Malaysia urges Myanmar to implement peace plan
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan addressed the urgency for Burma to implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Five-Point Consensus at the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday. The peace plan calls for the release of all political prisoners and dialogue among all forces in the country. Min Aung Hlaing agreed to the Five-Point Consensus but didn’t implement it upon his return to Burma in April 2021.
“Those in power have a responsibility to remember that Myanmar is part of the [ASEAN] region, not an isolated country,” said Hasan at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 27. He added that the 10-member regional bloc is deeply disappointed that previously agreed-upon ceasefires in Burma have been broken by regime forces. At least 5,350 civilians have been killed since the 2021 military coup in Burma, according to the U.N.
Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus called for global intervention to avert “a catastrophic situation” for the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh at the U.N. on Friday. Over 1.3 million Rohingya live in refugee camps – over 700,000 of which had fled a 2017 military crackdown in northern Arakan State, which the U.N. described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and the U.S. labeled a “genocide” in 2022. Read more
Washington sanctions arms network linking Pyongyang to Naypyidaw
The U.S. announced sanctions on a network it said generated revenue for North Korean weapons programs on Thursday. This includes procuring North Korean bombs and bomb guidance kits for the military regime, which seized power after the 2021 coup, in Naypyidaw.
The U.S. State Department said the move was aimed at cutting off funding for North Korea’s weapons programs and countering a trade that facilitated indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure by regime forces since the uprising to the 2021 coup began.
The U.S. Treasury Department said the sanctions targeted Burma-based arms procurement firm Royal Shune Lei Company Limited and key personnel, including a director, Aung Ko Ko Oo, as well as Kyaw Thu Myo Myint and Tin Myo Aung. Read more
Protest outside of The White House in Washington, DC
A protest was held outside of the White House and the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. on Sept. 26. Save Myanmar-USA and Women For Myanmar organized the event calling on the Trump administration to reject the regime elections scheduled to begin on Dec. 28 and to demand the release of jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
“We urge action to take something effective regarding Aung San Suu Kyi’s health situation. Her health is deteriorating, and we demand her immediate release,” Min Min, a protest organizer, told DVB. Yin Aye of Save Myanmar-USA said that activists also demanded that the international community reject the regime elections.
Protesters say they will continue to demand that Naypyidaw release all 22,451 political prisoners in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi’s son Kim Aris is calling on Naypyidaw for his mother’s release from prison and access to proper medical care for her deteriorating heart condition over four years after being detained during the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. Read more
News by Region
MANDALAY—Survivors of the March 28 earthquake told DVB that they are still struggling to secure basic needs and rebuild their homes. Mandalay was one of the six hardest-hit regions with 2,916 bodies recovered from the rubble of collapsed buildings across the region.
“We still can’t even demolish the [collapsed buildings]. We still can’t rebuild properly. [The regime] say they’re giving us support money, but we haven’t received anything,” a Mandalay resident told DVB. At least 4,477 people were killed during the quake, according to DVB data. Read more
NAYPYIDAW—Regime media reported that Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to hand over power to an elected government after regime elections, which will begin on Dec. 28, are completed in 2026. The regime leader is also scheduled to travel to Kazakhstan from Moscow after the forum.
“Myanmar would hold free and fair multi-party democratic general elections in the near future, and once completed, state responsibilities will be transferred in accordance with democratic standards,” Min Aung Hlaing said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Sept. 25. Read more
SHAN—Residents of Ywangan Township told DVB that 10 residents, who had been displaced from their homes due to conflict and were seeking temporary refuge in Kyauktaw village, were killed in a landslide triggered by rain on Sept. 24. Kyauktaw is located 81 miles (130 km) southwest of the state capital Taunggyi.
“The rain was very heavy. Water was flowing down the mountains heavily,” a Kyauktaw resident told DVB. The regime’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a warning for more rain due to a tropical storm, which may cause more risk of flooding, strong wind, and landslides.
SAGAING—Residents of Kyunhla Township told DVB that farmers and residents from nine villages have complained to the National Unity Government (NUG) about illegal gold mining sites operating inside Thaphanzeik reservoir. Kyunhla is located 136 miles (219 km) north of the region’s capital Monywa.
“The chemicals used in gold mining sites harm farm lands and the environment. That’s why we want an immediate solution to solve this problem,” a Kyunhla resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Residents claimed that these illegal sites started operating earlier this month.
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