Myanmar pro-democracy activists submit 7-point petition to Japan
A delegation of Myanmar pro-democracy activists in Japan met with Japanese officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Tokyo on Aug. 25 and submitted a formal seven-point petition addressed to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
“During the meeting, we highlighted the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation, including ongoing regime attacks against civilians,” Myo Min Swe, a member of the Myanmar delegation in Japan, told DVB. He did not provide any names of Japanese officials who attended the meeting.
But he told DVB that the petition includes a call for the government in Tokyo to publicly clarify its position regarding Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa, who traveled to Naypyidaw and reportedly met with regime leader Min Aung Hlaing on Aug. 10 to discuss Burma’s “peace process.”
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NLD documents over 6,500 killed since 2021 military coup
The National League for Democracy (NLD) party’s “Human Rights Documentation Team” stated on Saturday that a total of 6,507 citizens have been killed due to violent acts committed by the military since the coup on Feb. 1, 2021.
“Human rights abuses continue to occur, including the denial of basic human rights and proper medical care to detainees, the burning of homes and communities, the use of civilians as human shields, and the looting of people’s belongings,” the NLD stated in a press release on Aug. 22.
Among the 6,507 citizens documented killed by the NLD since 2021; 1,119 were women and 573 were children. At least 125 were NLD party members with eight being members of parliament elected in 2020 but ousted in the 2021 coup.
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UN warns that human rights at ‘new low’ in Myanmar
Human rights conditions in Burma have sunk to a new low, with widespread abuses against the Rohingya community and a booming illicit economy driven partly by illegal rare-earth mining deepening civilian suffering, the U.N. stated on Tuesday.
The U.N. human rights office report, covering June 2025 to May 2026, said unrelenting conflict, military violence and a growing “conflict economy” were exposing civilians to severe hardship over five years after the military seized power from an elected government.
Both Burma’s military and the Arakan Army (AA), which controls much of Arakan State, had committed widespread, systematic violations against the Rohingya community, including killings, torture, forced recruitment, forced labour, arbitrary detention and displacement.
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News by Region
SAGAING—The death toll from an airstrike on a monastery in Myaung Township’s Swel Le Oh village on Aug. 21 rose to 15 on Sunday after one of the 28 injured civilians died. Myaung, located 36 miles (57 km) southeast of the region’s capital Monywa, is partially controlled by the People’s Defence Force (PDF).
Myaung residents told DVB that most of those killed were aged 50-70, attending a 10-day meditation retreat at the monastery. A PDF member in Myaung told DVB on the condition of anonymity that nearby monasteries have suspended their meditation programs following the deadly attack.
TANINTHARYI—At least two clashes between regime forces and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) erupted at Watchaung village, 22 miles (35 km) north Dawei Township last week, after nearly 1,000 troops were sent to reinforce the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) ahead of regime leader Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Russia.
The Dawei SEZ, composed of a deep sea port, an oil refinery, and a coal-fired power plant, was one of the 12 deals signed between Min Aung Hlaing and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 17-18. The Karen National Union (KNU) designates Dawei and Myeik as its Brigade 4 territory. Read the full article on our website
YANGON—Regime media reported on Sunday that Hlaingthaya Township resident Than Soe Oo, aka Nay Min, was arrested on Aug. 20 for “disturbing the country’s peace and stability” for sharing a video to social media and criticizing the regime on Aug. 15. His charges haven’t been announced.
Nay Min is accused of sharing a video of jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi visiting to relief camps in Bago Region in 2015, during her NLD administration. Three residents of Mon State’s Thanbyuzayat Township were arrested Aug. 8-10 for commenting on a social media post, regime media reported.
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