Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar
(16-06-2024 to 30-06-2024)
(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 30 June 2024, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has ruthlessly killed 5,341 people and arrested another 26,943 people. 20,660 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, during the period spanning from 1 to 30 June, 2024, (48) women and (71) men; (119) people in total, were killed by the junta across the country. Their identities were verified. Among (119) deceased, there are (19) children who were under the age of 18 and (17) people who were over 60. Moreover, among (119) fatalities, Rakhine State records the highest number of deaths, with (42) people, and the number of people killed by the junta’s airstrikes was the highest, totaling (56).
During the same month, (15) women, (33) men and (1) transgender person – a total of (49) people, were arrested in relation to the Spring Revolution and remain detained by the junta across the country. Among (49) arrests, Yangon Region records the highest number of arrests, with (30) people.
Likewise, during this period, (4) women and (16) men; (20) people in total, were sentenced under specious charges by courts subservient to the junta, and are still detained in prisons across the country. They are serving sentences under different sections of the Counter-Terrorism Law. Among (20) sentences, Sagaing Region records the highest number of convictions, with (18) people. Among (18) sentences, there are (9) people who are sentenced to 10 years and over 10 in prisons.
Myanmar junta using veterans, militias to secure capital, as more soldiers sent to frontlines
Myanmar’s military junta is increasingly relying on army veterans and militias to provide security in Naypyitaw as it sends regular troops based in the capital to fight in other parts of the country. Sources in Naypyitaw say that there has been a notable increase in the number of retired soldiers and militia members stationed there since early June.
A police officer based in the city stated that soldiers who were in Naypyitaw for years are now being redeployed to towns where fighting has broken out and they are seeing young personnel with no prior experience being paired up with veterans. In the Thabyaykone section of Naypyitaw, which saw massive protests in the weeks after the February 2021 coup, there are at least three security checkpoints, but they are manned by only a handful of older ex-soldiers, according to people living in the area.
In the first week of June, Junta’s chair of the Naypyitaw Council, Than Tun Oo, was in Naypyitaw, Tatkon and Lewe townships, which border areas where anti-junta groups have been active, to inspect new militia members. At least 100 militias are believed to be currently stationed in each of the Naypyitaw Territory’s eight townships. Since February, the junta military has been ordering villagers in Lewe Township to act as night guards amid fears of incursions by resistance forces based in neighbouring Bago Region.
In April, resistance forces launched multiple drone attacks on the Ayeyarwady airbase and the military headquarters in Naypyitaw, heightening the junta's concerns about security in the Naypyitaw area, which is primarily inhabited by junta employees, retired military personnel, and active military members.
Last month, in a desperate bid to shore up its dwindling ranks, the military junta intensified its efforts to bring former military personnel, some as old as 67, back into active service. As the junta struggles to fend off relentless attacks from groups opposed to its rule, it has become increasingly worried and paranoid, resorting to forceful recruitment methods that brazenly violate the fundamental rights of every citizen This draconian approach is a testament to the junta's growing desperation, having faced unprecedented resistance to its rule over the past three years, losing thousands of troops to casualties, defections, and mass surrenders.
Myanmar junta holding more than 100 individuals in Naypyitaw for allegedly resisting conscription
Over 100 young people arbitrarily arrested on suspicion of evading compulsory forced conscription since April are in custody at the Jail in Naypyitaw, according to a source close with the courts.
Junta have been arresting people in the eligible age range for fleeing conscription since the last week of April, after drafting the first batch of recruits into service. According to the judicial staff member, they held the detainees at military bases instead of police stations before ultimately sending them to Naypyitaw. A judicial staff member told to the Myanmar Now that during security checks, while some were caught in groups while trying to flee and others were arrested for not holding national registration cards while traveling.
According to the local judicial source, there were 118 people currently detained at the Naypyitaw Jail and that all their cases had been filed since May. The detainees are from Pyinmana, Lewe, and Ottarathiri townships in the Naypyitaw Union Territory, as well as from the neighboring Bago Region. Sources claimed that judges based in Pyinmana and Zabuthiri townships had to go to the special court at Naypyitaw Jail to hear the cases, and that authorities had not provided attorneys to represent any of the detained youths.
It is unknown whether the detainees are in contact with their families. Many people in the eligible age range for conscription have fled abroad to avoid serving in the junta army. Others lacking the money or means to leave the country have fled from their home townships to other areas in Myanmar, usually those controlled by the anti-junta resistance forces.
A young man from Naypyitaw who had learned his name was on the junta’s recruitment summons list said that their only option is to move to the liberated areas or else they will just be sitting ducks since it is difficult to go abroad at this time. A soldier in a combat engineers’ battalion based in Bago Region said his unit had arrested hundreds of young people for fleeing conscription in May. He added that, among 50 young conscripts who had escaped a military base in Mingaladon Township, Yangon, 10 had been caught and brought back.
Mass Murders, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Myanmar Military
Three Civilians were Killed in Ann by the Indiscriminate Air-Strike of the Myanmar Military
Myanmar Now stated that three civilians, including a four-year-old boy, were killed by an airstrike in Ann Township, Rakhine State, on 20 June 2024, in the junta’s latest deadly aerial attack in the Rakhine state.
The victims were residents of Thea Kan Htaung Village, located about 23 miles northwest of the township’s administrative centre. Two others were injured by the airstrike, and a monastery in the neighbouring village of Sin U Taik was also damaged, the sources added.
Ann Township, located in central Rakhine State, is a home of the junta’s Western Regional Military Command’s Headquarter. Earlier third week of June, two other attacks—in Taungote Township to the south and Myebon Township to the north—left at least five civilians dead and a dozen injured, according to local sources. On 18 June 2024, an airstrike on the village of Kan Seik Taung in Taungote killed three women and injured seven others. This was followed the next day with an airstrike on the village of Tote Chaung in Myebon. Two people were killed in that attack, including an 11-year-old boy. Five others were injured, sources said.
The Arakha Army (AA) reported last month that the military junta killed a total of 268 civilians and injured another 640 within six months, which began in November of last year. They also claimed that 600,000 civilians have been displaced by the fighting. Currently, the AA has captured nine of Rakhine State’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State. It controls Myebon, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Pauktaw, Ramree, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, and Buthidaung townships, and is fighting for control of Ann, Maungdaw, and Thandwe townships.
Myanmar junta airstrike on Sagaing Region monastery kills 17 civilians
A night-time bombing raid by the Myanmar junta’s air force killed 17 civilians, including a 5-year-old child and a Buddhist monk, in Indaw Township, Sagaing Region, on 20 June 2024, according to the Myanmar Now’s report.
The junta forces had reportedly rounded up around 40 local civilians and locked them in the Nant Thar village monastery before junta warplanes bombed the same monastery at around midnight. The airstrike resulted in the deaths of a 5-year-old boy and his mother, a Buddhist monk in his 40s, and 14 other adults between the ages of 30 and 80. All victims were identified by resistance groups.
Some of those injured in the airstrike reportedly died from blood loss due to the lack of timely medical assistance. On 25 June, an Indaw Township resident reported that local civilians arranged burials for the deceased near the village. The resident noted that the remaining captive villagers had not yet been released.
Nant Thar, a large village with about 200 homes, had a population of around 5,000 before March 2023. When junta troops entered the village and established a base, most inhabitants fled from the village. Victims of the recent airstrike were among the few dozen residents who remained in Nant Thar after the junta's arrival.
Myanmar junta finally have to admits their killing of renowned Buddhist monk
Myanmar’s military junta admitted on 21 June 2024 that their soldiers killed a senior Buddhist monk in Mandalay last week. Junta-controlled state media originally blamed the killing of Ashin Munindra Bhivamsa, abbot of the Win Namitta Monastery in Bago, on People Defence Forces.
However, a day after the incident, another senior monk who survived in the deadly attack publicly contradicted the junta’s official account of what happened, forcing it to retract its initial claims. In a statement released the following afternoon, the junta said that it would order an investigation after hearing the testimony of the monk, Ashin Gunikar Bhivamsa, which was shared with other monks at a gathering that was live streamed on Facebook.
On 21 June, the junta’s spokesperson Zaw Min Tun released a seven-minute video offering further details. In this video he had admitted that their junta forces shoot and killed the Abbot while encounter with their vehicle. According to the ground report stated by Myanmar Now, the shooting took place because the car that the two monks were travelling in failed to stop at a checkpoint in Ngazun Township, about 45 miles southwest on Mandalay, as it was driving west from Mandalay International Airport in Tada-U Township on June 19.
It wasa the first time that the junta has acknowledged the unprovoked killing of civilians by its forces since it seized power more than three years ago. Based on the above incident, it is evident that the military junta consistently attempts to cover up their atrocities and killings with misinformation and disinformation. They fabricate maps and information, and even coerce survivor into participating in their fabricated narratives. They repeatedly try to shift the blame for their atrocities onto resistance forces and ethnic revolutionary organizations, disseminating their falsehoods to the international community. The junta's coercion of the surviving driver exemplifies their efforts to suppress civilians and conceal the truth.
Human Rights Abuses
Military Junta Arrests Rice Merchants over Pricing
Myanmar Now stated that the military junta arrested rice business executives, wholesalers, and warehouse staff in Yangon and other cities on 21 June 2024 for alleged noncompliance with price controls, according to sources close to the detainees. The detainees included executives at rice companies as well as owners and employees of the Bayinnaung Warehouses in Yangon, their associates said.
Among the dozen or so businessmen under investigation are Ye Min Aung, the executive chair of the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF), and Lu Maw Myint Maung, chair of the Bayinnaung Rice Warehouses. The MRF, a private sector association of rice producers and companies, is responsible for arranging exports of rice to China and other trade partners of Myanmar.
Among the detainees, there were not just the company owners, there were other employees from the Bayinnaung and Wardan warehouses, stated by sources. The detained businessmen are reportedly undergoing interrogation in two separate groups in Yangon and Naypyitaw, their associates said. The price range for a sack of Shwebo refined rice set by the military council in June was between 135,000 and 145,000 kyat (US $42 to $45), while the price range set for the same quantity of a less processed variety is between 70,000 and 70,800 kyat (US $22 to $24).
Rules allow for the retail sale of rice at 5 to 10 % above the set price, and for the sale of rice at supermarkets and convenience stores at prices 10 to 20 % higher. The set price ranges for rice went up again on 21 June, with the maximum price for a sack of refined rice rising above 160,000 kyat, nearly three times higher than what it cost before the military coup of 2021. In a similar incident, the military junta arrested dozens of gold merchants and currency exchange business owners earlier this year, alleging that they were manipulating the market price of gold and exchange rate for American dollars.
Japan supermarket director arrested in Myanmar for rice price gouging
In a desperate attempt to shift the blame for their own mismanagement, the Myanmar military junta has arrested a Japanese national, Hiroshi Kasamatsu, director of Aeon Orange, on trumped-up charges of selling rice at artificially high prices. According to Japan Today, the junta's information team claimed that Kasamatsu and 10 Myanmar nationals were suspected of breaching the Essential Supplies and Services Law, but in reality, this is just a thinly veiled attempt to distract from the junta's own failures. The military's arbitrary actions have led to economic chaos, and now they are scapegoating merchants and businessmen to cover up their own incompetence.
The price of rice, a staple in Myanmar, has more than doubled in recent months due to the junta's mismanagement and corruption, but state media is blaming the El Nino weather phenomenon and market hoarders. The junta's actions have led to widespread criticism, with Japan demanding Kasamatsu's immediate release. The arbitrary detention of a foreign national and local businessmen is a clear violation of human rights and the rule of law. The international community must condemn the junta's actions and pressure them to release Kasamatsu and the detained Myanmar nationals immediately.
Myanmar journalist Htet Aung sentenced to 5 years in prison under counterterrorism law
Committee to Protect Journalists stated that on 28 June 2024, a Junta’s Kangroo court in Sittwe, sentenced Htet Aung, a reporter with the Development Media Group (DMG) news agency, to five years in prison with hard labor. His sentence was in connection with a report the outlet published on 25 August, 2023, under the headline “Calls for justice on sixth anniversary of Muslim genocide in Arakan State,” according to the news agency, a DVB social media post, and DMG editor-in-chief Aung Marm Oo.
Htet Aung was accused of the conviction of abetting terrorism under Section 52 (a) of the country’s Anti-Terrorism Law. The journalist’s initial indictment was for defamation under Section 65 of the Telecommunications Law, but the charge was changed to abetting terrorism on 1 December.
DMG office security guard Soe Win Aung was handed the same sentence as Htet Aung, according to the news report and DMG. Both were also held on a charge of allegedly stealing a motorcycle, the same sources said. In a public statement reviewed by CPJ, DMG said it “strongly condemns the military junta’s unjust imprisonment” of Htet Aung and Soe Win Aung.
CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative informed that the 5-year sentencing of Development Media Group reporter Htet Aung on bogus terrorism charges is Myanmar’s latest outrage against the free press and should be immediately reversed. He also stated that the Myanmar’s junta must stop harassing and jailing journalists for merely doing their jobs by reporting the news.
After his October arrest, Htet Aung was held in pre-trial detention at Sittwe’s No. 1 Police Station, where he was denied visitation, according to the news agency’s report. Htet Aung was initially arrested while taking photos of soldiers making donations to Buddhist monks during a religious festival in Sittwe.
Hours later, soldiers, police, and special branch officials raided the Development Media Group’s bureau; confiscated cameras, computers, documents, financial records, and cash, and sealed off the building. The agency’s staff went underground to avoid arrest. Development Media Group specializes in news from Rakhine State.
Myanmar was the world’s second-worst jailer of journalists, with at least 43 journalists behind bars, at the time of CPJ’s December 1, 2023, prison census.
Yangon’s poor queue for cooking oil amid import restrictions
Myanmar Now reported that as the Myanmar’s illegal coup attempt continues to deteriorate the country’s economic condition, residents of the country’s largest city, Yangon are facing increasing difficulty acquiring basic foodstuffs such as cooking oil. Due to import restrictions put in place by the junta to prevent dollars from flowing out of the country, the price of the staple item has risen dramatically in recent months, reaching 12,000 kyat, or US$3.70, per viss (approximately 1.6 kg).
However, limited quantities can be purchased at half that price at ration shops set up in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. In many townships across Yangon, low-income people can now be seen queuing up early in the morning to buy cooking oil sold at subsidized prices, evoking memories of the country’s era of socialist rule under dictator Ne Win. Due to the mismanagement of the junta, the lives of the people of Myanmar are deteriorating day by day.
Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta
Myanmar army battalion base in southern Chin State falls to Chin Brothers alliance
Myanmar Now reported that the Chin Brothers Alliance and other groups seized a base manned by the Myanmar army’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 304 in Matupi Township, Chin State on 17 June 2024. The Chin Brothers Alliance said that they were able to seize howitzers and ammunition in the assault on the base camp, one of two battalion bases in the township along with the Infantry Battalion (IB) 140 base overseen by Regional Operations Command headquarters in Kalay, Sagaing Region. According to the Chin Brothers Alliance, they will continue their efforts to capture the other IB 140 base after their success in seizing the other junta outpost. The Chin Brothers Alliacne have fought alongside their allies, the Arakan Army (AA) - based in Rakhine State and Paletwa Township, Chin State—and the Yaw Army, which is active in both Chin State and Magway Region. They had also initiated clashes with the Myanmar military in northern Chin State, Tedim Township, the most populous township in the state, late last month. On 27 May, the Chin Brothers Alliance and allied groups succeeded in capturing the office of the electricity authority and two tower outposts manned by junta forces. Seven junta soldiers were killed and nine were captured alive in these clashes, according to the Chin Brothers Alliance’ Statement, and the anti-junta forces seized 17 heavy and small weapons from the junta troops.
TNLA and NUG’s PDF advance in Mandalay Region and northern Shan State
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and allied PDF members have seized a battalion base in northern Shan State and more junta outposts in a Mandalay Region gem-mining township since 28 June 2024, according to Myanmar Now. The TNLA’s press team said the group led resistance forces in taking over the Myanmar army’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 114 base three miles southwest of Nawnghkio, northern Shan State at around 9 pm on 27 June 2024.
According to photos released by the TNLA’s spokespersons, a large haul of weapons and ammunition were seized from the LIB 115 base in Nawnghkio Township—the day before.
A Nawnghkio resident also told Myanmar Now that junta warplanes had conducted multiple airstrikes on Friday morning near the junta’s Artillery Battalion 606 base two miles south of Nawnghkio, which had come under siege by the TNLA and its allies.
The LIB-115 and LIB-114 bases are among dozens of junta outposts the Ta’ang ethnic armed group claims to have taken over with support from their allies in northern Shan State.
Clashes in Kyaukme, another northern Shan State town some 30 miles northeast of Nawnghkio, also took place on 27 and 28 June 2024. The TNLA, joined by members of the People’s Defence Forces (PDF) continued their efforts to push junta forces out of the township and take control.
Locals added that nearly all of the junta forces’ hilltop outposts, including the LIB 248 tactical base, have now fallen under anti-junta fighters’ control in western Mogok Township. In the three days since the TNLA and its PDF allies resumed offensive operations against the military, they have overrun at least five junta outposts in Mogok Township, according to the TNLA’s spokespersons. Mogok is famous in Myanmar as a source of gemstones, and its name has become synonymous with the ruby industry, which is largely controlled by military-owned companies and is an important source of revenue for the junta. Myanmar is one of the world’s two largest ruby suppliers, and close to 90 % of the country’s ruby extraction occurs in Mogok Township.
Mandalay PDF forces under NUG's command have captured eight Myanmar army camps in a week
The Mandalay People's Defense Force (PDF) has been actively engaging in military operations against the Myanmar junta. They have now captured some junta bases in Sintgu Township, taking control of a base in Tha Yet Kone Village, Nawnghkio Township, Shan State and capturing the Junta Air Defense Battalion near Madaya, Mandalay Region since the start of their Mandalay-Shan military operation on 25 June 2024.
These operations have resulted in significant casualties for the junta forces, including the death of a lieutenant colonel and 10 other junta troops in one instance. The PDF has also seized numerous weapons, ammunition, and equipment from the captured bases.
The Mandalay PDF's successes extend beyond these captures. They have been involved in intense clashes with junta forces in various locations, including areas near Pyin Oo Lwin, a junta garrison town. Their operations have effectively disrupted junta control in parts of Mandalay Region and northern Shan State.
In response to these losses, the Myanmar junta has escalated its use of airstrikes and indiscriminate shelling against resistance-held areas. This intensification of aerial attacks highlights the growing pressure on the junta forces as they face increasingly effective resistance from groups like the Mandalay PDF.
Activities of the National Unity Government
NUG Acting President Issues Statement on Buddhist Monk’s Death
On 27 June 2024, in his statement regarding the abbot of Win Neinmitayon Monastery in the Bago Region, who is also a retired member of the State Sangha Nayaka Committee, the Acting President of the NUG expressed his regret that he had passed away and that all those involved in spreading false information about the incident would be held accountable. Sayadaw Bhaddanta Munindabhivamsa was killed on 19 June on the Ngazun-Myotha Road in Mandalay Region by the terrorist Military Council. The statement emphasized that this is a great loss of a religious martyr who dedicated his life to his faith, making the loss even more devastating. The action of the military junta is an insult to all of Buddhism, and is strongly condemned, said the Acting President.
NUG Welcomes OHCHR Report on Human Rights Situation in Myanmar
The Ministry of Human Rights of the National Unity Government (NUG), in its statement issued on 20 June 2024, welcome the recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the human rights situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. “We are witnessing a country suffocated by an illegal terrorist group. In fact, the human rights situation continues to deteriorate rapidly,” stated the High Commissioner during an address to the UN Human Rights Council on 18 June. The High Commissioner highlighted the dire conditions in Rakhine State, noting that both Rohingya and Rakhine people are being forced to flee from their villages due to ongoing conflicts. He emphasized the urgency of protecting civilians, safeguarding their homes and property, and ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches those in need without delay. The OHCHR report detailed the impact on various minority communities, including the Rakhine, Chin, Kayin, Rohingya, and Karenni. The report condemned the continued illegal abduction of Myanmar youth, including the Rohingya, by the military junta, which has resulted in numerous cruel and appalling crimes as well as collective punishment. Myanmar’s NUG expressed its full support for the recommendations of the High Commissioner’s report. The NUG reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian and human rights law obligations, including adherence to the Military Code of Conduct, and called on all stakeholders and forces in Myanmar to uphold these standards.
Union Minister U Aung Myo Min Discusses Junta’s Attacks on Civilians with US State Department Official
On 22 June 2024, Union Minister U Aung Myo Min of the National Unity Government met with Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Mr. Robert S. Gilchrist, at the US State Department to discuss the terrorist Military’s attacks targeting civilians. During the meeting, the Union Minister highlighted the current human rights situation in Myanmar, with a focus on worsening airstrikes, especially in Rakhine State, and the targeted terrorist attacks on civilians by the military junta. They also discussed increasing measures, including stronger and more coordinated economic and arms embargoes, against international crimes committed by the junta. Additionally, they addressed providing direct assistance to the new generation of young people fleeing systematic human rights and humanitarian crises, as well as those escaping forced conscription. The US State Department pledged to stand with the Burmese people, promising to take more effective measures and provide necessary support.
NUG Delegation Holds Series of Meetings with Timor-Leste Cabinet Members
A delegation led by National Unity Government’s Union Minister of Foreign Affairs Daw Zin Mar Aung and Union Minister for Education and for Health Dr. Zaw Wai Soe held a series of meetings with the cabinet members of Timor-Leste on 18, 20, 21, and 24 of June 2024. They met with the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, H.E. Mr. José Ramos-Horta, Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Mariano Assanami Sabino, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation H.E. Mr. Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Minister of Education H.E. Ms. Dulce de Jesus Soares, Minister of Health H.E. Ms. Elia A. A. dos Reis Amaral, and Deputy Minister of Health H.E. Dr. Flavio Brandao. The discussions covered Myanmar’s issues, cooperation between Myanmar and Timor-Leste, and the success of the federal democratic people’s revolution.
Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations made a statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
At the 10th official observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Permanent Representative of Myanmar Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun highlighted the dire impacts of attacks on healthcare in conflict zones, particularly in Myanmar. He emphasized that conflicts worldwide, including in Myanmar, have led to unprecedented threats to peace and security, with sexual violence being one of the most severe. The destruction of civilian infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, has exacerbated the suffering of conflict-related sexual violence survivors.
Ambassador drew attention to the atrocities committed by the military junta since the illegal coup in February 2021, stating that sexual violence is used by the junta as a tactic of war. He called for international action to address these crimes and support the National Unity Government of Myanmar's efforts to protect women and girls.
Ambassador urged the international community to provide humanitarian aid through all available channels and to hold perpetrators accountable. He stressed the importance of cutting off arms, jet fuel, and financial assistance to the military junta to end their impunity. He also concluded by stating that ending the military dictatorship and establishing a federal democratic union in Myanmar is crucial for restoring peace and providing justice for victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
Myanmar Calls for International Action Against Illicit Arms Trade at UN Conference
At the Fourth United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, Myanmar's Permanent Representative Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun highlighted the severe impact of small arms and light weapons on global security, emphasizing their link to terrorism and organized crimes. He stressed the importance of implementing the Programme of Action to combat the illicit arms trade and urged exporting nations to carefully examine arms transfers to prevent their misuse.
Ambassador also condemned the transfer of arms to Myanmar's military junta, attributing over 5,200 civilian deaths and the displacement of more than 3 million people to the junta's actions since the illegal coup attempt. He called on the international community to halt the flow of arms and jet fuel to the junta to end the ongoing violence and support Myanmar's transition to a federal democratic union.
Myanmar Ambassador Urges International Action Amid Humanitarian Crisis
At the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, Myanmar's Permanent Representative Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, attributing it to the illegal military coup and ongoing junta atrocities. He reported over 5,300 deaths, 3.1 million internally displaced persons, and 18.6 million in need of humanitarian assistance. The ambassador emphasized the urgency of international intervention to address the growing crisis and counter the junta's disinformation campaigns.
Ambassador underscored the importance of strengthening humanitarian assistance and partnerships with local responders to ensure effective aid distribution. He called on the international community to take decisive action to hold the military accountable and support the people of Myanmar in their efforts to end the military dictatorship and build a federal democratic union.
Myanmar Ambassador Urges UN Security Council to take ac action for Junta Atrocities
Myanmar's Permanent Representative Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun addressed the UN General Assembly, urging the Security Council to take appropriate actions on military junta to stop its atrocities against civilians. He highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, in need of aid since the 2021 coup, calling for urgent international intervention.
Ambassador emphasized that the Security Council's inaction has exacerbated the suffering in Myanmar, attributing widespread violence and human rights violations to the military junta. He urged the international community to cut off arms and financial support to the junta, and to take decisive measures to hold the junta accountable, including referring the situation to the International Criminal Court.
Myanmar Urges UN Action on Children's Suffering Under Junta Rule
In the UN Security Council's Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict, Myanmar's Permanent Representative Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun highlighted the dire situation of children in Myanmar, exacerbated by the military coup in February 2021 and its subsequent atrocities. He described numerous atrocities committed by the junta, including abduction, forced recruitment, and attacks on schools and hospitals, stressing that over 5,300 people have been killed and millions displaced, with children bearing the brunt of the crisis.
Ambassador questioned the Security Council for its inaction, and urged the international community to impose greater pressure on the junta by cutting off arms and financial flows, and enhancing humanitarian assistance. He called for a united effort to protect Myanmar's children and support the National Unity Government's mission to end military rule and establish a federal democratic union.
Nationwide Flower Strike: Honoring Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's 79th Birthday and Political Prisoners
On 19 June, Myanmar observed a nationwide flower strike in honour of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 79th birthday. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, revered and beloved by the people of Myanmar, has endured oppression and imprisonment by successive dictators since 1988. She remains one of the world’s oldest political prisoners, held captive by the military council following the coup. Many political prisoners who were forcibly arrested alongside Daw Aung San Suu Kyi share her characteristics of unwavering resistance and steadfast belief in anti-dictatorship. Often seen adorned with a flower, she is known globally as the “Iron Rose” for her steadfast resistance to tyranny, symbolizing resilience and courage in the face of adversity.
On 19 June, the public participated in various activities nationwide, including placing red roses or other pre-prepared flowers, decorating pagodas with flowers, exchanging floral gifts, sharing images online, and engaging in ground activities promoting flower boycotts, all while ensuring safety and awareness. In Mandalay, protesters presented flowers at the renowned Maha Myat Muni Pagoda in honor of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Foreign embassies in Myanmar joined the activity by posting pictures of flowers on their official social pages. The National Unity Government of Myanmar also extended birthday wishes to her.
Response of the International Community on the Situation of Myanmar
Systematic terror, brutal atrocities rife in Myanmar: UN human rights chief
The UN's top human rights official, Volker Türk, stated on 18 June 2024 that Myanmar is enduring "agonizing pain" under an illegitimate military junta known for using "horrific war tactics" and committing brutal atrocity crimes. Speaking to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, Türk highlighted that the crisis in Myanmar reflects a decades-long history of military domination, suppression of dissent, and societal division.
Türk pointed out that these oppressive tactics are also affecting the minority Muslim Rohingya and other communities in Rakhine province. He described "horrific war tactics" such as beheadings, midnight drone attacks, the burning of homes while people sleep, and people being shot as they flee for their lives.
The situation in Myanmar has worsened since the military overthrew the democratically elected government and arrested key political leaders in February 2021. Fierce fighting has erupted between junta forces, ethnic armed groups, and those opposed to the coup, leading to mass displacement and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Türk noted that the military has lost control over significant territories and is resorting to extreme measures, including forced conscription, indiscriminate bombardments, and brutal crimes. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) is currently investigating several reported attacks against civilians in Rakhine and Sagaing, where many civilians have allegedly been killed.
Türk also addressed the dire situation in Rakhine, Maungdaw township, where the Arakan Army has warned residents, including many Rohingya, to evacuate. He emphasized that the Rohingya have no options and nowhere to flee. In Buthidaung, a similar pattern of displacement and destruction is occurring. Ethnic Rakhine villages near the provincial capital Sittwe have also been ordered to be vacated, with mass arrests conducted. In the village of Byaing Phyu, men were separated, tortured, and killed, while women were raped and murdered.
Additionally, Türk reported that the military is pressuring and threatening young Rohingya men to join their ranks, with thousands reportedly conscripted into the same army that killed and displaced hundreds of thousands of their community members in 2016 and 2017. High Commissioner Türk also mentioned that hundreds of thousands of civilians are in need and delivering vital protection services in the complete absence of a functioning public system. He stated that people of Myanmar have risked their lives and livelihoods to help communities in need and resist the repression by the military.
UN Human Rights expert urges banks to stop financing Myanmar junta weapons trade
The UN report, authored by Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews, highlights the junta's use of banks in third countries to conduct sanctioned transactions. Since 2022, most of the junta's foreign revenue, which was previously funneled through the sanctioned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, has been redirected to the non-sanctioned but junta-controlled Myanmar Economic Bank. Additionally, the report notes that following restrictions by Singaporean authorities on the junta's bank usage for arms purchases in 2022-2023, the junta increased its reliance on banks in Thailand, particularly the Siam Commercial Bank.
The report examines a dramatic shift in the role of two ASEAN countries as sources of weapons and military supplies for the junta. In his last year’s report, the Special Rapporteur identified Singapore as Myanmar’s third largest source of weapons and related materials. Accordingly the government of Singapore launched an investigation of the Singapore-based entities involved in the trade. In the year ending March 2024, the flow of weapons materials to Myanmar from Singapore-registered companies dropped by nearly 90 percent compared to the previous year.
The report also highlights that Thailand remains the largest source of the junta’s foreign income, with at least $660 million in payments for natural gas sent to Thailand by pipeline. These payments are made to the military-controlled Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) by Thailand’s government-owned energy company PTT. Despite US and EU sanctions on MOGE, and enforcement by banks in jurisdictions including Singapore and China, payments continue. According to this report, In the year ending March 2024, the junta imported nearly US$130 million in weapons and military supplies from Thailand-registered suppliers, more than double the total from the previous year. Thai banks have played a crucial role in this shift. Siam Commercial Bank, for example, facilitated just over US$5 million in transactions related to Myanmar military in the year ending March 2023, but that number skyrocketed to over $100 million in the following year.
The UN report shows that sanctions have hindered the junta’s ability to make military purchases. The use of the international banking system by the military junta for procurement of weapons dropped by 33 %, from $377 million to $253 million between March 2022 and March 2023. However, during the same period, the use of Thai banks and Thailand-registered military suppliers doubled, with Siam Commercial Bank handling over $100 million of these payments.
Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews sated that by relying on compliant financial institutions, the Myanmar junta has easy access to the services necessary for systematic human rights violations, including aerial attacks on civilians. International banks facilitating transactions with Myanmar state-owned banks are at high risk of enabling military attacks on civilians in Myanmar, and they must cease such activities. Banks have a fundamental obligation not to facilitate crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Special Rapporteur highlighted that the junta is increasingly isolated, as evidenced by a significant decline in the military’s annual procurement of weapons and supplies through the formal banking system, which dropped by a third from $377 million to $253 million in the year ending March 2024. However, the junta is circumventing sanctions by exploiting gaps in sanctions regimes, shifting financial institutions, and taking advantage of the lack of coordinated enforcement by Member States.
The economic and infrastructure collapse in Myanmar has led to 18.6 million people needing humanitarian assistance, with 10,000 children under five dying from malnutrition in 2023. Over 3.1 million people have been displaced or become refugees, and the junta has intensified its blockade of humanitarian aid as a collective punishment strategy.
Human Rights Watch Urges Global Crackdown on Banks Aiding Myanmar Military's Sanctions Evasion
Human Rights Watch has called on the United States, European Union, and other governments to urgently address illicit activities by foreign banks aiding Myanmar's military in evading sanctions imposed after the 2021 coup. This appeal follows a United Nations report released on June 26, 2024, which revealed that since 2022, the junta has shifted to using different banks to receive foreign revenue and pay for military needs, circumventing sanctions placed on military-controlled entities.
The UN report, authored by Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews, highlights the junta's use of banks in third countries to conduct sanctioned transactions. "Sanctions on Myanmar’s military have reduced its capacity to receive revenue and purchase arms, but funds are still getting to the junta and vigilant enforcement is essential," said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. He urged authorities in Thailand, Singapore, and other countries to warn banks against facilitating further junta atrocities.
Human Rights Watch has called for PTT and all Thai banks named in the UN report to halt payments to MOGE and divert future payments to escrow accounts. It also urged governments to pressure Thailand to instruct its companies to cease transactions with MOGE.
Human Rights Watch emphasizes the need to cut off funds to Myanmar’s military to curb its capacity for abuses. It calls for the immediate sanctioning of the Myanmar Economic Bank, which now handles most of the junta's international transactions, as well as the Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank and the Myanmar Investment and Commercial Bank. While the US, Canada, and Australia have sanctioned some of these banks, the EU and UK have not.
The organization also urges governments to sanction networks providing aviation fuel to the military, including insurance and trading companies, storage facilities, transport vessels, and Myanmar-based agents and buyers. It calls for coordinated international enforcement of these sanctions. "Sanctioning all of Myanmar’s state-owned and military-controlled financial institutions and companies is crucial," said Sifton. "Depriving the junta of revenue and banking services impairs the military’s capacity to brutalize the people of Myanmar."
ASEAN and UN Human Rights Council Urged to Address Myanmar's Crisis with Creative Solutions
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must find creative ways to build on its Five-Point Consensus (5PC), and the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council must ensure that its upcoming resolution on the rights of Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar accurately and effectively addresses the grave situation on the ground, says the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) in its recent statement on 21 June 2024.
In this statement, the organization said its founding member Marzuki Darusman and members of the SAC-M team visited Geneva this week to meet with ASEAN members, senior diplomats, UN officials, and Myanmar civil society on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council session.
SAC-M also mentioned in their statement that three years after the ASEAN 5PC was originally agreed to with Min Aung Hlaing, his junta cannot be considered an effective implementing partner. ASEAN should therefore engage creatively with the legitimate representatives of the Myanmar people – the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG), Ethnic Resistance Organizations (EROs), and broader civil society – on 5PC implementation if it is to remain relevant.
The representative of SAC-M also addressed the UN Human Rights Council, which was going to adopt its annual resolution on the human rights situation of Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar at its 56th Session.
It also called for the resolution to welcome the NUG’s policy position on Rohingya in Rakhine state, which acknowledges the Rohingya as Myanmar nationals, and the NUG’s filing of a declaration with the International Criminal Court (ICC) under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, which accepted the Court’s jurisdiction across Myanmar dating back to 2002.
SAC-M said that ASEAN and the UN Human Rights Council must wake up to and address the new realities in Myanmar if they are to have a meaningful impact on the dire situation or any hope of contributing to a resolution to the crisis.
ASEAN Sec-Gen discusses Myanmar crisis with UN Special Envoy
ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, on 27 June 2024, held discussions on the Myanmar crisis with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta. During their meeting, according to ASEAN Secretariat, they exchanged views on regional efforts, particularly those by ASEAN and the UN, in supporting the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus. The discussions also focused on ASEAN’s efforts in delivering humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar.
WFP condemned the looting of food supplies and burning its warehouses
The United Nations’ food agency, WFP, on 25 June 2024 strongly condemned the looting of food supplies and burning of one of its warehouses in a war-torn area in Rakhine State. A statement released by the World Food Program said the destroyed building in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, held 1,175 metric tons (1,295 U.S. tons) of food and supplies - enough to sustain 64,000 people for a month in case of an emergency. The incident happened on 23 June 2024.
The fiercest fighting is currently taking place across Rakhine State. According to the United Nations, more than 3 million people have been displaced nationwide by fighting since the 2021 illegal military coup, causing a massive and largely unmet need for humanitarian assistance.
The WFP also called "on all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to ensure that humanitarian facilities and assets are respected and protected, and safe and secure access is provided for the delivery of vital assistance to those in urgent need." The statement did not identify the perpetrators of the looting. However The Arakan Army provided the drone footage that showed junta soldiers looting from the WFP warehouse, which held more than 20,000 bags of rice.
ILO Governing Body Condemns Continued Rights Violations in Myanmar and Urges Immediate Action
The International Labour Organization's (ILO) Governing Body at its 351st Session held on 15 June 2024 adopted the decision concerning the follow-up to the report of the Commission of Inquiry on the non-observance by Myanmar of ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 29, expressing strong condemnation of Myanmar’s ongoing disregard for democratic principles and labour rights.
Reflecting on the resolution adopted at the 109th Session of the International Labour Conference in 2021, which called for a return to democracy and respect for fundamental rights in Myanmar, the Governing Body expressed grave concern over the lack of progress in implementing the Commission's 2023 recommendations. The recommendations highlighted the urgent national situation and the necessity for immediate action.
The Governing Body denounced the persistent failure of the military junta to respect the will of the people, democratic institutions, and processes, noting that over three years after the military coup, the democratically elected government has not been restored. They renewed their call for the military junta to cease all acts of violence and the arbitrary arrest, detention, and torture of trade unionists, labour activists, and others, including the Rohingya, demanding the immediate release of all detained individuals.
The Governing Body expressed profound concern over the forced labor practices by the military junta, including the forced recruitment of children, and it called for immediate cessation of these practices in accordance with Convention No. 29. It also called for the military junta to remove all restrictions on the ILO’s operations, including the operation of its bank account, the approval of international staff visa extensions, and the facilitation of ILO activities to benefit the people of Myanmar, despite the expiry of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Decent Work Country Programme in September 2022.
The Governing Body's decision underscored the ILO's commitment to holding Myanmar accountable and ensuring the protection and promotion of labour rights and democratic freedoms in the country.
Timor-Leste Reaffirms Support for Myanmar’s Democracy Movement
Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta reaffirmed his country’s support for Myanmar’s democracy movement against the military dictatorship during a meeting on 18 June 2024 with a delegation led by Daw Zin Mar Aung, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of the National Unity Government (NUG). The meeting, held at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace, focused on strengthening the relationship between the government of Timor-Leste and the NUG, and NUG expressed its gratitude for Timor-Leste’s support of Myanmar’s people and revolution. Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung emphasized, “The purpose of this meeting is to strengthen the relationship between the government of Timor-Leste and the NUG and to thank the people of Timor-Leste and the president for helping the people of Myanmar and the revolution”. The Minister also stated that the NUG is not only fighting against the military dictatorship, but it is also working on systematic reforms for the development of the country and the future of the country. Additionally, they openly discussed the increasing number of aerial attacks by the terrorist military junta, the effective access of humanitarian aid to refugee camps, and the urgent need for peace in Myanmar.
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Date: 30 June 2024
Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations, New York
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