A nationwide ‘Silent Strike’ to reject regime elections
An anti-2021 military coup protest group called Yangon People’s Strike shared photos on Tuesday, via its social media account, of a signboard at the intersection of Sule Pagoda and Anawrahta roads in Yangon. The sign stated “reject and defy the regime’s sham election” and called on residents to join a silent strike on Wednesday. The regime’s 2025-26 elections begin on Dec. 28 and will continue into January 2026.
Yangon People’s Strike called for all citizens nationwide to reject the regime elections and stay indoors so that streets remain deserted, and halt all economic activity from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 10, which is known internationally as Human Rights Day. A source close to the regime in Naypyidaw told DVB on the condition of anonymity that regime staff are “forbidden” from taking leave on Dec. 10.
Residents of North Okkalapa and Shwepaukkan townships, 6-7 miles (9-11 km) north of Yangon, told DVB that regime administration officials made business owners sign pledges not to close on Dec. 10, or “risk getting shut down by the military.” The previous silent strike was held on Feb. 1, 2024, to mark the third anniversary of the coup. The first silent strike in Burma was held four years ago on Dec. 10, 2021.
World Bank says Myanmar economy set for growth rebound
Myanmar’s economy is showing some signs of improvement and its GDP growth is estimated to rebound to three percent in the next fiscal year despite the challenges of continuing conflict and the impact of the devastating March 28 earthquake, the World Bank said on Monday.
In a report, the World Bank stated that the projected growth is driven by post-earthquake reconstruction and continued targeted assistance for the hardest-hit areas. However, inflation is expected to remain above 20 percent.
“These early signs of recovery are encouraging,” Melinda Good, the World Bank Division Director for Thailand and Myanmar, said in a statement. “However, Myanmar’s economy continues to face formidable obstacles, including constrained reconstruction financing, ongoing conflict and insecurity, and unreliable electricity supply.” Read more
Myanmar embassy in South Korea extends early voting
The Burma Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, announced on Sunday that the number of days for advanced polls, or early voting, to allow its citizens living in South Korea to cast ballots in the regime’s 2025-26 elections was extended from Dec. 6-7 to 8-12. Burma nationals in South Korea told DVB on the condition of anonymity that nobody showed up to vote over the weekend and that the poll was “hastily arranged.”
“The [embassy] may further extend the days to vote because there are Burmese protesting outside of the embassy,” a Burma national leading a protest against the regime’s elections in South Korea told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Burma nationals living in South Korea said that they have been protesting near the embassy since Dec. 6 and that a regime diplomat was overheard saying that nobody had cast a ballot.
At least 80,000 Burma nationals work in South Korea through the Employment Permit System (EPS), according to the regime’s Ministry of Labour. The counting of ballots cast at several embassies since last week has begun ahead of the regime elections in Burma, which start on Dec. 28 and will continue into January 2026, according to the regime’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Union Election Commission (UEC).
News by Region
KAREN—Workers allegedly set fire to a building inside a cyber scam compound in Minletpan village of southern Myawaddy Township on Monday, residents told DVB. Myawaddy is located on the Burma-Thailand border 81 miles (130 km) east of the state capital Hpa-An.
Sources close to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) told DVB that the workers were dissatisfied over “shortages of food, clothing, and clean water.” The compound, allegedly operated by the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), was raided and seized by the KNLA on Nov. 21.
TANINTHARYI—The People’s Defence Force (PDF) stated on Saturday that one of its members shot a pro-regime National Unity Party (NUP) member in Kyaukkar village of Palaw Township during an attempted arrest on Dec. 5. Palaw is located 98 miles (157 km) south of the region’s capital Dawei.
Kyi Than, a 64-year-old village-level NUP office chairperson, “tried to grab the gun” out of a PDF member’s hands and was killed in a struggle, according to a statement made by the PDF. Kyi Than’s assistant was taken into custody without any incident, the PDF statement added.
ARAKAN—Residents in the state capital Sittwe told DVB that fuel prices have risen to 18,000 MMK ($7 USD) per liter, more than seven times the 2023 price per liter of 2,200 MMK ($0.5 USD) before the Arakan Army (AA) launched its statewide offensive against regime forces on Nov. 13, 2023.
A Sittwe resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity that an average daily income is 10,000 MMK ($2.40 USD) making the cost of fuel beyond the means of most families. The price of food items and other commodities have also risen dramatically due to the military road and sea blockade.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,010 MMK)
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