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UN states over 600,000 impacted by flooding in Myanmar; Bangkok and Naypyidaw coordinate relief efforts

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A bridge was destroyed by flooding in Hsihseng Township, 53 miles (85 km) south of the Shan State capital Taunggyi and 38 miles (61 km) north of the Karenni State capital Loikaw. (Credit: CJ)

Editor’s note: In the Sept. 9 edition of the Daily Briefing newsletter we mistakenly cited that 620,200 military personnel had been killed since the ‘People’s Defensive War’ was declared by the National Unity Government on Sept. 7, 2021. The correct number shared with us by the NUG Press Office is 40,008 as of July 31. We regret the error.

UN states over 600,000 impacted by flooding

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has documented that flooding has impacted an estimated 631,000 people across nine states and regions. Over 300 people have been killed due to flooding and landslides since the remnants of Typhoon Yagi arrived in the country on Sept. 9. 

“Heavy rains caused by the monsoon season and remnants of Typhoon Yagi have led to severe flooding in multiple states and regions across Myanmar. There has been significant damage to road networks, transportation, telecommunications and electricity in affected areas,” UNOCHA stated in its flood situation report on Monday.

It added that most areas affected by flooding remain submerged. Regime media reported on Tuesday that a total of 226 people have been killed and 77 others are still missing. Both the military regime in Naypyidaw and the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile have requested international aid to Burma.

Bangkok and Naypyidaw coordinate relief efforts

Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa held talks with the regime’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Than Swe on Monday. They reportedly agreed to find ways to minimize the impact of flooding in their respective countries and the region. 

Maris told Thai media that Burma has been impacted by severe flooding due to heavy rainfall and other water flowing from the mountains into the Thanlyin (Salween) River. He said that Thailand is seeking to propose further cooperation over water management through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation, established in 2016 between the six riparian states of the Lancang and Mekong rivers. 

The Mekong-Lancang Cooperation consists of Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, Thailand, and China and seeks to foster greater economic cooperation within the Mekong region. Northern Thailand has also been heavily impacted by flooding and landslides caused by rainfall from the remnants of Typhoon Yagi. 

Nearly 1,700 arrested for criticizing military since 2021 coup

Data for Myanmar has documented that nearly 1,700 civilians have been arrested for criticizing the military regime as well as expressing support for pro-democracy groups and anti-coup resistance groups online since February 2022. 

“Most of the people are from Yangon and Mandalay regions and were arrested because of their posts on Facebook,” Data for Myanmar stated in its latest report. It added that 36 percent of the total 1,700 arrested are women. This year, 202 have so far been arrested. In 2023, 615 were arrested. In 2022, 874 people were arrested. 

The regime blocked access to Facebook and other websites following the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. It restricted access to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which netizens use to access Facebook, on May 30. Access Now, a digital rights group, has documented that the regime imposed at least 37 internet shutdowns in 13 states and regions in 2023. 

News by Region

A relief worker rescues a child during flooding in Taungoo Township of Bago Region, 69 miles (111 km) south of the capital Naypyidaw, last week. (Credit: CJ)

BAGO—Rescue workers recovered seven bodies of flood victims in Taungoo Township, located 134 miles (216 km) north of the Bago Region capital on Monday. Tens of thousands of residents displaced from their homes by flooding have been relocated to 36 relief centers in Taungoo. 

“We have never experienced such a flood in the t0wn’s history. Almost every neighborhood is submerged,” a Taungoo resident told DVB. Flooding is also still impacting residents in Shan and Karen states. 

ARAKAN—The military has evicted more than 400 residents from two villages near the Arakan State capital Sittwe since Saturday. “The military wants to deploy in the villages to prepare its defenses [against the Arakan Army – AA], but they have not prepared any place to relocate the villagers. People are now in need of food and shelter,” a Sittwe resident told DVB. 

Residents claimed that the military has evicted residents of at least 15 villages in Sittwe Township since the AA launched its offensive on Nov. 13. The military has been building fences and other fortifications around Sittwe in preparation for a possible AA attack since early August.

MANDALAY—Business owners stated that they have been threatened by a group online claiming to represent the Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MPDF), and other resistance groups, since Sept. 10. Business owners told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the group ordered them to send a minimum payment of 100,000 kyat. 

“We have never made such threats or demands. It’s clear that the military regime is trying to tarnish the image of the revolution,” an MPDF spokesperson told DVB. He added that resistance groups which engage in blackmail will be prosecuted under the National Unity Government (NUG) Code of Conduct.

SHAN—Hopong Township residents told DVB that 21 bodies have been recovered and around 30 people are still missing since heavy rains on Sept. 11 caused flooding and landslides in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone of southern Shan State. Residents added that they have not yet received any help. 

“We have not been able to contact each village as there are landslides,” a Hopong resident told DVB. Telecommunication services are currently unavailable in the township. More than 110 homes were destroyed and over 1,000 residents have sought temporary shelter in neighboring villages. They are in urgent need of food, kitchenware, medicines and mosquito nets.

(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 5,100 kyat)

Over 5,000 killed and tens of thousands detained since the 2021 military coup

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James Rodehaver, the head of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Myanmar team, speaks at a press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland on Sept. 17. (Credit: Reuters)

Myanmar’s military regime has ramped up arrests in an apparent bid to enforce conscription and silence its opponents, with tens of thousands detained since the 2021 coup and over 5,000 killed, according to a report released on Tuesday by the U.N. human rights office.

“Even though many people assume that the arrests, the mass arrests, were really a feature of 2021 and 2022, they continue to happen throughout the country,” said James Rodehaver, the head of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Myanmar team.

The military seized power on Feb. 1, 2021 after deposing the elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and triggering nationwide street protests that it violently crushed.

The protest movement has since morphed into an armed rebellion that has widened, and fighting has flared on multiple fronts, prompting authorities to introduce military conscription in February.

The OHCHR report is partly based on remote interviews with hundreds of victims and witnesses in Myanmar since investigators are denied access to the country.

Of those, 2,414 died in the period covered by the report between April 2023 and June 2024, with hundreds killed by airstrikes and artillery attacks, amounting to an increase of 50 percent versus the previous reporting period.

The report also revealed the scale of detentions across the country with nearly 27,400 individuals arrested since 2021, including more than 9,000 in the latest reporting period, of whom many are thought to be in military training centres.

“Over a third of the over 27,000 individuals that have been arrested for expressing dissent against the military, those arrests have been verified in the period that is in the report. So it is a phenomenon that still exists,” added Rodehaver.

The report added that among those seized by the regime were children, who were taken when the parents could not be located “as a form of punishment for political opposition.”

Liz Throssel, the OHCHR spokesperson, told a press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland on Sept. 17 that at least 1,853 people have died in custody in Myanmar since 2021, including 88 children.

“Many of these individuals have been verified as dying after being subjected to abusive interrogation, other ill treatment in detention or denial of access to adequate health care,” said Throssel.

Rodehaver added that detainees interviewed reported cases of abuse that amount to torture, such as suspension from the ceiling without food or water, the use of snakes and insects to instill fear, and beatings with bamboo sticks and motorcycle chains.

“But then, of course, you have what happens to those people once they are arrested. It is lengthy periods of pretrial detention in detention facilities that have horrific conditions. And then, of course, you have the pervasive use of torture and ill treatment,” he concluded.

REUTERS

International aid needed to assist response; Regime accuses media of not reporting military relief efforts

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A rescue worker delivers drinking water to the home of a flood survivor in Hpa-An Township of Karen State on Sept. 15. (Credit: Myanmar Fire Services Department)

International aid needed to assist response

Both the military regime in Naypyidaw and the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile have requested international aid to the over 200,000 citizens impacted by flooding and landslides. Over 300 people have been killed since the remnants of Typhoon Yagi arrived in Burma on Sept. 9. 

“Given the nature of this disaster, our minister will be requesting international organizations to provide as much assistance as possible, which should not face the same challenges as aid for internally displaced persons,” Win Myat Aye, the NUG Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, told DVB.

The NUG claimed that it is coordinating with groups on-the-ground in order to deliver aid to flood victims. Regime media reported on Monday that a total of 113 people have been killed and 120 are still missing. Min Aung Hlaing reportedly asked regime officials to request humanitarian aid deliveries from foreign countries.

Regime accuses media of not reporting military relief efforts

Regime spokesperson Zaw Min Tun accused independent media of ignoring the military’s relief efforts and claimed that it has assisted over 320,000 people displaced from their homes to be evacuated to temporary relief centers. 

Zaw Min Tun also accused members of the diaspora of spreading misinformation in order to cause panic. “They create rumors to make people more worried. We need to demonstrate our collective strength while facing natural disasters,” he said during an interview with regime media on Monday. 

Regime media reported on Saturday that five dams, four pagodas, and more than 65,000 houses were destroyed by flooding. Search and rescue operations to find the 120 people still missing are underway. Heavy rains have caused flooding in at least 58 of the 330 townships since Sept. 9.  

India steps up for countries impacted by Typhoon Yagi

India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday that New Delhi has delivered humanitarian aid to Burma, Laos, and Vietnam after the three countries were impacted by flooding and landslides. The Indian Navy delivered ten tons of supplies, including dry rations, clothing, and medicines, to Burma.

“Demonstrating our solidarity with the people affected by Typhoon Yagi, India is dispatching aid to Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos,” Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, posted on social media. He referred to India’s delivery as “Operation Sadbhav.” 

Thirty-five tons of aid was sent to Vietnam by air, while 10 tons of supplies arrived in Laos. Indian media reported that the assistance is a part of New Delhi’s wider diplomatic efforts to deliver disaster relief to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.

News by Region

Flooding around Inle Lake in Nyaungshwe Township, located 18 miles (28 km) south of the Shan State capital Taunggyi. (Credit: CJ)

SHAN—More than 6,000 villagers living around the tourist hotspot Inle Lake in Nyaungshwe Township, located in southern Shan State, are in need of humanitarian assistance due to flooding since Sept. 9.

“Tourism has stopped and agricultural farms have been flooded. It is the largest [flooding] in Inle in the past 20 years,” said a Nyaungshwe resident. Inle Lake is the second largest lake in Burma. All telecommunication services are currently unavailable in the township.

ARAKAN—Sittwe Township residents reported that the military arrested more than 70 people, including women and children, during household inspections in three neighborhoods of the Arakan State capital on Friday. 

“They still have not been released,” a Sittwe resident told DVB. Sources close to the regime said that nearly 1,000 people have been arrested since November and 600 of them have faced charges, including under the Unlawful Associations Act. Residents have claimed that soldiers are demanding bribes in exchange for their release.

CHINLAND—A faction of the Chin resistance to the 2021 military coup, known as the Chin Brotherhood, accused the Chin National Army (CNA/CNF) and its Chinland Council forces of coordinating attacks with the military against it during fighting in Matupi Township, located in southern Chinland, in June. 

“They coordinated with the [military] in order to drop bombs with drones and to do artillery strikes on [our] troops,” said Salai Yaw Mang, the Chin Brotherhood spokesperson. A source close to the CNA denied these accusations to DVB. The Chin Brotherhood was established in 2023 after it accused the Chinland Constitution of “not adhering to democratic standards”. 

MANDALAY—The Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MPDF) claimed that it has been monitoring the water levels of the Setawgyi dam in Madaya Township, located around 24 miles (39 km) north of Mandalay, in order to protect residents from possible flooding. 

“It is still operating safely,” an MPDF spokesperson told DVB. The water levels of the dam were measured at 385 feet (117 m), which is under its maximum levels of 420 feet (128 m). The dam occupies an area of 363,000 acres (1,452 square km) and has seven drainage holes. The MPDF seized control of Setawgyi in June.

Read: A naïve dream or daring attempt? A Myanmar feminist podcast by Nyein Chan May.

Jailed lawyer awarded international human rights prize. DVB English News is on X, FB, IG, Threads & TikTok. Subscribe to us on YouTube. Follow us on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Jailed Mandalay lawyer awarded international human rights prize

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Ywet Nu Aung is a human rights lawyer known for taking on legal challenges against Buddhist nationalists. She was a member of the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party in Mandalay Region. She was also the NLD's legal adviser. (Credit: CJ)

Mandalay lawyer Ywet Nu Aung, 44, was awarded the Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize on May 24. She was arrested in April 2022 following a court hearing for a senior member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which was ousted in the 2021 military coup.

Ywet Nu Aung was sentenced to 15 years in prison for violating the Counter-Terrorism Act for allegedly providing financial support to the People’s Defense Force (PDF) on Dec. 27, 2022. “It is unclear whether she will be able to be represented due to the political conditions imposed on Myanmar following the 2021 coup,” said a press release from the Ludovic Trarieux prize committee on Sept. 11.

Ywet Nu Aung was named by The Irrawaddy as one of the “10 Women Who Inspired Us in 2020” for her “outstanding legal work.” The Ludovic Trarieux prize is awarded annually to a lawyer defending human rights globally. It is the oldest and most prestigious award given to a lawyer. A ceremony will be held at the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Rome on Oct. 18. Ywet Nu Aung is the 29th recipient of the prize and the 15th woman to receive it.

Death toll from floods and landslides continues to rise; UN alarmed by airstrikes that kill at least 10 children

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A street in Kalaw, located 44 miles (70 km) west of the Shan State capital Taunggyi, flooded by heavy rainfall on Sept. 10. (Credit: CJ )

Death toll from floods and landslides continues to rise

Over 300 people have been killed due to flooding and landslides since the remnants of Typhoon Yagi arrived in the country on Sept. 9. More than 200,000 people nationwide have been impacted. At least 200 bodies have been recovered in Yamethin Township of Mandalay Region after 350 homes there were destroyed by a landslide. 

“The exact number of deaths and destroyed homes is still unclear. We are still compiling lists,” a Yamethin resident assisting flood victims told DVB. “Most of the deaths occurred due to flooding and landslides,” a Hopong Township resident in southern Shan State told DVB. 

Regime media reported on Sunday that a total of 74 people have been killed. It added that five dams, four pagodas, and more than 65,000 houses were destroyed by flooding. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with at least 89 people missing as of Sept. 13.

UN ‘alarmed’ by airstrikes that kill at least 10 children

The U.N. International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) stated that it is alarmed over the death of at least 10 children on Sept. 5-6. Twenty-four civilians, including at least 10 children, were killed and eight children were injured during airstrikes in Shan State, Chinland and Magway Region. 

“As attacks intensify, we fear this pattern will only continue. In 2024 alone, at least 600 children have been killed or injured in Myanmar,” said June Kunugi, the UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, in a press release on Sept. 12. 

UNICEF called on all parties to the conflict in Burma to protect children and civilians. It added that a community-based learning center was also destroyed in the airstrikes. “Children are being killed in the very places where they should feel safe, including their places of learning and in their communities,” Kunugi added.

Protest against China’s role in Burma staged in US capital

Pro-democracy group Anti Dictatorship in Burma – DC Metro Area held a protest in front of China’s embassy in Washington DC on Saturday. They demanded that Beijing stop interfering in Burma’s political affairs by helping legitimize Min Aung Hlaing’s regime that took power after the 2021 military coup. 

“We will object to Beijing if it continues its support to the military regime,” Yin Aye, the group’s spokesperson told DVB. “It shouldn’t encourage the regime-planned elections if they said they are not interfering in the country’s internal affairs.”

China’s Embassy in Yangon stated that Beijing rejects accusations that it is interfering in Burma’s political crisis since the 2021 coup. It stated that it adheres to the principle of non-interference. Beijing issued a letter to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to cease its offensive and conducted military exercises at four locations along the China-Burma border last month.

Weekly Cartoon: Min Aung Hlaing visits flood-affected areas of the country. Regime media reported that he has requested international aid.

News by Region

KARENNI—The Karen Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) stated that it will conduct an investigation into the death of 18 of its medics who were swept away by a river during a training exercise in western Demoso Township on Sept. 11. 

“We are terribly sorry for the loss of our medics and we will let the public know what happened after our investigation,” Maui Pho Thaike, the KNDF deputy commander, posted on social media. The medics training was initiated by the KNDF medical department.

MANDALAY—Two ancient pagodas located in the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site of Bagan was damaged by rain on Sept. 12.  “When we examined the damaged pagoda’s bricks, they were completely saturated with water,” an official from the Bagan Archaeological Museum told DVB.

Seven men were arrested by police for an alleged robbery at a home, where a vehicle and a mobile phone were stolen, in Pyigyitagon Township on Sept. 11. The men are alleged to be members of a pro-military militia led by a Buddhist monk named Pauk Ko Taw.

“The robbers assaulted a four-year-old boy and his father, and took away a vehicle and a [smartphone] while destroying other things from the house,” a Pyigyitagon resident told DVB.

SHAN—The TNLA claimed that one woman was injured and an unknown number of homes were destroyed by airstrikes on Thabyekon village of Nawnghkio Township, located in northern Shan State, on Saturday. 

The TNLA claimed that the Air Force used two 500-pound bombs and fired rockets into the village under its control. It reported that one of the bombs didn’t detonate.

YANGON—A resistance group calling itself the God’s Hand Forces claimed that three military personnel were injured after an attack on a bunker in Shwepyitha Township on Saturday. 

“We used a remote-control explosive when they switched duties as they came out from their bunker. It is impossible to attack them when they are inside the bunker,” the group’s spokesperson told DVB.

Watch: What’s happening in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region? Pt. 2. DVB English News is on X, FB, IG, Threads & TikTok. Subscribe to us on YouTube. Find us on YouTube Music & Spotify.

News Cartoon: Sept. 16, 2024

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Min Aung Hlaing visits flood-affected areas of the country. Regime media reported that he has requested international aid.
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