Radio Free Asia reported that in post-coup Myanmar, theft and assault have become rampant, with criminal acts increasingly occurring in broad daylight. Police are more concerned about their own safety, and are busy cracking down the anti-coup resistance fighters. In fact, the public no longer trusts the police force and in the rule of law. Most of the time, so called “security forces” are the ones committing worse crimes. They are seen extorting money at gunpoint forcing people to pay bills and asking for money, and looting properties from people. Bribery is also on the rise as ward administrators are asking money from people to sign for renting houses, charging 5000 MMK per one signature in Yangon’s North Okkalapa Township, Mizzima News reported. There are also cases of men in uniforms asking money from family members of those being detained.
More air raids are deployed by the regime. Cries of the people of Myanmar continue but no one listens. The PDF-Hpruso reported that three internally displaced persons (IDP) were killed by heavy artillery of the junta forces at 1am today as the regime’s Air Force attacked an IDP camp of the people who had fled nearby villages of Hpruso. The victims were two girls and a man in his 50s from Moso Village where the Christmas massacre took place. In Kalay Township, a house was destroyed in junta’s air raids.
In Chin State’s Falam Township, with escalating clashes, more than 3,000 civilians have been on the run from eight villages. In Monywa, two innocent civilians including a street vendor were shot by soldiers. In Magway’s Yaysagyo township, a monk and two civilians were arrested and tortured. In Karenni State’s Demawso Town, three charity workers were killed in junta’s air raids. In Maubin Township, four men were tortured and killed by the junta forces. The villager running from the villages said many have fled, and those remaining in town chose to hide. Those exposed got killed and tortured. Some houses were burnt and only the sick and elders remained in the villages, Khit Thit reported.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, National League for Democracy (NLD), and its members are still targeted by junta to this day. The father of an MP, Daw Ei Ei Pyone from Maubin Township was arrested in her place which she believed was a set up with a fake evidence to crack down the former civilian-elected politicians. In Pathein Township NLD office, junta forces looted properties after they had been stationed in the office. On the other hand, a political villain, a former NLD member, and now the SAC-appointed-Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Daw Thet Thet Khine, visited the IDP camp in Waingmaw, and unashamedly said the coup was a necessary respond to the unfair election and fraud. She was dressed in one of the Kachin traditional Jainphaw attire, and again making empty promises to the IDPs. The internet made fun of how audacious this businesswoman turned politician is when her party got close to zero votes in the November 2020 election.
On the other hand, Myanmar people’s fight for freedom has not scaled down. Mizzima reported today that Tamu-People Defense Force (Tamu-PDF) Brigade 3 issued a statement that they will take actions against those who support the military-owned businesses, and consume military products such as Myanmar beer, Red Ruby cigarettes, etc. The PDF also requested people to wind down windows of vehicles to avoid being mistaken for the junta’s vehicles. According to Kachin based the 74 media, after the Kachin Independence Organisation/Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA) made requests to the public and shops to boycott military owned businesses and products with the deadline on January 10, no shop has been selling the military products in Myitkyina. Millions of Myanmar people are still boycotting the military’s businesses and refusing to pay electricity bills.
In Ayeyawaddy Region’s Yaykyi township, a man known as a military informant has been shot this morning by an unknown gunman injuring his hand, Mizzima news reported. He is a member of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), and notoriously responsible for cracking down a large number of resistance fighters. In Yangon’s Hlegu Township, another military informant Hla Htay was shot dead yesterday’s evening. He is also responsible for violent crackdowns of anti-coup protesters. In Kachin State’s jade-hub, Hpakant, the SAC-appointed ward administrator was killed and another business owner, who was also known as a military informant, was assassinated by unknown gunmen. A new SAC-appointed Kyaw Zan, village administrator, was also shot in Mawlamyine Kyun of Ayeyawaddy Region after the former administrator quit due to security concern. He was reported to remain alive.No organizations have taken responsible for these recent assassinations.
Ethnic armed organizations and PDF are winning in some areas. The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) occupied an outpost of the regime-allied Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) in Karen State’s Papun Township on Sunday. Two KNLA members were injured in this attack although no reports of casualties were reported from BGF. It is reported that two soldiers were dead during the exchange of shots in Tarhan ward of Kalay township with Kalay-PDF last night. On Mandalay-Mogok highway in Mattaya township, a military convoy going to Mandalay was dynamited this evening at 1pm by PDF-Mattaya. No report of casualties has been reported yet. A heartwarming act of PDF is reported in the 74 media today. SayaSan-PDF of Yinmarbin Township in Sagaing told the 74 media that the 30 PDF members helped repair the Lalngauk-Yinmarpin roads that they used to dynamite the military convoy as the people were having difficulties accessing the roads.
On the international front, Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin says NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is essential to Myanmar’s Democratic transition and should be involved in talks.(it is not clear what “talks” he is referring to as there are no signs of peace talks, given that the military is neither willing to stop its violence against the civilians. The United Nation special envoy for Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzar, was seen talking to Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha during a meeting. They were reported to have a meeting on Myanmar political issues to seek a collaborative process in the political crisis in the junta ruled Myanmar, Mizzima reported.
