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Human Rights Lens – Episode 1: Myanmar’s military airstrikes

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National Unity Government (NUG) Minister of Human Rights Aung Myo Min co-presents Human Rights Lens with DVB.

Human Rights Lens is brought to you by the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and the National Unity Government (NUG) Ministry of Human Rights. It features NUG Minister of Human Rights Aung Myo Min. The program is presented by DVB TV News host Nweni Tinmaung. It investigates Myanmar military airstrikes.

Regime states its preventing the spread cholera in Yangon following outbreak

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Members of the Myanmar Red Cross Society conducting public health inspections and sharing information to residents in Thaketa Township on July 8. (Credit: MRCS)

The price of oral rehydration solutions and other related medications have increased as an outbreak of cholera has affected several townships located in eastern Yangon. 

The regime Ministry of Health reported on Thursday that 84 new patients were admitted to hospitals in Yangon for cholera treatment. 

“The price of medicine was already high following the [2021 military] coup, and now it has increased again,” a Thaketa resident told DVB.

Eleven people are reported to be in serious condition at hospitals, while 33 were discharged on July 11. Since the outbreak began on July 5, a total of 250 have recovered and were released from hospital.

The price of oral rehydration solution has tripled, rising from approximately 800 to 2,500 kyats ($0.25-0.77 USD) per single-use package at pharmacies and stores in Yangon. 

The Health Ministry ordered the closure of street food shops and stalls in Thaketa and neighboring townships from July 5-12. The regime has reported no fatalities due to the cholera outbreak.

“The efforts to prevent and control [the spread of] cholera in the Yangon Region are intensifying,” stated the regime on July 11.

Weekly Briefing: July 12, 2024

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DVB English News Weekly Briefing for July 12, 2024. In this week’s briefing: Thailand parliamentary committee hears from UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar; Nearly 2,000 foreigners escape cyber scam centers in Karen State; And a podcast featuring voices from the Burmese-Canadian diaspora.

Thailand parliamentary committee meets with UN Special Rapporteur; Talking Burma in the diaspora

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UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma Tom Andrews speaks during a meeting in Bangkok on July 11. (Credit: Reuters)

Thailand parliamentary committee meets with UN Special Rapporteur

Thailand’s Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy, and National Reform held a meeting with the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma Tom Andrews in Bangkok on July 11. Andrews’ latest report accuses Thai banks of facilitating weapons purchases by the military.

“Banks in Thailand facilitated over $60 million dollars in purchases for the junta’s Ministry of Defence in fiscal year 2022. That total more than doubled in fiscal year 2023 to over $120 million dollars. As Singapore banks were winding down their facilitation of these types of transactions, some Thai banks were winding up,” said Andrews.

His recent report: Banking on the Death Trade: How Banks and Governments Enable the Military Junta in Myanmar identified 16 banks in seven countries that have processed transactions linked to military weapons purchases. He added that an additional 25 banks provided services to banks under regime control.

Talking Burma in the diaspora

Napas Thein is a Canadian master’s student at the Munk School of Public Policy and chair of the Myanmar Culture Club at the University of Toronto. He’s the host of a new English language podcast called Talking Burma, which is produced by the Burma-Canadian Association of Ontario (BCAO).

“We are trying to uncover stories from people who are from Burma, or people who do work in Burma, and share these kinds of stories, these oral histories, with the Canadian public and our Burmese diaspora,” he said.

Talking Burma Podcast was initiated by the Burmese-Canadian community to explore the lives, stories and work of people from Burma. Hear Napas Thein on the Weekly Briefing podcast today. Find DVB English News wherever you get podcasts. Listen on Spotify, YouTube, Audible, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.

Myint Myat Oo’s funeral was held in Saingnainggyi village of Wetlet Township on July 10. (Credit: ABFSU)

National Unity Government to investigate murder of 16-year-old

The National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement on Wednesday that it will investigate the murder of Myint Myat Oo, 16, a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) who was killed in Saingnainggyi village, Wetlet Township of Sagaing Region on July 8.

“[The] ABFSU condemns the heinous acts by whosoever and will seek the justice through movements against the brutality until the accused has been punished,” stated the ABFSU in a press release.

It alleged that ABFSU members have been attacked by representatives of the NUG People’s Administration in Wetlet Township. It went on to state that it “strongly opposes the acts of cruelty by such authorities.”

News by Region

CHINLAND—The Chinland Defense Force Kale Kabaw Gangaw (CDF-KKG) which is operating in Kale and Tamu townships of Sagaing Region, as well as Gangaw Township of Magway Region, claimed that more than 40 of its members have been killed and several more have been injured since the 2021 military coup. 

“Although we provide medical treatments for the injured, we are unable to assist them well due to our financial difficulties,” said Salai Lonpi, the CDF-KKG spokesperson. It stated that it has fought in over 80 battles against the military since it was founded in July 2021. It claims to have over 600 members fighting alongside other anti-coup forces.  

MAGWAY—Residents of Irin village in Myaing Township claimed that nearly 20 civilians were arrested and one woman was raped and killed by soldiers during an arson attack by the military on July 7. Nearly 3o homes were destroyed.

“The soldiers raided the village that morning and arrested everyone,” said a resident who fled from their home during the attack. He added that soldiers stole valuables, rice, edible oil and food from residents’ homes.   

YANGON—Two police officers were injured in Bahan Township during an attack on a police station by a group calling itself the God’s Hand Force on July 10. “We heard the explosion,” said a Bahan resident.

One hundred and fifteen people are reportedly receiving treatment for cholera at hospitals in Yangon on July 10, stated the regime’s Ministry of Health. Twenty-two are in serious condition and 87 others have been discharged. It added that a total of 217 have been discharged from the hospital after recovering from illness related to the cholera outbreak.

Eight passengers are still missing from a ferry boat capsized in the Yangon River on July 10 and the search operation is ongoing, RFA Burmese reported. The missing individuals include three students, regime media reported. A total of nine individuals have been rescued out of the 17 passengers on board.

SHAN—The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) stated that it has seized control of Nawnghkio Township after it captured the remaining military outpost there on Wednesday. It had already seized the town’s Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) 114 and 115 in June. 

“There is one more military outpost left and it is located 15 miles from the town,” said a resistance group member on the condition of anonymity. A Nawnghkio resident told DVB that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have started to return to their homes but many fear retaliatory airstrikes and artillery attacks. 

Operation Shan-Man, which refers to the twin offensives launched in Mandalay and northern Shan State by resistance forces on June 25, continues against the military for control of Mogok Township in Mandalay Region, as well as Lashio and Kyaukme townships of northern Shan State.

Watch: Myanmar artist For My Country exhibition on military crimes. DVB English News is on X, FB, IG, Threads & TikTok. Subscribe to us on YouTube. Find us on YouTube Music.

Thai banks unable to investigate Myanmar weapons payments

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UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews speaks during a press conference after a meeting with a Thai parliamentary committee on his report which found that Thai banks have been facilitating financial transactions on arms deal to the Myanmar military. The meeting and press conference was held in Bangkok on July 11. (Credit: Reuters)

Major Thai banks defended themselves on Thursday against criticism that they facilitated weapons purchases by the Myanmar military, stating they lacked the capacity to investigate all transactions that may be used for such purchases.

Representatives of the lenders told a Thai parliamentary committee, however, that they strictly followed regulations.

A U.N. expert’s report last month said that companies registered in Thailand utilised Thai banks to transfer weapons and related materials worth $120 million USD in the 2023 fiscal year to Myanmar, compared with $60 million USD in 2022.

Thailand’s parliamentary committee on national security called in representatives of five banks after the report by the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, highlighted the role of Thai entities.

The five Thai commercial banks named in the U.N. report, Krung Thai, SCBX, Bangkok Bank, TMB Thanchart Bank and Kasikorn Bank did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.

The parliamentary committee’s chairperson, Rangsiman Rome, said the bankers association, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) had been instructed to report back within 30 days with recommendations for further action.

REUTERS

Myanmar artist For My Country exhibition on military crimes

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Artist Ess Sai Mein at the opening ceremony of “For the Country” exhibition at Pongnoi Community Art Space on July 5.

The opening ceremony of the art exhibition For the Country was held at Pongnoi Community Art Space in Chiang Mai, Thailand on July 5. Artist Ess Sai Mein said that his exhibit reflects the suffering of the people in Shan State due to conflict, which has been exacerbated sine the 2021 military coup. For the Country by Ess Sai Mein will be on display at Pongnoi Community Art Space until Aug. 13.

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