Bi-weekly Update on the Current Situation in Myanmar
(16-07-2024 to 31-07-2024)
(42) months ago, on 1 February, 2021, the military junta 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 military junta 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 31 July 2024, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has ruthlessly killed 5,472 people and arrested another 27,131 people. 20,815 people remain in detention and 168 people have been sentenced to death, including 119 post-coup death row prisoners and 44 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 widespread and systematic tactics of brutality 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 31 July 2024, (17) women and (25) men; (42) people in total, were arrested in relation to the Spring Revolution and remain detained by the junta across the country. Among these (42) arrests, Yangon Region and Mandalay Region record the highest number of arrests, with (10) people each, followed by (6) arrests in Magway Region.
Likewise, during this period, (1) woman and (16) men; (17) people in total, were sentenced under specious charges by courts subservient to the junta, and remain detained in prisons across the country. They are serving sentences under different sections of the Counter-Terrorism Law. Sagaing Region records the highest number of convictions, with (8) people sentenced. Of the (17) sentences, (8) people have been sentenced to 10 years or more in prison.
Mass Murders, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Military Junta
Military Junta troops attempt to torch cement factory near Mandalay
Junta troops stationed at Alpha Cement Plant, located about 10 miles north of Mandalay, near Aungthapye Village in Madaya Township of Mandalay Region, attempted to burn it down as they fled a successful assault by resistance forces on 14 July 2024, according to a report by Myanmar Now. Fighting began in early July around the Cement Plant.
The MDY-PDF spokesperson stated that as the enemy withdrew, they set fire to buildings inside the factory compound. However, because the buildings were sturdy and well-constructed, there wasn’t much fire damage. He added that the military has also carried out at least 10 airstrikes a day on the factory since it was captured.
Alpha Cement Plant is owned by the Myint Investment Group and Anhui Conch Cement Company, China’s largest cement producer, under a joint-venture agreement approved by the quasi-civilian administration of former president Thein Sein. In 2017, it was the target of protests by locals over its planned use of coal to power its operations. According to the Spokesperson of MDY-PDF also seized control of another junta position—the Tanga (South) camp north of the town of Madaya—on 14 July, 2024. This comes days after the capture of the Tanga (North) camp in the same area. The MDY-PDF, which operates under the command of National Unity Government, claims to have captured 28 junta camps in Madaya Township since the start of its current offensive late last month. It also claims to have taken at least 150 junta soldiers. Meanwhile, intense fighting continues near Kyauk Ta Dar, a village in the southern part of Madaya Township near Mandalay, following an attack on a junta camp on 17 July 2024, according to locals forced to flee the fighting. At least one civilian—a pregnant woman who was hit by shrapnel during an airstrike of the military junta has been reported injured since the fighting began.
At least eight civilians killed in military junta attacks near Shan State town
Myanmar Now reported that on 21 July 2024, the military junta's aerial and artillery assaults claimed the lives of at least eight innocent civilians in Kyaukme Township, northern Shan State, as the junta's desperation grows in the face of mounting resistance and a crumbling grip on the ground. At least seven airstrikes, using both jet fighters and Y-12 transport aircraft, were carried out, the source added.
Intense clashes have been reported in and around Kyaukme, located about 67 miles southwest of Lashio, since the arrival of a convoy of military junta reinforcements on 20 July. The convoy had reached the town’s southern entrance on 18 July, but was unable to proceed for three days due to attacks by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), according to residents.
TNLA and its allies have been in control of the town since capturing it late last month following the collapse of a Chinese-brokered ceasefire between Three Brotherhood Alliance and the military junta. The junta has also been carrying out airstrikes in response to TNLA attacks on two light infantry battalion (LIB) bases about two miles north of Kyaukme, said one local.
Heavy civilian casualties reported in Military junta attack on market in northern Shan State
Myanmar Now and Radio Free Asia reported that the military junta inflicted heavy civilian casualties with an airstrike on a major market in northern Shan State on 18 July 2024.
A representative of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) told Myanmar Now on 19 July 2024 that at least five people were killed and another seven injured in the attack on the Myoma market in Hsenwi (aka) Theinni, about 35 miles northeast of Lashio, the region’s largest city. The town has been under MNDAA control since early January after it was captured as part of the Operation 1027 anti-junta offensive launched late last year.
According to residents, the number of casualties is expected to rise as more bodies—many of them blown to pieces—are recovered from the wreckage.
A local resident shared that a friend who owned an electronics store in the market was injured in the airstrike and unfortunately passed away at the hospital that morning.
Residents said that survivors of the attack were taken to a hospital in Kutkai, a town about 16 miles to the north that is also controlled by the MNDAA. Another resident of Hsenwi also suggested that the death toll could be higher than reported. He said that he heard that at least seven people were killed, noting that the aerial assault took place at 4:30pm, just as shop owners in the market were about to close the shop for the day.
The Ta’ang Women’s Organisation (TWO), which monitors junta atrocities in northern Shan State, said the attack appears to be the worst committed by the military junta in the township since the collapse of a Chinese-brokered ceasefire late last month. A representative of the group also stated that it was the deadliest airstrike so far, killing and injuring around 20 people.
According to the locals, the junta has carried out at least three aerial assaults on Hsenwi since the start of the month, including one on a police station on 3 July and another on a school on 12 July. Several buildings were damaged or destroyed in those attacks, but it was unclear if any civilians were killed or injured. Witnesses say that two bombs were dropped on the market in 18 July’s attack—one on a row of street-facing shops, and another on the market’s main building.
Military junta bombs Laukkai, killing two civilians near China border
A junta airstrike on a residential area in Laukkai, northern Shan State, killed two civilians on 23 July 2024, according to a report by Myanmar Now. The town, controlled by the Myanmar National Democratic Army (MNDAA), was targeted shortly after midnight, with many others injured in the attack.
The ethnic Kokang group stated that a junta warplane dropped two bombs on Ward 2 of Laukkai, a residential area, where many homes and hotels are located. One bomb exploded in front of a hotel, while the other detonated nearby. A video posted by the MNDAA shows their troops using flashlights to search through the rubble, with several injured people, including some trapped under the wreckage, visible in the footage.
The explosions killed a 34-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man, while a 30-year-old man on the first floor was seriously wounded. Others on the third floor also sustained injuries. Most of the injured were guards living at the hotel, which was not yet fully open. Three of those staying at the hotel were Chinese nationals, while the rest were locals.
Laukkai, the administrative center of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone (SAZ), has been under MNDAA control since January when junta troops stationed at a regional command centre near the town surrendered en masse to the group. The rescue effort following the attack was led by Zhou Jiafu, the Deputy Governor of the Kokang SAZ. Healthcare workers treated the wounded at the scene and transported them to a hospital, while the deceased were prepared for cremation after their families were informed.
This airstrike marks the second attack on Laukkai this month, following a similar strike on 14 July, just hours before the MNDAA and its ally, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, announced a temporary ceasefire. Late last month, the two groups resumed Operation 1027, an anti-junta offensive launched in October of the previous year, after the collapse of a ceasefire in place since January.
Since resuming operations, the MNDAA and its allies have focused their attacks on Lashio, northern Shan State’s largest city and the seat of the junta’s Northeastern Regional Military Command. In response, the junta has intensified its aerial assaults in the region, killing at least eight civilians and injuring more than a dozen others in an attack on a busy market in Hsenwi on 18 July. The MNDAA criticized the junta for targeting residential areas and warned that the lives and property of innocent civilians remain at risk.
Military junta detains 40 civilians, torches houses in Sagaing Region
According to the report of the Myanmar Now, a junta column burned down 32 houses and took 40 villagers captive in and near Min Kun, Sagaing Township, on the morning of 23 July 2024, locals reported. According to a local villager in his 30s, the arson attack was in retaliation for a recent assault by anti-junta forces on a patrol vehicle carrying police officers and junta-trained Pyu Saw Htee militia members, resulting in three deaths, including two officers.
The villager stated that the patrol attack led to the current destruction of villages. No armed groups have claimed responsibility for the attack. Junta soldiers arbitrarily captured people from the streets of Min Kun, including shopkeepers around Min Kun Pagoda, claiming they needed to be questioned. Around 40 locals were taken into custody and are reportedly being interrogated at the police station, with none released yet.
Min Kun is situated approximately 10 miles north of Sagaing Town on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, opposite Mandalay. Another local man reported that four houses in Min Kun and 28 in the neighboring village of Shar Yaung were destroyed by fires set by the junta soldiers. The fires affected homes around Mya Thein Tan Pagoda and roads leading to Dhammanada Monastery, exacerbating difficulties for Shar Yaung villagers already struggling with flood issues.
Violence of the military junta has become common in Sagaing Region since the 2021 illegal coup attempt. A large junta force detained 14 villagers on 21 July in Lel Gyi village, Sagaing Township, allegedly shooting one and leaving the body on the road. Detailed information about the captives or the slain civilian is unavailable.
Military junta bombards Rakhine coastal town captured by AA
The military junta has been conducting airstrikes on Thandwe, a coastal town in Rakhine State recently captured by the Arakan Army (AA). This town, a gateway to the popular Ngapali beach resort, has been under AA control since 12 July 2024, according to local sources.
A Buddhist monk reported that there are no more junta soldiers in the town, indicating that the AA has taken full control. Since their retreat, junta forces have launched both air and naval attacks on Thandwe, sometimes targeting fleeing civilians, according to residents. The AA has also been engaging junta troops attempting to regroup in the surrounding area, leading to several recent clashes.
Local sources mentioned that some junta soldiers who fled Thandwe have set up small camps in neighboring villages, resulting in ongoing battles with the AA. On July 15, the AA began relocating Thandwe residents to safer areas due to the threat of junta shelling and airstrikes. On 12 July, the junta dispatched 12 truckloads of reinforcements from Ayeyarwady Region to Thandwe in a last-ditch effort to prevent the AA takeover, reported by Arakan Princess Media.
Before the town's capture, the AA overran two junta bases in the area—the Light Infantry Battalion 566 base near the airport on 27 June 2024, and the Infantry Battalion 55 base in Ngapali on 9 July. The AA's offensive on Thandwe began on 13 April, with clashes against Infantry Battalion 55 troops between the villages of Yae Sin and Gwayt Chaung. Over the next three months, fierce fighting ensued as the AA advanced on the town, where several senior military leaders have businesses.
On 11 July, a junta airstrike destroyed a telecommunications tower in Thandwe, disrupting mobile phone and internet services, according to sources. Meanwhile, in northern Rakhine State, the AA is attacking the Border Guard Police Battalion 5 base in Maungdaw Township, the last remaining junta outpost there. On 14 July, the AA took control of the Ka Nyin Chaung Economic Zone in Maungdaw after attacking junta forces stationed there, confirmed by a local resident.
Since launching its offensive against the junta in November of last year, the AA has taken full control of Myebon, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Pauktaw, Ramree, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, and Buthidaung townships in Rakhine State, as well as Paletwa Township in Chin State. In addition to its recent advances in Thandwe and Maungdaw townships, the AA has been carrying out attacks in Ann and Kyaukphyu townships. The state capital, Sittwe, remains on high alert amid fears of an imminent AA assault.
Human Rights Abuses
Former reporter for independent news outlet dies at Myanmar’s Insein Prison
A former reporter who was imprisoned under a law designed to punish comments that imply the military junta’s rule is illegitimate has died of cancer at an infamous prison near Yangon, a former coworker told Radio Free Asia (RFA).
Nay Linn Htike, a former freelance reporter for the independent Democratic Voice of Burma in eastern Bago region, died on 29 July 2024, according to the former co-worker who requested anonymity for security reasons. Several friends told RFA that Nay Linn Htike was suffering from oral cancer and was transferred from Daik-U Prison in a remote area of Bago Region to Insein Prison to receive specialized medical care. Nay Linn Htike, who was in his 40s, published articles in the Democratic Voice of Burma before the February 2021 military coup.
The former co-worker said Nay Linn Htike was arrested while campaigning against the military after the coup and was prosecuted under Section 505(a) of the penal code, which was added by junta to crack down on anti-military speech. He was also charged under Section 52(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which was also amended by the junta after the coup to make it easier to prosecute critics. He received an eight-year sentence. The friend told RFA that he received messages from Nay Linn Htike just before he was transferred to Insein Prison. Another friend of Nay Linn Htike told RFA that his family were unable to visit him at either of the prisons because they have been avoiding junta authorities. RFA was unable to contact anyone at the office of the junta’s Prisons Department to inquire about Nay Linn Htike’s death.
Actions of Resistance Forces against the Junta
Myanmar ethnic resistance group claims control of Naungcho Town on key highway to China
According to the Mizzima’s report, Myanmar ethnic resistance forces said 10 July 2024 they had seized a town along a key trade highway to China following days of clashes, in another blow to the military.
Northern Shan State has been rocked by fighting since late last month, when an alliance of ethnic resistance groups renewed an offensive against the military along the highway to China’s Yunnan Province. The clashes have shredded a truce that in January halted an offensive by the alliance of the Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The town of Naungcho is under control of TNLA, General Tar Bhone Kyaw of the TNLA told AFP.
Naungcho is around 50 kilometres (30 miles) down the highway from the former British hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin, home to the military’s elite officer training academy. Another road from the town leads to Taunggyi, the capital of Shan state.
TNLA fighters were also inside the town of Lashio, home to the junta’s northeastern command, the TNLA said. Its forces had briefly captured a battalion command near the city but had been forced to retreat when the military launched air strikes, said Tar Bhone Kyaw.
Mandalay PDF Seizes Singu Township from Military Junta
According to the Irrawaddy News, Mandalay People’s Defense Force (PDF) on 20 July 2024 claimed to have taken complete control of Singu Township in northern Mandalay Region after around 20 days of attacks on military junta targets. Singu, 91km north of Myanmar’s second-biggest city Mandalay, is the first town seized by the PDF. Mandalay PDF’s spokesman told The Irrawaddy on 20 July that there had been clashes with junta forces for nearly 20 days and the group had lost some comrades. The PDF released photos of weapons and ammunition and detained junta troops.
Junta airstrikes have destroyed numerous Singu houses and injured civilians, the spokesman said. Mandalay PDF and other resistance groups are attacking junta targets in Madaya Township, adjacent to Mandalay city and it has seized nearly 30 junta bases, including an Air Defense Battalion headquarters. Over 100 junta soldiers were reportedly detained in Madaya.
Mandalay PDF has been cooperating in Operation 1027 with the Brotherhood Alliance, attacking junta targets in Kyaukme, Nawnghkio and Mongmit townships in northern Shan State and Madaya, Singu and Mogoke townships in northern Mandalay Region since late June. Along with the TNLA, Mandalay PDF has occupied Nawnghkio Town in northern Shan State and most of the Mogoke ruby hub in northern Mandalay Region.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and allied forces have captured the important ruby-mining town of Mogok in northern Mandalay Region
According to the Radio Free Asia (RFA), Mogok fell under TNLA control after the last junta tactical hilltop base was seized on 25 July 2024. Photos and video posted on Facebook by the groups involved showed residents welcoming them with flowers as they entered the town. The TNLA-led coalition said they attacked three junta positions—a police station and the Infantry Battalion 71 and 88 bases—in eastern Mogok on 24 July 2024.
At least 19 junta troops were captured during those operations, according to the TNLA’s information team. The junta’s heavy artillery fire on residential areas has killed at least 10 civilians and injured many others in eastern Mogok on the second week of July, residents said.
Mogok Township has a population of around 168,000, nearly half of whom live in urban areas, according to the latest official data. The TNLA also took full control of Nawnghkio in northern Shan State, around 86 miles south of Mogok.
The Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) captured the town of Moe Mait in northern Shan State
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), the remaining military junta camps on the hills of Battalion - 348 and Moe Mai Tactical Command in Moe Meit Town were captured by the TNLA on the morning of 31 July 2024. The TNLA statement also added that the military junta dropped 59 bombs using Y12 aircraft on Moe Mai Tactical Command Hill and Dopin Village, where the battle took place.
In more than a month from 25 June to 31 July, when the second part of Operation 1027 began, Nungcho Town in northern Shan State was captured. The Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has taken over the towns of Moe Meit and Mogok in Mandalay.
More than 300 junta military troops surrender to Kokang resistance fighters in Lashio, northern Shan State capital
According to the Myanmar Now, three senior officers were among 300 junta soldiers who surrendered to the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in Lashio, northern Shan State on 21 July 2024, the anti-junta armed group announced two days later via Youtube. The MNDAA posted footage and a written statement claiming soldiers under the command of military dictator Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing had surrendered to the Brotherhood Alliance in Lashio. The statement also claimed the MNDAA was treating the captives humanely in accordance with rules concerning prisoners of war.
The Brotherhood Alliance including the MNDA has been carrying out a coordinated offensive with its allied resistance forces against the military junta since last year, dubbed “Operation 1027”. The alliance suspended the operation in accordance with ceasefire agreement in January 2024 but resumed fighting against junta forces late last month due to the junta’s attacks. The troops’ commanding officers—a lieutenant colonel and two majors—were among the soldiers who surrendered, according to the MNDAA.
A statement reported that at 10 am on 21 July 24, a lieutenant colonel, along with two majors, five captains, and a total of 317 soldiers, surrendered to the MNDAA, expressing their desire to join the Brotherhood Alliance in defeating the remainder of Min Aung Hlaing’s coup army.
The statement in Burmese language claims that Mr. Qi Guangshun, a deputy director of the political department of the MNDAA, welcomed the surrendering prisoners with a guarantee to protect their lives. The statement also claims the group found and confiscated an arsenal of weapons from a nearby military training centre as they accepted the soldiers’ surrender.
Since fighting resumed in late June following the breakdown of the earlier ceasefire, the Brotherhood Alliance has been fighting against junta forces for control of Lashio, the administrative centre of northern Shan State and location of one of the army’s regional military command headquarters.
Activities of the National Unity Government
Ethnic Liberation Movements Symbolize Collapse of Military Dictatorship, Says NUG Acting President
Acting President of the National Unity Government, Duwa Lashi La, emphasized the significance of ethnic liberation movements in symbolizing the collapse of the military dictatorship during a cabinet meeting on 16 July 2024. He highlighted the importance of strengthening and expanding these movements to accelerate the resistance war of the Spring Revolution. “We can see that ethnic liberation struggles can be won while rooting out the military dictatorship. All national liberation movements of the ethnic regions symbolize the fall of the military dictatorship. Because this has a reciprocal effect, we must consider that we can continue the direct link between the Spring Revolution and the ethnic liberation movement,” said the Acting President. He also urged vigilance to avoid ethnic conflict traps, emphasized the need for greater harmony among ethnic groups, and called for uniting the armed revolutionary forces.
NUG Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann Emphasizes Administrative Preparedness amid Expanding Territorial Control
On 25 July 2024, National Unity Government (NUG) Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann addressed the Central Committee for Interim Implementation of Public Administration, urging comprehensive preparations for both the administrative and military sectors as territorial control strengthens and expands. “With the military waves reaching Mandalay, our government must thoroughly prepare for both military and administrative sectors. By studying the military situation and addressing regional needs, we can effectively establish an administrative system alongside territorial governance. The committee should anticipate increased management responsibilities across relevant ministries and efficiently manage human resources and time constraints,” said the Prime Minister. During the revolution, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of the security and law enforcement sector, stressing that it is crucial for the peace and security of towns and villages. He urged government officials at all levels to prioritize the protection of civilians suffering under the military junta’s oppression.
200 political prisoners freed in Lashio, placed under resistance protection
The National Unity Government (NUG) has announced that over 200 political prisoners released from Lashio Prison, including deposed Lower House Deputy Speaker Tun Tun Hein, are currently under their care.
After taking over northern Shan State’s administrative capital of Lashio, the resistance forces seized the prison on 28 July, freeing hundreds of the political prisoners held there by the military junta.
Among them was Tun Tun Hein, 75, who served as Deputy Speaker of the Lower House of Myanmar’s parliament before the illegal coup attempt of February 2021. He was also a central executive committee member of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which the military junta unilaterally dissolved in March 2023.
The People’s Defence Forces (PDF) of Lashio Township and other resistance forces are providing care for the released political prisoners, according to NUG – Ministry of Defence spokesperson Maung Maung Swe. He added that although some of the political prisoners were injured, they were receiving the treatment they needed and their injuries were not serious. Maung Maung Swe said that NUG defence Ministry will make further arrangements and plans for them according to their wishes.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and allied resistance forces that led the takeover of Lashio from junta forces, has seized full control of most of its urban wards less than a month after resuming assaults on the city on 3 July 2024.
NUG Human Rights Minister Aung Myo Min Urges Support of the Philippines for Myanmar Democracy Movement
On 25 July 2024, U Aung Myo Min, Union Minister for Human Rights of the National Unity Government (NUG), met with lawmakers of the Philippines, Ms. Risa Hontiveros, Rep. France L. Castro, and Rep. Raoul Danniel Abellar Manuel, who are actively engaged in addressing the Myanmar issue. During the meeting, Minister Aung Myo Min presented the current achievements of the Myanmar revolution and urged the Philippines to provide effective support for the Myanmar democracy movement. The minister emphasized that the Philippines, set to chair ASEAN in 2026, should begin addressing the Myanmar issue this year. He called for the Parliament of the Philippines to discuss collaboration with Myanmar’s democratic forces, including the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) and various ethnic organizations. The members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines expressed their solidarity with the fight for federal democracy and human rights in Myanmar. They discussed potential cooperative efforts to support Myanmar’s democratic aspirations and the ongoing struggle for human rights.
Myanmar's Ambassador Urges International Action amid Crisis
On 17 July 2024, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, addressed the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, highlighting Myanmar's severe setbacks in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to the illegal coup attempt.
The Ambassador highlighted the devastating impact of the military junta's actions in Myanmar, reporting over 5,400 deaths, 3.1 million internally displaced, and 18.6 million in need of humanitarian assistance. He also noted the deepening poverty and rising unemployment in the country, underscoring the severe deterioration in living conditions under the military's control.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador called for the eradication of military dictatorship and the establishment of a federal democratic union in Myanmar as essential steps toward achieving peace and the 2030 Agenda. He urged the international community to take decisive action and provide support to ensure the people of Myanmar are not left behind.
Response of the International Community
Bangladesh turns back fleeing Junta’s armed personnel at border
According to reports from Myanmar Now and AFP, Bangladesh stopped dozens of military junta border guard forces from crossing into its territory to flee advancing anti-junta forces. Clashes have been ongoing in Myanmar’s western frontiers since November, ending a ceasefire that had held since the 2021 military coup. Hundreds of junta troops have sought refuge in India and Bangladesh since then, usually staying for days or weeks before being repatriated on junta-organized flights. However, on 14 July, at least 66 members of the junta’s Border Guard Police (BGP) were sent back immediately while trying to cross the Naf River into Bangladesh.
Mujibur Rahman, a councillor in Teknaf, a southeastern border town of Bangladesh, stated that the BGP members attempted to enter on two boats but were prevented by the coast guard. A Teknaf-based journalist reported that the vessels came close to a pier in the town but were pushed back towards Myanmar later that night, noting that some of the personnel were not wearing shirts. Bangladesh has accepted more than 850 fleeing junta soldiers this year, according to a senior government official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
Thai central bank to investigate junta’s weapons payments
According to the report of Myanmar now, Thailand’s central bank and anti-laundering office will investigate claims that Thai commercial banks facilitated transactions linked to weapons purchases by military junta, a foreign ministry official said on 24 July 2024. Military junta deposed the country’s democratically elected civilian government in 2021 and launched a bloody crackdown that has plunged the country into turmoil.
The United States, European Union and others have sanctioned members of military junta and entities of its sprawling business empire. A report last month by a UN expert said the junta imported nearly $130 million in weapons and military supplies from Thailand-registered suppliers in the year to March 2024. Five commercial banks in Thailand had been crucial in facilitating the transfers, which were more than double the total of the previous year, according to special rapporteur Tom Andrews.
On 24 July, government and banking officials discussed transactions that may be linked to the purchase of weapons and military supplies, as stated by Thai foreign affairs spokesman Nikorndej Balankura in a statement. The Bank of Thailand and the anti-money laundering office “will jointly establish a Task Force to investigate these transactions,” he added. But, He did not give details on a time frame for the investigation.
Since the coup, the junta has faced fierce resistance from both established ethnic minority revolutionary groups and newly established pro-democracy forces. Rights groups criticized the junta of committing possible war crimes and crime against humanity as it struggles to crush opposition to its coup, which ended a short-lived experiment with democracy. More than 5,400 people have been killed and 27,000 arrested in the junta’s crackdown since 2021, according to a local monitoring group.
Cardin, McConnell, Risch, Merkley, Young Call on State Department and USAID to Revitalize the U.S. Policy on Myanmar
According to a report from the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, alongside Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.), sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State of the U.S., Antony Blinken and USAID Administrator Samantha Power. The letter urged the development of a proactive policy on Myanmar, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to maintain its leadership amid the rapidly evolving civil conflict in the country.
The lawmakers stressed the importance of a comprehensive and forward-leaning strategy to address the growing risk of a prolonged stalemate, which could result in a permanently fragmented state. They called for a revitalized approach that would better support resistance forces in Myanmar as they stand against the brutality of the military junta.
The lawmakers emphasized that the United States has long supported the people of Myanmar in their struggle against the oppressive military junta. At this critical juncture, they argued, it is essential not to cede U.S. leadership but to do everything possible to support the hopes and aspirations of the people of Myanmar, from all its diverse communities, for a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future.
*****
Date: 31 July 2024
Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations, New York
