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National Unity Government criticizes China’s role in Myanmar; New report explores trauma faced by political prisoners

National Unity Government criticizes China’s role in Myanmar

The National Unity Government (NUG) Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a press conference on Wednesday to share achievements and challenges over the previous year. The NUG Minister of Foreign Affairs Zin Mar Aung, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Moe Zaw Oo, and Burma’s Permanent Representative to the U.N., Kyaw Moe Tun, hosted the online event.

“Honestly, I think neighboring countries are closer to [the regime in] Naypyidaw than the people of Myanmar. It’s evident that cross-border crimes like scam centers thrive under this regime,” Zin Mar Aung told DVB, adding that while China claims it is not interfering in Burma’s internal affairs, it has pressured ethnic armed groups to end all cooperation with the NUG.

Zin Mar Aung added that Beijing does not want to cooperate directly with Naypyidaw as it would rather work with Bangkok in combating cyber scam centers along the Burma-Thai border. “We need to signal the message that we’re building a political system that can protect China’s interests [in Burma]. We also have to think up ways to implement stability on the ground to change China’s approach,” she said.

Report explores trauma faced by political prisoners

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and DIGNITY, the Danish Institute against Torture, published a report exploring the trauma and hardship faced by former political prisoners. The report called Struggle for Survival: Resilience in the Face of Prison’s Aftershocks is based on interviews with 22 men and eight women.

“Political prisoners in Burma endure unimaginable suffering, both during and after imprisonment. Their resilience is extraordinary, but their struggle continues in silence. This report amplifies their voices and calls for global action to end these atrocities and support survivors,” said Bo Kyi, the AAPP joint secretary.

The report stated that political prisoners have been forced to make a pledge not to speak out against their treatment upon release. Several have also faced surveillance. The AAPP wants the U.N. and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to support prison reforms in Burma, and invest in community-based psychosocial support for former political prisoners. The AAPP has documented 28,390 arrests since the 2021 coup with 21,668 still detained.

United Wa State Army accused of second Thai border intrusion

Rangsiman Rome, the chairperson of Thailand’s House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform,  accused the United Wa State Army (UWSA) of establishing its camps inside Thai territory on Monday. He said he observed the UWSA camp from a military base in Wiang Haeng District of Chiang Mai Province. 

“During this field visit, I witnessed the impacts of Myanmar’s political instability and the expansion of [UWSA] forces, which pose security and economic threats to Thailand. [My] committee will take the issues and challenges faced by field workers and submit policy recommendations [to the Thai government],” he said. 

An anonymous source revealed to Thai media that the situation regarding the UWSA encroaching on the Nong Luang area in northern Thailand has not been resolved despite negotiations between UWSA and Thai military personnel. In December, reports emerged that 50 UWSA members were stationed at two bases that encroached on Thai territory in Pai district of Mae Hong Son Province.

News by Region 

Maungdaw residents return to their homes in northern Arakan State on boats earlier this month. (Credit: Arakan Princess Media)

ARAKAN—Maungdaw Township residents told DVB that the Arakan Army (AA) has allowed 274 Muslim families, who had been displaced from their homes due to fighting between the AA and the military, to return home on Monday. Maungdaw is located in northern Arakan State near the Burma-Bangladesh border. It came under AA control on Dec. 8. 

“The AA inspected our households and arranged [boats for us] to return. It is much better to be returning home than to be displaced,” a Maungdaw resident told DVB. The AA runs three separate camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu communities of Maungdaw. Buddhist and Hindu residents were allowed to begin returning to their homes on Jan. 1. Read more.

MANDALAY—The regime’s Central Committee on Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) announced on Tuesday, via regime media and the Ministry of Information, that it had seized narcotics worth over 3.4 billion MMK ($750,000 USD) in Mandalay on Jan. 23-24. Drugs worth 1.4 billion MMK ($310,000 USD) were discovered during a raid on two homes in Maha Aungmyay Township on Jan. 23.  

The regime alleges that they were to be distributed to nightclubs and karaoke bars, known as KTVs, in Mandalay. On Jan. 24, police arrested a truck driver transporting amphetamine tablets worth over two billion MMK ($440,000 USD) in Thasi Township. He was allegedly transporting the drugs from Muse, in northern Shan State along the Burma-China border, to Yangon. 

SHAN—The People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Moebye, Pekon Township, told DVB that it buried three of its members and an undisclosed number of others killed during fighting between resistance forces and the military on Wednesday. Pekon is located 104 miles (167 km) south of the Shan State capital Taunggyi and 21 miles north (33 km) of the Karenni State capital Loikaw. 

“Aircrafts from the Burma Air Force carried out at least four airstrikes on Tuesday. Our comrades were killed due to airstrikes and artillery shelling rather than on-the-ground combat,” said a member of the Karenni resistance, who was fighting alongside the PDF. The military launched an offensive to take Moebye in November. It has carried out air and artillery strikes against resistance forces in southern Shan since Jan. 19.   

(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 4,550 MMK)

A man and his daughter attend the Chinese New Year festivities at Central Airport in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Jan. 28. (Credit: DVB)

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