We reported previously that the residents of Thantlang, Chin State had had to abandon their homes due to the constant atrocities of junta’s forces. Since then, regime’s soldiers have been constantly ransacking, robbing, and committing arsons on the people’s properties. Today was no different, regime’s forces were reportedly raiding the houses since 9.30am and one of them was caught and killed by Chin Defense Force (CDF). Fellow junta’s soldiers retaliated and shelled artilleries in the empty city before setting houses on fire. As of writing this, a minimum of 100 houses and the biggest church of the town, Thantlang Baptist Church (TBC) were set ablaze, and the fire is still going strong since nobody is there to put it out. In Chinland, building houses take time and don’t come cheap due to the limited resources and high transportation fees. Junta’s forces have disrespected the region and destroyed what the locals cherish the most. They must pay back.
On October 26, 16 civilians were beaten up and abducted in Kawmhu Township, Yangon, as a military informer tipped to the police that these people were related to pro-democracy movements. Eight of them are still detained to this day and two women namely Ma Phyu Phyu Htwe and Ma Khin Ohn Mar were reportedly beaten until they were unconscious during interrogation, and are still in critical condition. They were admitted to a hospital briefly before recalled back to the police station for further inspection despite their deteriorating health situation. Also, in Bogale Town of Ayawaddy Region, at least 10 youths were subjected to arbitrary arrests following a murder of a military informer in the wet market yesterday morning.
In Karenni State, 19 villagers including elderlies from Shwe Pyi Aye Village, Pekhon Township were abducted yesterday before they were blindfolded and taken along with junta’s soldiers as human shields, according to Khit Thit Media. In the same township of Pekhon, junta’s forces have been shelling artilleries since October 27, eight times fell inside a local rehab. About 400 villagers hurried to flee from their homes without spare clothes to avoid further attacks, Myanmar Now reported. And today, the shelling continues in Mobye Township on the border of Shan-Kayah where Mobye PDF frequently ambush junta’s reinforcements. DVB news described two civilians working in the farm were injured by the shelling and one woman was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
In more battle news, Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) reported that its army clashed with junta’s forces five times during October 26 to October 28 in which four of junta’s soldiers were killed. All incidents took place within Kachin National Union (KNU)’s brigade 5 territory in Hpapun (Mudraw) District and no casualty from KNLA was witnessed. Border Guard Force (BGF), an ally of junta, threatened that if KNLA attacked them, they would respond by targeting the villages. One exciting news came in from Sagaing Region that a police station of Nagapauk Village, Myaung Township was occupied and destroyed by the joint local People Defense Forces (PDF), one of which is called Myaung Women Warriors (MWW), one of the first women resistance forces in the country.
Meanwhile, National Unity Government (NUG) announced yesterday that it has formed the Central Command and Coordination Committee (C3C), in collaboration with some ethnic armed organizations (EAOs). “The committee is made up of NUG’s defense and military personnel, EAO’s military leaders and the committee is formed with the focus on building chain of command to fight against junta’s forces,” U Naing Htoo Aung, the secretary of Ministry of Defense of NUG told Myanmar Now. The names of the committee members and participating EAOs were not disclosed. The committee will seek EAO’s advice and cooperation in appointing military positions and speed up the coordination of soldiers on civil disobedience movement (CDM), he added.
U Win Htein, a senior member of National League for Democracy (NLD), has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for sedition, today. Speaking to Reuters, U Win Htein ’s daughter, Chit Su Win Htein said, “It’s not a surprise but it’s a sad and outrageous thing to hear about the ridiculous sentencing… Please hold on people. We will win!”. The 80-year-old man is no stranger to the chains as he was in and out of detention between 1962 to 2011 under previous military reigns. He becomes the first high-ranking NLD member to be sentenced by junta as his fellow political veterans, including the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, are still facing trial. U Win Htein was not one of those abducted on the morning of February 1; however, he was detained and immediately charged with treason when he called Min Aung Hlaing “pathetic” for committing the coup during one of the interviews with a local media.
