Junta has never failed to come up with new barbaric activities everyday to keep igniting our hatred towards them. Last night, it was reported that 19-year-old Phone Myint Aung who was detained by junta soldiers on November 22 in Botahtaung Township, Yangon, died in the custody. His father, who was arrested on the same evening, was released but the son was killed during the interrogation. Today, his family planned to hold a funeral service and then to cremate the body at Yay Way Cemetery; however, fully armed soldiers showed up at the cemetery, banned to hold the service and forced to cremate the body quickly, Khit Thit Media reported. Sources told Khit Thit Media that the 19-year-old university student was well loved by the family and community. So many young lives have lost in this revolution, but junta and his followers do not show any remorse for their crimes.
Arbitrary arrests, which do not guarantee one’s life, continue all over the country. In Kachin State, Bhamo Township, five civilians were detained by the junta soldiers last night. Prior to the arrests, regime solders conducted a search and opened fire. Locals told DVB News that soldiers barged into their homes, and accused innocent civilians for crimes they did not commit and then arrested. This morning around 8am, junta soldiers were also seen in Bhamo Town, stopping and searching cars and motorcycles.
Today, Myanmar Now media reported that a 7-year-old daughter of a detained journalist was taken and interrogated by the regime. The mother Htet Htet, a news editor with the Yangon-based Thingangyun Post, was abducted by the regime together with her colleague on September 11. Along with the mother, the young girl was taken to an interrogation center in Hlaing Tharyar Township. A source close to the family told Myanmar Now that the little girl was asked if her mother was seen purchasing guns during the interrogation, and she said her mother did not even buy toy guns. However, the police officers said that they found explosives in their home, and pressed charges under Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act. The little girl was released after two days, but the mother and her colleague is now in Insein Prison.
Meanwhile, conflicts are raging in many part of the country. Last night on Sagaing-Myin Mu highway, regime forces were detonated with landmines by Myin Mu PDF, and the troops that came to clean the mines in the morning was also attacked by the combined force of Myin Mu PDF and Black Eagle Decence Force (Myin Mu). The incidents killed five junta soldiers, injured three, and destroyed one military truck. Myin Mu PDF announced that resistance fighters retreated without any casualty. Again in Myaing Township of Magway Region, a military convoy including oil tankers was dynamited with free-flight rockets and landmines by Myaing PDF this morning around 9am, killing three soldiers and injuring many. Since resistant fighters from Magway and Sagaing Regions are going stronger, the regime forces used heavy artillery to retaliate. Today, DVB News reported that more reinforcement was sent to Taze Town of Sagaing Region with military choppers. Local PDFs told DVB that about 500 regime troops preparing for offensive attacks.
Fightings in Karenni (Kayah) State haven’t slowed down too. Yesterday alone, the regime forces and Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) clashed for at least four times, Myanmar Now media reported. According to KNDF, two clashes took place in Daw Si Poe village in Demoso Township, one near Demoso Police Station and another in Loikaw Township, killing five regime soldiers and injuring five more. From the side of KNDF, one soldier was injured. Following up the raid and arrests of church clinic in Loikaw on Monday, Myanmar Now media reported that 18 detainees were taken to an interrogation center in Loikaw, but all of them were released yesterday around 6pm according to Karenni based Kantarawaddy Times.
Anti-regime forces, including strike committees, student leaders and democratic forces, gear up for one week long “National Day” campaign from 27 November to 4 December. The campaign is to commemorate the National Day which falls on November 28, as well as keeping the revolution spirit alive. During the campaign period, the public is encouraged not to associate with the military such as boycotting military products, MyTel phone cards, and public transport companies that with military ties. It is inevitable for many middle class to rely on the public transport service, owned by former dictator Ne Win’s descendants, but blogger-turned-politician Nay Phone Latt requests the public to participate in this campaign for one week.
Latest news of the day comes from Thantlang Town of Chin State. Initial reports from Chindwin News Agency and Chin-based Zalen news stated that junta is torching residential areas in the town, and several houses are on fire as of now. It was merely a month ago when the regime soldiers did the tragic arson attack at Thantlang, and they are repeating the same crime again.
