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HomeDaily BriefingDVB Daily Briefing: Wednesday, December 8, 2021

DVB Daily Briefing: Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Firm previously known as Facebook claims to be cracking down on Tatmadaw content – Meta claims it will “remove Pages, Groups and Accounts representing [Burmese] military-controlled businesses”  because of their “direct role in funding the Tatmadaw’s ongoing violence and human rights abuses in Myanmar.” The firm’s Facebook platform, which still houses many Burma related accounts espousing hate speech and spreading pro Tatmadaw propaganda, was sued last week by Rohingya victims of the military’s 2017 scorched earth campaign in Rakhine against their community. Groups such as Burma Campaign UK had been pushing for such a ban for a number of years.

Ousted Mandalay Chief Minister remains defiant after conviction. Following his sentencing to a four year jail term by a military court in  Naypyidaw on Wednesday, ousted Mandalay Chief Minister Dr Zaw Myint Maung responded that it was a “historic day”.  The longtime NLD member, who previously served 19 years in prison, has leukemia.

As Sagaing’s Dontaw village buried its children, the Tatmadaw denied everything. Read DVB’s report from Dontaw the day after troops burned 10 people to death. Meanwhile, NUG’s Dr Sasa condemned the army’s brutality in Sagaing. 

Junta mandates that soldiers’ offspring undertake military training — The Irrawaddy reports that the military has taken the drastic step of forcing the children of military personnel who are aged 15 and above to undergo army training in order to build up a reserve force

New Anti Rohingya rules show Junta violating Provisional Measures issued by ICJ says rights group. “These fresh restrictions brazenly contravene the ICJ’s measures and illustrate an aspect of the junta’s ongoing and unmitigated genocide in Myanmar,” said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights.

Junta urges Japanese firms to “expand their business” — Amidst an increasingly nasty battle between Japanese brewer Kirin and a military controlled conglomerate over the future of a beer joint venture, the Junta’s point man on international investment, Aung Naing Oo, attempts to reassure wary Japanese investors ,“We are making sure to create a better business environment than ever before,” he tells a group of Japanese reporters.

Telecom mandated price rise causes difficulty for the public – At a time of ongoing economic and political turmoil, the nearly 100% increase in mobile data prices, as ordered by the regime, will have a huge impact on the public many predict. “This is making it harder for low income people at the time of economic crisis. And I think the military intends to make it harder to share news and videos of human rights abuses” said an Ooredoo user. Observers suggest that the nearly doubling rates could also be aimed at curbing the creation of websites and apps to raise funds online for the revolution . “Rising mobile data prices are making it harder for students. They can not afford to study for two hours a day at the current mobile data price. This is the same as an internet shutdown. It is a kind of restriction on access to the internet,” a language teacher who works virtually told DVB. 

NUG’s Yangon branch responds to Kyeemyindaing with further reprisals. PDFs in Yangon conducted further attacks on Tuesday in response to the brutal treatment of protesters in Kyeemyindaing, according to a statement released by the NUG’s Yangon Region Command (YRC). The list of sites that the YRC claims were targeted included a group of soldiers stationed at Aung Zaya bridge in Hlaingtharyar, soldiers guarding Mytel tower in Taikkyi, an army patrol in Ahpyauk and a CCTV control box, believed to be used by the military to coordinate repression. These attacks were said to be carried out by the Special Humanitarian Encounter Defence (SHED) and the RGA Alliance in Dagon Myothit (East).  The statement also reported that Thaketa based guerrillas targeted a government building on Thumana Road in Thaketa Township where troops were stationed. 

Videographer injured in Kyeemyindaing Incident improving. Hmu Yandanar Khet Moh Moh Tun, from the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA) has regained consciousness following emergency surgery for serious injuries sustained while reporting on the protest at Kyeemyindaing. Kaung Set Lin, another MPA journalist on the scene was also injured and detained while covering the protest.

NLD’s Ohn Win, charged with corruption — The ousted minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has been charged under the Anti-Corruption Law, junta state media reported on Tuesday.   It has been alleged that Ohn Win illegally used state-run Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) to benefit the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, a charity started by Aung San Suu Kyi that was named after her late mother.

Suu Kyi’s sentence shows “There is no one above the law,” says Junta. 

NEWS BY REGION

CHIN — Chinland Joint Defense Committee (CJDC) urges Chin people not to leave the country permanently.  The CJDC, a group formed to coordinate local defense forces in Chin State, previously known as the Chin State Defense Force, urges fellow Chin not to leave the country in order to help build their movement.

MANDALAY — Militiaman who threatened protest leader shot. A Pyusawhti pro-military militia member who publicly threatened to capture famous protest leader Dr Tayza San is in a critical condition after he was shot four times in a Mandalay tea shop on Monday. The 60 year old is also said to be a member of the pro military USDP party. 

MON  — Army detain family of wanted NLD youth activist. Three family members were detained as hostages on December 6 after the military failed to capture Ko Zin Ko Ko, a member of an NLD youth group in Thaton Township. Among those taken hostage were Ko Zin Ko Ko’s mother and his two brothers. One of his brothers is said to be 14 years old.  The detainees  whereabouts are currently  unknown.

MON  — Mytel office in Thaton town hit by bomb on December 7,  An explosion damaged a parked car in front of the local Mytel office and injured a security guard’s arm. Shortly after the explosion the Mon-Thaton PDF claimed responsibility. 

NAYPYIDAW — People’s Revolutionary Army (PRA) says sergeant has defected. A Naypyitaw-based 948 Construction Brigade sergeant defected  to the PRA and joined the opposition movement, according  to an official from the PRA.

SAGAING —Revolutionary forces in Kale say they have successfully invented a “six point tumi rifle”.  The homemade weapons are a way of reducing their reliance on imported equipment. The gun is compatible with both handmade and factory-made ammunition and can be produced for just over K1 lakh (US$55).

SAGAING  — PDF attack convoy on the Mandalay to Shwebo road. An attack in Wetlet Township on an army convoy damaged a 12-wheel army truck carrying food and soldiers, according to the PDF who claimed responsibility for the incident.  A member of the PDF who was involved in the attack said the exact number of casualties caused by the attack remains unknown. The Democratic Guerrillas Front, another resistance group, also claimed to have carried out a shootout at a checkpoint in Monywa early Wednesday morning, killing three soldiers. The group said the attack was done in retaliation for the recent incidents in  Yangon’s Kyeemyindaing and in Sagaing’s Dongtaw village. 

SAGAING — Taze based group claims attack on army. A PDF calling itself the Tazae People’s Comrade group claimed to have carried out a roadside mine attack on troops in Taze township on Wednesday morning, killing six soldiers. The Taze  PDF also said its members seized and destroyed large amounts of Myanmar Beer, made by a military-owned conglomerate, being transported by large truck on the Yae U to Taze to Kalewa road  on Tuesday night.

SAGAING — PDF impose travel restrictions in Salingyi. Resistance groups in Sagaing’s Salingyi Township have declared the imposition of both travel and transport restrictions in the township located near Monywa. A group called the One Star Task Force has warned vehicles not to use highway roads in Salingyi’s Township starting from 7 p.m. on December 7 until further notice. Similarly the Salingyi PDF has declared a night time curfew beginning at midnight. And the Sagaing PDF also warned against the transport of goods made by military-owned businesses in the region. It has also declared that large businesses passing through the region must pay income tax to the National Unity Government and show QR codes to its inspection teams. 

N. SHAN — Bomb  blast and shootings at Hseni checkpoint wounds three. An explosion at the Hseni-Panlot checkpoint in Hseni Township on Tuesday was followed by the exchange of gunfire, a person manning the checkpoint and two drivers were injured.  The groups involved in the clash, which began at 6:30 pm and lasted an hour remain unknown. 

N.SHAN — Frustrated Traders want changes to Sino-Burmese border trade management. Traders from both China and Burma, say they want a change in the way trade is managed between the two countries following lengthy delays and high tariffs that were imposed after the border gate at Ruili /Muse recently re-opened for trade.  Long delays at the border have reportedly led to the spoiling of goods like watermelons intended for export to China. 

TANINTHARYI —  Myeik police boats commandeer fuel from civilians. Local fishermen report that Myeik district police authorities have authorized  police boats to demand fuel from civilian vessels. An official letter issued by the Myeik district police office requests that the public give a small amount of petrol to police boats. Other vessels belonging to the regime, including those from the navy are reported to also regularly demand petrol from vessels fishing off the Tanintharyi coast, in addition to asking for money and food.  

YANGON — Balcony protesters arrested. About 10 residents of Yangon’s Tamwe Township were arrested for banging pots and pans in protest on Monday night. According to a resident, most of the houses on Thida road and Aung Mingalar road were participating, but those arrested were captured randomly by troops. In some parts of Tamwe Township, soldiers are reported to have fired at apartments and destroyed people’s parked cars.

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