Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar
(1-07-2024 to 15-07-2024)
Over (41) months ago, on 1 February, 2021, the Myanmar military attempted an illegal coup, toppled the civilian government, and unlawfully detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and other senior members of the civilian government, parliamentarians and activists. Since then, the Myanmar military has ignored the will of the people of Myanmar, placed the country in turmoil, and made people suffer tremendously as a result of its inhumane and disproportionate acts.
As of 15 July 2024, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has ruthlessly killed 5,398 people and arrested another 27,067 people. 20,760 people remain in detention and 167 people have been sentenced to death, including 119 post-coup death row prisoners and 43 in absentia since 1 February 2021, when the military unleashed systematic and targeted attacks and violence against innocent civilians. Four democracy activists who were sentenced to death were executed by the military junta in July 2022.
Crimes committed Across Myanmar by the Junta Troops and its affiliates
Crimes perpetrated by the junta troops and its associates, militias across Myanmar include extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and the targeting of civilians, including children. These atrocities have led to widespread displacement, destruction of civilian properties, and a climate of fear and insecurity among the civilian population. The junta's brutal widespread and systematic tactics are aimed at suppressing dissent and maintaining its grip on power, regardless of the human cost and violations of international law.
According to the data collected by the AAPP, from July 1 to 15, 2024, (13) women and (22) men; (35) people in total, were killed by the junta across the country. The identities of these victims have been verified. Among the (35) deceased, there are (2) children under the age of 18 and (3) people over 60. Moreover, among the (35) fatalities, Mandalay Region records the highest number of deaths, with (9) people, and the number of people killed by the junta’s artillery strikes was the highest, totaling (12).
Mass Murders, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity Committed by the Myanmar Military
Myanmar junta forces kill six villagers in Mandalay Region raid
Myanmar Now reported that junta forces killed six sick and elderly villagers during a raid in Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region. The incident occurred on 10 July, 2024, when approximately 50 junta troops entered the villages of Letwe and Myinni before dawn, setting fire to houses.
A local woman recounted the event, saying the families of the victims left them behind, thinking it would be a "normal" raid. She explained that during previous raids, soldiers looted houses but left them intact. Those who were trapped were elderly stroke victims or young people with health problems, she added.
Letwe and Myinni, located about 13 miles west of Natogyi Town, are separated only by a road and have around 1,000 households combined. These twin villages have been frequent targets of junta forces based in neighboring Myingyan Township. According to the woman, residents were warned the night before that junta reinforcements had arrived in a nearby village, allowing them time to prepare to flee. The villagers cooked some food to eat in the forest and packed their belongings. When the column arrived at around 3:30 am, a clash started, and gunfire could be heard as they fled.
Two villagers were injured by artillery fire during the escape and are now receiving treatment. Another resident noted that the fire spread rapidly due to the hot, dry wind typical of the region at this time of year. The fire burned all day, and with no one to put it out, it just spread from one house to another, the villager said, estimating that between 300 and 500 houses were destroyed by the blaze.
In late June, heavy artillery fired by junta troops from a village in Myingyan Township injured two women in Letwe and Myinni, according to residents.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently reported that more than three million people are displaced by conflict nationwide in Myanmar.
Junta Drone Attack on Local Clinic
A junta drone attack on a clinic in Budalin Township, Sagaing Region on 10 July 2024 left six people dead and many others injured, according to the Myanmar Now report.
The junta forces used six-propeller drones to continue their attack, hitting the clinic twice while the injured people were getting medical treatment. One of the deceased was identified as Aye Aye Thin, a healthcare provider who was taking part in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Budalin Township is located just north of Monywa, the capital of Sagaing Region and the seat of the junta’s North-western Regional Military Command (RMC), which oversees military operations in Sagaing and Magway regions and Chin State. The checkpoint that was hit in the first attack was located just four miles from the RMC headquarters.
Junta drone attacks were also reportedly carried out on a school and a shop in Ywar Shay Village, Budalin Township, on the Morning of 11 July, but no further details were available at the time of reporting. Resistance forces in the area said they believed this was the first time the military had used drones to drop bombs.
Zin Yaw, a former Myanmar army captain who defected to the resistance after the 2021 coup, confirmed that the junta military appears to be stepping up its efforts to deploy drones more effectively against its enemies. He stated that the junta is now using four-propeller drones that can drop 81mm and 60mm shells.
Military Junta bombs city near China border
The military junta dropped bombs with fighter jets on Laukkai, the capital of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone (SAZ), on 14 July 2024, hours before the group controlling the city said it would cease fighting for the next four days. A spokesperson for the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) told Myanmar Now that the incident occurred in the city’s Ton Chain Ward at around 2am on 14 July. He stated that the junta Air force dropped bombs in front of the Fully Light Hotel, damaging three or four civilian houses.
Myanmar Now stated that the attack comes amid a push by the MNDAA, which took control of Laukkai earlier this year, to capture junta bases near Lashio, northern Shan State’s largest city, together with its allies. That offensive, which began on 3 July following the collapse late last month of a Chinese-brokered ceasefire that had been in place since January, is currently centred on the Light Infantry Battalion 507 base just south of Lashio, according to local sources.
Preparations are also being made to launch an assault on the Infantry Battalion 68 base on the north-eastern side of the city, according to a local source. The fighting near Lashio has also raised concerns in Laukkai, which is located some 115 miles to the northeast on the Myanmar-China border. Residents of Laukkai said that most Chinese nationals in the city have returned to China since the fighting resumed, while some locals have taken shelter in camps set up close to the border. Power and internet, both supplied by China, have been cut off amid the growing tensions, which also saw the temporary closure of the border, according to the report.
The MNDAA and its allies announced on 14 July that they would suspend their operations until Thursday as Chinese Communist Party leaders gather in Beijing from July 14-18 for their important Third Plenum meeting. However, residents of Lashio reported that clashes were still taking place near the city.
The temporary ceasefire only applies to northern Shan State, which borders China, and not to areas of neighbouring Mandalay Region, such as Mogok, Madaya and Singu townships, where allied anti-junta forces are also waging a renewed offensive. Meanwhile, on 13 July 2024, the United Wa State Army (UWSA) occupied Mine Yal (aka) Mongyai, located about 40 miles west of Tangyan, southeast of Lashio, two days after it took over the town of Tangyan to “protect” it from the conflict.
Five civilians were killed by the military Junta's weapons and 12 injured
Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that five civilians were killed and 12 were injured when a military junta weapons exploded in the cities of Moe Mai and Lashio. On 14 July 2024, in Mogok Township, three civilians were killed and seven others were injured when heavy weapons hit the areas of Min Bridge.
In addition, it is said that a man and a woman were injured when a large weapon exploded on a house in Sittangone Ward, east of Mogok.
Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) said that a man and a woman were injured when a large weapon exploded in Ward 1 of Kyauk Mae, and a woman was killed by a large weapon in Manmai Village. In Ward 4 of Lashio, a man was injured by the junta’s heavy weapon.
On the night of 13 July, a man was killed when a large weapon exploded in Namkhamin in the northern ward of Mo Myit. During over last 20 days, 66 civilians were killed and 103 were injured due to air and heavy weapons attacks by the military council, according to the TNLA statement.
Human Rights Abuses
Recent Fortify Rights Report Reveals Myanmar Junta's Torture Practices
According to a report by Fortify Rights, secretly recorded videos have surfaced, exposing severe torture of detainees by the military junta’s soldiers at an interrogation facility in the Mandalay Region. The human rights organization is calling on member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to protect the whistle blower who filmed these incidents and to use the evidence for accountability purposes.
The videos depict various forms of severe torture, including fatal beatings and electrocutions. In one video, soldiers beat a naked, bound detainee, while another video shows two detainees allegedly beaten to death. Fortify Rights emphasizes the need to protect the key witness to preserve the integrity of this evidence for future prosecutions.
Chit Seng, a Human Rights Associate at Fortify Rights, stressed the importance of urgent witness protection to avoid the loss of critical evidence. Fortify Rights is currently safeguarding the videos and has not released them to the public to maintain their integrity and ensure the safety of the witness. The organization is in communication with the Independent International Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), which collects and preserves evidence of international crimes in Myanmar.
The whistle-blower, a former private in the Myanmar Air Force, defected and fled the country with the videos. These videos document the interrogation and torture of around 48 detainees, including two women. The incidents occurred between October and November 2021 and were filmed at night in an outdoor courtyard of a military facility.
The videos reveal the involvement of various military personnel, including those from Army, Air Force, and military intelligence, in the torture. Fortify Rights has identified five military personnel who should be investigated for their roles in these crimes. The organization is ready to share the evidence with relevant prosecutorial authorities.
Fortify Rights has previously documented atrocity crimes by the Myanmar military, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The newly obtained videos add to the mounting evidence of the junta's violations of international law. The organization calls for the ICC to investigate these crimes and for member states to refer the situation of Myanmar to the ICC Prosecutor.
The ICC has a witness protection program, but it can only be activated for ongoing investigations. Currently, the ICC is not investigating the junta's post-coup crimes. Fortify Rights urges the international community to act immediately to ensure the protection of high-value witnesses and to hold the Myanmar junta accountable for its atrocities.
Soaring Inflation Drives Myanmar Citizens to Desperation
A recent article in The Irrawaddy highlights the immense struggles faced by the Myanmar people during the illegal military coup. In a unanimous consensus, media outlets, international organizations, and experts agree that the crisis confronting the Myanmar people is a man-made disaster, resulting from the illegal coup attempt.
This article discusses the significant hardships faced by Myanmar's citizens under the oppressive junta, particularly due to rampant inflation. Recent months have seen the cost of essentials such as food, fuel, and pharmaceuticals skyrocketing, leaving many residents exclaiming “Oh My God” as prices rise every few days. The price of a chicken egg has tripled from 120 kyats before the 2021 coup to 360 kyats, and a duck egg has increased from 200 kyats to 500 kyats. Cooking oil, rice, vegetables, chicken, pork, and prawns have also seen similar price hikes.
In Yangon, long lines of people queuing for palm oil are reminiscent of the era of General Ne Win, former dictator, where necessities like rice were rationed. To prevent people from queuing twice, customers must show their citizenship ID to purchase cooking oil from mobile shops selling it at subsidized rates of 6,000 kyats per viss (around 1.6 kilos), which is half the market price. These shops are crowded and sell out quickly, and satirical cartoons on social media depicting people snatching cabbages from markets highlight the severity of the situation.
Under Min Aung Hlaing’s rule, previously affordable staples like cabbage, water spinach, and eggs have become luxuries, even for middle-class families. Shopping has become a daily torment for most housewives in Myanmar, rather than an enjoyable pastime.
The article mentioned about the increase of the price of the necessities goods as well. The price of low-quality rice has surged from 2,000 kyats per viss (2.13 kilos) before the coup to over 5,000 kyats, making higher-quality grain something only well-off families can afford. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s recent announcement that Myanmar was exporting surplus rice has been met with disbelief, as domestic prices continue to soar.
The rising cost of food extends to sea fish, with some residents noting that even feeding street dogs has become difficult. Power outages have forced many to use canister gas for cooking, which has also seen price increases, while charcoal remains expensive. The scarcity of certain goods exacerbates the problem. For instance, chicken seasoning powder is often unavailable, and Ovaltine nutrition drink is being rationed at two packets per customer in supermarkets. Pharmaceuticals have also become scarce and expensive, causing further health risks for patients.
It highlights the myriad challenges faced by residents of Myanmar’s towns, particularly in Yangon, amid inflation, shortages of consumer goods, serious power outages, and a surge in theft, mugging, and pickpocketing. The streets of Yangon have become increasingly dangerous, especially for women carrying sling bags, as muggers frequently target phones, bikes, and electric bikes. Public bus drivers often warn passengers to safeguard their phones and purses, indicating the presence of pickpockets on board.
The return of unlicensed buses to Yangon’s streets has further deteriorated the situation. These rogue vehicles are known for their reckless driving as they compete for passengers, endangering public safety.
Residents live in constant fear of junta soldiers stopping them to check their phones. Possessing a virtual private network (VPN) or photos deemed politically sensitive can lead to arrest. Walking through downtown Yangon, the noise from diesel generators and the stench from overflowing garbage cans are pervasive issues, adding to the overall decline in living conditions.
The coup has also led to the closure of fine restaurants like the Japanese eatery Gekko, which once attracted both local and international patrons. Despite the junta’s claims of increased foreign arrivals, tourists are rarely seen in Yangon. Iconic sites like Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon City Hall, Chinatown, and buses to and from the airport no longer witness the once-common flocks of foreigners.
Both urban and rural areas of Myanmar have been in turmoil since the coup, creating an environment unwelcoming to visitors.
The situation is dire for urban residents, but those forced to flee their homes and businesses due to junta air raids and artillery barrages face even greater challenges. The article underscores the severe impact of the junta's mismanagement and oppressive policies on the daily lives of Myanmar's citizens. The article concludes with a personal note, reflecting on the daily struggles and the futility of relying solely on religious chants to lift the oppressive weight of military rule.
Myanmar Junta Privileges Military-Owned Entities, Targets Private Companies
The Myanmar military junta is extending preferential treatment to junta-owned entities amid an ongoing crackdown on private businesses for allegedly destabilizing markets, according to analysts and business sources. The military junta have arrested numerous employees and owners of private companies, interrogating them about alleged manipulation of the US dollar exchange rate and rising prices for gold, fuel, cooking oil, and other commodities.
On 30 June 2024, the military junta announced legal action under the Important Goods and Services Act against seven rice mill owners and eight company officials from City Mart, Aeon Orange, One Stop Mart, and Sein Gay Har supermarkets. Following volatility in the gold market, the military arrested 21 gold traders, including some prominent business owners from Yangon and Mandalay, and announced plans to arrest ten more.
Junta later detained and interrogated 14 foreign currency exchange agents and issued arrest warrants for businesses and individuals involved in purchasing condos in Bangkok, including the manager and director of Minn Thu Company. Amid these arrests and interrogations, businesses owned by the military conglomerates Myanma Economic Corporation (MEC) and Myanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) have largely escaped scrutiny.
MEC and MEHL are economic pillars of the junta, operating in multiple sectors across the country. Despite being among the first targets of sanctions from the US, UK, and EU in response to Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, these sanctions have had limited impact on commerce between Myanmar and key trading partners like China, India, Russia, and Thailand. This allows the junta-run giants to continue serving as vital sources of foreign revenue for the military junta.
Since the 2021 coup, shortages of basic goods, dramatic rises in commodity prices, and diminishing sources of revenue have been persistent problems in Myanmar. The junta has placed most of the blame for these economic woes on the private sector while ignoring the role of junta crony enterprises, according to a businessman who spoke with Myanmar Now. He noted the shift from a capitalist economy to a fascist system since the coup, with the military using its power and weapons to extract profits and blame negative consequences on others.
On 1 July, the junta promised legal action against seven domestic private banks for defying orders by issuing too many home loans. The named banks were Yoma Bank, Myanmar Citizens Bank, Ayeyarwady Bank, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Limited Bank, UAB Myanmar Metro Bank, and the Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Development Bank. Junta-owned Inwa Bank and Myawaddy Bank were not on the list.
An anonymous economist compared the arrests of business owners to the “Zuzakar Operation” during Ne Win’s dictatorship in 1968, when private business owners were branded as "corrupted by greed" and their commodities and assets were seized. The economist suggested the military is creating a situation where the public must depend on the military for basic commodities.
U Tin Tun Naing, Minister for Planning, Finance and Investment of the National Unity Government (NUG), indicated that the military council may be planning to privilege junta-owned entities and take over private businesses. He remarked that the military is prioritizing its survival above everything else, sacrificing the economy of the entire country. He noted that the military treats MEHL and MEC preferentially in allotting US dollars, while most other companies are no longer on the priority list. The military has also drastically curtailed the issue of import licenses to non-junta-owned businesses.
Political activist Zaw Ram stated that the military needs to keep its owned and operated businesses thriving for a future escape, but no one can manage a country’s economy at gunpoint.
Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta
AA says it has seized airport, bases in Myanmar’s Rakhine State
The Arakan Army (AA) released a statement on 7 July 2024, claiming that it has made major advances against Myanmar’s military in three Rakhine State townships according the Myanmar Now’s report. The Arakha Army, said that it captured several junta army positions around the town of Thandwe over the weekend, and is now in control of its airport.
According to the statement, hundreds of junta soldiers from 10 different battalions died trying to defend the airport, despite receiving air support since the AA seized a nearby base on 27 June. The airport is a gateway to Ngapali, Myanmar’s most famous beach resort area. Many of the properties in Ngapali’s hotel zone are owned by senior military officials or their cronies.
The AA said in its statement that the fighting in Thandwe has been the most intense so far in its ongoing offensive for control of the state, which began in November of last year. In addition to airstrikes, the junta has also used naval and artillery attacks in its bid to hold onto the town. Nine of Rakhine’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State, are already under AA control. The group says its goal is to completely eliminate all junta forces in Rakhine.
The AA also confirmed in its statement that it had captured a key base in Ann Township, north of Thandwe. The Taw Hein tactical hill base fell to AA on 23 June after more than two months of fighting, according to the statement. The base is located near a bridge some 26 miles from the headquarters of the junta’s Western Regional Military Command (RMC). It also serves as a major tactical base for frontline troops in Ann Township.
Meanwhile, the AA has also claimed that it killed 350 junta soldiers during clashes for control of an outpost on the border with Bangladesh in Maungdaw Township. The outpost, located at Milestone 4 on the border, was manned by Squadron 2 of the junta’s Border Guard Police (BGP). It was seized at around 1:40pm on 6 July, the statement said. The AA said it was also attacking troops from the BGP’s Squadron 5. There are a total of 10 squadrons stationed along the border—eight in Maungdaw and two in Buthidaung.
Anti-junta forces seize missile base in northern Shan State
According to the Myanmar Now’s Report, anti-junta forces took full control of Naung Cho Township, northern Shan State on early morning of 10 July 2024, and seized a junta missile battalion base south of the township’s urban centre. Locals said the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and People’s Defence Forces (PDF) and other resistance fighters in overrunning the military’s Missile Battalion 606 base two miles outside of town at around 3am.
A local woman said that gunfire at the Battalion 606 base had already subsided by dawn, and we heard the TNLA had taken over. She also stated that they were just waiting for good news of resistance forces because there were junta fighter jets attacking all through the night. Although the military was flying both fighters and transport aircraft into the area until dawn, the troops manning the battalion base ultimately abandoned it and fled, the woman added.
A source connected to the military also confirmed to Myanmar Now that the battalion base had fallen under the full control of the TNLA and its allies, which had been carrying out attacks on the outpost since the beginning of July 2024. The Myanmar military established a Missile Directorate in 2019. The directorate oversees two missile operations command headquarters: Command 1 in Mandalay’s Kyaukpadaung Township, Command 2 in Loilem, southern Shan State.
The headquarters command a total of 16 missile battalion bases throughout Myanmar, two of which have now fallen to anti-junta fighters. The Kachin Independence Army took over the Missile Battalion 616 base in Momauk Township, Kachin State in March of this year. The TNLA and its allied forces previously seized the military’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 115 base on 26 June and the nearby LIB 114 base a mile west of Naung Cho’s urban centre on 27 June, and have seized at least ten other military and police outposts in the township.
With the capture of the Missile Battalion 606 base, the allied forces of the TNLA, Mandalay PDF (MDY-PDF), and Danu People’s Liberation Front have taken full territorial control of Naung Cho’s urban areas, while some outlying parts of the township are still in military hands.
The junta still holds an artillery battalion base 20 miles outside of town on the Naung Cho- Yatsauk road, and another outpost 15 miles outside of town on the Nawnghkio-Pyin Oo Lwin road.
The TNLA, which says it is in the process of establishing an administrative apparatus in Naung Cho, claims to have detained 60 people in the town on suspicion of looting or serving as military informants.
The TNLA has also besieged the Myanmar army’s Military Operations Command 1 headquarters and Infantry Battalion (IB) 501 and IB 502 bases in Kyaukme Township, which borders Nawnghkio Township to the east.
At the same time, the MDY-PDF—a TNLA ally commanded by the publicly mandated National Unity Government—has carried out offensive operations in Mandalay Region’s Madaya and Singu townships, seizing more than a dozen junta bases.
Activities of the National Unity Government
NUG Prime Minister Urges Coordinated Action as Second Wave of Northern Shan Offensive Begins
Prime Minister of the National Unity Government Mahn Winn Khaing Thann urged coordinated efforts for the success of the revolution during a meeting of the Central Committee for Interim Implementation of Public Administration on 4 July 2024. He emphasized the need for balanced movement in regions controlled by revolutionary forces as the second wave of operations begins from Northern Shan. “It is necessary for the committee to quickly coordinate the township-related issues that need to be handled urgently. When the second wave from the Northern Shan side begins to move, it is time for our controlled regions to also move in a balanced manner,” Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann stated. He also called for collective efforts to reduce conflicts among townships and maintain the momentum of the revolution.
NUG Union Minister Meets Ethnic Leaders in Melbourne to Discuss Spring Revolution and Humanitarian Crises
Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the National Unity Government Daw Zin Mar Aung, met with leaders of the Lisu, Rawang, Kachin, Karenni, Kayin, Chin, Zomi, Mon, and Rakhine ethnic groups in Melbourne on 29 June 2024. Union Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung emphasized the importance of unity among revolutionary forces for the success of the ongoing Spring Revolution and discussed current affairs in Myanmar. The ethnic leaders shared the difficulties and humanitarian crises faced by their tribes and regions.
Over 40 Junta’s Soldiers Join People’s Side in June, NUG Defense Ministry Reports
The Ministry of Defence of the National Unity Government announced on 3 July 2024 that more than 40 soldiers and policemen, including a major from the military junta, joined the people’s side in June. The People’s Embrace Program Implementation Committee and PDF battalions under the command of the Ministry of Defence coordinated with the defectors. In June 2024, 43 soldiers and police officers, including 1 major, 2 captains, and 1 deputy police officer, took refuge with the people. Among these 43 individuals, some defected with their weapons. Those who brought weapons were given honorariums based on the weapon’s value as set by the Ministry of Defence. It was reported that 18 different weapons and ammunition were obtained.
National Unity Government Conducts Mine Risk Training for Ground Staff
The Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs of the National Unity Government announced on 3 July 2024 that it is providing training to staff working on the ground to reduce mine risk. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs, organizations and township civic organizations are conducting mine risk reduction and mine risk awareness training for landmines and IEDs. According to a UNICEF report, from January to September 2023, 858 people were affected by landmines, with the Sagaing Region being the most impacted. In 2022, 390 people were affected by landmines.
NUG Ministry of Health Condemns Targeting of Civilians by the Military Junta
On 29 June 2024, the terrorist military junta deliberately targeted civilians in Kyaukme, Shan State, resulting in the deaths of Daw Nang Mue Lin San, a 51-year-old township nurse and member of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) of the Lashio District Public Health Department, and her 73-year-old mother, Daw Nang Khin Hpone. Both were killed by a mortar shell fired by the military junta. The Ministry of Health of the National Unity Government sent a condolence message on 5 July, recognizing Daw Nang Mue Lin San as a CDM martyr. The ministry strongly condemns the military junta’s acts of targeting civilians and has vowed to bring justice to the health workers and innocent people who were killed and injured. Strict legal action will be taken against the military junta and their accomplices.
Myanmar's Ambassador Urges International Community to Uphold Responsibility to Protect
Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, addressed the General Assembly on the critical issue of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) on 1 July 2024. He commended the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the Special Advisor on R2P for their annual report, highlighting the global commitment to preventing atrocities such as genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Ambassador emphasized the importance of international solidarity in upholding these commitments to protect vulnerable populations worldwide.
Ambassador lamented the significant rise in armed conflicts and violations of international law over the past two decades, including the ongoing atrocities in Myanmar perpetrated by the military junta. He stressed the failure of the international community to protect vulnerable populations, especially Myanmar people and called for urgent, decisive action to uphold R2P principles and address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. The ambassador underscored the need for the UN and its member states to take immediate and concrete measures to alleviate the suffering of the Myanmar people and restore peace and stability in the region.
Response of the International Community
Permanent Representatives to the United Nations jointly Condemn Escalation of Violence in Myanmar, Call for De-escalation and Dialogue
Permanent Representatives to the United Nations jointly issued a statement on Myanmar on 15 July 2024. These missions include the Permanent Missions to the United Nations of Albania, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union and its Member States such as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
The statement expressed deep concern over the escalation of violence and conflict in Myanmar, alongside credible reports of violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, which have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. It highlighted reports of serious abuses, particularly by the Myanmar Armed Forces, including indiscriminate aerial bombardments of civilians and civilian objects, burning of civilian homes, attacks on humanitarian workers and facilities, and restrictions on humanitarian access. These actions were deemed unacceptable.
These countries urged the Myanmar Armed Forces and all parties involved in the conflict to de-escalate violence, respect international humanitarian and human rights laws, and protect civilians. The statement also reiterated demands for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 2669 (2022).
ICJ allows 7 states to intervene in Gambia's genocide case against Myanmar
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on 3 July 2024 that declarations of intervention filed by seven states in a genocide case brought by Gambia against Myanmar are admissible. The ICJ's order unanimously accepted the interventions, allowing the states to contribute to the proceedings with their perspectives on the interpretation of the Genocide Convention's provisions.
The Court declared the Maldives' intervention under Article 63 of the ICJ Statute admissible, permitting the nation to address the construction of the Genocide Convention's provisions. The ICJ also admitted a joint declaration of intervention under Article 63 submitted by Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. With this order, the seven states are authorized, in accordance with Article 86 of the Rules of Court, to submit their written observations on the matters pertaining to their interventions. The ICJ will decide at a later stage whether these states will be allowed to present their observations during the oral proceedings. The case, initiated by Gambia in November 2019, accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingya population.
The admission of these interventions highlights the international community's heightened interest and involvement in the legal interpretations of the Genocide Convention as the Court proceeds with this landmark case.
Myanmar Pearl Company Tasaki and Investors Risk Complicity in Myanmar Military Junta’s International Crimes
Mekong Watch and Justice For Myanmar have recently stated and raised their concerns over TASAKI's ongoing partnership with Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE), a state-owned enterprise controlled by the military junta. In letters dated 11 June, 2024, addressed to TASAKI and its potential investors, Fountain Vest Partners and Unison Capital, the organizations urged TASAKI to responsibly end all business with MPE. They questioned whether TASAKI, a luxury jeweler founded in Japan, has conducted human rights due diligence since the military’s coup attempt, the results of that due diligence, and what measures TASAKI has taken in response.
The organizations also called for TASAKI to publicly disclose its transactions with MPE and other junta-controlled entities since February 1, 2021. Despite these concerns, TASAKI did not provide any information by the requested deadline of July 5, 2024.
Yadanar Maung, spokesperson for Justice for Myanmar, stated that TASAKI’s partnership with MPE provides the Myanmar military with revenue used to procure weapons and jet fuel, facilitating the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Maung emphasized that potential investors should leverage their influence to ensure TASAKI divests from Myanmar to avoid contributing to the military’s international crimes. The spokesperson urged TASAKI to cease selling what they termed "blood pearls" and end its business with the junta.
Amnesty International Report Highlights Ongoing Aviation Fuel Shipments to Myanmar despite Sanctions
A recent Amnesty International report has revealed that new shipments of aviation fuel continue to flow into Myanmar, defying global calls to deprive the country's military of resources needed for unlawful air strikes. According to the report, the Myanmar military employed new evasive tactics to import aviation fuel throughout 2023, following sanctions imposed on parts of its supply chain. This pattern persisted with at least two, and potentially three, additional shipments of aviation fuel entering Myanmar between January and June 2024. The fuel, bought and sold multiple times, reached Myanmar via Viet Nam, with the Chinese-owned HUITONG78 oil tanker involved in transporting the fuel from Viet Nam to Myanmar. Companies such as Sahara Energy International Pte. Ltd. and CNOOC Trading (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. were also implicated in the supply chain according to this report.
The report raises concerns about the junta's control of the port, suggesting significant risks that the fuel could be used for non-civilian purposes. Amnesty International's Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, criticized the ongoing fuel imports, highlighting the complicity of states such as Viet Nam, China, and Singapore. “The Myanmar military is relying on the very same Chinese vessel and Vietnamese companies to import its aviation fuel, despite Amnesty International having already exposed that reckless supply chain,” Callamard stated. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar reported a five-fold increase in military air strikes against civilian targets in the first half of 2024.
Amnesty International stated one of these attacks, which occurred on May 9, when the military junta launched an air strike on a monastery in Saw Township’s Ah Kyi Pan Pa Lon Village in central Myanmar’s Magway Region. Witnesses described the harrowing scene as a fighter jet circled back to open fire on those fleeing the initial explosions. The monastery, believed to be about 100 years old, was destroyed. Amnesty International interviewed survivors and analysed photos showing the extent of the damage, which was consistent with an air strike causing severe burns and structural collapse. Satellite imagery confirmed the heavy burning of the monastery area.
Amnesty International mentioned that despite international calls to suspend jet fuel shipments to Myanmar, vessel tracking and trade data show that the Chinese oil tanker HUITONG78 transported aviation fuel to Yangon port in January and February 2024. The fuel was traced back to storage facilities in Singapore and China before being sold to Vietnamese companies for transit. A likely third shipment from the UAE arrived in Myanmar in May 2024. Amnesty International urged all companies involved in these shipments to withdraw from the supply chain, emphasizing the high risk that the fuel is being used to fuel attacks against civilians.
The Amnesty report underscores the urgent need for the international community to take decisive action to prevent further atrocities in Myanmar. The organization calls for an end to the impunity with which the military junta operates and stresses the importance of holding those involved in the fuel supply chain accountable.
International Efforts Fail as Myanmar's Airstrikes on Civilians Surge: Nikkei Asia Reports
Nikkei Asia assertively stated that the two recent reports have indicated that international efforts, led by the U.S., to prevent Myanmar's military junta from importing jet fuel have failed. This failure coincides with a significant increase in the bombing of civilians in rural areas.
Nikkei Asia referenced the report from Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, a Burmese nonprofit organization focused on political research, advocacy, and youth empowerment, which reported that the Junta Air Force conducted 819 airstrikes between January and April this year. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 359 civilians and injuries to 756 others, including many women and children. This equates to almost seven airstrikes per day. If this rate continues, 2024 could see around 2,400 aerial bombardments, with over 1,000 fatalities, surpassing the combined total of bombings and deaths from 2021, 2022, and 2023.
On 26 June 2024, United Nations special rapporteur Tom Andrews released a report noting that various governments had significantly expanded sanctions targeting aviation fuel suppliers in 2022 and 2023. The report highlighted two U.S. regulatory actions: a "Burma Jet Fuel Sanctions Alert" and an official "Determination" from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which warned that companies selling jet fuel to Myanmar could face sanctions and provided legal grounds for U.S. authorities to enforce them.
Since taking over as chief of the Myanmar Air Force in January 2022, Gen. Htun Aung has intensified bombing campaigns as the SAC loses territory to revolutionary forces. In September, he hosted the 20th ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference, themed "ASEAN Air Forces' Cooperation for a Sustainable Environment." During the three days of convening conference, Radio Free Asia reported that the junta conducted 20 airstrikes in the Sagaing, Mandalay, and Bago regions.
240 Groups Urge Action Against Income-Generating Activities for Myanmar's Military Council
On 15 July 2024, 240 Myanmar and international non-governmental organizations called for sanctions against the Myanmar Economic Bank (MEB) and the Myanmar Oil and Natural Gas Industry (MOGE), controlled by the military junta according to the report from Radio Free Asia (RFA). The joint statement highlighted that these entities have been financing the military's purchase of weapons and jet fuel and facilitating access to international financial markets since the coup.
The statement emphasized that despite existing international sanctions, the Military Council exploits loopholes to procure military equipment from countries that have not closed their markets to the junta.
Additionally, they stated that Thailand's state-owned energy company, PTT Group, has been transferring natural gas revenues from Thai banks to the Myanmar Economic Bank, and ultimately benefiting MOGE. MOGE remains the Military Council's largest revenue source.
Besides, in their statement, the organizations urged Thai banks to cease all financial transactions that support the Military Council. It also called on the international community to adopt the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar to strengthen sanctions against the Military Council.
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Date: 15 July 2024
Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations, New York