Right to Life: reports of violations in Burma

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Title: Hostages under the military coup
Description: "Hostages under the military coup Date : 4 June 2021 Since 1 February 2021, when the junta arrested Burma’s elected state leaders and unlawfully seized power, junta forces have carried out relentless and dailyarbitrary arrests. The junta uses brutal force to arrest these civilians, on thestreet, in their homes, and even in hospitals receiving medical treatment. The junta employs brutality to arrest those not easily detained, like ramming with cars. When wanted individuals aren’t found, family members are taken hostage. This junta takes whoever they can find, including children, employing worsening methods to apprehend the detainees. According to AAPP’s documentation, at least 76 people have been taken hostage since the coup. 28 have been released and 45 remain in custody. Twowere placed under house arrest and one has been sentenced to prison. The 45 who remain in custody include National League for Democracy’s Hluttaw representatives, party leaders, protestors, CDM strikers, those issued warrants under Penal Code 505-a, and those suspected to have links to EAO’s. Two people currently held hostage have been placed under house arrest. On 22 May, in Pantanaw Township, Irrawaddy Division, the junta came to arrest NLD party leader U Mya Nyein at his house. They did not find him, instead taking his wife Daw Nyein Nyine (75 years-old) and his cousin Daw Wine Tine (65 years-old). At first held in Pantanaw Police Station, they were later placed under house arrest. At present, they have not been allowed to return to their home in Mimma Pye Village, instead held at the house of U Mya Nyein. One person who was taken as hostage has been sentenced to prison. On 2 May, in Rangoon Division, the home of political activist Ko Tin Hute Paing, in North Okklapa, was raided. The junta could not find him, instead detaining and beating his mother. On 28 May, at a North Okkalapa military court, she was sentenced to three years under Penal Code 505-a. Of the 76 hostages, 36 of them are women, aged from 2 to 75 years old.Hostage taking is a serious crime, committed by terrorist organizations. Yetsuccessive dictators in Burma have carried out abductions. Preceding drafted constitutions have given impunity for these past crimes and present crimes.In 1979 the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages was first introduced, Myanmar became a state party to the convention on 4 June 2004. Partied states pledged that hostage taking is a threat to international peace and security. Hostage-taking is a violation of the basic values upheld by the United Nations, namely the fundamental rights enjoyed by every individual, including life, liberty, and security, laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(ICCPR). The terrorist actions by this junta clearly defy international humanitarian law in Burma. We, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP),condemn this brutality, call for the immediate release of all hostages, and for the international community to take stern and meaningful action..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-06-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: SAC-M: Tracking the Three Cuts: SAC-M Launches Live Record of Cuts to Junta’s Cash
Description: "The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) is launching a live record of actions taken since the attempted coup in Myanmar by States, businesses, and other entities – including sanctions, operation suspensions and divestments – that contribute to cutting the junta’s finances. SAC-M is calling for a global ‘Three Cuts’ strategy against the junta in Myanmar: cut the weapons, cut the cash, cut the impunity. The live record can be found here: https://specialadvisorycouncil.org/cut-the-cash/ The junta in Myanmar – once the Myanmar military – is infamous for having a long-established and complex web of commercial interests composed of military-linked companies and subsidiaries, State-owned enterprises, and private crony companies. The wealth generated through this corrupt system that spans Myanmar’s economy creates immense personal wealth for the junta’s leadership and enables its forces to carry out massive human rights violations across the country. “The junta relies heavily on revenues from domestic and foreign business deals to support its operations and insulate its leaders from the extreme economic hardship they are forcing on the rest of the country” says Chris Sidoti of SAC-M. “Cutting off the junta’s multi-million-dollar income is essential to support the people’s Civil Disobedience Movement, halt the junta’s massive human rights violations and hold the perpetrators accountable. This live record is intended to highlight who has taken action and who has not.” Since launching a coup on 1 February 2021, the junta’s forces have murdered at least 840 people – including dozens of children – abducted and detained thousands, and committed brazen acts of torture, sexual and gender-based violence and other forms of extreme brutality. The junta has launched airstrikes and fired heavy artillery into towns and villages in rural areas. Tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of people are newly displaced from their homes both in the cities and towns and along Myanmar’s western and eastern borders. Responding to the many calls from Myanmar civil society organizations, States, businesses and other entities have begun taking action against the junta such as with targeted sanctions, operation suspensions and divestments. SAC-M acknowledges and welcomes the efforts and actions taken so far and will continue to track future actions as well as their implementation. “States and business enterprises have international legal obligations to respect human rights and must do the utmost to avoid that their activities and businesses cause adverse human rights impacts,” says Marzuki Darusman of SAC-M. “In view of these obligations, as part of the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, we called in 2019 for complete economic disengagement from the Myanmar military, military leaders and their families, and corporations and businesses owned or controlled by the military. Those calls remain critical today.” SAC-M maintains that economic sanctions will work in Myanmar insofar as they are targeted at cutting the junta’s finances. Besides economic disengagement from the Myanmar military, the Fact-Finding Mission also called for the promotion of economic ties and engagement with non-military companies in Myanmar as a means of building the non-military sector of the economy. The inescapable fact is that at the moment it is impossible to do business in Myanmar. Under the current circumstances, businesses should be supporting the anti-coup resistance by suspending all operations in Myanmar apart from essential humanitarian operations. However, in time the removal of the junta from the economy will create the legal and economic environment where corruption can be addressed seriously for the first time. It will open up greatly expanded opportunities for non-military businesses, local and foreign. Private business will be needed for the long-delayed economic development of Myanmar. With the live record, SAC-M intends to provide an overview of actions taken so far by States, businesses and other financial entities since 1 February 2021 towards cutting all direct or indirect financial support to the junta. The record is intended as a living document that SAC-M will continue to maintain and update as necessary. SAC-M encourages business enterprises, including those that may not be mentioned in this record, to inform SAC-M of any relevant action undertaken with regard to their economic activities in Myanmar. The record lists business enterprises that have proactively taken actions against the junta as a result of the coup and the ensuing human rights violations committed against civilians, who have resisted the unlawful attempted takeover of power. It does not include companies that had to suspend their business activities because of actions of the Civil Disobedience Movement. “There are already signs that these collective cuts to the junta’s finances are starting to bite,” says Yanghee Lee of SAC-M. “It is essential that we continue to build the pressure. A priority is coordinated international sanctions on the junta’s extractive industry so-called State-owned enterprises – including Myanmar Timber Enterprise, Myanmar Gems Enterprise, and of course, Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise. I first raised my concerns over these entities as UN Special Rapporteur in 2019. They are central to the junta’s finances, and it will use them to exploit every last inch of Myanmar’s natural wealth while oppressing the people and driving the country to ruin.” Cutting the junta’s finances is part of a global ‘Three Cuts’ strategy that SAC-M is calling for: cut the junta’s arms supply through comprehensive arms embargos, cut the cash flow through targeted economic sanctions, and cut the junta’s impunity through referral to the International Criminal Court and other accountability mechanisms. The progress of all ‘Three Cuts’ will be tracked on SAC-M’s website..."
Source/publisher: Special Advisory Council for Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-06-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-05
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 3 June, (845) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Launglon Township in Tanintharyi Region and Pekon Township in Southern Shan 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 3 June, a total of (4509) people are currently under detention; of them (138) are sentenced. 1931 have been issued arrest warrants; of them 31 were sentenced to death and 14 to three years imprisonment with hard labour, and 39 to 20 years imprisonment with hard labour (who are evading arrest). We are verifying the recently released detainees and continuing to document. On the night of 2 June, a 19 year-old youth was shot dead to the forehead and another civilian was seriously injured after being shot in the mouth when junta forces opened sniper fire in Mobye Town, Pekon Township in Southern Shan State. Two women, who were arrested with gunshot injuries later died after they ran away in fear when junta troops entered Chaung Wa Pyin village, Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region on the night of 29 May. Both women were cremated and photos of their bodies were sent to the families by the junta in the evening of 31 May. In the early morning of 3 June, two NLD members were beaten and arrested at their home in Sein Pan Ward, Mahaaungmyay Township in Mandalay Region after an anti-dictatorship protest in Sein Pann ward. Lawyer Thet Tun Oo, who is representing pro-bono, people arrested for staging anti-dictatorship protests in Myitkyina, Kachin State, was arrested on 2 June. This happened after he testified in a case at the court in Myitkyina Prison. He is currently detained at Myitkyina Myoma Police Station. A lawsuit was filed against him under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code by the Myitkyina Myoma Police Station Officer. 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: 2021-06-03
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.16 MB 4.06 MB 976.54 KB
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Title: Demonstrations, defiance as Myanmar marks 4 months since coup
Description: "Pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets in towns around Myanmar on Tuesday to denounce the country's military, marking four months since it ousted an elected government and unleashed a wave of nationwide anger. Despite a bloody crackdown by security forces, Myanmar's military is still struggling to impose order amid protests and strikes, and fighting on multiple fronts in border regions as civilians take up arms against the junta. Protests took place in the south in Luang Lone, several areas of the Sagaing division including Kale and Monywa, and the commercial hub Yangon, according to images carried by mainstream and social media. "This is not over yet. We still have our turn," read a sign carried by one protester. Schools officially reopened across Myanmar for the first time since the Feb. 1 coup, but turnout was low due to security concerns and a boycott over the junta's suspension of tens of thousands of teachers opposed to its rule. Some students held demonstrations with blood-splattered white uniforms. Security forces have killed 840 people since the coup, according to figures from activists cited by the United Nations. The junta says about 300 people have died. The military, known as the Tatmadaw, says it seized power because of fraud in a November election won by Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling party. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper carried a quote from junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday saying the current crisis was caused by "dishonesty of democracy" in the election, under a large headline that said "Tatmadaw values democracy". The military's use of lethal force against its own people has caused outrage among western countries, and concern among its neighbours. In April, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced a five-point consensus towards resolving the crisis, though no timeframe was agreed. But four diplomatic sources have told Reuters that the chair and secretary-general of ASEAN are planning to visit Myanmar this week, to meet junta leaders, among other stakeholders. read more It was not clear if they would meet detainees or members of a shadow unity government formed to challenge the junta and undercut its efforts to gain international recognition....HEAVY TOLL: The unrest has taken a heavy toll in the countryside, where clashes between Myanmar's well-equipped military and ethnic minority armies or newly formed People's Defence Forces have displaced tens of thousands of people. On Tuesday, a local aid group said 8,000 people were in camps having fled the town of Mindat in Chin State, which the army took control of last month after days of clashes with militias armed mostly with hunting rifles. The people's militias have stepped up ambushes in recent weeks on troops in Kayah state bordering Thailand, where witnesses said fierce fighting and retaliatory shelling and air strikes had taken place late on Monday in the town of Demoso. A resident shared video and images with Reuters of soldiers he said were killed in Demoso late on Monday. He said he saw six bodies and residents had counted 20. The Karenni Nationalities Defence Force said on its Facebook page that 80 army soldiers had been killed on Monday, while one of its fighters and a civilian were also casualties. Reuters could not verify the information and a spokesman for the junta did not answer calls seeking comment. Myanmar state television made no mention of the Demoso unrest in its nightly news bulletin. Fighting in Kayah has displaced about 37,000 people in recent weeks, according to the United Nations. Many have fled into jungles and are in need of food and medicine. The Elders, a group of former national leaders founded by the late Nelson Mandela, on Tuesday called on the international community, including ASEAN, to turn up pressure on the junta. "Myanmar is currently on a dangerous path towards state failure," its chair, Mary Robinson, said in a statement. "Allowing the coup to succeed through inaction and disregard would further undermine the international rules-based order upon which global stability depends."..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
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Title: Ex-Myanmar police officers reveal how they were told to shoot protesters - and why they defected
Sub-title: Myanmar's security forces have been accused by Amnesty International of "premeditated" attacks on peaceful protesters.
Description: "In a safe house in Myanmar, resistance is growing. Quietly, in the gloomy light, a group of men raise their hands in a three-finger salute. Traditionally a sign of defiance and support for pro-democracy protesters, for these men it symbolises so much more. Once police or soldiers, they now plan to fight the forces they used to serve. Just talking to us is a huge risk; if caught the defectors could be killed. So in hiding, faces and voices disguised for protection, they explain why they decided to defy the junta. "We were told that we could shoot the protesters if they gathered in more than five. We could arrest them and shoot them," Officer A, a former police officer says. "We were ordered to shoot but we couldn't do it." The allegation echoes the claims of both protesters and human rights groups after February's military coup. Myanmar's security forces have been accused by Amnesty International of "premeditated" attacks on peaceful protesters - including "extrajudicial executions" and indiscriminately spraying bullets in urban areas. While a shoot-to-kill policy has never been officially confirmed by the junta, the defectors claim they were encouraged to open fire. "My friends said if they shot the protesters, they would get a promotion as a reward and be praised for being brave and following the junta's order," another former police officer, Officer B, tells Sky News. "They were promoted from police second lieutenant to police lieutenant, from corporal to sergeant. As far as I know, those who shot the protesters got promoted." A former soldier in the group tells a similar story. According to him, challenging an order wasn't an option. "The soldiers and police are now abusing the people at the order of Min Aung Hlaing (Myanmar's junta chief)," he says. "'Shoot. Just shoot. This is my order,' this is how they order the troops. If we did not follow the order, we would be punished." As well as the shootings, the military is accused of other abuses: of power, of people, and of their duty to protect. Some female protesters have publicly accused members of the security forces of physical and sexual violence following their arrests. The soldier isn't surprised. He says he heard reports of sex assaults during his service, in particular during military operations to ethnic minority areas in Myanmar. "People are calling soldiers 'military dogs' [and] also accusing them of rape. Let me tell you, yes, we have seen those scenes at the frontline. I wasn't involved in it. "The officers were calling the women here and there and abusing them. Rape as well. It's happening," he says, At least 840 people have been killed since the coup, many shot by junta forces according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). We put the allegations made by the defectors to the junta, but on publication Sky News still hadn't received a response. The men say the command to use violence against civilians is the reason they fled and joined the protest movement. Their choice means the institutions they swore an oath to are the enemy they must defeat and the decision to defect has come at great personal sacrifice. They have lost their freedom. They cannot see their families. They cannot return to their hometowns or tell friends where they are. They now live their lives in hiding and on the run, waiting in dark, cramped and basic accommodation fearing they may be discovered. Yet still they remain defiant - determined to fight for the democracy lost when the military seized power. Since the coup, some protesters have travelled to border areas in Myanmar for resistance training and now some of the defectors are planning to use their own skills to help them. "Those [protesters] who are not familiar with the military training, they need to learn how to use the weapons, to fix them, and set them up. "I want to teach them. I will join with those organisations that are in the revolution to fight the junta. "I will fight those power-hungry thugs," the soldier says. "I will join this revolution until the end. I will give my life. I will kill them wherever I see them." So in secret they plan, they train, they get strong; preparing to strike back against the generals they followed for so long..."
Source/publisher: Sky News (London)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
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Title: Myanmar turmoil forces healthcare system to collapse | COVID-19 Special
Description: "Officially, Myanmar says there are only a few dozen new COVID infections a day. Observers say that can't be true. There's hardly any testing going on. There are reports of a lack of staff in testing centers. Hospitals have the same problem, with doctors and nurses joining strikes against the military, which seized power four months ago. There've been attacks on health-care workers. As schools reopen, teachers and students are also making a stand, defying the junta's calls for full classrooms, which would only help the virus spread. Hundreds of thousands of people across Myanmar have been calling for an end to the military takeover. The country is in turmoil. And the health-care system is one of the worst-affected sectors. Doctors and nurses were the first to go on strike, thousands refusing to work under a military regime. But that also poses a problem for COVID patients..."
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Source/publisher: "DW News" (Germany)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
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Title: Myanmar: 'We were ordered to shoot but we couldn't do it.'
Description: "Myanmar's security forces have been accused by Amnesty International of 'premeditated' attacks on peaceful protesters. Former police and military figures explained what they were asked to do, and why they are now rebelling in secret against the military junta..."
Source/publisher: "Sky News"
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
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Title: Myanmar’s football in crisis as pull-outs and suspension threat follow coup
Sub-title: National team lost 10-0 in Japan after mainstays including an experienced goalkeeper refused the head coach’s call
Description: "Second-division games in Malaysia don’t make many international headlines but that changed in March when the Myanmar under-23 winger Hein Htet Aung gave a three-fingered salute after scoring for Selangor II. Popularised by The Hunger Games film franchise, this gesture of resistance was adopted by pro-democracy protesters in Thailand and Hong Kong in 2014 and then by Myanmar, after the military took back power in a coup on 1 February. Before Myanmar’s 2022 World Cup qualifier against Japan last Friday, the goalkeeper Kyaw Zin Htet had called for players to copy Hein’s handiwork. “It would be good if some of them came out and gave the three-fingered salute to an international audience,” the 31-year-old told AFP. There weren’t many opportunities for the national team to follow in Hein’s footsteps during the game as a ruthless Japan won 10-0 to inflict Myanmar’s biggest defeat. The only protests seen and heard came outside the stadium from a few dozen Myanmar residents in Tokyo. There are, though, more chances to grab headlines in Japan (where all the group’s games are being held to reduce travel) against Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on 11 and 15 June respectively. There were mitigating circumstances regarding the size of Friday’s loss. Kyaw, an experienced goalkeeper, did not go to Japan, one of many mainstays who refused the call from the head coach, Antoine Hey, a development that delayed the team’s departure by a week. Kyaw made clear on 13 February during a protest with other footballers in Yangon that he was not going to represent the nation under the regime headed by Gen Min Aung Hlaing. “If the entire group of players had opted out, it would have had an impact,” said Kyaw. “Younger players are also being threatened on their future if they choose not to play the game, so they might be worried about it.” The Myanmar Football Federation said on its website that players who refused could be suspended. Prominent figures have been put under pressure. In April, the junta stepped up a campaign against celebrity protest supporters – some of whom have been imprisoned – by publishing a list of their names in state media and warning broadcasters and agencies against working with them. According to the human rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, as of 1 June 841 people had been “confirmed killed by this junta coup”. Chit Bo Bo Nyein, the Paul Pogba-loving captain of the under-21 team of Hantharwady United, one of Myanmar’s leading clubs, was shot and killed on 27 March, a day when 150 were reported to have died in protests. Hey, the German is in his second spell as head coach, is trying not to get drawn into the issue. He told the Guardian that he respected the players’ decisions but that football owed it to future generations to continue. After the heavy defeat by Japan he said: “We are concentrating on our job, on our team, on our players; we are not taking any political stand or side,” Hey said. “We just do what we are here for – playing football as good as we possibly can.” Club football has ground to a halt in Myanmar, which rarely features in the south-east Asian summer itineraries of European club giants. Hantharwady and Shan United recently withdrew from Asian club competitions and federation officials say many players have returned to their home provinces and some are undergoing military training to learn how to fight back. The 2022 World Cup would be out of the question even if Myanmar had all their players available but with the road to Qatar doubling as the route to the 2023 Asian Cup in China, there is a chance of making it to the continental tournament for the first time since 1968. It has been a while since Myanmar were a force even in south-east Asia, with Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and, these days, Vietnam leading the way. There had been promising signs. The talent that has always been there has started to move overseas in increasing numbers and when the Under-20 team qualified for the 2015 World Cup, the people took to the streets to celebrate. It feels like a long time ago now..."
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Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-02
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 1 June, (841) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen hero today. This (1) fallen hero from Tamu Township in Sagaing Region was killed on 28 May 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 1 June, a total of (4443) people are currently under detention; of them (110) are sentenced. 1881 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 the night of 28 May at Tamu Town in Sagaing Region, a youth who came back from his friend’s birthday, was shot dead in his left rib in an ambush by junta forces. On the night of 31 May, Khin Hmway Lwin, a member of Sagaing Region National League for Democracy (NLD) and elected regional parliamentary representative for Minkin Township constituency, was arrested at Shwe Taung Oo Myothit in Yinmarbin Township, Sagaing Region where she was in-hiding. Also on the night of 31 May, Gatone a.k.a Hein Win Latt, NLD executive member of Bhamo Town in Kachin State, was arrested at his home. Yesterday evening at Ocean Center in Monywa City in Sagaing Region, Phue Theint Theint Tone, former member of All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) of Monywa District, who is currently assisting IDPs, was arrested at gunpoint by eight soldiers wearing civilian clothes. 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: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.09 MB 4.03 MB 964.86 KB
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Title: Myanmar military fails to quell protests four months after coup
Description: "Myanmar pro-democracy supporters took to the streets on Tuesday in several districts, as fighting between the army and anti-junta militias raged in border areas, four months after the military ousted an elected government in a coup. Despite a ferocious crackdown by security forces, Myanmar's military is still struggling to impose order after arresting Aung San Suu Kyi and senior leaders of her party, sparking nationwide protests and paralysing strikes. In the far south of Myanmar, anti-military protesters staged a march in Laung Lone, a photograph posted by the Irrawaddy newspaper on social media showed. Meanwhile, in the commercial hub of Yangon a group of mainly young protesters rallied in the district of Kamayut, photographs posted by the Myanmar Now news portal showed. "This is not over yet. We still have our turn," read a sign written on a sheet carried by one protester. Demonstrators in urban areas have had to become more nimble to avoid security forces, often using flash mobs or staging small unnannounced protests, after larger rallies in the first months after the coup were often met with security forces firing live rounds. Decades-old conflicts between the military and ethnic minority armies in border areas have also reignited since the coup. Ethnic militias allied with a shadow civilian government have stepped up attacks on the army, which has responded with heavy weapons and air strikes, forcing thousands to flee. Mobile phone footage obtained from a resident in Kayah state bordering Thailand showed what appeared to be artillery being fired from inside the state capital Loikaw into Demoso, about 14.5 km (9 miles) away, where a People's Defence Force said it had attacked troops and was coming under heavy fire. Residents in Loikaw said that about 50 rounds had been fired on Monday and six on Tuesday morning. "The sound of artillery is deafening us," a resident told Reuters on Monday, requesting anonymity due to safety concerns. The Karenni Nationalities Defence Force, a militia active in Kayah state, said in a post on its Facebook page that 80 army soldiers had been killed on Monday, while one of its fighters and a civilian were also casualties. Reuters could not verify the claim and a spokesman for the junta did not answer calls seeking comment. Fighting in Kayah has displaced about 37,000 people in recent weeks, according to the United Nations. Many have fled into jungles and are in need of food and medicine. Civilian forces, often armed with rudimentary rifles and limited training, have been formed in towns and regions across Myanmar to challenge the military, in support of a National Unity Government that the junta says is treasonous. read more Security forces have killed 840 people since the coup, according to figures provided by an activist group. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has said the toll was nearer 300, and has said it is unlikely there will be a civil war in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar military launches airstrikes against Karenni resistance
Description: "Regime forces used helicopters to attack civilian resistance fighters in Kayah (Karenni) State’s Demoso Township from the air on Monday afternoon, according to a member of the Karenni People’s Defence Force (KPDF). The KPDF was formed by Karenni youth fighters mostly armed with traditional weapons—such as handmade rifles—to defend their region against the junta’s offensives. The KPDF member told Myanmar Now that the military’s troops opened fire on them from a helicopter and also dropped bombs in their vicinity, starting from around 5pm. “Do you hear the sound of airplanes? They were shooting at us from a helicopter, bombing and opening fire. We have to crouch down low now,” he said over the phone. At the time of reporting, at least five bombs had been dropped from above, he added. Clashes broke out when KPDF members ambushed regime soldiers at Dawh Ngan Kha ward in Demoso at around noon, he said. Following the attack, the military launched some 20 rounds of heavy artillery—such as 120mm shells—from the base of Artillery Battalion 356 in the neighbouring town of Loikaw, he added. “We attacked with light weapons but they responded with artillery shells. They are still firing now and we can’t go outside yet,” said the KPDF member from Demoso. Clashes were still ongoing at 6:30pm and the regime reportedly used long-range weapons including howitzers, according to the KPDF. Myanmar Now was unable to verify which arms were used in the battle. At the time of reporting, there was no information available regarding casualties. The KPDF claimed that 106 regime soldiers had been killed in clashes in Demoso and Loikaw, as well as in Moebye in southern Shan State, where fighting broke out on May 21. Around 26 civilians, including multiple KPDF members, were also killed in those battles. The regime authorities have blocked entrances into Kayah State from Shan State to the north, and transportation routes to Loikaw have also been cut off. Tens of thousands of locals in Kayah State fled their homes following the recent intensified fighting and are in urgent need of food and access to medical treatment, locals have reported..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar risks state failure without significant increase in international pressure, The Elders warn
Description: "The Elders today called on the international community to intensify pressure on the military leadership in Myanmar to prevent the country descending into endemic violence and state failure. The UN, ASEAN and other regional and international actors must urgently step up their level of engagement to prevent consolidation of the coup, and give their full backing to a return to democratic, civilian rule. The Elders warned that the cost of inaction is high, as can be seen from other protracted conflicts worldwide and their humanitarian consequences. Although international media attention on Myanmar is receding, state violence, repression and coercion continue to be systematically deployed against civilians who stand up against the coup. More than 800 people have been killed by security forces since 1 February, and violence is escalating in many parts of the country. The impact of the crisis on health, education and other basic services has been devastating, and the economy is on the verge of collapse. Teachers who have been striking as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement have reportedly faced suspensions and threats by the military ahead of today’s deadline for public schools to reopen, risking further tensions and violence. Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “Myanmar is currently on a dangerous path towards state failure. The international community must stand firm in opposition to the military coup. Allowing the coup to succeed through inaction and disregard would further undermine the international rules-based order upon which global stability depends. Regional states and international organisations, notably the UN, should use all the tools at their disposal to convince the military of the urgent need for constructive dialogue between all relevant parties, as the only way out of the crisis." The Elders noted that divisions within the UN Security Council continue to impede concerted action, and they urged its Permanent Members to enable the Council to fulfil its obligation under the United Nations Charter to maintain global peace and security. Within the region, more than a month has passed since the ASEAN summit in Jakarta on 24 April, without visible progress on implementation of the commitments in the five-point plan. ASEAN must hold Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader, accountable for his adherence to the commitments agreed in Jakarta, without preconditions. Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former UN Secretary-General, said: "Unfortunately, ASEAN is failing to live up to its mandate and responsibilities. It must now step up and play the crucial role expected of it by countries around the world in the resolution of this crisis. A visit by a high-level ASEAN delegation, to initiate dialogue with all parties, is long overdue. Myanmar’s regional neighbours have the levers in their hands to change the trajectory of this crisis. Now is the time to use them." The Elders warned that the State Administrative Council established following the coup does not have the legitimacy or authority to govern Myanmar. The threat by the military-appointed Union Election Commission to dissolve the National League for Democracy, which won an overwhelming majority in elections last November, only diminishes the junta’s legitimacy even further and exposes their fear of Myanmar’s people. The Elders reaffirmed their solidarity with the people of Myanmar, including those living outside its borders, in their quest for a better future based on democratic freedom, inclusion and prosperity..."
Source/publisher: Elders via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Regime detains volunteers involved in relief efforts for displaced Karenni villagers
Sub-title: One of the three arrested volunteers was a National League for Democracy candidate in last year’s election
Description: "Three volunteers, including a former National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate, were arrested last week while helping villagers displaced by recent clashes in Kayah (Karenni) State, according to close friends of the trio. Sai Lin Lin Oo, a 29-year-old former NLD candidate, was arrested along with Nandar Oo Khin, 19, and May Zin Htoo, 20, near Loikaw while they were returning from a trip to deliver aid to Htee Poe Ka Loe, a village in Demoso Township, on May 26. “We only found out on the morning of May 27. A policeman told us that Sai Lin Lin Oo had been held at the Demoso police station the night before. We were able to confirm this after asking around,” one of the friends told Myanmar Now. “We heard they’re pressing charges against them, but we don’t know what for,” she added. The three are in good health and are being kept at a military compound in Loikaw, she said, citing information received from sources familiar with the situation. According to the Progressive Karenni People’s Force, a local youth organization, three other civilians were also arrested the same day. However, no further details were available. Sai Lin Lin Oo contested a seat in Karenni State’s Bawlakhe constituency in last year’s election but lost to former President’s Office Minister Soe Thein, who ran as a candidate for the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Sai Lin Lin Oo’s father, Sai Gyi, is the chair of the NLD’s branch in Bawlakhe. He was arrested on the morning of February 1 when the military staged the coup, but was later released. Around 50,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since clashes between the military and the Karenni People’s Defence Force (KPDF), a civilian defence force formed in the wake of brutal crackdowns on anti-coup protesters, began on May 21. The KPDF claims that it has killed 106 soldiers in Kayah State’s Demoso and Loikaw townships and neighbouring Moebye Township in southern Shan State since the fighting started. About 26 civilians, including KPDF members, have also been killed in those clashes. Civilians sheltering in the jungle to escape reprisals from the military are in urgent need of assistance, according to local volunteer groups..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Rise of armed civilian groups in Myanmar fuels fears of full-scale civil war
Sub-title: Dozens of grassroots people’s defence forces have emerged to take on brutal military
Description: "Myanmar is on the verge of a new civil war, a spokesperson for the country’s parallel government has warned, as communities increasingly take up arms to protect themselves from a relentless campaign of military violence. Conflict has raged for decades in Myanmar’s borderlands, where myriad ethnic armed groups are fighting with the military for greater autonomy. Since February’s coup, however, dozens of new, grassroots people’s defence forces have emerged to oppose the junta, with battles occurring in areas of the country that were previously peaceful. “The people of Myanmar have been left with no other choice. They just have no other option left,” said Dr Sasa, spokesperson for Myanmar’s national unity government (NUG), which was set up by pro-democracy politicians. The constant threat of military raids, arrests, torture and killings had pushed communities to take up arms, he said. “It is just the beginning. The situation will become out of control. Even if it is one man in a village, they will not just bow in front of these murderers. It is the whole country on the road to civil war,” Sasa said. Over the past week, tens of thousands of people have been displaced in eastern Kayah state by intense fighting between the military, the newly formed Karenni People’s Defence Force and the Karenni Army, an established ethnic armed group. On Monday evening, the military used helicopters to bomb and fire at civilian fighters, the Karenni People’s Defence Force told local media. “We attacked with light weapons but they responded with artillery shells,” a the KPDF member told the independent outlet Myanmar Now. At least 58 defence forces have formed across the country, of which 12 are active, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (Acled), a non-profit that tracks conflict. These groups are formed at a local level and are not necessarily officially linked to the NUG. Groups have revealed little about the nature of their training, but their resources and intensity vary. In the town of Mindat in Chin state, one of the poorest areas of the country, volunteers armed with little more than traditional hunting guns rose up against the military in May. Elsewhere, young city dwellers have fled to the jungle to learn how to make homemade explosives. Celebrities are among those who have announced that they are joining training – from a former beauty queen who represented Myanmar in the Miss Grand International contest, Htar Htet Htet, to Han Htoo Lwin, known as Kyar Pauk, the lead singer of punk rock band Big Bag. In Myanmar’s biggest city, Yangon, members of the security forces have been targeted in a wave of attacks over the past week, including shootings and explosions. A wedding party was also targeted, reportedly because the groom was suspected of being a military informant. Four people were killed – including the bride – after a bomb was disguised as a gift, according to local media. No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts. Schools across the country, some of which have been occupied by the military, have been bombed or set alight by unknown perpetrators, in what may be an attempt to reinforce the shutdown of the education system by anti-coup protesters. The junta has ordered parents to register their children to return to school, but the vast majority have not done so. More than half of the teachers working in state schools are on strike, according to local media. Such attacks, including the targeting of individuals suspected of colluding with the military, were a worrying trend, said Richard Horsey, senior Myanmar adviser to Crisis Group. “It will be difficult to contain once this kind of violence becomes the norm. It’s hard to shut these dynamics down again later.” The NUG, which has spoken of plans to build a new federal army, has urged anti-coup groups to follow ethical guidelines and not target schools or hospitals. It released a video on Saturday showing the first batch of defence force troops who have finished training. Some ethnic armed groups have offered support to anti-coup forces, though others are ambivalent. Groups could seek to exploit the coup for their own territorial gains, further complicating the crisis. Advertisement Anti-coup defence forces face an infamously brutal military that has an estimated 400,000 armed personnel, making it the second largest in south-east Asia after Vietnam’s. It is supplied primarily by China and Russia, drawing on generous state funding as well as its lucrative business networks – which campaigners are trying to weaken by placing pressure on international companies. Sasa is calling for the international community to recognise the NUG as the official leaders of Myanmar. Doing so, he said, would help the body to demand that oil and gas companies, such as Total and Chevron, hand over payments to democratic officials rather than army generals. “It is an insult to us that the gas that is from the land of Myanmar is being used by these military generals, and being paid for by Total company or [other] western companies, to buy weapons from Russia and China to kill the people of Myanmar,” he said. Nine neighbouring south-east Asian countries have reportedly proposed that a draft UN resolution be weakened by removing a call for an arms embargo. Sasa called for like-minded countries to push for the measure, and to introduce tougher, targeted sanctions. The more the international community delayed, he added, “the more bloody it will become, the closer we get to civil war and genocide”. More battles are already reported to have taken place in Myanmar in the first half of 2021 than in the entirety of last year, according to Acled. It has also tracked sharp increases in reports of attacks on civilians, and reports of explosions and other forms of remote violence, which include the deployment of artillery, shelling, grenades or IEDs. Previously, conflict was concentrated in Rakhine state and northern Shan state, but it has now spread more widely across the country. This is likely to place pressure on local commanders, said Horsey, but it is hard to know what impact it will have on the military as a whole. “They are quite large, they have a lot of military resources and they are not concerned at all about civilian casualties. In fact, their whole approach to internal conflict over the decades has been to deliberately target civilians as part of a quite brutal counter-insurgency strategy,” Horsey said. Salai Za Uk Ling, deputy executive director of the Chin Human Rights Organization, said people from Mindat reported the military had used civilians as human shields during recent clashes. Thousands of people from the town remain stranded just as the rainy season was beginning, he said. “They say they are getting very, very desperate. There has been some delivery of food aid and basic medical aid from volunteers, but there has been no large-scale delivery,” he added, warning of an impending humanitarian crisis. Covid-19 is also spreading along the Indian border. At least 833 people have been killed by the military since it seized power in February, according to estimates by the advocacy group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma. Thousands have been detained, often in unknown locations where they are at risk of torture. An activist who has met young people who are training to fight the military, and who asked to remain anonymous, said volunteers believed violence was the only language the military understood. “They want to scare the soldiers coming into their communities making arrests, beating and torturing,” she said. “Some people are hoteliers, some have their own restaurants, bars – and they have now left all their businesses.” One young medical student had fled alone to train, the activist said. “She was so passionate because her friends got killed. Her place was terrorised under martial law. She saw people burning alive in front of her. That experience pushed her to pick up the gun.”..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Guardian" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 31 May, (840) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. Today there were no confirmed fallen heroes. 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 31 May, a total of (4424) people are currently under detention; of them (109) are sentenced. 1881 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 the night of May 30, two women and a five year old girl were shot and arrested when the junta opened fire when villagers guarding the village ran away after seeing the junta patrol by on motorbikes in Pyingyi Village, Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region. Last night, Min Min, a photography enthusiast from Kyaukme Township in Shan State, was arrested at gunpoint unprovoked. A teacher from B.E.M.S (4) in Thingangyun Township, Yangon Region, who was involved in CDM but later changed, was arrested yesterday for encouraging students not to enroll at school. 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: 2021-05-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.09 MB 3.98 MB 961.77 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 30 May, (840) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. (1) from Nyaung-U Township in Mandalay Region was killed today and (2) from Loikaw Township in Kayah State and Pinlebu 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 30 May, a total of (4409) people are currently under detention; of them (108) are sentenced. 1881 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. In early morning, 30 May in Baganmyothit in Nyaung-U Township in Mandalay Region, Moe Myint Aung was shot in the stomach by a bullet and died when the junta raided the Yonetan Ward and Hman Cho Ward to arrest six youths and opened fire to the door to enter the house of Moe Myint Aung. On 29 May at Narnat Taw Ward in Loikaw Town, Kayah State, the terrorists entered a religious building compound where IDPs had fled to, and shot the former Hundred Household Administrator of Yayo Village to death. In the afternoon of 29 May, a village administrator, who was involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), was arrested at Nayin Village, Yesagyo Township in Magway Region. 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: 2021-05-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.09 MB 3.93 MB 955.51 KB
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Title: Myanmar pro-democracy artists vow: 'We will win'
Description: "On 1 June, it will be four months since a military coup overthrew Myanmar's elected government. Tens years of democratic reforms have been upended and bloody attempts to silence opposition have shocked the world. Those on the front line attempting to stand up to the regime are trying to delicately navigate through a new life of protest and safety. While pro-democracy demonstrations have mostly left the streets, the movement against the junta exists through other means of expression in other realms. In particular, it has made being an artist in Myanmar a dangerous business. "I'm sorry that I couldn't turn my camera… messy situation right here", illustrator Raven told RTÉ News over a secure line. Raven is one of many artists in Myanmar’s largest city Yangon who have been using art as a weapon against the country’s ruling junta, by exploring a digital canvas to showcase political messages against the February coup. Protests through paint, illustrations, images and words are a more secure place of demonstration, away from the violence on the streets. However, that is not to say it doesn’t come with its own risks. The sheer level and reach of this expression caught those in power off guard which has led to a clampdown to squeeze out any opposition voices. According to artists in Myanmar, art studios have been burnt down and state-sponsored news channels broadcast arrest warrant lists regularly that include influencers, actors, film makers, artists and graphic designers. The New York Times has reported that four poets have been killed and dozens imprisoned in the last couple of months. Poet Khet Thi, whose work declared resistance to the military, died in detention recently. His family said that his body was returned with the organs removed. Raven has a reluctance to give anything away about herself, out of fear for her safety. While working a full-time job she has been leading a double life, shielding herself online by using a fake name so she can "work harder and longer". She said: "I have been protesting physically on the streets, but when the shooting became serious and brutal, I kind of stopped going outside in person. "I've been illustrating a lot of stuff every day…listening to people listening to their stories, their ideas and trying to illustrate them and spread the message because it's the only thing you know I can do." Demonstrations against the coup have been the largest and bloodiest in decades. Myanmar was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule. However in February, the junta seized control again following a general election in which Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD party won by a landslide. It was a vote the military claimed was rigged. Hundreds of people, including children, have been killed in the last four months. While the streets have become too risky for protest, the pro-democracy movement continues to live through art in the online world. The Hunger Games' three-fingered salute has become one of the major symbols, a defiant pose that gripped demonstrators from the beginning with interpretations of the move making its way through digital art. "Our objective is trying to reflect the people's voices as much as we can so that other people see it, hear it, because not everybody can go out" said Nyi Maw, a Myanmar filmmaker. He continued: "[The three-fingered salute] is a symbol that people can hold onto. It aligns with the people who in the beginning were demanding the three main objectives: to get democracy, to release the leaders, and to give the people's power back to the people". Red, the colour of danger, anger and violence, floods most of the imagery. Art collectives like the Raise Three Fingers group in Yangon have been founded through the frustration by artists and creatives - hoping to bring the global art community together and highlight the crisis happening in the country. "Clearly art has some kind of power, right? Because it's causing some kind of fear in the eyes of the junta" said a representative from the group to RTÉ News, who is also on the call with Raven. "We know that art is powerful because it transcends language", they said. "It can, it's emotional. It can get people to act. You don't need words, right? Anyone can feel moved by a piece of art you might ask", they added. The Raise Three Fingers (RTF) group lives online with creatives posting their work anonymously from countries around the world, in solidarity with the movement. TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have served as platforms to spread their message far and wide, allowing this movement and many others, to grow, flourish and connect with users globally. They say access to the world at their finger trips has helped keep the situation in Myanmar on people’s agenda. It is what separates it radically from the previously pro-democracy movements that have come before in Myanmar. Unlike the revolutions of 1988 and 2007, the current protests in Myanmar are being led by a digitally savvy generation using hashtags, memes, visual graphics and social media to fight and shape the direction of the movement on a day-to-day basis. More than a decade ago SIM cards were exceptionally expensive, but after a series of reforms in the country during Aung San Suu Kyi’s time in government, this opened up the digital domain to the people of Myanmar. "There are figures to show that there are more SIM cards than people in Myanmar. In fact, Facebook is the internet in Myanmar and that's the way in which people, particularly the young, process news", Vijaya Nidadavolu, a gender and development specialist who recently worked in the country, told RTÉ News. Even now with regular patchy internet access, creatives have the ability to organise, engage and spread the message online across interactive communities. They can paint, draw, sculpt, animate, sing or dance and share works instantly within their networks through digital platforms. "The revolutions in 1988 and 2007 was very different because we didn't have this type of access to the Internet. But now it feels like the playing field is different because since day one of the coup, we saw that there was a huge outpouring of art. People were able to like organise protests around a certain theme and get people together", said the RTF spokesperson in Yangon. This online world of protest has also opened up the movement to more diverse voices. Iconography surrounding other political mobilisations revolved solely around the figure of politician Aung San Suu Kyi, who became famous in the late 1980s for campaigning to restore democracy. In 2015, Aung San Suu Kyi led the NLD to victory in Myanmar's first openly contested election in 25 years. Posters, calendars and billboards all carried her image prominently as a symbol of hope as she spent nearly 15 years in detention between 1989 and 2010, after organising rallies calling for democratic reform and free elections. "There was no alternative imagery in the public domain," said Vijaya Nidadavolu. "The current protests have enabled a diverse set of other voices to express themselves and seize the political space, including through art. Aung San Suu Kyi’s image is not the only visible symbol of protest. People are rallying around a diversity of images and iconography, which is a defining feature of the current protest", Ms Nidadavolu added. That changing political landscape can be seen in the art that has been produced and floods the Raise Three Fingers website. "It's making room for diversity and inclusion and reparations for a lot of communities, including for the Rohingya communities" said the Raise Three Fingers spokesperson. "So I think people are making different demands. It's not just about get rid of the dictatorship, we want democracy. We want a better democracy because the democracy we had before failed us", they said. According to the RTF, Generation Z have been the most active as they have known nothing other than a country moving towards a free nation. It’s in stark contrast to other age groups who have only gotten a taste of life outside a dictatorship, some of whom are disappointed with Aung San Suu Kyi's record and are still haunted by previous regimes. "We want this to be the last generation under a dictatorship because we're sick of it quite frankly. For even young adults like me, it just feels like you have to do something because you don't want to go through this anymore", they said. However, four months since the military coup, the junta still holds a tight grip on the Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi remains detained after being hit with a string of criminal charges including flouting coronavirus restrictions during last year's election campaign and possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies. Social media may offer an alternative reality and solace for those who are trying to keep the pro-democracy movement alive as life on the streets of Yangon and elsewhere are still very different and difficult. The spokesperson from RTF said: "I feel like I was more confined than during Covid. At least during Covid, if I had my mask on and I was keeping safe, I could go out [and] see friends. But now you know I'll go to the grocery store and I'll visit my parents house and that's about it. "For for some people life has returned to normal. I see people eating at restaurants." Many are living with a constant fear of being arrested. "They're still stopping people checking cars in this street, and there is a feeling of constant anxiety, knowing that you could be arrested at any moment for everything. For having a phone, for having social media accounts" they added. For Raven, she still puts her pen to digital paper every day with the hope that her images will keep the spirit of the movement alive. "I definitely believe that we're going to win because we have to. Otherwise it will never win" she said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: RTÉ News
Date of publication: 2021-05-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Detained protest leader Wai Moe Naing meets with his lawyer for the first time, says mother
Sub-title: The prominent activist, who has been accused of treason and murder, among other charges, was arrested more than a month ago
Description: "Prominent anti-coup protest leader Wai Moe Naing met with his lawyers for the first time on Thursday, more than a month after his arrest, according to his mother. The meeting took place during a court hearing in Monywa Prison, where he is currently being held, said his mother, Moe Sandar Kyu. The protest leader from Monywa in Sagaing Region faces a total of 10 criminal charges, including treason, murder, incitement, unlawful association, wrongful confinement, and armed robbery. “It was the first time for him to have his lawyers representing him at a hearing,” said Moe Sandar Kyu. Thursday’s hearing was specifically related to the charges of incitement under Section 505a of the Penal Code, she said, adding that he had already appeared before the same prison court to face other charges. “The lawyers told me he is in good health and that there are no more injuries [on his body],” she said. A day after his arrest, a photo of him in regime custody with a bruised eye and swollen face went viral on social media, raising fears that he had been tortured. Plainclothes regime officials detained him on April 15 after ramming him with a car while he rode a motorbike during a rally in Monywa. Moe Sandar Kyu had expressed concern about her son’s wellbeing and health since he has suffered from high blood pressure for about six years. On Thursday, family members were also allowed to send him personal items, she said. A hearing related to the murder charge against him is scheduled for next Wednesday, while another hearing on the incitement charge will be held the following day. Wai Moe Naing rose to prominence for his role in organising daily anti-coup protests in Monywa, which sits on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River. The cheerful, round-faced leader came to be known affectionately as the “Panda of Monywa”..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar’s Youth Lose Their Dreams for the Future Amid Junta Crackdowns
Sub-title: Many have been killed during protests or in custody, with others crippled by torture after their arrest.
Description: "Myanmar’s youth are being forced to give up their dreams of careers and a productive future as they resist an assault by the military on their country’s democracy and crackdowns on protests that have crippled thousands of civilians and killed hundreds, sources say. Among those killed, Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing, 23, was shot dead by junta forces in the Hledan suburb of Yangon city on Feb. 28, his twin Koko Aung Htet Naing told RFA’s Myanmar Service, adding that his brother had once dreamed of becoming a network engineer. “I haven’t watched the video of my brother’s death in Hledan yet because I don’t have the strength to do it,” Koko Aung Htet Naing said. “As his twin brother, I don’t want to know or see how he died, or how much he may have suffered. I don’t want to feel the emptiness in my heart.” Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing was only one of the many young people killed in the early days of protests calling for Myanmar’s return to democracy after the Feb. 1 military coup that ousted the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Like others, he had dreams for his future, his brother said. “He wanted to pursue advanced studies in the field of network engineering at some point, and he wanted to study abroad,” Koko Aung Htet Naing said, adding, “But his dreams were just dreams. Those dreams will never come true now.” “This was a huge loss for me,” he brother said. Other protesters in the anti-dictatorship movement, now commonly called the Spring Revolution, have also seen their futures destroyed following arrest and torture by junta forces, other sources told RFA. Lyan Phyo Aung, a 22-year-old student from Myanmar’s Magway city, suffered gunshot wounds to his right arm, which was later amputated above the wrist, during a protest rally on March 27, and is losing vision in one eye. He has trouble now performing simple tasks, he said. “In my imagination, I still think [my hand] is there. I think that I can curl up my fingers, but they’re not there anymore,” he said, adding, “Sometimes when I go to sleep at night I feel so sad: ‘Oh, my hand is gone?’ But during the operation, I didn’t even cry.” An engineering student who had excelled in architecture, Lyan Phyo Aung has now lost his dream of designing buildings, he said. “I got the highest marks in my school in drawing and my major subjects, but now all I have left is charity work,” he said. “And not all the fingers on my left hand are good now, either. They stepped on my fingers and crushed my middle finger when they took off my ring.” “Also, my eyes need an operation, as I can’t bear the light. It’s not okay to see only with one eye,” he added. Lyan Phyo Aung is currently being treated at a military hospital for rubber-bullet wounds to his arms and legs, and is facing charges of incitement to riot under Article 505(a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code, he said. The Thailand-based rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) says that more than 4,300 people, most of them young, have been arrested in Myanmar since the military coup. Many have gone missing for months following their arrest, and some have been killed in custody with their bodies returned afterward to their families. Others have escaped arrest and fled to areas outside of government control. 'Things like in the past' One, 19 years old, had planned to start a graphic design business when the military launched its coup, the young man said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “As a young person, my work is in social media, and I had planned to start my own company in six months. But now because of all the oppression I won’t be able to do that” he said. “Things are now going to be like they were in the past when you had to fear even the tenth cousin of a senior military officer,” he said. Though his future goals in life are unclear, his plans now are to fight against Myanmar’s military dictatorship to protect the country’s younger generation from suffering under oppression, he said. Many of Myanmar’s most talented youth had big hopes before the coup, but now those hopes are gone, said Moe Thway, chairman of the pro-democracy youth movement Generation Wave. “Youths with all their dreams have turned to taking up arms without ever having wanted to,” he said. “Myanmar has returned to military rule under which the army oppresses, tortures, and kills people,” he said, adding that international sanctions have been imposed to punish Myanmar’s ruling generals, and that some international companies have left the country. “So we have lost a lot of business and educational opportunities,” he said. “In fact, we can say that the future of the country’s youth is uncertain and quickly disappearing.” An activist who had been involved in earlier protest movements—the 1988 Democracy Movement, the 1996 student strike, and the 2007 Saffron Monk Uprising—expressed sorrow that now another generation of the country’s youth has been thrown into the fight in Myanmar for democracy and human rights. “In the past, they only heard about the oppression, threats, brutal arrests, torture, and killings,” he said. “But now Generation Z is seeing all these things for real.” “And while they face the prospect of arrests and of having no future, they are trying to win the Spring Revolution from wherever they are,” he said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Over 15,000 displaced as conflict in Sagaing’s Kani Township heats up
Sub-title: Dozens of villages have emptied in the past week due to resumed clashes between regime forces and resistance fighters
Description: "As clashes between local resistance fighters and regime forces resume along the Chindwin River in Sagaing Region’s Kani Township, the number of displaced locals continues to rise. Shootouts that initially broke out in the region in early April have escalated since Saturday, forcing more than 15,000 locals from 40 villages to flee their homes, according to a leader of the Kani Township Protest Committee. “Everyone is on the run because they heard the junta’s troops are coming and they’re worried their villages will be raided,” he said, noting that many villages along the eastern bank of the Chindwin River have already been targeted. “They’re on the run for their safety. Day and night, they have to move once they start hearing something unusual,” he added. Many residents of the area have taken shelter with relatives in villages outside the conflict zone, while others have had to hide in the forest, according to local sources. On May 6, a clash took place near Kin, a village on the Chindwin River. An increased military presence in the area since then has forced more than a thousand families to flee. Displaced people from the village said they have had to repeatedly flee their temporary shelters as fighting has become more frequent along the river. “We can’t sleep well at night. No one can,” a Kin villager told Myanmar Now by telephone. Young children and the elderly are among the displaced and in need of food and medical assistance as the rainy season approaches, according to volunteers involved in the relief effort. In early April, clashes between the military and local resistance fighters broke out along the Monywa-Yar Gyi-Kalaywa road in Kani. The fighting spread to villages along the Chindwin River in early May. Last Saturday, military trucks passing near Hmyaing, a village on the Kani-Mingin road, were hit by explosives. There were many casualties in the attack, but the exact number could not be confirmed, according to members of a local defence team. On Tuesday, there was a clash near Letpansu, a village on the east bank of the Chindwin, and the military occupied Htupauk, a neighbouring village in Kani Township. Later on, the military raided other villages in the area, such as Kyawmakyar, Wayar and Kywetet, and looted valuable items from locals, including motorcycles. On Thursday morning, regime troops raided the villages of Kyawywar, Zeehpyukone and Shanmyaung in Kani Township, taking food and other property left behind by fleeing residents. From May 22 to 27, there were three clashes between regime forces and local resistance forces in Kani Township, killing at least nine local members and injuring 20, mainly from shelling, according to a member of the local defence force. Anti-dictatorship protests were widespread in Kani before the current conflict began. Defence groups armed with hunting rifles and homemade weapons began forming in early April to protect civilians from the military’s violent crackdowns..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Statement on Disappearances in the Spring Revolution
Description: "As of today, AAPP believes there are 75 people currently missing in Burma. These disappearances have occurred since the beginning of the coup, when junta seized power and detained our democratically elected leaders on 1 February, 2021. Since then, the military coup has consistently been perpetrating brutal crimes against civilians, including killing and torture, and disappearing dead bodies. A large number of pro-democracy supporters are now missing, they may be detained, tortured, or killed. Crucially, the junta regime has not disclosed where any of the arbitrarily detained are. When detainees have been located, it is because of information provided by those released from the prison, lawyers, families who have been permitted to send parcels to the prison, and legal aid groups. Many detainees are not able to see their lawyers, or contact their families, with some not in contact with the outside for periods of time. The junta regime has not issued any statement related to detention information, such as where they are being detained and interrogated. Of the 75 missing, AAPP can verify 23 are disappeared, a further 52 are believed disappeared with precise status to be confirmed. 19 people are missing. 14 of these disappeared went missing while fleeing from junta troops who were raiding and shooting in villages in Yinmabin and Kani Townships. Four people, including Moe San Suu Kyi, disappeared from their hideout, and are suspected to have been detained. However, there is no information about when and who made the detention. One civilian was arrested for seven days for staging a solitary protest, but after their release, they did not return home. 4 people are now missing after having been initially confirmed detained. 3 were arrested for participating in a protest and supporting CDM. They were sent to Myaung Mya Prison, but no family member has been able to make contact since. Aside from this, one civilian arrested in Yinmabin Township has since gone missing, with no contact being made to his family. 24 people left their homes for known reasons, but after several days have not returned. This includes those who have left their homes to take part in protests, to withdraw money at the bank, to go to grocery stores, and to go outside for food. 28 people were detained but their families have not been told where. One of these individuals, Aung San Ko Ko (a.k.a. Wine Chit Oo) was shot, wounded, and abducted by the terrorists, and he remains missing. Individuals went missing when: Leaving their homes to participate in demonstrations, and amid brutal crackdowns have later not been able to contact families, relatives or friends for some days. After being taken for questioning by junta troops whilst walking on the streets, they are later uncontactable. They fled their homes, but have been missing with no contact since then. Their families could not contact them after they were arrested in the hideout. The location of the detainees was not disclosed, even though they were arrested and interrogated, including some of those not allowed to meet with lawyers and AAPP believes are no longer in prison. AAPP will continue to verify the recently disappeared. According to international law, one is considered disappeared when unlawfully detained, abducted, against their will with failure by the responsible party to provide information on said person. International humanitarian law is explicit on missing persons. States should not perpetrate, condone the act, or impede investigation. The junta in Burma has done nothing to account for these missing persons, in fact threatening civil society and oppressing civilians who raise the issue. The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2474 on 11 June 2019, calling on all parties to actively report and search for missing persons. Time and again, resolutions have underscored knowing the fate of loved ones is a basic human right. In the International Committee of Red Cross’ study on international humanitarian law, it is affirmed “practice indicates that the obligation to account for missing persons arises at the latest after an adverse party provides notification of those who are missing”. AAPP is providing notification of 75 believed missing persons. The junta is the responsible party for the crimes and disorder resulting in these disappearances. The AAPP calls for the international community, including the United Nations and the ASEAN country members, to work effectively to investigate disappearances during this attempted coup..."
Source/publisher: Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP)
Date of publication: 2021-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Size: 8 MB 114.17 KB 88.95 KB 108.98 KB 110.3 KB
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Title: Three men dead as regime soldiers open fire on villages in Gangaw
Sub-title: Junta troops burn houses and raid villages after military trucks passing through the Magwe Region township were struck by explosives on the same day
Description: "Regime forces shot three people dead in Magwe Region’s Gangaw Township and set houses on fire at random during raids on three villages on Friday afternoon. The crackdown on villagers was unleashed after military trucks passing through the township were struck by explosives on the same day. One of the victims was Saw Min Hlaing Oo, a 33-year-old primary school teacher participating in the nationwide general strike against the coup regime; he was shot in the waist and the thigh. The two other casualties were men aged 50 and 33, but whose names were not known at the time of reporting. A Gangaw local said he did not know why the houses—three in total—were burned down. “Soldiers opened fire, aiming at the villages from a road. Many bullets landed in my village,” a local man told Myanmar Now, asking not to mention the names of the targeted villages out of fear of reprisal. “Bullets passed just over the heads of some people who were running from the gunshots. The whole village had to run.” One woman was injured by a gunshot wound to the arm, and a woman in her 70s slipped down a hillside and broke one of her legs while fleeing the regime forces’ attack, the local added. Villagers reportedly returned to their houses at around 5:30pm after the soldiers had left. Residents of southern Sagaing Region’s Kani and Yinmabin townships, which border Magwe Region, have been resisting the junta rule with homemade guns and explosives since April. In retaliation, the military raided several villages in those areas to crush the locals’ armed resistance, forcing more than 15,000 residents to flee to the forests to hide or to seek refuge in other towns..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: WIDER IMAGE 'For fallen souls' - A survivor says Myanmar fight must go on
Description: "Each morning, Ko Phyo washes himself and his two-year-old son while seated on a chair, a plastic bag covering what remains of a thigh that he says was shattered by a bullet fired by a Myanmar soldier. Ko Phyo says he was wounded on the front lines of the biggest protests against Myanmar's military in decades. Now, he is adjusting to life as an amputee and single parent in a country in chaos since a Feb. 1 coup. The 24-year-old says he joined the nationwide protest movement in the biggest city Yangon, acting as a guard trying to protect demonstrators from security forces during daily pro-democracy marches and strikes. (Open https://reut.rs/3wTmBlV in an external browser to see a picture story on Ko Phyo.) "We ran away because we didn't want to get arrested and beaten," he said, recalling a day in early March when he was cornered as police and a soldier advanced. "Then they started shooting, I was shot in the leg, and fell on the ground." Security forces have killed more than 800 people since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group. The ruling junta says around 300 have died, most of them "terrorists" and "instigators of violence". Ko Phyo said he carried only a shield. The bullet that hit him severed three arteries. The soldier who fired the shot removed it with a knife, and a local policeman he knew took him to a military hospital, a journey that took more than two hours, he said. "I started feeling the pain and I couldn't bear it. I told them to cut off my leg immediately. They cut it on the seventh day." Ko Phyo has been learning to become mobile in a wheelchair in his three-room home and uses crutches when outdoors to deal with the uneven roads and paths that run between the green fields of his Yangon township. He hopes to return to his job handling vehicle licensing with the road transport authority, when stability eventually returns. Concern about the future of his son drove him to join the anti-junta protests and gave him motivation to recover faster and leave hospital after 12 days, he said. He sees the loss of his leg as a small sacrifice compared to those of the hundreds killed, including one of his fellow guards, a 15-year-old girl. "All protesters out there are fighting for the next generations ... The military is supposed to protect its own people, but they are killing us instead." "We must keep fighting," Ko Phyo said. "We must win this revolution to bring justice for fallen souls." His son is adapting to the new reality too, playing games with his father and bringing him snacks and cushions to make him comfortable on the floor. "I feel terrible when he asked, 'Dad, where's your leg?'," he said. "So, I replied 'a dog's eaten my leg but it will grow later'. And he still believes it."..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-29
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 28 May, (833) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (2) fallen heroes today. These (2) fallen heroes from Loikaw Township in Kayah State and Dawei Township in Tanintharyi Region were 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 28 May, a total of (4350) people are currently under detention; of them (104) are sentenced. 1881 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 14 year old boy was shot dead in the head as he ran away from junta forces, who had entered Kayan Tharyar Village, in Thabyay Kone, in Loikaw Township, Kayah State. Last night, a man was shot and left injured during unprovoked shooting by the military in Kyet Sar Pyin Ward, Dawei Township in Tanintharyi Region. Junta forces then took him away by car, and he later died. On May 28, Mi Nge a.k.a Nge Lay, a former female political prisoner, was sentenced to three years imprisonment under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code for defamation. On May 2, junta forces searched her home for her son, political activist Tin Htut Paing. When they could not find him, they arrested and beat her. This afternoon, Myo Thiha Kyaw, a photojournalist for the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency, was arrested in Mandalay. Last night, in Thaton Township in Mon State, four youths from Manaw Phyu Charity Association were arrested. 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: 2021-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.08 MB 4.07 MB 970.62 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 27 May, (831) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. (2) fallen heroes from Demoso Township in Kayah State were killed today. (1) from Taketa Township in Yangon Region was killed on a 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 27 May, a total of (4331) people are currently under detention; of them (102) are sentenced. 1881 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. This morning, two youths from Demoso Township in Kayah State were shot to death by terrorist junta while they were bringing food for Karenni IDPs. Early in the morning of May 25, a man, who suffered from mental health, was shot to death at Thaketa Township, Yangon Region by the terrorist junta. Soe Linn Htet, second year student majoring in civil engineering at the Technological University Meiktila, was arrested at home at Pyawbwe Township in Mandalay Region this morning. On the night of May 25, Aung Mya Than, a reporter of Ayeyarwaddy Times News Agency based in Ayeyarwady Region, was arrested and beaten while questioning. 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: 2021-05-28
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.08 MB 3.97 MB 978.24 KB
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Title: Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup
Description: "As of 26 May, (828) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (1) fallen heroes today. This (1) fallen hero from Salin Township, Magway Region was 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 26 May, a total of (4330) people are currently under detention; of them (102) are sentenced. 1881 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. A woman, living in Taw Seint Village in Salin Township, Magway Region, was shot dead in the head last night when the village administrator requested the military come to the village and open fire in response to a “No to Military Slavery Education” sticker campaign at a local school. Last night, Zaw Win Maung, member of the NLD Information Committee in Hpakant Township, was arrested while staging a night protest in Lone Khinn Village, Hpakant Township in Kachin State. Khin Ohn Myint, the retired teacher and a patron of the Red Cross Committee in Mogok Township, was arrested at Kyauk Saung Village in Mogok Town in Mandalay Region yesterday evening. On May 24, Thet Tin Aung, Secretary of Art and Science of All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), and his companion Paing Soe, were arrested at Yangon-Mandalay Road and Chit Htwe, Myo Nyunt and Win Kyaw Soe, three philanthropists, living in Wakema Township, Ayeyarwady Region, were arrested. 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: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.07 MB 3.87 MB 947.78 KB
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Title: Lux et Veritas: Yale’s Links to the Myanmar Military
Description: "Lux et veritas. Light and truth. These are the words proudly emblazoned on the banners that adorn Yale’s New Haven buildings, stamped in the seals imprinted in the diplomas we earn after graduating, guiding us during the years we pore through books and listen to lectures, always to learn more, to do better, to thrive for the most. I went to Yale for my undergraduate studies where I took classes on conflict resolution and was mentored by pre-eminent academics in understanding root causes and patterns of genocide. I tried to understand how and why people commit mass atrocities, and what political and social forces enable them. I believed that the more we study atrocities, the more we can do to prevent them. I have since realized that a key element in the enablement of mass atrocities is the mobilization of financial resources that powers and legitimizes oppressive regimes. I’ve been dismayed to see a representative of a Yale-founded institution linked to the funding of the Myanmar military. Here is a truth: in 2011, Kay Kuok Oon Kwong, the Director of Shangri-La Hotel Limited and niece of Malaysia’s richest man, was announced as the Chair of the Yale-NUS Governing Board. Yale-NUS was jointly founded by Yale and NUS in 2011 and Yale-NUS graduates join the ranks of the Yale Alumni Association as international affiliates. When Kuok joined the Governing Board, she was also the Director of the Trader Square Group (a subsidiary of Shangri-La Asia), which signed a land lease agreement with the Quartermaster General, an office of the Myanmar military under the Ministry of Defense. The land lease agreement was to develop an office tower and retail mall, Sule Square, in Yangon. As the Director, Kuok was responsible for overseeing the agreement. The following year, in a public ceremony, Kuok thanked the Quartermaster General for leasing the land. In October 2017, the Sule Square development was opened, with Kuok present at the ceremony. Myanmar’s Quartermaster General plays a key role in managing the military’s business, and is responsible for purchasing arms and for Ministry of Defense budget requests to the Parliament. Due to its role in managing supplies and budgets, it is responsible for managing leasing arrangements for military-owned land across the country. The defense budget, managed by the Quartermaster General, is used to fund the purchase of weapons and military supplies, such as a missile director system, that in turn has been used to commit genocide against the Rohingya and vast crimes against humanity against ethnic groups in Myanmar. Kuok’s opening ceremony of the Sule Square took place 2 months after the Rohingya clearance operations committed by the Myanmar military, which, in September 2017 alone, resulted in the deaths of at least 6,700 Rohingya, followed by the exodus of 742,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh and the internal displacement of over 130,000 Rohingya. In December 2019, the Myanmar military was brought to the International Court of Justice for genocidal acts against the Rohingya. Here is some light: By leasing land from and engaging in business with the Myanmar military, Kuok is directly contributing to the financing of the military, which may amount to aiding and abetting the commission of their international crimes. The UN Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar in 2019 examined the military’s sources of revenue that “enhances its ability to carry out gross violations of human rights with impunity”. The report assessed how the military uses its own businesses in addition to foreign companies to support military operations. The Mission examined military owned businesses, such as MEC and MEHL, and named Shangri-La’s land lease in its report. It found that “any foreign business involving the Tatmadaw poses a high risk of contributing to or being linked to violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law”. It recommended that foreign businesses sever ties with the Myanmar military to ensure they were not complicit in crimes against humanity. The Mission stated it “puts companies on further and effective notice of the human rights implications that arise from maintaining business connections with the Tatmadaw”. Yet Kuok continued to maintain her business with the Myanmar military, paying likely significant amounts in land leasing that go directly to the Myanmar army. Although the exact terms of the Sule Square land lease are unknown, a different shopping and hotel complex in Yangon brings in about $20 million a year to the military. On February 1 2021, the Myanmar military attempted a coup d’etat and has escalated its crimes nationwide, which, according to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, almost certainly amount to crimes against humanity. The violence since the coup is part of a continuation of decades of extreme violence perpetuated against ethnic and religious minorities, including the Rohingya. Over the 3 months since the coup, the Myanmar military has killed over 780 people, including over 40 children, arbitrarily imprisoned over 3800 people, internally displaced 50,000 individuals, and has injured and tortured countless others. There is video evidence of men being burnt alive, rescue workers and doctors being shot and abducted for helping the injured, and the bodies of the murdered being held for ransom by military soldiers, depriving families of closure. Many activists, politicians, ordinary people who are holding on to hope for a future free of repression and fear are on the run. Yet they continue to fight for their rights, and they demand that, at the very least, the international community stop providing the military with the finances to brutalize them. Given the escalation of violence since the coup, various companies have been assessing their business connections to the military more seriously. The Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) has announced suspension of trading of ETC, a company that is involved in leasing land from the Quartermaster General. Civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch, sent a submission to the UN Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Businesses inquiring into the land lease agreements of Japanese businesses with the Quartermaster General. Kuok’s tenants, Coca Cola and McKinsey & Company, stated they would terminate their lease from the Sule Square office, and Reuters and the World Bank Group stated they were reviewing their plans. And while this is happening, Kuok, the Chair of the Yale-NUS Governing Board, allegedly continues her business with the Myanmar’s military junta. The Governing Board of Yale-NUS provides “oversight of the College and its development and management,” and is responsible for overseeing the operations and establishing policies for the college. As the Chair of the Governing Board, Kuok thus plays a very important role in the strategic direction of the college, which makes it all the more paramount to assess whether and how her business interests might be impacting the college. In particular, although Yale-NUS’ spokesperson Jeannie Tay Meow Sein has stated that Kuok’s business affairs are distinct from her role on the Governing Board, Kuok’s role raises questions about whether Yale-NUS is receiving donations from her, and whether these donations are tainted with the carnage of the Myanmar military. It raises the question overall about the finances of Yale-NUS, and where these finances come from. There were concerns from students and professors about Yale extending its outreach to Singapore due to limits on freedom of expression in the country, nonetheless Yale established Yale-NUS and continues to play an ancillary role in the school. Yale’s mission states that it is “committed to improving the world today and for future generations”. Yale President Peter Salovey, who sits on the Governing Board of Yale-NUS, has written that “the country and the world need the very best from Yale – right now”. The best cannot entail doing business with a murderous regime. As one of the founders of Yale-NUS, it is past time that Yale shed light and truth on its school in Singapore, conduct a thorough investigation into Kuok’s business affairs in Myanmar, and assess whether she is representing or compromising Yale’s mission to improve the world..."
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Source/publisher: "Tea Circle" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Cease persecution of journalists
Description: "The Myanmar military authorities should immediately drop charges against journalists, said Amnesty International today. This includes those in pre-trial detention, on bail, or those with warrants outstanding on them solely for carrying out their work and the peaceful exercise of their human rights. “Journalists are at the frontline of the struggle to expose the truth on what is happening in Myanmar today,” said Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research. “The brazen violence, intimidation and harassment the military authorities are levelling at them only illustrates how powerful exposing the truth can be. Individual journalists can be threatened, arrested, or even meet a worse fate, but Myanmar’s free media as a whole can never be silenced.” The ongoing persecution, intimidation, harassment and violence faced by journalists in Myanmar constitutes a clear attempt by the military authorities to suppress peaceful dissent and obscure violations committed by security forces in the wake of the 1 February coup. The nationwide crackdown has resulted in widespread denial of the rights to freedom of expression and access to information. On 24 May, American citizen Danny Fenster became the third foreign journalist arrested and detained since the coup. He was arrested by authorities at Yangon’s Mingalardon Airport while waiting to board a flight to Malaysia. He was reportedly taken to Insein Prison and, as of 25 May, no charges have been made against him. Amnesty International believes that Danny Fenster was arrested for peacefully exercising his human rights. He must be released immediately and unconditionally. As of 21 May, 88 journalists have been arrested since the 1 February coup, according to the most recent figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma (AAPPB). More than half remain in detention, and 33 are in hiding. Two have been released on bail. Dozens have fled the country or have sought refuge in territory controlled by Ethnic Armed Organizations. Two journalists have been injured by gunshot while covering protests. 
“The arrest of Danny Fenster is a reminder of how the media in Myanmar has been targeted for trying to expose the human rights violations committed by the military in this ruthless crackdown,” said Emerlynne Gil. “Despite the severe communications blackout, what the world knows about the military authorities’ abuses is a credit to the courage of journalists.” Climate of fear: ‘We don’t want to go back to those days’ The military authorities’ crackdown on the media has resulted in a chilling effect on the press, access to information and other human rights. On 8 march, media outlets Myanmar NOW, Khit Thit Media, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), Mizzima, and 7day had their licences revoked, in a ban that affects print, broadcast and digital platforms. By mid-March 2021, there were no privately-run daily news journals left in circulation in the country, as many suspended operations. Journalists interviewed by Amnesty International voiced concerns that the ongoing crackdown in the wake of the coup heralds a return to the darkest days of censorship, self-censorship and state-sponsored disinformation. 

“We feel everything is heading back to our childhood days … we don't want to go back to those days when we had only state-owned media, spreading propaganda,” said one Yangon-based reporter. “It's really difficult to struggle and to survive as a journalist during this period in Myanmar. It's not safe – not only for the journalists, but also their families. We are all facing this insecure situation every day. But we keep trying to report as much as we can.” After an almost five-decade state monopoly on publishing and a heavy censorship regime, in 2012, the press scrutiny and registration department suspended pre-publication censorship. In 2013, Myanmar's ministry of information began granting licences for privately-owned daily newspapers. However, recent actions by the authorities mark a significant step backward for human rights including the right to freedom of expression, and a near-total dissipation of gains made for media freedom over the previous decade of quasi-civilian rule. 

 The Myanmar military authorities should ensure the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom are respect, protected, promoted and fulfilled including by unblocking independent news media websites and social media platforms, and restoring full internet connectivity as a matter of urgency. Old laws, new amendments On 3 March 2021, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) journalist Min Nyo was arrested while covering anti-coup protests in Pyay, Bago Region in central Myanmar. According to a statement from DVB, Min Nyo was beaten by police during arrest and sustained injuries. He was sentenced to three years’ jail time on 12 May under section 505(a) of the Penal Code. This lengthy sentence is the second handed down to a journalist since the coup, after another DVB reporter May Thwe Aung was handed a month’s jail time under Section 188.

The majority of journalists have been charged under Section 505(a) of the colonial-era Penal Code, which prohibits the publication or circulation of “statement, rumour or report … with intent to cause, or which is likely 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”. 

 This broad provision has historically been used by the Myanmar military to target human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents, punishing those who distributed political pamphlets or sought to report news. 

 On 14 February 2021, the Myanmar military authorities announced a series of amendments, including additions to Section 505A. These new provisions criminalize those who cause or intend to cause fear, spread false news, agitate directly or indirectly criminal offence against a Government employee, bringing the maximum sentence up to three years, and introducing fines.
 These amendments violate the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and pave the way for arrest and conviction on the basis of intent. It is not just journalists facing such charges: celebrity influencers, doctors, teachers, and other civil servants suspected of participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement general strike have had warrants issued against them under 505A, and other provisions. Section 505A of the penal code, as well as the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law and the Natural Disaster Management Law should be repealed or amended to comply with international human rights standards.

The Myanmar military authorities must cease its assault on human rights including the right to freedom of expression and media freedom, ensure people’s rights to access information are upheld, and stop targeting journalists..."
Source/publisher: Amnesty International (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-27
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: On the Sagaing frontlines, outgunned villagers defy the odds
Sub-title: Local defence forces armed with homemade guns are inflicting heavy blows on the Tatmadaw, but some groups worry how long they can hold out without greater support from the National Unity Government.
Description: "Early on April 2, U Nay Win Tun’s phone rang in the darkness of his home in Kani Township. On the line was a contact in Thabyay Aye village, some 100km to the south in Yinmabin Township, elsewhere in the arid plains of Sagaing Region. He sounded panicked; two hours earlier, at 3am, he said, around 100 soldiers and police had descended on Thabyay Aye to arrest Ashin Thaw Pa Ka, a revered monk who had emerged as a leader of anti-coup resistance in the area. A shoot-out erupted and four injured villagers were detained, the contact said, and the security forces were offering to hand them over in exchange for the monk. But the people of Thabyay Aye were refusing to do a deal and hoping they could stall the junta troops until reinforcements arrived. Nay Win Tun didn’t hesitate. He slung a tumi gun – a homemade, single-shot hunting rifle that is common in the area – across his back, placed two grenades he’d recently purchased from an ethnic armed group in a gunny sack, and hopped on his motorbike. As the sun rose to his left above the Chindwin River and he drew closer to Thabyay Aye, Nay Win Tun saw many tumi-armed villagers – from Yinmabin and Kani as well as Monywa and Pale townships of Sagaing – travelling in the same direction. Shortly after he arrived, there were several thousand fighters gathered near Thabyay Aye, he said. A three-hour pitched battle ensued, with the police and soldiers putting up fierce resistance in spite of the fighters massed against them. Eventually, weight of numbers won out, and they were forced to retreat. Witnesses and civilian fighters told Frontier that at least a dozen police and soldiers were killed and there were no civilian casualties. Frontier could not confirm these numbers independently, and Tatmadaw spokesperson Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun could not be reached for comment.....A grassroots revolt: For the villagers with their tumi guns, the battle at Thabyay Aye on April 2 was a morale-boosting victory; regime troops have not returned to the village since, and Thaw Pa Ka remains free. Although they had started forming village defence forces a month earlier – around the time the junta stopped using water cannon and stun grenades against protesters and instead began firing live rounds – Thabyay Aye was their first major engagement with the security forces. Around the same time, protesters also took up the fight further north in Kalay and Tamu, swapping their protest placards for tumi guns and other improvised weapons. In the two months since, conflict between regime forces and civilian militias has escalated and spread across Sagaing Region and other parts of the country, including Mandalay and Magway regions and Chin and Kayah states. It is largely a grassroots, bottom-up rebellion, in which villagers have spontaneously risen up with whatever arms they can find. Around Yinmabin, the monk Thaw Pa Ka had been integral to establishing the village defence forces. Together with other community leaders, he started running basic combat courses for residents, who took part with the only weapons they had – their tumi guns. Further to the north, Nay Win Tun had helped set up village defence forces across parts of both Kani and Yinmabin along the west bank of the Chindwin, opposite Monywa. Like Thaw Pa Ka, he had concluded that the situation demanded more than peaceful protest. “I knew on the day of the coup [on February 1] that an armed revolution would be necessary, and I began acquiring as many weapons as I could,” he said. But Nay Win Tun is no battle-hardened insurgent. The 41-year-old father-of-two smiles often and is quick to laugh. For decades he worked as a timber and cattle merchant, rising early each day to tend to his herd. His voice is thick with the anyar accent that denotes a person who lives in upper Myanmar. Nay Win Tun first used guns as a teenager; his father was a police officer, and together with his friends taught the young man how to fire revolvers and old carbine rifles. But Nay Win Tun insists most of his knowledge has been picked up recently, in the wake of the coup. After the clash in Thabyay Aye, Nay Win Tun, Thaw Pa Ka and other local leaders realised their strength lay mostly in numbers; with only limited weaponry, it was important to work together. So, they formed a defensive alliance they call the United Villages Force, bringing together defence forces in 80 villages in Yinmabin, Pale, Kani and Mingin townships. But at the same time, they also knew they needed to remain nimble; gathering in large numbers for extended periods would make them an easy target. They therefore appointed a leader for each participating village, and members were organised into 10-person units or cells. The larger villages have many cells, while smaller ones might have just a few. “It’s hard for the security forces to crack down when we are so dispersed. Staying in small teams also makes it easier to train recruits without being noticed,” Nay Win Tun said, adding, “At the same time, it’s like a big network – we’re all connected. If they target a village, the forces from other villages can quickly come and surround them.” Still, the lack of advanced weapons remains a major problem, he said. Just 25 kilometres from Kani, the Sagaing Region capital Monywa is home to the Tatmadaw’s North Western Command, which nominally has dozens of infantry battalions at its disposal. The Tatmadaw also has artillery, helicopters and drones to monitor civilian forces. It’s nothing like an equal fight. Still, Nay Win Tun says the sheer number of people joining the civil defence forces meant there was an opportunity to hit the Tatmadaw hard. “If each member of our people’s forces had the same weapons as the Tatmadaw, we would seize all of Monywa District … we would win the revolution.”...Seeking support: To improve their firepower, local defence forces are looking to the parallel government and ethnic armed groups. While the defence forces formed organically, they have been given a tick of approval by the National Unity Government, which was formed in mid-April by the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. Although the ousted lawmakers that lead the NUG and CRPH are largely from the National League for Democracy, they have discarded the party’s longstanding commitment to non-violence. On May 5, more than a month after the fighting at Thabyay Aye, the NUG announced the creation of the People’s Defence Force as a national resistance army and invited the village defence forces to come under its auspices. Many have accordingly pledged allegiance to the NUG and rebranded themselves as local chapters of the PDF, although there is so far little evidence of a centralised command-and-control system. The NUG said that the PDF would later be integrated into a “federal” army together with ethnic armed groups, with whom they are coordinating informally in the meantime. NLD lawmakers like U Myint Htwe, 45, who won the Sagaing Region Hluttaw seat of Ye-U 2 in the 2020 election, have played an important role in connecting the newly formed defence forces to the NUG and ethnic armed groups. Myint Htwe said he and other lawmakers in Sagaing Region had been providing daily updates on the local situation to the NUG defence minister, U Yee Mon, a poet and former political prisoner who also won a seat for the NLD in last year’s election. “I’ve also been speaking with ethnic armed groups about how they can support the defence forces with weapons training,” he said. But he conceded that many local armed resistance groups that have sprung up in the Bamar heartland have found it difficult to access better guns and training. “Since we are very far from ethnic armed organisations, we don’t have any weapons except tumi guns. And even if we had enough money, it’s really hard to buy light weapons, such as pistols,” he said. Even so, these Bamar groups have so far received more help from ethnic armed groups than the NUG. Ko Aung Kyaw, a student activist and leading member of the Monywa General Strike Committee, said a local PDF has sent about 100 youth from the town to train with ethnic armed groups in border areas, and more have done so independently. Some have already returned, and are in turn training local fighters. Still, he’s hopeful the NUG will come through for them in future. “There are indeed many challenges, but we’ve spoken with [NUG defence minister Yee Mon] about our need for weapons and other support, and the defence minister has told us that the NUG plans to support our needs,” Aung Kyaw told Frontier on May 4, while declining to give further details for security reasons. While they wait for weapons and training, Sagaing’s civil defence forces continue to strike out at the Tatmadaw, with deadly consequences for both sides. On May 5, villagers with tumi guns ambushed three boats of Tatmadaw soldiers as they travelled upstream on the Chindwin. The villagers waited on both sides of the river near Upper Kin village in Kani Township before opening fire, forcing two boatloads of soldiers to flee and the third to abandon their vessel midstream, according to some of those who took part in the attack. They said at least 10 Tatmadaw personnel, including the acting battalion commander Major Thant Sin Myint, were killed, while six of the tumi-armed attackers also died in the exchange. Villagers also later relieved the abandoned boat of the explosives on board. The Tatmadaw waited six days to respond. On May 11, troops descended on Thamin Chan village tract, less than 10 kilometres west of Upper Kin – between the river and the Monywa-Kalaywa highway – where they believed the leaders of the ambush were living. Most of the men who were healthy enough to do so fled into the jungle, but soldiers arrested 30 people and established a base at the village of Thamin Chan. The following day, soldiers also entered Zee Bin Dwin village on the Monywa-Kalaywa road, about 27km from Monywa, in an effort to find more of the participants in the attack. Residents said the soldiers shot indiscriminately, stole money and killed cattle and livestock. Around 40 people were arrested, including some women. “They treated everyone as though they were an enemy. We just had to run as quickly as we could before they arrived,” said one resident of Zee Bin Dwin. On May 22, meanwhile, the rebranded Kani PDF reportedly attacked a Tatmadaw convoy, forcing it to retreat, with casualties reported on both sides. Three days later, reports said an unknown group attacked five Tatmadaw vessels travelling upriver to Kani, apparently seeking to reinforce the local garrison, and the Kani PDF ambushed troops heading to Kani by road.....The cost of victory: About 100km north of Monywa, on the scenic road to Kalaywa, is a group of villages known as Seh Ywar Chaung. The name means “Ten village corner”, but there are now 14 villages in the Seh Ywar Chaung area, which is close to the remote and rugged Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park. As in other areas of Sagaing, the residents of Seh Ywar Chaung quickly formed a defence force as the military began brutally crushing peaceful protests. On April 17, they were told that a convoy of military vehicles was heading their way through the mountains. While around 3,000 villagers fled into the nearby forest, others prepared an ambush. “Three [Tatmadaw] trucks came from Mingin at about 4pm. We had taken positions on both sides of the road to Kalaywa and … opened fire on the first truck,” said U Hla Zaw Moe, 34, from Htantabin village, part of Seh Ywar Chaung. He and several other fighters told Frontier that about 2,000 people took part in the attack – about two-thirds of them armed with tumi guns and the rest with crossbows and slingshots. They claimed to have killed at least 30 Tatmadaw soldiers and destroyed one truck, while suffering just one loss themselves. By about 7:30pm, the villagers had retreated into the forest, while the Tatmadaw convoy established a post nearby, Hla Zaw Moe recalled. The next day, the defenders, although exhausted from the previous 24 hours, attacked the convoy again. But just minutes after they launched their offensive, four additional trucks of troops arrived from Mingin. Following a three-hour battle, in which Tatmadaw soldiers fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, the civilian forces were left with little choice but to retreat. The two days of fighting left three villagers and around 40 Tatmadaw soldiers dead in total, according to members of the defence force. Frontier could not confirm the numbers independently, and the Tatmadaw has not publicly acknowledged the attack. Among the locals who died was Ko Aung Zaw Oo, 29, who had proved himself in a previous battle. On April 16, the day before the fighting began in Seh Ywar Chaung, he was involved in a separate clash with the Tatmadaw in Yar Gyi village tract, about halfway between Seh Ywar Chaung and Monywa. Aung Zaw Oo was injured and detained by Tatmadaw soldiers on April 17. Three days later his body was found in the forest; he appeared to have been stabbed to death. He left behind a wife, Ma Nwe Kyi, and two sons, aged two and seven. “He told me he was going to fight [in Yar Gyi] and said if he survived, he would return,” Nwe Kyi said. “He called the next day at 4am, before the fighting began [in Seh Ywar Chaung], saying he was worried about me and the kids. It was the last time I spoke to him.” Nwe Kyi spoke to Frontier at a ceremony to honour the fallen fighters. The event was organised by Ma Cherry, a leading member of the Monywa General Strike Committee, and included a donation for those who had been forced to flee their homes because of the fighting. Cherry, a prominent activist who is wanted by the junta, held Nwe Kyi’s hand throughout the event, consoling the widow as she fought back tears. “He was trying to build a wooden house for us,” Nwe Kyi said of her husband. “He had already laid the foundation on our land … but since the economic situation is not good, we were spending all of our income on food.” Another victim of the fighting at Seh Ywar Chaung was Ko Aung Myo Oo, 23. He is survived by his wife of the same age, who is seven months’ pregnant, and their six-year-old daughter. “He never spoke about what he was doing,” the widow, who asked not to be named, told Frontier. “I haven’t even told our daughter that he is dead – she thinks her father is travelling somewhere.”..."
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Violence Against Health Care in Myanmar, Three-month review May 2021 update
Description: "On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar armed forces (known as the Tatmadaw) seized control of the country, following a general election that the National League for Democracy party won by a landslide. The military have since declared a state of emergency to last for at least a year, and numerous countries have condemned the takeover and subsequent violent crackdown on protestors. Over the past three months, from February to May 2021, hundreds of people, including children, have been killed and many injured during the protests. The military-run State Administrative Council has targeted doctors and other health workers for taking a leading role in the nationwide Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Doctors and nurses have been served with warrants and arrests, health workers have been injured while providing care to protestors, ambulances have been destroyed, and health facilities have been raided. This document is the result of collaboration between Insecurity Insight, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), and Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights (CPHHR) as part of the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC). It highlights reported incidents of violence against health workers, facilities, and transport in Myanmar between 11 February and 11 May 2021. It does not include information on violence against patients. The incidents referred to are based on the dataset 11 February - 11 May 2021 Violence Against Health Care in Myanmar Data, which is available on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)..."
Source/publisher: Insecurity Insight via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Young mother shot dead during junta raid triggered by anti-coup graffiti
Sub-title: Two other women who were shot during the raid by regime forces were among seven people taken into custody
Description: "A 24-year-old woman was shot and killed in Magwe Region’s Salin Township on Tuesday night during a raid carried out in response to anti-coup graffiti. About 70 soldiers and police stormed the village of Tawseint at around 7:30pm on Tuesday after residents painted slogans opposing the education system under the military regime on the gate of a local high school. “They were firing non-stop, at least 90 or 100 rounds. I also had to flee,” said a villager who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity. Seven people, including two women who had been shot while trying to escape, were arrested after the raid, he added. Saung Hnin Hmon, the mother a six-year-old girl, was shot in the head and killed instantly. Her body was returned to the village the following day. The whereabouts of her daughter, who went missing after the raid, remains unknown. An elderly woman, a 13-year-old girl, and a disabled woman who tried to flee on one leg were also arrested, but were later released, according to a village resident. Most of Tawseint’s roughly 2,000 residents have gone into hiding since the junta’s forces returned on Wednesday morning, local sources told Myanmar Now. “Many people are still in the forest. Those who remained in the village don’t dare try to leave now, and those in the forest are afraid to return to their homes,” one source said. “We have not had a grain of rice to eat the whole day. We are still hiding in the forest,” he added. Tawseint is located near three military bases. Light infantry brigades 153, 254, and 255 are all stationed in the area. At least 828 people have been killed by the regime since it seized power on February 1, according to a tally by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. As resistance to the coup continues, more than half of the nation’s teachers are on strike and some 90% of students refuse to enroll under the regime’s education system, according to the Myanmar Teachers’ Federation..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Younger brother of Myanmar’s police chief murdered in regime custody
Sub-title: Police chief Than Hlaing once reportedly threatened to cut off his brother’s head because he took up arms against the Myanmar military
Description: "They were two brothers with radically different ideologies who became bitter enemies during the 1988 democratic uprising–even once meeting on the battlefield. One joined the army and rose through the ranks to become a senior member of the military establishment. The other joined mass protests and later travelled to Myanmar’s jungle-covered borderlands to take up arms against the junta. Now, with the country once again in the grips of a revolution, their rivalry is over. Soe Moe Hlaing, the veteran democracy activist, was murdered in regime custody on Monday evening after soldiers grabbed him from his village in Bago Region. The 53-year-old was the 827th person to be murdered at the hands of the new regime, according to one tally. His death comes almost four months after his older brother, Than Hlaing, was appointed Myanmar’s chief of police, making him one of the key figures overseeing the recent campaign of terror against Myanmar’s defiant population. A lieutenant general, Than Hlaing was also appointed deputy home affairs minister on February 2, the day after military chief Min Aung Hlaing toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. Both the EU and the US have blacklisted Than Hlaing for his role overseeing the crackdown, during which more than 5,400 people have been arrested. He previously served as the head of Eastern Central Command and North Western Command. Soe Moe Hlaing, also known as Mae Gyi, was arrested in Zaung Tu village on Saturday along with eight others. It is unclear why they were detained. His wife, Myat Muyar Win, told Myanmar Now that soldiers from the local 901st Artillery Operations Command took her husband, and that he was reportedly beaten with the butt of a gun during the arrest. Two days later, she received a phone call from a regime official telling her that he was dead. “They said he died of some disease. But my husband was healthy and did not have any diseases,” she said. The family were not allowed to take Soe Moe Hlaing’s body home and were told it would be cremated by soldiers at a military cemetery in Mingaladon on Tuesday. Than Hlaing reportedly came to the cemetery to look at the body before the cremation, said Myat Muyar Win. If true, it is the closest contact he has had with Soe Moe Hlaing in many years. “The brothers had no communication with each other,” said Myat Muyar Win. In a separate interview with the BBC’s Burmese service, she said: “During our 15 years of marriage, I had never seen them talk. No contact at all.” The brothers came from a family of 11 siblings. After taking part in the 1988 uprising, Soe Moe Hlaing joined the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), a revolutionary armed group in which he served as a battalion commander. The move infuriated his army officer brother, said Tun Tun Kyaw Oo, who spent time in Insein Prison with Soe Moe Hlaing. “Than Hlaing sent Mae Gyi letters challenging him to a fight,” he told Myanmar Now. “He said he would kill his brother and cut off his head because he joined the armed group.” Than Hlaing got his fight. He was sent to the region where Soe Moe Hlaing was based to take on the ABSDF. “In 1989 he exchanged shots with his brother on a Karen battlefield,” Tun Tun Kyaw Oo said. The next year, Soe Moe Hlaing left the ABSDF–it’s unclear why–and went to Yangon. Then in December 1991 he was arrested and sentenced to 13 years in prison for supporting the ABSDF’s underground activities, and for taking part in a campaign to demand the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was then in the middle of her first stint under house arrest. He was released in 2001, and later threw himself into volunteer community work, helping people in a number of villages along the Bago River. “He did all the local development work such as teaching, digging wells and helping locals get electricity,” Myat Muyar Win said. Unlike in 1988, he was not on the frontlines of the current movement to overthrow the regime, but he offered encouragement and assistance to those who were, she said. Soe Moe Hlaing left behind five children; the youngest is a year and half old..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: More Than 70,000 People Displaced as Fighting Rages in Eastern Myanmar
Topic: civilian resistance fighters, Demoso Township, IDP camp, Internally Displaced People, junta troops, Karenni People’s Defense Forces, Kayah State, KPDF, Loikaw, Moebyel Town, Pekon Township, regime forces
Topic: civilian resistance fighters, Demoso Township, IDP camp, Internally Displaced People, junta troops, Karenni People’s Defense Forces, Kayah State, KPDF, Loikaw, Moebyel Town, Pekon Township, regime forces
Description: "Civilian resistance fighters in eastern Myanmar’s Kayah State seized and destroyed a police security checkpoint north of Loikaw, the Kayah capital, on Wednesday morning. The Karenni People’s Defense Force (KPDF) burned the captured outpost in Htee Se Khar in Loilen Lay town, 15 miles north of Loikaw and close to the border with Shan State, according to a member of the KPDF. The attack comes as military tensions rise in Kayah and security has been tightened in downtown Loikaw, with junta forces checking the cell phones of residents. Many people are staying in their houses, while workers from other areas of the country are returning to their hometowns. Fighting between regime soldiers and the KPDF broke out on May 21 and over forty junta troops, including police, have since been killed. The KPDF has attacked and destroyed police stations in Kayah State’s Demoso Township and Shan State’s Pekon Township and Moebyel Town. Regime forces have fired artillery into community quarters and villages following the shootouts with the KPDF. Clashes continued in Demoso Township at dawn on Wednesday. A KPDF member said a woman was killed by junta forces gunfire, while another man was seriously injured. Five KPDF members were confirmed killed after heavy fighting near the Ngwe Taung Dam in Demoso Township on Tuesday. “During the May 25 fighting, we lost five of our men. We also heard there were many casualties from the junta side. However, we can only confirm seeing five dead regime soldiers,” said the KPDF member on Wednesday. Displaced People Some 70,000 residents from around 150 villages in Demoso, Loikaw and Shan State’s Pekon Township have been displaced in the five days of fighting since Friday, according to relief workers. In Pekon and Moebyel Town, over 20,000 people have been displaced, while more than 50,000 are displaced in Kayah State, including 10,000 in Demoso and 6,000 in Nam Mae Khon, according to Pekon, Loikaw and Demoso residents. One relief worker said the villagers have fled into the hills, while town residents are sheltering at monasteries, churches and in elders homes. “We need shelters in the rural areas with the rainy season beginning. The elders and children also need medicine,” he said. Another relief worker in Pekon said the town residents and people from nearby villages have fled their homes. The displaced villagers are taking temporary shelter at five different places, as well as scattering across Pekon and Moebyel to stay with relatives. He added that they are in need of emergency help, as the basic food items the villagers brought with them will run out after a week if the fighting continues. A spokesman of the management committee for the internally displaced people (IDP) in Pikin Kaw Khu, a village near the Kayah-Shan border, said that there are about 1,500 people who fled from Pekin Kaw Khu and Hawyi Kaw Khu villages. They have brought some food with them, but if they are going to be displaced for a long time, people will need rice, medicine and shelter from the elements. “We opened an IDP camp in Pekin Kaw Khu. But after artillery fire landed in the camp, we now have to go to another place,” he said. One villager from Kone Thar village said that more than 2,000 people have fled alongside him. “We have rice, but not enough for a long time. We need shelters, clean water and medicine,” said the villager. Relief workers, camp management leaders and locals who The Irrawaddy contacted urged the junta forces not to fire at civilians and the IDP camps. The relief worker from Pekon added, “There is no guaranteed safe place for the IDPs, because the junta forces even fire at the churches where people are sheltering and white flags are flying.”
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-26
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar Regime Police Chief’s Democracy Activist Brother Dies in Custody
Topic: 1988, arrested, Bago, civilian, dead, Democracy, junta, Military, Police, regime, Torture
Topic: 1988, arrested, Bago, civilian, dead, Democracy, junta, Military, Police, regime, Torture
Description: "A veteran pro-democracy activist, who is a younger brother of the Myanmar regime’s Home Affairs Ministry deputy minister and chief of police, died while in military custody in Bago Region. The 53-year-old Ko Soe Moe Hlaing, also known as Ko Mae Gyi, was arrested Saturday in Zaung Tu village in Bago Region along with a few other villagers after a regime informant told troops about their whereabouts. A friend said they were told by witnesses that Ko Mae Gyi was violently beaten over the head with rifle butts at the time of his arrest. On Monday night, his wife was informed by telephone that he was dead. The status of the other detained villagers is still unknown. His friends believed that the activist was tortured to death for his strong political beliefs against the military regime. Unlike with his notorious brother Lt-Gen Than Hlaing, who was promoted to deputy minister and chief of police following the coup and is one of the key people responsible for the brutal crackdowns on civilians, Ko Soe Moe Hlaing, a.k.a Ko Mae Gyi, had devoted his life to the country’s struggle for democracy since 1988. He was also involved in All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) which was the first students’ army formed to oppose the then-regime in 1988. Due to his political activism during and after 1988, he was jailed for 13 years after being arrested for taking part in a student movement demanding the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi under the previous military regime. After his release, Ko Mae Gyi actively worked on philanthropic projects and regional development in Bago. He also established a network in the region to offer free education to children. The family was only allowed to see Ko Mae Gyi’s face after his body was placed inside a coffin at Mingaladon military hospital in Yangon, before a funeral on Tuesday evening. “Despite coming from a family with military background, he did everything he could throughout his life for the country’s democracy, from taking part in protest movements to joining the student army. He was a good leader, much experienced in political activism. I am so grieved to lose our good comrade,” said a former political prisoner who was also one of his inmates in prison. Ko Mae Gyi was married with five children. In Sagaing Region’s Kale Township, a detainee was also killed under detention. Ko Min Min, the father of two, died hours after being detained by junta forces on Monday afternoon. He was taken from his motorcycle workshop for questioning. On Tuesday, his body was returned to his family from a military hospital with knife wounds on his arms and bruises on his back and leg. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) which tracks killings and detentions, at least 20 civilians have been tortured to death in military custody since the coup..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Survivors of junta brutality remain defiant as they struggle to rebuild their lives
Sub-title: Even after suffering life-changing injuries, many protesters are determined to keep up the fight against military rule
Description: "Thura was trying to recover the body of a friend who had been shot in the head when he, too, came under fire from regime forces during a protest in Yangon’s North Okkalapa Township on March 3. The 23-year-old had been a regular participant in protests at North Okkalapa’s Kanthaya Park, but on the day he was shot, a crackdown dispersed the crowd that had gathered there. Rather than simply give up and go home, however, he and some friends decided to march to another protest site at the township’s Circular Junction. They went because they wanted to support students who had come under attack at the junction. They knew that they were walking into an extremely dangerous situation, but somehow it no longer seemed to matter. When his friend was shot and killed, he became even more reckless, he recalled. “In the past, I didn’t think I would ever dare go into an area where bullets were flying. I was just too scared. But the crackdown made my blood boil, so I wasn’t afraid anymore. I just wanted to get my friend's body and return it to his family,” he told Myanmar Now. On a day that saw a total of 38 civilians killed by the regime around the country, North Okkalapa alone accounted for 10 of them. But a far greater number were injured, many of them seriously. Thura was one of 79 who were wounded in the township on the day that he permanently lost his eyesight. A bullet fired by a soldier from the military’s notorious Light Infantry Division 77 took out his left eye, but blinded him in the right as well. His first thought, he said, was how the news would affect his mother, who suffers from heart disease. “I was afraid that my mom would be very sad,” he said.....‘Ready to do anything’: Thura, who dropped out of school after completing the eighth grade to help support his family, lives in a household of eight people. Their home is in North Dagon Myothit, one of the “new townships” created by the former regime a year after it seized power in 1988. Since he was shot, he has been receiving treatment for his injuries at home. To help him pass the time, family members read the news to him so that he can follow the progress of the movement against the current junta. Despite losing his vision, he said that he would willingly do anything he could to bring down the regime. As a “defence-line protester”, Thura was armed with no more than a makeshift shield that he used to slow down rampaging soldiers so that fellow protesters could escape. Now, however, he is prepared to go to extremes to fight back. “Do I have to strap explosives to my body and blow myself up in a crowd of soldiers? If I can, I will. If there is anything I can do, I’m ready to do it,” he said. Like many others who have fallen victim to the regime’s ruthless efforts to terrorize the public into submission, however, Thura’s immediate concerns are more personal. He is still worried about his bedridden mother, from whom he has managed to hide his own condition. “I don't want to make her heart disease worse,” he said, explaining why he hasn’t let his mother know what happened to him. He also acknowledged that his situation has added to his family’s hardships at a time when the collapse of the economy since the coup has put enormous pressure on the poor. But even the loss of one of the family’s breadwinners has done little to dampen their conviction that no sacrifice is too great to resist the junta’s rule. “Despite this incident, no one in my family has spoken a word of regret,” he said.....Fighting for the future: A week after Thura lost his eyesight in North Okkalapa, 24-year-old San Lin was shot while protesting in South Dagon. Two days later, after being admitted to Mingaladon Military Hospital, he lost half of his left leg. He spent 10 days in the hospital, and was due to return again five days later to have the dressing on his wound changed when the regime’s forces went on a killing spree. His appointment was on March 27—a day marked by the military as Armed Forces Day, but by the rest of the country as Anti-Fascist Resistance Day. It was the worst day of killing since the coup. Over 100 civilians were murdered on that day alone, and countless others were wounded. San Lin said he felt he had to fight for the sake of his three-year-old son’s future. “We received a poor education when the military was in power before. I don’t want my son to have a similar fate,” he said. He said he believed that the Spring Revolution, as the anti-coup uprising has been called, would eventually succeed, but it would take time. “Our movement must win. We will fight until we win,” he said. As for his own role, he said that even if he can no long join his fellow protesters on the front lines, he will still find a way to support their efforts. “I will continue participating in this movement in any way I can. In the beginning, I was a frontline protester. I can’t be on the front line anymore, but I will stay in the movement,” he said. While his son’s future remains his primary motivation for continuing with the struggle, he said he now also feels an obligation to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. “If we fight until we win, our brothers and sisters who gave their lives will be content in the afterlife. All people who are fighting for democracy at this time are brothers and sisters,” he said.....‘We will win!’: The first reaction most people have when they learn that a family member has survived a deadly crackdown is relief, according to doctor in Mandalay who has treated many such patients. But when they learn that their loved ones will never be the same after suffering often grisly injuries at the hands of soldiers armed with high-powered weapons, they realize that their suffering has just begun. “They just have to accept that whatever the patient’s condition, they can still see them alive and live together with them,” said the doctor. “It’s a sad thing,” he continued, noting that many of the victims are low-paid casual workers who struggled to make ends meet even when they were healthy. “In the future, there should be long-term projects established to support people with such disabilities,” he added. This is the grim reality that now faces thousands of people around the country who may never fully recover from injuries inflicted on them by the ruling junta. According to those who work to assist these victims of the regime’s assaults on unarmed civilians, many are unwilling to speak about their injuries to others. Myanmar Now spoke to one young man who was shot in Mandalay, but he said he was not ready to talk about his injuries, which have left him without the use of his limbs. One of the most notorious incidents was the shooting of Hlyan Phyo Aung, a 22-year-old civil-engineering student from Magway. In a particularly sadistic attack, soldiers shot both of his hands at close range, completely severing the right hand and leaving the left severely damaged. He was saved by fellow protesters, but not before the soldiers shot him repeatedly in both legs, leaving him with injuries that could require amputation. That attack took place on March 27, the day that the regime unleashed an orgy of violence on the country that put its utter contempt for human life on full display. The following day, near the Thiri Myaing railway station in Yangon’s Hlaing Township, another young protester also lost his hand after he tried to throw a hand grenade that had been lobbed at a group of protesters away from them. In a scene that was captured on video and widely shared on social media, the man is then seen getting into a cycle-rickshaw as blood dripped from his handless wrist. At that moment, he shouted the words that continue to sustain many others like him: “We will win!”..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-04-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Burma's political prisoners need our support
Description: "The number of political prisoners in Burma is growing every day since the military staged a coup on 1 February. The latest figure is over 4,250 in detention, and more than 5,000 arrested in total, but this does not include some people who have been arrested or simply disappeared in very remote ethnic areas of Burma. The military is not only carrying out the targeted arrest of individuals who they might consider a “risk”, but they are also conducting random mass arrests of civilians as a means of trying to instil fear and crush dissent. You don’t need to be a peaceful protester to face arrest or intimidation. You can be a shopkeeper, bystander, a Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) supporter, a social influencer or just an ordinary citizen. It’s heart-breaking to see the reports of detainees being tortured and killed in custody. There are also reports of family members getting arrested when the military can’t find the family member they want to arrest. Despite ongoing violence and mass arrests, people continue to protest and speak out against the military junta every day. Doctors, teachers, nurses and many others who are involved in the CDM are under increased pressure to go back to work or face arrest. The military issued warrants and revoked licences for many doctors and nurses for taking part in the CDM. After their release, they will have a criminal record, which makes it almost impossible to go back to their jobs or find new jobs. Many university students should be pursuing their dreams, but instead, they are being thrown into jail for protesting. It’s unlikely they will be able to go back to their studies after prison. For many decades, criminal records for political prisoners have been used as a form of repression by the junta to ostracise activists and to discourage people from speaking out. Having a criminal record can impact them and their families for the rest of their lives, often meaning struggling to survive and living in poverty. In February, the military revised Burma’s Penal Code to target and arrest anyone who speaks out against the coup. The Code of Criminal Procedure was also amended so they can arrest people without warrants and deny bail. Every day, groups of people are being charged under the new 505-A law. Its broad language – “cause fear, spread false news, agitate directly or indirectly criminal offence against a government employee” makes it possible for anyone to be arrested. Punishment for violation of 505-A is up to 3 years in prison. Additionally, we still don’t know the location of many political prisoners and many of them still haven’t been charged. My father was arrested in the early hours on 1 February, and we found out that he was charged and detained in Insein prison only two months after his arrest. In the midst of everything, we are “lucky” to know where he is but many families still don’t have that reassurance. The military is also filing politically motivated charges against activists and civilians to make sure that they can keep them in prison. Armed soldiers forcibly arrested U Ko Htwe in Namhsan on 11 February and later charged him with violating “Covid safety regulations”. The irony is that soldiers themselves violated covid regulations by showing up in a group to arrest U Ko Htwe. U Ko Htwe’s crime is being an ordinary citizen who happens to support the National League for Democracy (NLD). Currently, trials are being held inside prison out of public view and families cannot attend. Some are allowed to have lawyers but it’s hard to know how many are on trial without legal counsel. Trials in Burma are just formalities and almost all of them would certainly be sentenced under politically motivated charges. Burma’s prisons are known for being unhygienic and not providing adequate food or healthcare. Now prisons are overcrowded as arrests continue. Some have been arrested with injuries and some need regular healthcare for their underlying health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, or cancer, so it is an increasingly worrying situation for families. Families also have to provide food, medicines and other essentials regularly, which puts a financial toll on them. Not all families can afford to send food regularly so many political prisoners have to survive on watery soup, bad rice and fish paste. There is a lovely tradition among political prisoners of sharing the little amount of food they received from families with each other, but it’s still not enough to provide them with essential nutrition in the long run. Families of political prisoners are unsung heroes who give unrelenting support in the background. They take on numerous roles as self-made counsellors, motivators, cooks, friends and they don’t often get the credit that they deserve. At the moment, family visits are not allowed. Even when families can visit, it would be a 15-30 minute monitored visit every month where you can’t talk openly or even embrace each other. Despite those restrictions, such moments are precious to see our loved ones and be assured that they are in good health. For both activists and families, it is very emotionally taxing to go through years of hardship and struggle. Some families became estranged from each other and most former political prisoners need to readjust to their lives outside prison. They need help financially to restart their lives and mental health support after going through torture and imprisonment. But under dictatorships and successive governments, none of the former political prisoners have received an apology or compensation for being unlawfully arrested. When an individual is unlawfully arrested in Burma, there is a huge socio-economic impact on both a political prisoner and family members. Activists know they will face arrest, lifelong trauma and uncertainty when they stand up for freedom and federal democracy, but Burma has countless heroes. When we rid our country of the military, which we will, political prisoners and their families must not be forgotten as they were for the past ten years. We all have a special obligation for them and their sacrifices. The new democratic government must ensure their criminal records are removed, and provide a special package of support for former prisoners and their families. They will need extra healthcare because of torture and malnutrition. They will need financial support, housing and, as so many students have lost their chance for education, free university education. When we win our freedom, we will owe political prisoners a great debt for their sacrifice, and it’s a debt we must make sure we pay..."
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Source/publisher: "Burma Campaign UK" (London)
Date of publication: 2021-05-24
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 25 May, (827) people are now confirmed killed by this junta coup. AAPP compiled and documented (3) fallen heroes today. These (3) fallen heroes from Bago Township in Bago Region, Myo Thit Township in Magway Region and Kale Town 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 25 May, a total of (4313) people are currently under detention; of them (102) are sentenced. 1861 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. At least 75 civilians have been killed by this terrorist junta in a month since the 24 April ASEAN leaders meeting. ASEAN intervention has not been effective at stopping the killings of civilians by this junta even with international governments, including the UN, observing the ASEAN dialogue. A family was informed this morning to collect their loved ones’ dead body from “Seit Htar Marn Tai Motorcycle Repair Shop” in Kale Town in Sagaing Region, the man had been arrested yesterday afternoon. His body was found with bruises all over the back, and stab wounds to his hands. In addition to this, Mae Gyi (a.k.a Soe Moe Hlaing), a former member of All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) and former political prisoner, was arrested on May 22 at Zaung Tu in Phayar Gyi Town in Bago Region, he was killed yesterday evening from brutal torture in interrogaiton. On the night of 23 May, a man from South Phayar Ngar Su Kan Gyi Village was shot dead while driving through Taungdwingyi to return home after work. On May 24, Kay Jar Naw, NLD member of Tanai Township in Kachin State, Danny Fenster, Frontier’s managing editor, and a lawyer representing Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman Myo Aung, called Thein Hlaing Tun, were arrested. 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: 2021-05-25
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.07 MB 3.87 MB 951.33 KB
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Title: Four killed as military shells a Catholic church near Loikaw
Sub-title: The shelling came after local resistance fighters ambushed a convoy of soldiers travelling to southern Shan State as reinforcements
Description: "Four people died and eight were critically injured as the coup regime’s forces bombed a Catholic church near the Kayah State capital of Loikaw in the early hours of Monday morning. The Tatmadaw fired artillery shells at the church in Kayan Tharyar village at around 1am, shortly after its troops were ambushed on a nearby road by local resistance fighters. People who fled the shelling were chased by soldiers firing guns and hid in nearby caves, a local resident said. The ambush came as soldiers travelled from the Kayah capital Loikaw to reinforce troop numbers in Moebye, southern Shan State. Civilians-turned-fighters from the Karenni People’s Defense Force (KPDF) said they killed at least 20 members of the regime’s forces in Moebye on Sunday and another 26 outside the nearby town of Demoso. They also captured four soldiers. Their members attacked the reinforcements from Loikaw with guns, delaying them on their way to Moebye. “The KPDF ambushed them near the Kayan Tharyar village and the reinforcements did not arrive at Moebye in time,” the local resident said. Soldiers then entered the village and began shooting. “So the locals got scared and ran to the church to hide,” the resident added. Rescue workers on Monday were unable to send the eight people injured in the shelling to the hospital in Loikaw because there was still fighting along the six-mile stretch of road that leads there, a local resident told Myanmar Now. No further details about the four people who died were available at the time of reporting. The military council’s spokesperson could not be contacted for comment about the killings at the church..."
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: Junta’s forces attack civilians in Kayah State in retaliation for local resistance
Sub-title: Local sources report that over two days, nine Karenni villagers are killed in military offensives, shellings, and what appear to have been roadside executions by the coup regime
Description: "At least nine civilians were killed by the junta’s armed forces in the Kayah (Karenni) State capital of Loikaw between Sunday night and Tuesday morning. Regime troops suffered heavy casualties during fighting with the local Karenni People’s Defence Force (KPDF) on Sunday in Moebye in southern Shan State and Demoso in Kayah State. In retaliation, the Myanmar military used both light weaponry and heavy artillery to attack civilians that night and over the following two days in Demoso and Loikaw townships. Nine civilians were killed and at least eight others seriously injured in the assaults. In the early morning hours on Tuesday, regime forces began launching offensives against civilian resistance groups in Demoso, according to a KPDF member. Starting at 4am, clashes occurred in three villages: Daw Ngan Khar, Daw Tama Nge and Ngwe Taung. Three villagers from Daw Ngan Khar were killed in the attack, the KPDF member told Myanmar Now. Clashes in Daw Tama Nge halted at around 9am. Five KPDF members were injured in the village; one critically. Meanwhile, regime forces in Loikaw opened fire indiscriminately at around 10am, with the shooting ongoing at the time of reporting on Tuesday afternoon. On Monday afternoon, a young man was shot in the head by regime troops with his hands tied behind his back. The execution took place in an unconfirmed location between Noekoe and Yayyo villages in Loikaw Township, according to updates shared on social media by a Karenni youth online community. Four villagers were also killed and eight others were seriously injured when the junta’s forces fired artillery shells at Kayan Thaya Village Church in Loikaw Township at around 1 am on Monday. On Sunday night, local man Hla Htike was fatally shot in the abdomen by the army while driving a motorcycle on the Moebye-Loikaw Road, according to locals. The junta’s armed forces raided Yayyo village and Narnattaw quarter, both on the outskirts of Loikaw, on Monday morning, and there were also shootings in Shanpine and Mong Lone quarters, according to locals. “They stormed into Yayyo village first, and then Narnattaw. We had to resist the army. At around 3:30pm, they withdrew. Some of them were in plainclothes, but they were armed with guns,” a member of KPDF told Myanmar Now. He said that there were no casualties on either side of the mutual shootout in Narnattaw, and that the military council had deployed a small number of troops to the west of Narnattaw, while the rest of the troops had moved to downtown Loikaw. On Monday evening, residents described Loikaw as silent except for the sound of artillery shells, which were fired until around 6:30pm. Using loudspeakers early on Monday morning, the military urged residents of Loikaw not to leave their homes after 9am. Residents told Myanmar Now that they heard at least six flights land at Loikaw Airport, the last which arrived at 3pm. “The planes landed at Loikaw Airport. I saw soldiers coming down. We don’t know how many soldiers were on each plane. Security was tightened at the airport. They were also seen unloading things,” a local said. The junta’s forces attacked Moebye and Demoso townships with heavy artillery on Sunday, firing some 30 shells in the area from 5pm until 10pm, a resident told Myanmar Now. While residents remain in downtown Loikaw, tens of thousands of people outside of the town itself have fled their villages throughout Demoso, Loikaw and Moebye townships, according to Karenni youth who are assisting the displaced persons..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
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
Language:
Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.06 MB 3.81 MB 940.05 KB
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Title: URGENT REPORT & APPEAL: Civilians and Children, Churches, and People with Disabilities Attacked in Kayah State and Yangon
Description: "H.E.Dr Sasa urgently appeals for strong actions and prayers H.E. Dr Sasa urgently appeals to the international communities and the responsible Governments around the world to pray for and make immediate actions and intervention efforts to end this senseless killing of civilians in Myanmar, destruction of Churches and targeting of already oppressed and marginalized ethnic communities, and to help and support the brave people of Kayah and of Myanmar overcome this brutal reign of terror by the junta ‘SAC’ forces and restore democracy, human rights, and freedom to ALL, and build "A new future in a New Myanmar where a Federal Democratic Union flourishes; and all the people of Myanmar, regardless of ethnic backgrounds, religion, race, culture or gender will be equals.” We have been doing everything we can around the clock, and now we need the support, recognition, actions and intervention from the international communities before more innocent civilians are slaughtered. Myanmar will forever be an ally, friend and partner of all those who help us during this darkest hour of our history..."
Source/publisher: Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-05-24
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 183.3 KB
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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: 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: Opinion: The generals in Myanmar are waging war on doctors and nurses
Description: "Leonard Rubenstein is a professor of practice at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and author of the forthcoming book “Perilous Medicine: The Struggle to Protect Health Care from the Violence of War.” Sandra Mon, a Myanmar national, is a senior epidemiology researcher at the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The Feb. 1 military coup in Myanmar triggered a wave of popular protest that has yet to abate. Since then, security forces have reportedly killed more than 800 demonstrators. Yet even amid the slaughter, one particular cruelty of the junta stands out: its deliberate targeting of health-care workers. On Feb. 27, the military launched its first violent attack against health care, dispersing peacefully protesting nurses and doctors with live rounds and smoke grenades. By early April it had committed more than 100 attacks on health-care transport, facilities, and personnel, killing at least 10. Soon thereafter, the military began charging medical staff with “attempts to deteriorate peace and stability of the State.” According to our research, the authorities have so far issued arrest warrants for more than 500 health-care workers. The junta’s attacks on health care have a perverse logic. Mere days into the coup, Myanmar’s health professionals, still in the throes of the country’s covid-19 response, launched a nationwide strike to protest the coup, galvanizing the pro-democracy civil disobedience movement. For that, the authorities have designated them enemies of the state. In April, a junta spokesperson absurdly accused protesting medics of committing genocide. Regime violence has extended beyond doctors and nurses who are pro-democracy activists. Since March, the military has occupied at least 36 hospitals across the country. Security forces have attacked and hijacked ambulances, directed private facilities not to treat wounded demonstrators, obstructed medics from reaching protest areas and looted medical equipment from organizations offering emergency care. In one harrowing account, a doctor in Mandalay told one of us that on May 1, security forces raided a local clandestine clinic, then severely beat and detained rescue workers nearby. The brutal assaults on health care in Myanmar have parallels elsewhere. The regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has assaulted health care as a strategy of war. In Turkey, doctors have been harassed and punished for reporting the torture of prisoners. In many countries, new laws criminalize providing health care to alleged terrorists. In Myanmar, the recent assaults continue a long-established military strategy of denying health care to communities that challenge the junta and punishing the doctors and nurses who seek to offer it. Ten years ago, one of us conducted research on access to health care during a lengthy war waged by the regime against ethnic groups seeking autonomy. The military junta at the time deemed these communities to be enemies and forbade international humanitarian organizations from operating among them. Soldiers burned clinics, stole supplies and medicines, and arrested, kidnapped and murdered medical staff. One medic recalled, “Because we are health workers for our people, if [the soldiers] know this, they will kill us.” To offer basic services such as delivering babies and teaching malaria prevention, doctors had to travel furtively through the jungle to avoid encounters with security forces. The military’s cruelty against people with medical needs and their caregivers, then as now, breached fundamental protections of health care under international law that date back to the 1860s. The rules are straightforward: Wounded and sick people and their caregivers may not be attacked or denied care based on their affiliations, and no health provider may be punished for providing it. Five years ago this month, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution condemning the alarming violence against health care in conflict and calling on governments to take concrete actions to stop it and hold perpetrators to account. The violations in Myanmar are taking place in a country that, according to the World Bank, spends $60 a year per capita on health care, near the bottom of global rankings. The violence in recent months has interrupted essential services for HIV, tuberculosis, emergency obstetric care and chronic illnesses, in addition to protest-related injuries. Myanmar’s covid-19 vaccination program, the third to be launched in Southeast Asia, has stalled thanks to widespread distrust of the military-commandeered health ministry. Coupled with a quickly diminishing health workforce and the rapid emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 strains in the region, a surge in cases in Myanmar could destabilize health security even beyond its borders. The international community must act firmly to restore democratic governance in Myanmar. It must also end the military’s lack of accountability for crimes against health and humanity by prosecuting perpetrators. It should support aid to restore Myanmar civilians’ right to health care. The civilian National Unity Government (NUG), standing in opposition to the junta, is poised to respond to people’s most critical needs in health and beyond. Toward that end, international health mechanisms, such as the World Health Organization’s Covax program, should partner with the NUG to address the country’s most urgent medical needs. Those responsible for the assaults on health-care workers in Myanmar, as elsewhere, have long enjoyed impunity. This cannot be allowed to continue. The world must take a stand.
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Source/publisher: "The Washington Post" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-05-20
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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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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Title: Myanmar activists say more than 800 killed by security forces since coup
Description: "More than 800 people have been killed by Myanmar’s security forces since a wave of protests broke out across the country after the military seized power in a coup in February, an activist group said. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army ousted Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government and detained her and officials of her National League for Democracy party. The military has responded to protests by pro-democracy supporters in cities and towns with lethal force, while there has been an upsurge in fighting between the army and ethnic rebels in border areas and newly formed militia forces. As of Monday, 802 people had been killed in the junta's crackdown on its opponents, according to the activist group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. "This is the number verified by AAPP, the actual number of fatalities is likely much higher," the group said in its daily briefing. It detailed six additional fatalities including in towns in Chin state and in districts of the main cities of Mandalay and Yangon. Reuters could not independently verify the casualties and a military spokesman did not answer a phone call seeking comment. The junta has previously disputed the number of civilians that have died and said dozens of members of the security forces had also been killed during the protests. The activist group said 4,120 people were currently being detained, including 20 who had been sentenced to death. RESIDENTS FLEE Some of the most intense fighting since the Feb. 1 coup has emerged in recent days in Mindat, about 100 km (60 miles) from the Indian border in Chin state as the army battles local militias. Thousands of residents in the hill town in northwest Myanmar were hiding in jungles, villages and valleys on Monday after fleeing an assault by the military, witnesses said. Martial law was declared in Mindat last week before the army launched its assault, using artillery and helicopters against a newly formed Chinland Defence Force. The militia, armed mainly with hunting rifles, 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. Roads were blocked and the presence of troops in the streets was 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." The United States and Britain have called on the army to avoid civilian casualties and a shadow National Unity Government formed by loyalists of Suu Kyi appealed for international help. A U.N. General Assembly vote on Tuesday on a draft resolution calling "for an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all weapons and munitions" to Myanmar has been postponed, diplomats said. It was not immediately known when a vote would be rescheduled. Some diplomats said it had been delayed in a bid to win more support. The draft resolution calls on the Myanmar military to end a state of emergency, stop all violence against peaceful protesters and respect the will of the people as expressed in the results of November's election..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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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’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!..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Tea Circle (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-17
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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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
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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
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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: ‘A humanitarian disaster in the making’ in Myanmar’s Chin State
Sub-title: Men in embattled town of Mindat flee to the hills as military steps up crack down on resistance to February 1 coup.
Description: "On May 15, Biak Thang hastily said goodbye to his wife and two children, grabbed a few days’ worth of food and supplies and ran to the forest. “We heard that [military forces] are arresting men, so most of the men are escaping and only women and children are left,” said Biak Thang, who asked to use a pseudonym for security reasons. “I don’t feel safe. I only heard about war-displaced people in the media, but we are war-displaced people now,” he said from the wooded hills on the outskirts of Mindat, a town in Myanmar’s Chin State. The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) has warned that the military, which seized power in a February 1 coup, may have committed war crimes and “grave breaches of the Geneva Convention” in Mindat, a town of 46,000 people located 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the border with India. Since imposing martial law there on May 13, the military has used local youth as human shields, occupied schools and hospitals, destroyed property and conducted heavy-weapon attacks by air and land, according to the CHRO and local media reports. The military, also known as the Tatmadaw, has described the violence in Mindat as a response to “armed terrorists,” referring to civilian defence forces, which have taken up arms in recent weeks, and said its forces returned fire after coming under attack.. While the military has reportedly used artillery fire, rocket-propelled grenades and automatic machine guns, the civilian forces are armed largely with homemade hunting rifles and makeshift explosives. Worn down by bloody crackdowns and arbitrary arrests, Mindat’s fighters are among growing numbers of people across the country turning to armed resistance to overthrow military rule. Since the coup, millions have taken to the streets in peaceful protest, while a Civil Disobedience Movement has shut down infrastructure and public services. The military, meanwhile, has killed more than 800 civilians and more than 4,000 people remain in custody, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which is tracking arrests throughout the country...... ‘Big machine weapons’: Chin, a rural and mountainous state in Myanmar’s northwest which is among the country’s least developed, has become among the fiercest battlegrounds of resistance, along with Sagaing region to its north. Beginning in late March, a group of civilians armed with hunting rifles and homemade weapons maintained a protest camp for more than 10 days in Sagaing’s town of Kalay, where it successfully negotiated a prisoner swap before the military attacked the camp with grenades and machine guns on April 7, killing 11 people. In Mindat, fighting erupted on April 24, after the military refused to release seven detained youth. Two days later, civilian defence forces ambushed six military trucks carrying reinforcement troops and weapons; the military responded by firing rocket launchers and artillery into the town. “The attacks started from the outskirts of Mindat. A few days later, they entered the town using big machine weapons. The situation intensified because they attacked indiscriminately, even in residential areas,” a local volunteer medic told Al Jazeera. She requested her name be withheld for her security. By April 27, Mindat’s civilian defence forces claimed to have killed more than 30 military soldiers. After the military released the seven detainees, the fighting paused for 10 days but resumed on May 12 when the military refused to release five more detainees. The next day, the military declared martial law over the town, after which it brought in troops and arms by land and air and attacked with heavy weapons during a three-day siege. On the morning of May 15, soldiers stormed Mindat, firing into streets and arresting young men from their homes. According to the CHRO, soldiers used at least 15 of the young people they had arrested as human shields. “These are ordinary youths who were trying to get outside of Mindat to avoid indiscriminate bombardment,” the CHRO’s Deputy Director Salai Za Uk Ling told Al Jazeera. “We are extremely concerned about their wellbeing as they are most likely to be mistreated and tortured under custody.” Since the coup, the bodies of numerous detainees across the country have been returned to families bearing signs of torture..... Community in fear: The Tatmadaw’s power grab, which brought to an end a hesitant transition to democracy, has rekindled unresolved armed conflicts between the military and several ethnic armed organisations, which have been fighting for political autonomy in the country’s borderlands for decades. City dwellers have also begun travelling to the territories held by ethnic armed groups to seek training to fight against the military government, while grassroots civilian defence forces have sprung up in areas that had not previously seen fighting. In March, a group of overthrown legislators and ethnic leaders serving as a parallel government in exile endorsed the public’s right to self-defence. On May 5, the shadow government announced the formation of a People’s Defence Force to protect the public’s “safety, property and wellbeing” and fight for the establishment of a federal democratic union. The People’s Defence Force is considered a step towards the creation of a federal army that could unite the country’s ethnic armed organisations and civilian defence forces under a single cause. Biak Thang, the Mindat resident who fled the town on May 15, told Al Jazeera that the community has been living in fear since the Tatmadaw imposed martial law there. “Civilians cannot move around freely,” he said. “We cannot go out to buy food or supplies. We are just depending on what we have stored.” He estimates about 70 percent of local people are hiding in small groups in the forest, and there is a risk of food shortages. Local media have also reported an urgent need for food and medical supplies for those who fled. The volunteer medic told Al Jazeera that she and her team are shifting to different locations in the forest to avoid arrest, while still attempting to care for the wounded. “When we are moving from place to place, even we uninjured people get really exhausted,” she said. “The patients should be resting, but instead, they have to run … It added so much time for their injuries to heal.” She is concerned that a lack of nutritious food will further hinder their recovery. By the time civilian defence forces retreated on May 15, allegedly to prevent further harm to civilians, seven members had been killed, according to local media reports. The military-run TV channel reported that some of its own troops had been killed and were missing but did not give a number. The US and UK embassies have condemned the military’s violence against civilians in Mindat, as has the National Unity Government, Myanmar’s government-in-exile. The National Unity Government also expressed its support for the people’s right to self-defence and called for a no-fly zone over Myanmar as well as international action to end the violence and protect the people..... Women left vulnerable: With most men having fled Mindat, rights groups now warn the women and children left behind are increasingly vulnerable. Soldiers have been looting property and burning down homes since taking over the town, while some residents have been unable to get medical assistance after being shot, a Mindat resident told Reuters news agency. In the wake of the attacks, the National Unity Government’s Ministry of Women, Youths and Children Affairs said in a statement that it had received verified claims of sexual violence in Mindat. Al Jazeera was unable to reach the Deputy Minister for comment. The secretary of the Chin Women Organization Hakha, who requested her name be withheld as she is currently in hiding, told Al Jazeera that she was “worried that the military could use sexual assault and rape as weapons as they have that history … As the military has occupied Mindat, the lives of Chin women and young girls, and all women in Mindat, are not safe anymore,” she said. In August 2019, a UN Fact-Finding Mission reported that Myanmar military soldiers “routinely and systematically” employed rape and sexual violence and that sexual violence perpetrated by the military was “part of a deliberate, well-planned strategy to intimidate, terrorise and punish a civilian population.” During a campaign of violence in Rakhine State in 2017, sexual violence was a factor indicating the military’s “genocidal intent to destroy the Rohingya population,” according to the UN report. Salai Za Uk Ling of the CHRO told Al Jazeera that due to the stigma and sensitivity of the issue, his organisation was not releasing detailed information about alleged sexual violence in Mindat, but he shared concerns that incidents of sexual violence could happen. He also warned that patterns of violence seen in Mindat could spread to other parts of the country, leading to more displacement as the rainy season approaches. With neighbouring India so far refusing to offer asylum to those crossing the border, Salai Za Uk Ling worries that the displaced will be left with no safe place to go. Although the civilian defence forces have retreated in Mindat, fighting is already spreading to other parts of the state. The civilian defence forces claim to have killed five military soldiers in Hakha township, where a member of civilian defence forces was also killed on May 16. Clashes in Tedim township left four military soldiers and two unarmed civilians dead, according to local media reports. Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the information. “The junta’s actions in Mindat demonstrate how far they are willing to go in trying to put the population under control. Mindat is only the beginning,” said Salai Za Uk Ling. “We are now basically witnessing a humanitarian disaster in the making..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Al Jazeera" (Qatar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-18
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
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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
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.04 MB 3.7 MB 928.45 KB
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Title: CRPH Announcement No. 28/2021: ကြေညာချက် အမှတ် ( ၂၈/၂၀၂၁ )
Description: "ကြေညာချက် အမှတ် ( ၂၈/၂၀၂၁ ) =================== ၁၃၈၃ ခုနှစ်၊ ကဆုန်လဆန်း ၆ ရက် မေလ (၁၆)ရက်၊ ၂၀၂၁ခုနှစ်။ --------------------------- ၁။ ချင်းပြည်နယ် မင်းတပ်မြို့တွင် ဖြစ်ပွားလျက်ရှိသော အကြမ်းဖက်စစ်ကောင်စီတပ်၏ အပြစ်မဲ့ အရပ်သား ပြည်သူလူထုနှင့် ကလေးသူငယ်များအပေါ် လူသားမဆန်စွာ လက်နက်ကြီးများဖြင့် ပစ်ခတ်တိုက်ခိုက်ခြင်း၊ တိုက်ခိုက်ရေးရဟတ်ယာဉ်များ အသုံးပြု၍ ပြင်းထန်စွာ တိုက်ခိုက်ဖြိုခွင်းမှုများအပေါ် ပြည်ထောင်စုလွှတ်တော် ကိုယ်စားပြုကော်မတီ (CRPH) အနေဖြင့် ပြင်းထန်စွာ ရှုတ်ချလိုက်သည်။ ၂။ အာဏာသိမ်းစစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အပြစ်မဲ့ပြည်သူလူထုနှင့် ကလေးသူငယ်များအပေါ် ပစ်မှတ်ထား တိုက်ခိုက်မှု များသည် လူ့အခွင့်အရေးချိုးဖောက်မှုများ ဖြစ်သဖြင့် ချက်ချင်းရပ်တန့်ရန်နှင့် လူသားမျိုးနွယ်စုအပေါ် ကျူးလွန် သော ရာဇဝတ်ပြစ်မှုများအတွက်လည်း စစ်ကောင်စီက တာဝန်ခံရမည် ဖြစ်ကြောင်း ပြင်းထန်စွာသတိပေး လိုက်သည်။ ၃။ ကုလသမဂ္ဂ အပါအဝင် နိုင်ငံတကာ အသိုင်းအဝိုင်းအနေဖြင့်လည်း အကြမ်းဖက်သတ်ဖြတ် တိုက်ခိုက်နေ သော အာဏာသိမ်း စစ်ကောင်စီကို ထိရောက်သော အရေးယူမှုများ အမြန်ဆုံးဆောင်ရွက်ရန် တိုက်တွန်းသည်။ ၄။ ပြည်သူလူထုမှ အာဏာသိမ်း စစ်ကောင်စီ၏ အကြမ်းဖက် ပြုကျင့်မှုများကို လက်မခံနိုင်ပဲ ရရာလက်နက်စွဲ ကိုင် တော်လှန်နေသော မင်းတပ်ပြည်သူလူထု၏ ရဲစွမ်းသတ္တိနှင့် တွန်းလှန်နေမှုကို ပြည်ထောင်စုလွှတ်တော် ကိုယ်စားပြုကော်မတီအနေဖြင့် အသိအမှတ်ပြု ဂုဏ်ပြုသည့်အပြင် ထိခိုက်ကျဆုံးခဲ့ရသော မင်းတပ်ပြည်သူလူထု နှင့် တစ်သားတည်း ဝမ်းနည်းခံစားရပါကြောင်း၊ အမျိုးသားညီညွတ်ရေးအစိုးရနှင့် ပေါင်းစပ်ညှိနှိုင်းကာ လိုအပ် သောအကူအညီများ ဆောင်ရွက်သွားမည်ဖြစ်ကြောင်း ထုတ်ပြန်ကြေညာလိုက်သည်။ ပြည်ထောင်စုလွှတ်တော်ကိုယ်စားပြုကော်မတီ..."
Source/publisher: Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH)
Date of publication: 2021-05-16
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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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 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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Title: The Union Minister of the MoIC and NUG Spokesperson H.E. Dr. Sasa’s Address to the Parliamentarians of the United Kingdom - UK
Description: "The brave people of Myanmar and the National Unity Government of Myanmar greatly appreciate the People, Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom for standing with us at this critical moment in our history. While the fate of our country is in the hands of our people, strong and continued support from the UK Government and the international community is absolutely crucial to our success. Now, more than ever, the people of Myanmar need your continued friendship and support. First of all, I would like to reiterate my sincere thanks to the People, Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom for standing in solidarity and being a strong voice for the people of Myanmar. I also want to express my gratitude for the efforts of the UK on coordinating targeted sanctions against key tatmadaw personnel, tatmadaw linked companies and enterprises such as MEC and MEHL, and for providing extra funding to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. Additionally, I would like to further thank the UK government for taking a strong leadership role in the UN and G7 summits on behalf of the people of Myanmar, and for the recognition of CRPH and NUG as important voices of many in this nation. Truly we are the voice of over 54 million brave people who stand in solidarity against the cruel and ruthless junta. Thank you also for lending protection and support to Ambassador Kyaw Zraw Minn since he was illegally removed from office by the junta. I previously had the wonderful privilege of meeting with Minister H.E. Nigel Adams and other British Parliamentarians who reassured me that the People and Government of the UK are strongly committed and supportive of the brave people of Myanmar in our peaceful movement for freedom and democracy against the junta reign of terror. I am also looking forward very much to appearing before the British Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee on the Myanmar military coup hearing. I am proud to serve as the Minister of International Cooperation and Spokesperson for the National Unity Government. It is my job to provide you with the information and assistance that you need to support the people of Myanmar. I am always at your service. The duty of a nation’s military is to defend and protect its people. However, under the command of Min Aung Hlaing, the supposed guardians of our nation are doing precisely the opposite of their duty and continue arbitrarily murdering and detaining without cause the brave and innocent civilians of Myanmar on a daily and hourly basis. The people of Myanmar unanimously consider Min Aung Hlaing and those who report to him as terrorists. It has been 104 days since Min Aung Hlaing and his gunmen instigated this illegal coup d’etat and took the nation hostage. Since that day: • Nearly 800 civilians have been murdered, including at least 52 children; • Approximately 5,000 civilians have been detained with roughly 4,000 still remaining in detention; • Over 1,500 are being hunted by junta forces, evading arrest warrants. • Continually bombing villages in ethnic States; • The junta continues using the ASEAN Summit as a propaganda tool; • I myself am personally wanted for high treason, as are my colleagues; • Daily raids on private homes continue unabated. In a raid last week of the home of an opposition leader, for example, authorities abducted his wife and 20 day old infant when they could not find him. • There is significant evidence of the torture of those captured, including the poet Khat Thi who was detained last week and murdered within 24 hours. • They continue to try and stop the truth from getting out: o They have shutdown Internet access for weeks now, o Abolished all free media outlets, o illegitimately made free association illegal, and o they have harassed and imprisoned journalists. More than 40 journalists remain in detention in Myanmar including an international Journalist from Japan. • The violence we are seeing by the junta is both systematic and widespread. It is clear that they are engaging in crimes against humanity against the people of Myanmar. • Myanmar is quickly becoming a failed state: o Nearly a quarter million people have become displaced. o Food insecurity is rising sharply..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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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
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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: Activist in Monywa dies after being set on fire in horrific attack
Sub-title: The victim was a longstanding supporter of the National League for Democracy who had taken part in anti-coup protests
Description: "A pro-democracy activist in the Sagaing Region town of Monywa was murdered on Friday after being set on fire in an unprovoked attack, according to a witness to the incident. Factory manager Taing Aung said that he was talking to the victim, 60-year-old Sein Win, on Friday morning when a factory worker poured gasoline over his head and set him alight. “I saw him pour the gasoline and then immediately set him on fire. I shouted and tried to put out the fire on Ko Sein Win,” said Taing Aung, who was a friend of the victim. “He poured the gasoline on him just like we do with water during the Thingyan water festival,” he told Myanmar Now. Sein Win was immediately admitted to the Monywa General Hospital, but died at around 11pm on Friday, he added. “He had severe burns on his legs, hands, and head—almost his entire body. His face was burned black. The skin on his legs and hands peeled off,” said Taing Aung. The assailant was identified as Aung Ko, a resident of Monywa’s Myawaddy ward. At the time of reporting, he was still at large. Officials at the Monywa police station could not be reached for comment when contacted by Myanmar Now on Saturday. Sein Win’s family will hold a funeral for him on Sunday afternoon. A longtime supporter of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Sein Win had been active in politics since the 1988 pro-democracy uprising and campaigned for the party in the 1990 election. According to his daughter Thin Thin Nwe, his political activism often made life difficult for him and his family, including his three adult children. “None of us ever applied for jobs that required documents or references from ward administrators or the police,” she said, explaining that the regime actively discriminated against those known to oppose its rule. She added, however, that she understood her father’s position because he shared his political beliefs with his children and educated them about the nature of the dictatorship. As a veteran pro-democracy activist, Sein Win joined anti-regime protests in Monywa soon after the military seized power on February 1. He was also close to youth activists and supported the anti-coup activities of Generation Z protesters in the town. “He believed this revolution would win. He saw rays of hope, and so do we. I am very sad that my father will no longer be able to see our victory,” Thin Thin Nwe said. Sein Win was also a charity worker and a lover of poetry whose poems have been published in a number of magazines. A fellow poet in Monywa who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity said that it was unlikely that the motive for the attack was personal. “He was an honest and active charity worker and political activist,” he said. At least nine civilians, including poet Kay Za Win and writer Kyi Lin Aye, have been murdered in brutal crackdowns on anti-coup protesters in Monywa. Monywa-based poet Khet Thi died last week in the regime's custody a day after he was arrested in Shwebo, another town in Sagaing about 100km from Monywa..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-16
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
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Title: Myanmar’s Long History of Revolutionary Poets
Topic: Poets
Topic: Poets
Description: "Poet Khet Thi was arrested by some 100 junta troops on the evening of May 8. The following day, he was dead. His wife reportedly had to ask the authorities for permission to collect his body, whose internal organs had been removed for autopsy, from Monywa Hospital. The 45-year-old poet was arrested for alleged possession of explosives, but no evidence was found at his home. He was the third poet to be killed by junta forces in Sagaing Region’s Monywa in just two months. Poets K Za Win, 39, and Kyi Lin Aye, 36, were shot dead in crackdowns in March. Poet U Yee Mon, the poet-turned-defense-minister in the National Unity Government (NUG) formed to rival the military regime, wrote on his Facebook page: “Khet Thi and K Za Win, two Monywa poets have fallen. I am sad. I am committed to fight until we win.” More than a dozen poets who have shown solidarity with the people against the military regime have also been detained in Yangon, Ayeyawady’s Pathein and Taninthayi’s Myeik. In Myanmar’s long history of revolution, poets have fought injustice with the power of art. After Myanmar’s last monarch King Thibaw was dethroned and sent into exile, renowned poets from the royal capital Mandalay, including Saya Pe, Sebunni Sayadaw, U Kyawt and Maunghtaung U Kyaw Hla, wrote poems intended to promote nationalism and patriotism. Saya Pe was not content fighting with the pen and went to Shan State to take up the sword. He died there. Maunghtaung U Kyaw Hla was also the first poet to be arrested under colonial rule for his anti-colonialist poems. The most famous poet laureate in the colonial period was Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing, also known as Maung Lun, who said he would fight with poems for the independence of the country. His pen proved to be mighty in instilling nationalism and patriotism in Myanmar’s people. In 1941, his reputation as an anti-colonial nationalist and patron of Doh Bamar Asiayon (the We Burmans Association) earned him a place on the British authorities’ “Burma List,” making him an “enemy of the state.” The association played an important part in Myanmar’s independence struggle, bringing together nationalist elements and fresh political ideals while raising political consciousness. In the time of the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League government after independence, poets Daung Nwe Swe, Ne Thway Ni, Maung Yin Mon and others were known for their works supporting the movements of students, workers and farmers as well as anti-war poems and satirical works critical of bureaucrats. However, draconian censorship was imposed after General Ne Win seized power in 1962. Poet Min Yu Wai was sacked as the chief editor of military-run Myawady Magazine after he wrote a poem deemed to be critical of the dictator. Poet Win Latt and editor Win Khet of ‘Perspective’ Journal were sentenced to two years in prison for publishing a satirical poem about Ne Win and his wife Khin May Than. Many poets were put behind bars under the rule of Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP) as they took part in every movement against the repressive regime. In 1970s, poet Lay Maung from Mandalay, who was serving his time as a political prisoner in Coco Islands, staged a hunger strike together with other prisoners. They called for abolishing the island prison, which was dubbed as a Burmese “Devil’s Island.” He died in prison after staging a hunger strike for more than 50 days. Thanks to the sacrifices of the poet and seven others, BSPP transferred all the prisoners to Yangon’s Insein Prison, marking a significant event in the history of Myanmar’s correctional system. Poets were united with the people in the pro-democracy uprising in 1988 that toppled the single-party dictatorship of Ne Win. U Min Ko Naing, one of the prominent student leaders in 1988, is also a poet. Student leader Shwe Phone Lu, who would later become a best-selling author-cum-poet under the pen name Taryar Min Wai, wrote a poem asking the students to boycott education as the military regime re-opened universities and schools after the uprising. He was jailed for five years for that poem. Famous writer-cum-poet Min Lu was also arrested in 1989 for his satirical poem “What has happened?” criticizing coup leader General Saw Maung and Myanmar’s military. Both he and the publisher were given five years in prison as the poem became a phenomenon. Poet Min Thu Wun, father of the 9th president of Myanmar and the first president of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, U Htin Kyaw, had also had his poems banned by the military regime after the NLD won the 1990 general elections because he took an active part in the party’s campaigns. Poet Tin Moe, a prominent figure of the NLD, was also jailed for five years because he wrote poems and gave talks across the country for the cause of democracy. He was forced into exile after his release and died abroad in 2007. In 2008, poet Saw Wai was arrested for his Valentine’s Day poem with a coded message, ridiculing the then-dictator Senior General Than Shwe. The first words of each line of the poem read, “power-crazed Snr-Gen Than Shwe.” Over past 136 years since King Thibaw was dethroned in 1885 to military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s seizure of power on Feb. 1, 2021, poets have shown solidarity with the ordinary people and have been at the frontline in every revolution in Myanmar. Khet Thi’s following poem is a testimony to that. “In heads, they shoot Never do they know Revolution lies in hearts.”..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 247.43 KB
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Title: Myingan resistance fighter turns up dead after one day in regime custody, with signs of torture
Sub-title: ‘I believe he died during his interrogation,’ a relative of 21-year-old Zin Ko Tun said, noting that the young man’s body had wounds and burn marks
Description: "A 21-year-old resistance fighter from Mandalay Region’s Myingyan Township is believed to have been tortured to death in regime custody earlier this week after fighting to defend a village under junta attack. Family members who retrieved the body of Zin Ko Tun from Myingan Hospital on Thursday afternoon said there were clear signs of torture to the young man, including several blisters on his left arm and a wound on his chest. He had been arrested in Talokemyo village one day earlier, a resistance stronghold around 15km from Myingan town on the east side of the Irrawaddy River. Preceding his arrest were clashes between local resistance forces and the junta’s armed forces, Zin Ko Tun’s friends and relatives told Myanmar Now. During this outbreak of fighting, he had suffered a bullet wound near his left elbow. “I believe he died during his interrogation after getting arrested with an injury. We were unable to find out anything about his situation after his arrest,” one of Zin Ko Tun’s relatives said, requesting not to be identified. The 21-year-old was a member of the local resistance group known as the Myingyan People’s Defence Force (PDF). He had volunteered to help locals in Talokemyo hold back junta soldiers who were trying to crush anti-regime resistance in the village on Tuesday and Wednesday. The 20-hour siege on Talokemyo ended on Wednesday with most resistance fighters forced to retreat. Six men, including Zin Ko Tun, were arrested after the military surrounded the village. On Wednesday night, a military-run TV program announced that the regime forces had arrested six individuals in Talokemyo, but showed a photo of only five young men in captivity—all except Zin Ko Tun. After the photo went viral on social media, Zin Ko Tun’s family members feared it was an indication that he had already been killed in regime custody. At around 9am on Thursday, a police officer from Myingyan informed Zin Ko Tun’s family members through an intermediary that they needed to collect his body from Myingan Hospital, the relative told Myanmar Now. “The man told us that there was a body at the Myingyan Hospital and no one was claiming it. When I arrived at the hospital, I saw a mark on that body which confirmed it was him. So we claimed the body,” the relative said. The mark in question was a tattoo of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) flag that Zin Ko Tun had inked on his right arm. It appeared to have been burnt off with a hot iron, the relative added. Zin Ko Tun was a member of the ABFSU as well as the Myingyan Technological College’s the student union, where he was a first-year IT student. He was the eighth of nine children and a native of Nyaungto village, on the Irrawaddy’s eastern bank in Myingyan Township. His body was transported to Nyaungto on Thursday and family members held a funeral for him on Friday morning. Since the February 1 military coup, many civilians in Myanmar have been killed during interrogation shortly after being taken into regime custody. Two of the most high-profile cases occurred in March, when two officials from the National League for Democracy (NLD) died soon after their arrest. Khin Maung Latt, a ward chair for the NLD in Yangon’s Pabedan Township, died on March 7 after soldiers and police took him from his home during a night raid the day before. The following day, Zaw Myat Lin, an NLD member who ran the Suu Vocational Institute in Yangon’s Shwepyithar Township, was also arrested by soldiers during a night raid. One day later, township police informed his family of his death and told his wife to go to the Mingaladon military hospital to identify his body. His body, which showed signs of torture, was returned to his family. Another victim was Marlar Win, a mother of three who was arrested after being shot while taking part in an anti-coup protest in Pakokku, in Magwe Region. Her family was told to retrieve her body one day after her arrest. More than 780 people have been killed by the junta’s armed forces since the coup. The regime has dismissed this death toll as inaccurate and made false claims about the murders of some protesters by its police and soldiers, instead attributing their deaths to pre-existing health problems or violence within the resistance movement..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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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: Mindat Chin State of Myanmar under intensive terrorist attacks by the junta 'SAC' forces
Description: "Mindat Chin State of Myanmar under intensive terrorist attacks by the junta 'SAC' forces: 15 May 2021 - In the last 72 hours, murderer-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing and his terrorist henchmen have been directing their cruel reign o f terror specifically against fifty thousand Chin civilians o f the town of Mindat in Southern Chin State. These terrorists have been constantly attacking the civilians in Mindat by shelling, heavy battlefield weapons, and by using 7 Helicopter gunships with 1000 plus terrorist reinforcement forces from the central terrorist regime command. Five civilians have been killed in Mindat in the last 48 hours by these terrorists, and 14 civilians injured. Civilian homes are being destroyed by helicopter gunships and bombing. These Junta terrorist forces are using Mindat civilians as human-shields to protect themselves and arresting local medical personnel who are saving their fellow wounded Mindat civilians. The terrorist 'SAC' forces under the command of murderer-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing's reign of terror in Mindat must be stopped immediately! A no-fly-zone must be imposed above Myanmar urgently! These terrorists must their siege against the citizens o f Mindat, end their occupation, and leave Chin State at once! Those responsible for and participating in these cruel atrocities and war crimes against the brave and innocent civilians o f Chin State who are trying to protect themselves, will surely be held accountable and brought to justice to pay for their crimes. All the Nations and International Communities must stand, support, and fight together with the brave and courageous people of Myanmar to end this reign of terror and nightmare once and for all. There is no room in today's world for this brutal and murderous criminal regime. Together, we will win! - Dr. Sasa Union Minister o f Ministry of International Cooperation and Spokesperson National Unity Government Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-05-15
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 35.47 KB
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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
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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
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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1.02 MB 3.77 MB 927.67 KB
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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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Format : pdf pdf pdf
Size: 1 MB 3.73 MB 926.61 KB
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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 marks 100 days of junta rule with protests, strikes
Description: "Protesters rallied in towns and cities around Myanmar on Tuesday to denounce its military rulers, 100 days after the generals' overthrow of an elected government pitched the country into its biggest crisis in decades. Demonstrators took part in marches, motorcycle convoys and flash protests to evade security forces, some making three-finger gestures of defiance as anti-coup groups renewed calls for the toppling of a junta that has been condemned around the world for killing hundreds of civilians. The junta has struggled to govern Myanmar since seizing power on Feb. 1. Protests, strikes and a civil disobedience campaign have crippled businesses and the bureaucracy in an overwhelming public rejection of the return of military rule. Protesters in the biggest city Yangon carried a banner saying "Yangon strikes for complete removal of the enemy", while demonstrators in Hpakant in Kachin State marched chanting "the revolution must prevail". Demonstrators in Hpakant, the Saigang region and elsewhere held signs in support of a National Unity Government (NUG), an anti-junta coalition that has declared itself Myanmar's legitimate authority. Last week the NUG announced the formation of a "People's Defence Force". The NUG's spokesman Dr. Sasa, said in a tweet he and other ministers of the parallel government would meet with a U.S. assistant secretary of state on Tuesday to discuss how the United States and its allies "can work together to end this reign of terror". He did not elaborate on the meeting. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the meeting. The military arrested elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi hours before the coup. It said its takeover was to protect Myanmar's fledgling democracy after a November election that it said was marred by fraud. Suu Kyi's party says its landslide win was legitimate.....INTERNATIONAL CRIMES: In a statement on Tuesday, the NUG said rank-and-file members of the military should recognise that they were responsible for committing international crimes. "It is time to answer the question clearly whether you will stand on the side of human rights and fairness, or you will continue to violate human rights by committing violence and then face the international court," it said. Despite the imposition of limited economic sanctions by the United States, the European Union and others, the junta has shown no sign of compromise. It has the tacit support of neighbouring China, a major investor and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Tuesday's protests took place amid sporadic violence in the country that has included deadly attacks on military-appointed administrators and weeks of small explosions involving homemade bombs, which the junta says is the work of the ousted government. The NUG has said the military has orchestrated such attacks as a pretext for its crackdown. In its nightly news bulletin, state-run MRTV said two members of the security forces were killed and three others wounded on Monday evening in an attack by "terrorists" in the Sagaing region. A group calling itself the Sagaing People Defence Force, in a statement earlier on Tuesday, claimed responsibility for an attack on security personnel around the same time in the same area, which it said killed three people. News reporting and information flow inside Myanmar has been severely impacted since the coup, with restrictions on internet access, a ban on foreign broadcasts and some news organisations ordered to close, accused by authorities of inciting rebellion. Security forces have killed 781 people since the coup, including 52 children, and 3,843 people are in detention, according to the Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, whose figures are being used by the United Nations. The U.N. human rights body said on Tuesday the military was showing no let-up in its efforts to consolidate power and its human rights violations went far beyond killings. "It is clear that there needs to be greater international involvement to prevent the human rights situation in Myanmar from deteriorating further," said Rupert Colville, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights..."
Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-11
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..."
Creator/author:
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: 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: 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
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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
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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
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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
Language:
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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..."
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Source/publisher: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia)
Date of publication: 2021-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-08
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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
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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..."
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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
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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
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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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