in the conflict and wants a stable Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-07
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Parents, teachers and students boycott ‘slave education system’
Sub-title: With an entire academic year already lost to the pandemic, the junta says schools will reopen on June 1, but teachers, students and their parents are refusing to attend or enroll in schools administered by generals and policed by soldiers.
Description: "Many parents breathed a sigh of relief in January when the elected government unveiled its plans to reopen schools, which had been closed for nearly a year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But on February 1, their hope evaporated. Three months since the coup, the junta is pressing ahead with school re-openings for the start of the next academic year in June. But once again, its plans to continue the policies of the National League for Democracy government it ousted are being foiled by a defiant public. On April 30, during the daily 8pm newscast on state-owned MRTV, the junta announced that enrollment in basic education schools – as state schools below university level are called – will run from May 24 to 31, with classes resuming on June 1. But many classrooms may still sit empty, thanks to teachers, students and their parents refusing to take part in a military-run “slave education system”, they say. Scores of Ministry of Education employees including teachers and heads of schools have joined nationwide strikes as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement, and many of the street protests have been led by young students. Meanwhile, junta forces have made barracks of dozens of schools across the country – a move condemned by the United Nations education and children’s agencies, UNESCO and UNICEF, and the international non-government organisation Save the Children. In a joint statement issued on March 19, the three groups called this a “serious violation of children’s rights”. But despite the importance of children’s education, much of the teaching profession and the wider public are determined to deny the junta a single policy win – and to foil any pretence, after weeks of protest and deadly repression, that Myanmar is now stable. They also feel that, given the neglect and incompetence that marked the previous era of military rule, a junta-run education system would be worthless, and so they have nothing to lose. “Most teachers won’t return to work because they support the CDM, and most students won’t attend classes to show their opposition to the coup,” said an executive member of the Myanmar Teachers’ Federation who declined to give his name.....‘I will never stop’: Junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing promised at his first news conference after seizing power, held on February 8, to reopen schools as soon as it was safe to do so. On April 11, junta education minister Dr Nyunt Pe told a meeting of education officials that basic education schools will open on June 1. But he tacitly acknowledged how difficult it may be to hit that target when he then urged striking teachers to return to work, suggesting they were violating the Civil Service Personnel Law by joining the CDM. Two days prior, on April 9, junta spokesperson Major-General Zaw Min Tun told reporters that striking teachers have been pressuring colleagues who’ve joined ministry-run refresher courses ahead of the reopening, and accused protesters of setting some of the buildings housing these refresher courses on fire. He said more than half of all ministry teachers are attending the courses but are being continually harassed by protesters. Yet the junta has not even been able to keep its own appointees from defecting. It appointed University of Education, Sagaing rector Dr Saw Pyone Naing as Basic Education Department director on March 2, but Pyone Naing rejected the posting and joined the CDM. Days before, Dr Daw Shwe Pon, the health minister in the National Unity Government – formed in mid-April by ousted MPs and ethnic leaders as Myanmar’s legitimate government, in defiance of the junta – posted a message from Pyone Naing urging department staff not to return to school and to join the CDM. “Do not forget: teachers that return to [military-run] schools are betraying their country,” the message said. The Myanmar Teachers’ Federation estimated in March that about 75 percent of education ministry staff were taking part in the CDM. Although Frontier could not get a more up-to-date estimate for the whole ministry, a federation official said about 60pc of Basic Education Department staff remain on strike. The MTF official added that more than 70pc of those still on strike have gone into hiding, fearing arrest – or worse: of the more than 750 people killed by the junta since the coup, three have been teachers and five have been students, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners. Among the more than 3,500 people arrested, charged or sentenced since February 1, 60 are education department staff involved in the CDM and 20 are basic education students that had joined protests. Many have been charged with incitement under section 505A of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum three-year sentence. On April 25, the junta’s education ministry ordered all teachers to return to schools for preparatory work no later than May 3. Frontier could not find an estimate of how many teachers returned that day, but several sources said that many who did return do not plan to be at school on opening day. “I will absolutely continue taking part in the CDM until we win. I will never stop boycotting an education system run by the military,” a striking teacher in Mandalay Region who’s gone into hiding told Frontier shortly before the deadline. Although not targeted by the CDM, private schools are also having a tough time trying to fully resume. With their earnings diminished after a year of closures, many do not have the money to hire back staff, said U Nay Oke, chair of the Myanmar Private Schools Association. He said the MPSA is still waiting for a response to a request it sent last November to the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry for loans to private schools to help them meet operating costs when they reopen. “I’m very worried that the private education sector will be in disarray [without financial assistance],” he said He expects only 40pc of Myanmar’s 2,000 private schools to be able to reopen for the coming academic year, with enrollment likely down by 50pc from pre-pandemic levels. The one exception to these trends – including for state schools – appears to be in Rakhine State, the only region of the country that has not seen large-scale strikes or protests against the junta. U Tin Thein, head of the state’s Basic Education Department, says at least 95pc of the more than 28,000 teachers there have attended refresher courses, and only a few have joined the CDM. Tin Thein said the department is preparing to open more than 3,000 schools but has yet to receive an official reopening plan from Nay Pyi Taw. “Rakhine State is mostly peaceful, and I believe all schools will be able to reopen,” he said, alluding to an informal ceasefire that has held since November between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army. He added that about 80 schools will have to remain closed because they are in “conflict zones”.....‘Not the right time’: Outside of Rakhine, the determination of many teachers to remain on strike is matched by the resolve of many parents not to send their children to schools under military control, despite having already endured a year of closed schools. Of the parents of 30 primary, middle and high school students Frontier spoke to in Yangon Region, 21 said they absolutely would not send their children to a government school while the military is in charge, and only two said they definitely would. Others were unsure, or said they would in certain circumstances. Daw Ei Ei Nyein, 52, whose daughter would otherwise be beginning eighth grade at Yankin Educational Degree College Practicing School, said she doesn’t think it would be safe. At an April 29 press conference, Tatmadaw Captain Daw Aye Thazin Myint said the military council is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs and local administration offices to provide added security “for the safety of teachers and students” – a prospect many students and parents find more terrifying than reassuring. “I will not send my child to school, even if it reopens,” Ei Ei Nyein said. “There is no guarantee that students will not be arrested or shot, or that female students will not be sexually harassed by soldiers.” She said she will only send her daughter, Ma Yun Nay Chit Htet, to school “once the elected civilian government returns to power”. Yun Nay Chit Htet, 15, also refuses to attend for now. She believes doing so would not only be worthless under a “slave education system”, but would also signal a tacit approval of the military dictatorship. “I’ve made up my mind not to return to school until Mother Suu is released,” she said, referring to ousted State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest in Nay Pyi Taw. The education ministry of the dissident National Unity Government, meanwhile, has voiced support for such a boycott. In an April 26 statement it urged teachers and other education ministry employees not to return to universities or basic education schools until the military regime is ousted. Ei Ei Nyein hopes her daugher will be able to study some form of vocational training outside of the formal system instead. “Our uprising against the junta’s coup may take a long time, but it doesn’t matter! I do not want my daughter to receive an educational certificate from the junta. I will teach her important work skills for her future myself,” she said. One Department of Basic Education teacher and MTF member said that if schools do reopen, he expects enrolment to be down by at least half, if only for security or practical reasons. “I think most parents are worried about their children’s safety these days,” he said. “Due to the political situation and the shortage of teachers in the department because of the CDM, this is not the right time for basic education schools to reopen.”.....COVID mandates: Students were completing the school year in March last year when the country’s first case of COVID-19 was recorded, and final-year high school students were able to take the matriculation exams required for admission to university. However, in its response to the pandemic, the government effectively cancelled the 2020-21 academic year. Although several thousand high schools briefly reopened from July 21 to August 27 after case numbers dropped, all were again closed on August 28 after a second surge in infections was recorded, first in Rakhine and then across the country. Now, the more than 47,000 basic education schools in Myanmar must pass a 30-point COVID-19 prevention inspection before reopening, ensuring proper sanitation, ventilation and space for social distancing. The junta has trimmed the reopening test from an earlier 80-point one established by the NLD government, but it’s uncertain how many schools will be able to prepare for and pass the test in the next month with their staff diminished by the CDM. Dr Phyu Phyu Aye, director of the Ministry of Health and Sport’s Public Health Department, declined to answer, insisting the question must be put to the Department of Basic Education, but spokespersons for that department would not take Frontier’s calls. Daw Win Win Nwe, principal of the Practicing School at the Yangon University of Education in Kamaryut Township, said she had received no instructions on reopening other than that all basic education schools must reopen in June. She said that there had been no inspections to ensure compliance with the health ministry’s COVID-19 prevention measures yet. Since September 21 last year, the Practicing School has been used as a quarantine centre for citizens returning from overseas. “Preparations to reopen the school will have to include cleaning and disinfecting the classrooms,” she said. With teachers and students being shot and arrested, however, COVID-19 precautions seem like the last concern for most students and their parents. U Soe Soe and Daw Toe Toe Lwin, whose 11-year-old daughter, Ma Aye Myat Thu, was shot in the head by security forces on March 27 as she played in her yard, say they will never send their children to a military-run schools. The preteen left behind four sisters, one of whom has graduated and one who is not yet of school age. “We do not dare to enroll our other two daughters if their schools reopen,” Toe Toe Lwin told Frontier. “We lost our beloved daughter, Ma Aye Myat Thu, due to the military’s brutality … We do not want to lose any more children.”..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UN Reiterates Call for Health Workers and Facilities to be Protected [EN/MY]
Topic: Health, Safety and Security
Topic: Health, Safety and Security
Description: "The United Nations in Myanmar warns of the impact on public health, including the COVID-19 response, from attacks on medical personnel and facilities, and reiterates its call for health workers, health facilities and patients to be protected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) global surveillance system, since the beginning of February there have been 158 reported attacks on health care, resulting in 11 deaths and 51 injuries. This is currently the majority of reported attacks on health care services worldwide since the beginning of 2021. Some 83 attacks impacted facilities, 21 attacks impacted ambulances, 76 attacks impacted health personnel, and 73 attacks impacted patients. The global tracking system cumulatively lists 51 health facilities across Myanmar as having been under occupation by security forces. At least 31 of these facilities remain currently occupied and have reported a drop in the number of people seeking medical care. Meanwhile, at least 139 doctors believed to be participating in civil disobedience have reportedly been charged under Section 505 (a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code. These include highly specialized health personnel whose expertise cannot easily be replaced, which will significantly impact both the quality and quantity of health services available. Attacks on health care pose a grave risk for the delivery of essential health services, as well as for the COVID-19 response, with potential devastating consequences for Myanmar and beyond. At a time when Myanmar needs them the most, health workers fear arrest or detention for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. “The United Nations in Myanmar stands ready to continue its support of the national COVID-19 response but this requires a return to the comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic previously underway, that the inviolable nature of health facilities and health workers and patients is respected, and the immediate release of urgently needed medical and technical personnel detained or arrested while exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Andrew Kirkwood, acting interim United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, said. The United Nations Country Team in Myanmar consists of FAO, ILO, IOM, ITC, OHCHR, OCHA, UNAIDS, UNCDF, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UN HABITAT, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNODC, UNOPS, UNV, UN WOMEN, WFP, and WHO..."
Source/publisher: UN Country Team in Myanmar via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Calls Grow to Cut Myanmar Junta’s External Financial Lifelines
Topic: Chevron, collapse, Coup, earners, Exports, financial, flows, foreign currency, forestry, Imports, inflows, junta, lifeline, Military, Mining, NLD, NUG, Oil and Gas, regime, revenue, rule, SAC, Sanctions, Shipping, support, textiles, Total, Tourism
Topic: Chevron, collapse, Coup, earners, Exports, financial, flows, foreign currency, forestry, Imports, inflows, junta, lifeline, Military, Mining, NLD, NUG, Oil and Gas, regime, revenue, rule, SAC, Sanctions, Shipping, support, textiles, Total, Tourism
Description: "Tougher action is urgently needed to cut off foreign currency flows to the Myanmar military regime, suggested local and foreign financial experts, who argued that severing its financial lifeline would hasten the collapse of military rule. “The largest inflows of foreign currency to the military are from the oil and gas and mining sectors. We need to totally shut off the flow of foreign currency that is keeping the junta alive,” a local economist who asked not to be named told The Irrawaddy. “The international community must pressure all the parties that sustain military rule in Myanmar. It is critical to act before it is too late,” he said. Last week, an anonymous group, Independent Economists for Myanmar (IEM), suggested that effective sanctions limiting the ability of the regime’s State Administrative Council (SAC) to collect revenue from natural gas, mining, forestry, shipping including port fees and airlines could change the military’s calculus. It estimated that such measures would cut off roughly US$2 billion per year in financing for the military. Earnings from natural gas, jade, metallic minerals, land rentals, telecommunications fees and businesses involved in trade such as port operators, transport and logistics companies, and Myanmar National Airlines provide the largest inflows of foreign currency to the military, totaling around $2.5 billion per year.....Cash in hand: IEM estimated that that military’s “access to foreign currency is significant but constrained,” saying it controls at least $4 billion, roughly two-thirds of Myanmar’s stock of foreign currency. However, it also controls about half of the inflows that remain following the collapse of several sectors that generated foreign currency, such as textiles and tourism. Additionally, around $1 billion of foreign assets are held at the US Federal Reserve and were frozen by the US government in early February. Foreign currency is important for the military since it not only pays for military equipment like tanks and guns, as well as supplies like fuel, but is also needed to service military-owned companies that rely on foreign inputs. Military-owned factories rely on foreign equipment to keep functioning, while military hospitals purchase medication from abroad. IEM said that prior to the coup, Myanmar had enough foreign reserves to maintain imports for three months. However, since then, exports have shrunk, import demand has crashed, and the military has confiscated much of the country’s foreign reserves. Myanmar imports roughly $28 billion worth of goods and services in an average year, including $3 billion in fuel, more than $500 million in medication, $1 billion in cooking oil, and $1.2 billion in meat and vegetables. Myanmar’s official exports have shrunk by more than 20 percent and imports by more than 35 percent since October 2020. Before the coup, the textile and footwear industries generated a quarter of all foreign currency inflows for the country, but almost all of their operations have dried up since the Feb. 1 military takeover. Moreover, none of the military-owned companies are known to hold significant foreign assets. The scarcity of foreign exchange is evident in the 20 percent depreciation of the kyat versus the US dollar between Feb. 1 and April 19, despite limits on kyat withdrawals and hoarding of cash, the economists said. Subsidiaries of Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) and Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL)—two military owned conglomerates—normally earn roughly $200 million annually from domestic sales. These include Dagon Beverages Company, Myawaddy Bank, Mytel, Aung Thitsa Oo Insurance and Bandoola Transportation Company. However, both MEHL and MEC are likely to suffer financially, with Myanmar Brewery, Myawaddy Bank and Mytel expected to see declines in revenue of 80 to 90 percent due to domestic consumer boycotts. The combined effect could be to reduce MEHL and MEC’s domestic revenue by between $100-150 million, the economists estimated. Many of the Myanmar state’s most valuable assets were sold off in the 1990s and 2000s, meaning the SAC regime cannot raise much capital from asset sales. Further, widespread instability and insecurity are depressing asset prices and the National Unity Government—a shadow government formed by elected lawmakers ousted by the coup—considers void any investment agreements signed between domestic or foreign companies and the SAC, IEM said. “In short, without new foreign currency inflows, the military will soon need to ration foreign currency. The SAC regime will need to choose between purchasing fuel, medication, equipment and food for itself and providing foreign exchange liquidity for the rest of the population,” it said. Even without forceful targeted sanctions in place, the military is already being forced to choose between its own priorities and providing financing to import the fuel and equipment needed to generate the electricity and food, fertilizers and medications people need to survive, IME said. The military has already starved public services and the private sector of foreign exchange, so further reductions in its access to foreign currency are likely to predominantly impact the military rather than civilians, the IME said. “Such actions, and preventing military businesses from accessing foreign inputs, could help pressure the military to compromise on its own needs,” the economists suggested.....Bankrolling crimes: Foreign currency inflows from natural resources—oil, gas, minerals, gems and forestry products—represent more than a third of Myanmar’s export earnings, according to official records. The oil and gas sector, in which many international energy giants have invested, has become a target of rights groups, which are demanding an end to foreign firms’ financing of the military’s crimes. Since the military takeover, at least 769 civilians have been killed and 4,734 people arrested by the regime. On Tuesday, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations urged the US Congress to play a decisive leadership role in resolving the Myanmar crisis. Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, a representative of elected lawmakers from the National League for Democracy (NLD), urged the US to impose “targeted, coordinated and tougher sanctions” on the Myanmar military and its businesses such as Myawaddy and Innwa banks, the state-owned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). “I wish to stress that Myanmar is not just witnessing another major setback to democracy, but also the crisis is threatening the regional peace and security,” U Kyaw Moe Tun said. Oil and gas revenues earned Myanmar $1.5 billion in annual income in fiscal 2019-20, with around 80 percent of that income derived from the offshore natural gas sector, according to official figures. Recently, US senators urged the Biden administration to impose sanctions on MOGE. Natural gas joint ventures involving companies such as France’s Total, the US’s Chevron, South Korea’s POSCO, Thailand’s PTT, Malaysia’s Petronas and China’s CNPC are currently the most significant sources of foreign exchange revenue for Myanmar. MOGE collects income through its joint ventures and revenue sharing agreements with international corporations. US giant Chevron has a longstanding partnership with MOGE. The two companies are joint investors in the Yadana offshore gas project, located off the southwest coast of Myanmar, which accounts for 42 percent of all oil and gas production from Myanmar’s offshore projects. Chevron paid around $50 million to Myanmar between 2014 and 2018, according to the Myanmar Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative report (MEITI). Total reported that it paid $257 million in taxes and other payments to Myanmar in 2019. Petronas’s Yetagun gas project paid $208 million to the government in 2018, while the Shwe project, run by South Korea’s POSCO, paid $194 million, according to MEITI. The Zawtika gas project, run by Thailand’s PTT, paid $41 million in 2018. International and local pro-democracy supporters have repeatedly pressured oil and gas companies to cut ties with the military or pay revenue into a trust or protected account either to be held until such time as Myanmar has a legitimate and democratically elected government or to be used for humanitarian purposes. Elected lawmakers from the NLD sent a final notice in March calling on foreign-owned oil and gas companies operating in Myanmar to suspend business ties with the military regime, warning that the money from sales of the oil and gas would be used to reinforce human rights violations in the country. However, both Total and Chevron remain reluctant to follow those demands. A New York Times report revealed that Chevron has intensively lobbied the US State Department and key congressional offices against sanctions, warning that they could disrupt its joint ventures in Myanmar. An investigation by France’s Le Monde newspaper published on Tuesday revealed that Total’s gas operation in Myanmar has been propping up the military junta by diverting funds from gas sales to offshore accounts instead of the government. According to documents accessed by the French newspaper and released after the military coup, the Yadana gas field, which supplies gas to local markets in Myanmar and Thailand, is diverting revenue to the MOGE, which is managed by army executives and retired officers. Human rights group Justice for Myanmar (JFM) said on Wednesday that Total’s CEO claimed his company is continuing to do business as usual in Myanmar for humanitarian reasons. However, their business conduct in Myanmar and deep ties to the military suggest otherwise, JFM said. “We demand Total to immediately suspend all payments to the military junta and place funds in a protected account until democracy is restored in Myanmar,” JFM said. Another foreign currency earner is the mining sector, which generates about $470 million a year. The gems sector accounts for $300 million. Legally, the state should collect approximately 10 percent in royalties and taxes on jade, but 60 to 80 percent of gemstones produced in Myanmar bypass the formal trading and export system. The forestry industry officially generated between $350 million and $1.65 billion per year in exports over the last decade. In a bid to deprive the military government of funds, the US Treasury Department in April imposed sanctions on a Myanmar state-owned gems enterprise, as well as Myanmar Timber Enterprise and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise. MEHL and MEC have also been sanctioned by the US and UK. “In terms of blocking revenue from timber and gems, the US alone is not enough. We need collective action from the international community,” a local economist said. The state also earns foreign currency through port fees, shipping and Myanmar National Airlines sales. However, each of these is controlled by an off-budget state-owned enterprise that retains 55 percent of profits and does not submit financial information to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Industry. Net foreign earnings from these entities remain unknown.....Stepped-up sanctions: Another local financial expert who asked not to be named told The Irrawaddy that Myanmar’s largest trading partners in the region including Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand should consider imposing trade sanctions. “It is a very unlikely scenario. Most of them have historically close ties with the military. But if they can do it, it would be very effective in reducing foreign currency inflows,” he said. In March, the US imposed trade sanctions against Myanmar’s ministries of Defense and Home Affairs as well as MEC and MEHL. “I would say that the steps taken against the regime by the international community are still modest. Myanmar needs more effective sanctions targeted at blocking foreign currency flows to the regime,” the local financial expert said. “They should identify, target and freeze all foreign currency revenues and foreign exchange reserves held in accounts outside of Myanmar,” he said. The independent economists from IEM said the popular Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), in which civil servants and some private sector workers are refusing to work under the regime, is unlikely on its own to convince military leaders to negotiate or give up power. “Cutting the SAC regime off from foreign credit could also be key, but would require substantial international agreement,” the economists said..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 6 May, (772) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These 3 from Pyay Township in Bago Region, Gangaw Township in Magway Region and Meiktila Township in Mandalay Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 6, a total of (3738) people are currently under detention; of them (84) are sentenced. 1478 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. It has been 95 days since the military coup, people have been protesting daily against the military dictatorship for a return to democracy, peace and human rights. Many people have been killed and injured, and face various atrocities and threats. On 6 May, demonstrations and strikes continued across Burma. In Pazundaung Township, Yangon Region, the “Yay Kyaw strike” was crackdown and followed by patrol cars and motorcycles but the protestors successfully got away. At noon today, in Myittha Township, Mandalay Region, a military and the police detention vehicle arrived and searched Dar Kaung village, forcing most of the local youths to flee. In the crackdown on the village, one person was shot by a rubber bullet and another was arrested. Yesterday evening and night, the junta group was shooting unprovoked but intentionally at civilians around Burma, some were wounded and killed. Yesterday in the afternoon, in Aungmyaythazan Township, Mandalay Region, the junta shot at a motorcycle driver because he did not stop. He got away but a woman was shot and killed while she was waiting to get her covid vaccination. Last night, in Meiktila town, Mandalay Region, a civilian on a motorcycle was shot dead. Further details of the fallen man are still being investigated. When civilians are arrested, they get inhumanely tortured. It is a crime committed by many dictatorships. Last night, a young man was taken out of the house for questioning, at the end of the street he was brutally beaten. They put clothes in his mouth while beating him, after he was taken away the parents were told to give 2 million kyats for him to be returned. As the family were preparing this, they got a phone call to come and confirm his dead body at the hospital. This young man’s dead body had neck and face injuries consistent with torture. The family were not allowed to bury the body. Yesterday in Lashio Township, Shan State, a social media video emerged which showed the junta group arresting and beating youths. In Thamantaw village, Magway Region, the junta destroyed villagers’ storage of rice, and sesame and cooking oil, now the villagers are experiencing food shortages. The village elders were forced to shout words from the “Spring Revolution Song”. They were beaten, whilst some other villagers fled, the junta beat a young man to death from Thamantaw village. Since the coup, these barbaric incidents are carried out in public, and in secret by the terrorist regime. The right to life and security is a fundamental right, as long as dictatorship continues people’s daily lives will always be threatened. On May 5, it was announced that the General Administration Department (GAD) is now under control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. This move is to effectively make the village/ward administration level (which is the principal direct engagement with people at local level) under the control of the central administration, in order for the junta to govern effectively. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 997.51 KB 3.3 MB 907.65 KB
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Title: Dr. Sasa, Union Minister of International Cooperation and Spokesperson, The National Unity Government of Myanmar Address to the German Parliamentarian Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Needs
Description: "Thank you to so much for having me here at this critical moment in Myanmar. It is an honor to address the Parliament of Germany through these vital important Committees. I am here to brief you on the deepening catastrophic developments crisis in Myanmar that followed the illegal coup d'etat of 1 February. But I also come with a direct appeal from the people of Myanmar: Please support us in this, our darkest hour. Your solidarity and supports in these difficult times mean to us life. We are nearing 100 days since that fateful day when Min Aung Hlaing murderer in chief and his henchmen shattered our democratic aspirations in Myanmar. On that day, like many people in Myanmar, I feared for my life but have survived. Many have not been as fortunate. Since that horrible day, the coup leaders' forces have murdered nearly 800 patriots Nation's heroes of Myanmar and detained over 4,700, with 3,700 of my brothers and sisters currently imprisoned including our State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and our President U Win Myint . Please take note: I say the "coup leaders' forces" and not "Myanmar military forces" because the people of Myanmar have made clear they do not recognize these forces as their own. Indeed, the mission of a nation's military is to protect and defend its people. The forces under the command of murderer in chief, Min Aung Hlaing are doing precisely the opposite - murdering, maiming and arbitrarily detaining the people of Myanmar in ever growing numbers. The people of Myanmar view Min Aung Hlaing and those who report to him as a terrorist organization inflicting devastation on our country and our people. They are detaining people without cause, without explanation, and without hearings. They are beating and murdering on the streets of Myanmar and torturing in prisons. Reports of gender-based violence while in detention are on the rise, with rapes and sexual torture occurring in prisons and on the streets. This should come as no surprise as for decades the Tatmadaw used rape as a weapon against ethnic nationalities in Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Shan, Mon, Rakhine and Chin States..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 126.33 KB 66.42 KB
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Title: Myanmar: Junta Bans Satellite Television
Topic: Crisis and Conflict, Press Freedom, Peace and Justice, Technology and Rights
Sub-title: Adds to Severe Restrictions on the Internet, Media
Topic: Crisis and Conflict, Press Freedom, Peace and Justice, Technology and Rights
Description: "The Myanmar junta added a ban on satellite television to existing restrictions on the internet and media, tightening its grip over information in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. On May 4, 2021, the ruling State Administration Council announced that anyone using satellite dishes to watch television faces up to one year in prison or a fine of K500,000 (US$320). The military junta claimed that “illegal organizations and news agencies” were broadcasting programs via satellite that threaten state security. The ban appears targeted at independent Burmese language broadcasters such as the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and Mizzima, which have continued broadcasting via satellite since the junta revoked their operating licenses in March. The ban will also affect foreign news channels broadcast via satellite into Myanmar. “The satellite TV ban is a blatant attempt to deny access to independent news broadcasts and further isolate Myanmar’s people,” said Linda Lakhdhir, Asia legal advisor. “The junta should immediately withdraw its outrageous blanket censorship and end its relentless assault on news reporting.” The ban on satellite television is part of the military’s full-scale attack on the country’s media, Human Rights Watch said. On May 4, the junta also announced it was banning two more media outlets, Kachin-based 74 Media and Shan-based Tachileik News Agency, increasing the number of banned media outlets to eight. Many of those outlets, including 74 Media and Tachileik News, have responded with defiance to the junta’s bans, vowing to continue their reporting. In addition to banning media outlets, the security forces have aggressively targeted journalists for arrest. At least 71 journalists have been arrested since the February 1 coup, of whom at least 48 remain in detention. The authorities have charged many of those detained, including Japanese freelance reporter Yuki Kitazumi, with violating a new provision in the penal code adopted by the junta that makes it a crime to publish or circulate comments that “cause fear” or spread “false news.” Those convicted face up to three years in prison. The authorities have imposed severe restrictions on the internet, making it very difficult for people to access or to share information. Mobile internet data and wireless broadband have been turned off for more than six weeks, and Facebook and other social media platforms popular in Myanmar have been blocked since the coup. “The Myanmar junta’s increasingly desperate efforts to block those inside the country from accessing independent news and information won’t hide the truth about its ongoing violations of rights,” Lakhdhir said. “Concerned governments should use their wide array of tools, including arms embargos and targeted sanctions, to pressure the junta to end its rights abuses and bring those responsible to account.”..."
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: At military camps in the Myanmar jungle, doctors and students learn how to fire guns
Description: "A dozen armed recruits crawl along a dusty pathway, the cicadas masking any sound of their approach towards their target, a small village in the jungles of Myanmar. The ambush scenario is fabricated but the threat they are training for is real: a military junta that seized power in a coup on February 1, and embarked on a brutal crackdown on any perceived opposition to its rule. Many of those who have fled to the jungles are members of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) -- which has seen thousands of white- and blue-collar workers, including medics and teachers, as well as engineers and factory workers, leave their jobs to disrupt the economy in resistance to the coup. Now they want to know how to defend themselves from Myanmar's military, known as the Tatmadaw, which continues to shoot people dead in the streets, has deployed rocket-propelled grenades and mortars against its own citizens, and hunts those wanted for arrest in terrifying nighttime raids on homes, according to the UN. So they have traveled to the county's borderlands, to areas control by ethnic armed groups that have been fighting the military, central government and each other for greater rights and autonomy, on and off for 70 years, to be taught how to fire a gun. Maj. Gen. Nerdah Bo Mya is chief of staff of the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), one of two armed wings of the Karen National Union (KNU), Myanmar's oldest rebel group that claims to protect the ethnic minority Karen people and their territory in southeastern Karen state. He heads up a free basic training program. "This is a responsibility to protect life," he said. "If we don't train them who's going to help them?" The increasingly violent tactics used against protesters and bystanders has led to more than 760 deaths, according to advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), although they say the actual death toll is likely far higher. Nerdah Bo Mya said not one of the 200 anti-coup protesters he has trained had held a gun before and many were still in college. "They're quite young, their age is around 24, 25 -- and some are nurses and also some doctors and medical staff," he said. As well as being told how to handle weapons, they are prepared for the physical hardships of combat, shown first aid techniques and taught basic marksmanship. The KNDO is not the only armed ethnic group offering CDM members training. Footage from a number of ethnic areas shows recruits chanting slogans, such as "for the people," "for our freedom" and "for our independence." The military junta has not responded to CNN's request for comment on these camps. On May 4, however, the military leadership published a statement in the state-run New Light of Myanmar calling on those who had traveled to ethnic areas or overseas to come home.....Basic training for anti-coup protesters: Once they have received the training, the idea is for the men and women to return to their cities and pass on their knowledge to fellow protesters. One 18-year-old, who was manning a roadblock in the city of Bago last month when dozens were killed by the military, said many of his comrades had traveled to the ethnic areas for training. He had stayed behind. Asking to remain anonymous for his safety, the teenager said: "We have two groups, one to protect the neighborhood and another went to get the training and they will come back and teach us what they have learned.": Nerdah Bo Mya acknowledges it is a very one-sided battle on the streets of Myanmar. "We told them they have to be wise and we have to fight with our head and not with our heart," he said, acknowledging that the Tatmadaw is a highly trained fighting force. It ruled Myanmar for more than half a century through brutality and fear, turning the country into a poverty-stricken pariah nation. Nerdah Bo Mya said the CDM members need weapons to have a chance against the Tatmadaw, but would not say whether his group had provided any -- or whether bomb-making was part of the course. He criticized China and Russia for enabling the military leadership, saying the rest of the world needs to support the CDM movement, and singled out the United States. China and Russia are the largest and second-largest suppliers of arms to Myanmar. Both have agreed to United Nations resolutions condemning violence against peaceful protesters but not condemning the coup specifically and have resisted a UN arms embargo on the country. Nerdah Bo Mya says the anti-coup protesters worry the international community will forget about them, saying: "They all look up to the American government for democracy and freedom and if Chinese and Russian governments can help the brutal corrupt military regime why the American government cannot help these people who are striving for freedom and democracy in Burma." So far, US President Joe Biden has condemned the violence being used against protesters and has imposed sanctions on military leaders and some military-led businesses.....Historical fight between the military and ethnic minorities: The Myanmar military's sustained conflict with ethnic minorities has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and rights groups have long linked soldiers to atrocities and human rights abuses in ethnic regions, including massacres, rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture, and forced labor. In 2016 and 2017, the military launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State, committing atrocities which led to more than 740,000 Rohingya fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh in 2017 alone, prompting a genocide case to be heard at the International Court of Justice. Amnesty International reported in 2017 that ethnic minorities in Kachin and the northern Shan State had also suffered abuses from the ethnic armed organizations, including forcible recruitment. In Karen State, Nerdah Bo Mya says ethnic armed organizations feel they have an obligation to work together with anti-coup protesters to rid the country of military dictatorship. "We have heart for these kind of people, because we have gone through this ourselves and we know what kind of pain, what kind of suffering... what kind of atrocities they're going through so we can put ourselves in their shoes." The violence wielded by the military in the big cities like Yangon and Mandalay have forced some Bamar people to reckon with their past -- some are for the first time acknowledging and even apologizing for not recognizing or standing up for the ethnic struggles, which are far from over. Fighting has intensified in the country's mountainous north and southeastern border areas following the coup. rmed clashes between the Myanmar military and another Karen armed group -- the Karen National Liberation Army -- have displaced about 40,000 people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). The military has conducted airstrikes and mortar shelling on KNLA bases and villages. Last week, the KNLA seized a military outpost in a jungle area close to the border with Thailand's Mae Hong Son province. On Monday, northern rebel group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) said it had shot down a military helicopter near the town of Moemauk in Kachin state, after days of military air raids. There is no doubt that three or four weeks of basic training does not equip these doctors and students to fight against a well-armed military. But Nerdah Bo Mya says they will return to the cities better equipped mentally, at least. "It is not necessary to fight with the Burmese army on the streets, but they can do something else, they can do something more defensive and more productive," he says. He did not expand on what that might be. For students to seek out ethnic armies shows how severely the security situation in Myanmar has deteriorated in just three months. Those once medically trained to save lives are now learning how to defend them in urban battle. That only raises fears the days and weeks to come in Myanmar will become more violent..."
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 5 May, (769) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has not yet confirmed any fallen heroes today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 5, a total of (3696) people are currently under detention; of them (83) are sentenced. 1458 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. The longevity of the coup in Burma has led to near state collapse. Unarmed civilians face threats with weapons and daily junta atrocities, as well as to their livelihood and future prosperity. On 5 May, the National Unity Government (NUG) announced the formation of a People’s Defence Force (PDF). AAPP welcomes the formation of the PDF in defense of unarmed civilians and the fight for democracy. On 4 May, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, and founder of Progressive Voice, Khin Ohmar, called for the recognition of the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government in the “Unfolding Crisis in Burma” video conference held by the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs. People across Burma from different backgrounds come together again today to protest despite the repression. This morning in Myitkyina, junta troops and police used civilian cars to crash into youths at a motorcycle protest. 4 women were arrested and 3 motorbikes seized. This morning in Mogaung Township, near Nanmati Kyauktaung, two junta vehicles were blown up. Thereafter the junta randomly opened fire. The terrorists in Burma commit unprovoked shootings on a daily basis, killing and injuring civilians. A villager was shot dead in a clash which took place from May 3 to May 4 around noon between junta forces and the people’s defence forces in Thar Kaung village, Gangaw Township, Magway Region. A 17-year-old boy in Thar Kaung village and a man in Paya Taung village, Pauk Township, Magway Region were shot dead by the terrorist group on 4 May. The identities are still being investigated and will be confirmed on the fatality list as and when. Last night, according to a social media video, on Shwe Pyay Aye Road , South Dagon Township, Yangon. A group of junta police and soldiers viciously beat up on a man with a police baton and arrested him. In Aye Thar Yar ward, Monywa Township, Sagaing Region, the junta started shouting and swearing at people because they were banging pots and pans. Then proceeding to destroy people’s homes and motorbikes, throwing stones at houses and breaking windows, and beating up locals, including three women. The violence, robbery, looting, beating and arresting of civilians, including severe torture are clear indications of a junta dedicated to ruling without any law. Media is not spared repression. The terrorists announced three media outlets, Myitkyina News Journal, 74 Media, and Tachileik News Agency would have their media licenses revoked. The junta group are trying to cover up their acts of terrorism by disrupting the flow of information between the media and public. Burma’s media sector is on the verge of collapse. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 3.29 MB 912.12 KB 999.38 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 4 May, (769) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These 3 from Launglon Township in Tanintharyi Region and Htilin Township in Magway Region were killed on previous days and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 4, a total of (3677) people are currently under detention; of them (83) are sentenced. 1438 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. People across Burma continued to protest against the dictatorship today, including in Mandalay, Yangon, and other cities. Students protested the subjugation to military rule education, starting a “do not go to school and drop out” campaign. Today in Nyaung Oo Township, Bagan town, Mandalay Region the junta arrived and opened fire on a protest, people were able to disperse quickly and there were no arrests and injuries. Yet, the junta group has been shooting at civilians day and night. It is a worrying situation for those protesting dictatorship. On May 3, at noon in Suuphyukone village, Nwathogyi Township, Mandalay Region, at a protest the junta police arrived. The villagers did not allow so-called police to enter, then the military arrived and started shooting, some villagers were injured and 19 arrested. The junta is regularly searching to arrest using the Ward and Village Tract Administration Law at night, beating up, killing, raiding, berating and torturing civilians. People have formed a defense force in Htilin Township, Magway Region, to protect the community. Since yesterday up until today, there were clashes between the junta group and the people’s defence force, who said at least three civilians were killed, the junta group instead announced only three were killed. AAPP has so far only verified one fatality, we are continuing to identify the remaining victims. Villagers from and around Htilin Township are fleeing. Terrorists are carrying out raids, robbing, and destroying without any limits, a practice now again widespread in the rural areas. The junta are searching houses in Dar Ye Kaung village, Myittha Township, Mandalay Region, destroying property and looting money yesterday. Last night, the junta raided houses of the protest leaders, destroyed their motorcycles and looted 500,000 kyats (US$325) from one of the protest leaders’ houses in Aung Pan village, Yezakyo Township, Magway Region and threatened the entire village. The junta destroyed houses in Sin Inn village, Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region, looting gold, money, jewelry, not only taking all these goods but also destroying the shrine. Pigs and chickens were taken away and killed, shooting. The entire village has been displaced. Yesterday afternoon the junta raided Pintin village in Khin-U Township, they destroyed several houses, stole property, and arrested one local villager. Despite experiencing these severe human rights abuses and violence on a daily basis, people in Burma are still being ignored. ASEAN in particular needs to exert stronger pressure on Burma, the international community needs to enforce powerful action. Delayed responses will result in even more casualties and suffering for civilians. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 999.59 KB 3.27 MB 901.69 KB
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Title: Global Civil Society Statement on Myanmar
Description: "We, the undersigned organizations, call on the United Nations Security Council to urgently impose a comprehensive global arms embargo on Myanmar to help prevent further violations of human rights against peaceful protesters and others opposing military rule. In recent weeks, Myanmar security forces have killed hundreds of people, including dozens of children, merely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Since the February 1, 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has responded with increasing brutality to nationwide protests calling for the restoration of democratic civilian rule. As of May 4, security forces have killed at least 769 people, including 51 children as young as 6, and arbitrarily detained several thousand activists, journalists, civil servants, and politicians. Hundreds have been forcibly disappeared, the authorities unwilling to provide information on their well-being or where they are being held. Over the past few months, the military has demonstrated a callous disregard for human life that has driven its strategy for decades. In video footage from cities and towns across the country, soldiers can be seen shooting down protesters, including children, brutally beating medical aid workers, and firing shotguns into crowds of peacefully protesting doctors. In addition to the latest violations of human rights, Myanmar’s security forces have a history of grave abuses against peaceful critics of the government and military, and war crimes and other international crimes against the Rohingya and other ethnic minority groups. Of particular note is the military's widely documented use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon against ethnic communities. No government should sell a single bullet to the junta under these circumstances. Imposing a global arms embargo on Myanmar is the minimum necessary step the Security Council should take in response to the military’s escalating violence. Arms and materiel provided to Myanmar’s security forces are likely to be used by the security forces to commit abuses in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. For this reason, the undersigned organizations urge the United Kingdom, the Security Council’s “penholder” on Myanmar, and other Security Council member states to begin negotiations on a resolution authorizing an arms embargo as soon as possible. This will demonstrate to the junta that there will be no more business as usual. Security Council members have increasingly spoken with one voice on Myanmar. The Council has called for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and others arbitrarily detained, including civilian leaders. It has condemned the military’s crackdown on peaceful protesters and called for an end to the ongoing violence. But unity is not an end in itself. The Council should now build on that unity and negotiate a resolution that would include an arms embargo and other substantive measures. A comprehensive UN arms embargo on Myanmar should bar the direct and indirect supply, sale, or transfer of all weapons, munitions, and other military-related equipment, including dual-use goods such as vehicles and communications and surveillance equipment, as well as the provision of training, intelligence, and other military assistance. Such an embargo should be accompanied by robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. We note with disappointment the failure of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) April 24, 2021 summit to take more robust action to protect Myanmar’s people. Less than a day after the summit’s conclusions were published, the military’s violence continued, which only highlights the need for UN member countries and the Security Council to take decisive action to pressure the junta to reverse course. The time for statements has passed. The Security Council should take its consensus on Myanmar to a new level and agree on immediate and substantive action. An arms embargo would be the centerpiece of a global effort to protect the people of Myanmar from further atrocities and help bring an end to impunity for crimes under international law. Myanmar’s people cannot afford to wait any longer for the Security Council to take action..."
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Faces Third Wave of COVID-19 Infections Amid Anti-Coup Protests
Description: "As neighboring countries face rising numbers of coronavirus cases, Myanmar health officials have expressed concern that a third wave of COVID-19 could hit the Southeast Asian nation under a military junta that seized power three months ago. In India to the northwest, more than 300,000 people are being infected daily and thousands are dying, while Thailand to the southeast is already experiencing a third wave. Dr. Khin Khin Gyi, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health and Sports, warned on Apr. 27 that a third COVID-19 outbreak was likely in Myanmar, which has been rocked by nationwide protests against the military regime and subsequent violent crackdowns since Feb. 1. “There is a possibility of a third wave of the pandemic coming,” she said. “It is possible that there are outbreaks among the large crowds of people.” “More than 60 percent of infected patients don’t show symptoms,” she said. “Only when they got tested do we have learned about the infections.” Khin Khin Gyi also spoke out on COVID-19 and prevention measures under the civilian-led government under country leader Aung San Suu Kyi before it was overthrown. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health and Sports recorded 16 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to date to 142,858, while the total number of deaths held at 3,209. Since the military takeover, most of the country’s doctors and nurses have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) of striking workers who opposed the junta and have largely boycotted its vaccination drive. Myanmar received 3.5 million vaccines from India around the end of January under a vaccine drive implemented by the former National League for Democracy government. Fear of old doses Though the junta has urged people in residential areas to get vaccinated, its security forces have arrested many health care workers for participating in the CDM, limiting the number of professionals who can administer the jabs. A doctor in Yangon who requested anonymity for security reasons said that people will not accept vaccines provided by the regime because vials that have sat too long in storage may have lost their effectiveness. “The remaining vaccines are not effective because of the delay in storage,” he said. “The people won’t accept them.” A young man from northwestern Myanmar’s Sagaing region who did not want to be identified said he would not get a virus vaccine under the military regime for another reason. “I will not get the vaccines provided by the terrorist regime because they are murdering hundreds of people, and I don’t trust them,” he said, referring to the nearly 770 people who have been killed by security forces in the weeks following the coup. Myanmar detected its first positive COVID-19 case on March 23, 2020. The country, which shares a long land border with China, initially had a low number of confirmed infections and single-digit deaths until mid-August, when the number of COVID-19 cases began to skyrocket during a second wave that was deadlier then the first. To contain the spread, Myanmar officials put in place stay-at-home orders, lockdowns, and mandatory quarantines for those traveling to other states and regions within the country as well as for those returning to Myanmar from abroad. In response, Khin Khin Gyi said the storage and maintenance process for the more than one million doses of the vaccine has not been compromised. “There is no such thing as us stopping our work because of the absence of some people,” she said. “The hospitals are still operating. Under the current situation, plans to keep medical facilities operational down to the township level are in place.” No one to provide treatment At least 1.9 million people of Myanmar’s population of 54 million have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to health officials. The ruling junta has said that the number of people being tested for the virus has dropped to about 2,000 a day compared to nearly 150,000 people daily under the NLD government. An assistant doctor from Mandalay General Hospital, who is participating in the CDM, said this was due in part to a lack of health care workers. “There is no medical staff to take the swabs, no staff to analyze the samples in the lab, no doctors to test the results,” he said. “Even if someone tested positive, there is no one in the hospital who can provide treatment. All of us are participating in the CDM.” Reported by Soe San Aung for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin..."
Source/publisher: "Radio Free Asia (RFA)" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar junta bans satellite dishes in media crackdown
Sub-title: Anyone who installs satellite dishes could face a one-year prison sentence or $320 fine, military-controlled media reported
Description: "Myanmar’s military junta has banned satellite dishes, threatening prison sentences for anyone who violates the measure, as it intensifies its crackdown on access to independent news outlets. The junta, which faces unanimous opposition from the public and has struggled to maintain order, has imposed increasingly tough restrictions on communication since seizing power on 1 February. Mobile data has been cut for most people for more than 50 days, while broadband access has also been subject to severe restrictions. Several media outlets have been banned but continue to operate in hiding, either publishing online or broadcasting for television. On Wednesday, the military-controlled newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar reported that news agencies were using illegal satellite dishes to broadcast programmes that “harm the state security, the rule of law and community peace and tranquillity”. Anyone who installs satellite dishes could face a one-year prison sentence or K500,000 ($320) as a fine, it said. More than 80 journalists have been arrested in recent months, according to the independent Irrawaddy news outlet, which is itself facing legal action under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code. This law states that publishing information that causes fear or spreads false news is punishable by up to three years in prison. On Monday, Yuki Kitazumi, a Japanese journalist, was charged under the same law, according to a report by Kyodo news agency. Kitazumi became the first foreign reporter to face charges since the coup. Thousands of people have been arrested under the junta, including 3,677 people who have been sentenced or are in detention, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group. It reported that 769 people have been killed by the military. Despite the risks of military violence, protesters have continued to gather to oppose the coup. Teachers, students and parents marched outside schools in Mandalay on Wednesday morning, according to local media, calling for a boycott of the education system under the junta. On Tuesday night, a candlelit vigil was held in northern Kachin state. Earlier this week, five protesters were killed and another injured in a blast in the southern region of Bago. State media said the group were trying to plant a bomb, and that Thet Win Hlaing, a 35-year old former MP for Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, was among those who died. A number of blasts have been reported in Yangon and other cities over recent weeks, including some targeting government and military property. On Tuesday, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations told the US Congress to intensify pressure on the military by imposing more targeted sanctions. Kyaw Moe Tun called for measures against the state-run Maynamar oil and gas company Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, and the state-owned bank Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank. “I wish to stress that Myanmar is not just witnessing another major setback to democracy, but also the crisis is threatening the regional peace and security,” he said. The US, along with several western countries, has condemned the coup and imposed sanctions on the generals as well as some of their family members and businesses..."
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Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Attacks on healthcare jeopardizing COVID-19 response, UN team says
Sub-title: There have been at least 158 reported attacks on medical personnel and facilities in Myanmar, with more than 139 doctors arrested and charged since the military coup in February, endangering not only vital health services but also the COVID-19 response, the UN Country Team (UNCT) there said on Wednesday.
Description: "“At a time when Myanmar needs them the most, health workers fear arrest or detention for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly”, the Country Team said in a news release, reiterating its call for health workers, health facilities and patients to be protected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s global surveillance system, the 158 reported attacks resulted in at least 11 deaths and 51 injuries. It also listed some 51 health facilities across Myanmar as having been under occupation by security forces, and that at least 31 of those facilities remain currently occupied. The occupied facilities also reported a drop in the number of people seeking medical care. In addition, at least 139 doctors participating in the civil disobedience movement have reportedly been charged under Section 505 (a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code. Those detained include highly specialized health personnel whose expertise cannot easily be replaced, which will significantly impact both the quality and quantity of health services available, according to the UNCT. 'Inviolable nature’ Andrew Kirkwood, UN Resident Coordinator a.i. in Myanmar, said the UN system in the country stands ready to continue its support for the national COVID-19 response. “But this requires a return to the comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic previously underway, that the inviolable nature of health facilities and health workers and patients is respected, and the immediate release of urgently needed medical and technical personnel detained or arrested while exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly”, he added. Crisis into its fourth month Into its fourth month, the political turmoil – marked by near daily pro-democracy protests and a brutal crackdown by security forces – has reportedly claimed at least 750 lives and wounded countless more. There are also serious concerns over the continuing impact of the crisis. Last week, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) warned of skyrocketing poverty and economic collapse, while the UN human rights chief, in April, cautioned that Myanmar risks spiralling into a “full-blown conflict”, urging States with influence to take immediate and impactful action to halt the bloodshed.....Urging protections for healthcare globally: Launched in 2012, WHO’s Attacks on Health Care initiative collects evidence globally to advocate for safeguarding health care from attacks, which it defines as “any verbal or physical act of violence, obstruction or threat that interferes with the availability, access and delivery of such services”. The data on “attacks on health care” in various settings, including humanitarian emergencies, is collected by the agency’s global surveillance system, available online. This initiative does not aim at identifying perpetrators of such incidents, WHO said..."
Source/publisher: UN News
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar's U.N. envoy tells U.S. lawmakers more sanctions needed
Description: "Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations told the U.S. Congress on Tuesday that Washington should target the state-run Myanmar oil and gas company and a state-owned bank with sanctions. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, a representative of elected lawmakers who oppose Myanmar's military junta, also warned that the crisis triggered by a Feb. 1 coup in the Southeast Asian nation threatened regional security. The Biden administration has denounced the coup and imposed sanctions on the generals who led it as well as some of their family members and businesses that provide them with revenue. The Myanmar ambassador told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that as well as the military-run Myawaddy and Innwa banks, the United States should slap sanctions on the state-owned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). MOGE operates offshore gas fields in joint ventures with international firms, including U.S.-based Chevron and France's Total, while MFTB conducts transactions in foreign currencies for Myanmar's government. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group says security forces have killed at least 766 civilians since the coup, which sparked nationwide protests. Some pro-democracy activists have traveled to Myanmar's mountainous borderlands to join armed groups fighting for ethnic autonomy, raising fears of a spiraling conflict. “I wish to stress that Myanmar is not just witnessing another major setback to democracy, but also the crisis is threatening the regional peace and security," said Kyaw Moe Tun, who dramatically broke with the military junta in February, but has retained the country's seat at the United Nations..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: UN Security Council: Adopt Global Arms Embargo on Myanmar
Sub-title: More Than 200 Groups Worldwide Call for a UN Sanctions Resolution
Description: "The United Nations Security Council should immediately impose a global arms embargo on Myanmar, Human Rights Watch and over 200 other nongovernmental organizations from around the world said today in a public appeal to council members. The Security Council should act swiftly to pressure the junta to stop violating the human rights of people protesting the February 1, 2021, coup and military rule. “The UN Security Council’s failure to even discuss an arms embargo against the junta is an appalling abdication of its responsibilities toward the people of Myanmar,” said Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch. “The council’s occasional statements of concern in the face of the military’s violent repression of largely peaceful protesters is the diplomatic equivalent of shrugging their shoulders and walking away.” The groups said that the United Kingdom, the council’s designated drafter of Myanmar texts, should immediately open negotiations at the Security Council on a draft resolution authorizing an arms embargo. The UK has been reluctant to do so, prioritizing consensus statements supported by all council members over a resolution with substantive measures that China, Russia, and other members might initially oppose. “No government should sell a single bullet to the junta under these circumstances,” the groups said in their appeal. “Imposing a global arms embargo on Myanmar is the minimum necessary step the Security Council should take in response to the military’s escalating violence. Arms and materiel provided to Myanmar’s security forces are likely to be used by the security forces to commit abuses in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.” Myanmar’s military nullified the country’s November 2020 election results and imposed a manufactured “state of emergency.” State security forces have killed over 760 people since the coup and arbitrarily detained more than 3,600, including journalists, medical personnel, teachers, students, and others in violation of international human rights law. Hundreds may have been forcibly disappeared. A number of individual governments and the European Union have imposed sanctions on senior leaders of the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar’s military is known, and companies controlled by the military; but the Security Council has only issued three statements since the military takeover. Those statements have called on the military to halt the excessive use of force against protesters and release political prisoners, including former President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and other officials elected in the November 8, 2020, election. The groups’ appeal for an arms embargo echoes and broadens a February 24 declaration by 137 nongovernmental organizations, which urged the Security Council to act swiftly to halt the flow of weapons to the junta. “The time for statements has passed,” the groups said. “The Security Council should take its consensus on Myanmar to a new level and agree on immediate and substantive action. An arms embargo would be the centerpiece of a global effort to protect the people of Myanmar from further atrocities and help bring an end to impunity for crimes under international law.” The organizations also said they were disappointed with the April 24 summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its failure “to take more robust action to protect Myanmar’s people.” The junta has ignored ASEAN’s call for an end to the violence. In February, UN Secretary-General António Guterres pledged to “do everything we can to mobilize all the key actors and international community to put enough pressure on Myanmar to make sure that this coup fails.” The UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, Tom Andrews, has repeatedly called for an arms embargo and sanctions. Guterres’ special envoy, Christine Schraner Burgener, has also called for targeted sanctions. The Security Council’s unwillingness to discuss a sanctions resolution represents a collective failure to heed the many calls to action from around the world. Human Rights Watch has said that the Security Council should also impose targeted sanctions, global travel bans, and asset freezes on the leadership of the junta and military-owned conglomerates. The junta leader, Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, and several other military officials have been implicated in crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the Tatmadaw in Rakhine, Kachin, Shan, and Chin States. Until the Security Council acts, individual UN member states should continue to adopt measures at the national and regional levels to block sales and other transfers of weapons and materiel to Myanmar, with the goal of creating a de facto global arms embargo, Human Rights Watch said. Governments should also demand that Security Council members that care about protecting the human rights of Myanmar’s people set aside concerns about resistance from the permanent members Russia and China, and circulate a draft resolution that council members can discuss and vote on. A Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the five permanent members to pass. “The Security Council has an unfortunate history of inaction on human rights in Myanmar, barely uttering a peep when the military carried out an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya in 2017,” Charbonneau said. “The Security Council should call China and Russia’s bluff and put a sanctions resolution to a vote. If Moscow and Beijing side with a military already accused of genocide and crimes against humanity, they will have to pay for the rising political cost of their obstruction.”..."
Source/publisher: "Human Rights Watch" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: ACAPS Briefing Note: Myanmar - Impact of 1 February coup (29 April 2021)
Topic: Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights, Water Sanitation Hygiene
Topic: Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights, Water Sanitation Hygiene
Description: "On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar military staged a coup and ordered a year-long state of emergency under sections 417 and 418(a) of the 2008 constitution, promising that new elections would be held one year after what they labelled ‘fraudulent elections’ in November 2020 (Myanmar Times 02/02/2021; Reuters 16/02/2021 and 01/02/2021). This coup transferred all legislative, executive, and judicial powers of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the Commander in Chief of the Defence Services (Reuters 01/02/2021). In response, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) was immediately formed as a parliament, primarily by democratically elected members of the 2020 general election. CRPH recognises itself as the only legitimate government (CRPH 20/02/2021). By mid-April, a National Unity Government was established (CRPH 16/04/2021). This move, coupled with the formation and growth of a civil disobedience movement (CDM) and associated protests, has severely constrained the military junta’s ability to consolidate power and rule of law (01/02/2021). Countrywide protests are ongoing, with the military junta using systemic and arbitrary violence against anti-coup protesters. The use of live ammunition, raids, strip searches, beatings, and detention has been reported..."
Source/publisher: Assessment Capacities Project (Geneva) via "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Size: 7.19 MB
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Title: Min Aung Hlaing hails ‘freedom of expression’ as his regime continues bid to destroy independent media
Sub-title: Two more media outlets have suspended operations as military-run press doubles down on denial of military’s mass killings
Description: "Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing said the media is “crucial” for freedom of expression and democracy, state newspapers reported on Monday, as the junta pushed ahead with its propaganda war and continued its efforts to crush independent journalism. He made the remarks at a speech on Sunday morning to mark the opening of the Myawady Media Centre in Yangon’s Yankin township, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported. “The media... plays a crucial role in enhancing the freedom of expression for democracy [and] improving the government’s transparency by distributing knowledge to the people,” the report said, attributing the comments to the Senior General. Local media ought to “prevent the broader infiltration” of ideas and culture from “developed countries” said the report, which was published on World Press Freedom Day. Last week the junta revoked the publishing license of yet another news outlet, the Kachin-based Myitkyina News Journal. The newspaper said in a statement on Sunday that it had suspended its operations, seven years after it was founded. “We pledge to try to service the public again if there is any chance to do so in future,” the statement said. The Mandalay-based Voice of Myanmar (VOM) also announced it was suspending its operations on Monday, a week after chief editor Nay Myo Lin and reporter Shine Aung were detained by the regime. “We regret to inform you that we have to suspend our operation temporarily because the two are still being detained,” VOM said on its Facebook page. Nay Myo Lin’s wife, Zarni Mann, told Myanmar Now that she has not been given a reason for the arrests. Her husband is being interrogated at a military base in Mandalay and has not been able to meet with family members, she added. “They said they had something to ask him and took him,” she said. “I still don't know anything about his condition.” At least 84 journalists have been arrested since the February 1 coup, and 50 of them are still in detention. While continuing its assault on independent media, the junta has also doubled down on its false claims about the deaths of protesters who were murdered by its police and soldiers. A Global New Light report last week claimed that several of the more high profile deaths in recent months were caused by health problems or shooting from other protesters. It repeated the claim that other protesters shot Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing and Kyal Sin–two 19-year-old women whose images became icons of the anti-coup movement after they were murdered by the regime’s forces in February and March. Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing’s murder was captured on video, and several analyses of footage and images from the Naypyitaw protest confirmed she was shot in the head by a police officer. And there were several eyewtinesses to Kyal Sin’s murder in Mandalay in early March. One of them was a friend of hers. “I saw it with my own eyes, they shot at her,” he told Myanmar Now, requesting anonymity. “We didn’t have anything that looked like weapons. We were just peacefully protesting.” He and other protesters who were nearby when Kyal Sin was shot in the neck are wanted by the regime and are now in hiding. “As it’s our responsibility, and in honour of Kyal Sin’s death, we’re doing our best to prepare and fight in this revolution,” he said. “We don’t pay attention to what they’re announcing or publishing. We’re going to fight until the end.” Last week’s report also claimed that Tin Nwe Yi, a 59-year-old teacher killed while protesting in Yangon in February, died of “heart disease”. One of her family members told Myanmar Now that the hospital has refused to give them an official document stating her cause of death. “We haven’t gotten an official letter from the hospital. They won’t put it out. If it was a normal death, they would do it,” the relative said. “We went to the hospital but they said they can only give it out if they’re ordered to.” The report also claimed that Ko Ko Lay, 62, died of heart disease, even though there is a photo of his body after he was shot in the head during a crackdown in Myitkyina on March 8. Zaw Myat Lin, an NLD official who was abducted in March and murdered in custody, died of “other ways”, the report said. His body showed signs of torture when it was returned to his family. The report also repeated the military’s claim that a death toll since the coup compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) was “highly bloated.” The group has reported 766 deaths and about 4,600 arrests so far. The AAPP did not verify the addresses of some of the people on its list or the names of their fathers, the report said. An AAPP official, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said that if the military believes the group’s figures are inaccurate, then it should allow an international body to investigate the killings. “They’re just going to continue to deny it blatantly,” he said..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar announces ban on satellite TV as security threat
Description: "Myanmar's junta-controlled media announced a ban on satellite television receivers on Tuesday, saying outside broadcasts threatened national security and threatening to jail anyone caught violating the measure. With mobile internet access largely cut off in a bid to quell anti-junta protests since the Feb. 1 coup, Myanmar has increasingly appeared headed back to the state of isolation that preceded a decade of democratic reforms. "Satellite television is no longer legal. Whoever violates the television and video law, especially people using satellite dishes, shall be punished with one year imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 kyat ($320)," MRTV state television said. "Illegal media outlets are broadcasting news that undermines national security, the rule of law and public order, and encouraging those who commit treason." In the face of widespread opposition, the junta has struggled to impose order since overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and ending an unsteady transition to democracy. Violence has spiralled since the coup and security forces have killed more than 760 civilians, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group says. The junta disputes the figure and says 24 police and soldiers have died in the protests. Myanmar media reported that five people were killed by at least one parcel bomb on Tuesday, including an ousted lawmaker and three police officers who had joined a civil disobedience movement opposing military rule. Meanwhile, the Chinland Defence Force, a newly formed militia in Chin state bordering India, said on its Facebook page on Tuesday that its forces had killed at least four Myanmar army soldiers and wounded 10 in a clash overnight. The Myanmar army did not comment on the claim. Villagers had found the beheaded body of a junta appointed local administrator in the northwestern Sagaing region, independent broadcaster DVB reported, a day after another local official was stabbed to death in the biggest city, Yangon. Reuters was unable to reach local police for comment. Pro-democracy supporters held protests on Tuesday in the second-biggest city of Mandalay, including one by education staff calling for a boycott of schools and universities when they reopen in June, Myanmar Now reported. The junta said it had to seize power because its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party were not addressed by an election commission that deemed the vote fair. Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the coup along with many other members of her party..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar general's speech at UN drug policy conference draws outrage
Topic: UNODC, Narcotic Drugs, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing, Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control
Sub-title: The inclusion of Lt-Gen Than Hlaing in the conference rejects the advice of the UN Secretary-General's own adviser not to legitimise or recognise the military coup regime
Topic: UNODC, Narcotic Drugs, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing, Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control
Description: "The staging of the 64th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) from April 12-16 was the latest annual meeting for the Vienna, Austria-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for which the CND serves as the governing body and provides policy guidance. It would probably have passed out without much notice, except that it served as a coming out of sorts for Myanmar's military junta. The conference appears to signify the first time that a senior figure in Myanmar’s regime—in this case, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing—has participated in a UN forum since the February 1 coup. As Myanmar's newly installed deputy minister for home affairs, a department that controls both the police and the Special Branch, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing has played a central role in the ongoing violent crackdown that has seen nearly 3,600 people arrested and more than 766 killed in the country’s blood-stained streets. In his remarks at the event, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing made no reference to the bloodshed carried out by the police under his command, preferring instead to focus on other things. “Myanmar has made various efforts to eradicate drugs as a national duty. Special anti-drug operations are being carried out annually,” he said in a speech that was delivered remotely. The fact that this year’s conference for the UNODC’s governing body was conducted online due to the Covid-19 pandemic spared the Austrian government the embarrassment of having to host a senior junta member officially blacklisted by both the European Union (EU) and the US for his role in the ongoing crackdown on anti-dictatorship protests. “[P]olice forces acting under the authority of Lieutenant General Than Hlaing have committed serious human rights violations since 1 February 2021, killing civilian and unarmed protesters, restricting freedom of assembly and of expression, arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition leaders and opponents of the coup,” the EU's sanctions announcement reads. It goes on to describe Lt-Gen Than Hlaing as “directly responsible for decision making concerning repressive policies and violent actions committed by police against peaceful demonstrators and is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma.”.....Dissonance within the UN interagency response: Despite what the EU, the British, Canadian and US governments—who have all sanctioned the senior junta figure—may think of Lt-Gen Than Hlaing, his participation at the CND was a victory for Myanmar military chief and coup leader Min Aung Hlaing in his ongoing effort to expel Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun from his seat in New York as Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the UN. Kyaw Moe Tun has come out against the coup, much to the irritation of the junta, and refused to vacate his seat where he has continued to call on the UN and foreign governments to “consider the desire of the people.” Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun has maintained that he continues to represent Myanmar's civilian government and that “the coup must fail,” triggering a diplomatic showdown that appears destined to be played out before the UN Credentials Committee, a nine-member body currently headed by Tanzania. Myanmar dissidents are concerned that by giving a platform to Lt-Gen Than Hlaing, the UN is signaling that it has already decided to recognise the new junta and disregard Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun. Lt-Gen Than Hlaing's participation at the CND conference, which was highly publicised in Myanmar military-run media, has also been perceived by some as signifying a change in the stance of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Although the Secretary-General had previously claimed he was “appalled” by the junta’s crackdown on the Myanmar public, he took part in the CND alongside Lt-Gen Than Hlaing. An April 29 statement released by the advocacy group Progressive Voice noted that 410 Myanmar civil society organisations and prominent activists denounced Lt-Gen Than Hlaing's inclusion at the CND. “The UN has not only failed to act as the brutal military junta commits crimes against humanity, it is now acting to legitimize and offer a platform to those who are murdering innocent people by the hundreds, including children,” read the statement. “It is disheartening to see such lack of respect for human rights displayed by the very institution that is mandated to protect and encourage respect for human rights. It is all the more shocking to see a UN institution with a mandate to prevent crime, corruption and terrorism feting an international criminal.” As the UNODC’s governing body, the CND reports to and is one of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The ECOSOC is itself under the UN General Assembly, where Kyaw Moe Tun continues to sit. It remains to be seen how the struggle between Kyaw Moe Tun and the Myanmar junta will play out across other UN agencies and departments. When reached for comment for this article, Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC's regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, explained that the UNODC was not responsible for the inclusion of Lt-Gen Than Hlaing at the CND. “Invitations to the 2021 CND were sent to all UN MSs [Member States] sometime in 2020 by UN HQ [headquarters] as they are for all other UN commissions,” Douglas wrote in an email. According to Douglas, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing and other Myanmar participants’ names were submitted by Myanmar’s ambassador to Vienna, Min Thein, who, in addition to being accredited to Austria, serves as Myanmar's representative to the UN offices based there. While invitations to states may have been sent last year, online registration for individuals representing those states at the conference appears to have taken place from late March until early April—well after Myanmar’s coup, and Lt-Gen Than Hlaing’s February 2 appointment to his position. “The composition of Myanmar’s delegation was known to the UN in New York HQ before the CND as they received confirmation of the nominations, as was the UN Resident Coordinator and UN system in Myanmar,” Douglas said. He noted that “the participation of the delegation does not in any way indicate a change in the position of the Secretary General or the UN in Myanmar, the region or globally, including UNODC, OHCHR etc.,” Douglas added. In his correspondence, Douglas did not elaborate on what this position entailed. Apart from ignoring the advice of Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who has maintained that the military coup council is illegitimate, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing’s inclusion at the CND also defies the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's own Special Envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener. She has called on the international community to “not lend legitimacy or recognition to this regime.” Schraner Burgener's comments were echoed by Progressive Voice, who have demanded that the UNODC and CND to “immediately end all ties with the illegitimate military junta and recognize and work with the National Unity Government, the legitimate governing body representing the people of Myanmar.”......No acknowledgment of the coup: Public comments by UNODC staff since Myanmar’s coup have largely overlooked the violence perpetrated against the public by the police and military forces. They have instead focused on what the UNODC believes are the ramifications of the situation in Myanmar for the global drug trade. The UNODC's Douglas explained to Channel News Asia, a Singaporean broadcaster, in a February 26 interview that the UN drug agency was concerned that what he referred to as the “redeployment” of security personnel could sideline anti-drug interdiction efforts. “What we do sense is that law enforcement redeployment, which is occurring within the country because of the emergency decree, may position the police to new places, meaning that they're not able to do what they would normally do. Search for drugs, follow-up investigations, so it could be a huge distraction which traffickers can take advantage of. So we're expecting that type of behaviour, opportunistic behaviour, to take place, which is very normal for organised crime,” he said. In another interview with AFP on March 26, Douglas predicted an increase in synthetic drug production due to the economic slowdown brought about by the coup. “The best way to make big money fast is the drug trade, and the pieces are in place to scale up," Douglas explained. Similarly, a UNODC press release issued on February 11 about Myanmar also made no mention of the military’s seizure of power. It was an omission that the agency's many Myanmar critics have attributed to UNODC's partnership with the very police reinforcing the coup. These critics have also suggested that the agency’s consistently dire predictions about surges in drug production and distribution are indicative of the UNODC's own struggle for relevance and renewed funding in a region where the agency’s police partners have been accused of rights abuses, incompetence and collaboration with the very drug traffickers they are supposed to be fighting against. According to an independent evaluation of the UNODC’s Myanmar Country Programme published in May 2020, the agency’s budget during a multi-year project period beginning in 2014 was listed US$42 million. It had reportedly managed to raise just over half of this amount. The evaluation also noted that at the time the Myanmar program was designed, it was “not developed within the framework of conflict-sensitive and ‘do no harm’ programming,” pointing out that this was “not common practice for UNODC programming.” This was a requirement only added by the UN in 2018 to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.....Pro-military bias and major reporting errors: In early 2020, the office of military chief Min Aung Hlaing announced that during raids in northern Myanmar, security forces had seized over 143 million methamphetamine tablets, 441 kg of crystalline methamphetamine and vast amounts of chemicals and laboratory equipment used in drug production. The UNODC heralded the raids and described the operations as the largest ever methamphetamine manufacturing bust in the Golden Triangle. “What has been unearthed through this operation is truly off the charts,” the UNODC's Douglas said at the time of the bust, which took place in northern Shan State's Kutkai Township. Despite the headlines, it has been unclear how many people have been charged with crimes in connection with the raids, or whether the figures provided by Myanmar officials concerning the seizure were accurate. Unsurprisingly, in his remarks at the April conference in Vienna, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing did not provide updates on any outcomes related to the supposedly giant drug haul in Kutkai. He instead focused on the results of the latest annual joint opium survey conducted by the UNODC and Myanmar’s Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control. The committee is a government entity that, until the coup, was headed by Myanmar’s previous police chief, Pol Lt-Gen Aung Win Oo. The UNODC’s annual reports concerning Myanmar have come under criticism for demonstrating a pro-military bias that ignored realities on the ground and appeared to reinforce the military's agenda. For example, the UNODC claimed in its 2018 Myanmar Opium Survey that, “in Kachin State, the highest density of poppy cultivation took place in areas under the control or influence of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).” This conclusion contradicted the actual data collected in the surveys, including the maps printed in the report which showed that Kachin State's opium fields were in territory controlled not by the KIA but by the Border Guard Force—units officially under the control of the Myanmar military. As the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) pointed out in a strongly worded letter to the UNODC's Douglas rebutting the report, “It can be clearly seen that the very high opium density area in Sadung lies in the government-controlled BGF area, and not in the KIA area.” “Frankly, siding with the Myanmar government to cast unsubstantiated aspersions against the KIA will only hinder, not support, peace-seeking efforts,” the KIO warned the UN drug agency. The area that the KIO was referring to has long been the fiefdom of the Myanmar military-allied militia leader Zahkung Ting Ying, who originally split with the group in 1968. The veteran warlord was described by a US counter-narcotics official in 1997 Senate testimony as “someone associated with drug trafficking.” It is a view shared by members of the Kachin State-based anti-drug movement Pat Jasan who have protested in front of the former parliamentarian’s home and dispatched vigilantes to destroy poppies in BGF territory. As the Transnational Institute (TNI), an Amsterdam-based think tank that has criticised the KIO for being too heavy handed in its drug control efforts, noted, “Our local sources […] confirm the KIO claim that there is presently no substantial opium cultivation in KIO-controlled areas.” TNI went on to say that “it is unclear how the UNODC arrives at its completely opposite claims about Kachin State, but it seems to be based on wrong assumptions about who ‘controls’ which areas.” Thanks to Lt-Gen Than Hlaing's central role in the junta’s war on Myanmar's civil society, the next time the UNODC makes such errors in its reports there may be no one on the ground in Myanmar to point them out..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Thousands call for 'spring revolution'
Description: "At least one person has died in northern Shan state as youths carried a banner that read: "We cannot be ruled at all." Deaths have also been reported in the central town of Wetlet. Thousands of anti-coup protesters took to the streets across Myanmar on Sunday, calling for a "spring revolution" as the country began its fourth month under a military regime. Cities, rural areas, remote mountainous regions and even the country's rebel-controlled border territories have witnessed protests against the junta. The military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on February 1, bringing a halt to Myanmar's democratic reform and economic growth. The unrest that has ensued has shown no signs of abating and on Sunday demonstrations kicked off early in the commercial hub of Yangon, as organizers called for "the global Myanmar spring revolution.".....Support for Suu Kyi: Yangon was not alone as protests took place across the country. The central Mandalay region saw hundreds take to the streets, led by monks in saffron-colored robes, brandishing the flag of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. In northern Shan state, youths carried a banner that read: "We cannot be ruled at all.".....Deaths reported as crackdown continues: And in Shan's Hsipaw township violence erupted when security forces cracked down on protesters, killing at least two people. Some youths gathered on a street corner in Hsipaw before marching down the streets in a flash mob, dispersing as authorities clamped down on the dissent. The junta has aimed to quell the unrest through a brutal crackdown that has resulted in widespread arrests and a death toll that now exceeds 700. Also on Sunday, two people were shot and killed in the central town of Wetlet, the Myanmar Now news outlet reported. One person was also killed in the northern jade-mining town of Hpakant, according to the Kachin News Group..."
Source/publisher: "DW News" (Germany)
Date of publication: 2021-05-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Amid Killing of Protesters, Myanmar Coup Leader Opens High-End Military-Run Hospital
Topic: chief, conglomerate, Coup, junta, MEC, Military, MoeKaung Treasure Maternal and Child Hospital, Myanmar Economic Corporation, opening, regime, Sanctions, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing
Topic: chief, conglomerate, Coup, junta, MEC, Military, MoeKaung Treasure Maternal and Child Hospital, Myanmar Economic Corporation, opening, regime, Sanctions, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing
Description: "In an apparent attempt to expand his military conglomerate, Myanmar coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has opened a new military-owned hospital in Yangon 91 days after seizing power from the country’s democratically elected government. The opening of the new hospital came on Sunday, as the nation is still reeling from the brutality of his troops, who have killed more than 760 protesters across the country since the coup. On the same day, the regime’s forces killed at least five people and arrested several others for protesting against the junta. The newly opened MoeKaung Treasure Maternal and Child Hospital has become the second “private” high-end hospital owned by the military after Kan Tha Yar Hospital on the shore of Yangon’s Inya Lake. The new hospital will be the latest addition to the holdings of the military cartel in the country, where the men in uniform have enriched themselves through businesses ranging from banking to brewery to jade mines and more. Most of them operate free of civilian oversight. According to Justice for Myanmar, a covert group of activists campaigning for justice and accountability for the people in the country, Kan Thar Yar International Specialist Hospital, opened in 2017 by the senior general, is a private for-profit facility under the military conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC). Profits from the hospital are off-budget and the hospital operates without civilian oversight. The same is true of the newly opened MoeKaung Treasure Maternal and Child Hospital. The maternity and child hospital is located in the leafy compound of the Military Documentation Office in Yankin Township. The opening ceremony was joined by the coup leader’s wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla. The senior general claimed the new hospital was built under his guidance to become an “internationally recognized” medical facility that could be relied on by citizens while promoting the “private health care” sector, according to military-owned Myawaddy TV. It said the hospital will provide maternal and child healthcare services such as in vitro fertilization procedures, storage of genetic items and genetic diagnostic work, among others. The broadcaster quoted him as saying that, “We will try to get a ‘Joint Commission International’ certificate of international recognition [for the hospital].” Given mounting global sanctions, including from the US and EU, against himself and his regime, and the fact that the junta has been shunned by the international community for its atrocities against its own people, it is not clear how the junta plans to obtain such certification. The putsch leader even said the new hospital aimed to act as a one-stop service center for patients with “reasonable service charges”. However, given the room rates—which include some that run as high as 100,000 kyats [US$64] per day—the cost of treatment at the new hospital is evidently far from “reasonable”, as the senior general claimed; the majority of the people in the country are struggling to get by, as the economy has collapsed since the February coup. So far, it’s not clear to what extent Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and his family are involved in the ownership of the hospital. In March, the US imposed sanctions on two adult children of the junta leader in response to the coup and the military’s use of lethal force against peaceful protesters, calling for the reinstatement of the democratically elected civilian government. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on Aung Pyae Sone and Khin Thiri Thet Mon and six companies controlled by them. The OFAC said the pair controlled a variety of business holdings that have directly benefited from their “father’s position and malign influence”..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "Today was World Press Freedom Day, The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) honors the importance of news media in Burma, journalists have been providing accurate information in the face of suffering and oppression inside the country. Freedom of press in Burma has collapsed since the coup. (84) have been detained at one point since the coup. 50 journalists are currently detained, 25 of whom have been prosecuted. This is in addition to two journalists on bail awaiting trial, and 29 journalists evading arrest warrants. Freedom of press will disintegrate and journalists will be persecuted as long as we have a dictatorship. As of 3 May, (766) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen heroes today. This (1) fallen hero from Wetlet Town in Sagaing Region was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 3, a total of (3614) people are currently under detention; of them (83) are sentenced. 1417 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. Even though people were killed in violent crackdowns yesterday, people from all over Burma continued in protest against the junta today. In Taungdwingyi town, Magway Region, junta forces chased and shot at vendors on motorbikes. Two people were injured. The depravity of this junta is on display in raids on HIV/AIDS patient centers. Yesterday in East Dagon Township, Yangon Region. The center was stormed and junta troops took three children on ART medication and nine others seeking medical treatment for arrest. These patients need daily and timely medication, without this access their health condition will deteriorate and hence we are rightly concerned. The junta destroy property of the civilians in various ways. Last night, at 46-47 Street, General Aung San Road, Rangoon, the junta threw stones at houses, sprayed abusive words on cars, and destroyed windows of all cars parked alongside the street. Those actions make visible the lawlessness and intentions of this junta – it is to destroy the rule of law. Conflict continues in Kachin State. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) shot down a military helicopter near Kone Law village, Momauk Township, Kachin State on 3 May. The terrorists used artillery to fire at Kone Law village in response, killing a monk and injuring 10 villagers this afternoon. Atrocities committed by the junta in both rural and urban areas get worse day by day since the coup. Peace is absent as the junta steps up its attacks on ethnic people who feel the full brunt of the devastating effects of the war again. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Eight reported killed as Myanmar protests aim to ‘shake the world’
Description: "Myanmar security forces opened fire on some of the biggest protests against military rule in days on Sunday killing eight people, media reported, three months after a coup plunged the country into crisis. The protests, after a spell of dwindling crowds and what appeared to be more restraint by the security forces, were coordinated with demonstrations in Myanmar communities around the world to mark what organisers called "the global Myanmar spring revolution". "Shake the world with the voice of Myanmar people's unity," the organisers said in a statement. Streams of demonstrators, some led by Buddhist monks, made their way through cities and towns across the country, including the commercial hub of Yangon and the second city of Mandalay, where two people were shot and killed, the Mizzima news agency reported. The Irrawaddy news site earlier posted a photograph of a man it said was a security officer in plain clothes taking aim with a rifle in Mandalay. Three people were killed in the central town of Wetlet, the Myanmar Now news agency said, and two were killed in different towns in Shan State in the northeast, two media outlets reported. One person was also killed in the northern jade-mining town of Hpakant, the Kachin News Group reported. Reuters could not verify the reports and a spokesman for the ruling junta did not answer calls seeking comment. The protests are only one of the problems the generals have brought on with their Feb. 1 ouster of the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Wars with ethnic minority insurgents in remote frontier regions in the north and east have intensified significantly since the coup, displacing tens of thousands of civilians, according to United Nations estimates. In some places civilians with crude weapons have battled security forces, while in central areas military and government facilities that have been secure for generations have been hit by rocket attacks and a wave of small, unexplained blasts. There have been no claims of responsibility for the explosions. 'HANDMADE BOMBS': Khit Thit media reported a blast outside a police barracks in Yangon early on Sunday. Vehicles were ablaze it said, but it gave no information on any casualties. Later, two more blasts went off in the city, with one, outside an administration official's home, wounding one person, the Irrawaddy reported. A news portal in Shan State reported a blast outside the home of a prominent businessman. The state-run broadcaster in its evening news bulletin on Saturday gave details of at least 11 explosions over the previous 36 hours, mostly in Yangon. "Some rioters who do not want stability of the state have been throwing and planting handmade bombs at government buildings and on public roads," the broadcaster said. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group says security forces have killed at least 759 protesters since the coup. Reuters is unable to confirm the toll. The military, which ruled for almost 50 years until launching a tentative reform process a decade ago, acknowledged in mid-April the death of 248 protesters, saying they were killed after they initiated violence. The protests and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes have crippled the economy and raised the prospect of 25 million people sliding into poverty, the U.N. Development Programme has warned. read more The military said it had to seize power because its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party were not addressed by an election commission that deemed the vote fair. Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the coup along with many other members of her party..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Future of the Country is at Stake - Briefing by UN Humanitarian Coordinator (19 March 2021)
Description: "Press Conference: Acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Myanmar, Mr. Andrew Kirkwood. UN Acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar Andrew Kirkwood said the “future of the country is at stake” adding that the current crisis also has “important regional implications.” Speaking at a virtual press conference from his residence in Myanmar’s capital Yangon, Kirkwood said there was a curfew being imposed by the military across most of the country, adding that people were living in fear particularly at night, when the night raids start and people are dragged from their homes. He said at least 2,400 people have been arrested for their suspected participation in protests, the vast majority held incommunicado, adding that there are increasing reports of sexual-based violence against detainees. Kirkwood said, “At least 211 have been killed in the last 7 weeks and possibly many more. And this includes at least 15 children some as young as 14. And I think it is really important to emphasize that many of these people have been killed through gunshots to the head by snipers for peaceful demonstrations.” The acting UN Resident Coordinator said the army and police have “definitely increased the violence over the last couple of weeks in an attempt to get control of the situation, but the protests and the resistance continues. It's led by doctors and nurses and teachers and truck drivers and farmers who have all coalesced under this civil disobedience movement, the CDM.” Kirkwood emphasized that the situation could get worse and spin out of control. He said some two million people are living under martial law in and around Yangon, leading tens of thousands to flee those areas. He said he was very worried about an impending humanitarian crisis as the public health systems have practically collapsed. Security forces occupied 36 hospitals around the country and some patients were evicted. This is in addition to an ongoing banking crisis causing major disruptions to supply chains, Kirkwood said. The UN official noted that, even before coup, the UN was providing urgent humanitarian assistance to over one million people, adding that the coup complicated that. He expressed concern over an increasing number of people requiring humanitarian assistance, with nearly all COVID-19 testing and treatment halted. Kirkwood said the UN was focusing on providing humanitarian assistance across the country wherever it can under the circumstances. He said the country team has had very little contact with the military, which is kept strictly to what is needed to continue humanitarian operations. The acting UN Resident Coordinator said there were huge expectation by the people of Myanmar from the UN and the entire international community. He said what is needed is collective member state action in the Security Council. He added, “I think that the Secretary-General has been clear, the Special Envoy has been clear, many others have been clear, and we've consistently clear in country in our messaging. The killing has got to stop. The arbitrary detentions really have to stop. And there has to be respect by the authorities of fundamental freedoms and human rights. That said, we are doing everything we can in the current situation and there is still frustration among the people here that the international community hasn't done more to date.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: United Nations (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-03-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar’s Karen State Remains Defiant Amid Military Attacks
Description: "With Myanmar’s military coup now three months old, there are few corners of the Southeast Asian country that haven’t been affected by its aftermath. Hundreds of thousands have revolted against the military’s action nationwide, but the armed forces have responded forcefully by detaining thousands and leaving more than 750 dead, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma. But in recent weeks, with mass street demonstrations waning, the uprising has entered a new phase in old territory, throughout Myanmar’s ethnic minority-held states. In Myanmar’s Karen state, officially Kayin state, conflict isn’t new. Like others, the country’s third-largest ethnic group has endured severe conflict for more than seven decades, largely over ethnically based hostilities. Additionally, fighting against Myanmar’s Tatmadaw armed forces has also been a long battle, but today a resurgent military is forcing the Karen to further defend their territory. A month ago on March 31, according to a report by Singapore broadcaster CNA, the junta, officially the State Administration Council, announced a one-month cease-fire across Myanmar. But according to Dave Eubank, the director of the humanitarian service group Free Burma Rangers, which operates in Myanmar, that promise hasn’t been kept, as attacks from the military have continued. “The Burma army said there’s a cease-fire. There is no cease-fire there,” he told VOA this month. Decades of animosity: The Karen National Union (KNU) is a political organization that says it represents the Karen people, who have their own unique languages, customs and administrative system. Myanmar, then called Burma, gained independence from Britain in 1948. Since then, the Karen have been in conflict with the central government over calls for independence and for a federal system to be implemented. Decades of animosity have endured between various ethnic groups, including the Karen, and the Bamar people, also called Burmans, the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar. But with the coup sparking huge anger throughout the country, there are signs that the military could eventually face a united opposition. The head of Foreign Affairs Department for the KNU, Padoh Saw Taw Nee, said it’s been a “dream” for all ethnic states within Myanmar to align, despite their differences, but he acknowledged it’s a complicated situation. “That is the future we dream for several years, but for it to come true, it’s very difficult,” he said. But for now, the spokesperson acknowledged that fighting back against the advancing military was a necessity. “According to our experience, there will be a way to support pressure to the government, the military way, and the political and social … all kinds of ways, with a need to push against the military," he said. "We need to push the military regime to the table for dialogue.” Padoh Saw Taw Nee said there had been more than “200 casualties” among the Karen as a result of “shelling with heavy weapons” from the military. “If you couldn’t tackle this issue very carefully, there will be kind of a civil war. ... There will be a lot of consequences to our country,” he added. Ground attacks within the Karen have been happening since the end of 2020, according to local reports.....Population fearful: Airstrikes and reconnaissance flights are instilling terror into the locals on the ground, inside sources have told VOA. Lieutenant Colonel Saw Kyi Kyaw of the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council told VOA that the organization’s mission was to “make peace” but that it would fight back if necessary. “We will not attack anyone, but if Tatmadaw starts attacking us, we will fight back to defend ourselves,” he said. In recent days, the Karen took control of a military outpost near the Thai-Myanmar border, according to a Reuters report. But when VOA spoke earlier this month to Saw Thuebee of the Karen Peace Support Network, a civil society group supporting vulnerable communities in the region, he said the Karen already were facing a humanitarian crisis because of the thousands of internally displaced people. Saw Thuebee called on Myanmar’s neighbor to help those in need. “We are hoping and requesting [that] the Thailand government launch the materials across the border so that we can continue to provide humanitarian assistance" to internally displaced people, he said.....Widespread hunger: The United Nations said last week that “millions” faced hunger in the country amid the violence. Myanmar was under military rule for most of its modern history until 2011. In last November’s general elections, the military claimed unsubstantiated electoral fraud. On February 1, the military removed the National League for Democracy government. Leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint were detained and have since been additionally charged. The armed forces have been deployed to suppress street protests, while martial law has been imposed across the country. The junta has implemented daily internet shutdowns for the sake of the country’s “stability.”
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "VOA" (Washington, D.C)
Date of publication: 2021-05-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 2 May, (765) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) compiled and documented (6) fallen heroes today. (2) from Hsipaw Town and Nawngcho Town in Shan State, (1) from Hpakant Town in Kachin State and (2) from Wetlet Town in Sagaing Region died on 2 May. (1) from Kutkai Town in Shan State was killed yesterday and documented today. This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher. We will continue adding as and when. As of May 2, a total of (3555) people are currently under detention; of them (82) are sentenced. 1396 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 20 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, who are evading arrest. We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On 2 May, across the world and inside Burma, people powerfully protested the coup regime on the Global Myanmar Spring Revolution Day. Since the ASEAN leaders meeting, junta forces continue to perpetrate violence, today was the bloodiest day since the ASEAN meeting, at least five civilians were killed in one day. This is alongside increasing arrests. Two people were killed, and three others injured during a violent crackdown at an anti-dictatorship protest today in Hsipaw Town and Naungcho Town, Shan State. The Hpakant strike was repressed with live ammunition, mines, and hand grenades. One protester was shot dead in Hpakant, Kachin State. More than 20 people were injured and chased forcing the protestors to hide. There is great concern for these injured protesters’ access to medical treatment. Terrorists also arrested more than 10 civilians by breaking and destroying house doors in Hpakant. The junta also opened fire whilst people were gathering to begin a protest in Wetlet Town, Sagaing Region. Two men were shot dead, and eight others injured. The terrorist troops are now wearing plain clothes, carrying combat weapons, and arresting protestors so it is less easy to be recognized by civilians. Junta forces are also hiding to ambush and shoot. Two civilians were killed and at least five others were arrested today by this way in Mandalay City. AAPP is consolidating further information to verify this. Junta forces went to the Eain Phyu Taw spare auto parts store to allegedly buy car tires in Kutkai Town, Shan State on 1 May. The victim’s mother said the store was closed and they had stopped selling because of the ending of the fasting period. The victim’s mother was dragged into a car by the junta forces and an argument between the son and the terrorists broke out, he was then shot twice in the chest and died. Aside from all this, today the terrorist group crackdown on protests and arrested civilians in Mogaung Town, Kachin State, Mawlamyine City, Mon State, Mandalay and Pyugyidagun Townships, Mandalay Region, Monywa City, Sagaing Region, and Hlaing, Insein, and North Okkalapa Townships, Yangon Region. Some civilians across the country were injured. Arrests are made in plain clothes and the terrorist group has consistently used private vehicles, military trucks, and motorbikes to oppress civilians. Today, strikes were attacked using military trucks and private vehicles in Naungcho Town, Shan State, Shwebo Town, Sagaing Region and Eaindu Town, Karen State. More than 50 motorbikes were confiscated from youth protesters during the Eaindu protest. The junta stormed a school for the blind based in the Khawel Chan, Yangon Region last April and raided a girl orphanage house on Byaing Yay Oe Zin Street on 1 May nighttime in Tamwe Township, Yangon Region. During the raid, the door of the shelter was stormed and destroyed, the young women living in the shelter were taken out one by one. As of now, it has not been confirmed regarding arrests. Although Myanmar ratified to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), these rights have been dismantled by the dictatorship, women are suffering from both mental and physical insecurity. AAPP will continue to keep you informed of verified daily arrests, charges, sentences and fatalities in relation to the attempted coup, and update our lists to the details of these alleged offences. If you receive any information about detentions of, or charges against CSO leaders, activists, journalists, CDM workers, other civilians and fallen heroes in relation to the military and police crackdown on dissent. Please submit to the following addresses: “Our uprising must succeed” Email : [email protected] Facebook : https://web.facebook.com/burmapoliticalprisoners/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/aapp_burma In Solidarity, AAPP..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-04-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar plays ASEAN as step to global legitimacy
Sub-title: Regional bloc's controversial summit with military leader could provide a template for UN agencies also to engage the killer junta
Description: "At first it appeared that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had summoned Myanmar coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to Jakarta to read him the riot act. Before the extraordinary summit, leaders of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines had condemned the lethal violence unleashed since the February 1 coup, with at least 755 protesters killed by the Myanmar police and military, and called for the release of all political prisoners, now numbering nearly 4,000 including elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But after the military leader attended the April 24 meeting, he left with what many viewed as a mere slap on the wrist. ASEAN agreed on a five-point plan for resolving Myanmar’s crisis, which by almost any measure was bland and toothless even by the regional grouping’s policies of consensus and non-interference. In essence, the meeting put equal blame on the Myanmar military’s gunning down peaceful demonstrators, including children as young as five, and the protesters’ use of slingshots and other homemade devices to defend themselves against the security forces’ war weapons. “We tried not to accuse his [Min Aung Hlaing’s] side too much because we don’t care who’s causing it,” Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters after the meeting. The Myanmar military’s mouthpiece Global New Light of Myanmar reported on April 25 that Min Aung Hlaing had emphasized the importance of close cooperation with ASEAN member countries in accord with the ASEAN Charter, and little more than that. In an April 26 statement, the coup leader said he would carefully consider ASEAN leaders’ recommended steps for solving the crisis “after the situation stabilizes”, and that would be done only if ASEAN’s plan of action facilitated the implementation of the junta’s own policies. The initial reaction from the “National Unity Government” (NUG), a coalition of elected parliamentarians, ethnic groups and other anti-military personalities, was to welcome the outcome of the Jakarta summit. In an April 24 statement, the same day as the meeting was held, NUG spokesperson Dr Sasa stated that he was “encouraged” by the consensus that ASEAN had reached. Rights groups say the danger with Dr Sasa’s statement and media reports that echo similar sentiments is that the main beneficiary of the summit would be Min Aung Hlaing’s coup-installed government. The international community may thus now believe that the time is ripe to tone down its criticism of the junta’s murderous acts in order to give the ASEAN plan a chance. The notion that the ASEAN summit was a “success” also opens the way for other international actors to engage the junta with outcomes that are unlikely to lead to the restoraration of democracy in Myanmar. But, as Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch stated in an April 25 press release: “The lack of a clear timeline for action, and ASEAN’s well-known weakness in implementing the decisions and plans that it issues, are real concerns that no one should overlook.” There is actually very little in ASEAN’s “five points of consensus” that could even be called a plan. The first point states that “all parties should exercise utmost restraint” and stop using violence. The second calls for a “constructive dialog among all parties concerned” while the third says that ASEAN shall appoint a special envoy to “facilitate the dialog process.” The fourth says ASEAN shall provide humanitarian assistance through its coordinating center for disaster management — aid that ultimately would have to be channeled through the military regime and thus unlikely to reach those most in need. The fifth and final point says that ASEAN’s “special envoy and delegation shall visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned.” But with the junta’s insistence on adherence to its own “roadmap”, which includes a vague vow to hold new elections perhaps within a year, those points are likely non-starters even if they were implemented — which of course would have to be done through ASEAN’s two golden principles of non-interference and consensus. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attended the Jakarta meeting, but has stated that what’s happening in Myanmar is an “internal affair.” Other authoritarian member states like communist-ruled Vietnam and Laos will not be keen to create a bloc precedent that could draw into question their own non-democratic systems of government. Despite Dr Sasa’s positive appraisal of the summit, the reaction on Myanmar’s social media has been overwhelmingly negative and verged on outright hostility towards ASEAN, with many condemning the plan as a stab in the back. The 88 Generation group of activists, which brings together veterans of Myanmar’s long struggle for democracy, issued a statement even before the meeting took place accusing ASEAN of always siding with the military and acting “in its self-interest and has never been seen to assist nor solve any political discord within its member states.” The Irrawaddy, a website run by Myanmar journalists, said that “if ASEAN is looking to demonstrate progress, it should go further by condemning the violence and calling for the released of political prisoners and an immediate halt to torture of detainees and other abuses…Myanmar’s implosion has only further exposed ASEAN as the pathetic and irrelevant institution it is.” Meanwhile, the killings and arrests of protesters have continued unabated, even during and after the summit. Kaung Htet Naing, a 22-year-old student, was shot and killed in Mandalay on April 24. Another young protester was killed in the central town of Pyinmana and a 63-year-old woman died in custody after being abducted from her house by police in raids following the Jakarta summit. In the commercial capital Yangon, soldiers and police raided the house of Thura Saw, a former cameraman for the popular TV news channel DVB. Among those arrested since the coup are more than 70 journalists of whom 40 are still under detention while arrest warrants have been issued for another 22 media workers. A draft statement circulating before the Jakarta summit included a demand for the release of all political prisoners, but that was dropped as one of the “consensus points” after the arrival of Min Aung Hlaing. With the Jakarta summit in the bag, the Myanmar junta’s likely next step to win international legitimacy will be to woo UN agencies, whose Yangon-based officials potentially stand to lose their jobs unless agreements can be reached with the junta. That’s worked in the wake of past military massacres. In 1988, when the rest of the world shunned the murderous junta infamously known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC, Oscar Lazo, the head of Yangon-based UN agencies and himself representing the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), invited the SLORC-appointed minister for agriculture and forestry General Chit Swe to attend an FAO conference in Rome. That was hardly surprising considering Lazo had initiated several lucrative projects in collaboration with Aye Zaw Win, the son-in-law of then-military dictator General Ne Win. Lazo’s overture eventually opened the floodgates for the rest of the UN, which was soon back in business in Myanmar. Min Aung Hlaing’s junta has already begun to play the drug suppression card to gain international recognition. If the Global New Times of Myanmar of April 14 is to be believed, Myanmar’s Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Lieutenant General Than Hlaing attended the 64th meeting of the Narcotic Drugs Commission in Vienna from April 12-16 “via video conferencing.” The event, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), overlooked the fact that Than Hlaing is among 25 junta leaders and other military officers who have been blacklisted and sanctioned by the European Union for what it has termed “serious human rights violations and abuses.” In a March 30 statement, the UNODC claimed that “drug lords entwined with rebel groups in Myanmar’s ungovernable border zone…the notorious Golden Triangle” are taking advantage of the situation by “pumping record amounts of methamphetamines across Southeast Asia.” The statement did not mention official or military complicity in the drug trade and the well-established fact that most of the drug trade is run by local militias that are allied with the Myanmar military. The question after the ASEAN meeting concerns which other international organizations might be willing to look away from the recent atrocities committed in Myanmar to maintain and pave their particularistic interests in the country. In an interview with the Jakarta Post on April 27, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi lauded what she apparently termed as “ASEAN’s Myanmar breakthrough.” But the question now is a breakthrough for whom, the pro-democracy movement, the democracy-suspending junta, or outside groups that see a cynical opportunity in Myanmar’s crisis?..."
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Source/publisher: "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication: 2021-04-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar protesters march three months after coup; U.N. warns of ‘standstill’
Description: "Protesters against military rule marched in Myanmar on Saturday three months after a coup ended a democratic transition, with several small blasts compounding a sense of crisis that a U.N. envoy warned could bring state administration to a halt. The military has tried to end dissent and impose its authority on a people largely opposed to the return of rule by the generals after 10 years of democratic reforms that included a government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi. Despite a relentless crackdown in which at least 759 protesters have been killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group, crowds come out day after day to reject the junta. "Our cause, democracy, our cause, a federal union. Free arrested leaders," protesters chanted at one of two rallies in the main city of Yangon. Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the coup the along with many other members of her party. The AAPP says more than 3,400 people have been detained for opposing the military. People also rallied in the second city of Mandalay and the southern town of Dawei, media reported. There were no immediate reports of violence. Media reported several small blasts in different places including Yangon late on Friday and on Saturday. There were no immediate reports of casualties and no claims of responsibility. A spokesman for the junta did not answer calls seeking comment. The military has accused pro-democracy activists of planting bombs. The U.N. special envoy on Myanmar told the Security Council on Friday that in the absence of a collective international response to the coup, violence was worsening and the running of the state risked coming to a standstill, according to diplomats who attended the private meeting. read more Christine Schraner Burgener briefed the 15-member council from Thailand, where she has been meeting regional leaders. She hopes to travel to Myanmar but the military has yet to approve a visit. "The general administration of the state could risk coming to a standstill as the pro-democracy movement continues in spite of the ongoing use of lethal force, arbitrary arrests and torture as part of the military's repression," Schraner Burgener said, according to diplomats. She told diplomats that reports of a continuing crackdown risked undermining momentum toward ending the crisis following a meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 25 with the junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Schraner Burgener, expressing concern about rising violence, cited reports of bomb attacks and of civilians, mostly students from the urban areas, getting weapons training from ethnic minority insurgents. U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said Min Aung Hlaing had used the summit as a "propaganda ploy". "Indeed, he tried to appear to be what he is not - a legitimate leader," Andrews said in a post on Twitter. "The good news: Those who ARE legitimate are ready to engage: the National Unity Government." Ousted members of parliament from Suu Kyi's party, politicians representing ethnic minorities and democracy activists set up the unity government but it has yet to win the international recognition it says it is due. The U.N. Security Council reiterated its “deep concern” at the situation and its support for Myanmar’s democratic transition. The council has issued several statements since the coup but diplomats say Russia and China are likely to prevent any stronger council action against Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar swimmer Win Htet Oo: 'Genocidaires do not deserve to be in the Olympics'
Description: "A leading Myanmar swimmer has called for the country's Olympic committee to be expelled from the Olympic Movement, saying "genocidaires do not deserve to be in the Olympics." In a Facebook post, swimmer Win Htet Oo said by rejecting the Myanmar Olympic Committee he had foregone any chance of competing at the Tokyo Olympic Games later this year. Currently training in Melbourne, Win Htet Oo's Facebook profile says he's "a Myanmar swimmer dreaming about Tokyo 2020." The swimmer has been a vocal critic of the Myanmar in recent weeks. "I do not wish to participate in the Tokyo Games under the stewardship of a NOC [National Olympic Committee] that is tied to a regime that continues to inflict suffering on my people," said Win Htet Oo in another Facebook post on April 10. The IOC did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment, but the organization told AFP that "'to the best of our knowledge,'" Win Htet Oo had not been selected by the Myanmar team. World Swimming Magazine describes Win Htet Oo as one of Myanmar's "top swimmers," who swam for his country at the 2013 and 2019 Southeast Asian Games There is no listing for Win Htet Oo on the website of swimming's governing body (Fédération Internationale De Natation). The Myanmar Olympic Committee did not respond to CNN's request for comment. READ: Protests and demonstrations banned at 2020 Tokyo Olympics In February, Myanmar armed forces commander in chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing seized power, overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party and installing a military junta. The following months have seen ongoing protests against his rule and the rise of a Civil Disobedience movement in which thousands of blue- and white-collar workers including doctors, teachers, civil servants and factory workers have gone on strike with the aim of disrupting the economy and unseating the general. Security forces have brutally suppressed the protests with deadly and systematic crackdowns in which police and soldiers have shot people dead in the streets and arbitrarily detained perceived opponents. More than 750 people have been killed by security forces since the coup, and more than 4,500 arrested, according to advocacy group Assistance Association of Political Prisoners. On March 28, UN officials condemned "systematic" attacks on peaceful protesters and called on the international community to "protect the people of Myanmar from atrocity crimes." "The shameful, cowardly, brutal actions of the military and police -- who have been filmed shooting at protesters as they flee, and who have not even spared young children -- must be halted immediately," said Alice Wairimu Nderitu, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights in a joint statement. READ: Which nation is expected to top Olympic medal table? A UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar in 2018 called for Min Aung Hlaing to be investigated and prosecuted for genocide over his military's brutal crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State in 2017. In his latest Facebook post, Win Htet Oo said he'd been inspired "by the continued defiance to military rule in Myanmar by an intersectional movement that will never submit. Their bravery is undying." "The National Unity Government is the only legitimate representative of the people of Myanmar and all international organisations and governments should recognise the NUG as Myanmar's government," added Win Htet Oo, who swam for New York University between 2012 and 2015..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Note to Correspondents: Joint Statement by UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - on Myanmar
Topic: Joint Statement by Alice Wairimu Nderitu, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the situation in Myanmar
Sub-title: Myanmar: Top UN officials condemn “systematic” attacks on peaceful protesters, and flag international responsibility to protect the people from atrocity crimes
Topic: Joint Statement by Alice Wairimu Nderitu, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the situation in Myanmar
Description: "The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on Sunday issued a clear warning of a heightened risk of atrocity crimes in Myanmar, following another day of widespread bloodshed by the Myanmar military. The two senior UN officials strongly condemned the Myanmar military’s widespread, lethal, increasingly systematic attacks against peaceful protesters, as well as other serious violations of human rights since it seized power on 1 February 2021. Thousands of people have also been arbitrarily arrested – many subjected to enforced disappearance. Saturday witnessed the bloodiest day since the demonstrations against the coup began, with security forces killing at least 107 individuals – including 7 children – according to multiple credible reports, with the number of deaths expected to rise as reports are confirmed. Hundreds more were wounded and detained during these seemingly coordinated attacks in over 40 locations throughout the country. Bachelet and Nderitu called on the military to immediately stop killing the very people it has the duty to serve and protect. “The shameful, cowardly, brutal actions of the military and police – who have been filmed shooting at protesters as they flee, and who have not even spared young children – must be halted immediately. The international community has a responsibility to protect the people of Myanmar from atrocity crimes,” Bachelet and Nderitu said. The Special Adviser and the High Commissioner called on the Security Council to take further steps, building on its statement of 10 March 2021, and for ASEAN and the wider international community to act promptly to uphold the responsibility to protect the people of Myanmar from atrocity crimes. While the State has the primary responsibility to protect its population, the international community shares that responsibility, and in cases where the State is manifestly failing, the international community “should take timely and collective action in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations to protect civilian populations that are at risk of atrocity crimes.” Nderitu and Bachelet called for an end to systemic impunity in Myanmar. “We must ensure accountability for past crimes and deter the most serious international crimes from being committed,” the two officials stated. “The failure to address the atrocity crimes the military has committed in the past, including against Rohingya and other minorities, has brought Myanmar to this terrible pass. There is no way forward without accountability and fundamental reform of the military.” The senior officials urged all parties – including defecting officials, police and military officers – to cooperate with international mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court and the Human Rights Council’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, in fighting impunity in the country. This situation has also put at further risk the already vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar, including the Rohingya. This population has long suffered horrific violence at the hands of the Myanmar military with impunity, as documented by the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar established by the Human Rights Council. “We are deeply concerned about the impact that the current situation may have on these populations and are closely monitoring developments. The rights of minority groups, including the Rohingya population must be fully respected,” the two UN officials stated. They noted the diversity of the protest movement, and encouraged the newfound sense of unity across ethnic and religious divides, as well as the growing recognition of past crimes against minorities, including Rohingya..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Secretary-General
Date of publication: 2021-03-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Seven reported killed as Myanmar protests aim to ‘shake the world’
Description: "Myanmar security forces opened fire on some of the biggest protests against military rule in days on Sunday killing seven people, media reported, three months after a coup plunged the country into crisis. The protests, after a spell of dwindling crowds and what appeared to be more restraint by the security forces, were coordinated with demonstrations in Myanmar communities around the world to mark what organisers called "the global Myanmar spring revolution". "Shake the world with the voice of Myanmar people's unity," the organisers said in a statement. Streams of demonstrators, some led by Buddhist monks, made their way through cities and towns across the country, including the commercial hub of Yangon and the second city of Mandalay, where two people were shot and killed, the Mizzima news agency reported. The Irrawaddy news site earlier posted a photograph of a man it said was a security officer in plain clothes taking aim with a rifle in Mandalay. Two people were killed in the central town of Wetlet, the Myanmar Now news agency said, and two were killed in different towns in Shan State in the northeast, two media outlets reported. One person was also killed in the northern jade-mining town of Hpakant, the Kachin News Group reported. Reuters could not verify the reports and a spokesman for the ruling junta did not answer calls seeking comment. The protests are only one of the problems the generals have brought on with their Feb. 1 ouster of the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Wars with ethnic minority insurgents in remote frontier regions in the north and east have intensified significantly since the coup, displacing tens of thousands of civilians, according to United Nations estimates. In some places civilians with crude weapons have battled security forces, while in central areas military and government facilities that have been secure for generations have been hit by rocket attacks and a wave of small, unexplained blasts. There have been no claims of responsibility for the explosions. 'HANDMADE BOMBS' Khit Thit media reported a blast outside a police barracks in Yangon early on Sunday. Vehicles were ablaze it said, but it gave no information on any casualties. Later, it reported another blast in the city. A news portal in Shan State reported a blast outside the home of a prominent businessman. The state-run broadcaster in its main evening news bulletin on Saturday gave details of at least 11 explosions over the previous 36 hours, mostly in Yangon. It reported some damage but no casualties. "Some rioters who do not want stability of the state have been throwing and planting handmade bombs at government buildings and on public roads," the broadcaster said. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners advocacy group says security forces have killed at least 759 protesters since the coup. Reuters is unable to confirm the toll. The military, which ruled for almost 50 years until launching a tentative reform process a decade ago, acknowledged in mid-April the death of 248 protesters, saying they were killed after they initiated violence. The protests and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes have crippled the economy and raised the prospect of 25 million people sliding into poverty, the U.N. Development Programme has warned. read more The military said it had to seize power because its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party were not addressed by an election commission that deemed the vote fair. Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the coup along with many other members of her party..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: This revolution is about more than who governs Myanmar
Sub-title: While the anti-coup movement is ostensibly about who rules – the military or the people – embedded in it are four tendencies that, with the world’s help, will radically remake Myanmar society for the better.
Description: "Myanmar is in the throes of a profound political crisis, but the solution must extend beyond the question of who’s in charge of government. The resistance to the Tatmadaw’s takeover has been spearheaded by the youth. Members of so-called Generation Z have learned from their elders in the 1988 pro-democracy movement, but this “Spring Revolution” is not like their parents’ failed revolution. The battle is lopsided – the military has more guns and more money than the people right now – but, with action from the international community, it is entirely winnable. The prize will not only be democratic government, but a far more just, inclusive and united society, thanks to four progressive tendencies embedded in the youth-led movement.....Genuine democracy: The first of these tendencies is a demand for genuine democracy that moves beyond past compromises. The events of the past three months mean the masses are no longer willing to settle for a return to the pre-coup status quo. This revolution aims to complete, once and for all, a process stalled since 1962: the creation of a federal union and the removal of the Tatmadaw from politics. Many people reluctantly accepted the military-drafted 2008 Constitution because they believed it would help move the country towards democracy. The National League for Democracy’s 2015 victory under that charter gave them hope for a better future. The military unequivocally dashed those hopes on February 1. Those that weren’t already convinced now know that a “partial democracy” is a contradiction of terms, and that a power sharing agreement with the Tatmadaw is a road to nowhere. To that end, people are striking, peacefully protesting, boycotting and performing acts of civil disobedience, hoping to paralyse the military’s ability to govern, even if it means deep personal and economic pain. They are now considering any means necessary to finally remove the military from politics. They’ve called on the international community and the United Nations to invoke the principle of the Responsibility to Protect and, despite the slim-to-zero chance that this call will be heeded, they continue collecting evidence of the Tatmadaw’s crimes against humanity, hoping to hold the coup makers accountable under global bodies of justice, such as the International Criminal Court. Even the idea of armed revolution has become popular, with the National Unity Government declaring its ambition to establish a People’s Defence Army that would later be integrated into a “federal army” alongside ethnic armed groups already fighting for autonomy in their own states. Young people are reportedly flocking to areas under the control of ethnic armies to receive weapons training. But the idea of an armed offensive against the Tatmadaw, however emotionally gratifying now, may be ill advised in the longer term. For one, the military has superior weapons and greater resources than all of its challengers combined, and it has survived countless armed insurrections since its founding. Additionally, the technical and practical challenges of unifying many geographically dispersed armed groups with varying political goals into a single force may prove overwhelming. Still, the growing popularity of the idea among young and old alike – many of whom are getting a first-hand experience of the depths of the Tatmadaw’s brutality and inhumanity for the first time – is a testament to the desperate desire, shared by almost everyone, to rid the country of this notorious institution, which has impoverished its citizenry and tarnished the national image for more than half a century.....Across ethnic lines: The second critical tendency of the Spring Revolution is a desire to shatter pernicious national mythologies. Generations of Myanmar people have been conditioned to believe a distorted version of history – something this movement is helping to right. For more than 70 years, minority ethnic groups have felt betrayed by the majority Bamar, who, instead of bringing about the democratic federal union promised in the 1947 Panglong Agreement, have continued to maintain their political and social dominance while marginalising minority voices. The military has systematically reinforced these divisions since General Ne Win seized power in 1962 through divide-and-conquer tactics. In propaganda spread through the schoolroom and state-controlled media, successive military regimes portrayed ethnic insurgent groups as bandits led by warlords who posed a threat to the nation. Most Bamar live in regions untouched by conflict and did not understand that ethnic armed groups had taken up arms as political actors with the universal ambition of autonomy. They had little knowledge of the suffering and abuse – the abductions and arbitrary killings, the use of systemic rape as a weapon of war and subjugation – that ethnic groups have endured at the Tatmadaw’s hands. Perhaps the most significant result of the Spring Revolution is the unprecedented unity that has developed between the Bamar and other ethnic nationalities. The use of lethal force by security forces – their indiscriminate shooting into homes and apartments, their targeting of aid workers, their looting and wanton vandalism – have helped lowland Bamar understand what their ethnic compatriots have endured for decades. Moving displays of Bamar sympathy have sprung up, and people – largely the youth – are publicly apologising for not speaking out in the past.....Toppling taboos: A third tendency of the Spring Revolution lies in its critique of religious orthodoxy and antiquated social norms. This is particularly noticeable in attitudes towards women and girls, who have been central to the protest movement, displaying just as much commitment, creativity and courage as their male counterparts – both on the frontlines and in the rooms where strategy is made. Women have harnessed traditional beliefs to challenge misogyny and the military in creative ways, notably using the fear among many men – particularly those within the Tatmadaw – of losing their male essence, known as hpone, by passing below women’s garments. As security forces moved in to quash protests around the country, female-led groups of demonstrators hung women’s htamein (longyi) from clotheslines strung over streets and roads, knowing that superstitious, conservative soldiers would be reluctant to pass beneath them. In many cases, they were right. Junta forces often stopped to burn the garments before passing beneath them. The demands for gender equity have permeated aspirations for new government leadership as well: about half of the National Unity Government members announced on April 16 are women. And despite the enormous respect accorded to senior Buddhist monks, young protesters have been quick to criticise monks who express support for the coup makers. After Wazipeik Sayadaw, a Shan State monk with close ties to junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, reportedly advised the senior general to “shoot protesters in the head”, portraits of the monk turned up strung alongside htamein at protests in Yangon’s Sanchaung Township. This was a challenge to the monk directly, but also to a misogynist belief that even representations of monks are too sacred to be displayed near “lowly” women’s clothing. When Sitagu Sayadaw, a highly influential senior monk in Sagaing Region well known for his philanthropic work and Buddhist scholarship, publicly supported the coup, scores of Buddhist social media users were quick to post scathing criticisms of him online. Western readers, accustomed to open critiques of the clergy, may find this nothing to write home about. But these moves – which even parents, senior relatives and religious leaders that do support the movement likely found deeply uncomfortable – are unprecedented, given the hierarchical relationship between laypeople and the Sangha. This revolution is changing mindsets: formerly untouchable elders are being revaluated with a critical eye, often facing social punishment campaigns from young people willing to judge them on their actions rather than their venerated status.....The Rohingya divide: The final tendency of the Spring Revolution may also be its most complex. This movement has, like nothing before it, forced a reckoning with longstanding prejudices against the Rohingya – though there are gradations to how much progress has been made in this realm. Undoubtedly, there has been a much-needed growth in acceptance of the persecuted minority, and an overdue recognition of their plight. Social media users have tweeted what seemed like heartfelt apologies to the former United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Ms Yanghee Lee, for their past hate speech against the Rohingya “and against me personally because I used the name ‘Rohingya’ while speaking about their plight”, Lee recently wrote in Nikkei Asia. Such apologies were “unthinkable just a few months ago”, she added. Early on in the protests, multiple demonstrators posted photos of themselves holding signs expressing support for the Rohingya, and remorse for ignoring or denying their suffering in the past. But while unity has emerged on abolishing military dictatorship, standing with ethnic nationalities, and building a more progressive, open society, divisions remain over the Rohingya, with opinion roughly divided into four groups. The first still regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants with no real right to a dignified life in Myanmar, insisting on calling them “Bengali” no matter how they self-identify, or how many generations have lived here before them. People of this mind may never be convinced. The second acknowledges that the Tatmadaw committed crimes against humanity and possibly even genocide against the Rohingya in northern Rakhine State in 2016 and 2017, but still holds that most Rohingya are foreign interlopers who are not entitled to live in Myanmar. Most among this tribe also refuse to recognise “Rohingya” as a legitimate ethnic designation. The third recognises the atrocities the Rohingya have suffered at the hands of the Tatmadaw and also accepts that many have lived in Myanmar for generations, entitling them to some form of citizenship, but only a second-class, “Bengali” citizenship, since they are not among the 135 indigenous “races” who automatically receive citizenship under the racist, military-drafted 1982 Citizenship Law. The final group is, sadly, likely to be the smallest in size. This group accepts the Rohingya’s right to citizenship and to self-identification as “Rohingya”. These thinkers reject the arbitrary distinctions between “officially recognised” groups and others – ideas pushed on the populace by the xenophobic Ne Win, the country’s first coup maker and military dictator. They insist that Myanmar should have only one category of citizenship, free of racial distinctions. Until this last understanding is more widely shared, we’re doomed to spawn a crippled form of democracy.....Towards a more just future: This revolution is truly unprecedented, in its demands and its sophistication, and it has the potential to transform society and deliver a new nation of more just structures, values and norms. We are confident of victory, but it will take perseverance. More than 750 people have been killed by junta forces, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners. Despite the rising death toll, people remain undaunted. When soldiers crack down in the daytime, they hold candlelight vigils at night. Instead of confronting security forces head on, people are finding new ways to resist, such as with sticker campaigns and quickly dispersing flash mobs. Civil servants and critical private-sector workers are refusing to return to their jobs, shuttering banking and payment services, hospitals, rail travel and cargo movement. Military-made products like Myanmar Beer and Red Ruby cigarettes have been targeted for consumer boycotts, tanking these brands and draining the Tatmadaw of revenue. The forms of resistance keep multiplying. Just how long it will take may depend on the international community. Each day that justice is deferred, more will die. The movement’s goals are deeply aligned with the values and prerogatives that most Western nations espouse. If these nations can replace empty admonishments with serious moves against the Tatmadaw’s funding – more robust sanctions on extractive industries, for a start – we may be able to realise the more just future we all strive for sooner rather than later..."
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Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Brutal violence by security forces in Myanmar leaves dozens dead, including multiple children
Sub-title: 35 children killed by security forces in less than two months
Description: "Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore: NEW YORK, 28 March 2021 – “An 11-year-old boy, an 11-year-old girl, two 13-year-old boys, a 13-year-old girl, three 16-year-old boys and two seventeen-year old boys, all reportedly shot and killed. A one-year-old baby girl gravely injured after being struck in the eye with a rubber bullet. These were the latest child casualties on the bloodiest day in Myanmar since the military takeover on 1 February. “In less than two months, at least 35 children have allegedly been killed, countless others seriously injured and almost 1,000 children and young people reported arbitrarily detained by security forces across the country. Millions of children and young people have been directly or indirectly exposed to traumatizing scenes of violence, threatening their mental health and emotional wellbeing. “I am appalled by the indiscriminate killing, including of children, taking place in Myanmar and by the failure of security forces to exercise restraint and ensure children’s safety. As the Secretary-General just said, those responsible for these actions, which undoubtedly constitute egregious child rights violations, must be held accountable. “In addition to the immediate impacts of the violence, the longer-term consequences of the crisis for the country’s children could be catastrophic. “Already, the delivery of critical services for children has ground to a halt: Almost 1 million children are without access to key vaccines; almost 5 million are missing out on vitamin A supplementation; nearly 12 million risk losing another year of learning; more than 40,000 children are without treatment for severe acute malnutrition; close to 280,000 vulnerable mothers and children will lose access to cash transfers which are their lifeline and more than a quarter million children will lose access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene services. “This loss of access to key services, combined with economic contraction which will push many more into poverty, puts an entire generation of children and young people in peril. They are already at risk of suffering profound physical, psychological, emotional, educational and economic impacts, potentially denying them a healthy, prosperous future. “Security forces must immediately refrain from perpetrating abuses of child rights and ensure the security and safety of children at all times. Security forces should cease the occupation of education facilities. They must also protect all essential workers – including health workers and teachers – providing vital services for children and families. “UNICEF’s commitment to children in Myanmar remains unwavering. After 70 years in the country, reaching all children including Rohingya and those from other minority groups with lifesaving services in times of conflict and crisis remains a top priority. “We must not to let down the children of Myanmar at this critical time, when their lives, wellbeing and future are at stake. We will always stand firmly by their side.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-03-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: EU ready to help restore democracy to Myanmar - high representative
Description: "The European Union is ready to offer its support to all parties to help restore democracy in Myanmar, the bloc's high representative told ASEAN states on Friday. Southeast Asian leaders said after an emergency ASEAN summit last week that they had reached consensus with Myanmar's junta on ending violence there. read more "The European Union stands ready to support ASEAN... in facilitating a constructive dialogue with all key stakeholders with a view to bringing Myanmar/Burma back to its democratic path," the high representative said in a statement published on Friday. An activist monitoring group says more than 750 people have been killed by security forces in Myanmar since army generals unleashed lethal force in the face of sustained protests against their Feb. 1 coup..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-04-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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