97Day 295 and the military violence has not stopped for a single day. This morning, the SAC troops raided the clinic operating in the Church in Naungyar, Loikaw. The junta’s forces arrested priests, nuns, doctors, nurses and some people from the church. The locals have relied on this charity clinic for years, and the reason for the raid and arrests has been unknown. Today Khit Thit reported that seven civilians were tortured to death in many townships such as Khin-U,Tigyaing, Hpruso, and Hlegu, Bago, and Chaung-U. In Khin U township’s Thekonegyi village, a victim’s dead body was found only today when the villagers came back this afternoon to the village since the military raid occurred on November 18. The cuts and wounds on the body show that they were brutally tortured before being killed. Another victim from Hpruso was a 17-year-old child who was arrested in April. All the other victims were shot to death under suspicion when they were only out and about for their daily activities.
Clashes between the junta’s forces and people defense forces (PDF) have been raging since yesterday in Kani Township, Sagaing. The military sent two reinforcement troops on water-crafts, but they were shot by the Kani resistance force. In Shan North, Monekone, Muse district, the fight against MNDAA had left almost 20 junta’s soldiers dead with one casualty from MNDAA according to Kokang news. Similarly in Magway’s Gangaw township, military trucks were detonated with a mine by Yaw Defense Forces (YDF) which left dozens dead including the lieutenant. YDF announced that they have seized more than hundreds of bullets. PDF from Yinmarpin also launched attacks on the military’s watercrafts coming along Chindwin river to transport rations to the soldiers.
NUG announced that they have sold more than 3 millions dollar worth of bonds within three hours. Just like how the raffle campaign and lottery were successful, this again just shows how millions of Myanmar people are still determined to win the fight against the junta. They would support any initiatives led by the people’s government in order to get rid of the fascist regime. In Sagaing, Myo Hla PDF destroyed the boats carrying barrels of the military-owned Myanmar beer, as they are determined to demolish any military-owned products and businesses. Boycott against the military’s products and business have been gaining momentum to the anti-coup movement to this day. Petitions calling for international business to stop cooperating with the military have also been louder.
When power is in the hands of the generals, there is no rule of law. The military is above the law, and the laws get amended and imposed suitably. In Khamti township, Sagaing, the police shot the wife of the district administrator mistakenly when her car bumped into his motorbike. He was to be tried for this incident at the court. This led citizens to wonder why the brutal killings of civilians were justified without legal punishment to the abusers, and why certain lives were worth more than the rest of ours.
In Myanmar’s tourist destination Nyaung-U where the famous Bagan is located; the office of Township’s General Administration Department issued a new restriction.The restriction bans two males from riding a motorbike together and one male riding behind a female rider. This new restriction is effective to anyone who comes to Bagan-NyaungU district, both locals and travelers. Speaking of charges without valid evidence and based on groundless accusations, the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi defended herself in court today against the junta’s incitement charges.
On the international front, it seems the junta has been unable to receive recognition from the international community. The junta chief was barred from participating in ASEAN-China special summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. Meanwhile, the National Unity Government (NUG)’s Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Dr. Tu Hkawng, has been invited as a plenary speaker at ASEAN’s third climate and disasters resilience summit this week. It seems like ASEAN is slowly trying to recognize the NUG government and denying the legitimacy to the illegal junta that robbed the people’s right to democratic government with the February coup. To hit the junta hard in the fight for legitimacy, the UK is to hold a summit of Foreign and Development Ministers from G7 countries and from the ASEAN countries in December, but the SAC is not invited.
On an interesting international news related to military coup, Sudan’s October 2021 coup was dealt with when the ousted Prime Minister who was under house arrest for four weeks was restored to the position after making a deal with the military. The move angered some protesters as the agreement would not completely put the military out of the political landscape. The country would still remain under military oversight. Sudan and Myanmar share similar colonial and violent military histories, including both countries’ failed fragile transitions to democracy.
