Nearly 900,000 impacted by flooding including displaced people
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has documented that an estimated 887,000 people, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in 65 townships have been impacted by flooding since the remnants of Typhoon Yagi arrived in Burma on Sept. 9. Mandalay and eastern Bago regions, southern Shan and Karen states, and Naypyidaw were the most impacted.
“Rapid response efforts are ongoing in the affected townships, providing critical support to impacted communities. The initial requests for emergency support have highlighted the urgent need for drinking water, food, basic medicine, household kits, clothing, and shelter,” the UNOCHA stated in its flood situation report on Sept. 20.
Regime media reported on Saturday that 384 people have been killed by flooding and landslides since Sept. 9. Nearly 100 injuries have also been reported. The regime went on to state that 533 roads and bridges, 435 religious buildings, 99 telecommunication towers and 735,461 acres of paddy fields were damaged by flooding.
Belarus president invites Min Aung Hlaing to Minsk
The President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko invited regime leader Min Aung Hlaing to visit the capital Minsk to discuss cooperation between the two countries, Belarusian state media reported. He made the remarks in a message that commemorated the 25th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Belarus and Burma on Sept. 22.
“I am confident that by purposeful joint efforts we will be able to effectively realize the inexhaustible potential of our cooperation for the benefit of citizens of Belarus and Myanmar,” Lukashenko said. The Belarusian also wished Min Aung Hlaing “good health, happiness and successes.”
Minsk and Naypyidaw have maintained close ties since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. Min Aung Hlaing previously visited Belarus in 2014 as commander-in-chief of the military. Both Minsk and Naypyidaw have been heavily sanctioned by the international community over human rights violations.
Support rally for Myanmar’s UN ambassador
A rally was held in New York City on Saturday in support of Kyaw Moe Tun retaining his position as Burma’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Those in attendance marched from the U.N. Headquarters with banners calling on the U.N. to extend Kyaw Moe Tun’s tenure.
Officials of the National Unity Government (NUG), including Health Minister Zaw Wai Soe, attended the rally. Another support rally was held in Vancouver, Canada on the same day. “Kyaw Moe Tun was appointed by the Aung San Suu Kyi government and he stands up for the people. We do not want someone who represents the military,” Min Naing, a member of the 2021 Burmese Action Group in Vancouver, told DVB.
The 79th U.N. General Assembly high-level debate begins today. Kyaw Moe Tun was appointed as Burma’s ambassador to the U.N. in 2020 prior to the coup. He has retained his position ever since and now represents the NUG. The U.N. Credentials Committee declined to meet last year, which allowed Kyaw Moe Tun to remain in the post. The committee determines the representative of each U.N. member state.
News by Region
ARAKAN—Sources close to the Arakan Army (AA) told DVB that it provided a week’s worth of food to the flood survivors in 14 primarily ethnic Chin villages of Minbya Township, located north of the Arakan State capital Sittwe, on Sept. 19-20. One Minbya resident was killed and 284 homes were submerged and damaged by flooding Sept. 13-14.
“The AA government is responding to the difficulties of all people living in the state [regardless of ethnicity] who are in need of help as soon as possible,” one of the sources told DVB. Residents of the 14 villages claimed that the AA is also providing healthcare services.
MANDALAY—Ten people, including two members of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), were killed and nearly 20 others were injured during airstrikes carried out by the Air Force on a school and police station in Ngamyagyi village of Ngazun Township, located around 41 miles (66 km) southwest of Mandalay, on Friday.
“A fighter jet from Tada-U [Air Force base] fired seven rockets, several rounds of shots, and dropped two bombs,” a source close to the PDF told DVB. Airstrikes were also carried out on Ngamyagyi village on Saturday. The PDF seized control of the village on Aug. 19.
MAGWAY—Two civilians were killed and at least five others were injured during airstrikes carried out by the Air Force on two villages of Yesagyo Township, located 133 miles (214 km) north of the Magway Region capital, on Sunday.
“An unknown number of homes were destroyed. Our medical team is going there to provide medical assistance,” a Yesagyo PDF spokesperson told DVB. The PDF claimed that there had been no fighting with the military in the villages when the airstrikes occurred.
YANGON—An anti-coup protest group called the University Students’ Union Alumni Force claimed that four of its members were arrested by the military on Sept. 19. It added that the group’s co-founder Zaw Lin Htut, as well as Aung Min Khaing and Mya Myint Zu (also members of another group called the Youth Strike Committee), along with former political prisoner Hnin Ei Khaing, are facing torture in detention and fear for their lives.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 5,150 kyat)
Read: Quick fixes will never be the solution for peace in Myanmar by Khin Ohmar. DVB English News is on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads & TikTok. Subscribe to us on YouTube.
