Hi folks, this week has been filled with intense armed activities as battles across the country have escalated. However, what truly caught our attention was the regime’s crackdown on business owners who notarized medical degrees awarded by the NUG. Three individuals in Yangon were arrested, and two graduates now in Thailand have been blacklisted.
This move highlights the regime’s ongoing and increasingly aggressive efforts to target the NUG and its affiliates, particularly in areas that reflect government-level authority, such as this. While the international community may not be able to directly assist with the armed resistance, it is crucial that we call on them for support in other areas, particularly for the diaspora, in terms of educational opportunities and immigration assistance.
Read the highlights below:
Internal Politics
- Census to complete at the end of 2024, coup leader says
Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing announced that over 63% of the country’s population has been counted in the ongoing census, with the remaining areas expected to be completed by the end of 2024. His remarks were made during a regime meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw on November 19. He noted that efforts are ongoing in uncounted regions to achieve the most accurate population data possible. The census, originally scheduled from October 1 to 15, involved over 42,000 personnel. However, due to various delays, the regime extended the operation to October 31 in certain areas. The regime’s Deputy Minister U Htay Hlaing stated on October 16 that collecting data in conflict zones and storm-affected areas requires more time.
- The regime arrested three for notarizing the NUG issued university certificates
On November 22, the regime announced the arrest of three individuals, including the owner of a notary shop, for notarizing medical degree certificates from the Interim University Council (Mandalay). The degrees were used by two students seeking to continue their studies in Thailand. The students, who had completed their Final Part II studies at the Mandalay University of Medicine under the Interim Education Council after the military coup, obtained degrees and notarized them for application to Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. Upon receiving the application, Chulalongkorn University contacted Mandalay University of Medicine, which operates under the regime. The military council then took action, leading to the arrests of U Thein Chan @ U Thein Win from Panbedan, Daw Thet Htet Oo @ Daw Win Htet Myat from Thingangyun, and U Myat Min Thu, the owner of M2 Notary Shop in Kyauktada. In its statement, the regime declared that education certificates issued by the NUG and CRPH are illegal and referred to the degrees as fake, accusing their use of undermining the military-controlled education system.
- The regime brought in China armed forces to protect Kyaukphyu SEZ
A military source revealed that Chinese armed forces will join efforts to secure the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Rakhine State. Planned measures include installing advanced jammers, deploying surveillance drones, and laying high-intensity mines around the project area. A joint security team, led by the regime’s General Kyaw Shwe Htun and comprising personnel from the regime and Chinese security and technical experts, will soon implement these security enhancements. The team’s priority is to protect the SEZ, along with Chinese experts and staff working on the project. In November, a joint security team was formed between the regime and China, involving officials from the Kyaukphyu SEZ Management Sub-Committee, the Chinese CITIC Group, Chinese security personnel, and technicians. This follows the establishment of a working committee to create a joint venture security company for safeguarding the Kyaukphyu SEZ.
- NSCN-K collecting tax at gates in Sagaing Region
Residents report that the Naga faction NSCN-K Ang Mai has resumed collecting taxes at roadside gates in Lahe and Nanyun townships, Sagaing Region, for the first time in decades. Since August, gates have been set up along key trade routes, including the Lahe-India border road and the Lahe-Nanyun road. A Nanyun resident shared that two primary gates have been established: one near Lahe and another in Ma Zhan village. Taxes are imposed on goods such as fuel and vehicles. For instance, a yellow petrol can is taxed at the cost of one liter, while loaded motorcycles are charged 30,000 kyats. Small trucks face fees ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 kyats, depending on their load. The checkpoints not only collect taxes but also conduct strict inspections on passengers traveling through the area. The group that has been currently collecting tax is a splinter group from the existing NSCN-K Yong Aung group. It is in a ceasefire agreement with the regime, and occasional collaboration with the regime was also noticed.
International Affairs
- China to provide billions in aid to the regime
Leaked documents suggest that the Chinese government is preparing to provide over 4 billion yuan (approximately US$550 million) in aid to support the Myanmar regime. The funding reportedly includes 20 confirmed projects costing around 1 billion yuan ($130 million), with talks for an additional 77 projects underway. The confirmed projects include initiatives such as a nationwide census, while proposed projects include the supply of hundreds of police vehicles and the installation of facial recognition systems at checkpoints. Discussions on these projects are believed to have been finalized during the regime leader’s recent visit to China. The aid package comes amid uncertainty over whether it is linked to a previous agreement. In January 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Myanmar and pledged 4 billion yuan in aid over three years during talks with NLD leaders, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. China’s involvement appears aimed at bolstering the regime as it faces widespread domestic opposition and international isolation following the coup.
- AA returned Bangladeshi fishing boats
The Arakan Army (AA) announced the capture of 15 Bangladeshi fishing boats that entered Myanmar waters and confirmed handing over seven of them to the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGP) on November 20. The remaining eight boats will be returned once security conditions are deemed safe. On November 5, AA Coast Guard forces discovered approximately 60 Bangladeshi fishing boats illegally fishing in Myanmar’s waters. Of these, 15 boats and 20 fishermen were detained. The fishermen were held for two days and handed over to the BGP on November 7 after signing pledges not to fish in Myanmar’s territory again. The AA noted that the fishermen were from impoverished backgrounds, fishing to sustain their families. The return of their boats was delayed due to intense clashes between the AA and the Myanmar military in Maungdaw region, including air raids.
- UWSA transferred 762 Kyar Hpyant suspects to China
Wa Army (UWSA) arrested over 1,000 individuals linked to online gambling operations, known as Kya Hpyant, in Tang Yang, northern Shan State. Of those detained, 762 Chinese nationals were handed over to Chinese authorities on November 19, according to U Nyi Yang, an official from the UWSA Lashio Liaison Office. The suspects, along with seized items including Starlink devices, phones, computers, and other related equipment, were handed over at the Di Yingho border crossing in Panwai City to officials from China’s Public Security Department. U Nyi Yang noted that Myanmar nationals arrested in connection with these operations will be released after interrogation. This mass arrest during Operation 1027 is the first large-scale crackdown on online fraud by the UWSA since taking control of Tang Yang. Despite the operation, a Tang Yang resident reported that some online fraud and gambling activities persist, often relocating to evade authorities.
- UK condemned the regime’s attacks, called for accountability
British Ambassador to the United Nations, Barbara Woodward, strongly condemned the Myanmar military council’s attacks and urged accountability for its actions. Speaking on November 20 before a Security Council closed-door meeting on Myanmar, she highlighted the military’s escalating violence, including an increase in airstrikes from August to October, as well as the use of more powerful explosives, landmines, and artillery shells. She also noted that over a third of Myanmar’s population now requires humanitarian aid. Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the UN, U Kyaw Moe Tun, representing the National Unity Government (NUG), presented that the regime has been committing international crimes such as village burnings, civilian bombings, mass killings, unlawful arrests, torture, and sexual violence. He emphasized the severe suffering of the Burmese people, including forced recruitment, and criticized some in the international community for indirectly enabling the military’s crimes. U Kyaw Moe Tun called on UN member states to provide hope for the people of Myanmar through meaningful action and decisions from the ongoing discussions.
Business Matters
- The regime mandated registration for large rice storage facilities
On November 22, the regime’s Ministry of Information announced that owners of rice storage facilities with a capacity of 25 tons or more, or 2,500 baskets of rice, must register their facilities. Failure to comply will result in penalties. The registration is aimed at stabilizing the rice market, ensuring domestic self-sufficiency, and controlling exports. The order, issued on October 24, mandates that storage facilities must be registered within two months, or their operating licenses will be revoked. The regime has framed the move as necessary to prevent market instability and price manipulation. Rice traders have expressed concerns that this is another attempt by the regime to control the rice market. Economic analysts suggest that the measure is likely aimed at preventing hoarding and speculation, which could drive up rice prices. In June 2024, several mill owners and rice traders, including Myanmar Rice Federation officials, were arrested and interrogated, with some mills and retail rice shops being closed. This crackdown is seen as part of the regime’s ongoing efforts to assert control over the rice industry.
- EROs controlling all five China-Myanmar border gates
On November 23, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allied forces captured the border town of Kan Pai Ti in Kachin State, further consolidating the ethnic revolutionary groups’ control over nearly all major China-Myanmar border posts, which are critical to the region’s billion-dollar annual trade. The China-Myanmar border stretches over 1,300 miles and includes five key trading posts: the Muse (105 Mile) Trading Post in northern Shan State, the Chin Shwe Haw Trading Post in the Kokang Self-Administered Territory, the Lweje and Kan Pai Ti posts in Kachin State, and the Kengtung-Mongla post in eastern Shan State. The KIA has been launching a fierce offensive on Kan Pai Ti since October, eventually seizing all government buildings, police stations, and military barracks in the town. As a result, the KIA now has full control of the town, according to a KIA military source. In addition, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) captured the Muse (105-mile) trade zone in northern Shan State during Operation 1027 in November 2023, and the Chin Shwe Haw trading post is now under the control of the Kokang Army (MNDAA). Other border posts, such as Mongla in eastern Shan State, are controlled by the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA). With the regime losing control over these crucial border areas, ethnic rebel forces are now fully in charge of managing border trade.
Humanitarian Affairs
- Over 5400 Myanmar citizens arrested for illegal border crossing to Thailand in 2024
According to officials from the FE5 Tanintharyi research group, 5,449 Myanmar nationals were arrested for illegal border crossings from Myanmar to Thailand between January and October 2024. The majority of these arrests took place on highways near the Thai-Myanmar border, particularly in Mae Sot and Thak District in Kanchanaburi province. Among those arrested were Rohingya individuals fleeing Rakhine State and young people evading forced conscription under the regime’s conscription law. Ko Kyaw, a representative from FE5 Tanintharyi, explained that while illegal crossings had been common since the coup, the introduction of the conscription law led to a sharp increase in the number of people attempting to cross the border. Most of the arrests occurred in the months of March, April, and May, with between 800 and 1,000 arrests per month, while the numbers in other months ranged from 200 to 500. The figures were compiled from reports by the Royal Thai Army, Thai media, and the Turk District Immigration Department, and the actual numbers may be higher. The FE5 Tanintharyi group revealed that brokers charge between 20,000 and 50,000 baht to facilitate the illegal crossings, but these individuals are often at risk, with no guarantees of their safety.
- 13.3 million people in Myanmar facing food insecurity, WFP reports
The World Food Programme (WFP) announced on November 20 that one in four people in Myanmar—around 13.3 million individuals—are currently facing food insecurity. This comes as the country grapples with the worst humanitarian crisis in its history. Michael Dunford, WFP’s Country Representative in Myanmar, expressed his admiration for the resilience and hope displayed by the Myanmar people during these challenging times. He emphasized that the WFP’s priority remains to ensure aid reaches those most in need, particularly in conflict-affected areas. The WFP’s ongoing efforts include providing emergency assistance to those displaced by the conflict, nutritional support for children and mothers, and aid for individuals undergoing HIV/TB treatment.
Attacks on the Junta’s Lackeys & Assets
- Attacks intensified in Yangon
Several attacks targeting junta assets occurred in Yangon this week. The Dark Shadow group announced an attack on the Mingalardon Township Police Station at the corner of Pyay Road and Khayay Pin Road on the evening of November 20. The group claimed the police station was targeted for harassing local residents. The attack took place around 7 p.m., and although the police returned fire, Dark Shadow members reportedly retreated without any casualties. The incident may have caused casualties on the police side, according to the group.
On November 21, the Yangon Army, another urban guerrilla group, claimed responsibility for firing three 40-mm grenades at the Myawaddy Broadcasting Station in Hmawbi Township, which broadcasts military propaganda. The Yangon Army stated that the details of the attack are still under investigation. Meanwhile, pro-military Telegram channels denied any explosion at the Hmawbi station, dismissing the attack as propaganda. Established in 1990, the Tatmadaw Television Broadcasting Station (Hmawbi) is known for its military messaging and broadcasts digital TV and radio channels.
- Regime forces targeted in Myingyan tsp, Mandalay Region
The Myingyan Black Tiger (MBT) carried out coordinated bomb attacks on the Myingyan Township Office and the Myingyan Hotel, both of which are occupied by regime soldiers, on the evening of November 20. An MBT official stated that the attacks, which took place around 7 p.m., involved mines planted near the targeted locations. The operation was a response to the regime’s ongoing theft and destruction of homes and property in Myingyan Township. While the number of casualties among the regime soldiers remains unconfirmed, MBT reported that their forces successfully withdrew without sustaining any injuries.
- KNLA unit attacked military vehicle escorting school bus in Mon State
A military vehicle escorting a school bus for military families in Thaton Township, Mon State, was attacked by the KNLA’s HRS unit on November 22, resulting in three soldiers killed and several others injured. The attack occurred at 9:05 a.m. in front of Denko Gas Station in Thuwannawaddy Township. According to the KNLA unit, the vehicle was attacked after dropping off students to avoid harming the children. During the assault, the military vehicle’s driver was shot in the chest and leg, while two other soldiers succumbed to their injuries while being transported to Mawlamyine Hospital. The remaining injured were taken to Thaton General Hospital.The attack triggered an exchange of fire, leaving two resistance rangers with minor injuries and a resistance vehicle damaged.
- Seven regime men killed during attack on police station in Bago Region
The Thayarwady District People’s Defense Force (PDF) launched an attack on the Thayar Kone police station in Letpadan Township, Bago Region, on the morning of November 22, resulting in the deaths of seven regime personnel, including police, soldiers, and Pyu Saw Htee militia members. The assault began around 5 a.m. and lasted over three hours. According to a PDF official, multiple regime personnel were also injured during the clash. However, two resistance fighters sustained injuries, and the PDF was forced to retreat when heavy weapons were deployed against them.
Arbitrary Arrests, Killings & Violence
- Airstrike killed mother and 6-year-old daughter in Thabeikkyin tsp, Mandalay Region
An airstrike by a military plane on November 16 claimed the lives of two mothers and their young children in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region. The attack occurred around 8 a.m. following clashes between junta forces and resistance fighters that began earlier that morning in Twin Nge village. A 30-year-old mother and her 6-year-old daughter from Yen Nya Oo village were among the victims. Both succumbed to their injuries while being transported for medical care. Four additional individuals from Kyauk Phyu village were injured in the bombing, according to local sources. The violence erupted after military troops advanced into Twin Nge village at 3 a.m., sparking intense clashes with resistance forces.
- Regime’s drone attack on passenger vehicles killed four in Sagaing Region
On November 18, a convoy of passenger vehicles traveling near Kyi Kyin village in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region, was bombed by drones, leaving at least four people dead and eight injured, according to local resistance groups. The attack, which occurred along the Shwebo-Myitkyina road, claimed the lives of a monk and injured two others severely. The Shwebo-Myitkyina road, a vital communication route connecting Kachin State and Sagaing Region, passes through areas contested by resistance forces and the military. Sources allege that the bombing was likely conducted by junta forces and Pyu Saw Htee militia based in Htantabin village, approximately six miles northwest of Kyi Kyin.
- Arrest of former political prisoner Sayadaw raised concern in Yangon
Sayadaw Baddanta Pyinnya Zawta, a 64-year-old monk and former political prisoner, was reportedly arrested by regime forces on November 19 in Yangon, near Sawbwa Gyi Kone, Insein Township. Friends of the monk said they have been unable to contact him since his arrest. Witnesses claim plainclothes soldiers detained the monk while he was returning home from a friend’s house. Sayadaw Vinaya Zawta had recently returned to Myanmar on November 5 at the invitation of his followers to attend a monastery construction ceremony in Nwe Kway village, Mingalardon Township. A veteran of the 1996 student movement and protests against the military government led by U Than Shwe, Sayadaw was previously imprisoned in Insein and Tharyawaddy prisons.
- Explosion killed abbot at Tamwe Monastery, Yangon
A bomb detonated in a monastery in Tamwe Township, Yangon, at 9 a.m. on November 18, killing the abbot instantly. According to a source close to the administration, the explosion occurred near the monk’s room. Authorities, including the army and police, are investigating the incident, focusing on both the explosion and the monks within the monastery. Speculation suggests the bomb may have been concealed in a package among donations offered by military-related associations during a recent religious ceremony.
- Junta blacklisted students and arrested business owners in relation to NUG-awarded medical degrees
Two students, Su Pyae Myo Thwet and Thinzar Htet, who applied for admission to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, using provisional medical degrees awarded by the National Unity Government (NUG), have been blacklisted by the junta.
The students, formerly in the Final Part II of the University of Medicine (Mandalay), opted not to continue their education at the junta-controlled medical university. Instead, they pursued degrees from the NUG, which is recognized by some international institutions.
Chulalongkorn University contacted the junta-controlled Mandalay Medical University for verification of the students’ credentials, which led to their blacklisting. Subsequently, three individuals involved in notarizing the NUG-awarded degrees were arrested: U Thein Chan (Notary Public), Daw Thet Htet Oo, and U Myat Min Thu, the owner of the M2 Notary Translation Shop.
Armed Resistance
- Regime intensifed troop deployment on Myeik-Dawei Union Road
The military regime has intensified its efforts to control the Myeik-Dawei Union Road in Pulaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, by deploying troops along the route since October 14, according to local residents. With approximately 100 soldiers, the junta is attempting to control the 78-mile stretch of the Union Road between Pulaw and Myeik. Unlike previous deployments, where troops eventually retreated, this operation has seen soldiers establish a permanent presence in villages along the road, according to the Fe5 Tanintharyi research group, which monitors military and socio-economic developments in the region. Some military analysts have also speculated that the junta is seeking control of this territory to prevent goods from flowing into Myanmar from Thailand via roads controlled by resistance forces in Tanintharyi Region.
- Regime & PNO moved to control more territory in Karenni State
The regime is preparing to deploy hundreds of troops to confront the Karenni resistance coalition in Moe Bwe Township, southern Shan State. Over 700 soldiers, supported by the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) militia, have been advancing from Pinlaung—an area under their control—towards Phekhon town for the past three months. Phekhon is home to the 7th Military Operations Command and two battalions, making it a significant military stronghold. South of Phekhon lies Moe Bwe, which was captured by the Karenni Resistance Coalition during Operation 1, led by the Karenni National Defense Force (KNDF), on November 11, 2023. However, the resistance failed to capture the 422nd Infantry Battalion camp near the Moe Bwe Dam, situated to the north of the town. Despite the blockade, a joint regime’s army and PNO column of over 200 troops is moving forward to join the 422nd Infantry Battalion. The junta maintains control over the Kayah state capital, Loikaw, as well as strategic towns like Bawlakhe and Hpa Saung, while the surrounding areas are under the control of Karenni joint forces. Kayah state holds significant strategic value due to its proximity to the military headquarters in Nay Pyi Taw. The SAC is believed to be seeking to expand its control in the Karenni region to gain more territory and facilitate the elections announced for next year.
- KIA & co captured Kan Paik Ti Town, Kachin State
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its joint forces captured the town of Kan Paik Ti on the Myanmar-China border on the evening of November 20, thereby taking control of the entire Kachin Special Region (1). The attack commenced around 9 a.m., and by approximately 5 p.m., the entire town was under their control, according to a local man close to the KIA. All departmental buildings, police stations, and regime camps in Kan Paik Ti were also captured, leaving the town fully under the control of the KIA joint forces. Most of the regime troops and militias that had been resisting the KIA offensive fled to China, while the remaining forces in the town were captured by the KIA, according to local residents.
- TNLA and MDY-PDF preparing defense against regime’s offensive near Pyin Oo Lwin
Clashes broke out between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), MDY-PDF, and regime troops in Naung Cho Township, northern Shan State, located about 21 miles from Pyin Oo Lwin, which houses the military academies. The fighting took place in Ye Win village, south of Naung Cho, with local reports indicating that the junta’s forces fired heavy weapons from the Wetwon Gate outside Pyin Oo Lwin. On November 18 and 19, the troops also bombed the Shwe Li Sugar Factory in Inn Waing No. 3, Samase Village, causing the death of a villager and significant damage to the factory’s warehouse and buildings. It is reported that the regime will launch a major offensive in the coming days. They are now conducting drone training flights in Mandalay Region and Nay Pyi Taw.
- Five PDF killed, one arrested in Magway Region
Some members of the People’s Defense Force (PDF) traveling in Magway Region were killed in a clash with the military this month, according to local resistance groups.
One member was killed and one was captured during the initial firefight with the regime troops in Myothit Township. The four who escaped the firefight continued their journey and encountered the military again on November 17, about 20 miles from Myothit Township. They are comrades from Battalion (1) in Thayet District, group based in Aunglan Township, on the east bank of the Ayeyarwady River.
- Clash intensified in Taungup tsp, Rakhine as AA seized more territory
The Arakan Army (AA) has seized a military camp at Taungup University in Taungup Township, Rakhine State, with fierce fighting also taking place in Taungup town.
Fighting between the military and the AA in Taungup Township has been ongoing, intensifying since the AA took control of the University. Clashes have been occurring on some roads in the township since mid-June. After the AA’s siege of town, the military troops positioned themselves at University. However, they withdrew from the university in the first week of November due to the AA’s intensified offensive. More than 60,000 civilians trapped in town due to the fighting have been unable to leave the town as of November 5. The AA recently halted its offensive and allowed some civilians to leave. However, fighting resumed on November 19, and only a small number of people were permitted to leave. Another source reported that at least 40,000 people remained in the city, though the exact number is unclear.
Sources: Khit Thit Media, Myanmar Now, RFA Burmese, DVB, AAMIJ News
