Peaceful resistance against junta and its administration, State Administration Council (SAC) continues. Today, protests were held in townships of Yangon and Mandalay, Salingyi, Dawei, MyinChan, Kalay, Hpakant, Myaing, Dawei, Meiktila, and many more areas.
Bombings and unrests also continue. Today witnessed bombings in Insein Roads Transportation Administration Department office and Thingangyun department of electricity, both in Yangon, although no injuries were reported. However, the highlight was in another Yangon Township of Tharkayta, which faced at least 6 blasts. A local ward administrator and Tatmataw-informat of Tharkayta was also shot death this morning. In other areas, factory manager’s office in Balu Chaung hydro powerplant in Loikaw Township, Kayah State got burned down, no casualty was reported. In Mon State, junta-backed USDP party’s township chairman of Bilin Township was shot death by unknown assailants.
Regarding continued battles in Kayah State, a 14 years old villager in Loikaw Township, died after getting shot in the head by SAC’s forces, reflecting headshots to the protestors and bystanders that has become all too common in current Spring Revolution begin. Also in Kayah State, two volunteer workers helping mobilize food for IDPs were shot death by SAC’s forces this morning. In Demoso Township of same state, certain areas are declared as dangerous to trespass by Karenni PDF due to heavy clashes between junta’s forces and the PDF. Junta’s forces have been firing indiscriminately to residential and public areas, causing widespread property damage and casualties within homes and churches.
In another battlefield area, villages in Kani Township, Sagaing Region have been facing clashes between SAC forces and PDF forces and more than 10,000 people have reportedly fled their homes and in hiding in nearby jungles. Today local medias report of SAC forces looting houses and shops in there. Also in Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township,Yangon Region, soldiers and police threw rocks at home last night, causing considerable property damage to the houses.
Yesterday junta-controlled media announced 3 CDM staffs in Pakokku were found guilty of possessing home-made landmines. They had been originally arrested on 25th May while hiding after joining CDM, but charged with terrorism-related charges. However, local residences, close friends and family dismissed junta’s charges as purely fabricated. Also in Tharkayta township, local residences confirm that a man who got shot by SAC’s forces on 25th May was mentally unstable and did not carry any sword or bomb as junta-controlled media reported. In the interview with local media, former detainees who had been arrested during Spring Revolution and recently released confirmed SAC’s practices of fabricating terrorism charges such as threatening or torturing to death during custody.
In Magway last night, a surgeon working in a training center got shot by SAC’s forces in the face, causing him to lose the right eye, while the injury is serious, friends confirmed he is expected to recover as the bullet missed the brain. He was formerly CDM doctor, but returned to worked in end of April after SAC began to press doctors under penal code 505, i.e. sedition. The attack on doctors, nurses and medical personnel and facilities has become a leading practice by SAC and it seems it will go unabated.
Speaking of healthcare, WHO declared that it will not be inviting Myanmar representatives to its annual assembly, citing dilemma of whom to recognize as the country’s legitimate representative following February’s coup.
Among other updates from international community, oil and gas giants Total and Chevron declared that they will not be paying out dividend fees for shares owned by Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise for their joint-ventures. Oil and gas is viewed as among the most resilient sector in feeding income streams for junta, and while not paying dividend is welcomed as a step forward, observers also note that this is rather a small sum of money compared to other oil and gas related revenues. Ms. Yadanar Maung, the spokesperson of Justice for Myanmar, a watchdog specializing in junta-related business activities was quoted as “We note that this is only a minor portion of the revenue that the junta is receiving from Total’s operations in Myanmar, which also includes the state’s share of gas revenues, royalties and corporate income taxes.”
